Chapter 5- Starting to happen
Phoebe! PHOEBE!', exclaimed Cherry, making Phoebe to snap from her thoughts.
'What is it?', Phoebe asked, completely puzzled.
'Are you alright? You seem a little distant today!', Cherry quickly said and added: 'Are you alright?'
Phoebe was undecided: to tell her best friend that she was worried about Max or not? Then, she was sure: not!
'No, I'm fine, I'm just worried about my relationship with Cole, that's all!', Phoebe said, deciding that she was a good liar, after all.
'I'm sure everything will be fine, I mean, you two are perfect for each other!', Cherry said at her fast pace, looking goofily at Phoebe.
'Hi!', said Max, coming towards them and smiling.
'Hi, Max! How're you?', Cherry asked, becoming a little red in the face.
'Fine, thanks!', he replied looking a little embarrassed, and soon Phoebe realized something: Cherry had a crush on Max, although she wasn't sure enough about Max's feelings about Cherry. He was still hanging with that horrible girl, Tara! Phoebe made a grimaced and then, pulling out of her thoughts asked:
'Ready for Chemistry?', she asked smiling and Max nodded approvingly. 'Off we go, then!', she exclaimed rushing Max and Cherry toward the Chemistry classroom.
At Villain U…
'My regards, Master.', a young woman said, her face being completely hidden by a crimson hood, all that was observable was her hair, spread in blonde cascades on her shoulders.
'Welcome… Patricia.', Dark Mayhem asked looking insistently at the woman, as she revealed her face.
'So?',he asked, barely hiding his excitement.
'You were right master, they haven't told him the whole truth, yet. Our dear Max, knows nothing about his fate or about the Old League, so we can control him easily!', Patricia said, smirking in an evil way.
'And I have the perfect plan.', Dark Mayhem replied thoughtfully, and told Patricia: 'Now here is what you have to do…', Dark Mayhem started to whisper in her ear.
Back at Hiddenville High…
'And that is how we can determine the structure of an atom, now if you will…', the Chemistry teacher carried on, but soon stopped, observing that Max didn't pay attention.
I don't get it! Phoebe is surely hiding something from me and I wonder what…
'MR. THUNDERMAN!', the teacher snapped at him and Max snapped from his thoughts, looking inquiringly towards the teacher.
'Would you mean paying attention?', the teacher continued in a way that pissed Max off.
'Please tell me the parts that compose an atom, Mr. Thunderman.', the teacher asked, waiting excitedly to have a reason to fail Max.
Max answered correctly and then, rising from his seat visibly fuming, he cried out, his voice booming and shaking the school:
'AND I COULD HAVE ANSWERED YOUR STUPID QUESTION WITHOUT ATTENDING YOUR IDIOT CLASS!'
As he said this, Max headed for the door, and briskly closing it behind him, ignoring the teacher's furious threats and that he almost pulled the door out of its hinges.
Back in the Chemistry class…
'I wonder what happened to him.', Cherry asked, even her attention being captivated by Max's reaction, and without waiting for Phoebe's answer turned back to her smartphone.
'Yeah, I wonder the same thing…', Phoebe said, looking at the door and ignoring the Chemistry teacher.
Back at Max…
Max got out of the school feeling the need to breathe some fresh air.
'Who is this peculiar guy over there?', a high-pitched voice.
Max jumped looking around, searching for the possessor of the voice. He started to stroll around the school's yard, looking around, the only being in the whole yard being two sparrow, twitting at a fat pace. There was nothing that could've talked, and then, looking at the two sparrows, an idea struck him.
'Why is he looking at me?', he heard the same high-pitched voice.
'I think he's looking at me!', a similar voice exclaimed.
'Wait, you can talk?', Max asked the sparrows, being sure that he was running nuts.
'Wait, you can understand us?', a sparrow asked and receiving Max's nod whispered to the other one in a very low voice. Still, Max was able to hear her, due to his new-discovered supersenses.
'I think he's that boy all the girls are talking about.'
'The school President? No, I don't think so, although he is cute!' another sparrow said, but they flew away, as Phoebe approached Max who was still bewildered about his discovery.
'Are you alright?', Phoebe asked visibly worried, but Max immediately decided not to tell her about his new ability.
'Yeah, I'm alright.', he lied, feeling completely otherwise.
Phoebe, not buying said:
'Then why are you here? You were supposed to attend Chemistry, not insult the teacher.
'I can't stand idiots!', Max said, starting to get angry again, but was calmed down by Phoebe's calm facial expression.
'Come on, let's get back to class, OK? If you don't want to get a detention, of course.'
Max tended to agree with Phoebe and together their entered the school.
Right after them entered another person, smartly dressed, her blonde hair arranged in a tight bun… it was Patricia.
Later…
As Max and Phoebe sat down in the back of the class, the door opened loudly and Patricia came in, approaching the teacher's desk.
'Hello!', she exclaimed, showing a pleasant smile. 'My name is Patricia Steiner and I am going to be your History teacher. Now, please tell me what you have studied until now!', she said still smiling.
As she continued to talk, Max started not to hear her, everything started to blur and fade away and all that Max was able to see was a see of darkness. He started to panic trying to move his limbs pathetically, but nothing happened. Everything was still and Max soon realized that it is going to remain like this.
'Nice try, kiddo.', said a voice, coming from everywhere as far as Max could tell.
'Who are you? What do you want?', Max asked desperately, in a high-pitched voice.
'My identity is not to be known, yet, but all I can tell you is this: watch out for enemies, consider the signs and don't forget the words…'
The grand voice that Max quickly decided that belonged to a man started to decrease in volume and slowly the black background started to turn into light grey and then, all of a sudden, Max was able to see again; he was on a hard surface and as Max touched it he observed that was the floor of the classroom. A bunch of worried people among them being Phoebe and the new History teacher were looking at him insistently, waiting maybe for a response, so Max, in order not to disappoint them stood up.
'Alright, kids, class dismissed, OK?', Patricia said, earning cheers from every pupil. As they headed towards the door, Patricia said at a very fat pace:
'Mr. Thunderman, mind waiting a little? I have an important matter to discuss with you.'.
Max stopped dead, turned around and approached the teacher's desk, wanting to hear what was so important and he had to listen. On the other hand, he observed something weird about his teacher: she looked around the classroom as she expected an unwanted visitor and whispered in a low voice, conspiratorially , so if it wasn't Max's supersenses, he would have never been able to hear her:
'So are you alright, now?', she said quickly grabbing a bunch of files and heading to the door, but stumbled and all her files fell on the floor.
'Let me help you with this.', Max offered to help, and without waiting for her approval started to gather the files.
As he quickly arranged them in a huge stack, a yellow-coloured, old paper attracted his attention and he started to read the title: 'The Chosen One.'
When he finished to read the prophecy and handed all the files to a thankful Patricia he asked quietly:
'What is that? The file that is entitled as 'The Chosen One'?'
Patricia looked surprised and replied, raising her eyebrows, elegantly arched and that offered her an air of deep intelligence:
'You read them? Oh well, it is a prophecy about a special boy that was to be born as a normal human, but ends as the most powerful person oh all his kind that is destined to great things. In the end, the prophecy says that he is going to be betrayed by his sister and that would cause his death, so he won't be able to fulfil his destiny…'
Max looked awful, his forehead and cheeks reddening and becoming crimson, and his were sparkling with anger. Of course, his peculiar look was soon observed by Patricia.
'Are you sure that you are alright?'
Max nodded thoughtfully and mumbled quickly as he headed to the door:
'Excuse me!'
Max was full of anger, all he was able to see was a red background; so that was all about, his family was afraid of… killing him?! He just couldn't believe it, but was sure that the prophecy was true. And if that mysterious person that warned him was right, he was supposed to "hear the words".
'Hey, Max', Phoebe said approaching Max, having no idea about his mood, 'look, Max, Dad has just called and- Are you alright?', Phoebe asked, observing Max's dirty look.
'Why? Are you going to be jealous on my feelings, as well?', he replied, Max's voice sounding deep and husky.
'What do you…', Phoebe started to say, but was stopped by her brother.
'Don't even try it, Pheebs! I know the prophecy and I also know that you are going to betray me. I-I can't believe it! You are my sister and…'
'Yes, well you're my brother and never acted like one!', Phoebe snapped, but as soon as she realized what she has just said, covered her mouth.
'Good, then we're even.', Max said, anger being replaced by sadness and then, he speeded away, disappearing in a blur.
Phoebe looked into the distance and sighed, but was forced to come back to reality as her phone started to vibrate.
'Phoebe,', she said sternly.
'What takes you so long? This is an emergency!', Hank said, clearly shaken.
'What is it?', Phoebe asked excitedly and worried.
'The Green Ghoul has been freed and he is surely going to come after me.', Hank said. 'So can you come home as quick as you can?'
Phoebe deeply contemplated her answered and replied, her voice full of sorrow:
'I can, but I am not as sure about Max.'
As she said this, she hanged up, not waiting for her father's response.
Somewhere in Hiddenville…
'What now, brother?', the Green Ghoul asked a mysterious figure dressed in black clothes, its head being covered by a hood.
'Kill Hank, but leave Max to me. Is it clear?', a cold voice said and it was impossible to not recognize its possessor- it was Dark Mayhem.
In Metroburg, near the Superheroes' Council…
'Good thing you all are here!', exclaimed Barb, hugging all her children.
'Well, not really all of us…', added Phoebe looking rather sad.
'Oh, dear, I'm afraid that he had to know the prophecy in the end, right?', Barb replied, trying to be as comforting as possible.
'Now, can we talk about something else then- Oh, hello Ms. Inspector!', Hank greeted a dark-skinned woman dressed in a blue costume. In return she nodded and approached the group.
'Nice to see you again!', she smiled, although the smile looked a little fake. 'I'm so sorry that we have to meet in such dark circumstances, but I heard about your gifted son and I would be more than pleased to meet him!', she said, a little of excitement in her voice becoming evident.
'Oh, well he wasn't- he is not hear!', Hank exclaimed a little embarrassed.
'Oh well-', the Inspector started to say but she was stopped by Barb who was looking around frenetically.
'He's here! He's here!', she exclaimed and the Thundermans were not sure if she was frightened or joyful.
'Who's here, mom?', Phoebe asked a little worried and Hank added too:
'The Green Ghoul?'
'NO!', she cried out. 'MAX! I can feel his energetic signature!'
As she said this, all the Thundermans started to look around them, murmuring his name continuously.
'OK, Max, we know you're here, come out and please, please help us!', Phoebe said, trying to put in her words all her regret.
'Fine.', Max's voice was made heard from somewhere behind the group and everyone turned around, in order to see him.
He was standing there, dressed in casual clothes.
'You will pay for your treason!', Max cried out making a gesture with his hand.
The earth started to shake violently and all of a sudden, the black asphalt was covered in thin trails of shiny ice that made the Thundermans and the Inspector slip.
'What do you mean?' What have we done?', Barb exclaimed, trying to maintain her balance.
Max just grinned, and making another gesture, an uncountable amount of icicles started to grow from the icy surface, being released into the air, aiming for the five Thundermans, who managed to dodge the deadly attack.
'Why are you doing this?', Nora cried out while trying to melt the ice using her laser vision.
'Please, Max, stop it!', Phoebe exclaimed imploringly, trying to approach Max, but failing every time.
'Yes Max. Why are you doing this? I want to make them suffer!', a grave voice boomed from somewhere behind Max.
The latter turned around fast hoping it wasn't- unfortunately he was right: it was the Green Ghoul.
'Don't even try it!', Max yelled in response, earning wild laughs from the green ghost.
'Look here, Max, you stay there and I will with your old man, OK?', the Green Ghoul said, rising Hank into the air, and then, using his levitation started to strangle him.
Ignoring the annoying fact that the ghost called him "Maxi", he focused on the situation, considering his job done- he wanted revenge and now someone else was doing the whole hard-work for him.
Realizing what he was thinking, Max pulled off his thoughts-something snapped inside him; he loved his family the way it was, even if he wasn't the most loved twin… And he really hated to admit it!
"Why am I doing this?", he asked himself and then, crying out loudly, he said:
'Hey, you, green smoke, put him down!', Max said, but the Green Ghoul ignored him. 'NOW!', here his voice increased in volume and some of the blocks of flats' windows started to shake in their frames.
Max's POV
I knew that I had to do something at once, and gathering every bit of power I had, I tried to push the Green Ghoul away, using my kinesis and it worked! Thrown on his back he instantly dropped his hold of my father and as he managed to land in a pretty good shape, I returned my concentration towards the green ghost.
'ALRIGHT, THIS IS GETTING TO BECOMING ANNOYING!', he yelled threw a green ball of light towards me.
Instinctively I raised my hand in order to defend myself and unexpectedly , the ball remained in the air, only inches above my had. Then, redirecting it with my levitation I threw it back at the ghost, who was hit by it directly in the green chest. But he still wasn't finished and rising a black van of the SC he threw it at me, and then, something weird happened: instead of hitting me, it was caught by a huge green stem who has just grown from the grey deteriorated asphalt.
'WHAT THE…', the Green Ghoul said, but was thrown on his back again by a mysterious figure who was standing high above the ground.
'Use all your elements at once!', the unmistakable voice said, and I soon knew that Superman was there, trying to help me.
'But I don't think I can control wind, too!', I yelled back at him, making other windows get broken.
'Just try it!', he replied, yelling too.
I closed my eyes thinking about the four elements, creating pictures of all of them, fire, water, air and earth, but I had to open my eyes as the earth started to shake and the asphalt to crack loudly. There, in front of me was a big ball of blue light and again, led by instinct I threw it towards the Green Ghoul, but I wasn't able to see the consequences, as I let myself slip into darkness…
'Is he alright?', Phoebe asked her father, as she saw Max falling to the ground.
'Not sure, but look at what is happening to the Green Ghoul!', exclaimed Hank and soon everyone focused on the green human shape- it was starting to collapse and fade and then, with a deafening cry of rancour the Green Ghoul vanished.
Phoebe's POV
We all rushed towards Max and taking his head in my hands I snatched the black helmet and frenetically started to touch his face; luckily he was just asleep.
5 minutes later…
'How did you know what Max had to do in order to defeat the Green Ghoul?', I asked Superman being very suspicious, and expecting the worse.
He started to play with a strand of his dark hair and then, sighing deeply said, looking grimly: 'I am ashamed to tell you that you do not know the whole story, Phoebe Thunderman.'
As I heard his reply I started to cry, due of fury and the multitude of feelings I experienced.