-Friday Night-
Howard is over at my place by seven-thirty, already decked out in a light blue dress shirt, cuffs above his elbows, and a red fedora. Dangling on the chain around his neck is the little squid he's obsessed with; the only other adornment is a leather bracelet.
"Lookin' good H-man," I say before returning to the frantic search through my closet for something to wear. The only sure item I've decided on is my pants- black skinny jeans. However, they are the same pair I was wearing earlier because I'm too lazy to hassle with them.
"Very daring Cunningham, shirtless? Never thought you were the type."
I groan with frustration. "Of course I'm going to wear a shirt! I just need to find the right one."
So many T-shirts and hoodies, I thought I had at least one formal shirt…
"How about this one?" Howard reaches in and effortlessly pulls out a red button down like I haven't been searching for it for the last ten minutes.
"Perfect." I pull it on, leaving the top hole unbuttoned and rolling up the sleeves. "Ready to be the coolest?"
"Ready to be the second coolest?" Howard smiles and we pull on the wristbands.
Teleportation feels really weird, like small parts of me are somewhere else, yet still connected. Fuzzy and insubstantial, similar to a radio station that you can just make out someone talking, but the static gets in the way. After a few moments of dizziness, we're at the club.
It's huge! A disco ball six feet in diameter hangs from the ceiling and lights flash in time with the electronic, wordless music. In addition to the main floor, a staircase leads to two more levels of revelry. On the side are arcade games like skeeball and there appears to be a slushie machine with five flavors.
I wait for my eyes to adjust to the neon green, pink and blue walls, twisting around to get my bearings. The club is so big, it could fit everyone from school.
"This has to be exclusive, think of all the people who can't get in," I say to Howard. Obviously they can't give out bands to just anyone.
Howard scowls. "No, I'm pretty sure the entire school is here." As if to prove his point, even more people materialize around us. I recognize a few that I've also seen in the cafeteria.
"I don't see any first months besides us though," I offer helpfully.
Howard points to Morgan shaking her hips to the beat.
"So that makes three of us. At least Doug and Bucky aren't here, right?" This statement proves to be only partially true.
"I suppose. Hey look, free food." Howard spies a table with snacks and little drinks that are equally as colorful as the décor. I follow behind him dutifully, winking at the occasional girl who makes eye contact.
I wonder if the school knows about this place. I don't see a single adult (thus the word 'teen' in the name) and the no powers rule has been smashed to smithereens. Shapeshifting is the most evident, there's so many non-humans and half humans wandering around it's disorienting. Next I spot element controllers. A fire creator and a water manipulator are having a dance off in the middle of the main floor. No need for a fog machine with their clashing elements.
Distracted by the spectacle, I bump into a girl.
"Sorry," I mumble. When I take a better look at her, long brown hair and a green dress, I blink rapidly trying to clear my double vision. However, my eyes are fine; five copies of her laugh at me.
"Here." My best friend hands me a glass with pink liquid in it, his is green. I take a sip, grateful. The two hundred or so people have made the air too warm to be comfortable.
"Do you think we overdressed?" I ask. Everyone seems to be wearing casual clothes. Morgan hasn't changed since school.
"Nah. I mean, look at that guy."
Not too far from us a teen with dark blue hair is wearing a gaudy purple suit. An obnoxious top hat with a skull pin sits on top his head. I snort.
Noticing our gaze, he pushes through the crowd to us. "Is this your card?" He waves a 4 of hearts in my face.
"I didn't pick a card?" I puzzle. He repeats the same with Howard, but at that moment, I realize that there are four-not three- of us Newbies. "Nice meeting you… um…"
"Julian." Julian smiles, revealing two sharp canines.
"Julian. But some people who really don't like me are here, so see ya!" I dash to the best hiding place I can find- the slushie machine. Peering around it, I'm relieved to say Bash and his goons didn't see me.
"Hey," says a feminine voice behind me. I turn. Like me, she has purple hair, half of which is pulled back casually. The long yellow dress she's wearing is definitely not casual. I'm vaguely pleased to find another person dressed nicely.
"Oh, sorry. Didn't know this spot was…occupied. I'll be on my way then," I apologize. She didn't sound annoyed, now that I think of it, but she has her arms folded.
"No, stay. It's dangerous out there." Her voice is soft, the command sounding more like a well meant suggestion.
"Ugh I know. If Bash sees me here he'll try using my head for a skeeball or something," I chuckle mirthlessly.
"I meant him," she corrects, chewing her lower lip. Across the room, a nerdy kid with pink hair and glasses is touching people. Placing a hand on a shoulder too long to be friendly, the victim would collapse to the floor for no discernible reason.
The girl's not annoyed by me, she's nervous about that creep.
"What the juice, we gotta do something!"
"You'd really try and stop him? Even though you're a 12?" Her eyes are wide with surprise. "Wow, you're so brave Randy!"
"How do you know my name?" Though I wish it wasn't true, I'm not popular. Being known for your lack of coolness is not the best first impression. The only students who know me outside the nineteen are the ones who Bash has inspired to pick on me. She doesn't fall into either of these categories.
"Oh, you know, you're the only one without powers they've let into the school. That makes you kinda famous, right?"
I stand there, not quite comprehending what's going on.
"But there has to be some reason you got in… do you know why?" she continues, taking a step towards me.
"They said I would get my powers later, but enough about me. What about you?" I ask while peering around the machine. Touchy subject, I don't feel like going through my family history to someone I just met. Bash and company have moved closer, they're at the snack table, a mild panic has set in on the other side of the room, and I can't see Howard anywhere.
"I- I have Chlorokinesis. I control vegetation."
"What Level does that put you at? Six?" I guess.
"Umm… yeah. Six."
The panic escalates into chaos. The music has been replaced by awful guitar playing that can still be heard over the screaming. A quick glance shows me that the nerdy guy is the source of the horrendous noise. He's holding an electric guitar- and I don't mean one you plug into the wall, it's actually made of electricity- and the people closest to him are on their knees, fingers shoved in their ears. I think this is my cue to get the juice outta here.
"I have to go make sure my friend is okay, see you at school!" She's seems like a nice girl, a little nosy, but nice.
As soon as I try to move away though, another girl blocks my path. She's short, but her serious, no-nonsense expression gives the impression that she'd punch someone in the face and expect them to thank her.
"Debs! What about the plan?" exclaims the girl- I don't know her name. I can't believe I never got her name! Fine, I will call her plant girl.
"The plan wasn't working and there's no time left." The short one stalks up to me and like the smart person I am, I get trapped up against the slushie machine. My hand accidentally lands in the tray of sticky, lukewarm leftovers. "I am going to ask you a question and it's in your best interest to answer truthfully."
"What is this, the Inquisition?" I retort, hoping for a laugh. The short girl just sighs.
"Are you the Sorcerer's son?" Her eyes search mine.
"Umm, no?"
"Are you the Sorcerer's son?" She presses on more forcefully, eyes flashing gold.
I try to come up with a sarcastic answer –something about how she sounds like a parrot- instead, all I can say is, "I don't know."
"Useless! All the planning… the risks… for nothing!" She shoots me a dirty look. "How could the most powerful Magick have a Shoob son anyway? Let's go."
"That's not very nice," the plant girl glides over to her friend with an apologetic shrug. "I'm Theresa by the way!"
With a flash, they are gone and in their place, a cluster of small blue flowers remain. Forget me nots.
"Weird."
The guy with the electric guitar is contained in a bubble of water made by the water controller from earlier, though it looks like the party is over. Less than half of the students are still milling around, yet I cannot see Howard. By the table where I left him, only two girls remain.
"Ugh, who let Levander in? Remember what happened last time…."
I'm starting to get worried that he left me here, or that the nerdy guy got him. Walking by a bushy potted plant, a hand reaches out and pulls me behind it.
"Whaa?!"
Howard shushes me.
"Did I lose him?" His eyes dart frantically around the room.
"Lose who?"
"The magic tricking goth!"
"You mean Julian?" I laugh.
"You'd be hiding too if he'd been following you around for half an hour!" Howard's hands are gripping my shoulders.
"Sure. Now, how do we leave?"
Leaving Club Super Awesome Teen Time Club is the reverse of entering it, all we have to do is take the wristband off. Back in my room, I retell what happened while we were, yet again, separated. Neither of us can make heads nor tails of what it means. Howard goes on to complain that he never saw the girl who invited him.
Overall, today has been really strange. A ninja singling me out, the break into Records, strange girls questioning me about a Sorcerer… it can only mean one thing.
I wish I knew what that one thing is.
-Monday-
"Class, today we are going to begin covering the history of McFist High School," Mrs. Driscoll announces.
A few groans rise from the class. It's like having Basic Studies back to back! I hope she doesn't test us over every single important figure in MHS's century of existence.
"But in light of the events of last Friday, I think it would be best to start at thirty-four years ago, 1978. Notebooks and pencils away please." A flurry of movement answers her request. "In previous lessons, I explained the significance of the Quadrants and how very few with 1st Quadrant powers survive. There has been only one person with a Level 1 power enrolled in this school, and his power was… Demonization."
Howard and I exchange glances. This may be interesting after all.
"Complete control over another living being's body. Needless to say, the power went to his head. In 1978, he led his half human, half monster army on a rampage against the school… for absolutely no reason! None at all! Thankfully brave people like my Jerry," she pauses to caress his skeletal cheek, "were able to stop him, temporarily. From that fateful day on, he has been known as… The Sorcerer."
The lights flicker, causing Bucky to squeal.
"Braedon, sit in your seat!" says Mrs. Driscoll irritably. Braedon snickers, leaving the lights on he takes his seat in the back of the room.
"You aren't supposed to learn this until you are put in your Quadrant, but last Friday is thought to be the first of the yearly attacks made on the school by the Sorcerer. I assure you that you are completely safe, as long as you follow standard Code Green procedures."
Is it me or did she give me the stink eye?
"Now, I will tell you all about Jerry's heroic death."
Perfect time for me to tune out.
"Howard!" I whisper. It looks like he tuned out a long time ago. How many paper airplanes did he make for heaven's sake?
"If you're going to tell me that you think you are the son of an evil sorcerer… then I'm going to say you're crazy," he looks at me with blatant apathy.
"But it makes sense! The ninja must have been looking for someone and that girl- Debs?- even asked me if I was! Don't forget the school let me in because of my father."
"Well… let's say he is your dad. What then?"
"I haven't thought that far ahead, but I know what we're doing this afternoon. You up for taking a trip to the Hall of Fame?" I ask. It has pictures of everyone who has gone to MHS; I'd bet anything that the Sorcerer is there too.
Basic studies took forever to end. If Mondays weren't bad enough, math makes them even worse. During lunch, I looked for Theresa. Unfortunately, I was unable to spot her. However, Howard pointed out the girl who gave him the wristbands and she was none other than the mildly terrifying short girl! A strange coincidence.
Power Class resulted in no fewer than three injuries. Rock wall climbing combined with firefighter grade hoses in the hands of Mac Antfee was Coach's worst idea ever. Rachel- the girl holding the stuffed bunny on the first day- broke her arm.
By the time I was able to press the button to the 22nd floor, I was glad I still had uninjured fingers with which to push it.
"Between Power Class and the evil Sorcerer, I'll be surprised if we're all still alive at the end of the year," complains Howard, massaging his reddened hand.
"No kidding. Don't forget Bash," I add.
The MHS Hall of Fame must have thousands of frames, all lined up in neat rows and columns. Upon closer inspection, they are not ordinary pictures. Each one is a small computer screen that can switch between the student and their stats.
"How are we ever going to find him?"
"Don't look at me, I can't even find books in the library," says Howard.
After ten minutes of random searching, we realize the frames are ordered by Level. Sure enough, we find him on the other side of the room next to a young Mrs. Driscoll and a few others I do not recognize.
"Yeesh."
I have to agree with Howard. The Sorcerer- or Timothy as the fame says- is bald though he is my age, perhaps younger, in the picture. Golden brown eyes narrowed and mouth parted in a small smile make it easy to believe he was a troublemaker.
"That proves it, his eyebrows are purple, you're related," remarks Howard sarcastically.
"Purple isn't a natural color. Anyways I think it's just a trick of the light." It's true, he looks nothing like me, though everyone says I take after my mother.
"Don't sound so disappointed. Do you really want to be related to this guy? Demonization… that's pretty heavy and she said not many people survive powers like that…" he trails off.
"I know." But yet…
"Fancy seeing you here!" An obnoxiously familiar voice calls.
"Oh no," groans Howard.
Julian skips across the room, smiling.
"Hey Julian."
"Hello Randall, Howard. Did you enjoy the party last Friday?" The top hat and suit appears to be his daily outfit and it looks just as out of place now as it did then.
"Sure… if there hadn't been a psycho trying to kill us!" Howard throws his arms in the air.
Julian giggles. "Oh, that was just Levander. This is only his second year, he has not been able to control his tendencies to absorb all the energy from people."
Howard huffs, clearly done with the conversation.
"If you don't mind me asking, what power do you have?" One thing I love about being here is the variation of powers. From changing the colors of things (VP Slimz) to demonizing people, it's like a little kid's dream come true.
"Night Vision and Echolocation, but I am trying to become a world renowned magician. Let me get my cards…" He produces a pack from the interior of his purple overcoat.
Something clicks in my mind. Pale skin, dark hair, the gothic attire… fangs…
"Holy cheese, you're a vampire!" I take an involuntary step backward.
More giggling ensues. "Oh no, I wish, but," Julian curls his upper lip, showing off the teeth in question, "in Japan they're called yaeba. Very fashionable."
"Okaaaay then. We're going Cunningham." Howard drags me by a fistful of my hoodie back to the elevator.
"Bye!"
But yet… what if.
a/n: ah I had a really hard time writing this chapter! Writer's block sucks. Credit to colorpencilsofdoom on tumblr for the idea for Julian's teeth. And of course thanks to yukiandkyo for being my beta. Your reviews make my day! :)