Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Sky High. I make no money from this story.
Sky High
Chapter 1
The sun was just peeking through the dark pink curtains when a shrill beeping started announcing to the room's occupants that is was time to wake up. With a loud groan a hand shot out from under the covers to slap it off. After a few seconds a mop of black and pink hair followed buy a pair of glazed over eyes sea green eyes emerged to squint at the clock. Soon all of the residents of the house were startled by a shrill scream.
"Oh my gods, I only have thirty minutes before the bus comes. Mom, why didn't you wake me up sooner?" I
All anyone could hear for the next twenty minutes was the sound of running feet and the occasional curse. Soon the sound of tiny feet in combat boots could be heard rushing down the stairs, not even acknowledging the three people seated at the table a girl slung back a glass of orange juice.
"Yasmina Mirage Alexander, why is it that you always blame me because you refuse to wake up to your alarm?" The girl in question flinched at her full name being used. Having the grace to blush she looked directly into her mother sea green eyes and smiled.
"I'm sorry mamma; I know I shouldn't blame you for me not waking up to my alarm." Walking around the table to kiss her mother's cheek in apology Yasmina grabbed some toast and headed for the door. "I'll try not to sleep through my alarm in the future. Well, I'm off wish me luck."
"Slow down honey. I want to talk to you for a second." Mina rolled her eyes as she sat down at the table and began to munch on her toast. "I want you to try to make friends. Try not to hide yourself in the corner, your going to a new school with other kids just as gifted as you."
Mina rolled her eyes at the familiar conversation; her mom just didn't understand that she liked to be left alone. Trying to make friends and care about their lives was hard. Mina wasn't trying to be mean but getting along with kids her own age. "I can't make any promises but I'll try. Love you but I gotta go or I'll miss the bus."
"Good luck honey. Have fun and just try for me to be nice." Mina nodded as she grabbed her bag from the floor and headed to the door. "Love you."
"Bye Mina. Have fun and don't forget anything. You promised to tell me all about your new school."
Mina smiled at her little brother and nodded as she headed out the door and walked to the bus stop. Mina was barley able to walk so much energy was pumping through her body and all she wanted to do was bounce. Today was her first day at a new school but unlike most teenagers she was excited. Not only was she going to be starting her sophomore year but she was now going to Sky High, the school for the newest generation of superheroes.
Mina was a second generation hero; she didn't even know that her mom was once a hero until last year. One day Mina had been at school and some girl was screaming at her and shoving her and the next thing Mina knew the girl who had been shoving her was on the other side of the room. Mina remembered pushing the girl back but didn't think that pushed her that hard. Turned out that Mina's mother Katra was Backlash.
Mina had inherited her mother's power basically to absorb, amplify and send back another persons attack. That had ruined her parents' dream of raising their children Yasmina and Kyrian as a normal family. Mina was lucky the whole incident had been covered up and since it was at the end of the year she would never have to see that school again.
When she arrived at the bus stop Mina looked at her watch as she finished the last of her toast and saw that she still had a few minutes before the bus arrived. Shrugging she reached into her pink camouflage messenger bag (Mina hand I both have a thing for pink) and pulled out a copy of Edgar Alan Poe's short stories and flipped to the page that was marked by a black and pink ribbon.
Mina barely noticed when the bus came as she was engrossed in "The Tale Tell Heart" but she did notice when the overweight bus driver yelled at her to get on. Flushing Mina hurriedly climbed the steps and took a seat without even looking up from her boots. Mina didn't look up until the seat belts wrapped around her and the bus seemed to fall out of the sky. Concentrating on not throwing up the toast she had just eaten Mina didn't scream like all the other students on the bus but she did hear the bus driver's muttered "freshmen."
Mina barely stopped herself from kissing the ground when they got off the bus at the school. Instead she stumbled her way to the front steps and waited for her stomach to catch up to the rest of her body. Looking up at the front doors Mina steadied her legs and began to climb the steps.
Since she was joining as a sophomore Principle Powers wanted her to come to her office to be placed before the freshmen. Now Mina just had to find her office. Entering the hallway she was looking for a sign instead of paying attention and ran into another person. The collision caused both of them to drop what was in their hands and for him to curse.
"I'm so sorry. I was looking for the Principle's office and I didn't see you."
"Whatever. Just pay attention from now on." The guy's deep voice caused Mina to shudder.
Mina looked up and up and finally she saw the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life. Raven black hair with red streaks, sun golden skin and full lips. Shaking her head Mina crouched down to pick up her book and was surprised to see two well worn copies of the same book on the floor. The only difference was his was a little singed. Standing back up she held out his copy to him and sighed.
"Here you go; again I'm really sorry about that." Looking up Mina got lost in his melted chocolate gaze. "Could you tell me were Principle Powers' office is?"
Without looking the guy pointed to a door down the hall, from here Mina could see that 'Principle' was written in black across the glass. The tip of her nose reddening Mina felt so stupid.
"Thanks. I'm Mina by the way." She looked back at him and found that he had already left and muttered "Bye" to his retreating figure.
Squaring her shoulders Mina walked to the door and knocked, nervously twitching from one foot to the other. She couldn't believe that she had literally run into the hottest guy in the world. This had to be the most embarrassing thing she had ever done in her life. Not the best way to start out at a new school.
A call from inside stopped Mina from beating herself up mentally and snapped her back to the present. Taking a deep breathe Mina opened the door and plastered her doll smile on to meet her new Principle. Mina wasn't prepared to see not only Principle Powers but another student in the office. Mina quickly categorized her and from her smiling face, red hair and hippy appearance she seemed nice enough.
"Hello Ms. Alexander. Welcome to Sky High. This here is Layla Williams she'll be your guide." Power's stood and shook Mina's hand. "Ms. Williams will escort you to the gym so that you can be placed into your track. Go ahead so that you can get it done before the freshmen get to the gym."
"Hi my name is Yasmina but everyone calls me Mina." Mina smiled at Layla as they left the office.
Once they reached the hallway Layla turned to Mina and looked at the new girl in front of her and couldn't decide if she was going to fit in with the rest of the gang. Mina was dressed in a band t-shirt and worn dark wash jeans. A long black pea coat reached her knees and disguised her body's shape. Layla could tell that Mina was a lot like Warren .
They both just wanted to be unnoticed by the masses, so they dressed in a way that discouraged others from approaching them. They did behind their hair, so that no one could see their expressions, but both of them had a splash of bright color in their hair and clothes that let someone like Layla know that they really did want to interact with others. Layla decided to keep her observations to herself.
"Layla but you already knew that. I'm the sophomore class President." Just then they reached the doors to the gym. "I'll wait outside for you. Don't let Coach Boomer scare you he's actually really nice."
"Thanks. You can come in if you want I don't mind. I'd actually prefer it if you did. My powers can be wonky so I don't know if they'll work on demand." Layla nodded and opened the door.
Mina's first impression of Coach Boomer was that he looked like the stereotypical gym teacher. Short shorts, knee high socks and a ball cap with the school logo, nothing to be intimidated by. That is until he opened his mouth and his bark became far worse than his bite ever could be.
"Hurry up girly. I got a group of freshmen to scare in five minutes, so let's get this over with." Boomer grew impatient and yelled. "MOVE IT!"
Mina shrank back from his voice and shot a look at Layla that was easy to interpret, nice yeah right. Mina moved to stand in front of him and waited and waited.
"Come on are you going to do something or what?" Mina flinched again and looked at Boomer.
"I don't know how my powers work yet. Last time they activated I was being attacked." Both Boomer and Layla were a little surprised at that.
"What was happening that made them activate?" Layla asked hoping to be able to help.
"Another girl at my old school was hitting me and when I shoved her away she flew across the room." Mina answered but she didn't see the glint in Boomer's eyes. The only warning she got was when Boomer said car. Screaming she jumped out of the way to escape the car as it fell barely missing her. "I don't have super strength!"
Boomer looked bored as he hit the button to retract the car. "Okay kid you got a super in the family?"
"Yes my mom her names Katra Hunter-Alexander." At their blank stares she sighed. "Backlash"
Mina watched as both Boomer's and Layla's eyes grew to the size of saucers. Mina had to admit that when she found out who her mother was to she was impressed as too. Backlash was noted to be unstoppable and then one day she just left, disappeared from the face of the earth.
Mina only knew her mom as the one that took her to her dance and choir classes and sang off key with the radio when she cleaned. The mom who baked cookies until two o'clock in the morning for Mina's junior high graduation ceremony, danced around in the kitchen with her husband because their song was on. Not the undefeated Super Hero, just mom.
Mina was pulled from her thoughts by Layla shoving her acting on instinct Mina shoved back and Layla flew. Mina rushed over to her fallen friend; Layla was slammed into the bleachers from Mina's push. Kneeling over her fallen friend Mina could barley keep from crying.
"I'm so sorry Layla. I don't know what happened are you all right?"
Coughing Layla smiled up at Mina. Layla knew that what she had done wasn't the smartest thing but she also knew that if she hadn't pushed her Boomer would have placed Mina in the side kick classes.
"I'm okay, a little bruised but I'll live."
"Alexander help Williams to the nurse's office." Boomer came over to help Layla stand. "And by the way welcome to the hero track."
Layla leaned on Mina as they slowly made their way down the hall. Layla was smiling the whole way not wanting Mina to know just how bad it hurt to breathe and walk. Layla thought that after a year of dating a guy that was super strong she could take it, Will sometimes forgot his strength when they hugged, but landing on the steps after being flying through the air was so much worse.
After about ten minutes of Layla giving directions the girls arrived at Nurse Spex office and Layla was led to a bed so that Spex could look over her ribs. Mina sat in a chair by the door waiting to be expelled from school on her first day. Soon enough the bell rang and the door to the nurses' office slammed open and about four people rushed in. Mina just curled herself up into a smaller ball in her seat hoping that no one would notice her.
Peaking out through her hair Mina studied the people who had just rushed in. There was a boy that was dressed in red, white and blue that practically flew to Layla's side. He was followed closely by a very odd couple, Mina could tell they where a couple because they were holding hands, the boy had white hair, and a very loud florescent shirt. The girl was dressed all in black and purple. The last one was an African American boy with glasses and an oversized orange jacket. Mina stayed quiet as she watched how the group interacted.
"Layla, how are you I got here just as soon as they let me out of class." The patriotic boy sitting on the edge of the bed said. "What happened? I knew that you were showing a new student around and that you would be coming to class and when you didn't show up I knew that something bad had happened."
The rest of the group that was gathered around the bed joined in with their own questions about what happened but they were all speaking so fast neither Layla nor Mina could make them out. Lifting her head from her knees Mina waited for Layla that she was responsible for her injuries but a voice from the doorway broke through the chaos.
"Why don't you idiots slow down and maybe both of them can answer you?" Mina shuddered again from the voice. "I believe this belongs to you Pinky."
