You are familiar with throwing knives, correct?" Nico said.
I nodded. When I first saw the targets set up on the training field, I knew we would be going over something related to ranged weaponry.
"One of the first things they taught me," I said.
"Good," Nico picked up a silver blade and twirled it between his fingers, "Now let's see if the actually taught you proper form."
I threw three blades, each one hitting near the centers of the targets, but not the bullseye. Then Nico stopped me.
"Alright first off, you'll ruin your shoulder joint throwing like that, second you don't need to have a hard throw," Nico said.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Accuracy is the main goal with throwing knives. It doesn't matter how hard you throw the blade if it misses its target and exposes your position," Nico said, "Watch then explain."
The mutant commander plucked up one of the small slivers of sharp metal. He tossed it up, blade shimmering in the sunlight as it spun in the air, before catching the handle in his palm. He turned towards the targets. In less than an instant a small dagger was imbedded into the very center of the bullseye.
"Well?" Nico said, "What did you see?"
"You'd be a hell of a baseball pitcher," I muttered.
Nico huffed, "Oh, the irony. I was taught by a softball player."
I raised a brow.
"It's nearly a carbon copy of baseball, only major differences in terms of play are the size of the ball and field, and the pitching style. However, it is played by mostly women, rather than men," Nico said.
"So, a girl version of baseball?" I spoke.
"More like a substitute that girls are turned towards to play instead. Arrow played for a few years in the local town little league, however once she entered puberty the baseball teams wouldn't pick her up to play anymore. She was a good pitcher too. She played a season of softball, but the coaches we're cruel to their players," Nico shook his head, "I mean no offence to those who play softball, they are strong woman who deserve everything in the world. In fact, you can thank them for my technique."
"What?"
"Biological females, don't have the capabilities to easily develop upper body strength, so they have to draw power from their whole bodies. Legs, hips, shoulders, and arms. It gives them a far more accurate shot."
"Where'd you learn that?"
"My sister-in-law. Alice was a school athlete ever since she was a young child, and her father taught her how compete with boys twice her age and size without using her abilities. So, currently we will need to reteach your body how to throw in a proper form."
"Or in other words," Spoke another voice.
I looked to my right. Arrow was floating over to us. Her still honey blond hair, with darkened roots was tied up in a high ponytail, whipping around in the wind. She was dressed in her usual attire. A sleeve-less high-collar violet shirt, with bright blue leggings and short black boots. Navy cuffs bound around her forearms, wrists and palms that matched her dynamo mask. Black Sheep in her arms.
"Bucky Barnes, you are going to have learn how to throw like a girl," she said with a teasing smile.
"If it keeps me alive, I don't gotta problem with that," I said.
"Now you're catching on," Arrow said.
"Dear niece, I thought you wouldn't be here for another half-an-hour," Nico said.
"I thought I should arrive early Uncle, who knows how long it will take me to work out his second left foot," Arrow said.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" I asked, raising a brow.
Arrow smiled cheekily.
"I have asked Arrow to help you with traditional dances, should you succeed in becoming a member of the clan, you'll need to know many for holidays and other purposes," Nico said.
"And you're not teaching me that why?" I spoke.
"One, I have a meeting with the Counseling regarding the poor decisions of a soldier…and Arrow is far more graceful than me when it comes to melody," Nico said, "We can continue our work on weaponry later," He packed up the knives, "I'll leave you in her capable hands."
I looked towards Arrow, her pale lips twisted into a smirk, "Shall we begin?"
"No time like the present," I said, "And what's this little man doing out here?" I ruffled Black Sheep's hair.
"Camewa!" Black Sheep squealed, holding up Arrow's phone.
"He's going to be filming us. Watching yourself move can help you adjust and perfect technique," Arrow said.
I eyed the phone with a reasonable amount of skepticism, for someone who didn't grow up with cameras that fit in one's pocket.
"Come on it works," Arrow insisted.
I sighed.
My foot twisted, toes digging into the sand. The wind whirling around me as I spun…then my face hit the ground.
I didn't bother getting back up. I could hear Arrow laughing from where my head was half buried in the rough sand. I didn't need to watch the recording. I knew it looked stupid. Eventually, I folded my arms, and pressed my hand and servo into the sand; slowly lifting my face and body from the ground. I spit out the fine grains of sand that snuck past my lips. Then looked at Arrow and Black Sheep, channeling my inner grumpy cat through my expression as hard as I could.
It only made them laugh harder.
"Are you okay?" Arrow said, her voice high with laughter.
"Peachy," I grumbled.
"I should send that to AFV, get some money out of it," Arrow teased.
"Don't you dare."
She laughed again, "In all seriousness, you were doing pretty well for a first timer. I know that these are not easy dances to perform. Much less make them look effortless."
"Effortless? I'd like to see you do this."
She smirked, and I knew I made a mistake.
"Challenged accepted," She shoved Black Sheep into my arms, "Hold this please."
Black Sheep giggled, holding up the phone again. I wasn't sure if he was holding it upside down or not, but he probably was.
Arrow walked back over to where she had previously been seated, and messed with a little digital music device that I couldn't remember the same of. After a moment, the soft picks of violin from one of Taiga's favorite artists could be heard. She put down the device, removed her shoes and in a gust of wind, blew herself over to where she began to dance.
At first, she was delicate, her feet moving in perfect timing to the soft notes, but then the music picked up, and the gentle dance became a spectacle. Her body twisted and turned in the flow of the fast rhythm and then the flames began. She set herself on fire. Literally. The molten gold tongues licked up her limbs and fluttered off her hair and shoulders. A cloud of twinkling embers and sparks spraying out from her form as she pirouetted.
Then she split.
The fire peeled off her body, forming its own appearance. A copy made of burning gold. When the music slowed, and Arrow bowed to her fire born twin. They slowly pranced around each other in a gentle circle. The music picked up once more, and the break was over. Both the original and the burning girl burst into a series of swooping sways, and spinning leaps. Their movements always mirroring each other perfectly, even when Arrow remained solid while the burning sister flared and rippled when she moved.
Eventually, however all good things had to come to an end. As the music slowed to the end of the song, so did the performance. Once the last notes had played, Arrow bowed again to her blazing partner, and the burning sister was slowly extinguished.
I started clapping, because such a performance deserved the applause. It also made Black Sheep copy me, so he would stop jumping up and down on my lap. The toddler, despite putting on needed weight, was still all bones and heavy. Loud clapping was better than accidentally getting kicked in the stomach, or worse, somewhere lower.
Though, the squirming of a young child, was something that couldn't be held back for long.
"Down, down," Black Sheep said.
I complied letting the child hop down to the soft dirt ground. Black Sheep ran over to Arrow holding the music device out, after grabbing it off the bench. He grabbed Arrow's hand holding the little machine up to her.
"Dance please!" Black Sheep said.
"Oh, you want to dance with me?" Arrow said, leaning over to dote on the child.
Black Sheep nodded, enthusiastically. Arrow took the music device and started another song, the volume a little lower than the last time. After placing the device in the sand Black Sheep grabbed her hands and, with Arrow leaning down to his height, they began to dance in slightly uncoordinated steps that only a toddler could make. Arrow laughed, and spun Black Sheep around. The child let go of her and began to start his solo, jumping and dancing around.
I laughed at the sight, it felt…right. Watching the two laugh and play together.
Peace never lasted though. The dark mark around Black Sheep's eye suddenly flashed orange and etched into the ebony was a symbol of flame. Not a second later fire was shooting out of the boy's hands. He screeched and startled, falling into the sand and spitting sparks.
I was on my feet and rushing over, but a quick glance from Arrow told me to back off.
"Oh no," She said, "are you okay?"
Black Sheep whimpered. I wanted to hug him.
"Fire can be scary huh?" Arrow said.
Black Sheep nodded, "Danger."
"Yeah, fire can be dangerous. It doesn't have to be though. If you're careful, it can be very pretty. You know?"
Black Sheep made a squeak of what seemed like agreement.
"Don't worry, I used to make wild sparks too. It just takes some practice. You'll be better at it when you're older."
"Promise?"
Arrow nodded, "Here, look."
She took Black Sheep's hands, cupping them in her own, shaping them similarly.
"Now hold still," she said.
A tiny flame sparked in her cupped palms and then placed it in Black Sheep's hands.
Black Sheep stared in awe, as he held the tiny flare.
"See you're a natural. All you have to do is start small and build up from there."
Black Sheep giggled with excitement, bouncing in his place before taking off to run around the training ground. Why? I was never able to explain the mental gymnastics a toddler did on a daily basis.
"Well, there's another power he picked off of me," Arrow said with some sheepishness in her tone.
I nodded, remembering the night that Black Sheep claimed me. The aerokinesis had been a surprise to me at first, but after learning that Black Sheep was born with copying abilities it quickly explained the why and how. Black Sheep made copies of other mutants' powers after touching them, sometimes these copies were simply temporary, or they went dormant inside the young boy. Meaning the dormant copies could activate at almost any time. The aerokinesis had been picked up from Arrow but made into a dormant gift and then came out due to a nightmare spooking him. Despite Arrow not having been at the farm for two weeks.
"Let's hope this one is temporary," I said quickly. Christin would tell the story of Arrow setting random stuff on fire at Black Sheep's age. Those were stories I preferred to listen to and not live through.
Arrow nodded in agreement, "He's doing well. Keeping his surges in check. Especially considering that he's probably copied off of everyone in the house."
"You think?"
"Baby mutants, they learn through doing. Usually instinctively. Though most of his save for later copies probably fade within a few weeks."
"I thought those were permanent?"
"They can be, but its rare. Especially in a child so young. He just doesn't have enough brain space or function at the moment to hold on to one permanently. Now you ready to get back to practice?"
I sighed, tiredly.
"Oh, is someone tired?" Arrow teased, "Bucky you've been doing combat training for almost five hour a day these past few months. Surely, this isn't that hard."
"Haha," I laughed dryly, "I still think you guys are crazy for memorizing all these. Some of them feel much harder than an actual fight."
"Practice is usually done over a life time Bucky. Besides we've only gone over basic movements and haven't gotten to the fun part."
"What fun part?"
"Coming up with your Hornci'a Sashan."
"My-my what?"
"Your, Hornci'a Sashan or Your House Dance. How do you…oh we haven't told you about this have we. Remember the dancing that we did at Timothy's coming of age party."
"The one with your whole family? Yeah."
"That was our Hornci'a Sashan. The dance is a central part of any mutant bloodline or House, each one unique, but they all serve the same purpose."
"And that purpose is?"
"To preserve the history of the family, and tell the story of our ancestors to the next generation."
"By dance. Your movements coordinate with the story of your ancestry."
"Oh, someone been learning?"
"Nico taught me about the art of story dancing," I smiled.
"Well, since you're starting your own house upon earning your mask, you'd need one."
"Do I really? It's just me."
"It's not for yourself Bucky. It's for him," Arrow nodded towards Black Sheep, "And anyone else who comes along. They'll want to know where their family comes from."
I felt my brows furrow at the thought. Worrying about the next generation hadn't really been on my mind…at all. It was always "live until tomorrow" in the war, and even here I just really focused on today. I wasn't even biologically twenty yet! I shouldn't have to think about my legacy and what I would leave to pass on to metaphorical kids.
…well, I guess Black Sheep wasn't currently metaphorical…
"So, I'm guessing one of the moves in my Hornci'a Sashan," – I shot a look at Arrow and she nodded, telling me that I pronounced it correctly, "Would probably be 'ice'."
She snorted, "If you want it to be."
We spent the next hour, going over possible movements for the Hornci'a Sashan. So far, we had 'war', 'ice', and 'brothers'. We stopped there though. Christin had texted Arrow to come in. It was supposed to storm that evening, and he wanted us in-doors (always trust the guy with lightning powers, when he says a storm is coming). So, we packed up, and headed towards the house.
"So, I've been meaning to ask," Arrow said, "Have you thought about you're chosen name?"
My eyes drifted from watching Black Sheep, whom was skipping a few feet a head us, and looked at her, "Well, not really. I mean My old code name was just a shortening of my middle name in a way. How'd you get yours?"
"Well, 'Firefly' actually comes from a story, and take this a grain of salt I got it from Baba. But apparently the summer after I was born, the orchards were just filled with fireflies. Baba said it looked like the trees were decorated in Christmas lights, or the night sky fell to the ground. Since then, I was my mom's firefly…and well it's all I can really do now…maybe if I hadn't…I might have picked something different."
"It suits you," I cut in, "So, does it have to be a sentimental thing?"
"It can be but not always. Some choose their because it sounds cool, or they take up the mantel of a warrior before them. Or…" She huffed, amused, "Don't tell anyone I told you this, but I know for a fact that Baba came up with his on the spot and rolled with it."
"No…" I said, shaking my head.
She nodded.
"What, but he says 'Striker' with such pride and confidence."
"I think he was originally going to call himself like Lightning Fist or something, but his brain short circuited at his masking ceremony, and he just blurted out Striker," She grabbed my arm, holding it firm, "Striker was the name of one of his video game characters."
I started laughing.
"Oh golly," I huffed, "You know, now that I think about it, that sounds like Christin."
"Oh, you think that's funny you should hear the story of how he came up with my birth name."
"You ever going to tell me that one?"
She smirked, playfully.
"Okay, so do you know that story behind Nico's code-name. I mean what made him pick something as pretentious as 'Winter Wolf'."
"Actually, Uncle Nico took on a mantel, in a way."
We arrived at the farmhouse just as the wind began to pick up. Arrow didn't let it touch us, but the screen door was practically flying off its hinges.
The rush of warmth as we entered the home was a welcomed feeling, the lack of lights not so much? The hallway that led into the kitchen was completely dark. No light other than the grey brightness from the open door.
"Did you guys forget to pay your electric bill?" I asked.
"No, the house runs on a personal generator," Arrow said, picking up Black Sheep.
"You guys forget a backup?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Arrow said unimpressed, and walking forward, "We have two."
I snorted, realizing how stupid my question was, paranoid mutants. You have to love them.
That didn't mean I was comfortable with walking into a house covered in shadows.
An eerily quiet house.
"Wasn't everyone supposed to be-" I started only be cut off.
The lights flipped on! And balloons fell from the heavens!
"Surprise!"
The entire family jumped out from behind the furniture and colorful decorations around the living room. I jumped back at the sudden change in atmosphere, air filling my lungs in reflex.
"What….?" I said, "What is all this?"
Kate let out a laugh, "It's a party kid. Thought you'd recognize it by now."
"A p-party? For what?"
A wave of laughter rippled through the family member.
"Oh, kiddo," Christin said, "Did you forget the date?"
"The date?" I raised a brow.
"Bucky, it's March 10th," Taiga said.
March 10th? Oh… "It's my birthday," I mumbled.
How did I forget that?
"That's right, kid! And if you thought we were going to let you go without celebrating it! You'd be dead wrong!" Christin said, standing up and hugging me.
"You really didn't have to do this," I said, "I don't think I've even celebrated my birthday since I was like 12."
"What?!" Shawnen and Sable said, in identical scandal. It probably was scandal to kids like them.
"Why?" Sable continued.
"It was kinda in the middle of the Great Depression, for starters," I said, "And secondary, it didn't really feel all that special after my mom passed away. Dad was usually too busy working to really pay attention to that stuff. Then the war happened…"
"Well, there's no reason to not celebrate now," Christin said, with a rather large grin and ruffling my hair, "So, shut up and let us spoil you!"
The family cheered.
I blinked, and felt a small hand push me towards the couches. I looked back and saw Arrow. Her face stretched into a very pleased smile. While Black Sheep was still held in her other arm, playing with a balloon.
"You knew," I said, "You knew and were keeping me busy so they could set this up."
"Of course, I knew. I told you Bucky, I do anything for my family. Keeping secrets included. Now you heard Baba, only fun for you for the rest of the day!"
And have fun we did.
There was a very simple unspoken rule for the farmhouse residents. All birthdays were taken far too seriously. Christin claimed it was the one day that he was allowed as a parent to fully spoil his child. So, he went all out.
Though, it wasn't just one crazy bash for each child. No. Christin spent weeks planning and tailoring each celebration to be perfect for each child. Like Sable, who's 10th birthday was in November, the little girl loved big loud parties. Christin had invited all her friends, and had a large bash with music, dancing and vanilla ice-cream. However, for Jenette's 18th last December, it was more quiet and intimate celebration. The whole family gathered in the house for a birthday dinner, complete with a home-baked lemon-flavored birthday cake, and then they watched her favorite movie. Arrow's 17th in January we all went ice-skating at Nexus, and had brownies. Taiga's 19th during September, the family went out to a natural history museum.
The only birthdays I haven't seen yet, were Timothy and Shawnen's and that was because their birthdays were in early May, and late April.
I knew they were going to spoil me. However, apparently someone, probably Kate, had talked Christin down to just a fun family party, and not throw a freaking parade in my honor. I knew he could do it. He'd threatened Nico with it for his 50th birthday.
With a storm raging outside, we huddled up in the living room, playing games and making each other laugh. Apparently, they had a whole closet full of board games. First was a round of Taboo, a game where Christin and Arrow were banned from being on the same team, because of all the pop culture references they could trade for points. Next was a game called, Throw Throw Burrito, it was a card game that involved throwing tiny foam burritos at each other. It was awesome…until Jenette snatched a throw pillow and turned the game into a pillow war.
Then Black Sheep burned over all of us in Uno….
We tried to play a round of Jenga but Christin stopped us. Apparently, after an incident that got Jenette several facial fractures and broke Taiga's hand a few years ago, the game had been banned from the farmhouse.
After all the games, came the gifts. Needless to say, this was not something I was expecting. I knew the family always spoiled the birthday kid with gifts, but I technically wasn't family. Still, that didn't seem to stop them.
Most of it was things that I was okay accepting, clothing (a lot of fun t-shirts, and very fluffy socks I had been wanting thank you Shawnen), a stuffie of Toothless the Dragon (Sable and Taiga had known that it had been one of my favorite movies of the 21st century and got it for me), A picture album filled with photos of Black Sheep and me, (Dang Timothy you are going to make everyone cry) and a gag gift of a book about getting old (thanks Jenette).
Then I opened up a small package with a smart phone in it…I had been skeptical about them. Meaning I could see why they were useful but not why everyone was so obsessed. I tried to refuse it, I could not be trusted with something that was definitely this expensive, but my pleas fell on deaf ears.
"It's time you enter the 21st century, plus this way you can join in on the family group chat," Christin said.
"I'll show you how to use it," Arrow said.
The last gift was a picture that Black Sheep made, and Kate framed. It was my favorite.
Then came the cake. It was a chocolate sheet cake, with fresh (vegan, thank you for teaching me the meaning of that food Arrow) buttercream swirls and blueberries on top of it. The cake was giant, long and flat. And for good reason. It did have to hold 93 candles after all. Two of them were number candled that formed 19, which I appreciated.
It was very amusing watching, Christin, Taiga, and Nico, struggle to light the cake. Due to the shear number of candles, the process was taking several boxes of matches and a few minor burns. They had gotten half of them lit, before Arrow simply walked up to the table, snapped her fingers and the rest of the wicks burned. Then they just tried not to look too embarrassed afterward.
"Alright, Gather round everyone! We need to do this before we burn the kitchen down!" Christin said.
It had been forever since someone had sang happy birthday to me, but it felt nice to hear it again. And the family was decent enough…sort of. Kate Christin and Arrow could sing, and the others weren't rough, but when you start the song in at least three different languages it kind of throws off everything. By the end of the song, half were laughing, others were trying to sing through their laughter, and the rest of us were choking on spit.
It was a great day.
By the time it was dark, I was ready to turn in having been all funned out for the day. No one stopped me from going upstairs. At least not until I was in my sleeping clothes and about to collapse on my bed.
I answered the knocking at my bedroom door, to find Arrow on the other side.
"Hey," I said.
"Hi, look I know you want to sleep, but I forgot to give you my gift," Arrow said.
"You didn't need to…"
"Nope. Trust me, you're going to want this one."
I sighed but gestured for her to continue.
Arrow smiled and pulled a file from behind her back, offering it to me. I took it, and my eyes narrowed at the sight one name when I opened it. 'Rebecca W. Barnes'. I looked at Arrow and she nodded.
It was my sister. The whole file was on my sister. I hadn't thought about Rebecca for months, and I did feel bad about that, but the likely hood of her being dead was high. Maybe I had been simply preparing to accept a world where she was gone. Yet, here in my hands, was her life story. As I read through the papers, I felt pride. Becca, had lived such a wonderful life. She went to college, became a professor in a time that would've hated her for it, gotten married and had three kids…I had nieces and a nephew…My eyes felt hot with unshed tears.
"Arrow I-I…Thank you."
"I've been looking for her, trying to find everything I could. Sorry it took so long."
"Don't be. It's nice to know she lived a full life."
"Living."
"What?"
"She's alive. She lives with her daughter out in Montana. Their house phone is in the file."
"I-I could call her?"
"If you want to, there are some things that you probably shouldn't tell her, but the options there."
"Thank you."
A/N:
I am so sorry for how long this took, and it is a little late. But what the heck! Here it is!