Legends
We Make
By: Sheiado
Chapter Nine: Quiet Evenings?
Her house was empty, utterly quiet and still. At times, she felt at peace with its calm vacancy. Today, however, the residence held much less of anything to be desired as she had little energy to convert to training.
She was bored, tired, and utterly irritated.
Her Sensei had been hiding things, things about her and her powers. His words before her departure to Sky High were now suddenly becoming all too clear. His motivations and secrets behind everything, however, were still somewhat of a distorted mystery left unraveled.
'Do not argue with me, Evelyn. I had said this once to your mother years before you were born and now, I must say it to you… some lessons cannot be taught, some must be lived in order to be understood.'
What irked her most was that he knew her powers would evolve. And he didn't even have the decency to at least warn her about it.
"Cryptic old man," Evelyn scoffed aloud, her feet padding leisurely toward the spacious living room.
The house she lived in had been purchased using her mother's money, a privilege given to her upon her sixteenth birthday. She was now of age to have access to the Natchios fortune as well as the entire funds put into various accounts from her mother's past "dealings". Her name was her mother's, of course, but her legal name helped in not drawing too much attention to herself. Her entire family, once living, had been wiped out and assassinated. She wouldn't even presume to think that she was free and clear of all future danger. That was a path of ignorance well bordering upon stupidity.
Her answering machine flashed like a crimson beacon through the darkness, drawing a thin smile to her lips. Two messages.
Boy, she was climbing high on the popularity list; normally it was at a big, fat zero.
Sighing, she hit the 'play' button, her other hand drumming absently upon the mahogany desk in front of her.
"Hi," a soft-spoken, female voice broke out. "This is Josie Stronghold for Stronghold Realty. I just wanted to welcome you, Ms. Natchios, to the neighborhood and thank you for purchasing with our company. If you should have any questions for us, please feel free to contact our offices and we'll be sure to get back to you when we can. Thank you and have a wonderful time in your new home…"
The message clicked off abruptly… and Evelyn's jaw literally dropped.
Stronghold.
No wonder.
She hadn't been aware of just exactly whom her representative had conveniently purchased the house from. She had set them up with the deal to pay in cash using her family's name and credit. There had been no paper trail… and the Strongholds hadn't even questioned it.
"Figures," she chuckled cynically. "They use real estate for a cover…"
'And understand when "Supers" need to hide themselves…'
Apparently Will's parents knew who her mother was. That, or Principal Powers and her Sensei had somehow intervened with them and her "representative".
She didn't believe in coincidences.
Shaking her head absently, she hit for the next message.
"Evelyn," a voice with a deep, Scottish brogue spoke, "It's O'Donnell, and I'm calling to let you know that I'm in town. Also, we need to talk. Tonight. I 'ave urgent business to discuss with ya and I'm afraid that it cannot wait, lass. You know the number."
The smile on her face fell into a tight frown, a suspicious, glassy expression suddenly clouding itself over. All she knew was that his call meant only one thing.
Trouble.
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They stood out like sore thumbs and right upon spotting them, Warren scowled visibly in their direction. This was obviously not meant to be his quiet night of peace at work like he had presumed it to be.
Glaring skyward and counting to ten, Warren finally began his venture over toward the occupied table, giving his group of friends a look of utter disapproval. Were they just aching to torture him today…?
"Hi, Warren!" Layla beamed, her hand rising in greeting next to her curled-up pigtail.
"What are you guys doing here?" He asked, cutting to the chase, as he adjusted the dirty rag cascading down the front of his broad shoulder. A firm scowl had set itself transversely upon his lips, in hopes that they would actually get the hint this time.
Knowing what he was getting at, Layla merely shrugged innocently, a bright smile plastered on her face. "Talking, eating, and hanging out for the night. It was my turn to pick."
"Yeah," Zack agreed. "So, you gettin' off early tonight, man?"
Sighing heavily, as hostility and intimidation never seemed to work with this particular group anymore, he responded quietly, "Don't know. It depends on how slow we are tonight."
"Well, if it isn't," Layla replied with a smile, "You should come sit and join us after you're done. Besides, if it does get busy, we'll wait up. All of us are expected home late anyway."
"Yep," Will agreed, "My parents were more than happy to get me outta their hair for the night."
Warren shrugged nonchalantly, biting back a retort. He was just too tired to really care at the moment. "I'll see how it goes tonight," he replied evenly, his gaze straying toward the kitchen and then back to the trio again. "Anyway, I gotta get back to work."
"Iight. Later, man," Zack replied, watching as Warren made his way toward the back room. After he left, he turned his attention back to the couple in front of him, whispering conspiringly, "He seems less angry… think he'll talk about what happened today?"
Layla frowned, her eyes gazing levelly. "Zack," she warned, "Don't push him. He'll only get aggravated and then he won't talk at all. You of all people know not to provoke him on certain subjects that he doesn't want to bring up."
Will nodded his agreement, stating in a quiet and stern voice, "Just let it go, man."
"Alright, alright…"
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"And then, I was so distracted with dad punching the guy clear across the street that I literally flew, head first, into a wall. And it ended up being a wall to a biker's bar!"
Layla's hysterical laughter echoed resoundingly through the restaurant, unable to contain itself as Will talked about the newest "Stronghold Three" adventures. Both listeners looked like they were on the verge of tears.
"Ha! Dude," Zack exclaimed, "That is so fucking awesome! I so wish I had been there!"
"Yeah, well, you shoulda seen the look on Dad's face. I thought he was going to pop a blood vessel. I had to fly my old man out of there before he did anything bull-headed. I mean, my mom would've skinned him alive!"
Zack smiled enviously. "Yeah but, man, a biker's bar…! How hard core is that?!"
Layla rolled her eyes. "If you had been any other normal person, Will Stronghold, I would have been worried sick, putting yourself into a dangerous situation like that. I mean, it's-"
Her words and train of thought suddenly stopped, her jaw going slack as she stared, wide-eyed, beyond the vantage point past Zack's white-streaked head…
Zack paused, moving his face closer in faint amusement. "It's what, Layla…? Layla…?"
Will followed his girlfriend's stupefied gaze, only to stare in open shock as well. Nervously, he began, "Uh… Zack? You remember what you wanted to bring up to Warren earlier…?"
Zack rolled his eyes upward in exasperation. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it, Will, don't bring it up."
"Well," Will coughed, his eyes still staring. "Now I'm telling you to definitely not bring it up."
"Why? Is he about to make the kitchen explode or sumthin'…?" He began, shifting in his chair, "If he is, that guy is in serious need of anger-"
He stopped in mid-turn abruptly, his mouth gaping. "Oh…"
