Disclaimer: I don't own Sky High.
Read on, oh faithful ones...
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Chapter Fifty
...
Layla had exhausted herself to the point where she couldn't even recognise her own daisy on the windowsill, let alone light it on fire. Warren had been more cautious and could still light his hands on fire and wrap a vine around his forearms. He spent the morning making pancakes for Layla and Frieda, piling a stack high on Layla's plate and making sure she ate every bite so she would recover faster. It seemed to help and by her fourth pancake and second glass of orange juice, Layla didn't look as pale anymore.
"That was a lovely breakfast, thank you, dear. Feel free to stay over on the next public school day as well," Frieda said, smiling at Warren. "I believe Honey will be coming over this morning. She mentioned something about taking you both shopping?"
Thinking of Layla's charred bedroom, Warren gave a slight nod. "We just need a few... things."
Frieda raised an eyebrow at the pause of hesitation. "Things?" she echoed, looking between them scrutinisingly before a look of comprehension dawned on her face. "Oh, things, of course. I'm glad you're both being safe."
Warren would have paid someone to make the earth swallow him whole right then. Beside him, Layla was blushing, her own embarrassment making his wrist ache. Unable to think of a way to correct Frieda's assumption without getting themselves into trouble, neither Warren nor Layla said a thing.
A knock at the door saved them from requiring to answer, Frieda leaving to answer the knock. Warren glanced at Layla, who looked ready to burst into peals of laughter.
"What about that was funny, hippie?!" Warren asked incredulously.
"It's either laughing or crying. That was ridiculous," Layla said, laughing into her fist.
Warren grinned and shook his head. "It's worse than my mother asking... Mum? What are you doing here?"
"Hello to you too, Warren," Nina replied. "I'm going out with Frieda and Anita for the day; we've got a pampering day planned. We may even splurge and watch a movie; I've heard good things about Valentine's Holiday," she added.
Frieda laughed and waved off their twin expressions of disgust. "Oh, don't pull those faces; it's a nice sad romantic movie created for women over the age of forty. We thought you'd like to spend the day together. Honey's driving you to work, dear," she said, patting Warren's hand.
"But I don't have my work clothes. Never mind," Warren added when Nina produced a bag for him. "Thanks, Mum."
"You're welcome. Let me know when you get to work or I'll worry. And I'll expect a compliment on my refreshed complexion and shiny new nails in the morning," Nina teased.
"Thank you, Frieda. It was nice of you to surprise us like this," Layla said, kissing her cheek.
"I might give you warning next time, so you don't plan a shopping day again," Frieda said with a laugh. "Honey should be here soon; are you both ready to go?"
Before Warren or Layla could answer, Nina's phone starting ringing loudly.
"Oh, it's Anita. She's probably outside. Are you ready, Frieda?" Nina asked before answering the phone a moment later. "We're heading out now, Anita. Did you see the trailer for Valentine's Holiday yet?"
"My bag's at the front door. I'll see you tonight, Layla, and I'll see you later, dear," Frieda said.
Both Frieda and Nina were gone within a few minutes, Nina saying farewell over her shoulder. They were in Anita's car and gone barely a second later, Layla and Warren staring after them.
"What the hell just happened?" Warren asked.
"It seems that Anita, Nina, and Frieda are friends," Layla replied. "Come on, I want to see the damage properly in the light of day," she said, closing the front door and practically running up the stairs to her bedroom.
Warren left his work clothes on the stair bannister and followed after her quickly.
Most of the bedroom was covered in a thin layer of soot and ash. Holes had been left in the carpet where they'd both stood the night before, and all of Layla's furniture was destroyed, the contents barely fairing any better. Her walk-in wardrobe had survived, the door taking the brunt of the flames. Layla sighed at the sight of her destroyed computer, the screen melted and the hard drive a lump of plastic and metal.
"I'll buy you a new one; I've still got my money from the lottery winnings," Warren reminded her, wincing at the sight himself.
"I'm pretty sure I was the reason it was destroyed, not you," Layla said, reaching for the flames inside of her and watching the orange flickers along her fingertips, not hot enough for her liking.
"How about an anniversary present then?"
"I didn't think we had an anniversary."
"Ever since you told Dave about our anniversary dinner, he's asking me what I've bought you as a gift. I told him it was in the mail, but now he won't stop asking if it's arrived."
"So... you want to buy me a computer so you don't have to lie to Dave the security guard?"
"No. Yes. Yes and no? Just accept the gift, hippie, or I'll have to say I bought you some vegan soap or some shit," Warren muttered, kissing her.
Layla responded to his kiss, her lips curving into a smile. A few seconds later, she had to pull away so she could laugh, her eyes bright with mirth. "A computer or soap? Those are your only two ideas?"
Warren muttered something obscene under his breath and pulled Layla flush against his body, kissing her again. "What would you like as an anniversary gift then?"
Layla licked her lips as she pulled away, taking a moment to think of her answer. "Hippomane mancinella," she said decisively.
"A hippo-what?" Warren asked, frowning.
"Hippomane mancinella, the manchineel tree. It's endangered and extremely dangerous. It is deadly when touched, when the berries are eaten, when it rains, and when it's burned."
"You want me to get you a tree that can kill me by touching it?" Warren asked, confused and perplexed by a tree that could be deadly because of rain.
Layla smiled and kissed his lips briefly. "My vines are inside you; you won't be harmed."
"Why can't you make it grow yourself?" Warren asked, confused and curious rather than accusatory.
"I can't get the bark right. I need a specimen to study and then I can create as many as I want. Of course, this isn't something you can get overnight, so maybe for our next anniversary. I'll take the computer today," Layla said with a grin.
"I... Text me the name of that tree; I'll see what I can do," Warren said, shaking his head. "So when is our actual anniversary? Are we celebrating monthly? Weekly? Daily?" he teased.
Layla laughed brightly and kissed him. Their phones ringing pulled them apart a minute later, Honey calling to say she'd arrived. Warren pressed one more kiss to Layla's lips before grabbing his bag, her purse, and heading down to pick up his clothes. Layla scrolled through her phone to look at various dates, following Warren downstairs.
"October 29th," Layla said, kissing his cheek and taking her purse back.
"Hmm?"
"Our first date. For anniversary purposes, we're celebrating every three months until we hit a year, then it's yearly. Agreed?"
"Here I was hoping for daily," Warren deadpanned.
Laughing, Layla opened the front door, her laughter and feet stopping abruptly when she saw Patrick from AAA Contractors standing there.
"Hippie? What's wrong?" Warren asked, his voice quiet and rough as he felt the churning of Layla's emotions.
"I hired AAA to get everything cleaned up for you upstairs. They've already been paid and will be long gone before we're even back. Isn't that right, Paddy?" Honey asked, clasping him on the shoulder.
Patrick paled slightly and nodded, swallowing firmly. "Right, Hourglass. Nice to see you again, Miss Williams," he said with a brief nod, stepping back so she and Warren could exit the house.
Layla stepped outside, ensuring that she didn't touch Patrick even though he was covered and wearing gloves. Frowning, Warren followed her and made sure he didn't touch Patrick either.
"Come on, the sooner we leave, the sooner they leave," Honey promised, leading them down to her car. "Sorry about the surprise; it took more time than I expected to actually get them to agree to the job. They're not happy about the rush job. Or the blackmail," she admitted.
"You blackmailed them?" Warren asked, taking Layla's hand.
"Only Paddy; don't ask," she added.
There was a moment of silence as they were all seated and buckled in. Layla played with one of the tassels on her bag and held Warren's hand her other hand. "You know what we've done?"
"Of course, and I highly approve. Just make sure to keep it a secret until the time's right," Honey said, reversing out of the driveway and heading towards Westville.
"From everyone?" Layla asked, thinking of their friends.
"Everyone. Donny will know not to say anything."
"How do we know when the time's right?" Warren asked, frustrated.
"Trust me, you'll know. That doesn't mean you shouldn't practice though. Keep it confined to the Hive, not your homes. Not even in your backyard, Warren."
Warren sighed. "Has anyone told you how infuriating you are, Honey?"
"Lots of people, actually. You won't be the last," she added lightly. "Now, Layla, do you want to shop for your new mattress, curtains, or computer first?"
"Hmm... Curtains, please."
Honey nodded and turned right at the next set of lights.
...
As Honey had promised, the AAA Contractors were gone long before Layla returned home. Frieda hadn't returned yet, though from the text message she'd received earlier that afternoon, Layla hadn't expected her to be: Frieda, Anita, and Nina had decided to go to the movies after all.
Honey helped Layla set up her new belongings: mattress, bed linen, pillows, curtains, computer desk and chair, and the computer itself.
"Thank you for all of your help, Honey. I couldn't have done it without you."
"Not a problem at all, Layla. That being said, I don't want to carry another mattress up two flights of stairs if I can help it, so please promise me that you won't practice with fire in here again," Honey said, fanning herself with the AAA Contractor's receipt.
"I'll remember it the next time I'm tempted; I promise I won't practice with fire in here again," Layla said with a brief smile.
Honey sighed in relief. "Thank you."
"Do you want to stay for dinner?"
"I'd love to. Thanks," Honey said with a bright smile.
...
Josie shifted on her chair slightly, trying to keep her nerves under control and her smile plastered firmly on her face. She had faced down numerous villains and yet, right here and now, Josie had never felt more nervous and terrified in her life.
"The winner of this year's Realtor Sales Award is..."
There was a sharp intake of breath as everyone waited, their eyes intent on the MC, the envelope he was holding, and the board beside him with the five finalists' names listed on glossy cards. The back of the cards would reveal the amount of money they'd made for the year, with the highest three winning prizes. The first prize was, of course, an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii.
The MC opened the envelope with a dramatic flourish. There was a long dramatic pause for one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight - nine - ten - oh, come on, who pauses for this damn long?! - thirteen - fourteen - fifteen...
"Patricia Moore," the MC announced, flipping her card to reveal an amount over three million dollars.
Josie made herself clap politely, even as she glared over at Trixie - aka, Mooseketeer - who smiled back at her and waved, sweet and so utterly mocking. Under the table, Josie clenched Steve's hand as tightly as possible. Trixie might have won the trip to Hawaii, but it was Jetstream who was on the cereal boxes and other merchandise. No one needed Mooseketeer, no one loved Mooseketeer like they did Jetstream. A holiday was nothing compared to the love and affection of citizens worldwide.
Maybe she could get a refund on the new swimsuit she'd purchased.
"Second place is..."
Josie perked up at the MC's announcement; they'd missed out on Hawaii, but a trip to California was nothing to turn her nose up at. There was another lengthy fifteen second pause, during which Josie forced herself to smile rather than gnash her teeth together.
"Daisy Ling," the MC announced, flipping Daisy's card to reveal an amount just below three million, people clapping for the woman's achievement.
A citizen had beat them?! A citizen had beat her and Steve, two of the world's greatest superheroes, and... A citizen?!
"Josie? Dear, you're... you're squeezing a little tight there," Steve whispered, wincing.
"You'll be fine, Steve," Josie snapped, a little louder than she'd intended. She coughed slightly when people looked their way and Josie let go of her husband's hand, patting him gently. "Sorry, dear."
Steve smiled at her, quick and bright, but made sure to leave his hands on top of the table for the announcement of the final prize. Josie tried to think of how many houses she and Steve had sold over the past year, trying to add up the amounts in her head and determine whether they were even close to winning.
"Josie and Steve Stronghold!" the MC announced, bringing Josie out of her thoughts abruptly.
The card flipped to reveal a figure far closer to two and a half million than Josie would have liked. She smiled and waved when people clapped, and graciously accepted the meat tray that she and Steve were presented with.
Trixie and Daisy were given all-expenses-paid holidays, and she and Steve were awarded with a meat tray. The prize stung almost as much as Trixie's smug little smirk.
Just you wait until next year, Josie thought fiercely behind her bright smile, already thinking of how she and Steve could win their deserved first prize. Josie refused to lose against the likes of Mooseketeer and a citizen again.
...
"Is it me or are there more advertisements for the Strongholds' Real Estate business than usual?" Layla asked, seeing yet another picture of Mr. and Mrs. Stronghold's faces along the bus route. She'd been on the bus for all of ten minutes and she'd seen their faces three times already.
"I heard Will mention the Realtor Sales Award ceremony was on last night," Warren replied. "Their excessive advertising could be in response to either winning or losing," he added with a shrug.
"It's tacky," Layla said, wrinkling her nose and looking away from the window to look at Warren instead.
He opened one eye when he felt Layla staring and frowned at her, his eyebrows creasing. "What?"
"I like your face better than theirs," she said with a smile.
Warren rolled his eyes. "I'd hope so."
Layla grinned and kissed him briefly, settling back in her seat properly when the bus hit their exit ramp. Warren took her hand, closing his eyes with a grimace of disgust when he saw one of the Strongholds' billboards along the original highway. By now, the students knew to expect the sudden drop between bus and flying bus, and there were only a few gasps of surprise. Layla sighed and rested her head against Warren's shoulder.
Compared their usual flight-time, Warren figured they were about halfway to Sky High when the bus's rocket-fuelled exhausts spluttered. The noise and heat of the flames were there one second and gone the next, landing gear dispersing and the wings retracting back into the bus as per the system's landing protocol. The bus started falling back down towards the ground and this time everyone screamed.
Warren grabbed Layla's hand as the bus dropped. She looked at him, brown eyes wide and terrified. A feeling bloomed within her, vines blocking the fear, Layla's scream cut off abruptly as her eyes turned green. Beside her, Warren let his power block his own feeling of fear and his eyes burned blue.
"I'll get wings; you get heat," Layla said into his ear.
Warren had no idea what she meant, but then Layla darted down the aisle between the rows of screaming students. She stood in the middle of the bus and splayed out her arms, her red hair flying up towards the roof as the bus continued to fall. Two large leaves twirled out of her hands, over the heads of the crouched students, and through the bus windows. The holes they made were big enough for the leaf stalks - petiole - to fit through, the leaves expanding when they came into contact with the air outside. Several petiole stretched out from Layla, the green leaves flattening out to form large wings on either side of the bus.
In that moment, Warren realised what Layla was talking about, and he propelled himself forward off his seat to stand behind her. His fireballs couldn't go through the window without destroying them completely, but the bus' emergency exit was in the roof and could be enough. Throwing three fireballs upwards - one for the exit, two for the leaves - Warren let one of the fireballs disperse and directed the other two to hover beneath the leaves and create enough heat to help Layla's leaves get height.
"Cassie!" Layla yelled over the noise of rushing air.
A girl a few seats forward turned on hearing her name, pale and obviously terrified.
"Cover the hatch!"
Cassie's expression of fear gave way to confusion, but then she nodded and threw her hands up, a thick layer of bubblegum covering the emergency exit.
"Terry, the engine!" Warren said to the technopath beside him.
Terry gulped, nodded, and slid past Warren and Layla awkwardly to try to fix the engine.
"We're not getting enough height. We're going to crash!" someone closer to the front screamed, pointing towards Sky High and where they were on a collision for the mass of land beneath the school.
"I can't take any more heat, the leaves will burn!" Layla called out, desperately trying to think of a solution.
"The engine's fine! Nothing's wrong with it!" Terry called.
"Fuel; we're out of fuel!" the driver yelled.
"We're leaking fuel," one of the students corrected, seeing the line of fuel that had left a dark streak in the clouds behind them.
The Sky High buses were made from reinforced materials to protect the students in case any villains decided to attack them during their journey, and as such, there was no way the fuel tank could have been damaged accidentally.
"Robin, you're an earth-super, right?" Warren asked.
"Y-yes?" Robin stammered, their eyes wide.
"You need to move Sky High down so we won't hit it."
"B-but - "
"Do you want to die?!"
Robin shook their head, clutching the rail in front of them as they looked out the window and concentrated.
By this time, most people had realised that there was something wrong with the bus and a crowd of students had gathered on the edge of Sky High to watch. A few seemed to be trying to figure out how to help, students with jetpacks lending them to their stronger classmates so they could try to lift the bus. Along with Zach, Ethan, and Magenta, Will was still on the other Sky High bus with no idea of what was happening.
"Shit! I can raise the atmospheric pressure to keep them steady, but it'll probably kill those idiots who've flown out there," Wendy said, glaring at the four students who'd flown off towards the winged bus.
Donny stared at the bus, trying to get an understanding of what was happening and what they were planning. Catching Robin's thoughts of concentration, he paled as he realised what was about to happen. "Everyone get down!" he yelled, pulling Wendy down to the grass with him.
Some people were on the ground immediately but others only had enough time for a confused expression before the ground beneath them dropped. It stopped abruptly, not moving down very far, a few people groaning as their bodies were slammed with the sudden force.
"Stay down!" Donny yelled.
Everyone did as he said and flattened themselves against the grass, staring at the bus that was flying towards them.
"We're going to be flattened!" someone cried out in fear.
No one had a chance to reply before the ground beneath them dropped again, everyone falling and slamming against the grass for a second time. Donny tried to figure out if they really were going to be flattened but he was a mind reader not a psychic.
Layla's concentration was kept completely on her vines, on making sure they continued to flap and raise them higher without touching Warren's fireballs and burning to a crisp.
Behind her, Warren was trying to keep his fireballs at the right temperature to keep them aloft and not destroy their work.
Robin was biting their lip so hard they'd bitten right through, but they paid no mind to the blood pooling in their mouth, and focused solely on Sky High and forcing it to move down against the force of the anti-gravitational device.
Cassie was desperately trying to create as many bubblegum bubble parachutes as possible, hoping that they'd be enough to save everyone.
Terry was trying to redesign the engine so it would fly without fuel, but it was a difficult task that engineers had yet to achieve, and he was a freshman. Blinking back his tears, Terry tried another set of instructions to the bus engine's computer chip, trying to override the landing lock to give them wings at the very least, yet another feat that had yet to be achieved by even the most villainous of technopaths due to anti-technopath protections that had been installed after Royal Pain's efforts.
Their strong jetpack-laden classmates made it to the bus, desperate cries and cheers greeting them. One student almost hit into Layla's leaf wings as they tried to get under the bus, a second attempt making them drop down and then fly back up beneath the bus itself.
"Be careful!" Layla yelled, several people echoing her with more fear than anger.
The four students lifted as much as they possibly could, trying to hover in the air without holding onto their jetpack controllers. Two of them dropped and quickly held onto the stick controllers again, their hearts beating a terrified rhythm. The other two students had more modern jetpacks that offered autopilot options and pushed with all of their might to lift the bus. The other two did their best one-handed, clutching the controllers tightly.
Despite their combined efforts, the jetpacks just weren't strong enough to lift both the students and the bus higher more than a few centimetres. Sky High was getting closer with every passing second and they had to move out of the way before they hit into the school grounds themselves.
There was a cry of disappointment as the students inside the bus watched the other four students fly away from the bus, away from them.
Robin screamed as they pushed Sky High down one more time; Terry curled up into a ball, his hand still pressed against the bus' dashboard and desperately trying to rearrange everything; Layla realised that they were still too low and made her wings flap faster, desperately trying to get more lift; Warren put extra heat into his flames to push them up, his flames eating at Layla's leaves.
Sky High dropped once more, the bus came to a screeching halt as it plowed into the grass right next to the students on the ground, the back tyres hanging over the edge precariously.
The four students flew forward as fast as they possibly could, pushing the bus up and over the last metre until all four wheels were safely on the ground. The two students with the stick-controlled jetpacks had literally flown into the bus itself and were covered in broken glass, the back of the bus completely ruined with their combined strength.
"Did we die?"
Layla clung to the bus seat beside her, her fingers curled tightly into the metal and vinyl. "We're alive. We made it."
There were a few soft whimpers, loud sniffles, people trying to get their fear-laden limbs to move properly. The bus doors were wrenched open and it was as though a dam had broken, everyone rushing to get to the exit as fast as superhumanly possible. Terry was pulled out of the bus before he was trampled, the students outside rushing forward to help the traumatised students to get off the bus and safely onto the ground.
Warren pulled Layla aside as the students beside and behind them tried to get out of the bus. "Okay, hippie?"
Layla nodded, turning and curling against Warren's chest. "We're alive."
"We are, thanks to your quick thinking," Warren said with a smile.
"You thought of Robin moving Sky High; I wouldn't have even considered that," Layla admitted.
"Lucky you've got me around then," he said, his smile turning to a broad grin.
"Always," she murmured, rising on her toes to kiss him deeply.
A cough had them parting and they looked over to see Principal Powers standing in the broken door of the bus. "Mr. Peace, Miss Williams, please come with me to my office."
Warren nodded, heading to the back of the bus to grab their bags. He indicated for Layla to go ahead of him, his hand warm against the small of her back. Reaching back, Layla grabbed his hand and squeezed it firmly. She was only slightly worried about what Principal Powers might have to say to them in private, but she didn't let her worries show as she stepped off the bus with Warren a step behind her.
Cheers and clapping met their descent, Layla smiling and waving. Warren refrained from rolling his eyes, lifted his hand in a brief wave, and then guided Layla after Principal Powers before he did anything else stupid.
With most of the students still outside and either recovering from their shock or simply gossiping, the walk to Principal Powers' office was quiet. Layla tried to consider things from Principal Powers' point of view, trying to determine if they had done anything wrong to warrant their looming punishment.
Principal Powers indicated for them to enter the office, walking in and closing the door behind them. She sat at her desk, taking a few moments to breathe before she could bring herself to speak. Layla noticed that Principal Powers was trembling, and belatedly realised that Principal Powers had been shimmering with her comet power until she'd walked into her office, the power repression beams working even on her.
"I have been the principal at Sky High for longer than I'd like to admit, and this is the first time I've truly feared for my students' safety. Of course, if I hadn't been turned into a baby during last year's Homecoming, it would have been the second time," she admitted, coughing slightly. "I cannot thank you enough for your heroic deeds this morning. I owe both of you a debt of gratitude and the students that were on the bus with you owe you their lives," Principal Powers said.
Warren and Layla had both expected to be in trouble for using their powers outside of school and they certainly hadn't expected Principal Powers to thank them.
Warren recovered first and he smiled at Principal Powers warmly. "It was nothing, Principal Powers. Any student would have done the same thing."
"I'm just glad we were there to be able to save our fellow students. Terry, Cassie, and Robin all helped as well. If Robin hadn't moved Sky High down, we would have crashed."
Principal Powers blinked. "Robin, Cassie, and Terry?" she repeated, writing their names down. "What did Terry and Cassie do?"
"Cassie covered the escape hatch with bubblegum after I destroyed it with my fireballs," Warren said. "I think she was also trying to create parachutes out of bubblegum for everyone towards the end, though I don't know how they would have worked out," he added with a slight shrug.
"We thought it was an issue with the engine, so Terry tried to fix it," Layla said.
"It wasn't the engine?"
Both Warren and Layla shook their heads. "According to the driver, there was no fuel left," Layla said.
"One of the students mentioned that we'd been leaking fuel," Warren added.
Principal Powers stood up abruptly, turning to look out of her window. Muttering to herself under her breath, too low for either Warren or Layla to hear, Principal Powers soon realised that they were still in the room and turned to face them once more. "Thank you very much, I can't tell you how relieved I am that you two were there to save the day. You should head to class now, though I doubt much work will be done this morning," she admitted with a quick smile, the action not reaching her eyes.
"Thank you, Principal Powers," Layla said, Warren echoing her a moment later, both of them leaving.
Principal Powers left after them, turning into a comet and flying out of Sky High and towards the wrecked bus and fuel-slick path they'd left behind in the clouds.
Layla looked to Warren, who was grinning broadly. "What are you smiling about?"
"Principal Powers was right," he said, pausing for a moment that was long enough for Layla to wonder if he liked the attention of being a hero after all, "Every one of those students owe us their lives," Warren said, his grin turning wicked.
Layla laughed, covering her mouth abruptly to muffle the noise. "You're right."
Warren tugged her hands away, then pulled Layla close to kiss her firmly, biting at her lips.
"Eww, gross. Stop it already!" Zach groaned, shuddering and making gagging noises until they stopped kissing.
"Congratulations on saving the students of bus number eighteen from certain death," Ethan said with a grin. "Any comments for the school paper?"
"Fuck off," Warren said.
"That should be your headline, Eth," Zach said, snickering.
"We'll give you our comments at lunch, okay?" Layla said. "Why don't you talk to Robin, Terry, and Cassie first?" she offered.
"Terry the freshman?" Ethan clarified, getting a nod in response. "Thanks. Come on, Zach; I want to get a statement before they forget."
Zach rolled his eyes. "They almost died, Eth; I doubt they'll forget that anytime soon."
Warren ignored them both in favour of bringing Layla back in close and kissing her again.
They would worry about who had sabotaged the bus later. For now, they were together and alive, and that was enough.
...
End of the fiftieth chapter.
Thanks for reading; I hope you liked it!
