The Nature of a Rainbow
Re-Write from Past Upon Lies and Illusions

Chapter One: Up in the Air

"Welcome to you life,
There's no turning back."
- Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Tears for Fears

The sound of a loud thump in the room adjacent to hers woke Tenni up from the deep, peaceful sleep she'd been experiencing. Silently levering herself up and out of bed, she went to the door and cracked it open a couple inches. She was greeted by the sight of her dad on the other side, hand up and poised to knock. Pulling it open the rest of the way, she greeted him as cheerfully as she could manage after just getting up.

"Morning kiddo," Steve said, fondly ruffling her hair.

With a half-hearted scowl, she waited for him to quit it.

"Sorry," he apologized, though the mirth in his eyes told her he really wasn't, "Just making sure you and your brother were really awake. Today's the big day you know."

"Yeah, you've harped on and on about it all summer long," Tenni muttered, "So I'm guessing the loud noise I heard earlier was Will's wake up call?"

"Oh, he's been up for a while now, trying to get some reps in before school. That kid, not even at Sky High yet and he's trying to get ahead of the game. He's a chip off the old block." He chuckled.

Tenni winced at the proud tone in his voice. He didn't know the truth yet. Thankfully, he didn't notice it and continued on down the hall to the staircase, reminding her to hurry up for breakfast. The minute he was out of sight, she clipped over to Will's room, ready to assess the damage. Her brother's bed was collapsed in the front left corner and there was a large looking plate from his weightlifting set on the ground near it. Looking to the weight set, she finally saw him sitting on it, hunched forward a little with his hand rubbing his chest. In a second, she was kneeling at his side.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he replied, looking into her eyes, "He caught me by surprise when he tossed it. Just got the air knocked out of me for the most part. The only thing really injured here is my bed."

He chuckled shallowly at his own joke. Tenni couldn't muster a smile or a laugh for him. Will's secret was killing him, emotionally and physically now too. Mom and Dad had fallen hook line and sinker for the show Will put on for them to convince them he had powers. The whole summer full of broken doorknobs and lifting weights was nothing more than loose screws and letting them think they were "accidentally" walking in on him finishing up lifting ridiculous amounts of weights. The plan had worked but the draw back was that Dad allowed himself to be careless with Will. Around Mom, her and Will, Dad had always been very careful not let his super strength slip. Will following in his footsteps with the strength and the invulnerability had seemed like a dream come true. Little did he know, every playful punch or thoughtless movement he made around Will had the potential of really hurting the boy.

How could she not be worried for him?

"Stop looking at me like that," Will said, guiltily looking away.

"You're getting hurt Will. This isn't fair to you."

"If they knew the truth," he whispered, "If Dad knew the truth, he'd be devastated. I can't do that Tenni. Not now."

"You can't keep it quiet for very much longer, Will. Sky High's going to force you to tell the truth."

"I've got to have some hope. I've got to at least believe that maybe if I hold on a little longer, maybe I'll develop a power and then it'll all be okay," he said, "Please just, don't say anything. Not until then."

Angrily, she pushed herself away from him. She hated when he begged her for something. No, that wasn't true. She hated it when he asked her for something she didn't want to give him. He knew she couldn't say no to him. Even when it was something like this and she knew deep down in her heart that she should speak up and put an end to it. Still, Tenni gave him a jerky nod to let him know that her lips would remain sealed. Turning on her heel, she went exit his room but was abruptly stopped by the hand placed on her wrist. Stubbornly, she refused to look at him as he stood and came closer.

"I know you don't like lying for me," he said to her, "But thank you anyway."

Arms circled her shoulders from behind, and she melted. Another thing she was terrible at when it came to Will. Staying angry at him. Inhaling deeply, she reveled in the feel of a hug from the person she cared most about in the whole world, committing it to memory like every other one she ever got from him. Then she shoved him off of her and shuffled back to her room as fast as her legs would carry her. Will of course, was not oblivious to the obvious delight she'd taken in the hug or the embarrassment she felt in indulging, and she could hear him laughing after from down the hall as she got ready for school.

The siblings managed to get dressed and have everything else done in a record amount of time to head down for breakfast. They caught the tail end of their mother recounting to Layla her memories of Layla and Will swimming in the kiddy pool naked together. Tenni snickered to herself as Will complained about it being embarrassing. Seeing his sister still laughing, he tossed a banana at her, which she just caught and proceeded to eat, smiling mockingly back at him.

"Morning Will, Tenni!" Layla called to the two.

"Morning Layla," Tenni said back, instantly joyous at the sight of the pretty redhead.

All talk was halted in the kitchen when the phone went off. Tenni and Will both laughed when Josie started complaining about not being able to see them off to the bus. At the beginning, Tenni had thought it so strange her new mother was so attached to trivial things like seeing them off to school on their first day of the year or always fussing over their lunches and what not. Not that she didn't appreciate it, it was certainly a change from what she'd known before. She'd been home schooled after all. It took a long talk with her mom to realize that Josie lived in constant fear that every day would be the last day she'd ever see her kids. In ways Tenni couldn't begin understand, her mom had been deeply affected by the death of her sister. Though they hadn't been close in a long time, Josie had loved her sister very much and regretted every day that the last time they'd seen each other, that the last thing she'd said to her sister that she was a disgrace to their family.

"Don't worry Mom," Tenni told the fretting woman, "We'll be fine. I promise I'll look out for Will so he doesn't get on the wrong bus or something."

"Hey!" Will yelled offended.

"Make sure you do, sweetheart. We'll be here at home waiting for you when you two get back," the redheaded woman promised, pulling away.

Steve stepped forward next, holding his arms out expectantly.

"Oh fine," Tenni said stepping forth wearing a mock "if I truly must" look.

"Thanks kid."

And then, after finishing their parting rituals with Will, they were out the door. Will hefted himself onto the counter top and clicked the TV on like he always did when they went out to go save the world from whatever. Tenni was a little hesitant about staying to watch the triumph on TV if it would make them late, but Will and Layla both assured her they'd make it on time. It was a satisfying match to watch as always. The Commander and Jetstream went in and flawlessly defeated the giant robot terrorizing Maxville. It was always nice watching good triumph over evil. Seeing two of the people she admired and looked up to save the day. Not many could understand that seeing them out there in costumes, that wasn't the real side of her heroes. The side she really loved was the one that was there for her at home at the end of most days. Just Josie and Steve Stronghold who took her into their home and made her their daughter, no questions asked. They didn't need superpowers to save her.

Once the action was over, Tenni clicked the TV off for Layla and Will and made a head start for the door. They'd catch up. She wanted however long they gave her to herself. Will had his concerns about school. She had hers. Where Will was worried about what would happen once his powerless status was outed, she was worried about what would happen if people found out about who she really was. After the Baron Battle scandal, the government was more than willing to cover up what happened with her parents. They didn't want it to be public knowledge that huge public figures and heroes had connections with well-known villain. When it was revealed that Lady Peace had been the wife of Baron Battle, she faced public denouncement and slander. Eventually, she'd retired from active hero service.

Rumor went that her retirement hadn't been entirely her choice either.

Tenni wanted to go to Sky High and spend the next four years in anonymity with Will and Layla. She wanted to graduate, serve her one year of mandatory hero/sidekick time, and live the simple life as a civilian.

She arrived at the bus stop long before the others did. It gave her time to sit with her thoughts and get a hold of them. Again, she was drawn into the worry over her identity. Only her family knew, and if it hadn't have been for Steve and Josie not wanting to keep Will in the dark, her brother probably never would've found out either. Will had actually fought with her in the past over telling their friend, but Tenni wouldn't budge. Two years was a pretty good amount of time to get to know someone. Layla was a good person, but things about her like her open friendliness and nervous babbling while endearing, made for a terrible secret keeper. Bottom line was, she just couldn't trust Layla with that big of a secret.

It was just better that way.

Her brother and the redhead were less than a block away when she spotted the bus coming from the other direction a ways down the street. They beat it to the stop by a minute or two, chatting amiably about what to expect at Sky High. The doors opened with a whoosh, revealing a pudgy man sitting in the driver's seat, eyeing all three of them critically. One glace at his name tag (Read: Sky High; RON WILSON; Bus Driver) confirmed for her that this was the right bus. She didn't give him the opportunity to speak to her, as she felt he probably would, and just flashed her pass and went to take a seat.

With some annoyance, she saw that there were no vacant rows. She wouldn't be able to have one to herself with either Will or Layla. Her annoyance increased when she spotted a familiar face farther in. The boy started waving excitedly at her, urging her to come over and take the free seat next to him.

No way, Jose.

Purposely ignoring him, she took the first available seat she could find. There was a blonde girl occupying the window seat. She stared for a bit, trying to puzzle out the odd mix and match of red, white and green the girl's outfit was. Then, she dismissed it. She had no right to talk. It wasn't like she ever put much thought into the way she dressed herself. Neither she nor the girl made any attempt to strike up conversation. Tenni simply didn't want to and the girl seemed to get that because after her own cursory glance of Tenni, she'd gone back to staring out the window.

Once settled, she turned her attention back to the front of the bus where the bus driver was making a huge commotion. She winced, feeling sorry for them. Will was obviously uncomfortable by being outed as the commander's son and Layla was made uncomfortable by the insinuation of some of the students that she was Will's girlfriend. The blush staining her cheeks and the weak protest of the statement said the opposite of what her true feelings were. Once the two had finally been released from the clutches of the bus driver, they made their way to the back, taking their own seats. Tenni frowned to herself. Was this what it was going to be like at Sky High? Would Will not only have to be subject to the pressure of their dad's expectations, but of Sky High's as well? She didn't know if he could handle it.

Considering she bore the Stronghold name as well, she'd better be ready for the same treatment as well.

Land! Tenni thought, stumbling over her feet as she hurriedly exited the bus, Glorious Land!

Will caught her just as she was about to trip and fall. She smiled at him gratefully. It was comforting to be safe(r) on solid ground and have him right there next to her.

The trip to school had been nerve wracking. Ron Wilson was, in her opinion, the world's most sadistic bus driver. It had all been normal until they had found themselves strapped down and someone started yelling in alarm. Before she knew it, the enormous metal contraption they were in had went plummeting towards the ground. In the midst of mass hysteria, screaming and crying teenagers, Tenni hadn't known what to do. She'd felt lost, and afraid, and she'd wanted Will there but he was rows back sitting next to the walking highlighter. Even Layla was out of reach. Just as certain death seemed inevitable, Ron had pulled the bus up out of its dive last minute. They spent the rest of the ride flying. Actually flying in a flying bus to school.

She would've been more impressed if she hadn't just been traumatized by the near-death experience.

Looking around, she started to take in Sky High. It was as if someone had just taken normal high school and suspended it in the airway above normal people. All of the other teenagers filing in looked as normal as any other off the street. That would probably come in handy later in life when they actually had to be heroes. Heroes who blended in did better work than the ones who were conspicuous.

Suddenly Tenni felt the rest of the kids from the bus join her and will, pressing against them into a somewhat defensive, hesitant huddle. It made her incredibly uncomfortable being touched by virtual strangers. She wanted the arms and shoulders to quit brushing up against her.

Her internal complaining was cut off when two boys approached their currently mobile new student herd, bringing them all to a halt. The smiles they wore, instead of being welcoming seemed malicious. They'd put on quite the display, the pudgy one being fast and the tall lanky one stretchy. Was it supposed to be an intimidation tactic? Glancing back at the others, she guessed maybe it had had its effect on some who weren't used to seeing blatant use of powers in "public" before.

"Your attention please!" one of them called out, not that they needed it. They already had everyone's eyes.

"I'm Lash, uh, this is Speed," the tall guy said introducing himself and his friend, "And as representatives of the Sky High Welcoming Committee..."

"We'd be happy to collect that fifteen dollar new student fee," Speed finished as Lash stretched out a hand to them.

It stopped just short of Tenni's nose. Her eyes crossed looking down at the offensive hand that was in her face. Reaching up, she pinched Lash's hand with her thumb and forefinger.

"No thank you," she said simply, applying a heavy dose of frost to his hand. The boy pulled it back quick as a whip, going back and forth between shaking it and breathing hotly onto it.

"Um," someone interjected nervously. It was the orange boy, "There was nothing about a new student fee in the handbook."

"Seems like the nerdy freshmen are feisty this year," Lash commented, eyeing Tenni unfriendly gaze. She simply returned it, not afraid in the least.

"Okay guys," someone else said, also cutting into the brewing conflict. This time, it was a tall, beautiful older girl dressed in ungodly amounts of bright pink, "Very funny. I'll take over from here."

Surprisingly, the goons seemed properly cowed, and skulked off when she shooed them away. She proceeded to introduce herself as Gwen Grayson, student body president. Tenni was only half interested in what she had to say. It was semi-useful information about Sky High, but she could get by without it. Hoping to distract herself, she made a game of her favorite hobby, people watching. There were quite a few intriguing prospects here at Sky High. That wasn't unexpected considering it was a school for the super powered. But she wasn't just looking for someone flaunting their powers like that boy laser eyes or even the girl who had freezing powers a lot like her own. She was looking for someone difficult to figure out.

That was when she spotted him.

At first glance, it would be easy to dismiss him as the bad boy type. Long hair with colored streaks. Black leather jacket. Fingerless gloves. Steel toe boots. Not to mention the wide berth most of the students seemed to give him, like he was dangerous. And maybe he was.

But Tenni saw the bigger picture.

His isolation from others was for the most part self-imposed. He seemed to enjoy being left alone. The minute someone approached or got too close, he tensed. When relaxed, his form returned to its typical teenaged male hunch. And surprisingly, he was reading. She couldn't tell what, but she was interested. A bad boy was generally an arrogant, dumb thug. That Lash guy fit the bill. But this guy? Whole other story. He didn't seem to be actively menacing anyone, and the fact that he seemed to be reading of his own volition put some points against him being dumb. So what did...

Oh.

He'd finally noticed that she'd been staring at him and was now staring right back. Well, not as much staring as glaring back at her. She shivered. It wasn't like she never got caught during people watching, just that usually, her subjects indulged her with funny sideways looks. His glare bore into her with intensity. Tenni couldn't help having to look away, look down at her own feet so she could catch her breath. The smart thing to do would've been to return her attention to Gwen's tour. She'd been caught in the act and it had been unwelcome. But Tenni couldn't help it. One last look couldn't hurt.

Lifting her eyes, she looked straight back at him just as he'd been about to return to reading. He started, surprised she'd had the audacity to look at him again after the glare down he'd given her earlier. The corners of her lips twitched in amusement at the ridiculous look on his face. And then the rest of her mouth fell prey to the oncoming grin she couldn't suppress even if she tried. It only served to make him more flustered and confused, which in turn only fed her mirth at the entire situation. There really was just something about this guy that made her want to pay attention.

"Tenni!" a voice whined into her ear.

With a jolt, she jumped to attention, all thought of the bad boy with fun facial expressions pushed out of her mind. Layla was shooting her an irritated look.

"I get Will not listening, but I thought you were better than that!"

"Sorry," Tenni apologized, though the minute the word left her mouth it sounded insincere.

Layla, though, seemed to accept it.

"Look at him, staring off at her like that," the redhead complained huffily.

Tenni glanced at Will who was staring dreamily at Gwen Grayson like a lovesick puppy. Her heart went out a bit to Layla, who was obviously unhappy to see him hung up on the other girl. She was so obvious about her feelings that it was amazing that Will hadn't caught on by now. His obliviousness hurt the redhead enough as it was, but now that this Gwen Grayson was in the mix, things could potentially be taking a turn for the worse. Up until now, it had seemed that Layla had gone uncontested for Will's affections. Within minutes of being introduced, he was already head over heels for their student body president.

Knowing if she tried to say anything, it would fall flat, she did the only thing she could think of to comfort the girl. She slipped her hand into the other girl's, feeling Layla squeeze it back in thanks.

Once Gwen finished up, they were rushed along to the gym. They were then subjected to another welcome, this time by their principal, Ms. Powers and then a dress down by Coach Boomer (God, these people and their names!). The sadistic man had been slowly working his way through the class. He was dividing them up into one of only two professions given to those with powers, hero, or sidekick. Although the real, politically correct, name for sidekick was "hero support", being classified as such was a sort of death sentence for popularity and fame. Heroes were the ones who got idolized and loved by the public. Their sidekicks became footnotes in their biographies. Though she loved him dearly, even her dad was guilty putting down sidekicks. She'd even felt a little bad and a little incensed for Zach's sake. Coach Boomer had blown him off stage with his power.

It wouldn't be long before he reached the three of them for power placement. In fact, Layla was about to be up. Judging by the way Layla was voicing her discontent to Will, things were bound to go bad there.

"You," the coach said, pointing at Layla, "Flower Child, let's go."

"I believe in only using my powers when the situation demands it," Layla protested, frowning.

"Well, you're in luck. This is the situation. And I'm demanding it."

"But to participate in this test would be to support a flawed system. I think the whole hero/sidekick dichotomy only serves to-"

Dear God, it was like watching a train getting ready to wreck.

"Lemme get this straight, are you refusing to show me your powers?" he asked leveling her with an bored, unimpressed look.

"It's a little more complicated than that. I mean-"

"SIDEKICK!" he yelled, cutting her off.

It was a test of restraint for Tenni, to not lift and arm and freeze the pompous ass where he stood. Layla was a bit mouthy for his own good, but she was her friend and this man was already pissing her off royally.

As if he read her mind, Will placed a hand on each girls' shoulder. Tenni tensed irritably while Layla seemed to be comforted by the gesture.

"It'll be alright," he promised. He lowered his voice to a whisper, "He's just a jerk."

Understatement.

The bell rang.

"Alright, we'll pick it up right after lunch, starting with you..." the coach said ominously, singling out Will.

Swallowing loudly, all Will could do was nodded quickly before fleeing the gym, Tenni and Layla trailing after him.

Somehow, they're lunch group was double the size Tenni expected. Will and Layla were a given. But some how the giant eyesore, the orange boy (Ethan), and the purple girl (Magenta) had tagged along. She'd eventually shrugged it off as they collected their lunch trays. It didn't really matter anyway. Her eyes had started to wander once they all figured out from her monosyllabic answers that she didn't want to join in conversation. The passed over the many people in the cafeteria, recognizing some of her fellow freshmen and Gwen Grayson at a table, surprisingly sitting with those goons from earlier and several identical girls in pigtails.

She couldn't stop the smile that took over her face when she spotted the mysterious reading bad boy from earlier. He was sitting a couple tables over facing her. Just as she felt bold enough to be tempted to wave, she noticed his thunderous expression. Frowning, she tried to figure out just what was inspiring such a look from him. He'd been glaring at her back out on the front lawn, but it had lacked the heat it now possessed. Why was he so angry?

"Am I crazy or is that guy really looking at me?" Will asked anxiously, nodding backwards.

Blinking, Tenni looked at him, then in the direction he'd motioned in, Layla following suit. The first person that fell within her line of sight was the bad boy. She tried to find someone else who fit "really looking" at Will, but it came back to him. The hate in his eyes was disturbing. Just what had Will done to warrant that level of negativity? Nothing as far as she could recall. Tenni had been right by his side the entire time they'd been at Sky High so far. Will hadn't done anything yet, directly or even indirectly, that could piss someone up.

A sinking feeling started to develop in her stomach. Maybe... Maybe it wasn't something Will had done, maybe it was...?

"Dude," Zach said, cutting across her speculations.

"What?" asked Will, squirming in his seat some.

"That's Warren Peace," Zach continued, his voice dropping to gravely serious tone.

Peace.

Now the pieces all fell into place.

"That's Warren Peace?" asked Layla, voicing the question Tenni had wanted to but wouldn't.

"Yeah."

"I've heard about him. His mom's a hero and his dad's a super villain. Baron Battle."

Tenni already knew this. Or at least, she knew the story of Lady Peace and Baron Battle. The story of two people on opposite sides of a war, torn apart by it. The first time she'd heard it, it had hit a little too close to home to want to hear much more. But now, she wished she had. Because apparently, in the midst of their doomed romance, they'd had a child. A child who'd been caught up in the resulting scandal. Someone who, unfortunately, probably didn't have someone like an Aunt Josie and Uncle Steve to fly in and save the day, make all of the bad things go away. To adopt them and give them a second chance at a more normal life.

"Where do I come in?" Will questioned, confused.

No, Tenni thought, I don't want to know.

"Your dad busted his dad. Quadruple life sentence," Ethan explained.

"No parole until after his third life," Magenta added."

Of course. The first person that had to go and make themselves interesting and have a similar background to her, held a grudge against the Commander, her dad. She'd already tried to withdraw further from their conversation, not wanting to hear anymore. It was almost too sad. Putting a face and a name to miserable thing her life could have been like without her new mom and dad.

"That's just great. My first day of Sky High, and I already have my first archenemy. Hmm." Will glanced at Layla. "Is he still looking?

"Umm..." she quavered, "Not at you."

Tenni looked up. Angry eyes stared back at her accusingly. And suddenly, she felt suffocated by them. She desperately wanted him to not look at her that way. Like she was evil. She wasn't evil.

I'm not evil! I'm not a villain! she chanted to herself in her head.

Standing abruptly, breaking eye contact as she did, picked up her tray and made to leave the cafeteria. Before she could get very far, her wrist was caught by Will reaching across the table and grasping it.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm done, so I'm going to leave." His grip didn't lessen, and by the look on his face, he wanted a better answer. "I need to get out of here. I need somewhere quiet so I can think."

"Are you sure?"

His eyes flicked back in Warren's direction. It made her unwillingly return her own to the dark boy.

"I'll be fine. I'll just wait at the gym for you guys. I'll be fine okay?"

He still looked unsure, but released her. Tenni plastered a reassuring smile on her face for him.

"See you then."

"Be careful," he murmured to her back, just loud enough for her to catch.

Not that she needed it. She could handle herself just fine. She always had.

But this situation was different. She didn't know if she could handle it. There was someone out there who understood what it was like. She'd finally met him, only to find out that he hated her and her entire family. Had she been a terrible person in her last life to receive such terrible karma? To have this opportunity she'd been dreaming of gift wrapped and presented to her in an iron bear trap? To her dismay, tears had begun to pool just within her eyelids. She blinked furiously to stop them from spilling. Her instincts further proved themselves traitorous as she looked back again at him even though she knew she shouldn't.

The glare was gone.

All that was left was a thoughtful look. It became confused when he took in how her own face looked. Hideous, she imagined. Tenni had always been an ugly crier, red faced and snotty, with an unattractive pout. Even if the tears hadn't quite spilled yet, she was sure it couldn't be pretty even pre-tears. Refusing to let this boy catch her in this state, she forced a brave smile before looking away for the last time and exiting the cafeteria.

So much for a good first day.

Chapter One: Up in the Air - End

AN: Wow. This came out way different. I look between this and the original chapter one, and Tenni as a character and the circumstances just come off looking way different. While I'm at this, I'd also like to apologize for posting the prologue and then falling off the side of the earth. I just wasn't feeling the story coming to me and then Glee and harry Potter ate my brain.

Next Installment

Chapter Two: Brace Yourself