Chapter 2

(very tiny time skip)

"Wow, awesome room. This one yours?" Ser asked Streak, his eyes not leaving the sight of the room. The older Meta smiled, answering with a yes.

"Why else would it have such pictures on the walls?" The pyro questioned, gesturing to the rather astonishing posters adorning the walls. Most were vehicles, cars mainly, such as a '69 Mustang, complete with flame decals. Another was a '71 Camaro, a racing model, with two black stripes running straight down the orange paint job from hood to trunk.

"Nice. I've ridden in a Baja buggy before. Super awesome, but it was kinda slow." Ser walked slowly to a picture of a silver Lexus. His fingers carefully ran over the fake car, and his voice was soft. "My mom used to drive one of these...she loved to speed down Hospital Hill. Kinda ironic name, since it's this huge hill near the hospital in my hometown. Even more ironic is that she went racing one day and wrecked, but they took too long to get help for her. They claimed she looked fine, but she had massive hemorrhaging and damage in her brain."

The boy hung his head and silent tears tracked down his cheeks. His voice was stiff as he spoke again, his voice sounding as if it was about to crack. "She didn't suffer long though, since she was labeled D.O.A." When he saw the confused look on the pyro's face, Ser smiled weakly. "That's hospital talk for dead on arrival. In other words, she had the wreck, got the bleeding, and was dead within two minutes."

"Wow…sorry to hear that dude." Was it just him, or did the reptilian boy hear sadness and pity in the other boy's voice? "If you want…you can bunk with me. I can set up a futon or something. The couch folds into a bed." The pyro gestured to a few things as he spoke, trying to get off the subject of sadness.

"Actually…I'd love it if you could simply hang up a hammock in here. That's about all I'd need. I'll even clean your room and take your turn for K.P. or whatever. Btw, that means kitchen patrol." The boy smiled and Streak smirked back.

"Deal. First, I don't have much stuff so my room probably won't get very messy. Second, I don't think any of us have had an actual meal in here since we moved in. Third, why a hammock?" His brows pulled together a little as he asked. Why would anyone want to sleep in a bed made mainly of strings?

"First, I'm okay with non messes in rooms. Second, I'll be willing to cook. I'm pretty culinary. Third, because I like them. They're really comfy and let you be in the air, keeping you safe from things down underneath. Like being in a treetop, it will work as a branch to keep you safe from predators below." He turned a little red. His snake side was trying to take over again.

"O-kay…kinda weird, but I've seen weirder." The redhead mumbled to himself, turning to go back into the kitchen. "I think it's Ebon's turn to pick dinner..." He shuddered. "He loves the weird shit, so I'm gonna have to find something before then." The pyro was more or less talking to himself as the snake-boy dug in some cabinets in the kitchen.

"Ramen noodles, soy sauce, beef stock, tofu, some steak, pork loin, teriyaki…Hmm." Fingers tapped lightly on a collarbone. "I am pretty good at flank steak...grilled pork loin...I could maybe make some stew with the stock and tofu..." The boy shook his head a couple of times, muttering to himself as he walked around the kitchen on autopilot.

The older male shook his head and walked out, heading back into his room to clean it up just a little. His body ached, due to his most recent fight with Static. He did manage to get in a good hit on the boy though, and idly he wondered if the blonde, Richie, was taking care of the wound.

"Static's fine. Richie offered to help but Virgil denied." Ser's voice broke his thoughts.

"How do you know?" He asked, lying on his back on the only bed. He stretched backwards to look at the boy. The upside down person smiled.

"I just know." He shrugged. "So...do you want me to cook something for dinner or no? I won't mind, and I can clean the kitchen in ten minutes." Francis was amazed. The kitchen was a mess, not including the rats and bugs. It had been that way for quite a while, and the entire group had resorted to eating off paper plates for months.

"That would be super cool of you if you did that. I'd pay you a hundred bucks if I had it..." He sighed and shut his eyes. Another migraine was brewing. Not good.

"You okay? If you've got a headache I can do a secret technique and get rid of it within five minutes. Swear to god." He raised his left hand and put his right over his heart. F-Stop opened one eye and looked at him.

"Five minutes after you do this technique, my headache goes away?" His own voice made his head throb.

"Swear. I can ever do one where you won't get any headaches for a week. Takes a little longer to do though. First one takes like four to five minutes, varies from person to person. Second one takes closer to ten." He shrugged. "It's up to you." He looked to the pyro.

"First one's fine for now..." He told the other quietly. The migraine was developing quickly. Any noise would make his head throb. Light would cause nausea. Ser tapped his shoulders lightly, and the boy scooted forward, leaving more room between the top of his head and the top edge of the bed. Ser sat down on his knees and cracked his knuckles.

Flexing his hands, his lightly pressed on the other boy's forehead. He got a quiet growl of pain and lightened his press as he did it again. This time, he got a sigh of relief. The boy smiled, using his knuckles as he did it a third time. Another sigh, another smile. The serpent-like boy continued to use his knuckles for a minute, then used his fingers and ran them over the pyro's temples. Another sound, but this one was too soft to decipher.

Four minutes passed as Ser traded between using his knuckles and fingers. He also traded between forehead and temple massaging. "Your hands are magical..." Francis muttered, barely able to speak. His body was so relaxed, and his head was in the clouds. When had the kid learned these tricks?

"Almost done." Ser told him, his hands getting even gentler. Now, he was using just his fingertips. Frankie sighed and continued to lay still. Thirty seconds passed, and Ser's hands lifted. "Finito." He mumbled, sitting on his heels. Frankie cautiously opened one eye and when his head didn't throb, he opened the other one.

"Your hands really are magical..." He told the other boy. "You're definitely bunking with me. No one else is getting dibs on you..." He sat up, and while he did so, missed the flush of red across Ser's cheeks. "I seriously owe you now. Hell, I'll be your slave for a month." Francis muttered, rubbing a hand over his forehead. He still couldn't believe that the boy had gotten rid of the headache so quickly.

"Thanks..." Ser muttered, standing up to leave the room. "I'll go clean the kitchen now." He mumbled, one hand digging in a pocket to pull out an mp3 player. His hands deftly hooked the headphones over his ears and one hand idly flicked it on, then he scrolled through the song list. He shook his head at the first few choices, but apparently a good one came up because the finger that he used to scroll pressed 'Play'. The other hand was pressed to one headphone, checking the volume of it. After a moment, his hand clicked the volume up and he smiled, his hips sliding easily side to side as he exited the room.

His movements made Frankie think of a girl, but he shook the thought away. Maybe the kid was bi, like him. He could be gay, for all the pyro cared. He heard noise in the kitchen and smiled a little. He'd get paid later, and he would pay the kid back.

Back in the kitchen, Ser discovered a dishwasher. He silently cheered and opened the door. It looked to be brand new… He cheered again and pushed the door completely down, pulling the bottom rack fully out and the top one halfway out. He mouthed along with the song as he stacked a few actual plates in the bottom rack, and a glass in the top rack.
Three more glasses soon joined the first, and another plate went on the bottom. A plastic bowl went on the top with the glasses as song one ended, which happened to be DLS by Rejects. Song two started to play, "Skin (Sarabeth)" by Rascal Flatts. Using one hand, he skipped a few songs until "Calling you" by Blue October came up, and he let it play.

He mouthed along as he stacked another plate and some silverware into the bottom rack. A plastic bowl was the last thing to go in and the boy looked inside the cabinet under the sink for dishwasher soap of any form. Because his music was playing, he didn't hear the heavy thud of booted feet walking into the kitchen.

"Yo, what are you doing in my hideout?" The male spoke, his jacket open wide enough to show a round fan-like amplifier. When he received no response to his question, he stomped closer. "Oi! E says you're takin' my place here. You best explain what he meant." By now, he was right behind the boy, his arms crossed as he awaited an answer. Another minute passed and the smaller boy didn't move, or reply. The darker one growled, reaching down to take him by the collar. Before he could register what was happening, he was flat on his back with one arm twisted painfully under his back and a blade at his throat.

"Never, and I mean never try to sneak up on me. Got it?" Ser threatened. Hotstreak came bounding in, catching the jamb and leaning outwards to see what was going on. Ebon and Shiv entered more or less at the same time in the opposite door. Ferret scurried in from his room, standing on his toes to try and see over the other two.

"Got it dude. Let me up." Boom pleaded, fear prominent in his eyes. When the other boy released him, he stood up and brushed himself off, glancing sideways at the kid who had hurt him. With a smirk, he turned and blasted him with a wave of high-pitched noise. Ebon, Ferret, Shiv and Streak all knew to cover their ears, but Ser didn't move a muscle. He took the blast head on, the only thing covering his ears being a pair of store bought headphones.

"Dude, did someone open a window? I think I feel a draft." Ser teased, pretending to shiver. Boom growled, letting loose with another blast. Ser glanced around, as if there was a bug bothering him. Boom was angry now. Blast after blast, and Ser did nothing. In the middle of a long one, he covered a yawn. When Boom fell to his knees, tired after booming so much bass, Ser smiled.

"I know about everyone who is in Ebon's gang. Hotstreak, power of fire and heat. Weakness: water, naturally. Shiv can turn his hands into anything, emphasis on anything. Weakness: indestructible gloves. I own the only pair, since I came up with them myself. Ferret's power is pretty much his animalistic side. Weakness: strong sounds or scents. Talon, power of flight and super screech. Weakness: handcuffs and duct tape. Sonic Boom, AKA you. Power: loud bursts of high frequency noise, able to incapacitate anyone who hears it. Weakness: if you don't hear it, you don't get hurt. Why do you think I never took my earphones off?" He smirked, removing one to prove his point. "Store bought, yes, but Ser certified. I goofed with them a little and modeled them after a pair of gun muffs. They have a special kind of silicone that seals out any noise louder than say...ninety decibels. You blast at an average of two hundred. Simple math really." He put the earphone back on right before Boom tried to blast him again.

"God damn kid..." Boom cursed, rolling onto his back to try and breathe. Ser stood over him and grinned.

"First off, I am not a kid. I'm seventeen years old. Second: I was raised with four brothers and six male cousins in one house. I grew up mean. If you didn't watch what was happening, you'd get hurt. I learned to use my brains." He smirked, raising one leg. "If I chose to, I could kick you while your down and guarantee that you'd never have kids. It's just that easy. It's a cat eat dog world in here, and I'm one of the worst felines you're gonna meet." He set his leg back down and walked out, one hand idly flicking with buttons on his mp3.

No one spoke for a solid minute. Shiv helped up Boom and Francis stared at the door where Ser had exited. Talon entered and just as quickly ducked out of the way for Shiv and Boom. Once the two were out of the room, she broke the spell of silence by asking,

"What the hell happened to him?" Francis shook his head and Ebon told Talon in as few words as possible. Frankie glanced at them before leaving the kitchen, heading to his room. The boy was sprawled in a hammock, one leg pushing against the wall to make him swing as he mouthed along with the lyrics of his music.

The pyro said nothing and lay in his bed. The boy would talk when he wanted to. Thirty minutes passed in silence. A soft sigh woke Francis from his nap, just in time to hear his new roomie speak. "When I was a kid, I had a babysitter, a college guy. He hated kids. Don't know why he babysat me. I was nine or ten years old. Whenever he came over, he would get drunk on my dad's stash and hurt me. Sometimes he'd lock me in a closet, if I was lucky..." The boy paused to inhale softly, then exhale a little shakily. "One time, he got drunk on schnapps. Had friends over. They held me down and he...hurt me, and I locked myself in my room. Days later, I snuck out and went to the docks. That was my favorite place. Next thing I don't know, I'm the incarnation of luck and give good or bad to anyone. Just like any other day, I have my little fantasy of all kinds of shit happening to him. Heh. Next day, the situation I had pictured so many times...came true. I didn't even know I had been the one to do it. I didn't know, at that time, that I was the master of luck. I tried out a few different things. Told myself I was lucky enough to win the local lottery. Not a big prize, it was about a hundred bucks, and I won it. Told myself that my dad was unlucky enough to get in a wreck...he's been in a coma since." The boy fell silent and the pyro stared at him, waiting for him to continue. "Couple weeks ago, I tell myself I'm unlucky enough to get hit by a car...I was wanting to see if I could give myself bad luck as well as good." He lifted his leg into the air, and pulled his pant leg up. Stitches started at his ankle and ran upwards, disappearing under the cloth of his jeans. "Was unluckier than I wanted. I said car, I get bus." He laughed, bitterly. "Lucky enough not to need staples, and really lucky that someone had robbed the local pharmacy. They threw some stuff in the alley next to it, and I managed to find gauze, ointment, stitching thread, peroxide and a needle. I poured about half the peroxide on the needle and found a pair of rusty pliers to bend it with. Stitched myself up."

When Francis focused on the stitches, he saw that they were slightly uneven. "Did it hurt?" He asked. The boy nodded.

"More than a little, but way less than my max pain level. You have to be used to stuff like that if you're like me." He fell silent again and Francis moved the curtain to see that it had gotten dark while he had slept. "So...you got any family, or are they like mine?" Ser asked.

"Kinda like yours...I haven't seen mine in years..." He replied. He wondered where his mom was, and if she was still okay...

"Are they better behaved at least?" Ser questioned, smiling. His question earned a bark of laughter.

"No way. Everyone in the family, infants included, have at least a blade, and older ones have guns." He chuckled darkly.

"Wow..." Ser commented. He used his foot to open the curtain a little. "We need to sleep…it's getting pretty dark out…"

"Alright. Do you need to get up early at all?" Frankie asked the boy, earning a shake.

"If so, I can get myself up. See you tomorrow." The boy rolled over and was soon asleep, his breathing even.

"Night…" Frankie murmured to the sleeping form, pulling a blanket partially over his waist as he peeled his shirt off. Tossing it into the pile of clothes in the corner of his room, he laid down, shut his eyes, and thought sleepy thoughts. Nothing seemed to work though. Sheep, sleep inducing drugs, (thoughts of them at least), sexual stuff...anything and everything, but still no luck. He resisted the urge to laugh as he thought of waking Ser. The kid was the incarnation of luck, after all.

He threw the blanket off and put his legs over the side of the bed, taking a moment to rub his eyes. He glanced at the silent hammock before standing, walking carefully to the door. He yawned widely and stretched his arms high above his head, a soft noise drawing him into the rec room. When he entered, he saw his roomie playing a game of pool. The boy looked up at the radio as he lined up a shot. The radio hadn't worked since Frankie had gotten mad at Ferret and threw a fireball at him. The boy had ducked at quite the opportune time, causing the flame to hit the radio and melt it.

After a second, the radio clicked on and music started to play. A CD, the last one Shiv had put in to practice to. The first notes of "The End" started to play and the pyro could see the boy singing along with it as he shot in another one. Or, rather, tried to shoot in another ball. The thirteen ball careened towards a corner and instead of sliding smoothly in, it rebounded off of the corner and struck the opposite wall. A soft curse told him the boy was mad.

"Damn luck...I give good to others, and I receive bad in exchange. Could be worse...another bus." A quick bark of a laugh. "Or he could find out about me. Yeah, that would be great." Another laugh, sounding more feminine. " 'Hey Ser, why didn't you ever say I was bunking with a mega dyke girl who was fucked up in the head?' Perfect question, and I'll have to run again..." His, no, her voice was even more full of bitterness. "And then I'll have to join up with Static and Gear. Or should I say Virgil and Ritchie?" Another ball missed its mark.

The girl moved around the table, taking aim at the thirteen again. "Hey V, sorry I didn't recognize you. How was I supposed to know my elementary friend was a super hero? Or that he was fighting that guy who could wield fire? Oops, so sorry he got away. Maybe next time." A soft snicker as she made the thirteen ball in. "How was I supposed to know he would flirt his way out? I'm sorry I'm such a pushover. How about I pay you back tonight?" Her hips sashayed side to side in a very…obvious innuendo, and Frankie snuck closer.

"Hey Ser, why didn't you say you were a girl? Not that I mind or anything." He asked, watching the kid freeze up. A few moments passed before he/she spoke, in Ser's voice.

"Wh-who says I'm a girl? Last I checked, I was a dude through and through." He/she pointed to his/her chest, or rather, the lack of one.

"I never said so, I was just asking. I don't care what gender you are, but I do care if someone lies to me." He stepped closer to the boy/girl, causing him/her to sigh. When he/she spoke again, his/her voice was a girl's.

"Fine. You caught me. I'm a girl." She put her hands under her shirt and Frankie heard something rip. "Would you look away for a minute?" Frankie did, and heard her unravel something. When he turned back around, she held a pile of Ace brand wraps in one hand. She had a decent sized chest as well. "All the stories I told you were true. My dad is in a coma, and I truly did get hit by a bus. That college guy? He's still out and about, babysitting other twelve year olds. Sorry about sucking you into the charade. I just don't want anyone to recognize me..." She bowed her head. "So I'll use one of my three wishes for you to not spill to anyone, and even be your personal slave for as long as it takes..."

"And why shouldn't I spill? You seem to have enough muscle to kick anyone's ass." He told her, taking a step closer. She stepped back, and felt the table bump into her lower back. "Besides, anyone who can do that kind of damage to Boom can fend for themselves." He stepped closer, now only a few inches away from her, and she leaned back. Frankie knew she was pinned. He just hoped she wouldn't attack like a pinned animal.

"Like I said. I'll use one of my wishes and do anything I have to in order to keep you quiet. Emphasis on anything." Her eyes were pleading, and he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It's three a.m. and I have things to do tomorrow. We'll go to bed and I'll decide in the morning. For now, I don't give a damn either way." He scrubbed his hands over his face and walked out, waiting for the child to go ahead of him. "I'll stay quiet for now, but there's gonna come a time that you'll have to pay me somehow." He told her, leading the way. He resisted the urge to ask her a certain question, although a lot of things clicked into place as he thought about what she had explained and added in that she was a girl.

"Thank you..." She mumbled, keeping her head down as she followed him into his room. She headed for the same hammock as before while Frankie climbed into his bed. "I'll do anything I have to in order to keep you quiet. Emphasis on anything." His head turned to her and he sighed.

"We'll talk in the morning. Now, good night." He pulled the blanket over his waist and shut his eyes. He heard no noise from the snake-like child and he smiled, his consciousness slipping away as he fell asleep.