Chapter 1- Life

"Mom!" Tessa jumped excitedly at her mother's feet, "Mom, tell me again about the first time you met dad!" she said tugging at her skirt.

"Tessa hush," Becky said kindly, "You've heard it already."

"I know," Tessa kicked the ground, "But it's my favorite story, especially the end with Captain Huggy Face dressed up as you!" she giggled.

Becky giggled herself, "Yes, that's my favorite part too."

Tessa was turning on eleven years old, she loved the idea of a big birthday party. And she couldn't wait to show off her powers to all her friends!

Her mother's words spoken in the confines of her room circled through her mind though

"Being a hero means no one can know who you really are, or it will make life so much harder…"

But she wouldn't become a hero now would she!

"Tessa why don't you go play with Steven ok" Becky offered, "he's been looking down in the dumps lately."

Tessa nodded, "Righto," she said cheerfully.

The truth was that Tessa always seemed to be cheerful; she was a bright child, smart like both her parents.

She was short and slim with long dark brown hair; it seemed that Tessa had gotten all of her looks from her mother except for her bright blue eyes which were that of her father..
Steven looked very much like him, blonde hair and glasses with somewhat pale skin and a square jaw.. but he had brown eyes like their mother.

"Steve!" Tessa jumped into the room to find Steven pouring over a book, his nose practically touching the page.

He didn't look up, "What do you want Tessa?" he asked in his aristocratic tone of voice. Tessa frowned down at him, usually he was up for talking to her even when he was reading.

"Mom said I should play with you, not so sure I want to now," she said jokingly.

"Then go away."

She looked down at him in surprise, "Steve-"

"Really Tessa just go away I have no patience for you today!" he turned to her his face red with anger.

Tessa blinked back a few tears; no one had ever talked to her like that! To hide her sudden emotion she stuck her tongue out at him before leaving the room.

What had that been about? She had to admit that Steven wasn't the most social or joy filled person yet he always had time and patience to talk to her...

She decided to shrug it off finally, why harp on someone's bad mood? They never last forever, and if he had any troubles he would just go to their mom or dad.

He would be fine.

(Steven)

In fact he would not be fine, Steven was at that moment pouring through every book his father had ever written so that he could remember his robot designs!

Steven was smart, he could build something good. Something better, something that could get him power!

"I'm home!" Tobey entered the house, a small robot walked at his feet carrying groceries on its back. "Hello father," said Steven kindly, closing the book and then holding it behind his back, "Hello Bastian," he added to the little robot.

It beeped a few times in return (Morse code) before it bustled off into the kitchen to put away the groceries.

Tobey sat himself down on their couch grabbing a newspaper and opening it, "WordGirl deals with The Veggie Kid…Didn't know that The Butcher had a son," he mumbled to himself.

While his father was distracted Steven stood up, holding the book against his back as hard as he could he began to creep across the room.

"Steven, put my book back now you were told not to touch it!" the newspaper folded over so that Tobey's face was visible, he was scowling.

Steven grumbled, but passed over the book, "I just wanted to learn how to make robots," he whimpered. Tobey gave him an appraising look before a smile crept across his features, "Alright, I think everyone deserves a chance to create!"

And so Tobey began teaching Steven the basics of robot "creating", Steven listened in awe as he explained the mechanics but zoned out when he mentioned the heart.

"Dad, have you ever created a robot that could... Oh, I dunno…Take away someone's powers?" he gave an innocent smile.

"It had crossed my mind once or twice," mumbled Tobey who was too lost in thought to see the rather unnatural look in his son's eyes, "But I had dismissed the idea, it's too cruel and archaic," he frowned.

Steven nodded, "Did you make plans?"

"A few but I don't know where I had put them," Steven's father shrugged his narrow shoulders, "Now, let's talk about putting in big red buttons-"

(Tessa)

"Mom, what do ya think is wrong with Steven?" Tessa asked, sticking her finger into a bowl filled with cake batter.

"Tessa!" Becky cried exasperatedly, but softened quickly, "I doubt anything is wrong with him," she said grabbing her daughters wrist and lifting her hand away from the bowl, "I suppose he's beginning to feel a bit useless because he doesn't have powers."

"He's jealous?"

"No," Becky replied sharply, "no, not jealous," she looked blankly at the wall lost in thought.

Tessa sighed, sticking her fingers into her mouth and licking off the chocolaty substance, why was everyone acting so strange?

"Just be nice to him" Becky finished finally, biting her bottom lip.

Tessa lifted off the ground and turned upside down, her fingers still in her mouth, "M'ok," she said. Becky smiled warmly, "Good girl."

"Hey McCallistar where's Steve?" shouted a boy by the name of Patrick Loraine, he was the son of Eileen (The Birthday Girl) and it was pretty easy to see the resemblance.

Incredibly pale skin, bright red hair, two big eyes that screamed innocence, he looked out of breath, his pudgy cheeks bright red.

"He's with dad," Tessa replied landing quickly, she didn't think that he had seen her flying but that was a close one!

"K," Patrick sauntered past the opened glass doors and sat himself down at the table without asking if he could even come in.

"You know where Rose is today?" Tessa asked, grabbing two cups out of the cupboard to put chocolate milk in.

"Ming?" Patrick asked putting his head on his thick fingers, "Probably prancing around looking at flowers," he wrinkled his small nose.

Tessa put on a fake scowl, "Don't knock it till you've tried it!" she said, before breaking out in a giggle. Patrick joined her, his smile showed off a pair of dimples which added to the boy's innocence.

"That or she's watching Daisy."

Daisy was Rose's younger sister; the two were the children of Violet and Todd (Scoops) Ming. Rose was Tessa's best friend despite her sometimes dottiness.

The young girl poured some milk into the cups then placed one in front of Patrick he proceeded to slurp the liquid.
"If you see her can you ask her if she wants to go the library with me sometime?" Tessa asked him before taking a sip of her own milk.
"Yeah sure," Patrick shrugged, wiping away his chocolate milk mustache, "I'd better go home," he sighed, "Mom said I could stay if Steven was available to play but sounds like he's busy."
"Yeah, sorry," Tessa shrugged.

The young boy finished his chocolate milk before throwing the cup into Tessa's hand, and then he walked out of the house waving goodbye.
Tessa waved back with the empty cup before letting out a contented sigh.
Becky looked questioningly at her daughter, "What was that for?" she asked, wondering about the sigh. The young girl smiled at her mother,
"Nothing, I just feel kind of lucky."

This chapter is kind of putting together their normal home life along with the sense that Steven is going to do something awful. I also wanted to explain some of the new characters ;)
(At least I hope that is what it comes across as)

I didn't want to go to the story too quickly, though it'll most likely happen in the next chapter.

Please review! 8D

P.S. sorry about the formatting, this is what happens when you use two computers to type one chapter.