Title: Empathy
Author: Flashes09
Rating: T (For strong language)
Disclaimer: "Sky High" is owned by Disney, not me. Don't sue me, 'cause it ain't worth it.
Chapter 2
The cafeteria was packed full of kids eating lunch. An announcement came over the PA system: "The cafeteria staff requests sidekicks stop ordering hero sandwiches." Elizabeth snickered, but got in line behind Abby, then followed her out to the cafeteria. She was glad to be out of the intense emotional atmosphere the nervous freshmen had created in the gym and instead in the cafeteria, which had a good-natured, easy-going feel to it.
"Look, there's my bother!" Abby yelled and she took off in that direction, leaving Elizabeth followed in a slower fashion. The table she came to was filled with a motley bunch. A kid with hair the same color as Abby's, obviously her brother, was sitting next to a girl wearing a lot of purple. On her other side sat a geeky looking kid in glasses. Across the table from Abby's brother sat a guy with brown hair and wearing so much red, white, and blue, Elizabeth wondered how many American flags he had used to make his wardrobe. But notheless, he was kind of cute. Next to him was a red headed girl in green. At the end of the table sat a guy with black hair and red streaks, wearing a leather jacket.
Abby had noticed her arrival and was introducing her.
"This is my brother, Zach, and that's his girlfriend Magenta. She's a shape shifter. Next to her is Ethan, he melts, this is Will, he's super-strong and he can fly, his girlfriend Layla, she's got control of plants, and that's Warren, he throws fire." She turned to the table. "Everybody, this is Elizabeth, she's an-" But Abby was cut off.
"An empath." A deep voice down the table said. Everyone looked at Warren, who just shrugged. "My aunt's an empath; you can see them coming from a mile away, if you know what to look for." Everyone seemed to accept this answer, and they turned to look at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was slightly insulted that she could be seen "from a mile away". She figured only Abby and her brother could be like that. But she took it in stride and turned her attention to the table. The kid in red, white, and blue, Will, scooted over make room for her. As she sat down, he asked her a question.
"How do you like Sky High so far?" Elizabeth thought carefully before she answered. The guy was super-strong, so a wrong answer could get her sent through the wall. But he was giving off happy waves; they all were, so she figured it was okay.
"It's…interesting. Different." Freaky.
"Yeah, it takes some getting used to. But you don't look like a freshman. Are you?" Layla inquired.
"No, I got my powers late. I'm actually a senior." She answered.
"Hey, Warren's a senior, too." Ethan, the kid in glasses, said. Warren shot him a glare across the table. Normal people would melt under the glare, and apparently, Ethan wasn't an exception. He fell into a puddle on the floor.
Elizabeth attempted to focus her powers on Warren and tried to get a read on his emotions. He was good at hiding them, but she sensed that beneath the fake anger and the devil-may-care attitude, even he was glad to be back. There was something else, too, but Elizabeth couldn't quite but her finger on it.
Elizabeth went through each of the other members of the table, sensing the emotions. They were pretty much the same, the annoyance, probably from having to go back to school, but also the acceptance, probably from the idea that school didn't suck too bad. She was glad she was sitting at such a mellow table. Her headache had subsided somewhat. Across the cafeteria, Elizabeth could see most of the other freshmen sitting and nervously eating their lunches. Poor things, Elizabeth decided to try to be nice to the freshmen.
As she focused back on the table, Elizabeth found that Abby was telling about the how the Power Placement had gone and about how she had been named a sidekick. The table empathized with her; they all went on to tell about their Placements. Zach's had been the same as Abby's. Magenta and Ethan had shown their powers, but had failed to impress Boomer. Layla had refused to participate and was rewarded by being named a sidekick. But Will's story was the most interesting.
"I thought you had to have powers to go to Sky High." Elizabeth said.
"Not when your parents are two of the greatest heroes on the planet." Zach answered for him. Will smiled and shook his head.
"I acted like I had powers to make my parents happy. And then I ended up at Sky High." He said.
"Yeah, you had to fight Warren just to get them to come out." Magenta stated. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. She shot a look at Warren, but was surprise to find him looking at Layla. But then she thought she must have been imagining it. Maybe he was looking at Will, and Layla was just in the way. Maybe.
"It's a long story." Will said, but that didn't stop Zach from telling it.
Elizabeth listened intently to the story, hearing about how Will and Warren were archenemies because of their fathers, and how they destroyed half of the cafeteria fighting each other. Will rolled his eyes at couple of parts where Zach exaggerated, but for the most part, the story seemed true.
The conversation turned back to school, and Elizabeth took the chance to focus once again on her powers. The table was at ease, talking, laughing, and just having a good time. But the unnamed emotion in Warren Peace was bugging her. She had to know what it was. Even if it kills me. Twice more Elizabeth thought she caught Warren looking at Layla, but neither time could she be sure.
The bell rang, and kids got up and dumped their trays, returning to their classes, or, for the freshmen and Elizabeth, Power Placement.
Review! Next update next Monday!