We all walked into the large gym, the pink girl having ditched us once we got here. I crossed my arms and looked around bored, there wasn't anything really special about it...it was your average normal gym. A bright white orb flew over our hands and landed on the small stage a few feet ahead, a woman appeared and I tilted my head "Good morning, I am principal powers. On behalf of the faculty and staff welcome to Sky High" she said.
"Yeah!" I glanced back to see Zach clap his hands enthusiastically. I giggled and turned back around.
"In a few moments you will go through power placement and your own heroic journey will begin" The principal said. I narrowed my eyes in confusion.
"Power placement?" Will asked as confused as me.
"Sounds fascist" Layla remarked crossing her arms.
"Power Placement. It's how they decide where you go" Ethan explained from behind us.
"The hero track or the loser track" Magenta said rolling her eyes. I sighed.
"There's a loser track?" Will asked nervously. I'd almost forgotten he didn't have any powers.
"I believe the preferred term is 'hero support'" Ethan whispered shrugging. I nodded.
"For now good deeds and good luck. Let the adventure begin" The Principal said. I rolled my eyes as she turned into an orb again and flew out of the room. We all turned around to see a circled stage had rose from the floor, with our assumed coach standing on it.
"Alright listen up. My name is coach Boomer, you may know me as 'sonic boom'. But you may not. Here's how power placement is gonna work, you will step up here and show me your power. Yes you will do so in front of the entire class, I will then determine where you will be assigned. Hero or sidekick. Now every year there are a few students, or as I like the call them 'whiner babies'. Who see fit to question and complain about their placement. So let's get one thing straight, my word is law. My judgement is final so there will be no whiner babies. Are we clear?" he asked. I nodded and the rest of the group muttered 'yes' "I said, are we clear!" he shouted. His voice became 10 times louder and it blew back our hair.
"Yes coach boomer!" We shouted nervously. He nodded and blew the whistle.
"Go time" he exclaimed. A ladder shot out of the side of the stage and landed on the floor "You what's your name?" he asked looking directly at the nerdy ginger kid behind me.
"Larry" The kid stuttered. I rolled my eyes.
"Little Larry" Boomer mocked. The kid nodded nervously "Get up here" he demanded.
"What's humiliating him going to prove? This is so unfair" Layla said shaking her head.
"If life were to suddenly 'get fair' I doubt it would happen in High School" Will shrugged. I nodded in agreement.
I stared up at the stage and Larry pocketed his glasses. He screamed and in five seconds, turned into a giant rock. My eyes widened and so did Boomers...it was pretty awesome "Wow" I gasped.
"Car" Boomer said pressing a button on a small device. A car dropped down from the ceiling and Larry easily caught it "Big Larry. Hero" Boomer chuckled writing down on his clip-board.
"So he's good. But I'm better" Zach shrugged. As Larry turned back to normal and exited the stage, Zack walked on rather confidently.
"Did I say you were next?" Boomer asked raising his eyebrows.
"The names Zach, coach Boomer. Try not to drop your clip-board" Zach said. He took a deep breath and clapped his hands together before standing still.
"Any day now superstar" Boomer said impatiently.
"I'm doing it" Zach replied with narrowed eyes.
"Doing what?"
"Glowing"
"I don't think so" Boomer shook his head.
"Well, it's easier to see in a dark room. Maybe we could turn off these lights, or you could cup your hands around your eyes and look real close..."
"Sidekick" Boomer said cutting Zach off. I bit my lip nervously and sighed.
"Are you sure you don't want..."
"Sidekick!" Boomer shouted. His voice sent Zach flying across the room and onto the floor with a loud 'thud'. I winced and shook my head "You! Front and centre!" he said pointing to Ethan. Our nerdy friend walked onto the stage and I tilted my head.
"Let me first just say what an honour it is..."
"Is that your power? Butt-kissery?" Boomer asked cutting him off.
"Very funny sir. You know I heard you had a very..."
"Shut up and power up"
"Right away sir" Ethan turned to face us and melted into a large orange puddle on the stage floor.
"Say, that's pretty impressive...for a popsicle. Sidekick" Boomer exclaimed giving Ethan a thumbs down. I rolled my eyes.
After going through most of the group I found myself very bored and wanting to get the whole thing over and done with. Was I going to show my power? God no. I could risk a lot by doing that and I was not up for it.
"Purple kid let's go" Boomer called motioning to Magenta. She rolled her eyes and walked up onto the stage "What's your shtick?" he asked.
"I'm a shape-shifter" she replied shrugging. He nodded.
"Ok. Shift it" he said. She rolled her eyes and got down on all fours, before shifting into a brown guinea pig with streaks of purple in the fur "A guinea pig?" he asked unimpressed.
"Yep" she replied, her voice high and squeaky.
"Not even a swarm of guinea pigs?" he asked shrugging.
"Uh...no" she said.
"Sidekick. Shoo" he said waving a hand in a 'go away' motion.
"Bite me" she snapped before crawling away to the edge of the stage. She shifted back and walked down until she was next to me.
"You bothered?" I asked knowingly. She shook her head.
"Not really" she sighed. I nodded and turned back to the stage.
"You. Flower child. Let's go" Boomer said pointing to Layla. I knew she would protest against this...it was just how she was.
"I only believe in using my power when the situation demands it" she replied shrugging.
"Well you're in luck. This is the situation and I'm demanding it" he said.
"To support this test would be to support a flawed system. I think the hero/sidekick dichotomy serves to..." he held up a hand and she paused in her sentence.
"Are you refusing to show your power?" he asked with narrowed eyes.
"It's more complicated than that I mean..."
"Sidekick!" he shouted cutting her off. I rolled my eyes.
"You. Circus girl...up here" he said turning to me. I shrugged and walked onto the stage boredly.
"What's your power?" he asked. I tilted my head.
"Using my power could be very dangerous for whomever I use it on and I don't know the technical term for this kind of power" I replied innocently while shrugging.
"Are you also refusing to show me your power?" he asked irritatedly. I sighed in mock thought.
"I guess so" I said shaking my head.
"Sidekick" he exclaimed rolling his eyes. I nodded and exited the stage as the bell rang.
"All right. We'll pick it up right after lunch, starting with you" Boomer said pointing to Will. He nodded nervously with wide eyes.
I walked through the cafeteria with the group, carrying my food on a bright red tray. Zach for some reason really couldn't let his power placement go...and it was starting to annoy me "Boomer will regret making me a sidekick! Someday it'll be dark, and he'll be all alone walking towards his car. The he'll drop his keys and I won't glow to help him find them" he said shaking his head.
"You got a problem with me?" I looked back to see Boomer stood in front of Zach, his eyes narrowed.
"No" Zach replied nervously.
"No what?" Boomer asked.
"No sir, no sir..." Zach paused once he realised it was one of the shape-shifters messing with him.
"I'm just messing with you sidekick" he chuckled before sitting down at a table. I rolled my eyes and we sat down at the opposite table.
"Okay, am I crazy or is that guy looking at me?" Will asked nervously. I looked over his shoulder to see a bad-ass looking guy staring at the back of Will's head. I sighed and poked at my food.
"Dude" Zach sighed shaking his head.
"What?" Will asked confusedly.
"That's Warren Peace"
"That's Warren Peace?" Layla asked in disbelief. Zach nodded "Oh I've heard about him, his mom's a superhero and his dad's a supervillain. Barron Battle" she explained shrugging.
"So where do I come in?" Will asked.
"Your dad busted his dad. Quadruple life sentence" Ethan exclaimed.
"No chance of parole until after his third life" Magenta added shrugging. I sighed and shook my head.
"But it was a long time ago, personally I think he should let it go I mean his dad was a total jerk" I said stabbing at my food with the plastic fork. It became oddly silent and I raised my head to see them all staring at me confusedly.
"What?" I shrugged "I know stuff"
"That's great, it's my first day of Sky High and I already have an archenemy" Will said nervously. I reached out a hand to grab my water when it suddenly disappeared, my hair blew back from a quick gust of wind and I narrowed my eyes. I looked around but groaned once I realised who had done it...Speed. He was stood across the cafeteria with Lash, both of them laughing while glancing at me.
"Be grateful. I think I have two" I said rolling my eyes and gesturing to the idiots across the room.
"Is he still looking?" Will asked looking up at me. I shook my head and started to push my food around the plate.
"No" Layla replied.
"No?"
"No" she reassured. He looked back and I did the same, the guy was still staring.
"I thought you said he wasn't looking" Will said irritatedly. I chuckled and stood from the bench.
"I'll be right back, I need to go get myself another water" I said rolling my eyes. They nodded in understanding and I walked towards the queue. I pulled out some money and grabbed a bottle of water from the shelf, but in another gust of wind I found the bottle gone...and my money.
"God" I exclaimed angrily. I turned around and found them both in the exact same spot they were last in. Speed smiled and held up the water bottle, taking a sip right in front of me. I rolled my eyes and walked back to the table...I would not stress over this, and I would definitely not use my powers.