Ten Years Later...

"Sis, we're gonna miss the bus!" Aimee shouted, banging on Alexis' door. Although the two used to share a room, due to the fact that Alexis' organizational skills (or lack thereof) made her room look like a bomb had gone off, and Aimee was an all-around neat freak, Aimee had been transferred to the guest room down the hall.

"One minute!" Alexis called, clearly annoyed.

"We won't have another minute; we were supposed to head to the bus stop five minutes ago!" Aimee replied anxiously, already knowing what her twin's response would be.

Alexis did not disappoint.

"It isn't my fault you think it's necessary to go to the bus stop 10 minutes in advance! We could leave in another 5 minutes and still make it there in time!" Aimee groaned, knowing for a fact that Alexis had tested this theory the few days Aimee had stayed home sick from school. For whatever reason, Alexis had never had a sick day in her life. Changing the subject, Aimee looked down at the long white dress she was wearing. Her gold bracelets and headdress shone in the bright hallway light, and dramatic eyeliner had been put around her eyes.

"Is your costume coming along okay?" Alexis sighed for a moment before answering.

"Now that you mention it, I have had a few malfunctions...but nothing as bad as your makeup incident last week, Isis." Aimee could practically hear the smirk in Alexis' voice as she remembered her first horribly-failed attempts to get a look similar to Isis.

"Well, we'll be pros by the time Halloween really does roll around," Aimee said. Because Halloween was right around the corner, their school had decided to let students wear costumes to school. Normally, they were only allowed to on the holiday itself, but someone had apparently talked the principal into doing a "Mythology Week" to help students learn more about other cultures and such things.

Aimee didn't have to do a whole lot of thinking to know that it was Alexis who'd done the convincing.

"Okay! How do I look?" Alexis asked, all but whipping the door open. She had a navy blue schoolgirl uniform on that looked like she'd stepped straight out of a manga book. But the fact that Alexis was actually wearing a skirt wasn't what got Aimee's attention.

Fox ears, with a tail to match, had been added to the outfit. Ears and a tail that looked much too realistic to be from a costume store, in Aimee's opinion.

"Where'd you get that?" she demanded suspiciously. "The ears and tail. What costume store did those come from?" She'd browsed virtually every costume store in New York City, and had never seen anything like that. Alexis smirked, slipping past her sister and heading down to the entrance of the apartment building.

"They aren't part of a costume," she whispered conspiratorially. "I practiced for over a month; I haven't shifted for so long that I was a little rusty."

"You shifted!" Aimee gasped.

"Yes, I did," Alexis replied with a matter-of-fact tone. "And I'd just go with it if I were you, because I don't have time to run back up and change." Aimee sighed. Ever since they'd moved, Alexis had become a bit more rebellious, a little more prone to cunning trickery. But this...

"Mom said never to use our powers!" she hissed as they boarded the bus. Up until two weeks ago, they would drive, but Aimee had wrecked the girls' car and Cassidy wasn't about to let her forget that one.

"She also said she'd explain everything when we were old enough. We turn 18 next week, Aimee; we're practically adults. The least Mom can do is treat us like them. She owes us answers, and I'm not going to blindly follow rules until she holds up her end of the bargain like we've been doing for the past 10 years." Aimee paused, sighing. She hated it when Alexis' arguments made so much sense, but more often than not, they did.

"I guess you're right...but I still think it's a bad idea."

"What's a bad idea?" a freshman asked as he passed their seats. "And why are seniors still riding the bus."

"None of your business, and the car's totaled." Alexis replied. "Now please go off and mind your own business; I'm not in a good mood this morning." The boy's eyes widened as he scrambled for a seat. Alexis watched as he struggled for a spot in the back with amusement. "Check that. I am in a good mood."

"And Mom says I'm a good role model..." Aimee groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Where did I go wrong?"

"That's an easy one. We were born in the wrong order."

"But if you were the older sister, where would I be?"

"Probably exactly where you are right now." There was a trace of pity in Alexis' voice.

"But what if you get caught?" Aimee pressed on. Alexis shrugged.

"If I don't get caught, I won't get caught."

"You're awfully sure about that," Aimee commented. "And I promise, if you make a scene I'll swear you're not related to me."

"You know me, Aimee. Discreet as can be," Alexis replied with a relaxed smirk. "So you go ahead and do that." Aimee rested her elbows on her knees, her chin on her hands.

"There's nothing discreet about sprouting extra ears and a tail."


Alexis knew she should have expected many questions on her costume. After all, a Japanese kitsune probably wasn't something everyone was familiar with.

As for the popular "Where'd you get that?" inquiry, Alexis settled on a costume shop in Colorado. She didn't know if anyone doubted this, but the ease in which she lied almost had her believing that it had come from an out-of-state store.

It wasn't until sixth-period English, however, when things seemed to take a strange turn.

"That's a very interesting costume, Alexis," her teacher, Mr. Markwood, said. From what Alexis had seen, he always wore a suit and tie and had his light hair combed back. Her class had dubbed him "Mr. Bond" because to them he looked just like a stereotypical spy.

"Thanks. It's a kitsune. From Japanese culture," Alexis replied, taking her seat. Mr. Markwood just nodded.

"Wherever that costume came from, it's very original. I haven't seen anything like it." Alexis felt slightly uneasy at this. That isn't possible. There's no way he can know what I can do. She thought.

"Nobody has. I suppose I'm just creative like that," she said. All throughout the class, she got the feeling that he was watching her. And when he stepped out of the room to take a phone call, she couldn't help but wonder just who was on the other end of that line.


"So, how was school?" Cassidy asked at the dinner table that evening. Alexis shot Aimee a cautionary look as she took a bite of pizza.

"Everyone liked my costume, but Alexis' was really cool. Especially with the ears and tail." Alexis' head snapped up, eyes wide in disbelief and annoyance.

"Alexis Edwina Ryder!" Cassidy exclaimed, turning on the younger daughter. It's always bad when they use your middle name, Alexis thought guiltily as Cassidy carried on. "What happened to never using your powers?!"

"What happened to explaining everything once we're old enough?" Alexis asked quietly, voice calm. "You promised you'd tell us. We're almost legally adults; if that isn't old enough I don't know what is. And what's with moving to New York all of a sudden?" Aimee watched Alexis' subtle challenge with apprehension. Cassidy sighed, putting her elbow on the table and running a finger through her hair.

"You're right, you're right. I owe you girls so much explaining, and it's about time you knew..." Before she could say any more, a quiet knock at the door shattered the moment.

"I'll be right back," Cassidy said, making for the door. Alexis sighed.

"So close..." she muttered. Aimee shrugged apologetically.

"Girls, go upstairs for a minute. Don't make a sound," Cassidy called quietly. She sounded almost panicked. Aimee and Alexis exchanged puzzled looks.

"Come on," Aimee whispered, grabbing Alexis' wrist.

"All right," Alexis replied as the two quietly snuck up the stairs.

"Do you think we should hide in our rooms?" Aimee asked. Alexis shook her head.

"Worst-case scenario, we're trapped," she knelt by the stairs, staying close to the wall. "So you just stay there; I'm eavesdropping."Aimee rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

"Mrs. Ryder, I'm Agent Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. We need to speak to your daughters." A man's voice said. Neither of the girls had ever heard it before.

"You just missed them. They left for a friend's house." Cassidy said, voice quivering.

"We've been watching the building for the past three days, Mrs. Ryder. The girls haven't left."

"I have to admit, it was pretty sneaky, moving right into our backyard," a new voice broke in. With a jolt, Alexis realized that it was Mr. Markwood. She looked over at Aimee in shock. That's my English teacher! She mouthed.

"You should have gotten the girls in sooner, Cassidy. We need to know just what their father did to them."

"Their father did nothing!" Cassidy screamed. "He was helping you, it's not his fault you turned on him!"

"Thaddeus Ryder's job was not to experiment on his over-devoted wife," Markwood replied. "He only kept you around because of your willingness to bend to his every whim. You were—and still are—hopelessly fixated."

"We can't really blame you for this," Coulson asked. "Making Thaddeus out to be the hero is all you've ever known. I suppose he never told you about the previous trials...just like you never told the girls about the children that came before them."

"What?!" Aimee exclaimed. She couldn't help it; the rising tension and this latest revelation pushed her over the edge.

"So they've been upstairs the whole time?" Markwood asked, not unkindly. "Alexis, Aimee, why don't you come down, and we'll talk this over?"

"What did you say before?" Alexis asked. "What did you say about our father?"

"We have other siblings? What happened to them?" Aimee broke in, although a sickening suspicion had already settled over her.

"I promise we'll explain everything," Coulson said. "Just come down here, and we can talk face-to-face."

"But you've been spying on us! How can we trust you?!" Aimee shouted. Alexis' gaze flickered over to her for a moment before she continued.

"How about a compromise? You guys stand where you can see us. Face-to-face, but at a more comfortable distance."

"Is that necessary?" Markwood asked. Alexis shrugged, although he couldn't see her.

"Hey, that's the definition of a compromise. Two groups want different things, they meet somewhere in the middle, and everyone walks away a little ticked off."

"...All right, Alexis," The two agents stepped into view as Alexis sat at the top of the stairs, Aimee joining her moments later.

"Your father used to work at S.H.I.E.L.D." Coulson said. "He was experimenting with super-powered humans, or mutants. Trying to find what caused their abilities. When he claimed that he'd created a serum to cause these mutations, it was a breakthrough."

"There was a catch," Markwood said. "We tried to give an adult the serum, resulting in his death. We realized that it had to be given to a subject prior to birth, and shut the project down. We didn't want to risk endangering either the mother or the baby."

"Your father did just that. He gave the serum to his conveniently-pregnant wife, and you and your sister were born nine months later. Once we found out, we shut down his projects and research and made to arrest him...but he escaped. It was only then when we found out that he'd done it not once, but multiple times."

"You mean...all those other children earlier...didn't make it?" Aimee asked.

"Right, and even though you two have made it this far, it's imperative that we take you in. We're not sure if there have been any ill effects from the serum."

"This is insane! You can't take them; they're my daughters! The only family I have left!" Cassidy screamed, sounding very much the desperate woman.

"Ms. Ryder, please don't make this difficult..." Coulson said.

"Girls we need to talk to you at headquarters,"

"We've already talked..." Aimee said. "You just said we need to be tested. Which is it?!"

"Mom's right about one thing," Alexis said quietly. "This is insane. Aimee, don't you realize what this means? We've been lied to for so long! Who's telling the truth?!" she screamed. There was a rattling and a clunk before water pipes from all over the building burst. Water burst through the walls, effectively dousing everyone downstairs in a matter of seconds.

"Oops," Alexis said, eyes wide. "I didn't think that'd happen..."

"'Oops'?" Aimee echoed. "This isn't really an 'oops' moment, Alexis! Now come on, let's get out of here!"

"You mean...we're running?" Alexis asked, still a bit stunned by her stunt with the water pipes.

"Exactly. So go pack your stuff, and we'll go down the fire escape." Alexis looked over at her sister, a mingling of surprise and admiration on her face.

"Playing the big sister...will wonders never cease?" She asked, grinning.

"Whatever. Just hurry up before those two find a way upstairs."


And once again, I am reminded just how quickly people tend to find stories. 9 email alerts in the first 24 hours. 8 subtracting the one I got telling me that I made a new story. Not sure why that happens...because I knew I uploading this story before the email did!

Anyway, we're going to meet the Avengers in this next chapter, and hopefully I won't botch their personalities too badly. Thanks for all the alerts/favorites to both this story and myself; words can't express how happy that makes me! Until next chapter!