RS: Okay, so I started this a while ago and, now that I have a bunch of the chapters written, I've decided to start posting. It's a LashxMagentaxWarren story, cuz those were the 3 coolest characters in the movie. This chappy's kinda fast moving n' a little choppy, but it should get better. I'll probably smooth it out and add a few more details.


Prologue

Why do I have to do the prologue? Ugh, whatever. Pay attention because I am not repeating. Here's the stupid 'event timeline' or what ever dumb name it has:

School started September 6, and by September 31 we'd defeated Royal Pain. You already know the story so don't bug me for any details. For you losers thinking 'it took longer than a month' no, it didn't. I was there, you weren't. Who's right in this situation?

Lash, Speed, and Penny got off the hook for trying to destroy the school, thanks to some good lawyers. They pleaded blackmail or something like that. Gwen sort of did too, but is required to wear some kind of bracelet that neutralizes her powers. They all ended up with one minor consequence: being bumped down to sophomores. I almost pity Warren for being stuck with them. (1) Principal Powers didn't think it would be safe for the four of them to be in the same grade as most of us, but she also didn't want to only bring them back to Junior. So, Sophomore it was.

While Layla and a scant few other students were bumped up to hero class, most of us stayed sidekicks. Apparently even though we'd all worked together to save the school without any real heroes (save Will and Warren) we couldn't have done it on our own and 'cannot be classified in a way that would suggest such advanced abilities', or so Principal Powers said. Go flippin' figure.

Zach and me only lasted 2 weeks. And no, I'm not telling you why.

Warren and 'the ice princess', as we all like to call her, had broken up by October 21. For you mentally challenged people, that's a week after me n' glow boy called it quits. She and hot head argued 24/7, being polar opposites. Anyway, it was about time, do you have any idea how annoying it is to hear that much yelling? The break-up got Warren all sour for a while, seeing as he has one emotion: angry. Four days later I finally slapped him back into reality, literally.

So, it's been about 3 weeks since then and that's all there is to tell. Now beat it, I have to write an entire essay on freeze rays for mad science lab. Ugh, Medulla is such a slave driver.

High school is so stupid.

Of Friends, Fires, and Fortune Cookies

Chapter 1
Girl Shy

"Good morning, Maj." Layla chirped happily as she plopped down next to her friend. She was always a morning person and had been especially peppy since she'd discovered the secret to making lemons: pucker. Will moved to sit beside Zach, who happily reported that he gained the ability to not only adjust the amount of light he gave off, but could also glow bright enough to be seen during the day.

The punk girl only glared in response. Her friends shot her a weary look but brushed it off, figuring it was just her time of the month.

'She's been like that a lot lately.' mused Layla, who was watching the shape shifter from the corner of her eye. None of the bus's occupants even twitched as the bus buckled them in and took off, everyone was used to it.

Magenta had never acted that way before, not even when she and Zach had broken up. They'd called it quits about two weeks after starting to go out, far too different to make things work out. Maj had just found Zach too insufferably stupid, enough said, while Zach found Maj to be far too out of control. As it turned out, he had more of a taste for orderliness.

Things had been uncomfortable for an entire week, but after that things cooled down. Or it had, until Warren broke up with his girlfriend the next day. After that he'd begun snapping at anyone and his friends put up with it, until Magenta finally snapped and straightened him out.

Flashback

Scurrying through the hall, a red haired girl rushed to her next class. She was going to be late for 'Save the Citizen', and she didn't want to miss watching her boyfriend beat the school bullies again.

Suddenly, she collided with something hard and fell to the ground. Looking up, she gazed upon her newfound friend and smiled.

"Sorry, didn't see you there." the freshman breathed, still out of breath from rushing, The boy only glared; causing her grin to falter, then fade.

"Watch where you're going, hippie." He snarled in anger. The redhead frowned.

"I didn't mean to-" She attempted unsurely, gathering the books around her and standing up.

"Well you did."

"I-I… I-"

"You what? Just get out of my way!" Normally this particular hero had more of a backbone, but she didn't want to fight her friend and knew he was just upset. So, instead of retorting, she just ran off to her next class.

The boy turned, slamming his locker loudly. A figure came into view out of the corner of his eye, previously being blocked by the locker door.

"She said she was sorry." The girl hissed. Turning, the pyro-kinetic glowered at his friend.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" he growled. The shape-shifter glared fiercely.

"You've been a real jerk, Warren. Ever since you and the ice princess broke up you've been-"

"My personal business is none of your concern!" he roared advancing on the girl. They were less than a foot from one another, staring angrily into each other's eyes.

Rather than being intimidated, she yelled to match him, "You've been taking out all your stupid anger on us and-"

"Shut up!" his arms burst into flames, heating the girl's skin instantly. The punk almost backed down, the fire's intensity hurting her eyes and burning at her skin, but instead acted on instinct. Pulling back her arm, a dull thump echoed through the hall as her fist collided with her friend's cheek.

The boy recoiled in shock and extinguished himself, "Maj-"

She cut him off, "Peace, shut up and let me talk. We are all sick and tired of your attitude. You've been a bully, you're acting mean, you just snapped at Layla… We're in high school, Warren; girlfriends will come and go. But if you're going to be this irritating every time a girl dumps you then maybe you should go find some new friends."

"… Maj-"

"Whatever." On that final note she turned to walk away, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Let's get to the roof, we'll get a week's worth of detention if we're caught skipping class."

The two slipped away and did just that, but were caught nonetheless. People noticed he wasn't there to help Will win 'Save the Citizen'. But by lunch, Warren Peace was fully back to normal.

End Flashback

The bus landed with a jolt, causing Ethan to be snapped in the face as his seatbelt unhooked itself. He rubbed his nose gingerly as the doors to the bus opened. The students began exiting the bus.

"Isn't it great," Layla smiled, deciding it was a perfect time to start up a conversation, "how everyone's powers are evolving?

"Whatever." Magenta growled, pushing past the future ecologist and rushing into the school.

"Man, what's her problem?" Ethan wondered as the group sat down beside Warren.

"Whose?" the loner inquired, not lifting his head from the book he was reading.

"Magenta's, she's been cranky all week." Layla clarified, watching her friend's retreating figure as it entered the doors.

"I thought yesterday at lunch you said it was just CMS and her comma was coming." Zach asked dumbly, refraining from the use of tact. Warren stiffened, fully aware of what he meant and shifted with the thought of it. The last thing he needed to focus on was the goings on of one of his only female friends' nether regions.

"Period, Zach, not comma." The girl corrected, "And it's PMS. Anyway, now I'm starting to think it's something more-"

"Is Peace blushing?" a voice interrupted. A lanky boy in a black and white striped shirt appeared behind them as his pudgy counterpart swirled around before stopping before them.

"No." the boy in question growled, softly closing his book. The two bullies grinned.

"Aw, Warren Peace is girl-shy!" Lash proceeded to tease, "Isn't that adorable?"

"Oh, so cute." Agreed Speed.

"I wouldn't mind talking about her body, though." Continued the tall one, "She's pretty cute, don't ya think Peace?" Warren's face hardened in contrast to the shade of his cheeks which matched the girl in question's name.

"Ha, look at 'im!" cackled the chunky bruiser.

"She may even be worth some of my time."

"Leave her alone!" Layla demanded as the five students stood to meet the bullies.

Lash looked down at her and opened his mouth to retort, but Will pulled the girl behind him defensively, stating: "Same goes for Layla."

The newly-made-sophomore rolled his eyes, "I'm not interested in you're hippy girlfriend, stronghold." He turned to Warren, "You can tell your friend I'll be looking for her." On that final note, the two bullies took their leave.

Warren slammed back down to where he was sitting, cheeks now flushed in anger rather than embarrassment.

'It's not like I liker her or anything,' he reasoned in his head, defending the sudden wave of protectiveness, 'I just don't like the thought of that asshole touching her.'

Layla sat beside him unsurely, "I'm sure Lash was just pulling your chain. Let's just forget this ever happened. Besides," she continued as everyone agreed with her idea, "it's time for class."

The group got up and left for class without giving the event a second thought. Though, in the deepest corners of his mind, Warren secretly questioned Layla's logic.

End of Chapter


(1) I made Warren a sophomore because their ages didn't make sense: Will was 14, Magenta and Layla were 15, and Warren was 16, which isn't exactly a freshman age. Technically he should be a junior or senior, but I didn't want him to be too much older. (For those who think that's too high a grade, consider this: people who haven't skipped a grade or been held back graduate high school at 17 or 18, and most turn a year older during the school year which means a 17 year old probably started out 16.)

RS: Attention all Magenta fans: she WILL have a bigger part. Her character just wasn't needed for this chapter (save for the flashback bit). Anyway, leave a review!