Chapter 2.

It was Tuesday morning and I was sitting in Power's office with Coach Boomer. Powers was currently in the process of letting everyone know that I was coming back to finish my senior year, as of today. Apparently yesterday they had had some group therapy stuff when she had gotten back to school after my hearing and had let them know of the possibility of my arrival the next day. She had hoped by giving them all that advance notice they wouldn't tear me to shreds on site.

I thought it was pretty pointless for me to be sitting here, especially with Boomer. Didn't he have some egos to crush or cars to drop on unsuspecting children this morning?

"Lily, David." Powers said upon her entering. She gave a nod to Boomer he got up and proceeded to exit the office. I smirked to myself, David, I wonder what I could do with that?

"Well Miss Travers, that went as expected. While the students are not thrilled with your presence they will make any move to harm you. Rest assured, you will be safe here." She shot me a small smile. There was something about the look in her eyes that I didn't quite like.

"I believe that now would be a good time to go over the conditions of the contract that you have signed." She shuffled some papers on her desk.

I sat up straighter in my chair, "conditions? I thought we went over them yesterday, or you went over them yesterday."

"No no, there are a few pertaining to your continuing education that would only be relevant once you agreed to come back." I grimaced, I should have known there was more stuff I had to do. No way, they were going to let a would-be villain off that easy.

I started at her warily and nodded indicating for her to continue.

"Well, naturally, we couldn't have you using your powers here. It's a rather big risk we're taking letting you back, and we can't take the chance that you might use your powers to persuade the student body and faculty thereby continuing whatever Royal Pain had planned." I gaped at her. This was completely unbelievable! She didn't seem to notice my reaction, or pretended not to because she kept going, "we deliberated over a variety of methods for power reduction, but after seeing how nicely the neutralizers were working for you in prison we acquired one from the ASPI offices—"

"You what? Are you trying to tell me that to finish school I have to wear a neutralizer all day, because if that's the deal, it's off! I'm not wearing –"

"Yes Miss Travers that is deal," She said in a stern voice, "And there will be no arguing about it as you have already signed a contract, unless you want to go back to jail?" She lifted her skinniest eyebrow at me.

I had the chairs arms in death grips as I glared at her while shaking my head. No, I did not want to go back to jail.

She smiled wider this time, and leaned back in her chair with the satisfaction of someone who knew they had power over another. She would have made a good villain, I thought, certainly vindictive enough.

"Very good. But as I was saying before, you will be wearing the neutralizer for the entire period of you schooling up until you graduate. Twenty four hours, seven days a week. After that you will be on a half year's probation. One slip up and you are on power constraints. Am I clear?"

"Crystal" I answered glaring.

"As well, there is the issue of supervision. The staff will be watching over your behaviour and actions throughout all your actions at school, however there was the issue of out of school supervision. After a discussion with you social workers we decided to revoke your independent living status."

Fear coursed through me at these words. They couldn't possibly be thinking of sending me back to my family could they? That was a deal breaker. I wouldn't go. Those country hicks didn't understand anything about super-powers, they had sent me to an asylum when I got mine and I wasn't at the point of forgiving and forgetting. I don't think I would ever be at that point.

"You will be boarding with a student and their family, after the generously offered to take care of you."

I was about to retort with 'I don't need anyone to take care of me' but she was giving me that stern look again as if she already knew what I was going to say.

"Which kid?"

"It was our luck, that the students we had chosen to guide you were more than willing to help you after we explained the situation." I rolled my eyes and looked down to my lap. That was a blatant lie and I didn't need my empathy powers to tell me that. What she really meant was she had a sit down with them and their families and she had a hard fought conversation where she co-erced them into being my baby sitters. The possibilities of who she was referring to were unappealing. Like I said before there were a lot of senior heroes that were closet Gwen followers. Those who weren't were social pariahs. Warren Peace, case in point – he was such a disappointment especially since he has the lineage for it.

"Those students have demonstrated he ability to overcome boundaries, look past differences, and build team morale. It was these qualities that caused them to be successful in their act to save the school from the hands of Royal Pain. I am referring to William Stronghold, Layla Williams, Warren Peace, Zachary Braun, Ethan Daniels, and Magenta Vitz."

My jaw literally dropped. She wanted Stronghold's nerd herd groupies to babysit me?

"What?" I screeched, "Their... they are not even heroes! How can you expect me to spend all my time with freshman sidekicks?"

"Miss Travers might I remind you that Mr. Peace is a senior like yourself, and that you are not in the position to be judging someone's capability as a hero, moreover their place as a hero" She responded sharply.

I shut my face and gritted my teeth red-faced. "So, how does this work then?" I ground out.

"It has been arranged that all of your classes will be Mr. Peace, you will be his partner for all school projects henceforth. Because of your powerless condition you will be excused from Save the Citizen and Power Development. You will eat lunch with the students I have mentioned, you will catch the bus with them, and you will study with them. You are prohibited form social contact outside of that group unless it is with them present and with their permission. One member of the group must be present with you at all times. All these terms have been made clear to them as well."

She pushed some sheets toward me with addresses and times on them.

"For your community service you will be assisting Coach Boomer with all of his gym activities during your excused time from Save the Citizen and Power Development. As for your living arrangements Mr Braun and his family have extended their hospitality to you."

This was going to be hell. All my free time was spend either with Boomer or the sidekicks. I wasn't sure who I despised more right now: Powers, Boomer, or the sidekicks.

And to top it off I had gone from living in my very own studio apartment to shacking up with the night light.

I flexed my hand, before we had left her office she had called Medulla in to strap the neutralizer on me. It was white like the walls of the detention room and because I was wearing a t-shirt it made my normally average skin look like I had a dark tan. I might as well get used to it since I'd be wearing it till Grad.

Maybe I could use it to my advantage, it was clear marker of villainy, something to inspire terror or intimidate perhaps? As an empath I had enough experience with emotions to know, even without my powers, how to read them, fake them, or provoke them. Misery was a state of mind; there had to be a way for me to work this situation to my advantage.

It was lunch time now and I was being escorted to the Cafeteria doors where I was supposed to meet my pseudo-jailers. It was starting to feel like jail, except with all the gross toilets, leering men, and general state of vileness.

Powers stopped and I turned to look at her. She seemed like she was appraising me and what she saw was not good. It felt like for a moment she was about to reach out and say something, like she wanted to comfort me. But at the last moment she thought better of it met my gaze and walked away briskly.

I turned back toward the double set of blue doors and entered. There was silence that descended around me. If I hadn't been able to guess that they had all been talking about me before I was definitely able to say that now with conviction.

The silence was only punctuated with the scrape of a few chairs and some shuffling. Everyone wanted to get a look at me like I was the new star attraction at the circus. Some caged predatory animal; dangerous but restrained. Had they never seen a villain before?

Well I wasn't just going to stand there, I spotted the table at the very back –just my luck - because the neon kid was glowing so brightly you could see it in the afternoon light. I can't believe I'd have to live with that.

As I made my way to the table I ignored most of the looks of betrayal, disgust, curiosity till I passed by a table where no one from the group was glaring at me. A few nodded to acknowledge me, a silent show of support, and some smiled.

My peers, the senior heroes. Regardless of what Powers said I knew that I would find a way to get alone with them to talk. Warren probably wouldn't keep that close of an eye on me anyways, all I would have to do is stroke that fiery temper.

As I would pass people the noise would pick up in my wake. The gossip and the whispers. Oh well, I would have to live with this now, but at least only till graduation. Thank God I was a senior.

When I finally got to the back table I unceremoniously sat and joined them. I placed myself at the very end – Warren's end, I wasn't sitting by no freshman sidekick – and tried to physically distance myself as much as I could from them by half turning to face the wall.

Greenpeace or whatever the hell her name was looking at me expectantly and then at the others. When it became clear no one was going to break the ice she opened her mouth. I bet she was just giddy with the idea of extending the proverbial olive branch to poor misguided me.

"Hi!" She said over enthusiastically, "I got some lunch for you since Principal Powers told us you'd get here late. I wasn't sure what you liked so I got you a bit of everything." She pushed a tray loaded with a variety of the cafeteria's best or worst on it. Hmm, no Hero Subs though.

I looked over the Greeny. Wearing a lot of green – hence the nickname, only eating a salad. Vegan? No, she has a glass of milk. Vegetarian? Let's find out.

I shot her a small and unsteady smile, didn't want to overdo it. And turned the face the table. Reaching forward I pulled the tray full of food towards me and lifted to fork to stab a small cut of steak.

"Wow, that's really nice of you...?"

"Layla" she beamed, clearly thrilled that I wasn't as bad as everyone had pre-perceived me to be.

"Well thanks Layla. I notice you didn't pick up much for yourself though." Stretching my arm across the table I thrusted my fork over her plate and deliberately waved it in the air in front of her face till the piece of steak deposited in the middle of her salad serving.

She looked absolutely horrified and dropped her smile and fork. Stronghold crushed his fork in his hand and opened his mouth the berate me. At my side I could feel warmth wash over me as Warren powered up.

I smiled serenely and licked my fork. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

AN: Seriously, three chapters and no reviews? Not to sound full of it, but I've read worse stories here that had more reviews for the first chapter... I'm severely disappointed.

Should I even continue?

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