Author's Note and disclaimer: All characters that appear in here belong to their respected owners- Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, Disney etc and not to me. I only own the original characters in this story.
Heroes Journey
By
Ragemoon
Chapter 3: Field Trip
At the Peace household, Warren stared at his alarm and glared at the time. He was once again up before the damn thing went off. It annoyed him to no end but he set it every night on the off chance he would sleep in and it would actually wake him. He had as of yet to sleep in; so the alarm clock could rudely awaken him from his slumber. He growled at it and got up. He sniffed the air he could smell freshly cooked muffins. That scent made him smile as he pulled on his kimono style robe before making his way downstairs. He looked into the family room the gas fireplace was once again lit, though he knew that today it had been lit by his mother. It was her day off from her cover job.
He saw that the salamanders where in the fireplace once more. He walked quickly out of the room before the kitten-like creatures noticed him and decided to follow him around the house. He sighed; he did not realize that his Mother had noted what he saw in the fireplace. She shook her head. Ever since what happened at Brigid's house Warren had been more wary of fire and what hid within it ready to pounce on him. Creatures of fire haunted his dreams, it was better then having certain teammates haunting his dreams as they were won't to do as well.
In her kitchen, Faith Peace hummed to herself. She just recently started to have open communication with her family once again. They seemed to sense that Warren was awakening to more then just being a living flame-thrower. She knew they had withdrawn because they had been forced to stand back from her. Her family did not abandon it's own under normal circumstances. Barron's actions had splintered the family and it had taken a while for all the factions of her family to re-heal from the damage that Barron had done to them all. He in his selfishness had affected two families, his own and his wife's.
She sighed glad to be speaking with her family. She missed them. She knew that they were only waiting until the super hero community lifted its ban on her. Her parents had been secretly helping their daughter. Not one of her super friends knew about her families' magical ways. Her parents made sure that she and Warren always had food. She was always grateful for that. For her cover job only covered the rent and gas to get to and from. Food was something that she had been unable to provide for herself and her son. So her parents provided the food that she and Warren had eaten for seventeen years of his life, not that he knew that she kept it a secret even from him. How could you explain to your son that your family was helping you without giving away the nature of their help? Now she could provide what they needed. Her parents still helped out but in ways that where different then how they had helped before. Plus trying to explain magic in such a technology driven world seemed like madness or at least the courting of it. For no one believed it existed anymore, not even in the super hero community; which is why they considered her odd for she sprouted from a mundane or so they thought family.
Her son appeared in the doorway to the kitchen as she pulled out the fresh baked muffins. She looked at him; he looked so much like his Grandfathers that it amused her to no end. Her son was handsome even if she knew she was biased about that fact. "Breakfast Honey?" Faith asked her son. She placed the muffins on the counter top as she carefully removed them from the pan and set them on a plate. "I know these are what drew you downstairs." She smiled warmly at her only child. She wondered how long he had been seeing salamanders in the fireplace. She knew that magic ran on her side of the family. Her son apparently was gaining gifts from both sides, even if he did not realize it as of yet. Or he was in denial of those gifts. She has to find a way to get him to confess without completely baring her own gifts down on her son. She wanted him to come to her, not her forcing what he was thinking from him, she could do that but she knew that it not be a good idea. She would have to wait until he used up all his options before he would come to her and ask her the questions he needed answering.
Warren flashed his mother and easy grin. One she wished he wear more often. "Of course, the muffins, I love your fresh baked muffins." He snagged one from the still hot pan with a grin as he buttered it then ate it quickly down. "We are going to the Hero Museum today Mom."
"I remember Honey." Faith smiled at her son. She had a particular unreadable expression on her face as she looked at him Warren could not tell if she was happy or something was on her mind. He ate three more muffins before going back up to his rooms and showering then getting ready for school. He reappeared from his shower- all ready for school as Faith handed him his backpack. "Already placed your lunch in your backpack. I included a little bit of spending money too." She smiled at him. "I've never been able to do that before but now that I can." She grinned at her son.
"Thanks Mom." Warren kissed her on the cheek. Warren then took off to go to Sky High. He could not wait to go to the museum; he knew that even if it was a waste of time, he'd not have to deal with people being stupid toward him half that day at school. They would get back at their lunch time and have to deal with the second half of their day. He wondered if the others had noticed that their school was set up more like a collage then a regular high school. Certain days they had certain classes just like collage. It actually had him excited about his classes for once not that he admits that aloud to anyone.
He boarded the bus, took his usual seat in the back and waited for the other students to get on as well. He wanted to be at Sky High the moment he stepped on the bus this waiting for the others was not making him happy. He scowled at the other students and they once again sat as far away from Warren as they could. He watched the clouds as the bus flew to the school; he was jostled in his seat belt from the terrible landing of their bus driver. He got off the bus before any of the other students moved to go to his favorite spot and wait for the others to arrive. He sat down and broke open a book to read as he waited for them to appear.
A few moments later, Will and Warren's other friends joined him to wait for their assigned chaperon and for their assigned bus. Both of which were supposed to be there at any moment. They watched the other students mill about like they lost their minds. Everyone seemed so excited about going to the museum. Warren shook his head at the antics he saw happening all around them.
"I can't wait to see who the featured hero is this month." Ethan spoke suddenly. He was bouncing in place much to Warren's amusement. "It's going to be so much fun." He looked forward to the learning experience. He did not care how the others felt about it but he was excited and thrilled to be going, he loved learning and this was going to be profound at least to him.
Warren looked over his friends noting their expressions. His eyes fell on Brigid for a moment and he frowned there was a small creature attached to her hair and she looked annoyed though she was trying not to look annoyed by whatever he was seeing, although he rather pretend it was a figment of his mind gone off kilter. He shook his head trying to clear his vision of the creature that he thought he was seeing. It was then he looked up toward the school to see a very tall form of Will's mother, Josie Stronghold walking toward them in a deep green pea coat. Ron Wilson was also with her. Now he knew who their chaperon was. "God, Stronghold no one wants to cut the apron strings do they?" He grumbled.
Will looked up and sighed as he realized what Warren was grumbling about. His eyes fell on his mother and he wondered at that moment if he was cursed. "Mom is our chaperon. It's bad enough she is teaching our class but she is our chaperon for this trip too." He had a long suffering look on his face, he also looked totally embarrassed by the fact that he felt like his parents had this need to keep an eye on him everywhere he went. It was staring to annoy him.
"I think I understand why." Layla muttered her eyes flickered to Warren, he missed her look but Brigid had not and she frowned at Layla. "I don't think it's favoritism Will."
"Buck it up boy scout." Warren pointed out to him. "It couldn't possibly get worse, Stronghold." So he hoped though he thought he might have cursed them by saying just as he said. Words like that had a tendency to bite people when they lest expected them too.
Brigid snorted, but made no comment. She was still getting used to the rest of the group and the dynamics within it, as well as coming to realize that they had found their way past her defenses and into her heart. She didn't want them to know this fact, at least until she worked out how they had managed such a feat. Absently, she wondered if Warren felt the same way; as though Will and the others had snuck up on him.
Layla slid her arms round her boyfriend, who leaned against her as she spoke hoping her words would make him feel better. She knew he missed her earlier words of just a moment before. "She undoubtedly didn't ask for this assignment Will. But considering..." Her voice trailed off and the group all sighed in unison, considering the two in their group had special histories as well and the fact that Josie would not abuse her power over them was a bonus.
Magenta laughed and shook her head. "It's not that bad Will. At least your Mom doesn't lecture us the entire time we're in her presence." She poked at him trying to make him smile with the reference to his Dad. The Commander liked to turn everything into a sermon when he was in charge of Will's little group of fledgling super heroes.
Zack nodded in agreement. "Yeah your Dad likes to hear himself speak, man." They all looked at each other remembering some of the Commander's speeches to them. Brigid and Warren had both fallen asleep during one and Will's father had almost lost it but Josie had stepped in and made him stop. The entire group had been surprised to see Warren and Brigid leaning on each other asleep on the love seat they had been sharing. When they woken neither had spoken a word about leaning on each other. Though Magenta had taken a photograph without either of them knowing, she wanted to be able to tease them about being so cute together later on, when she could find the right time to do it. Or even the right way, figuring that out would take a while the pair were prickly so easy to set off and she did not want to get burned or fried by either.
"I know." Will sighed looking at his friends. "I grew up with him, remember?" He sighed smiling at Layla as she hugged him. Neither teenager was going to kiss in fount of the adults, especially Will's Mother.
"Let's get loaded on the bus." Josie smiled and nodded to Ron as joined they joined the teenagers who where sitting on the stone stairs. The group all filed off to Ron's bus, she watched as they started of come alive before her eyes. She smiled as they all took seats on the bus. She sat back and watched Ron fly the school bus to their destination. She noted that he touched down and drove them quickly, as he legally could, to the museum.
Upon arriving at their destination a cool wind blew though the green pea coat Josie Stronghold was wearing to keep the winter chill off of her. She could not believe that school had been going for a month already, it did not seem like it had truly been that long. She was enjoying teaching the one class she taught in Sky High, even if it was because Mrs. Frost could not handle teaching Warren Peace which she did not understand, for Warren was not like his father at all, she wished people would just realize that and treat Warren right. She looked at the students that were under her charge, absently; she knew that Will was unimpressed with getting his mother has their chaperon for their trip to the Superhero Museum. She was not sure what his friends thought of it either; none were giving away their feelings on the subject at least in her hearing they were not. She had not wanted the assignment and had argued with Veronica Powers over it. Josie did not want anyone to think that her son was getting special treatment just because she was Jetstream. Veronica had over ruled all her objections and now she was watching them and hoped they did not mind her presence too much. For she herself minded her own presence in their lives she was acutely aware of the consequences and the reasons to why she was there.
She knew that she enjoyed watching their interplay when they were not paying attention to her. Steve thought she was daft in her support of the new team structure that Principle Powers was installing at Sky High; she thought it was a wonderful move. She was happy that the hero-sidekick demographic at the school was almost non-existent, she never liked the separation for she felt that it made light of those with supposedly smaller powers. She knew that anyone could be a hero. There were heroes out there that did not have powers; they used some of the most amazing gadgets to help them save their cities; to save their citizens. So power in all reality, at least to her, did not matter. It was the heart and soul that made a true hero, she hoped that someday Steve would realize that but she doubted her husband would see what she was seeing. He was a bit thick at the worst of times and totally blind at the best of times.
Right then, while she was pondering many thoughts, Ron Wilson had gotten them there a bit sooner then other buses. Josie had to laugh silently at Ron's antics, now that he was a hero himself he still took time to fly the bus and help out at the school. She was amazed by what toxic waste could do to a person and Nurse Spex said that she doubted that Ron would come to the end that most people who gained their powers in the toxic waste fashion did. They usually died within years of first exposure. Nurse Spex had noted that Ron's Super genes had flared up with the interaction of the toxic waste infusion and now were actually functioning. His body was accepting the sudden change which made Nurse Spex want to study Ron. She kept an eye on the Superhero-bus driver. He reported to her everyday and told her how he was feeling. He knew she was keeping track of him and what he was going though. Though he often times he wondered why.
She looked at her son speaking in a light firm tone, "Let's go inside." She paused looking at them. She smiled at her son's groan as the group trooped into the museum. Josie always loved the architecture of the building; thirteen pillars graced the fount of the great white building done in an old Grecian building style, she wondered which super genius designed the building to act the way it did. As the teenagers all looked about the building awestruck, a young woman watched them. She walked toward the small group her heels making small clicking sounds that the group missed on the tiled floor beneath her feet.
The young woman then spoke to the group before her. "Welcome to the Super Hero Museum." They all turned toward the voice that spoke to them. It was a pretty young woman; she flashed them a smile and straightened up her glasses. She wore the usual tour guide uniform of the museum, as she spoke she closed the distance between them. "I am Lynn, your tour guide. You are the Stronghold group right?" She looked at Josie waiting for her to answer her question. She had the look of someone that hoped they were not making a mistake.
"Yes, we are." Josie reassured her. "Do the others often play tricks on you Lynn?" She could tell by Lynn's nervous smile that they did, causing her to wonder why.
The girl blushed before she answered. "Yes they do, they seem to enjoy embarrassing me. I suppose it's because I'm too smart for my own good." She flashed them a small timid smile. "I'm studying super hero history in college; this is my internship." She informed them, noticing the unasked question in their eyes.
"But you look like our age." Will spoke up in shock his face showing his complete surprise at what she had said. "You couldn't be older then seventeen." He seemed confused as Layla squeezed his hand in reassurance.
"I'm seventeen." She smiled at him. "I got my diploma at sixteen technically. I'm still in high school I just am taking collage credits. Ok let's get started." She motioned for them to follow her as they fell in behind her, Ethan next to her and Josie with Will and Layla, Magenta and Zack behind Will and the last two were Warren and Brigid who where both lagging behind the others but not too much. The museum was pulling them in different directions even as they all stayed with their guide. Lynn began her practiced speech. "This room is dedicated to the Super Heroes who have no powers but used technology to serve and protect their chosen citizens and cities. Some of these men and women are considered heroes while others anti-heroes."
This surprised Will, Layla, Magenta, Zack and Brigid that heroes fought with no powers; it was a novel concept one that bore thinking about. People, normal people, with no powers taking up the fight against evil and injustice in their own cities, Warren and Ethan were not as surprised. Warren being older had already learned this in a class at Sky High. Ethan knew from his endless quest for knowledge. The hall that Lynn had led them in was huge and there were many displays for each of the heroes and their sidekicks. It seemed that even the heroes with no powers sometimes had sidekicks. They taken out their notebooks and were taking notes on each hero, their sidekick if they had one, their main villains and their weaponry.
Lynn's voice droned on to Brigid who was having trouble focusing on the words for a sylph was playing with her braid again. The little creature of air had attached herself to Brigid that morning and would not leave. She waved at the creature and Warren saw the sylph once again as Brigid said with a soft vexed tone of voice. "Stop it." She hoped that none of her friends caught her talking to herself again. But she knew that one of them would catch her talking to herself or so they thought once more. Her new friends could not see the creatures of magic, she suspected that Warren could but she did not know how to talk to him about them without sounding daft. What surprised her was when she looked up to see who it was this time; that she caught Warren's eyes and realized that he had heard her and he was not really looking at her he was looking at the being that Brigid was trying to get to stop playing with her hair while she was trying to learn. Not that it took much to sidetrack her, she was easily distracted.
Warren was now studying the little creature that Brigid was annoyed with. He could not believe his eyes, first the salamanders and now this. He thought that they had gone away once he reached the age that you just did not believe in such flights of fancy anymore. Warren had begun to realize that he had been pretending that he was not seeing them; he wondered what triggered him taking his own blindfold off. He started to dream about fire creatures again; and now this creature with wings and a tiny female body was in fount of his nose. He really did not want to admit that it was real, though he knew that it must be real for he was seeing it and he suspected that Brigid could as well. He wondered how long she been seeing them; if it was a short time or all her life like he himself had been seeing them. He just was not ready yet to admit that they were not pretend friends that kept him company because no one wanted to be around a kid whose father was a murder.
The sylph who was placing tiny braids in Brigid's hair was watching the two young people interact. She was always amused by the dance that humans did around each other. She could see a possibility between the two but knew she have no way to voice her thoughts even if she wanted to interfere. She did not want to; for it was not her way. She turned one of Brigid's new tiny braids purple, then another one red. Each of the thirteen braids she braided where different colours. She looked up and noted that her sisters had come to join her. They loved to follow the young elemental. They really loved to follow her now that another elemental had surfaced as well, though this one tasted like fire to her. She had yet to see him use his power, though she knew that he had all the earmarks of a fire mage. So she watched them interact and prepared to tell the Dragon about their interactions. He was curious about the pair. She did not understand why, but one never knew with dragons their memories where much longer then her people's memory.
"What the hell is that?" He asked her in a soft strangled whisper so that the others, who were not paying attention to the two anyway, would notice. "I keep seeing things lately and it's starting to drive me up a wall." He looked at her his eyes almost begging her to tell him he was going mad. Even though he knew he was not, for he had been seeing them all his life but as a child he had thought they were pretend figments of his over active mind, not real. He was beginning to realize now that they are very real. He just did not like how it made him feel, helpless. Warren did not like feeling helpless. "Things that should not exist, save in books, within the mind or hell movies and television." Warren looked at Brigid glad that she was there with him to help him though his own disbelief; for he was glad that she was seeing them that made him feel a bit saner in this world that he lived in. She proved that he was not really going crazy. He proved that he was alright still somewhat sane, well maybe.
The sylph giggled at them as she flew up higher to join her sisters in cavorting in the extra high ceilings of the museum. He blinked taking in the tiny multi-colored braids that were now in Brigid's hair that had not been there a moment before. He watched her fiddle with them; he knew she was thinking of a way to answer his questions. Warren watched as emotions she just never learned to hide flew across her face for him to read then she spoke and he felt an odd kind of acceptance come over him as her words spilled over him.
"They are creatures of magic Warren. You can see them because magic runs in your veins. They have always been with you," she whispered to him tilting her head toward him, looking up at him for he was about a head taller then she was. "You just never wanted to admit to them before." She frowned at the small braid in her fingers it was scarlet. "Dammit how do I explain this if they notice? My hair was all one colour this morning when we started this trip." She winced and Warren had to agree with her. Layla would not miss the many coloured braids and neither would Magenta.
Warren gazed at Brigid, who found it difficult to discern what he was thinking. She knew that the others could sometimes work it out, but even for them it wasn't often that made her feel better, for she was not the only person to have difficulty reading Warren. She watched him ponder what she said; she even saw the flash of acceptance in his eyes that warmed her. For he could have decided they were both as mad as March hares and that would not have been good for either of them.
"Magical creatures." Warren knew that she was right; he knew that the creatures were real. Warren snagged one of her braids and realized that this one was crimson. It seemed that the little sylph had left many shades of red though her hair as well as a few different purple as well as some silver looking braids, but mostly red he wondered what the little creature of air was trying to say with that. He just had not wanted to admit to it to what the little thing might have been saying with the colours they had put in Brigid's hair. Warren sighed as he rolled the braid between his fingers thinking about what she had said. He just never wanted to admit to it for there were times he thought he'd gone mad. The salamanders had always hung around him when he had candles lit or in his mother's fire place. He just did not want to think they were real. He just wanted to pretend he was creating things in the fire with his imagination.
He remembered the stories that his mother told him about some of her family members. Now he wondered if they were really stories or a truth. He'd have to ask her later stories of those who did not have super powers who used what people would call magic to do what they did to save the world. He knew that this gift came from his Mother's family much like the way his fire powers manifested themselves though his emotions and not like a normal pyrokinetic. Or at least his were stronger driven by emotion unlike a normal pyrokinetic.
His silence, after he spoken so briefly, was starting to unnerve Brigid who was not sure of what to say next until the words started to tumble forth from her lips to hide the way he was making her feel. "They have been waiting for you, you know." Brigid gazed up at him. She could not pull away from him, he was holding on to one of the braids he was examining a little too tightly for her to pull away to a safe distance from her friend. She inhaled his scent, Warren always smelled like cinnamon and musk, she tucked the thought away and told herself to stop thinking about his scent, he was her friend, no more then that. She reminded herself that was all she really wanted was a friend and nothing more as well. "Fires not known for its ability to wait." She gave him one of her rare, full beam smiles. Her voice also lacked its usual acid edge when she spoke. He had a feeling this was the Brigid that Layla wanted to get to know. The one he got to see first, the Brigid without the scars. Much like they made him feel, like he had no scars either. "They've been with you Warren every step of your life."
"I realize that now. I just wasn't ready to admit it. Not ready to admit that magic could be real. That magic is real and I was not making them all up." He gifted her with one of his own true rare grins as they caught up to the others. His smile lit up his entire face and even danced in his eyes making her wish he do that more often. "We'll need to talk about this more later." He caught her eye. "In private, I don't want Stronghold or the others to know. I don't think they would be ready to believe in magic anyway. Hell I'm not ready but I have to." She nodded as they rejoined the others who were looking at a display for Batman. He had donated one of his old costumes and some of his equipment including one of his cars he used to keep Gotham City safe from super villains.
Warren and Brigid started to take notes knowing that there would be an essay they all have to write for homework that night. Neither one was looking forward to it. The only people that were looking forward to the assignment were Ethan and Layla. The rest would do it only because they had too, not because it excited them to no end. He knew they have to backtrack to make sure they got all the information they missed because of their discussion.
While Brigid and Warren were talking about him seeing elemental creatures, Layla and the others found themselves engrossed in the words of their guide. Layla could not believe how many super heroes and their sidekicks that there where that actually had no powers to speak of. They looked at displays for the Punisher, Elektra, Robin, Night Hawk, Bat Girl and many others who all fought as heroes with no power in their genes. It was fascinating to the young heroine.
Ethan was trading facts with their guide, Lynn. "There have been five Robins." Ethan said softly making their tour guide smile. "They all wore the same suit but each one was different."
"Yes they were." Lynn smiled as she watched them all writing down notes about each of the super heroes in the room with them. The displays were truly amazing that was the biggest reason she enjoyed this job so much and helping normal people understand heroes was a big plus as well.
It was amusing to Layla for she was not sure if her geeky friend knew how to flirt with the opposite sex and flirt Ethan was what he was doing in his own geeky way, Lynn flirted back with him neither realizing that they were doing it and most of his friends did not notice it. Layla holding on to Will's hand while they all went from display to display reading and looking at each thing that the heroes donated; it was wonderful, old costumes, weapons, cars, and pictures. "Wow, and they all fight every day without powers against villains." Layla spoke softly to Will and the others.
Magenta giggled gaining Layla's attention. Her purple haired friend smirked and inclined her head back toward Brigid and Warren the two were talking softly to each other and it was amusing to both girls. They were not as surprised as Will and Zack that the two emotional driven powered ones were creating such a tight friendship. Their closeness sometimes drove the others crazy for they seemed to speak without talking and they always gave the other space when they needed it. The bond they were forging was a good one, Layla hoped that their tight friendship would last lifetimes. She also wished for something else for the two but she kept that to herself. She also seen the two fight; which had not been pretty either, they both gotten detention for it along with the two students that had picked the fight with them.
Layla blinked looking at Brigid's hair. As the other girl moved her head as she was talking to Warren Layla noticed the tiny multi-coloured braids; they were different shades of red and a few different shades of purple as well as some silver looking ones. She knew that the other's hair had not had those tiny braids in it this morning before they come to the museum she wondered how they gotten there. She would have to ask the other girl about it later, after the museum.
Meanwhile they went into another huge room and Warren stopped short blinking rapidly as he took in the huge life-like statue of his mother standing before him in her guise as Harmony. He was speechless; Brigid made sure he moved forward so he could hear what Lynn was going to say next. She had grabbed his hand and pulled him forward and once he was caught up with the others she let go, unlike Layla she was not going to chance getting burned by him when he noticed she grabbed a hold of his hand. Or testing a theory she had on what her Grandfather had told her things she did not want to nor was ready to admit about herself yet.
"What is it?" Brigid hissed at him trying to draw him out of his shocked state. She poked at him a bit forgetting that she did not want to anger him, just get him back before anyone else noticed his reaction and teased him about it. That would not go over well at all and Brigid did not want Warren to erupt at anyone who caught him in this off state.
Warren blinked drawing back to himself. He poked her back because she was poking him, making her laugh softly. "It's my Mother." He muttered. "They're featuring my Mother. She knew it too. That smile of her's this morning." He growled not amused to be the blunt of a personal joke of his Mother's, not that she did it often but every once in a while she withhold information from him because she thought it was funny.
"You should be proud then." Brigid winked at him, speaking softly not to draw attention to them as she spoke. "It's an honour to be the featured hero." She hoped that her words would not cause any reaction out of him. She did not want the others to notice they were talking so softly to each other or that they were standing so unusually close until she got a chance to give him and herself enough room to feel really comfortable. Well comfortable that their friends will not ask them questions that neither had the answers to.
"I know," Warren muttered as they both stopped talking to pay attention to what Lynn was saying. None of the others had noticed the hurried exchange between the two. Which suited them both just fine, they rather not be discovered talking too intently by their friends. They moved away from each other and still stood near without looking like they were near.
"This is the only room where the exhibit changes, at this moment its Harmony who's featured." Lynn flashed them a smile. She was glad she had all of their attention; she noticed earlier that two of her charges had not kept up to her and the rest of their group. So far they all stuck together once the other two caught up. "She's one of my favorite heroes." She noted the look they all gave her with her confession. "I know she's not flashy. What she does is so important. She helps people forge peace for their parts of the world. It's amazing." She waved her hand at the pictures that dominated the room. Excitement tinged her voice making her speak faster then she intended. She forced herself to slow down so they understand what she was saying. "I was told that featuring Harmony was a hard choice for the museum for she doesn't fight super villains. She fights the villainy that exists in the human heart and that's a lot harder to understand."
She stood in fount of one of Warren's Mother's costumes. It was a beautiful deer skin dress done in the Native American style with Celtic knotwork edging. The knotwork was so subtle that you had to really look at it to see it. A pair of her matching white boots where also present. As well as a pair of her white gloves that enclosed the mannequin's hands. On the mannequin that was sporting his Mother's costume including her silver mask he also noticed that she allowed them to show off one of her fine silver jewelry pieces. The mannequin was wearing one of the silver knotwork circlet and one of her silver necklaces with many different semi-precious gem stones woven in the silver.
"They tell me that her costumes are made out of a white deer skin." Lynn spoke in her tour guide voice. Layla looked at Warren her eyes widened over that bit of news. "It's said that the deer that this skin came from, came to her to be part of her work. It's also said that out of one deer came all three of her costumes, which to me sounds crazy. Even when the Native American's used deer skin for clothing it took more then one deer to make a garment. Yet that's the legend. That all three of her costumes are made of only the skin of one deer." She paused gathering her thoughts once again before plunging on. "She also wears one of three silver necklaces when she is working. The one on display is a copy of her necklace. The museum didn't want to actually part her from her jewelry." They all looked at each other. "She also disappeared for a while from the peace keeping bit she was doing. She's back now and the world's doing much better for her handiwork." She looked at all the pictures and then at the TV screen. "Up on the screen is a copy of her most recent peacekeeping conference. It's on continues loop."
Brigid looked at the deer skin she could tell it was real deer skin and not a synthetic skin. She smiled lightly realizing something else about the skin and looked at Layla. "It was a real deer but it's not a real deer."
Layla looked at her friend oddly. "Come again?" She spoke softly to her friend. "What do you mean?" As she and Brigid as well as a stunned Warren all looked at one of Faith's pictures. The others were wandering around while Josie made a phone call.
"The deer wasn't..." Brigid sighed. "I don't know how to explain it. The deer wasn't of this world. It was different much like Harmony is. It gave up its life so she could do her work wearing its skin."
Layla blinked Brigid's words sinking in. "So it gave its skin to Harmony to help her in her quest. That's amazing and something I don't want my Mother finding out." Layla and the others all winced at her words for they knew her words were true.
"The deer was otherworldly. It's not an earth deer. It came from the Other World." Brigid sighed she looked at the skin and could see the special magic that was woven in the skin of the dress. She knew Warren was seeing it as well. For they caught each other's eyes and Warren's went back to staring at the dress in fascination.
"Other World?" Ethan looked at Brigid. "What's the Other World?"
"It's a place that exists elsewhere, it's said that the old gods and creatures that can no longer be on the earth all stay there." Brigid looked at the conference tape and smiled watching Warren's mother work her own brand of magic on the people that she was working with. "My Grandfather has books on the subject in our family library."
"I'm going to want to look that up." Ethan said. "Other World deer, Layla's mom would have a fit because it took the form of a deer."
All winced at the fall out that happen if that came to light. Layla's Mother would not take the news quite as well as her daughter and Warren knew his Mother had so few friends that to loose one would hurt her badly. Even if those friends had pretended not to know who she was while she was being shunned by the superhero community. Although Warren was finding out that Brigid's Grandfather had been helping them out as much as he could, the devious old man owned quite a few of the shoppes his Mother had worked in. That amused Warren to no end. There had been help coming from somewhere else and Warren still had not figured out where that help had come from.
"You know," Warren said suddenly. "Mom might have already talked to your mother about it." He shrugged as the group looked at him a bit flabbergasted. "She'd not want a fight from someone she cares about and she likes your Mothers as her friends ya know."
The group checked out more of the museum, Josie allowed them to separate into different groups when she noticed they wanted to do different things. Josie shook her head watching Warren and Brigid try out the V. R. sim and the fact that they choose each others powers made Josie laugh to see them 'fight' each other with the others' natural power. The two came out laughing after the sim was done. Something that Josie was glad to have gotten a chance to see. The two before her were more of how they should always be, not the way they had to act because the world refused to believe that they were not their parents.
Will, Layla and the others all went to the hands on part of the museum, where they created a few different projects. They created a necklace in the style of Warren's mother, a bracelet like Wonder Woman wore and a medicine bag like Shaman wore. There were other activities that they thought they were too old for.
They joined Warren, Brigid and Josie in the main hall. Brigid and Warren were laughing at each other for some reason and the others looked at each other. They did not know how to react to the two laughing. Josie shook her head and filled in her charges. "They did the power V. R. sim and used each other's power on the other. They think they're funny."
"I enjoyed pretending I could use fire." Brigid said with a rare smile. "It was fun and different. What really got me was the fact it really felt like I was actually using fire as my power."
"I enjoyed using weather control." Warren smirked. "Yeah I noticed that too. I'm sure it was the suits we wore into it though." They both wore suits that gave them the feel of the power they had chosen inside the V. R. sim. Josie had watched the proceedings and bought a copy of the fight on disc for the two teens.
"Mom why are you smiling?" Will asked looking at his Mother. He noticed she was holding a disc in her hand. He wondered what was on the disc.
"This." She waved the disc at her son. "I'm making DVD copies of it, well one more. It's the V. R. sim between Warren and Brigid. Where they started off against each other then had to work with each other to get out of the sim. It was quite neat to watch." She paused knowing she was teasing the two. They both managed to look embarrassed as the others looked ready to tease them over it as she went on. "Let's get you all back to the school. It's getting close to lunch time." As she spoke they stepped outside the museum to go back to their bus when Josie realized that standing twenty feet from them where two villains; Barron Battle and the Ice Demon. They both smirked at Josie and her charges. Josie felt her heart rapidly beat; she did not like the looks the pair before her where sporting. She also did not like the way they were eying two of her charges.
"We have come for our children." Barron Battle spoke in a quiet soothing voice. "School is out for them both." His voice had an edge to it that Josie and her charges did not like at all.
"I don't think so Barron." Josie said stepping closer to the two. "The children are going back to school today." She noted that Ron had stepped up next to her.
"Oh so you think." The Ice Demon purred she carefully placed her iron spear on the ground and gazed at her daughter. "You don't look so happy to see me daughter. I wonder how many lies you have been fed about me?"
"It was all the truth and I will never accept you as my Mother." Brigid said angrily. Her accent thick in her voice something her friends had never heard; for her accent was very soft almost non-existent. In her fury it was thick. "I'll never go with you. I'd rather die." Above them the sky turned black Josie frowned knowing that Brigid in her rage was changing the weather once again. She watched as Warren stepped up next to her. He placed a hand on the girl's trembling shoulder. The sky remained black, and the threat was still there of a terrible storm, it just was contained.
"We'll not go with you, ever." Warren spoke with firm authority. "We are on the path of heroes; not on your path." He looked at them both. "We're not like either of you."
Both of the young people looked furious at the two whom where trying to take them from where they wanted to be. Josie and Ron both went from civilian wear to their hero attire in a blink of an eye. Jetstream and Capitan Tox stood there between the teen-agers and the two adult villains.
"I'm going to take you back to where you belong Barron." Jetstream spoke firmly looking at the two villains who she knew were going to fight and not give themselves up. "You are also going to go to prison as well Ice Demon." She wanted to take them down quickly for the teenagers really could not help her; none of them had their licenses yet. And they could not show their powers in public. People have this tendency to react in a negative way to super-powers especially ones that were genetic. They seemed only to accept them if the person wielding it was in uniform and licensed; so the kids just could not power up in public or things could get ugly. "Today your freedom ends." She gazed over her shoulder at her charges. "Go back inside." They nodded and went back inside neither Warren or Brigid looked back. As Warren steered Brigid into the museum by her elbow the others trailing along with them.
Barron frowned this was not going the way he had wanted it to go. "I'm not going back Jetstream. It's not going to happen." He called a huge fire ball to his hands.
Jetstream watched as the ball of fire grew bigger and bigger until it was the size of a mailbox. She then realized that the Ice Demon was doing the same. The two villains held their attacks then flung them, the two attacks hit each other then showered the two heroes with chucks of ice and fire. They blinked looking to where the two had been standing and frowned, the two where no longer there. As they walked thought the door they found that their charges where all looking at the hands-on exhibits once again. They stepped back and re-emerged in their civilian wear once again and waiting for the kids to notice their presence.
Layla was the first to look up and smile, Josie winked at his son's girlfriend and Layla watched as both Brigid and Warren placed their finishing touches on the necklaces that they were making. "I think we're ready as long as the threats gone." Layla spoke as she stood up from the table they were all gathered around.
"It's gone for now." Josie sighed as they all made their way back to the bus that drove then flew them back to Sky High. They knew by the way she said it that Barron Battle and the Ice Demon had escaped that did not make any of them any happier then it did Josie or Ron. The atmosphere on the bus was discontented.
After the bus touched down onto Sky High proper the teenagers all left for lunch. Josie sighed nodding to Ron; she now needed to talk to Principal Powers. She walked down the halls that recalled so many memories of when she went there she sighed. Nodding to the other adults she let herself in to Veronica Powers office. "Veronica we need to talk."
"What is it Josie?" Veronica looked at the other woman and did not like the look in her fellow teacher's eyes. Something was going on and she knew she was not going to like it at all.
Josie sat down. "Just before coming back from the museum we ran into Barron Battle and the Ice Demon." Veronica sat back and looked warily at Josie. "They got away but they didn't get what they came for."
"They wanted to take..." Veronica's voice trailed off.
"Their children, Warren and Brigid both refused." Josie sighed. "Brigid also had to fix the little bit she did with the weather for they both angered her." She shook her head remembering Brigid asleep on Warren's shoulder. He glared at everyone as if daring them to even say a word and none of them had something which Josie was grateful for. "I've called Dylan, he said he be here soon. You two better work something out. Faith said she love to come to the powwow but she is out of the country again." Josie shook her head. "She just got the call this morning. I swear the world has the worst timing." She stood up. "I need to get home. Steve and I have an open house we need to do today. Take care."
"Take care Josie and good luck on the house." Veronica said as she watched Josie disappear only to be replaced by Dylan. "Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon to you as well." Dylan said as he took the seat that Josie had just occupied a moment before.
After lunch, Morgan Frost was walking down the hall when she spotted Brigid for the first time. She also noted that she was with Will Stronghold and his other friends. She frowned as she realized who the young woman shared features with for she did not completely look like her sister Nora Frost, the one family member to ever go villain; the one they never talked about. No one in the hero world actually realized that the Ice Demon was related to the Frost's and they liked it that way. They did not have to bare the shame that the Peace, Battle, and McShea families had to bare. Although they did but in silence for they had disowned the woman who had become the Ice Demon. Her name had been struck from the family tree. They did not talk about her for as far as the Frost's were concerned; the woman who was called the Ice Demon was dead to her family. Morgan was in shock and turned her heel to go talk to Veronica Powers about what she just realized. She walked into the office, nodded at the aide and knocked on Veronica Power's door.
"Come in." Veronica's voice floated to Morgan's ears. The blonde woman opened the door and saw Dylan McShea was seated in one of the seats near Veronica Power's. "What is it Morgan?"
"Why wasn't I told my niece was coming to Sky High?" Morgan asked. Veronica looked startled. She had not realized that Morgan had any other family other then her cousin Emma.
"I was unaware you had family other then Melissa here at Sky High." Veronica stated looking at the other woman. She waited for an answer as Morgan turned on Dylan.
"You knew. Why didn't you tell me?" She demanded of the gentleman before turning to Veronica. "I have a right to know. And she's with Will Stronghold's group."
Veronica's eyes widened as she realized who Morgan was referring to, Brigid. As she gazed at her fellow educator she realized she could see the resemblance between the two. She had not noticed it before although Brigid much like her grandfather was dark of hair unlike the Frost's who where all blonde.
"You would not admit to having your sister Nora go villain." Dylan looked coldly at Morgan before going on. Veronica watched the interplay between the two. "What would make me think you would welcome her daughter into your lives?" He paused. "Or is it the fact that you did not want to end up shunned like those of us who had to deal with having family publicly villain. You are lucky she has not out you." Dylan frowned. Deeply and pondered as to why Nora had not outted them. "And what makes you think for one moment woman that I'd let you shun my Granddaughter." Morgan sputtered at Dylan's tirade she really had no defense for it for he was right but before he could go on the three heard a huge thunderclap. Dylan stood up suddenly before saying. "Brigid."
They all take off out of Veronica's office and hurry quickly out to see the fight between Melissa and Brigid break out. Veronica was impressed by the way the Brigid handled her power. It was not the best but she was handling it well and giving Melissa as good as she took from Melissa. She then said in her commanding voice. "Melissa, Brigid stop." And prayed that they both would hear her she would hate to have Dylan interfere but if she had to ask him to interfere she would.
Meanwhile, Brigid was fishing something out of her locker when she realized the metal felt cold. She looked at the door of her locker and noticed it was a block of ice. She then looked around the ice door to see Melissa standing there. "What the hell's your issue?" Brigid growled her eyes narrowing looking at the person who had just frozen her locker door.
"You." Melissa stated boldly. "And the fact you sit with my ex-boyfriend." She hurled a ball of ice at the other girl. Brigid dodged as Will and the others all came around the bend to watch in shocked fascination as Melissa attacked Brigid. The other girl agility dodged and then stood there in fount of her comrades not actually realizing that they were behind her. Melissa went on. "I will not have you flirting with him."
"What!" Brigid looked at her. "Please. Whatever. You wish." She then opened a hand and a ball of lightening formed there and she hurled it over hand at Melissa. Melissa at the last secound moved out of the way of the deadly projectile. She was impressed at the sort of power the other held but she did not let that show in her face. She kept her expression void of any kind of emotion. She was also impressed by the damage to the wall that took the hit of the balled lighting and was glad she had not taken the hit herself. She threw another ball of ice at Brigid deciding not to use her cold beam on the other girl. The ice balls made it more interesting to the cryokentic.
Brigid hurled another ball of lightening as a ball of ice hurled over her shoulder. This time the lightening hit Melissa and hurled the other girl back a few feet down the hall. Melissa got up again wincing in pain before gathering herself once more and hurled another ball of ice then tried and ice beam but the other young woman was quick. She only barely hit her opponent's braids and that annoyed her.
Warren was shocked. Why should Melissa care who flirted with him or not? He did not think for one moment that Brigid was flirting with him. Then again what did he know? What did his ex-girlfriend see? Warren really did not care what she thought as he pondered the questions that filtered though his head but he knew he was irked at Melissa for acting like a spoiled brat. He and the others watched as Brigid got another good hit on Melissa he knew that the other girl could not handle too much more damage he hoped that they would just stop. He loathed stepping between them, for he knew Melissa would just turn her power against him, not that it would work on him but he just did not want to have to deal with that.
"Melissa, Brigid stop." The principal's voice carried though to where the two where standing. They stood there glaring at each other as they panted. Brigid knew she was on her last dregs of energy; she was still tired from loosing her temper earlier and now this. She was feeling worse now but was not going to give up to Melissa. She would keep fighting even as she felt her energy draining rapidly.
"Melissa you must not fight with your cousin." Morgan said to her daughter hoping to calm her ice wielding daughter down at least with the shock of her words.
"Cousin?" Melissa said disgusted. She glared at her new found cousin, still not liking the girl at all. She wanted Warren miserable without her, not enjoying himself with someone new especially a newfound kin of hers. She was not going to abide by him enjoying himself. She wanted him regretting loosing her and with Brigid there she knew he would not regret if for a moment. That really coldly angered her to no end. "That is my cousin, Mother it can't be true. You don't have a sister or brother. Only my Cousin Emma well secound cousin."
Brigid looked at her Grandfather who nodded. "Your Mother's family Granddaughter." He told her. He knew that she was on her last legs with her energy if they would not have come when they had. Melissa could have hurt her cousin but they had so Brigid would not need a trip to the nurse's office. Even though he knew his stubborn Granddaughter would have kept on fighting even without the use of her powers. He was glad they were able to stop it without him having to interfere.
Brigid nodded taking in his words and the then looked at her cousin before speaking in a rough voice. "Get this cousin, mess with me or my comrades and I'll hurt you blood ties or not. These are my teammates don't mess with them or myself ever again." The weather outside thundered in agreement with her words she was still very angry with being almost taken by her mother and now this, it was almost too much for her to take. "And I'm not fixing that. I don't feel like it right now." She looked at her grandfather. "I just don't ok? I saw her today. I'm not going to fix it. I just cannot." She had already fixed it once, she just was not sure if she could fix the weather a secound time that day. Plus she was not sure how much longer she was going to be able to stand up much less fix the mess she just made of the weather systems around Sky High.
Dylan smiled at his granddaughter. "It's ok this once Granddaughter." He looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. "But normally you would have to fix it." He reminded her as he recognized the fact that she had not calmed down enough to fix what she made up in the sky about them. He knew that when she calmed down she would fix it. "Why don't you children adjourn to your Tranquility room here at school?" They nodded and turned heel almost as one and left the adults and Melissa standing there. Melissa was still fuming as Dylan spoke once again. "I would suggest avoiding her, she will not tolerate your attitude and I'd hate to have to get her out of detention and see your mother getting you out of the nurse's office."
"Are you threatening me?" Melissa hissed at her elder before catching her mother's eyes and blanching for her behavior. She was still angry, and this news was not taking the edge of her anger either. A new cousin, who was with her ex-boyfriend's group of friends, that fact was not making her happy at all.
"No just letting you know that messing with your kinswoman could leave you badly hurt." Dylan sighed. "I was hoping not to have her get into any more fights at her new school," he said absently to the adults around him.
"I was too." Veronica sighed. "I am going to let this one slide but only this once." She looked at Melissa. "You're a senior don't blow your graduation over something this stupid. Now go back to your class."
Melissa nodded picked up her backpack and left for class she was still not happy and she was going to have a long talk with her Mother as soon as school let out. That and if they thought she was just going to let this thing she saw between Warren and Brigid go they all had another thing coming. Her newly found cousin was not going to date her ex-boyfriend or be friends with him if she had her say in the matter just how to sabotage them without them realizing it was her doing the sabotaging.
In their meeting room the teenagers all looked at Brigid who had started pacing around their room like a caged animal. They all knew she was being stubborn for the moment she sat they all had a feeling she would pass out. She was growling softly and the others knowing her mood all sat quietly in their chosen seats. All their eyes were on their temperamental comrade unsure of what they could do to make the situation better or even if they could better it.
Layla pondered the mini multi-coloured braids in the other girl's hair. She knew that they had not been in there that morning and she knew that no one at the museum was doing such perfect mini braids for a price. She also wondered how long it would take Brigid to calm down; the fight between her and Melissa had been quite a spectacle to watch. Layla shivered remembering the look of pure hatred that shone on Melissa's eyes even though her face was expressionless.
Magenta decided to distract herself by looking at the tapestries on the wall. She found that the tapestry idea was a good one they had all the colours to represent the members of their team. That thought made her very happy, her eyes wandered back to Brigid and she sighed hoping that the weather wielder would calm down and soon. Brigid's rapid changes of mood sometimes frightened her. The only one of the group that seemed unaffected by Brigid and her rapid mood changes was Warren and Magenta wanted to know why but she did not want to ask him why for she thought he would not tell her.
Warren watched her along with the others as she stomped her foot one more time then moved quickly to sit next to him on the love seat. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes she fought passing out. She began to mummer in Gaelic, "/I can fix this it needs to be done. I should not have tampered with the weather and lost my temper./" She shivered and Warren answered her feeling of cold by raising the temperature of the air about the two. She felt warmer as she continued to work on what she messed up by loosing her temper twice that day. He could also feel her strength ebbing as she did her work. He knew she not be awake much longer once she was done.
Warren muttered to her in Gaelic softly knowing the others where not paying attention to him. All eyes where riveted to Brigid. "/It's not your fault. Stop blaming yourself for the follies of another./" Brigid sighed and hoped that she be able to believe what Warren had just said to her.
Will looking out the window watched as the sky cleared of the black clouds and became a beautiful azure blue once more. He smiled as he turned to thank Brigid he watched in horror as she collapsed against Warren, who scooped her up as he stood up.
"Her Grandfather should still be here." Warren stated. "I think Brigid needs to go home now." He looked down at the girl in his arms his expression unreadable as always to the others; he turned and carried her out of the room leaving them all dumbstruck with the events.
"Did he just leave with her?" Magenta voiced everyone's surprise with her question.
"Yeah," Layla sighed then smiled shaking her head. "I think that Brigid isn't going to recover so fast from this one at all."
"I don't think so either." Ethan shook his head as the others looked at him. "She fixed the storm earlier and then the fight with Melissa then this. She'll be out for a day or even two at least. She's drained."
They looked at each other unhappily not knowing what to say to each other after all the events of the day. So they sat in silence unable to think of what to do next or how to react to the situation that they were presently in.
Walking quickly down the hall carrying his slight burden, which snuggled to his shoulder much to his embarrassment he sighed listening to her speak softly in Gaelic in her sleep. He felt his cheeks grow warm with some of her comments but forced himself under control and tuned her out. He noted the looks the other students gave him as he quickly wandered past them on his way to the principal's office. He also growled lightly realizing one of the girls that saw them was Melissa's best friend and the girl disappeared quickly upon seeing him with Brigid, a little too quickly for Warren.
He walked past the people of the office who all stopped what they were doing to stare at him and his burden. He managed to open the principal's office door and carry Brigid inside. He kicked the door shut behind him heralding his presence to the people inside.
Dylan and Veronica looked up from their talk. Dylan smiled seeing Warren then his eyes traveled to his Granddaughter. "She fixed it now she is out like a light."
Warren handed her over to Dylan then the two had to pry her fingers off of Warren's coat. She had a very tight grip on him. She softly protested in her sleep, "Grandfather no Warren's warm and I hated being cold. Don't take my warmth away..." her voice trailed off as she fell back into unconsciousness.
Dylan laughed lightly at his Granddaughter's words as he managed with Warren's help to get his Granddaughter to let go. "I'm sorry Warren." Dylan's voice was amused. "She is right though you are warm and she heals faster when she is warm." He looked over his burden at Veronica. "I will have to bid you ado." He inclined his head to her then looked at Warren. "Warren, be a good laddie and pick up her homework for me, today's and tomorrow's I think she will wake up the day after the morrow if I am any judge."
"I will sir." Warren agreed he was not sure how he felt about being called a laddie but he knew that Dylan was not making fun of him. The old Scotsman called all the boys laddies. He watched as the two disappeared. "This day is a day from hell."
He shook his head and left Veronica Powers sitting there in agreement with him. He went around to all Brigid's teachers and got her assignments and then rejoined the others in their room. They had been excused from classes that day because of what happened with Warren and Brigid's parents. He sat down and looked at them. "This is one hell of a day and unlike you all. I'm taking a nap." With that deceleration Warren stretched out on the sofa and fell asleep.
Layla blinked at the red and gray blanket that Warren covered himself in and looked at the others. "A nap would be good. We are all in shock." Layla sighed. "I know I will be able to think better after resting." They all nodded and took a nap as well.