Disclaimer: all characters belonging to Sky High and Xmen are not mine. I am only borrowing them.
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Chapter 10It was still Wednesday. Two more days until Friday – the Homecoming.
At lunch time, Magneta and Layla was sitting at a table in the cafeteria with Ethan and Zach.
With no Warren and no Will.
The cafeteria was packed like usual though it seemed that no one had noticed her two close friends had vanished. The world had moved on uncaringly.
Layla's body was an empty shell sitting on the bench while the world whizzed on around her.
At first, she only nibbled at her food, and only then with Magenta's encouragement.
But later, inside, something suddenly snapped - grief breaking into lethal anger all radiating out from the many shattered pieces of her soul.
Will had taken her for granted, she realised. And this was not the first time.
How dare he? Layla raged inside. The time for mercy is over.
No, Layla decided. I will not allow him to tear at me this way. Not any more…
Then suddenly chomping on her food and gulping down her drink, she ate all her food, prompting Magenta to raise her eyebrows and ask, "Layla?"
"I'll be fine," she only replied, glancing at Magneta with a quick smile.
Magenta wanted to ask more but snapped her mouth shut. She continued to eat, while Layla's eyes gave a distant dreamy look.
The next time Layla talked with Will, Magenta predicted that it might not be pretty.
---
Meanwhile, Mystique was being acquainted with Royal Pain, by looking at top secret history files, located at the school for each of the prisoners - gaining access using her shape-shifting abilities.
Her shapeshifting abilities would help her gain access to Royal Pain's neutralization room too… And she had a power-up a few weeks ago after she was exposed to dangerous levels of radiation which could prove useful. It gave her even more power for self-defence. It was an accident though. Radiation's effects were unpredictable and although Magneto was pleased, he was not happy with the risk.
Nevertheless, her body could now form metal too – perfectly – not simply imitate it in appearance. She smiled inwardly at the thought as she snapped the last history file shut.
Finally, she had learnt all she could about Royal Pain.
It was time to speak to her... to persuade her to make the machine that will eliminate all humans as Magneto desired.
It would be easy. Mystique knew she would not resist. Afterall, Magneto would give her what she wants, if she does what he wants.
---
Meanwhile, trapped in his neutralization room in the most secure prison known in Maxville Metropolis, sat Baron Battle, alone in his cell after eating his lunch.
Battle was not kept in any neutralization rooms in Sky High, as he was not a juvenile, like Royal Pain and her company. Keeping her in Sky High was a matter of convenience for the teachers and tutors, who could still attempt to conduct lessons and educate them…
There was no such opportunity for him.
Lying down on his bed, Baron tried not to think about it. There were other less trivial things on his mind – like his failing body.
Shakily, he lifted his hands to examine them. He flexed them slowly. He could imagine the fire ribbons shooting out of them like bendable beams of orange light. He could see his arms ignite and throw fireballs…
Powerful… but destructive.
He sighed. He wanted to change them to instruments of love instead of destruction.
Sometimes, having a fatal illness does make one more reflective, he thought.
Then his thoughts shifted to those deeds that landed him in prison.
Baron would never have done it, all those terrible things with Magneto had he knew that Warren's mom, Lily, was pregnant.
Bu unfortunately, he did.
And it has become a mistake that can never be erased. Not from his memory and not from the awful impact it has had on his grown-up son.
How his son grew up - without his father - Baron Battle cannot imagine.
But over all these years in jail, Lily still had faith in him.
Lily changed him.
She had convinced him to alert the authorities of whereabouts of Magneto's headquarters since Battle knew where it was.
With the help of a bunch of superheroes, Magneto had been caught and shut away…
But now he has escaped again… and probably out to exact revenge on him.
Magneto is never forgiving of those that betray him. One can imagine what he could do for revenge… most likely something terrible. Something that is torturous to both the mind and body – for him and for those that he loved.
Magneto might want to lay hands on his child… who knows? As part of a plan for revenge…
No, stop it, Baron told himself. Focus on the positives.
Battle's hand automatically reached for his neck to touch the angel necklace that had been with him since he was a child. Only to remember that he had given it to his son.
It was something that belonged to him that his own father gave him. An angel. That's what his father wanted him to be, but he ended up being the opposite…
He shook his head to himself. Now is not the time to be buried in self-pity. He needed to focus on reconciing with his son.
He didn't even know if Warren would accept him as his father. But he hoped so. For once in his life, he wanted to be there for his son.
Then he decided he would write. To tell his son everything he wanted.
---
In the corridor of Sky High, a new student glanced at his watch outside the sick bay. Just 1:40pm in the afternoon.
So Pyro was put in Hero class right away - he didn't even need to go through the usual power demonstration business.
It was all because Principle Powers saw him, playing with fire one dark night a week ago as he was wondering around the city, suddenly bored of Magneto's company. That's why she offered a place at the school. Let him know when school started and gave him a number he could contact if he was interested.
So with Magneto's insistance, Pyro rang. And he was placed immediately.
He sighed. School always seemed so boring to him.
Yet he was there and there for a reason.
To lure the offspring of Magneto's targets to act as bait.
Willingly or forcefully.
Pyro was given a specific target. A target which was more important than even all the others…
A target that could potentially be used as punishment for Magneto's most hated rival.
Warren Peace.
Magneto had wanted him and him especially – because he wanted to lure Baron Battle in.
To exact his revenge.
He sighed. He wasn't even sure what he was going to do… how could he lure him in anyway? Despite being arrogant at times, he hated the idea of having to inflict some damage… if a target is unwilling.
Sigh.
Ready or not, I'm coming.
---
"Hey Will," Warren said to Will, trying to be cheerful. Will was still half-asleep. The end of school day was rapidly approaching.
"I'm going back home this afternoon. I'm going back to work tonight," he said shaking Will a little by the shoulders.
Will just nodded slowly in reply with his eyes closed.
Warren sighed.
Will seemed totally exhausted. His face was also somewhat more haggard then before.
But Warren had to go on. He had his own life to live and his own problems to deal with. With a sigh and one last glance, he stepped out the door of the sick bay.
---
Warren was speeding across the lawn as he rushed towards the next class.
Then click. As if something metallic opened.
Warren snapped his head around.
Then, in the corner of his eye, a flash of moving light.
Warren narrowed his eyes.
What? Fire? Another pyrokinetic? Here?
The teenage boy suddenly snuffed out the orange fire ball he was tossing.
"I've been waiting a long time for you," he said. "I know who you are. The Peace dude from Save the Citizen yesterday. I'm Pyro. Or John," said Pyro, extending his hand.
Warren hesitated and then shook his hand. He wanted to leave to get to the last class before the end of the day. But something about Pyro, the way he spoke, kept him glued there. Like he was going to say something important.
Using his lighter, Pyro played with the fire, tossing the ball from hand to hand, as if uncomfortable with stillness – and uncomfortable with himself.
"I'm meant to be the bad guy," said Pyro after a short uncomfortable silence.
Warren stiffened. "No one is meant to be bad…People… just choose to be."
"Oh really?" replied Pyro sarcastically then gave a hollow laugh.
Warren shrugged. "People always have a choice."
Something about that made Pyro snap.
"That's a load of bull," said Pyro angrily. "You don't choose to be born where you are – starting off a foot behind everyone else. Having to fend for yourself… in ways that you don't want to."
Warren raised his eyesbrows but then shook his head.
Suddenly, he was walking away, but at the final moment turned his head back to look into Pyro's eyes. "You always have a choice."
Pyro didn't know what he was talking about. "What choice?"
Warren's gaze then pierced into his soul. "To…not let your anger control you."
Then he walked away – his long hair and leather coat billowing in the wind behind him leaving Pyro as a lone figure on the grass with only the howling wind and his own thoughts whirling inside him.