Chapter 37- all mighty

Brick flew me out of the volcano, you literally had to fly out of the cone and slide down to the main streets. Exiting the volcano was just like putting on a show for the public- everyone watches to see just who was going to torment them this time. Luckily for me Brick had thrown a hoodie at me before leaving so no one knew who I was as he landed beside the theatre.

'I still need my costume.' I grabbed his arm so he couldn't fly off. He looked back at me smirking as if slightly amused.

'You'll get it back.' he pulled my hood up still just grinning away. 'Besides the longer you don't have it the less trouble you get into.' he dropped his arms taking a step back.

'It doesn't work like that. The costume isn't the thing that gives me superpowers.' I snorted back at him. He shrugged still just smirking away. That was just simply irritating- he was acting just too proud for the morning. The sun had barely risen and he was already a prick. 'See you around then.' I waved and he stopped.

'Not "around", soon.' he folded his arms. 'Dress yourself up and we'll have fun.' I rolled my eyes beginning to walk away.

'There's nowhere to go in Townsville. It's like a concrete refugee hostel.' I looked over my shoulder, he hadn't moved. 'See you soon then.' I smiled facing the road again and paraded down main road. That prick made me happy. I sighed shaking my head to myself. Something was wrong with me. Something had to be wrong with me.

'Hey!' a voice called to me as I passed the theatre. I froze, shit. Someone had seen me. I turned my head towards the theatre. A woman was glaring at me. 'Just where have you been?' and the woman didn't sound too happy.

'Mrs Smith.' I grinned in greeting walking slowly towards her. She defiantly couldn't know just where I've been. She didn't approve of Brick, she made that clear before. She didn't approve of any romance. 'You rehearsing for the musical? You are doing the musical? I've forgotten.' she folded her arms over her brightly coloured chest. Today she was wearing a gown of feathers it was as if she had escaped from some Brazilian parade and fallen into their props on the way. She would have looked rather friendly and warm but her scow changed everything.

'They're not your clothes.' she hissed as I moved closer. 'You're not even wearing shoes.' I looked down at my feet- I hadn't even noticed.

'Don't worry, I can barely feel it.' I shrugged. 'It is a bit nippy though.' I grinned as a strong gust of wind pushed me forward. She groaned dropping her arms to her sides.

'Come on in you misfit.' she moved out of the way of the theatre door. 'Let's get you some food.' I rushed into the warmth looking down at my feet. 'We'll get you some shoes while we're at it.'

She didn't ask about where I had been and something told me that she knew. But she just didn't ask whether it was because I just looked so guilty or pathetic. I had no shoes and I was in his clothes that was enough to give anyone some kind of creepy little scene of Brick and me (that is if they knew enough about me...so just Mrs Smith and Bubbles my girls). She brought me back into the dressing room and sat me down in her chair.

'now, you're going to need something more than just those rags when you get back to your boys back in the forest.' she groaned walking past me into the masses of clothes racks in the room.

'You know about the boys?' I frowned watching her dig through the clothes. 'they haven't' been trained enough to be out and fighting.'

'Oh they've been very active in the past few days.' she didn't sound impressed. 'Your minions of the back streets have been looking for you. They think someone's done you off.' I turned staring at her. So this was why she really wasn't impressed. What I had some was horrible. I had just left in the middle of a war. 'For all they know anything could have happened to you.' I sank down in the chair. Oh I was a complete ass. 'I've told you, you're a hero. You can't go running round like some love struck teenager.'

'I know.' I stared at myself in the mirror feeling just a little sick. 'They're really going to hate me now.' Mrs Smith came up behind me throwing some clothes over my head.

'They don't hate you. If they did they wouldn't have on crazy about you vanishing for a few days.' I pulled the clothes from off my head and staring at the older woman in the mirror. 'What are you going to tell them? You can't say you've been banging the enemy.'

'I'm not!' I jumped to my feet flushing red. 'We didn't- I didn't.' I closed my eyes forcing myself to cool down. 'I'm not going to "bang" the enemy, it's not like that.' yet anyway.

The clothes she threw at me were surprisingly nice seeing that Mrs Smith picked them out- a long sleeved pink top and brown leather jacket with trainers. Of course I'd keep Bricks jeans. They were good jeans with no holes and they were warm-and then there was the fact that they were his and steeling from him gave me some warm feeling I just couldn't shake. Mrs Smith help Bricks discarded shirt looking at it disgusted.

'If I see him flying round overly happy I'll throw up.' she hissed tossing the shirt back at me. I caught it folding it up carefully and putting it down on the chair.

'He isn't that bad- when you get past the crazy he actually tries to be...well it's almost charming- not normal charming but it's...endearing.' I looked back in the mirror looking round for hair ties.

'He's a bratty pig who abuses woman and then throws them away. Most the girls in the show trail after him. It's sickening to see them all lined up watching the volcano waiting for him to appear. Him and his brother with the yellow hair, they're both useless distractions.' I picked p a hair tie pulling my hair up into a high knot. 'Oh that looks nice.' Mrs Smith snapped out of her rage and helped with my hair. I grinned folding my arms watching her play with my hair.

'I don't see why you're complaining. You've got a good live in the theatre, you and the girls here. I don't see why you should hate them so much.'

'I'll hate them all I want. Just as you hate most of them- you just have a weak spot for your childhood friends. Don't see why as far as I know they were brats then too.' she stood back once my hair was all gathered into a neat tail falling down my back like a copper waterfall. I grinned looking at it in the mirror. It had been a long time since I tied my hair up. Ever since Brick stole my red ribbon my hair's just been hanging over my face.

'Thanks.' I looked back at her pulling my hair over my shoulder stroking it- I missed having my hair like this. 'And I don't really don't hate them.' I shook my head. 'I hate what they've done but I've seen where they come from.' I held my breath thinking back to the lab, anyone who's seen that would feel guilt and worry for them. 'I don't blame them and before all this happened Brick kept saying things needed to change. He was right- they just want about it the wrong way.' I groaned looking away from Mrs Smith. 'I guess I would hate them if I was like everyone else though but I'm not suffering that much.'

'You're thinking about it too much. Mrs Smith snorted. 'But since you actually know what's going on I'll trust your judgment.' she patted me on the back. 'I guess you should go back to your boys.' I nodded gathering Bricks hoodie and shirt.

'I'll be off then.' I muttered, she really didn't seem happy about my choice about Brick. 'He won't be a distraction.' I added stopping in the doorway out of the changing room. She just looked back at me pity heavy in her eyes.

'I know he will, he'll be your biggest distraction, he might even be your down fall. It always ends badly- relationships like yours. It isn't good.' I clenched my teeth together looking down. What did she know? Nothing. I just raised a hand and exited the room. I'd prove her wrong.

'Oh. My. God. You saw him this morning didn't you?' a gaggle of girls was rushing towards me talking fast and too happily for my mood. It was like I was back in the girls changing rooms at school.

'Of course I saw him! I wouldn't miss a chance to see that god.' another girl squealed. Now I saw what Mrs Smith was talking about. These girls really were...well creepy. And it was creepy, they were like a club of stalkers all talking about their next victim.

'He had a girl in his arms.' oh and I did not want to be found out by these girls.

'I know, I saw. She was wearing boy's clothes.'

'Does he like that? Should I start dressing like a lazy peace of scum? I would have thought he would have wanted something with more curves.' a girl giggled.

'Trace, that's too harsh. He might have been carrying a boy.'

'no.' Trace replied matter of factly. 'I got a look of her face. It was a girl with red hair- un mistakable.' I kept my head down walking by fast. I would be dead if I was found now.

I walked straight to the front door of the theatre to see the large bouncer man there grinning.

'You again.' he cheered. 'You would have thought you were a show girl- your hair and eye colour keeps changing. Sneaky.' I save a sheepish little grin. So my disguises weren't the best, but he wasn't looking at any wanted posters so I was still safe.

'Nah, I'm just the stars friend.' I sighed 'Mrs Smith.' I added just in case he questioned it.' he nodded resting on the door frame.

'The drama Queen. Yeah I've seen you two talking.' he grinned wider. 'She like a relative or something?'

'No, she's form out of town. I'm Townsville born and bred. We just helped each other.' I looked down. I couldn't talk about how we met; the events in Copperton were too fresh in my mind. I don't think I'd tell anyone about what I saw down in those sewers.

'Oh you too. You don't see many town-folks now-a-days.' I frowned looking back up at him.

'Town-folks?' I questioned raising an eye brow.

'yeah.' he nodded. 'That's what they call us guys who were here before the event. We're like poor, wise town elders. There's not many of us either.' he sighed. 'Anyway, it's nice to meet you. a nice young lady from the old days.' I nodded walking past him into the open world.

'It's good to find more Townsville locals about. It kinda makes you think it wasn't as bad as you remember.' I sighed. 'But then you look around.' I raised a hand as we both looked round at the broken buildings around us. 'See you around anyway.'

'You too young lass.' he cheered. 'Keep safe.' I nodded and turned to go on my way. I smiled started my long walk back to the forest. So I had found an old cop form the police force and now Bouncer guy shows up. Both survivors. This town was hard to kill after all.

I headed straight to the forest heading deeper and deeper into the untrained forest, the snow had melted and the wet was setting in. it'd still be a long time before it gets warm so for now it was to be expected that it's be a mixture of rain and horrid moist weather for a few months. I wasn't sure if I should have headed to the hut to make sure Butch wasn't freaking out or go to the enclosure where the boys were so they'd stop freaking out. Either way someone was going to be pissed off at me so much that I was risking my life by entering the forest again. Luckily for me I didn't have to chose between them (butch would have won) because as soon as I came in earshot I heard an almighty roar from the clearing- the boys camp.

'WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S STILL MISSING? SHE'S GOT BRIGHT RED HAIR AND PINK FUCKING EYES! HOW CAN SHE VANISH?' I frowned hearing the crisp growl of my house mate. Butch angry? Well this was new. It didn't sound like Brick when he was angry- this guy was so primal it was scary. I started running. If I remembered correctly Butch was all strength when it came to fighting. He'd kill those boys.

'We've been looking but she's gone. She might have even fled the city.' that was Scott, angry too but less frantic. 'She must have a good reason for leaving. Something important.' no don't say that, I really don't want to have to explain this one.

I stopped running just short of the clearing. By now there were five huts erect in a circle with the hole in the centre. It was like a real little camp now. The shouting was coming from the hut I helped construct.

'She wouldn't have gone without telling anyone.' Butch growled. 'You're all useless if you want find a girl in a pink costume. She stands out like a sore thumb.'

'We know she's not just vanished. She was with me not too long ago. She was in the suburbs saving my life after all.' that was the old cop. well at least I know he's found his way here. 'She didn't seem like she was deserting you all. It looked like she was trying to find something.' I held my breath striding forward into the camp some of the boys walking from hut to hut with supplies noticed and waved- they were clearly just trying to keep out of the arguing. I gave a silent greeting and skipped to the main hut. I stayed in the doorway waiting for them to just stop but it wouldn't.

'Is there a good chance she's gone to look for her sister?' Scott asked.

'No. they separated, they wouldn't go back together unless it was for an actual reason. They've all got their own job to do.' Butch muttered. So he did know something about me and my sisters I wasn't sure of. Maybe he was talking to Buttercup more...I did want to find her now that you mention it.

'Could the homo-X have found her? Maybe they all ganged up on her?' Cop butted in.

'She's faster. We're different to them. It's hard to explain.'

'Indeed.' I muttered from the doorway automatically cringing. I really don't know how to make an entrance. They all turned to look at me. 'Before you kill me I can explain...' hopefully. Stuffed into the hut was Butch, Scott, Cop and five other boys all looking confused or so angry I feared for my life again. 'Maybe I should come back later.'

'You!' Butch's voice rumbled through the hut. I literally felt the floor shaking from his monotone threat. 'Where have you been?' I sighed looking down.

'Everyone seems to ask the same thing.' I walked into the hut sitting on the floor. 'Just calm down and I'll try to explain it as best as I can.' ok...I had to think up some mega excuses-fast.