•Chapter Two- Twin Trouble•

"No way!" Nicholas and Mark Bone yelped at the same time.

"Yes way." Their mother replied, her eyes twinkling. Olivia Bone still acted like a kid.

"You're trying to force us to believe you have magical powers and we're going to inherit them?" Mike adjusted his tie. "Um.... Mom?"

"Then how do you explain this?" Olivia exchanged glances with her husband, Charlie Bone. "No offense, dear, your endowment is great, but mine is more.... visible, and we don't want you trapped with Skarpo again on the first day of school."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Right. Go ahead, Olivia, do your stuff."

Nicholas and Mark watvhed as their mother closed her eyes. Then a small, black dog raced into the room, yipping, a perfect recreation of their old dog, Fleas.

"Fleas!" Nicholas cried, racing forwards to pet the dog.

"I wouldn't." Olivia Bone warned, popping her eyes open. The dog disappeared. Nicholas looked around, confused.

Mike rolled his eyes at his brother.

"You seriously woulnd't believe that a deceased dog would pop up again, perfectly healthy, from the grave? That was mom. Right?" Mike looked at her.

Olivia Bone nodded grimly, her usually smiling mouth twisted into a frown.

"We're lucky we survived." She muttered. "Remember Tancred, Charlie?"

"He survived." Charlie Bone pointed out.

"Barely." She retorted, her voice sharp. If it weren't for the Flames..."

Nicholas and Mike had a feeling that the conversation did not include them anymore. They snuck up to their room to talk.

"Do you believe it?" Mike whispered once they were out of earshot.

"Kind of." Nicholas replied, staring at his shoes.

"Come on." Mike snorted. "It's obvious that they're going completely nutcase."

Nicholas paused, then stared at Mike, his brown eyes serious.

"I have been feeling weird lately." He admitted.

"Not you, too!" Mike groaned.

"No, really. Watch." Nicholas closed his eyes and concentrated, summoning up the form of a grizzly bear. Snapping his eyes open, he saw that his brother hadn't turned around to see the massive creature.

"Turn around, Mike." Nicholas whispered hoarsely. His twin spun on his heels and let out a squeak of terror. The bear disappeared.

"How'd you do that?" Mike demanded.

Nicholas shrugged. "Same as Mum, I guess. And the pictures... I can't look at them anymore."

Mike let out another squeak.

"You have two endowments?" He gasped. "How is that fair?"

"Consider yourself lucky. I don't like this. In fact, I hate it, and I'm pretty sure you would too." Nicholas gritted his teeth. "And now they're sending us off to happy Bloor's, where people have died, got hurt, and disappeared.

"What are you talking about? This is cool!" Mike said happily, shaking his head. "We have superpowers! At least we aren't like Lilly Brown across the street. I'm glad she's not coming. She's a brat."

"Mike!" Nicholas snapped, blushing. "You know Mum and Dad only push us together because Mr. and Mrs. Brown are old friends. Nobody ever said you had to like being around Lilly."

"I'm sure you like it, though. See? You're blushing. Nicholas has a girrrrrlfriendddd Nicholas has a girrrrrlfriendddd." Mike sang, grinning wickedly.

The doorbell rang.

"Bet that's Lilly." Nicholas blushed scarlet all the way down to his fingers. "We're going to the movies."

"And you're not inviting me?" Mike asked, pretending to look hurt. When his brother opened his mouth, he went on quickly. "No, go on without me. I'm sure you'd want some alone time with your GIRLFRIEND!" Mike yelled the last word as Nicholas fled down the stairs.

Mike laughed.

This was going to be a synch.

• • •

Nicholas came to a halt at the door. Lilly grinned at him, her blonde hair swept into an elegant ponytail, her slender fingers holding up two tickets.

"Hi, Nick." She said. Nicholas blushed again, hoping she wouldn't noticed but knowing she did. He never let anyone get away with calling him Nick. Only Lilly could do it and escape unscratched.

"Hi Lil." The same went for Lilly, who hurt people considerably more.

"Guess what? I'm going to Bloor's Academy. What about you? I heard my parents talking about it." Lilly offered Nicholas a stick of bubble gum. "Want some?"

Upstairs, Mike screamed.

Nick laughed and walked away.