A/N: I know, I know! I'm sorry it's been so long but school was really busy as we finished for the Christmas holidays. But now I am on holiday hopefully I'll be writing more! Enjoy the chapter!

'Lash! What are you doing?' exclaimed Crystal. 'And Dirk! You helped too? Whoever you've got up there, put them down!'

Crystal couldn't quite believe her eyes. Dirk, Crystal's ex and a senior, who could create and control metal, had encased some poor student's upper body, probably that of a freshman and Lash was just fixing the person to the ceiling by their belt.

'Crystal! I thought you'd be pleased!' cried Dirk. 'Don't you know who this is?'

'Well I can't exactly see their face can I?' retorted Crystal. 'And whoever it is, I'm sure they don't deserve being humiliated in front of the whole school like this!'

'Just wait until you find put who it is,' promised Dirk. 'I'm sure you'll feel much different when you see their face. Spin him round Lash.'

Lash stretched up to the ceiling and turned the person around. Before she's even seen his face full on, Crystal realised who it was. Her jaw went slack.

'I give you Warren Peace, son of Baron Battle. I bet you'd like to ask him how his dad persuaded your dad to turn to the dark side. Not so tough is he?' he said, gesturing to the figure suspended from the ceiling. 'I expected him to put up more of a fight really.'

'Put him down! What the hell do you think you're doing? Where do you get off being prejudiced about people's parentage anyway Dirk?' she shouted, her eyes glowing. She may not like Warren very much right now, or even feel much solidarity for him but no one deserved to be treated like that and she doubted anyone else would stick up for him. 'Your parents dumped you in a vat of toxic waste and then on Coach Boomer's doorstep!' she resumed.

Crystal's outburst shocked everyone, including Warren. He hadn't exactly expected her to come to his rescue, especially after their last conversation.

'I can't believe you just told everyone that!' yelled Dirk, his face flushing.

'Well I doubt that you're more embarrassed than Warren,' she snapped. 'Did it ever occur to you that he might not have wanted everyone to know who his dad is? And to be strung up like a pinãta? I didn't think you could sink so low,' she said, her voice extremely bitter and quiet. 'Now let him down or, I promise, you will regret it.'

Slowly and quietly, Lash stretched up and brought Warren back down to the ground.

'I won't set him free Crystal, you can't make me.' Dirk said defiantly, attempting to reclaim some dignity.

'You don't need to. It would appear that Warren could free himself.'

The metal casing around Warren's arms and body was melting rapidly and soon two flaming arms appeared. He threw two fireballs in quick succession; one at Lash and the other at Dirk. But Lash dodged it and Dirk reflected it off a shield he created.

'Warren, please! Stop!' exclaimed Crystal, not having foreseen the consequences an angry Warren could cause. He turned to look at her, an almost animal look in his eyes before he resumed attacking his captors. Lash and Dirk were hidden behind a table, praying Warren wouldn't find them. They hadn't exactly realised what they had unleashed upon themselves and now they were sincerely regretting it. Slowly and silently Warren made his way over to them until he was standing over them, both arms alight, just staring at the two tormentors.

Ok, this has gone far enough! Crystal thought. 'Warren!' she yelled. He turned to see who had shouted at him but as he did, a ball of light exploded at his feet causing him to trip and fall over the table on top of Lash and Dirk. The three of them were about to start a severe cafeteria scuffle when suddenly they were frozen; Lash with his arms around Warren who was attempting to strangle Dirk.

The students stared at Crystal and then at the frozen guys. A ripple of hushed whispers went around the room. 'Did she do that?' 'I don't think so.' 'Who did?'

'Ah, not bad for a first try Mr. Medulla.'

'Not bad! It worked perfectly thank you, just like I programmed it to.'

Principal Powers and Mr. Medulla stood in the doorway of the cafeteria and in his hands rested a large, space age looking weapon – apparently a new creation. Principal Powers raised her hand and the room fell silent.

'This is Mr. Medulla's latest invention – a freeze ray that doesn't actually involve reducing the recipient's body temperature. Now then, Crystal, if you would follow me please – just…mind your head.' She added as she floated the bodies of the Warren, Lash and Dirk over the students and out of the door behind her.

'Now,' she said as they walked down the hallway, 'I know you're having a tough time at the moment, what with your father and all but I assure you that is no excuse for attacking other students Crystal.'

'But – '

'No buts Crystal. I saw what happened. You will be spending the rest of the afternoon in detention with your friends here.'

They reached the white room that no student liked entering, generally because if left them with a pretty severe headache if nothing else. Principal Powers opened the door and glumly Crystal walked in accompanied by the three floating bodies.

'Mr. Medulla if you would,' she said gesturing at the students who were floating about a foot off the ground.

He fired the ray and all of a sudden they fell to the floor with a crash.

'I'll be back at the end of the day for you and I don't expect I need to remind you that your powers are useless here. You'll have to work things out the old-fashioned way. Talking not fighting. I'll see you later.' With that she closed the door and disappeared down the corridor.

'What the hell!' exploded Warren.

'Yeah, how'd we end up here?' demanded Lash.

'Medulla has a new toy,' Crystal replied wearily. 'You all got frozen mid fight and brought here. We're all in detention for the afternoon for fighting. Even though technically I wasn't fighting, here I am. So if you're going to beat each other up please do it over there,' she gestured to the far side of the room. 'I've got a report due in on Monday and I might as well do it now.'

Suddenly all the fight seemed to be drained out of the guys as they slumped to the floor though still a fair distance from each other. An awkward silence fell over the room as Crystal started on her report and the guys had nothing to do. It continued in this manner for possibly up to an hour before Principal Powers came back into the room.

'Dirk, your mother has just arrived to pick you up. It would appear that your dentist appointment has saved you from another hour of detention. However, you will be expected to make up the time after school tomorrow,' the Principal stated from the doorway.

Dirk struggled up from the floor. He'd been sitting in the same position for all that time and his leg had gone to sleep. He limped over to the doorway and escaped the white prison.

Crystal, meanwhile, had finished her report and was now idly staring while Warren and Lash shot daggers at each other from opposite sides of the room. She was sure that if either of them had that capability, the room would now be red as opposed to white.

She closed her eyes and sighed. She could feel the dreaded headache coming on and was determined to stop it at all costs. She practised the yoga breathing her mother had taught her to deal with stressful situations; in through the nose, out through the mouth. She had just reached a state of relaxation when she felt someone slump next to her. Crystal opened her eyes in annoyance to find Lash on her left shoulder.

'What?' she asked.

'Nothing, just thought you could use some company.'

'Well, I don't so you can just go back over there,' she gestured, closing her eyes again.

'Why did you and Dirk break up?'

'What? Why do you care? That was at the end of last year! For your information, he became a right jackass because he was going to be a senior. He started showing off and didn't pay any attention to our relationship. Satisfied?' she snapped.

'So are you looking for anyone else right now?' he asked, his arm sliding round the back of her neck.

'Lash! Jesus, what the hell are you doing? I am not looking for anyone else and even if I were it would definitely not be you! Get off!' she cried, slapping his hand away.

Warren, from the other side of the room woke up to Crystal's cries. Weirdly he'd fallen asleep – something he was not expecting to do, least of all in detention.

'Hey! What do you think you're doing?' he demanded roughly, getting to his feet and hauling Lash off Crystal. 'I think she made her intentions pretty clear.'

'What would you know? You were asleep, you were probably dreaming!' he retorted.

'I heard enough. She didn't want you doing whatever it was you were doing so back off!'

Warren grew a little angrier; this guy was obviously an idiot who just couldn't take a hint.

'Warren, it's fine really. I handled it. I think Lash knows where he stands, don't you?' she added pointedly, glaring at him.

'Yeah, no, I understand. You're obviously involved with this villain-hero crossbreed,' he spat contemptuously.

'What right do you have to talk about my parents?' Warren yelled slamming Lash up against the wall, his arm pressed across his throat. 'Don't you dare slander them you jumped up piece of elastic!'

'Warren, please, let him down!' Crystal cried as she saw Lash's feet dangle a couple of inches above the ground and his face started turning blue.

'Warren, come on, he isn't worth it!' she said tugging on his arm. Warren stared into Lash's eyes for a few seconds longer before dropping him to the floor with a thud. He threw Crystal's arm off his and stalked over to the other side of the room and began pacing. Lash stared at his attacker, gasping for breath. This guy was a nutcase, seriously. Why on earth did they let him in here? he wondered.

Just then, Principal Powers arrived to let them all out.

'What's been going on in here?' she asked, eyeing Lash's gasping body suspiciously.

Lash glanced at Warren who glared at him with such intensity that it made his blood run cold.

'Nothing, nothing's happened. Can we go now?' he garbled trying to make it out of the door.

'Yes, but I'd just like a word with you two,' she said pointing at Crystal and Warren. She waited until Lash had left before closing the door behind him. 'Now I know you two may have some issues with each other, what with your fathers and all, but I hope I can rely on you to leave them outside of school. If you ever want to talk about it, I'm always here.'

'Yes, Principal Powers,' Crystal replied. 'Actually, Warren and I know each other from work, before…what happened.'

'Well that's good then,' she replied, clearly not expecting this meeting to have gone so well. 'If you hurry, you'll just make the last bus. Here is your bag Warren, I believe you left it in the cafeteria,' she said with a smile.

The two of them hurried out of the building and just made it onto the last bus with the only seats left being two next to each other. They dropped down into them just as the seatbelts crossed over, locking them in place. Throughout the bus ride home both of them sat in silence. Crystal couldn't believe what Warren had just done and Warren was still fuming and didn't trust himself to speak.

The bus pulled up to a stop and Crystal stood up. 'Excuse me,' she said stiffly as she went to move past into the aisle.

'Don't bother,' he grunted as he got up as well and walked off the bus.

Great, Crystal thought, how far am I going to have to walk with Captain Sunshine here?

Luckily for Crystal, Warren turned off her path quite soon after they left the bus but she stopped when she heard him call her name.

'What?' she said, turning to face him but was met with silence. 'What?' she repeated.

'Umm…are you working tonight?' he asked finally.

'What day is it? Thursday. No, I'm not,' she said, somewhat relieved.

'Alright,' he said, shrugging his shoulders, 'see you,' and he ambled off down the road.

Idiot! Idiot! he thought to himself as he walked homewards. You could have just apologised there and then but nooo, you had to stand there like a fish with your mouth hanging open. You're not even working tonight! Why does it matter if she is?

He berated himself all the way home but stopped suddenly when he reached home and found the door open…

A/N: Sorry about the really awful cliff-hanger but I was running out of things to say! And if it sounds a little weird I think so too, not sure why it's odd though! R&R!