"Never thought I'd say it but I'm happy to be back at school again. It's the only normal thing that's been going on in this town."
Leona for the first time ever not just happy to see her friends at school but also have some normality in her life for once. With all the kidnappings, killers and superheroes running around a normal life for most without any danger was desired right now. The taking care of her parents hot spring was a welcome distraction to it all but she wished to see her classmates again after the events they went through.
"Sorry I didn't come and visit. I've just been extremely busy lately." May apologizing to Leona that despite her promise she didn't come and see her. All the excuses in the world wouldn't get close to the truth of what she's really been up too. She saw the hot spring heir on the way to school and held her up to walk with her when the two started talking.
"Your dad needs you at home?" Leona asking May if Norman kept her safe and hidden since the one who was after her head later came to her family home. When stuck at home recovering from her wounds after her kidnapping she feared for her friends life after hearing the news about a killer who posed as a teacher.
"More then ever." May had a feeling this was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to danger to the city. There still wasn't any clue who was behind the mass kidnapping but a shadow corporation which owned the warehouse the abducted women were housed until she and Ash rescued them. Maybe Ash's friend who was also an aura guardian might shine a bit more light on the case.
Seeing two of her classmates walk in front of them Leona called out.
"Hey. It's Ash and Deedee!" Dawn turning around not happy once more about hearing her nickname was relieved to see Leona again. As much as she wanted to discuss things with Ash further it was impossible without blowing both their secret to her friends.
"I guess you want to know what happened at school?" Ash not yet having told the story of his home invasion to Leona yet. He figured it was only the start since everyone was probable going to interrogate him and May about Bisharp.
"I already heard it from May."
"At least that's one I can cross off my list." Ash joked knowing it's going to be a long day.
"How's your internship going with Lila?" It being a few days Leona wondered how Dawn's internship with the stylist went.
"It's tiring. There's so much to learn in so little time. I never knew just how hard it can be."
"So when do we get to see your designs in store?" May hearing about it from herself was wondering Dawn would show up in an outfit of her own design.
Dawn blew out some breath and sighed. If only it was as easy as an internship. Sure when she took breaks she sometimes asked the stylist to look at some of her older designs but she didn't start on new ones till she learned on how to be Umbreon completely.
"It's an internship. I'm not making any outfits for a while."
"So are you going to cheer practice this afternoon? There's a game coming up and the team is lost without us." Leona joking that the boys needed the girls to win they all laughed. Ash not being part of the basketball team relieved that he wasn't a part of it. Even if he can jump higher than everybody.
"Lila has been wearing me down but she said it's ok if I hang out a bit more with you guys." Even if Dawn had a ton of work to do getting her skillset to a level she thinks is enough to fight Ash Umbreon told her to not sacrifice her social life. Getting ready for the biggest challenge if your life is one thing and the cheer practice she does might help her unwind some of that stress a bit.
"So you gave in after all. Can't say I'm surprised."
"Ursula?" The girl with the red curls frowned having heard Deedee is actually under the watchful wing of a professional stylist.
"It was only a matter of time really before you gave in to your privilege. You're just like the rest."
The blue haired girl always so called resisted the urge to use her mother's fame for her own benefit. Dawn growing up as a child of privilege always seemed to be humble attending school like any ordinary child her age. Ursula wasn't fooled by her gimmick.
"Maybe my designs are actually good."
"Do you honestly believe it? Your mother is the only reason you even have a foot in the fashion business. If it wasn't for her you just are normal like everyone else here. Nearly every girl in this school got kidnapped. Except you and May. May's dad is a police officer so she actually has an excuse. You must've had some bodyguards with you. Your luck runs out sooner than later."
Stomping on the ground and storming off Ash didn't understand what the deal between Dawn and Ursula is. For some reason the redhead always started an argument with the blue haired girl that escalated until one of them just gave up.
"What's her deal?"
"Beats me." May confused just as Ash is. She didn't mind Ursula joining the cheer sqaud at first but her constant fighting with Dawn started to take its toll on all of them.
"I'm going to check if they fixed my locker yet. See you after school May." Ash ran ahead and left the girls alone now trying to see if most of the damage Bisharp caused was fixed.
"So…what are you two doing after school? Something romantic?" Leona nudging May with her elbow she told her off. The secret ice heroine knew Leona implied there's something romantic between them by the look on her face.
"Just my parents inviting Ash over for dinner for rescuing me."
"Dinner at your place? You two got close all of a sudden."
"It's just a thank you dinner. Nothing more."
May telling her friends to drop it. Expertly lying about her situation once more she figured if this hero thing doesn't work out she could always go into acting. And now as a worker in an ice cream shop like her little annoying brother keeps saying.
"So much for an ordinary day."
Ash had taken an eye full of his school before but it was anything unlike he ever seen. A large amount of vehicles were parked outside of the school. They were mostly black limo's but reading the license plates he could tell they weren't from the country he lived in. The symbols on them unreadable they looked like eastern symbols and for all his love of martial arts movies Ash couldn't read the language.
All the students were outside watching over the event. All the teachers outside complaining of not being able to do their job
"Hey guys!" Going to the players of the school's basketball team they all turned to see him after Ash forced his way through the mob.
"What's going on?"
"Some people were pretty early this morning and closed off the entrance to school." Brock told him.
The people patrolling the vicinity wore black suits but were a bit different from people Ash fought before but by a pin on their jackets looked pretty official.
"They look eastern." Having seen enough of those movies in his life he guessed where they came from. Some of them gave status updates through an earpiece but Ash couldn't understand what they were saying.
"Some translator from their embassy said that the school is under closure of their government and is now foreign ground till further notice." Kenny then explained that anybody who set foot behind the tape they used to close off the path to school would be forcefully worked to the ground and be escorted to an armored car.
"Isn't that breaking all sorts of international laws?" From the way the place was set up it looked like a warzone. Even in some movies embassy safety was nothing compared to the gathering here.
"All we know is that the translator called him Mienshao. Apparently he's a national hero and a shaolin. What's a shaolin and you heard of him before?" Gary asked Ash since if there's something martial arts related the raven haired teen should know.
"A Shaolin is someone who travels to a temple in the mountains and devotes their entire life to a certain philosophy and martial arts. They are supposed to be so disciplined in their training that they refuse to eat and drink sometimes to strengthen the mind. But what one is doing all the way out here I have no idea and I never heard of Mienshao before. What's a Shaolin doing all the way out here?"
"It's not sure. But some reporters here who can translate said something about the 'Glow'." Brock told him what he's heard from whispers going around.
"The what?"
Ash immediately thinking they might mean aura. May and Dawn didn't had light blue powers like himself and Riley so he guessed that whoever is inside is actually looking for him. But what the martial artist wanted with aura was anybody's guess.
"I guess he saw the video's of the vigilante in the museum and then in May's street. Those knives he used in front of May's house were blue."
"Oh come on!" Leona at the back of the crowd yelled at the absurdity of the situation. The rate this is going everyone is soon going to be homeschooled.
"So much for anything normal." May agreeing with her. School is the last place she wanted another fight to break out.
"What's wrong? Why are all these people here?" Dawn confused as much as her friends. She figured that the press already got everything out of Glaceon and Ash's damage to the building and had more important matters to report on.
"They can't just close the school like that! Someone needs to fine him!" The blonde boy pushed through the crowd.
"Barry!" Ash and the others stopped him by grabbing him by the shirt.
"You idiot!" Paul pulling harder than everyone else wasn't going to let his teammate commit the dumbest thing he can do. As if storming a government's men was a proper idea and if he was unlucky get shot as well.
"There's official governments for this sort of thing! You can't just barge in like that!" Brock holding him back too having him in a full nelson. Ash lifted him up by the legs with Barry still screaming with the rest of the team carrying him out of the crowd.
"Guys?" Dawn seeing them carry Barry face palmed. Of course he tried to make it worse than it actually is. After hearing what's going on and school wasn't going to open Dawn grew excited.
"This is perfect! I can train all day with you!" Talking to her partner mentally she gave no response. She wondered why she was so quiet when Ash is the only one who can hear her out of her group of friends.
"I got a ball and hoop at home. We can practice there all day. What do you guys say we just go there?" Gary happy to skip another day of school without his principal of a grandfather lecturing him. Without anything else to do today the team agreed. They had no access to the school facilities and they had an important game coming up.
"Fine! But somebody needs to teach them a lesson!"
"Just come with us you idiot." Barry still not giving in Paul almost pulled him by the ear not tolerating his silliness anymore. Gary followed them leaving Brock and behind.
"You coming Kenny?"
"I still have some stuff to do. I'll come to your place later." Kenny telling them he'd catch up. Brock said ok and he chased after the rest of his teammates.
"What about you Ash?" May asked since their plans for the day were ruined. They could now go straight to Ash's aura partner and talk about things but they needed a cover that they both agreed on and didn't make their classmates question things.
"I'm going home and get ready for dinner at your place. Mom is going to end me if I show up in a normal outfit. See you later guys."
"Leona?" Dawn asked really hoping they were busy or had appointments after school.
She'd rather go straight to Lila's office and train more. But she was also able to gain a bit more experience travelling through the city and it would make a good warmup before she'd practice her martial arts. "Maybe we can hangout for the rest of day?" Leona suggested. May's phone ran and she saw a message coming on. With a sad look on her face she said no.
"I gotta go. My dad wants me at home. Bye girls!"
May's call was actually a message from Ash to meet her in a donut shop so they can grab a bite on the way to Riley's house. With the brunette gone it left just Dawn, Leona and Kenny.
Since they lived in the same street it would be a bit weird if she walked to Lila's office without taking any sort of public transport since it was quite a ways. Dawn asking Umbreon to give her one she heard plenty in her long existence didn't give out so easy.
"Learn to come up with your own excuses."
"Oh, now you start talking."
A bit later than usual but thanks to the holidays and me finishing up my main story after three years this one had to be put on hold for a bit.
I'm still a bit behind so updates are still going to be slow. And I'm just not feeling this one lately. I'm actually thinking about a hiatus on this one. I'll get back to you guys on that.
See you around