Maan, am I glad to get this one out. I haven't struggled so hard from a chapter for a while. But now it is yours, and I couldn't be happier! But, warning: this one is even longer then the little miss perfect one, so honestly grab your whole dinner for this one boys. Oh, and a heads up, I've since changed how they get into the training facility in the wonder woman chapter; it's a phonebooth now XD

But thank you to kingmonsters 1, caseyrhess918 and Princess Hinata Bug for favouriting and following!

Also the BIGGEST thank you's to the TWO (yeah, you read that right) fanarts I recieved from Tiffany1567 and Imagine-Nation-Studio! You guys are both darls and I legit cried when I recieved them, thank you both so much!

The breath froze in Lila's throat.

There were noises all around her—panicked screams, voices yelling over one another and a trampling of shoes—as customers fought to escape through the tiny door. The air was so warm, sweat beaded across her brow, and she couldn't be sure if it were because of the weather or the terror outside.

Her mind was still grappling with it. Her instincts were hot, fired up and tight, yet she hadn't moved from her spot. The redhead was slumped against the table, her palms pasted against the surface. A part of her remembered the glass shards that littered the top, but that part was buried beneath the captivity inside her.

The wide and jagged shards leftover from the window reminded Lila of a cackling mouth with teeth made from glass. She looked past those teeth to watch the source of inspiration fight those retched things. Blue Jay stood like a proud shadow, the sunlight weaving around her as she boldly declared her name.

Lila knew staying behind was stupid. It technically made her hypocritical since she'd scolded Arnold for suggesting something similar. But she couldn't help herself; the life of a superhero had always fascinated her. It filled her with a burning sensation that itched to find out more about the world this woman came from.

And her superpowers were wicked cool. Lila could remember when she first found out about them; she'd been at home, studying for a test, when Gerald had texted her. He had managed to film her first fight and when Lila had watched the video, she had almost fallen from her seat. Elation had raced through her and the world had spun, she kept replaying the video because one of her biggest fantasies had just come true.

Blue Jay's appearance had awoken something inside of Lila. An almost childlike wonder that she had buried, hidden beneath those glimmering smiles and crystal clean surfaces. She hadn't felt it since she was young and watching superhero movies every day. Her mother had never approved of it, she didn't like her daughter reading comics that encouraged violence, and especially didn't appreciate her seeing images that had women dressed so scandalously. But Lila had always dreamed of living in a world like that, of possessing something so extraordinary, something that set her aside from everyone else, that fighting crime was the only logical conclusion. And now, that very thing was happening.

To someone else.

The feeling hurt and she had tried burying it beneath the curiosity she felt towards the masked heroine, but it was always there. An ugly, nasty feeling lodged in her chest that turned her stomach into knots and almost made her sight blurry. It was silly, and she'd never admit it out loud, but Lila was jealous of Blue Jay. She lived a life full of fantasy and magic, while Lila was relegated to a nameless extra, stuck in a pit of helplessness she couldn't pull herself out of.

She knew it was selfish, but Lila wanted more then that. She wanted to be more than a nameless extra, a helpless victim who was stuck watching the movie unfold from the sideline.

She wanted to be in Blue Jay's shoes.

Lila gasped suddenly when a large creature wrapped its hand around the superheroine's bicep. The blonde's speech came to a halt, her face dropping, and she slowly turned around to the monster behind her. It practically curled over her like a giant question mark, and a paleness hit Blue Jay's face. Lila's body was shaking—she wanted to do something, damnit—when the towering figure threw the blonde into the air.

"Blue Jay!"

The masked heroine smashed into a large metallic dumpster. Lila paused, her eyebrows shooting upwards, and didn't know whether to laugh or worry when Blue Jay's body fell into the contents. She chose to worry when the woman didn't come back up and looked around powerlessly at the last of the customers pouring out.

"Aren't you going to help her?!"

It was a stupid question—hell, it was even unfair. They were ordinary, a word that made Lila grimace—what could they do? Still, a rush of anger flooded her veins when all she got for an answer was the door slamming shut.

Now alone, the silence pressed in on her and she wrapped her hands over her arms. That hollow feeling was back, burning and aching in her chest, and the weight of her uselessness crushed her.

Here she was again—waiting.

She ground her jaw, then turned back to the broken window. Blue Jay hadn't risen, and that sense of uselessness poured through her like poison. It was hot and thick, pushing until it reached her heart, then hardening and cracking beneath her skin. She hated this feeling—she got it whenever she was stuck watching from the sidelines. She wanted to fight, her body buzzed with the idea of breaking out and helping the masked heroine. Especially now that she knew who was behind that mask.

"They can't help Blue Jay, but you can."

It came from behind her—a feminine voice—and Lila whirled around. She was expecting the face of a young woman, but instead found herself staring at a black cat. It sat on the marble countertops, the fluorescent lights pouring over it like ribbons, with its tail rolling behind like a snake. It had large eyes trained on her face, and Lila froze. Because not only did she not know where that voice had come from, but this cat had a peculiarly humanlike stare.

And . . . were its eyes purple?

"Good evening, Lila. I am—"

Lila screamed, louder then she ever had, and threw herself back onto the table. She stared at those burning eyes, which narrowed with confusion, and stabbed a shaky finger in its direction. The words were frozen in her throat and her mind was racing so fast that she could barely see. Glass was cutting into her skin, but she couldn't give less then two shits right now.

"You—you—holy shit—you talked!"

The cat blinked—it blinked—and stared at her. "Yes . . . I can talk. Wonderful, isn't it? Anyway, my name is Nel and—"

"A talking cat!"

"Yes . . . I am," the cat's eyelids drooped when Lila's expression didn't change. "Do you need a minute?"

Lila's jaw was slack and a gasp so loud that it sounded like a croak echoed from her throat. She slapped her cheeks a few times then rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Because holy shit, had she been hit in the head? Or was there an actual cat in front of her speaking English?

There was a thud from outside that reminded Lila of the original problem, and the cat's eyes hardened. Its gaze shifted over Lila's shoulder before snapping back to her face. It apparently took her silence as a signal to continue—talking, that is.

"I'm a mentor sent to find Guardians who can defend this planet."

Guardians—that was how Blue Jay described herself. Not superhero, or a soldier, or even champion, but Guardian. Lila's mind was spinning, and she was taken back to that night they had worked together. She had been untransformed at the time, and Blue Jay somewhat explained the situation to her. Well, alright, Lila had explained the situation, but then Blue Jay had confirmed her suspicions.

Mahou Shoujo.

It had been a throwaway comment, but excitement swept over her when Blue Jay actually confirmed it. Because holy shit, that was awesome. Blue Jay really ordinary; she wasn't mythical like Wonder Woman or sent from another planet like Superman—she was human like her. But that excitement had become desolate when she realised that made her different from Blue Jay.

"Like Blue Jay?" she found herself asking despite already knowing the answer.

"Yes," the cat nodded, face tight. "And . . . I have reason to believe that you are one of them, Lila."

Her heart thundered in her ears and for a moment, her mind halted. That hollowness disappeared and was replaced with a new feeling. She felt disconnected from the rest of her body, and all she could do was stare into those large purple eyes.

"I—" she breathed. "Me?"

There was another noise from outside, louder then the first, but Lila didn't look away from the cat. The surprise from this cat's speech was slowly vanishing, the numbness ebbing away from her body, and she moved from the table and crossed the room. The shards fell like raindrops from her palms, some red, but she didn't feel the pain.

The cat—Nel, that's what she had called herself—held her gaze and nodded.

"Yes, Lila," she nudged something with her paw on the counter. Lila crept closer and laid her hands flat against the marble, a warmth leaking beneath her palms. It was lost on her as she looked at the object—it was a choker. "There isn't much time. You are like Blue Jay—a Guardian of great power. You are both destined to fight together and protect your home."

Destined.

Lila had heard this speech so many times. Not word for word, but of the same meaning. She had watched countless of shows about situations like this—an ordinary girl getting approached with a destiny she could hardly imagine. It always started out the same; a cute animal promised her power and adventure, and whether reluctant or not, she always took it.

Her face was numb, and her tongue darted out to wash her lips. Lila had watched shows like for a multitude of reasons. One of them being that they featured girls like her—young, not always intelligent like comic book superheroes were, flawed, and not always prepared.

But mainly, it was for her dream.

She had always desired a life like that—one of adventures and teamwork and liberation. Ever since she was little, she dreamed of living a life that was paved with hardships, and struggles, and victories. A life like that sent a buzz down her spine at just the thought of it. The life she desired would be so upbeat, so full of excitement and she would never know what to expect. It would catch her off guard, and only after analysing the situation—quickly but thoroughly—would she be able to climb out of it.

The idea that she—Lila Grace Sawyer—was actually worthy of living that life was positively thrilling.

She peered down at the choker again, studied the small beads of green threaded in the intricate loops. An explosion went off in her brain—the good kind. The type that varied more possibility then she could even be conscious of.

Because, despite what everyone thought, she didn't want to be ordinary. That word had always haunted her. She never wanted to be such a thing—never wanted to fade into the background like she was nothing. She didn't want to stay locked up, watching the skies and wishing for something more.

She wanted to be something more.

"Take this choker, Lila," Nel gently instructed.

Nodding, Lila obeyed and slid her shaking hands across the bench. She wrapped her fingers around the choker and a buzz of electricity swept through her heart. She had been waiting, holding on, for a sense of purpose to find her. She had been waiting for that justification as to why she was here—and now it had found her.

Wait for it.

That had been her mantra, the phrase she had whispered to herself as she fell asleep every night. The voices in her head had sung their doubts, calling her refusal to move an act of cowardness, and she had shoved them aside. Her decision wasn't born from cowardness, she wasn't standing still, she was waiting. She had been lost, searching for a reason for the longest of times. She needed that purpose, a justification, as to why she was still here and her mother . . .

She didn't realise her vision had gotten blurry until a tiny, black paw came down on her hand. She blinked and looked up into Nel's blazing eyes. Her pulse ran in her temples and a warmth pooled in her chest.

"Do you, Lila, accept the duties of a Guardian? Do you pledge yourself to fight alongside Blue Jay for the greater good?"

She could feel it—the warmth spreading from her chest and rushing down her veins. Her head felt swollen as ideas swept through her like a tornado. No longer was she exiled to keep waiting for a reason why she was still alive. This was her calling card—her reason—and there was a path awaiting her feet. And whatever was ahead would be a challenge, and there would be tears, but it was her adventure to take.

And so, she smiled.

"I must say, Lila, your room is quite the display."

Not for the first time that evening, I jammed my forehead into my hands and groaned. Nel didn't spare me a glance as she cast an appreciative look around the room. It was a few minutes until six—a good twenty minutes since we had arrived—and we still hadn't discussed any Guardian business. Hell, we hadn't even begun to discuss any of it.

Instead, Lila was too busy admiring herself in the mirror, checking her new get up from different angles with a dorky smile. It was absolutely infuriating, I just wanted to get this over with so we could head back home.

Instead, we were stuck here in Lila's room. Admittedly, it was a nice room despite its small size. The walls were beige like the living room, but her floorboards were bare. Framed photographs decorated the walls—some of her friends, more of her Dad and a woman I couldn't recognise—and one poster of Florence and the Machine. She had a small set of drawers on the right side of her wardrobe, and on top of that was a chunky vinyl player and a small potted plant.

Nel and I sat together on her bed, which was squished against the wall. The covers were plain, and her four pillows were decorated with tiny mismatched flowers. There was a purple knitted blanket folded at the foot of the bed, and a small coffee table pressed against it. There was another potted plant—this one with long, overflowing leaves—and small figurines of characters I didn't recognise. There was a large window against the bed, with a bottom frame stacked with thick books and more plants.

Actually, that would be how I'd describe Lila's room. If not vintage or minimalist, I would go with green—because there were a whole lot of potted plants.

The last of the sun glided through the window behind us and fiery patches hit the wall. The mirror Lila used hung next to the closet and was surprisingly covered in stickers. Most of them were of cartoon characters, but there were some flowers and hearts.

"Thanks, Nel," she said, beaming over her shoulder at us. She had taken the mask off (hence the admiration in the first place), and the sun washed across her new face. Her features were stronger than Lila's; she had pale skin, a sharper jawline and prominent cheekbones. Her eyebrows were that same shade of copper red and strongly defined above her green eyes. Lila had that sweet, innocent kind of beauty, while this version of her had features that were fierce.

"I especially like the additional fauna you've used for decorations," Nel continued, eyeing the greenery above the bed. "It gives the place a bit of life, doesn't it?"

The smile on her face became knowing.

"Yes, I quite like it too," she turned around to face us, and I rolled my eyes at her pose. Hands on hips, chin raised and shoulders back, she looked like a typical comic book superhero. "I didn't fancy the fake ones. I prefer the look and feel of real plants. But it isn't easy keeping them alive. Especially the Boston ferns—" she gestured up at the frizzy–looking plant hanging from the roof. "They're beautiful, but seriously fussy. I cannot tell you how many I've—"

"You are aware that you're talking to a cat, right?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

Nel turned around to scowl at me, but Lila just laugh and spun back to her mirror.

Oh, criminy.

"Are we interrupting you, Lila?" I asked, cheek against my fist. "We can go and come back if you'd rather admire yourself."

Again, Nel pressed me with a disapproving look, but I just shrugged. I was tired, bored, and still reeling from that fight. Hell, I was reeling from pretty much everything that had happened today. There had been so much development in both sides of my life. Good and . . . actually, it was mostly bad. I just wanted to go home and dine on a box of lucky charms and watch something stupid on my laptop from between my sheets.

Lila turned back with an apologetic grin.

"Sorry, Helga, I'm just . . ." she trailed off, her green eyes twinkling, and looking from her hands back to me. The pink smile on her face became exuberant. "It's so weird. I look so different, so unlike myself."

"Uh huh," I nodded. "That's the point of a disguise. We're not supposed to be recognised."

"Still, I very much approve of this look. Who designed it, Nel?"

The cat looked up. "Actually, Helga did."

My cheeks turned red, and Lila's astonished gaze snapped back to me.

"Criminy, Nel," I muttered, sneaking a look at that tattletale.

"Well, it's true!" she insisted then turned back to Lila, who rose both her eyebrows. "She had a problem with her uniform and, as such, decided to change them all!"

"Okay, furball, you're paraphrasing," I snapped then turned to Lila, who had an amused expression on her face. "I wasn't being taken seriously dressed as a Victoria's Secret model and the heels were making my job twice as hard."

Nel glared at me. "They were tradition!"

"I have blisters, Nel!" I barked, then whirled back around when Lila suddenly sighed. "What?!"

"This is just so surreal," she said, folding her arms over her chest and biting her lip. "We're quite literally superheroes, chatting with a talking cat."

Nel sighed, shifting her gaze to her. "This again, Lila?"

"Sorry, it's just—"

"No, don't bother, Lila," I said, smirking at Nel. "It is surreal."

The cat glared at me then turned away with her nose in the air. The action made me crack a smile and Lila had to cover her mouth to muffle the giggles. I imaged that, if Nel was human, she would be blushing now, because her eyes snapped between us with a defensive look.

"Right, well, I believe we owe you some type of explanation, Lila," she announced.

And then like that, the good mood had cleared from the air. The smiles fell from our faces, and a hard look crossed Lila's expression. She touched her hand to her neck and soon a bright light enveloped her body. I had to cover my eyes and a heat washed over my face. It felt odd when it wasn't coming from me, it merely felt like I was standing in the sun rather then being the sun. It vanished quickly and I dropped my hand, finding myself staring back at Lila's regular form.

Her braids flopped down her shoulders, almost unrecognisable to the intricate patterns they'd once been this morning. The choker was wrapped around her neck, and surprisingly didn't look too out of place. Lila wasn't really the type I'd expect to see wearing a choker—in my mind, I still saw them as gothic pieces—but of course, she managed to pull it off.

I paused when I noticed the tired look on her face. Right, I forgot that the first transformation usually takes a lot out of you, and Nel hadn't really warned her about that. I scooted to the edge of the bed and was about to jump to my feet when she lightly shook her head. Pressing her lips together, she shakily crossed the small distance to her bed, and sat in front of Nel. I rose my eyebrows, slightly surprised that it hadn't taken a toll on her, but she wasn't looking at me.

Her eyes were sparkling and planted on Nel.

"I'd very much like that."

And so Nel and I spent the rest of the daylight explaining everything to Lila. It was a lot more frustrating than I thought it would be. Turns out, Lila was one of those people who asked plenty of questions. Normally, that wasn't a bad thing, but she was so excited to get to the point that she wouldn't actually let us answer her. It was like her attention span had been cut in half or something. She was practically bouncing when we were on one topic, but then she'd changed it before we could finish it. And not only that, but she also kept making references to shows I'd never even heard of.

"For fuck's sake, Lila, who the hell is Kyuubey?!"

"It doesn't matter—just promise me you aren't him, Nel!"

Said cat spluttered indignantly. "I haven't the faintest of what you're talking about!"

And because of that, we didn't actually get to finish until darkness had firmly settled over Hillwood, and my stomach was rumbling.

"It's almost time for dinner," Lila noted, glancing down at her watch before fixing me with a friendly smile. "Did you want to spend the night, Helga?"

"Nah, I'm supposed to pick up some milk anyway."

I'd been so focused on Lila, and then Arnold, that it had escaped me that Bob had asked me to pick up some milk today. Well, ask isn't accurate—demanded was more like it. Anyway, he informed me this morning that yet again, we were out, and I should be the one to get it.

Totally not inconvenient or anything.

"Milk? Isn't the shop quite far from here?"

"Yeah," I said, shuffling off her bed. "Hence why I should be going now."

"Are you sure, Helga?" Nel asked, waddling across the bed, and stopping besides Lila. The redhead watched me curiously, her hands folded politely in her lap. "Lila's right. It might be smarter to stay here."

And for some reason, that statement sent a spark of bitterness curling in my stomach. I pressed my lips shut, pulled my bag on, and shoved my fists into my pockets.

"Yeah, no. I think we can all agree that it's been big day and I, for one, would like my beauty sleep," I rolled my eyes and turned back to Lila. "No offence, Lila, but I'm not up for giggling and braiding each other's hair."

She rose an eyebrow but shrugged and got up to escort us both out. Her Dad—Michael was in when we reached the living room. He looked up from the TV—a broadcast of today's events—and spared us a tight lipped smile. I waved slightly as Lila rushed us both to the door before he could notice the black cat. She held it open enough to let us out, then leaned against it with a small smile.

"By the way, Helga," she said. "I like my uniform."

I crossed my arms and looked away. "Yeah, well, don't mention it—ever again."

It was bad enough that Nel had snitched on me. I didn't need Lila going around tattling that I was some type of fashion fanatic or whatever. Although, to be fair, it's not like she had much to base these claims on.

Unaffected, Lila leaned her temple against the door frame. "Sooo, what are you going to do about that jumper?"

I froze, images filling my mind like hot flushes. Oh, shit—fuck, I had totally forgotten about all of that. Now I had to give Arnold back his stupid jumper even after everything that had happened today.

"What jumper?" Nel asked curiously.

My face was warm, I pinched my nose and let out a long breath, one that did absolutely nothing for my nerves. Lila cackled at the look on my face and I was about to tell her off when my brain lit up with an idea.

I put on my best smile. "Hey, Lila—"

"Nope."

And I gaped. "But . . . you're—"

"Not the one in love with him," she shrugged while Nel looked between us like a confused child. "You should be the one to give it back, Helga."

Wow.

Talk about a bitch.

My fists went to my sides and I scowled. "You're no help, Sawyer."

She grinned. "Well, where would the fun be in that, Pataki?"

She closed the door after that—a wise choice, considering I was about to go off on her unsupportive ass—and Nel and I headed down the hallway. Our footsteps were muffled by the green carpet, so we were completely coated in silence until Nel looked up.

"Do I want to know, Helga?"

"Nope." I shook my head. "Not in the slightest."

I was so fucked.

The next morning, I was late.

It wasn't a surprise. I hadn't even felt much when I had realised. The sun had been streaming through my windows when I rolled over to look at my phone. And a dull sense of dread hit me, rather then a jolt of panic, when I realised I was behind. Nel didn't even open her eyes as I scrambled around the room looking for the pieces of my uniform.

"Why didn't you wake me, Nel?"

She rolled over. "I told you not to eat those lucky charms for dinner, Helga."

Oh, please. That had nothing to do with anything. I hadn't gotten to sleep because everything in my life was moving so quickly, and my mind was still struggling to keep up. I'd been restless trying to figure out who the other Guardians could be. Lila made sense, even without her quick adjustment. She was eager, stubborn, and had a mean backbone.

So, that left two more, and my head had been spinning to figure them out. I didn't know many people outside of school, so the potentials were unfairly lesser. At the top of my list was Arnold—I mean, obviously, he was the most noble person I knew, and his heart was utterly breathtaking. Next was Lzzy Hale, because she was badass, and this is my list. Then, it was Nadine because she was smart, super pleasant, and generally awesome.

. . . and that was it.

Okay, so it wasn't that impressive—and one of them I didn't know—but in my defence, I didn't actually know what made a Guardian worthy. Nel had never told me what traits separated the Guardians from everyone else. And then that had started me off on a tirade trying to figure out the answer to that mystery.

All in all, it turned into a mess, and I couldn't sleep until the morning. But regardless, it was because of that which led me racing down the street, pulling my hair into my twin ponytails. That being the list making and pondering and only that, it had absolutely nothing to do with that stomach ache that hurt like a bitch.

Rounding the corner, I gripped onto the stop sign and sharply swung around. There was an ugly noise as my palms burned, but I came to a sharp stop when I spotted Arnold outside of his house. Well, okay—Arnold and Gerald, but still only one actually counted. The moment my eyes slapped onto him, my heart was prancing in my temples and a nervous flurry twisted in my stomach. They were both talking and glancing at the phone in Arnold's hands, they didn't even notice me. Something I was totally fine with, by the way.

So, swallowing, I walked down the street to the front of his house. My face was growing hotter the closer I got, but thankfully neither boy looked up. Arnold wasn't wearing his blazer, leaving him in his white shirt, and it kinda made me feel bad. I mean, the sun was shinning and everything, but still. I'd forgotten to bring his jumper because I'd been scrambling around to get ready.

It was annoying considering I'd actually washed it last night. I'd even done the unfathomable and texted Olga about it. Yeah, while I'd been picking up the milk, I had messaged the neat freak to ask which was a good detergent for a knitted jumper. Because there was no way the Pataki household had something like that. Olga had already been online and got back to me instantly, offering to call me. But I told her I was pressed for time and needed an answer right away. So, she named her favourite brand and given me specific instructions on how to use the washing machine if I didn't plan on doing it by hand.

And of course, I had forgotten it.

Stupid lucky charms.

I came to a stop a few feet from them and turned to face the park across from us. My chest was pounding, and I was repeating the mantra to myself—don'tlookathimdon'tlookathimdon'tlookathim—but I couldn't resist peeking over my shoulder at him. He was still watching his phone with Gerald, who grinned as he pointed to something in the video. The sun washed from behind Arnold, tangling from his hair and giving him an angelic glow. His blonde locks were hanging over his eyes again, and there was that charming smile curling his lips, and all I could do was stare. He was just so . . .

He suddenly glanced up and met my gaze with a surprised look. I stopped, my heart leaping into my throat, and totally forgot how to breathe. So, I was just staring him like a complete dork with a frazzled expression.

A few seconds passed when even Gerald looked up. He let out a small groan but still uttered a 'good morning, Pataki', which honestly surprised me. And then a soft smile spread across Arnold's face and he nodded, eyes tranquil.

"Hey, Helga."

I released a breath I hadn't been aware I'd been holding and felt my shoulder slightly slump. I thought I had done something wrong and I couldn't take any more of that right now. Because I swear, if I did one more humiliating thing in front of Arnold, I was never taking this bus again. I mean it. I would transform as Blue Jay and swing to school every day, I do not care what Nel sa—

Wait, maybe I should smile back.

I moved my mouth into what I hoped would be a socially acceptable smile, but from the perplexed look on Gerald's face, I probably just looked constipated. And then Arnold's eyebrows snapped together in a bemused fashion and I felt my soul shrivel up inside.

Okay, that was it, I was officially no longer taking the—

A scream from deep within rattled between my ears. My teeth locked together, and I clutched the sides of my head as if that would do anything. Fuck, not now, I—

A warm hand came down on the back of my neck and I looked up into Arnold's confused stare. His eyes were pressed, swirling with a radiating warmth, and he leaned in closer.

"Helga, are—"

"Jesus, Pataki," Gerald breathed, peering around his best friend's shoulder. "What's with you?"

My pulse was racing so quickly that I wasn't even bothered with how Gerald had said that. My body was moving before I gave it permission and I found myself pulling away from Arnold, stepping backwards.

"Um, I—"

"Helga, where're you going?" Arnold asked, stepping closer with a slight frown. "The bus isn't here."

My tongue felt several sizes too big, I could barely get any words out.

"Well, I—"

"Yeah, and what the hell was that?" Gerald raised an eyebrow, but held up his hands defensively when Arnold pressed him with a hard look.

"Um, I—err, well, I . . ." I looked around when I noticed the textbook in Gerald's arms, and felt something snap in my brain.

"Forgot my book!" I stabbed my finger in the direction of said book, and both boy's blinked and looked down. "Yes, I, erm, forgot my book and, whaddya know? Gotta go back to get 'em."

I flashed a grin—bad choice, considering how well that had gone last time—and was about to leave when a hand hooked around my elbow. I wasn't surprised this time when I turned around to Arnold peering down at me with confusion.

"Helga, you can just borrow mine," he said, almost phrasing it like a question, and raising his eyebrows. Because yeah, it wasn't the greatest excuse, but I was pressed for time.

"Yeah, and also isn't your house in the other direction?" Gerald pointed out, cocking an eyebrow.

I stopped, realising the direction I had been subtly steering myself in was towards the park across from us. Oh, criminy, was I stupid? I swallowed thickly and gently pulled my elbow from Arnold, raising my hands in defence. And because I'm an idiot with a shit tonne of bad luck, the laugh I forced out was so awkward and loud that both boys stared at me bizarrely.

Yeah, no wonder I hadn't had any friends for the longest time.

"That is an excellent point," I spluttered through my choked laughter. "Man, who would've thought?"

Gerald stared at me like I was utterly braindead. And, for once, I wasn't mad, he may actually be onto something. "How could you forget the way to your—"

"Sorry boys," I gave them a final wave with a smile that hurt my cheeks. "Gotta go!"

And with that, I dashed off like a dog with its tail between its legs.

Minutes later, I was hurtling across the streets, following the screams.

I was led further into the city, where the buildings grew taller, but the streets were wider. The sun was still rising, so the sky was hazy and almost lavender, the rays reaching from the east, which was where I was headed. There were some people already on the streets, snuggled up in slightly warmer clothes, but they stopped what they were doing to point when I raced past them. There were mystified looks on their faces, and some even put their bags down to take pictures or videos of me. It irritated me considering that that had been the exact opposite of what I had told them to do.

Eventually, my feet connected with the top of the streetlight, and the hooked end of my wires were used to keep me from falling off. The breeze was light against my skin and tousled my braid, I held a hand to protect my eyes from the sun.

I spotted the Mutant kicking its feet against the shelter at the bus stop. The passengers screamed, picking up their stuff and quickly scrambling. The Mutant was a towering figure with four long arms topped with smoky claws. It had a gaping mouth that covered the space between its chin and neck, edged with tiny yellow triangles, spraying out spittle as it roared into the sky.

A drowsiness crept up my throat and I couldn't hold back a yawn.

It was too early for this shit.

"Hey, Blue Jay."

I sharply turned to a transformed Lila crouched beside me. I yelped, accidentally yanking the wire back into my wrist, and almost lost my balance. Her eyes popped open and she grabbed onto me before I could fall. Slapping both hands onto her wrist, I gritted my teeth at her sheepish smile.

"Lila," I hissed, "Don't do that."

Her mask moved, her eyebrow raising beneath it. "Should you be calling me that when we're out on the field?"

Field—criminy, did she think this was a lame video game?

"Well, it's not like you gave me a name to call you when we're out here."

She paused, her eyes slowly light up with that realisation. "True," she admitted with a shrug. "I'll have to work on that."

I rolled my eyes and reattached my wires against the streetlight so I could wrench myself from her grasp. She slightly rose her eyebrows, but her face fell when she noticed the Mutant. It was hollering, swinging for a civilian, but thankfully they were quick to duck beneath and run away.

"Is that the Mutant thing?"

"No, Lila, it's a funny man in a costume."

She frowned, a predatory look sparking in her eyes, and she crouched slightly lower. "So, do we just stab it then?"

"Yeah, but sometimes they have specific weaknesses we need to find. Otherwise, our blades wont' affect them," I said, and scanned the Mutant before sighing. "Well, what do you think—Lila?"

But when I looked back to my side, Lila was no longer crouched beside me. I blinked—a few times, actually—and turned back to the Mutant's direction, my jaw dropped. The black blur dashed down the street, heading for the monster, which now had a little girl wrapped in its claws. She was crying, her tiny face red and scrunched, as the Mutant stood to its full height—which was mighty tall. She was wailing and calling for her mother, who was being held back by several frantic–looking bystanders, which gave the Mutant easy access to her energy. The yellow mouth slipped into its mouth and soon the girl's eyes began slipping shut.

Shit.

I hurled my wire and swung myself to the ground. But it was all so abrupt that I lost my balance and collapsed onto my hands and knees. It stung, and I clenched my jaw and jumped back to my feet, racing down the street. The sun was shining so brightly, its glare broke out from the other end of the street, and I looked to my side. There were civilians watching safely from shop windows, their faces pressed to the glass and their eyes glued to Lila, who was much further ahead. I looked up at her, noticing her rod extending in her hand and a dull shine from her blade before it was thrusted into the Mutant's side.

It cried out and fell to its knees with a thud, flinging the girl's body into the air. The mother screamed with horror, and the blur darted after her, using its rod to propel itself into the air. I squinted, trying to capture the movements, and watched as Lila twisted her body until the girl was securely in her arms. The sunlight flowed from behind them like ribbons, transforming them into sleek silhouettes. Lila landed on her feet with a thud, squeezing the rod with one hand so it shrunk, and twirled it between her fingers before pinning it against her leg. A frown twisted her face and she bundled the kid under her chin before dashing off. I tried skidding to a stop when the Mutant's body exploded, shattering into s burst of sizzling air.

It crashed over me and sent me flying backwards. My head smacked into something metallic before my body dropped into something warm and disgustingly squishy. My eyes shot open when the smell hit me, and I realised that—yet again—I had somehow managed to land in a dumpster.

Plop!

Annnnnd there was that fucking banana peel.

I ripped it from my hair, grumbling under my breath, when I heard a commotion from outside. Clapping—there were people applauding. My heart stuttered and I shakily climbed up the walls, peeking over the top to watch the scene in front of me.

It was Lila—even with a different face, that pleasant smile was still the same—surrounded with admiring civilians. They had come out from their hiding spots with surprised smiles as they surrounded her with an applause. The noises turned to cheers when Lila handed the sleeping child back to the mother, who was sobbing her gratitude to the superheroine.

"Thank you so much!" she sobbed, and Lila placed a comforting hand on her shaking shoulder. "I don't know what would've happened had you not been here!"

My fist crunched over the edge and a low growl came from my lips.

Had it not been for her?

"Hey, Molly, did you hear about the new superhero?!"

"Aw, no way, Serena, that's wicked cool! Lemme see a pic!"

I held my breath behind pursed lips as the short, long–haired blonde flashed her auburn-haired friend a picture from someone's instagram. The pair sat a few benches away and I could easily see the picture of Lila—much more flatting then anything that had been taken of me. It had been a little after she had handed the woman her child back; someone had called for her to look in their direction, and when she had, she'd flashed them her award–winning smile. The breeze had been blowing softly, and the sun's rays billowed from behind her, so the result had been almost professional looking.

The girls then showed each other some articles, which were mostly dedicated to the mysterious appearance of this mysterious superheroine. Blue Jay was mostly relegated to a footnote if she was even mentioned at all.

Yes, I had already skimmed some articles.

"Despite how super cool it'd be," I heard Nadine say from next to me. "You can't blow things up with your mind, Heller."

I paused and shifted my gaze in her direction. She had her jaw in her palm and watched me with twinkling eyes, her smirk knowing. It pissed me off, so I turned away from her, glaring out the window. It was shining brightly outside—it was absolutely beautiful—which made me just want to punch something. What was up with all the cheeriness this morning?

"Ooh, someone's in an uber bad mood today," she whistled, impressed. "I haven't seen that vein since primary school days. What's got ya so wound up?"

"Nothing," I snapped, glaring at her. "And I don't have a vein."

"Sure you do, dude," she grinned, pointing to an area in my neck. "Right there. I even named him—Barry."

"That's an ugly name."

"It's an ugly vein."

I glared at her. This was the girl I had put on my list? Well, she was definitely on the bottom now. My finger twitched, wanting to touch the side of my neck, but not wanting to give her the satisfaction. Her eyes glimmered and her smirk became lazy; she reached into her neon bag to pull out a plastic bottle.

"Want some water?" she asked. "Too cool off."

"I do not need to cool off," I spat, then snatched the bottle from her. She blinked with surprise at the force, but I didn't give her an apology. I unscrewed the lid, ready to down the water, when—speak of the devil—Lila walked through the door. She was giggling at something Savannah had said, clutching her books to her chest, looking like the epitome of perfect. The rage snapped back, and my hands tightened into a fist around the bottle. The plastic crunched and water sprouted from the top, slapping both Nadine and I in the face. She flinched, the water sliding and dribbling from her nose, and frowned with confusion until her eyes slid in Lila's direction. Shame curled in my stomach and I turned away, dabbing the water from my face and eyelashes.

Nadine raised her eyebrows, a knowing smirk on her lips. "Ah, I see."

"What?" My face was warm, and I dropped my gaze when she looked back. "You see what?"

She smiled and began mopping up the small puddle on the desk with her knitted sleeve. "You jellin' over red again?"

I scoffed, despite the tightness in my chest.

"I am not 'jelln'," I said, using hand quotes, and crossed my arms. But then I noticed the way Lila's eyes glimmered when she saw someone passing their friend their phone, showing an article of this morning, and my hold tightened around my biceps. Her hair was out, shifting around her shoulders, and against her neck was that choker. There was a silence and I looked back at Nadine, who smiled and opened her mouth to say something, when I interrupted her. "And I do not have a vein."

She dropped her pointing finger, then crossed her arms with a pout. "Kill joy."

I rolled my eyes. "You started it. And what do you mean again?"

Her eyebrows knitted together, and she looked at me like I was truly stupid. "Dude, you serious?" she asked flatly. "You've always been green for her. Especially when it comes to you–know–who."

Oh, Jesus.

"Criminy, does everything have to come down to him?" I mumbled to myself, leaning back in my seat and massaging my temples. "It's not like every emotion I feel has to do with a guy."

Although to be fair, it wasn't entirely unjustified to pick apart this conclusion. Before all of this, that had been exactly how I felt towards Lila—jealous. Not just for her looks or her way of making people love her, but because she never even had to try. From day one, she had managed to snag Arnold's heart, a feat I could never do to this day.

But for once, this had nothing to do with that.

"Well," challengingly, Nadine raised her eyebrows. "What's it about this time then?"

There was more chatter now. The voices were followed with smiles and excited eyes that lit up with every new report and video that popped onto the phone screens. Lila sat with Savannah, across the room from Nadine and I, but I caught the knowing smile when a girl passed Savannah her phone. There was a look in Lila's eyes as she palmed her cheek and whispered excitement to her friends.

"Nothing," I muttered, and caught Lila flashing me a quick grin. "Nothing at all."

"—so, I've been thinking about what you said—"

"What did I say, Lila?" I muttered, rubbing my head which was now wracked with a major headache.

Somewhat reluctantly, I eyed the green apple in my hand. It wasn't much, especially when compared to Lila's lunch. She had a pastel lunchbox in her lap that had three sections; one had chopped carrot and lettuce slices, another some white rice, and the larger some rolled up wraps. My stomach silently grumbled, and I quickly moved my gaze when Lila's eyes snapped back.

A hot flush coloured my cheeks when I felt her gaze slide from my face to the apple in my hand. I looked up from my eyelashes at the sky surrounding us. White clouds blossomed against the blue and moved with the breeze that swept my ponytails from my shoulders. The air was so warm and gently, it ruffled my shirt and caressed my flushed cheeks.

"About the name thing," she eventually said, looking away from my food with a strange look. "I don't have one and, well, I'd like one."

I wanted to roll my eyes and I couldn't understand why. It was reasonable, she couldn't keep going nameless and it was getting confusion to keep calling her the same thing on the field—fighting, I mean when we were fighting. But for some reason, those words tightened in my chest and all I wanted to do was mimic her in a childish voice.

"Right," was all I said.

She paused, her forehead furrowing with a frown. There was a spare moment as she waited for me to ask but when I didn't, her mouth moved slowly. "So, I've been thinking about some potentials and, well I have a few."

"Cool."

Tossing the apple, I bit into it with a soft crunch. The sour juices filled my mouth as I chewed, and when it slid down my throat, my stomach folded around it with famine. Right, I forgot how hungry I'd been, which had absolutely nothing to do with my eating lucky charms.

Lila stared at me, the line between her brows growing deeper and deeper until she eventually cleared her throat. "Um, I'll just read them out now," she said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small sheet of paper.

I rolled my eyes because really, she decided to go for something like a list? Talk about tacky.

"Okay, so here's number one—The Dart," her eyes shimmered, and she smiled. "Now, this one—"

"Next."

"I—what?" she blinked, turning to me. "But I haven't—"

"Hate it. Next."

"O–Okay, sure," she was slightly frowning when she looked back at her list. "Um, number two is Legacy."

I pursed my lips.

It was nice sounding, and typically referred to something being left behind, which made my mind buzz. Did she mean something by it, or had she just picked it because it sounded nice? Did she think of herself more deserving to be remembered, for her name to be passed down from generation to generation through tales of her greatness?

"Next."

"Um, Hero."

"You're kidding, right?" I raised my eyebrow and she shook her head. "Why?"

"Well, I don't know—I like it," she murmured somewhat defensively and glanced down. "I mean, it is a legitimate name, you know. Shakespeare once used it in—"

"It's tacky, Lila. What's number four?"

"Blade."

I stared at her. "They literally made a movie with that name."

She glanced down at her fingers. "Yes, but it sounds quite threatening, don't you think?"

Yeahh, not so much.

I squared my shoulders and glanced back at the sky. It echoed with songs as birds soared and spiralled like paper planes. I tossed the apple up again then took another bite.

"What else you got?" I mumbled between my crunches.

Lila wrinkled her nose and glanced down at her crumbled list, then up to the sky with a blank look. "That was all of them."

Swallowing, I sighed and pinched my nose.

"Were they really that bad, Helga?"

I felt bad when I looked back to her. Her lips were tilted downwards, and her eyebrows were pressed as she watched the fluffy clouds. Her amber hair waltzed in the warm breeze and wrapped around her neck like a fiery curtain. She looked so desolate, guilt punctured and swelled in my gut. I had forgotten how seriously she had taken all of this.

I mean, can you blame her?

Right—right, of course. Sometimes I myself forgot the alienness (pardon the pun) of this whole situation. Hell, sometimes I forgot how dire this all was. Of course, Lila would take it seriously, and of course she would want to plan out a name and not just blurt out the first one that came to mind.

"—it's Lila, for God's sake—she's perfect."

And then I remembered it all—how quickly everything came naturally to her. Everyone was pulled in, like a magnetic force was wrapped around her being, and compelled to love her. No matter how hard I kept working on something, everything just came easily to her.

Little miss perfect.

And suddenly, I wasn't so sympathetic anymore.

"Yeah, they sucked," I stood up from the bench. She turned back, her eyes following as I finished the rest of my apple and the bell rang. "Better get back to the drawing board."

She frowned, rising to her feet, and I turned and headed for the trashcan. It was next to the double doors and rang loudly when I chucked away the apple core. I swung my bag onto both shoulders, stuffing my shaking hands into my pockets, and turned towards the doors. I could hear the shuffling as Lila shoved away her lunch box into her leather bag and feel her gaze on me the entire time.

"But Helga—"

"Seeya at training."

The rest of the school moved agonisingly slow, which got worse when the headache didn't leave. There weren't any injuries that plagued my body, yet something equally was dragging me down. It was almost a tiredness, stretching over my skin and sinking into my brain, where everything became numb and cold.

It didn't help when Arnold approached us as we were waiting for our bus that afternoon. His eyes were soft, a different type of warmth thrived in them as he gazed at Lila, asking whether she was catching their bus. She shrugged, explaining that she wanted to check out a café with me, and he blinked, as if just realising that I was even there.

Yeah, that one stung.

Of course, it had been a lie. We weren't actually going to any old café—as if I were even in the mood for that—but another training session. Arnold had seemed slightly disappointed at the lie but bid us both a happy trip and headed back to his own line with Gerald. The actual trip had felt so much longer then usual, mostly because Lila wasn't getting the hint that I wasn't up for a discussion. She was so excited that she didn't even realise that I had snuck my earphones in. Oh, and don't get me started on how she reacted to how we were supposed to actually get into the training facility.

"Helga, it's a phone booth—like Doctor Who!"

"Lila, please—get in."

When we actually managed to arrive, I had been more then relieved when Nel allowed me to sit in the control room with her. She wanted to focus on developing some basic skills with Lila, before teaching us how to work together. It was totally fine with me, and I soon found myself sitting behind Nel as she worked the system.

The cat had her head down, a hard look on her face, and ran her paws along the keyboard in front of her. Lila was on the other side of the window, transformed, and fighting against the holograms that sprung up around her. Her teeth were borne, the rod spinning in her hand, and thick spirals of air followed her movements as she ran.

I was sat snug on the couch against the back wall. Surprisingly, despite how dark and dull it looked, the couch was actually quite comfortable. I sighed, snuggling deeper into the plush fabric and basking in the warmth. The headache—well, everything actually—had left me in a bad mood, it was nice to just sit and relax for a moment.

"This is quite nice, Nel," I said, and truly meant it. There was something neat about the control room that I had never noticed before. The floors weren't black like I'd thought, but a blue shade of grey and carved so sharply they looked like they were made from ice. The walls matched and were carved with sharp strike—the same language on Blue Jay's knife.

The keyboard Nel was using wasn't ordinary either. The buttons didn't jut out, but was completely flat against the board, nothing more then small squares of light. They reflected hot in Nel's eyes and her shadow stretched against the roof.

"Do not get so comfortable," she cautioned without looking up. "This is just for getting Lila off her feet."

I rolled my eyes, and despite my judgement, found myself getting up from the couch. Folding my arms, I crawled across the room to watch the redhead. She was in the middle of the room, surrounding by four hologram that were much larger than before. But not an ounce of fear or worry touched her face; the rod swung between her hands and she bounced on her toes before running.

She headed for the closest one—swinging on her toes, she threw her rod against the ground and launched into the air. The breath caught in my throat as she spun and swept her foot against the opponent's head. The hologram fell, smashing against the ground, and she landed on her feet.

Her hair flopped into her eyes and her lips pulled back, revealing sharp teeth. Fingers coiling around her rod, she launched the weapon over her shoulder and straight into the hologram's body. There wasn't a scream, but the image quickly fizzled from existence. Her chest was heaving, and she drew in deep breaths when her eyes flickered to the side, her ears catching onto the footsteps from behind.

She spun around and swept out her rod, catching the approaching hologram square in the shoulder. Her nose wrinkled and she sucked in a breath, before shoving her foot against the hologram to free her weapon. She swung her rod down to her side, an intense concentrated look on her face, before dashing off for the remaining holograms.

"She's a natural," Nel uttered, the light from the keyboard twisting around her face.

"Sure is," I muttered, hands curling around my elbows.

A cry came from her teeth as Lila ducked, yanking her rod into the ground, and swinging her body around over the tiles. Her feet hooked around the hologram's angles and the thing toppled over. I rose my chin, staring at her with a growing amount of haze that burned in my chest.

I wanted to make a comment when a shriek came from all around me. It bellowed from every corner of my mind and I clamped my hands down onto my ears. A grimace covered Nel's face and the hologram's disappeared with a zap.

"Another attack," she forced out, teeth gritted.

The door flew open and Lila burst through. Her eyes were wild, dry pants heaving from her ribs, and she looked between us.

"You need me to go after them, Nel?" she asked, squeezing her rod so it shrunk back into its dormant state.

Nel shook her head. "No, Lila, you still need to train," she turned her head in my direction. "You can, Helga."

"What?!" I threw my hands to my sides, reeling backwards. "But Lila—"

"Is training," Nel finished with a disapproving frown. "You aren't. You can take care of them today."

I always took care of them.

I stared at her, a thick anger coursing through me, and she glared right back. Her eyes were like metal, hard and unrelenting, and a tension filled the air. The seconds were stretching with Lila looking between us, appearing more and more uncomfortable. But when a full minute had passed, I turned away with a low breath. There was no use fighting it, it seemed there was no need for me here.

A blurriness edged into the corner of my vision, I blinked it away. Fuck it—I didn't even want to come in the first place.

I gave her a curt nod, swept my bag from the couch, and marched for the door. Lila smiled and laid a hand on my shoulder when I passed her.

"Hey, Helga—"

But I swept by her like she was nothing, not even sparing her a glance. Something burned deep in my heart, pushing through the rest of me and making my hands shake. A muscle in my jaw twitched and I made sure to slam the door extra loudly.

So much for teamwork.

The next day left me absolutely seething.

People were quick to get out of my way as I stomped down the hallways. My fists were clenched by my sides, and my mouth screwed shut. The look on my face must've been intense considering the reaction I got were people dropping their gazes and looking away. My bag was hanging from one shoulder since the other was racked with such pain.

Last night, I had thought there would only be one Mutant to fight. I had noticed people's phones out, recording the terrorising, and I had put on my best smile and stepped from the dark. I had decided to announce myself, making my voice loud enough, when another Mutant had snuck up from behind me. It threw me so I landed on my shoulder, which still hurt like a bitch. I hadn't thought much of it at the time—I'd faced worse—but it wouldn't stop throbbing when I woke up. And when I had looked into my mirror, I realised there an ugly bruise covering the side of my collarbone.

It was so sore, I could barely move it without experiencing white hot flashes of pain. The whole thing left me in a pretty bad mood, and I had little to no patience left. Nel would've scratched my eyes out if she had found out that I'd transformed and swung to school as Blue Jay. But my shoulder had been hurting so much that I honestly couldn't care less if someone had seen me.

"Helga!"

Oh, criminy—come on.

Lila's face popped up and I reeled back. She was smiling widely—yeah, I bet she felt absolutely chummy considering it hadn't been her getting thrown around—and didn't seem aware that, once again, she had forgotten about my personal space.

"What do you—"

"Look!"

She shoved a torn newspaper article into my face. I reeled backwards and frowned. Her hands were shaking with excitement and she bounced on her toes, so the words were jumbled messes. Rolling my eyes, I snatched the article from her hands, and she released an excited squeal as I scanned the title.

"Isn't it so cool?!"

Another Superhero sweeps Blue Jay from her feet!

Oh—oh. So, even after that fight last night—that one that I had shown up to—all they remembered was yesterday's stupid fight. And, I'm sorry, but sweeps who off her what? My fingers dug into the crinkling paper and I scanned the article. It had been hastily torn from the actual paper, and deep creases ran down from where Lila had folded it in her pocket. The seconds ticked by and I could feel myself growing more and more agitated with every new word.

It was mostly a recount of what had happened, while throwing in some speculations on what this meant for Hillwood. It had a few interview lines from the mother but kept going back to compare the costumes between the superheroes. And then it ended on a pondering note, asking if Blue Jay and she were comrades, or rivals.

Grinding my teeth, I shoved the article back into Lila's chest, who blinked with surprise.

"Great, Lila," I murmured and stepped around her to continue down the hallway.

"Are you alright?" she asked, effortlessly keeping up with me. Not a surprise, considering that was her power after all.

"Fine."

She fixed me with a disbelieving glance, running her gaze up and down my face. "You don't look fine."

"Well, I am."

"Fine?"

"Yes, Lila."

"And not jealous?"

I halted so suddenly that Lila almost ran into me and swung around with my heart into my throat. Lila blinked, jumping back with surprise, and shoved the article back into her pocket.

"Jealous?" I barked out a laugh that swelled in my throat. "Why would I be jealous?"

She shrugged. "You tell me."

"There's nothing to tell."

She rose her eyebrows and pursed her lips. I rolled my eyes, tempted to walk away, but stayed because I knew from her stance that she had more to say. And even though I wanted to do literally anything but listen to her, I knew if I tried leaving, she would just follow me around.

Like she always did.

"Soooooooo," she pursed her lips, tilting her head. "You're not jealous?"

My chest was tight, but I nodded with a sigh. "Yes."

"Yes, you are?"

"No."

"But you said—"

"No, I said yes," I attempted to cross my arms, but my shoulder flared with pain. "I'm not jealous."

Even if she constantly followed me around and managed to achieve more then me. No one knew her name yet uttered I more then Blue Jay's. I had spent so many nights alone, suffering and bleeding, yet they were being pushed aside. I had been pushing myself beyond my limits to fight so my lack of powers wouldn't be a disadvantage, yet somehow, everything was coming back to her.

Like it always did.

Frowning, Lila opened her mouth to say something when Arnold approached us from the side. His cheeks were flushed, and he had that excited smile on his face that made me pause. Something inside me melted, and my mouth twitched into a smile, when I noticed his phone that he flashed at the both of us.

"Have either of you seen the new superhero?" he asked, pointing at the shaky footage from yesterday. It was taken from one of the stores; Blue Jay wasn't anywhere to be seen, but there was Lila. She flipped through the air to catch the child and landed firmly on her feet. The surrounding voices were cheering as Lila nestled the girl in her arms and dashed away.

Lila's eyes brightened. "Sure have, Arnold," she stepped forward with a smile, clasping her hands in a prayer formation. "Seems awfully astounding!"

"You're telling me," he grinned back and shoved his phone into his pocket. "She seems so awesome!"

It shouldn't have, but his words hurt. Even when he wasn't aware it was her, Arnold was enamoured with Lila. She had a different face, but his feelings for her had remained, and she was all he could see. I didn't know if it hurt that I had fought so hard to be cast aside, or if it was because even as Blue Jay, he still picked her.

I was just never enough.

"Fantastic."

He paused, his eyes flickering towards me, and the smile dropped from his face when he read my expression. "Helga, are you okay?"

"She—Blue Jay, she protected us against that thing—whatever it was. I just . . . it's admirable."

"No," I said, but when alarm hit his face, quickly added, "I mean yes! Yes, I'm okay."

It rang false, and my heart throbbed, but I schooled my face into a blank, pleasant mask. If I kept this up, everything could hopefully numb and I could continue with my life.

"Are you ever so sure?" Lila asked, but her face wasn't revealing like Arnold's. It reminded me of my own, blank and controlled, her guarded eyes darted across my face. "You seem a little—"

"I'm not."

Every time she opened her mouth, it made it harder and harder not to burst. There was so much thriving through me, I just wanted it to go all away. Her eyes narrowed and she snapped her mouth shut. Something was in the air, it was tight, brittle and unbearable. Neither of us looked away from each other, and Arnold looked between us cluelessly.

"Um, I—"

"Hey, guys," Gerald—of all people—decided to show up with a giant grin. There was a black phone in his hand that displayed a paused video. "Have you heard of the—"

"Criminy, you too?" I threw back my head and ran my fingers through my hair. A stuffiness was clogging my chest like a smoke, and I tried swallowing the emotions stuffed down my throat. "Who cares? Why does everyone have to keep talking about her!"

The fury moved behind my eyes and I clamped my mouth shut, pressing my fingers to my temples to reel in the anger. Lila's eyebrows raised, an unreadable look on her face, and Arnold watched with a parted mouth. Gerald, on the other hand, frowned and stepped back, raising his hands, and revealing his screen. And now that I could see it, I realised that it had nothing to do with Lila.

"I . . ." he glanced at Arnold, who shrugged with confusion, "was just gonna say they dropped the new Wonder Woman trailer."

The breath slipped past my lips and I shut my eyes. The anger was melting away, leaving a heavier feeling that weighed down on my shoulders.

"Helga, are you sure you're okay?"

A hand came down on my shoulder and I jolted away. The muscle was seating and I had to bite down on my tongues to hold back my cries. Arnold's eyes were wide and full of surprise, his mouth twisting to the side.

"Helga are you okay?" he asked in a steady voice, eyebrows knitting together. "I can take you to the nurse's office if you're not feeling okay."

I panicked.

"Yes!" Wait—fuck. "I mean no!"

There was a pause as they each stared with confusion.

"No?" Arnold slowly repeated.

"Yes, I mean no!"

The confusion deepened, and they each tilted their heads.

"Oh, forget it!" Hands curled into fists, I spun around and marched down the hallway. My shoulder was still throbbing, but that was beneath the layer of anger that burned bright when Lila appeared back by my side.

She raised both her eyebrows. "So, yes?"

"Yes."

"You're jealous?"

"NO! Now stop that!"

There was another attack that night.

It was unsurprising at this point. Nel was about to send me off to handle it when she noticed the soreness in my shoulder. She paused, her eyes shifting, then decided that Lila should take this one. My response should've been acceptance, to have nodded and headed home to soak in the tub, but instead I took it as a challenge. A burning glared in my chest when Lila swirled that stupid rod with a smirk, and before I had even realised it, I was declaring that I was going.

And that was how I had found myself here—on the streets, scrambling around in the night air, and fight against more then seven Mutants. Well, okay, it was Lila actually fight the Mutants. Me? I was standing on the sidelines, knife in hand, and waiting for any type of opening. But any time I had a chance to spring into action, Lila swept up like a hurricane and slayed the Mutant. It was like she was keeping me from fighting, which did nothing but churn the anger suppressed in my system.

Nel, as usual, was watching from the sidelines, her sharp eyes flicking back and forth with every one of Lila's movements. The redhead was in between the last of the Mutants—two of them. She spun her rod with a hard look on her face, as if she were in some lame action movie. Her fists wrapped around the middle before she thrusted the bladed end into one of the Mutant's sides.

The last Mutant—a shadowed creature with shrivelled skin—froze from where it had been charging for her. Its eyes widened when the blade shot through the other creature's body, and then it turned and fled. My mouth dropped as the creature lowered to all fours and rushed away, its claws clattering against the pavement.

Lila! Nel shouted, and when the girl looked up, she gestured to the fleeing Mutant. Can you—

"No way, Nel!" I shouted and shot off after the creature. "This one's mine!"

The air whizzed passed me as I followed the Mutant; it ran like some type of crazed dog. Its mouth was frozen wide open and a strange howl echoed into the night. It shook its head as it ran, and spots of salvia darted across the gravel. I made a disgusted sound, hoping over the patches, but soon lost my balance. My heart was in my throat as I fell and quickly threw my palms out to catch myself.

The impact scrapped some of the skin across my hands and I hissed. The knife clattered to the ground and my braid flopped over my shoulder. I heard Nel shouting my name and scrambled back to my feet. There was a slight spinning, but I ignored it—Lila wasn't beating me this time.

The Mutant ducked into an alleyway and I followed. The area was doused in shadows and the walls stretched for several stories. My chest was aching, but I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the dead end.

I had it cornered.

Yet it wasn't slowing down. The Mutant reached the end, grabbing onto the wall, and I cried out as it began skittering upwards. The building was several stories high, but it was moving so fast, it was like it was still covering even ground.

So, I didn't stop either.

"Blue Jay!" I heard Nel cry from the end of the alleyway. "Wait—"

I slammed my foot onto the wall and tried running up, but gravity grabbed onto me. I squealed and slammed down flat on my back. An unpleasant warmth rung out through my bones and all I could do was stare up at the sky.

Nel winced. "Ouch."

Aw shit," was all I could choke out. "How—how come she can climb walls and—and I can't?!"

"Because," Nel's face shot into my vision and I slightly jumped. She was standing over me, her face upside down from mine, and levelling a deadpanned look. "You're an idiot."

I frowned, it was a rhetorical question.

Another strangled noise came from above and when we both looked up, the Mutant had almost reached the top. Its hand gripped the ledge and it was about to pull itself up when a black boot stomped onto its fingers. The Mutant howled, and Lila leaned forward over the ledge, pressing more weight against the hand.

"Don't you think it's rude," her green eyes glowed against her black mask, "to leave when a party's just getting started?"

I frowned. That dance metaphor was totally my thing.

Lila gritted her teeth and stormed again. Screaming, the Mutant lost its grip and fell back those several stories into the alley.

"Aaaaaaaah!" Nel and I screamed, but she was a lot quicker to scurry away. I hadn't even managed to roll onto my side when the stupid Mutant slammed straight into me.

"Oof!"

The wind was socked straight from my stomach and I was left wheezing against the Mutant's wrinkled shoulder. The back of my head had knocked against the gravel and a hot throbbing lanced my scalp. The Mutant lay unmoving on me, and despite its supposed fragility, the weight had my legs pinned against the ground.

"Oops," I heard Lila utter, and looked up to her watching from over the ledge with a sheepish expression. "Sorry, Blue Jay!"

Oh, sorry my ass.

And despite the fact that I was absolutely wracked with pain, or even that I had a blood thirsty crushed against me, I could still hear Nel snickering from behind. I gritted my teeth and raised my hands out in front of me. A bright blue light sprung from my body, pouring across my limbs like a fabric, and lifted the Mutant into the air. The shadows scattered as the light rose high and higher, clouding the alleyway with its radiance. The distance was getting so large that the Mutant was almost back at the ledge when Lila suddenly leapt from it.

She twisted her body and dragged her bladed rod across the Mutant's flesh. It caught me off guard and the forcefield vanished. The body was descended through the air and I yelped, scrambling back onto my feet.

Lila landed next to Nel, who was crouched at the end of the alleyway. They both watched with slack jaws as my feet pounded against the gravel in their direction. Their eyes darted from me to the Mutant body and then the next thing I knew, sound was crashing from all around me. A wall of heated air slammed into my body and I was literally swept from my feet. The scream was stuck in my throat as I flew down the alleyway. The world was spinning and exploding around me, and I registered the split second of panic on both Lila and Nel's faces before—

"WAHHHHHHH!"

A flurry of pain hit every part of me. My face slammed against the concrete and a crushing weight smashed into my shoulders. The wind was knocked from me and I lay there, paralysed and unable to breathe. There was something furry and squishy beneath my stomach—Nel, and she was groaning. My cheek was pressed to the ground, and my heart echoed in my ears. Lila groaned, and I tried moving my head, but her foot was pressed again my jaw.

"I—" I wheezed. "I hate you."

The next day was agonising—and not just because I was still in pain. No, that certainly left me in a poorer mood than usual, but it wasn't what made the ice so thin. It was the fact that no one would shut up about this 'mysterious new superhero'. People gushed about her like she was the Queen of fucking England and how she had taken down more than one Mutant, and even saved Blue Jay.

Excuse me while I hurl.

Oh, and of course Lila was soaking this shit up.

"This girl is super cool, Lila!" Arnold gushed, stars shining from his eyes. He was sat in his usual desk at the back, scrolling through his news feed. And little miss perfect herself was propped on his desk, a rosy grin on her face as she scanned the text on his screen.

"I know," she placed her hands on her knees, her legs dangling from the ground.

"She's the best thing since sliced bread!"

"She is not!" Rhonda and I both shouted from opposite ends of the class.

And the fact that it was raining today didn't make it any better. Normally, I actually liked the rain, but today my patience was truly reaching its limits. I wanted to escape to the roof for lunch for privacy and, maybe if I was quick enough, leave as Blue Jay. But thanks to the rain, I actually had to sit inside the cafeteria for lunch. I didn't like eating in here regardless, but today even less so. I wasn't in the mood to put up with Lila, or even her table full of fanboys.

Not that she seemed to notice. Their table was even more crowded then usual, there were more of their friends gathering to chat about last night's fight. I could only see the backs of people's heads as they gushed about the new superhero. Lila sat in the middle of it, that bubbly smile on her face as she chatted happily with them all. She must've said something absolutely hilarious because soon everyone was laughing. Except Arnold, who watched her from across his shoulder, that soft smile on his face.

The sight made me roll my eyes, and I passed their table without another glance. I chose to sit up at the back, right next to the glass door. The rain slid down the panels like tears and ghostly chills swept over me. This table seemed so much larger with its empty seats and for a moment, I was back to pretending that laughter filling the air was for me.

I stared at each of the seat and released a breath then sat down. The seat I chose had its back facing the rest of the cafeteria so I could watch the world outside the glass. The sun cowered behind the clouds and the sky was silver, leaking rain drops that formed rippling puddles. Rain pattered against the roof, sounding like applause—like fate was saying good job Helga, this is why you have no one. I blinked against the blurriness in my eyes and turned that voice out. It didn't matter, it never mattered that I had no one, I was Blue Jay and I—

No one gives a shit.

I froze, raising my eyes.

All they cared about was Lila. Same old, same old. It had been like that since the beginning, why should I expect any different now? My throat burned and I lowered my chin. Right, of course. I could put in all that effort and things would always stay the same. People would flock to her, and I . . .

My lips curved into a smile.

After everything that had happened—becoming Blue Jay and all—I was still back here. Sitting by myself and pretending those surrounding voices were friends.

Pathetic.

The ache buried in my throat was so tight, I tried swallowing it, but it wouldn't go away. Clearing my throat, I reached into my bag and pulled out my lunchbox. But when I came back up, low and behold, little miss perfect was there, gracing me with her presence.

She stood across from me, an awkward smile on her lips. "Hi, Helga."

Pursing my lips, I didn't say anything.

"Why are you sitting here?" she asked, wrapping her arms behind her back, and stepping closer. "Didn't you see us? We're over there."

I opened my lunchbox and held my breath at the single apple inside. I'd been so tired this morning that I'd only managed to pack one thing. To add insult to injury, the apple was bruised on the right side.

Great.

"Helga?"

I sighed and slowly turned to face her. Her eyes slightly faded, but that pleasant smile remained, and that infuriated me. Lila was someone who had perfected masking her true feelings. She may seem like someone who was all daisies and sunshine, but there were many things that she kept beneath those smiles. And it infuriated me that she had the nerve to approach me with this façade—hell, it infuriated me that she had approached me at all.

"Mustn't have seen," I simply uttered with a shrug.

She paused, her eyes slightly narrowing, and her smile slowly dropped.

I breathed through my nose, looking away. It was ridiculous how quickly this anger was filling me. It was like every time I looked at Lila, all these memories came rushing back. All those hours I had thrown into my training, all those days I had slumped back to school with injured bones, and all those times I had to keep pretending I was fine when I was nothing of the sorts. I had suffered things she could never imagine, things she never would have to herself, and here she was, acting like it was a game. She didn't take her duties seriously and somehow it was her getting all the credit.

She always got everything.

"Helga, are you alright?"

And like that, something inside me snapped.

"Am I alright?" I barked out a laugh, and she clamped her lips. "Oh, I'm fantastic! Great! Excellent!"

There was a pause.

"You don't seem like it."

"Oh, but I am!" I slammed my lunchbox shut. "I'm happy, really—happy as a motherfucking lark!"

I shoved the lunchbox into my bag and pushed back the chair. The metal scrapped across the ground and she cringed. She looked uncomfortable, eyes darting around the cafeteria, but I could care less. I shot up from my chair, realising how quiet the cafeteria had gotten, and rolled my eyes. Of course, another day when they couldn't mind their own fucking business.

No wonder they liked Lila.

Swinging my bag onto my shoulder, I stalked from the table and straight passed her. I didn't spare her another glance and the air suddenly became heavy, like everyone was holding their breath. All I could hear over the pounding against my ribcage were my feet stomping against the floor.

"Hey, Helga—wait!" her hand latched around my wrist. I twisted it from her grasp and whirled around. She took one look at me before her face twisted into a frown. "What is your problem? Why are you so angry with me?"

"Why am I angry with you?!" I repeated and laughed. "Maybe it's because I can't do a single thing without you being up my ass about it! You're so nosey and have to get into my business about everything! Well, news fucking flash, not everything concerns you! So just shut up and leave me alone!"

There were some sharp intakes of air.

"You're seriously mad because I'm concerned about you?" she repeated in a low voice. "Helga, we're friends!"

"No, we are not!" I shouted. "We're not friends and we never were! I only hung out with you because I had to!"

The words hung in the air and a heavy silence crashed over us. The only sound was my heavy breathing, I clenched my fists tight. They were shaking—no, I was shaking. The tremors were rolling down my body, getting colder and colder.

I shouldn't have done it, but I looked around anyway. My stomach dropped when I saw all the faces turned in my direction, frowning with differing levels of disapproval. I stepped back, my heart in my throat, recognising some of the ways they looked down at me. It was almost down from their noses, like I was beneath them, and suddenly I was taken back to months before. Before any of this Guardian business had happened, when people looked down on me, and I really was alone.

Alone.

The realisation was like needles to my brain, and I slowly glanced back to Lila. The breath in me hitched when I didn't see an understanding or even pleasant smile, but instead a pair of narrowed eyes. She stepped backwards, pressing her lips together in a hard line, and it all came down on me.

I had just yelled at the one person who put up with me. Lila was stubborn, she hadn't let my shitty behaviour push her away. She had sat through my tantrums, nodded as I hurled insults at her, and still decided that I was someone worth befriending.

And now I had pushed her too far.

And like that, the fight just drained from me. It left me empty and aching, and shaking fingers wrapped around my elbows. She didn't say anything, just stared at me with hard eyes, and I lowered my head.

I'd said too much.

I tried calming my breath as the waves of hurt and exhaustion rolled over me. But there was no point, I knew that everyone here—everyone in this large cafeteria—was staring at me with contempt.

So, I did what I did best.

I got the hell out of there.

The fog was pressed against the window.

Crunching my lip between my teeth, I drew my blazer tight across my body and pressed my knees together. It was pointless though, considering how cold the room already was and that my legs were bare. I was sat on one of the desks beside the windows, with my legs dangling over the floor. My bag was slumped against the desk and my gaze was out the window. The glass was hazy with rain slithering down in waves from the outside. The rain on the roof still rung like an applause—yeah, you deserve it, moron.

I watched those raindrops with a solemn smile. No one had come to find me, which was good—that was how it should be. They belonged in that world lit with smiles and sunshine, and I belonged here. In a weird way, I almost felt free. No longer was I bound by people's worries or concerns. I was free to do anything. I could disappear right now—go out into the rain and never come back—and no one would bat an eye.

"What was that about?"

My breath hitched and I turned around to Nel, standing in the doorway. I wanted to yell at her—what did she think she was doing, hanging around the hallways? But who was I kidding? Everyone was either in the cafeteria or the teacher's lounge.

"Jesus, Nel," I murmured. "Don't you have some scooby freaks to hunt?"

"You were really harsh out there," she said, coming inside. She leapt onto the desk across from me, sitting down, and pressed me with a piercing stare. "What possessed you to say such cruel things?"

My lips twisting to the side, I looked back out the window.

It was stupid since Nel wouldn't drop it, but it was the only response I had. I couldn't lie to her—say it was nothing and that she was making a big deal out of nothing—because there was no point. I wasn't a good liar to begin with and especially not against someone like her.

She scowled. "I'm waiting."

"Criminy—she's fucking perfect, okay?" the words were out before I could register, and I froze. When I looked back at Nel, I was surprised at the lack of judgement in her eyes and found myself continuing. "Lila—she's . . . she's always been a fucking ace when it comes to things. She's smart, everyone loves her, and she's fucking beautiful! She's . . . everything that I'm not."

My voice wavered, and Nel's gaze softened.

"It's . . . it's no secret how much everyone hates me—" I laughed softly, looking at my knees. "—well, Lila was always my opposite. She doesn't have to work to get people to like her, she just does it naturally. And call me selfish, but this superhero thing . . . it ruined my life, but it was also the only thing I c–could do. The only thing people t–took notice of. I didn't have my powers, but I fucking excelled for a rookie and for once . . . I wasn't hated."

My throat was burning, and I realised that there were tears in my eyes. The anger was melting away, leaving a pain that twisted in familiar patterns through my body.

"Then she comes along—little miss perfect," I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. "And she's fucking great at it. You said it yourself, Nel, she's a natural. She's only been a Guardian for a few days, but she barely needs any training to defeat them. She . . . she's flawless."

The tears were running down my face. Shame curled in my stomach and I ducked my head. I'd never cried in front of Nel—hell, I hadn't cried in front of anyone in so long. It was humiliating. I had even sent Nel away the night my powers hadn't come back. I never wanted her to see me like this.

Weak.

I scrubbed away the tears with both hands and felt my chin tremble as I held back the desperate sobs. I couldn't look up—I didn't want to. I didn't want to see the disappointment in her face. She was my mentor, it was her job to toughen me up so I could continue fighting. I didn't want her to see me crying like a stupid kid.

She leapt from her desk and landed next to me. I flinched, the blood pounding fast in my ears. Shutting my eyes, I lowered my chin, so it touched my collarbone and my ponytails covered my face. My thoughts were whirling so fast through my mind, a constant endless vomit of words:

I didn't want her to see me, I didn't want her to see me, I didn't want her to—

A paw was on my leg.

My eyes flashed open.

"Oh, Helga," she was smiling at me, her eyes warm. They no longer were a metal, but a molten liquid that burned into mine. "You think you're expendable, don't you?"

I lowered my watery gaze.

"That couldn't be further from the truth," she said in a firm but gentle tone. "Helga, you've been the sole thing standing in the way of Acantha for the past month. If it wasn't for you, neither of us would be here to tell the tale. And you did it without your powers. You were only armed with your wits and a knife . . . you made it out—against even Serec. You should stop being so hard on yourself."

I paused. It was so strange seeing this warmth coming from her. I was so used to seeing that scowl etched with disappointment, or that authoritative command. But something flooded my chest—a warmth that snuck between the burdens that weighed me.

But I looked away, screwing my mouth to the side.

"If I'm so great . . . how come my powers even left at all?" my voice was shaking, and my fingers curled around the desk edge. "While hers . . . they're still here and she's thriving."

"Speed is hardly something you have to train yourself for," Nel said. "Yes, you have to get used to it, which Lila has done amazingly well, but it's not something that requires a mental focus. Not something like forcefields. She may be extremely quick in grasping her role but that should never speak ill of you. Her strengths should not equal your weaknesses and vice versa. You are both valuable, both strong and both very important."

The warmth was flickering in my chest—it was so light, almost feathery. The tears fell from my skin and I pressed a hand to my heart. There was a deep aching in my throat and my head was throbbing, but . . . something was different.

I rose my eyes to the water trailing down the window then back to the cat. She tilted her head, a soft smile on her face without a hint of disappointment. I smiled back, the burden slightly light but still pulsating in my chest. Because now that she had said that my mind had the room to flash back to the cafeteria—back to Lila. I could still see the anguish on her face as I shouted all that abuse at her.

I turned back to the window. "I really hurt her, didn't I?"

Nel didn't respond.

I didn't see Lila again until English—our last period.

She walked in with Arnold, the pair of them were laughing together. But they paused in the doorway when they noticed me, leaning against my usual desk and staring at them. My heart was frantic, and I wrapped my arms tightly over my chest as if that would muffle the sounds. The smile dropped from Lila's face and was replaced with a blank, unreadable look, while Arnold's face hardened. His eyebrows snapped together, and he nudged Lila away, the pair of them moved for their spot at the back.

My heart sank but I had been expecting that. I couldn't approach her until the end of class. So I kept my head down for the rest of the lesson. The thoughts accelerated in my head whenever a whisper hit my ears. And for once, I knew I wasn't just being paranoid—people really were whispering about me this time.

And for once, I didn't blame them.

The class felt longer than usual. I normally was so happy to be in this room, listening and learning new things about literature, poetry, or films. But every minute was slowly dragging by and the longer I sat there, the more and more sick I felt. My breath was still behind my lips and my head felt swollen. The room was spinning and by the time the bell had finally rung, my bones were shaking.

I pushed against the table, scrapping my chair loudly against the floor and standing to my feet. Footsteps slapped the floor as students practically ran to escape this room. The air on the back of my neck was cold and I realised that sweat had been sliding down my skin. My heart was hammering, and I let out a low breath, whirling around for Lila's table.

"Lila!"

The sun was flashing behind them like liquid gold, and I had to blink a few times to make them out. Lila hadn't looked up from packing up her stuff and shoving them into her bag, but instead Arnold's attention had been caught. His face snapped up to mine and he scowled, crossing his arms, and stepping in front of her. His shadow washed over me, and I paused, frowning.

"I don't think she wants to see you."

He said it so evenly, so devoid of emotion, like I was a stranger on the street harassing them. A hollow pain throbbed in my chest and all I could do was stare helplessly at him.

He stared back without apology.

His eyes really were like emeralds now—clear and hard. I felt like I could see into them for miles and miles, but nowhere within those bottomless depths was there a fault to his words. It made me panic and words began tumbling out of me before they even registered.

"What are you, her bodyguard?" I stuffed my hands into my pockets. "Get outta the way, I've gotta talk to her."

He raised an eyebrow. "Like I said, I don't think she's interested in talking to you," he said. I moved to the side, twisting around his body to look at her, but Lila's head was kept down. She wasn't objecting to anything he was saying, and my breath faltered for a moment before Arnold moved himself to shield her again.

"She's not interested, Helga," he hissed, voice lower. "Or whatever it is you call talking."

I froze, looking back up at him, and frowning. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"What the hell was that in the cafeteria?" his eyes glinted, and the iciness melted from his face. The line between his brows deepened and his fists fell down to his sides. "She was concerned about you and you—you—you—" I crossed my arms, raising my eyebrows challengingly. "—act like a total witch to her!"

"Careful, football head, you might hurt my feelings with that potty mouth of yours," I snapped, rolling my eyes. A blush soaked his cheeks, but he narrowed his eyes, pressing his lips together. "Look, I don't need to explain myself to you. So, for the last time—get out of my way!"

He gave a bitter laugh.

"You really haven't changed since elementary. I was beginning to think you might've changed, maybe realised how mean you had been, but—" he peered down at me and scoffed. "—you're the exact same as you were back then. You're a bully, Helga."

Knives speared my chest and all I could do was stand there.

A . . . bully?

There wasn't an ounce of regret in his stance. "And that's always going to be what sets you both apart—she cares about people, Helga, while you—" his eyes flashed. "—you only care about yourself."

My heart crashed against my ribs, stabbed through with his double edged words. Something spun inside me, and it made my fingers shake. I didn't know what to do, how to act—I'd never been on the receiving end of Arnold's anger. He had been frustrated with me before but never outright angry.

"She's always been a delinquent."

The hollowness was twisting inside me. It was etched with a sadness, like smog, and filled my lungs so much I wanted to gag. A faint part of me registered a door closing behind us, but it was background music to the chaos of my thoughts. They were sweeping through me like a hurricane, exploding with hot bursts of emotions.

Bully.

"I'm a bully?" I was laughing—I didn't know why, but suddenly I was cackling like he'd told me the funniest joke. Arnold paused, his eyebrows slightly pressing together, and his lips shifting. "Fine—fuck it, you're right! I'm a bully—fuck how I feel about any of this!"

The more I spoke, the angrier I was getting. Because how dare he—he didn't even know about half the shit I'd been through. No one did—surprise, motherfucking surprise. They all liked to act superior, so much mightier than me, but none of them had thought to ask why I'd acted like that. I could understand why Gerald wouldn't want to, but Savannah? Arnold? What had been stopping them, from finding me and asking if I was okay?

They're not your friends.

"Are you seriously thinking about yourself right now?!" Arnold snapped, throwing his hands up, and stepping backwards. Anger twisted in his features, creasing in his brow, and he looked at me with disbelief. "After what happened today?!"

They never were.

I smiled—cold and calm—and swung my bag onto the desk beside me. I could feel his eyes on me as I opened the zipper and pulled out his jumper. His eyebrows rose for a split second before I tossed the stupid thing into his arms.

I spoke through my teeth. "Stay away from me."

His eyes snapped to mine before I swung around and marched for the door. My mind was spinning, I barely even registered my fist wrapping around the handle or wildly wrenching it open.

"Gladly," I heard him say before I slammed it shut behind me.

The hallways were abandoned—everyone had already run for the school entrance—except one lone figure.

"Lila!"

She didn't turn and continued walking ahead until I popped up in front of her. She stopped, her eyebrows raising slightly, but her face was a smooth, blank canvas. There was a moment where neither of us said anything, just stared at each other, before the words practically vomited through my mouth.

"Look, Lila, I–I'm really sorry for everything I said, I—" I wiped my face. "It was fucked up of me. I was angry, and I–I just took it out on you and I—fuck, I'm sorry."

It brought on a thick spread of silence. My breath felt heavy and I clamped my mouth, holding everything back, and waited for a response. Her mouth twisted and I looked at her eyes to figure out what could be going through her mine. But they were blank—globes of blue steel—and I realised that I was too late.

"You don't have to come to training today," she murmured. "I'll be fine on my own."

She moved past me without another glance and stalked down the hallway. I could hear her footsteps disappearing around the corner but couldn't bring myself to turn around.

Lila had given up on me.

The shock was rippling, aching and twisting in my chest, and I dug a palm into my eye. My lips pulled back across my teeth, wobbling chin lowering, and tears curled around my face.

You're a bully, Helga!

Maybe he was right.

I chose not to take the bus that afternoon. It would be too crowded, much too small—a cage on wheels. The bus was always more enclosed when it rained, the air became heavy and fogged up the windows. I needed fresh air, silence to think everything through, and a small bus wasn't where I was going to get it.

I drew up my hoodie before walking out for the open gates. Gerald was glaring in my direction when I passed the bus line, and it only enforced my decision.

So, I walked—and walked, and walked, and walked. The sky grew darker and rumbled while rain poured over the city with a roar. It hit me like darts and the water washed down the streets like a river. The sounds of traffic came from all around me, and my wet footsteps slapped against the concrete.

The streets passed in a frigid blur. I didn't know where it was I was heading anymore. It wasn't my house, I was too far into the city for that. My body was on autopilot and eventually I ducked into an alleyway. The water trailed down the grimy bricks, settling into shallow puddles across the pavement. My fists were shaking in my pockets and I leaned back against the bricks, watching scrunched balls of trash float in the puddles.

My mind was reeling, unwilling to comprehend or process any of what had happened. The cold water slid down the bricks, soaking through my clothes and to my skin, but I could barely feel it. I had lost something, there was an emptiness inside me that was so painful that it became hard to breathe.

You finally blew it.

I didn't feel upset, just acceptance.

It made sense, I just wasn't that type of person. I wasn't the type of person you had lunch with, or met up for fun, or lay awake at night talking about our deepest fears. I wasn't like Lila—loved by everyone and surrounded by those I loved back.

I was her opposite.

Everyone was drawn to her—she was a good person. She could bring people's defences down with a smile and make them feel welcome. And Gerald—he was also a good person. He was extremely loyal to his friends and would fight tooth and nail to make you aware of that. And then there was Arnold . . . he had good judgement and an accepting heart. If he didn't like someone, there was always a good reason for it.

You're a bully, Helga.

I couldn't do any of that—smiles weren't natural to me and neither was kindness. I approached people with glares and fists and sent them running in the opposite direction. I wasn't supposed to be surrounded with people, I was better at standing alone.

And that was fine—no, it was good. It made it easier to uphold my duties. I haven't been on my A game, I'd been so distracted with everything else. And I couldn't keep affording distractions. I had barely managed to defeat any Mutants this week, if Serec had arrived while I was like this, we would've been done for. But now that I was alone, I could throw myself back into my fighting, back into my destiny.

You're a bully.

Destiny—what a strange concept. The idea that we all had purposes that were set in stone and were unable to wrench free from. I had never believed in it—hell, I had hated the idea of it. The notion that our futures were written in the stars was always so bizarre and restricting to me. It was like we had strings tied to our wrists, dragged around like puppets, while the stars controlled where we were supposed to go or who we were supposed to be with. I didn't want to be constricted like that, I wanted to control my own fate.

And yet, I always came back to fighting.

A bully!

Was that my destiny? To keep fighting, nothing else? Arnold thought so. A bully was someone who intimidated people and used whatever they could to scare them. And I hadn't exactly limited myself to just name calling when I was a kid. I was known for fighting others, it was the only thing I knew. Maybe that was why I had been chosen—nothing to do with what was inside me, but because fighting was all I could do.

A stupid bully!

Before I had become Blue Jay, I had given up. I was surrounded with a darkness that stretched as far as the eye could see. Without fighting, I had been unsure of what to do or where to go and stumbled blindly in the dusk. I had been left behind in people's shadows, head down and hoodie up. My life was a blank emptiness and Nel had brought some semblance of reason into it.

"—it's your job as a Guardian to protect your people!"

And when I had looked up, the world had its eyes on me.

"—had it not been for her, a lot more people would have been rushed to the hospital—"

I was doing the only thing I could do—fighting. Only now it wasn't against people, it was for them, and I had an audience—full of strangers.

I had found a purpose that didn't hurt anyone.

You're a bully.

No—I fought my way out of hell, I was always there for them—louder than the crack of a bell, brighter than fireworks shattering the darkness. I hadn't back down, fought until I could see stars. My powers had vanished, I had accepted the inevitable, and still continued to fight. Never bowing down and letting them trample over me. And when my tears were met with indifference, and my prayers faced with resistance, I picked myself up and became my own salvation, and I—

You can never seem to die.

I stopped, my eyes crawling up to the sky. It blossomed with silver, my vision blurred as the drops slid down my face.

And I smiled.

Yes.

And then there were screams—horrible, piercing screams. The rain was like ice on my face and I shifted my eyes to the end of the alleyway. The world was still moving, slowly and heedlessly. The car drove down the roads and people passed without sparing a glance at the alleyway. They were all so unaware, oblivious to the horrors happening somewhere in this city.

I slid down the wall, crouching on my toes behind the silver trashcan. The pin was warm against my fingers and something lit up in my chest. The idea of another fight didn't scare me, even if Serec showed up. This was my destiny—my purpose—the only thing I was good at.

So, I'll do what I do best—

You're a bully, Helga.

—I'll fight my way out.

My feet were flat on the roof.

The skyscraper was a monolith of steel and overlooked the city. The rain had picked up, so had the wind. The drops no longer fell from above, they slanted at an angle from the west. There was a lump in my throat, and I clenched my fists at my sides. My braid was flying over my shoulder and I raised my chin, swallowing the lump in my throat. My shoulders were squared, and I looked back and forth over the city for any signs of disturbances.

And then I spotted it.

Kiska park.

I flung my wire and swung from structure to structure. The wind was roaring, I could hear the thunder echoing from the clouds, and a familiar ache squeezed my chest—I remembered the last time I'd been at Kiska Park.

"That will never erase those years of abuse we've suffered from your hands."

I hissed and flipped down, sliding to a stop that sent a wave of dirt into the air. The Mutants snapped their faces in my direction and snarled. They were identical, tall creatures covered in indigo skin stretched so thin it almost appeared grey. There weren't any ears or eyes, and their large bald heads expanded and shrank with every breath they took. Their mouths were black, with sharp, diamond like teeth, and looked like they'd spent hours chewing on black liquorice.

There were too many for me to quickly count, but they weren't spread any further than the boundaries of this park. The park itself wasn't large; it was the shape of an oval, and across from the Kiska Theatre. It was almost entirely covered with sharp, crispy grass with big bushy trees that was skirted with red pavement. There were several benches each with streetlights next to them, which glowed against the grainy weather.

I glanced around, hearing the slow footsteps as each of the Mutants moved closer. I swallowed, reaching for my knife, when my gaze zeroed in on one of the Mutant's that wasn't moving. It had a woman in its hands—she had short hair, magenta lips, and a dark suit. The Mutant's wet mouth was open, sucking the yellow mist from the woman's parted lips.

It was the furthest away from me, but I needed to get to her.

Something flashed in my chest, and I threw my knife at the closest Mutant and quickly swung away. I landed on one of the benches across from the park, my foot pressing against the curved back. The woman's eyes had shut; I clenched my fist and punched the air, sending a barrier that slammed into the creature's shoulder. The Mutant smacked into a tree behind it while the woman fell to the ground. Gasping, I threw a wire and swung myself down to her side. The rain drizzled across me when my feet landed onto the ground and I crouched beside her. There were deep shadows beneath her cheekbones and her makeup was leaking down her skin from the rain.

I pulled her into my arms and slapped her cheeks, but she remained unconscious. Her head lolled to the side and her dark hair scattered across the grass. My shoulders slumped—I needed to get her out of here—when I heard several ferocious roars. I looked up at the Mutants that charged in my direction, their claws spread out, and the rain hurtling behind them.

I gnashed my teeth and looked down at the woman in my arms. I couldn't fight with her here, especially with her unconscious. Spreading my fingers against her back, I sucked in a breath and pushed out shreds of energy from my palms. The bright light danced across her skin and wrapped around her body. It buzzed around her, carrying her body through the silver air and away from the park. I slowly let my hands fall and the barrier followed my movements, lowering her until she was rested beneath the Kiska Theatre roof.

The fluorescent lights washed over her, and her head rolled forwards. She was slumped against the wall, protected from the rain splashing over the roof.

It would have to do.

There was a rustling from behind and I turned around. A large fist zoomed forward, and I rolled to my side, landing on my knees. My palms were pressed against the wet rain and I looked up to a set of claws lunging for my face. I reeled backwards, falling against my hands, then pushed myself into a backwards somersault.

I landed in a crouch, my braid slapping my cheek, and the rain poured down my face. The Mutant swung in my direction and I twirled my hands around in the air. My knife magically drove into the back of the Mutant's skull and it dropped to the ground. Shutting my mouth, I jumped to my feet and ran until I was far enough where the explosion wouldn't hit me.

The knife snapped back into my hands, and I pressed a hand to my chest to gulp down some air. The rain battered down my head, sliding between my hair strands and soaking my braid.

A twig snapped and I turned around to a Mutant lunging for me. I swivelled to the side and jerked the knife into its neck. The Mutant howled and fell to its knees, clutching its injury. I slung out a wire that wrapped around a streetlight and kicked off. The rain hurled with the wind into my eyes and the grass was grazing the side of my face—shit, I was flying too low.

My feet slammed into a heft weight that disappeared and I rolled around into a crouch. The wire snapped back into my arm brace, and I touched the side of my face, hissing. It burned, and there was a wet feeling that I knew wasn't the rain.

Shit, I was too distracted.

The knife snapped back into my fingers and I looked down at the Mutant at my feet. It was flat on its back, rubbing its head, its mouth leaking black liquid. Baring my teeth, I was about to fling my knife when I heard a hollowed groan from behind me. I looked around and my stomach dropped. One of the other Mutants had captured a man and had its hands wrapped around his neck. His eyes were wide and frantic, the Mutant's thumbs were pressed against hi cheeks, prying his mouth open.

Crap.

I gritted my teeth and jammed my knife into the Mutant beside me then scrambled in the boy's direction. The teeth of the explosion grazed my back and threw me onto my stomach. The air fled from my body and a searing burned the side of my face. The tiny rocks in the dirt had buried into the grated part of my face, and it fucking hurt.

Get up, Helga.

I reached for the knife that had fallen beside me and threw it in the Mutant's direction. It was like a spark of lightning that shot through the rain. I held my breath, waiting for it to make the hit, when the Mutant looked up. It must have sensed the quick movements because it jerked to the side before the blade could make its hit. There was a sharp ack! from the man, who flung his arms out, and the knife flew over the Mutant's shoulder.

Frowning, I pushed myself onto my hands and knees, and twisted my wrist. The knife spun in a long arc, changing its direction, and flashed into the Mutant's shoulder. It cried out and fell to its knees; I wrapped the man up in a glowing bubble before he could hit the ground. His head knocked against the blue walls and I could see his eyes fluttering shut.

Great, Helga, another one, I scolded myself. Now how could he get away?

My mind scrambled and I began directing the barrier to hover back to the theatre. The woman was still there, maybe I could drop them both of at the hospital after this. I would have to finish quickly then—

A crushing blow came down and sent me hurtling through the air. I landed on my hip with a freshy thud and a bolt of pain shot through my side. My bones shuddered, and all I could do was lay there, the rain hammering around me like nails. It slid down my skin, turning pink on the side of my face, and my heart raced against the ground.

Get up!

I pushed against the ground, propping myself onto my knees. I tried to breath, but the air wouldn't go in. Something swirled in my stomach and I was about to force myself to my feet when an explosion hit me from behind.

The force knocked me up before slamming me back down onto my elbows. The pain hit me like bricks, and I was left withering and rolling onto my side. Bolts of pain sizzled through me every time my ribs expanded with a new breath of air. The thunder boomed from all around, and I curled up, my heart throbbing.

Shivering—I was shivering. The rain that slid down my body was so cold, it was like I had been shoved into a shower of icy cold water. It soaked through my uniform, clawing at my skin, and the wind sharply whipped against my body. My heart was pounding, racing so hard that I couldn't hear anything, except that thunder.

"Helga, stop running away!"

No—no, I had to keep fighting.

I'll fight my way out.

No time for crying now.

I tried pushing myself up, but everything seemed so foggy—it almost didn't feel real. I blinked a few times, but when my vision had settled, something wrapped around my neck. I gasped, eyes snapping open, and struggled to wrench myself free when the force tightened. My body was pulled from the ground and I found myself staring into one of those featureless faces.

Its black mouth stretched open, and its tongue curled around like a wave. And then that lightning flash hit me; burning like I had a fever then vanishing and leaving me frozen. The air was squeezed from my lungs and a dizziness twirled across my mind. My stomach was rolling like I hadn't eaten in weeks and my lungs were suddenly so heavy. There was a glimmer of that bile–coloured yellow before my eyelids shut and a fog filled my head.

No, not a fog—more like a cloud. It was like a miasma pouring into my head, steaming and curling in the space between my ears, filling it until it was ready to burst. It was like a gentle chaos that breathed its air of misery, whispering sweet nothings into my ears.

I wanted to open my eyes, but I was losing more and more of my power. The water washed over me, sliding over my cheeks like tears, and licking at the heat raging beneath my skin. The sounds were muffled like I was drowning between waves and everything faded in and out like a blur.

"To me, Blue Jay represents a—I dunno—some type of protection?"

Pheebs.

"She's a sort of safety that we ourselves can't provide."

No.

I needed to . . . I needed—

And then it was all gone—I was falling. Everything felt so hollow and slow like I was suspended in time and space. It all swirled in and out of existence in perfect rhythm with the beating in my chest. A pair of arms were wrapped around me and my head knocked against something—a shoulder? There was a split second where wind rushed past my face before it all stopped, and my back was propped against something cold and hard.

A pair of hands glided across my face, gently grabbing my jaw, and there was a voice. It was muffled and hard to make out. It was like the sound was coming from above the surface while I sank deeper and deeper. My ears were ringing, and I found myself holding my breath to hear what was being said.

"—Jay! Blue Jay!" they cried. "C'mon, Helga."

My head was still full of clouds. I could feel the air pressing against my face, the coolness sprinkling against my skin, and the sounds billowing with the air. And then my body was aching—it seeped through, fizzling in and out like a lazy river—and my vision fluttered. It was filled with red, one like copper, burrowed with hints of green, and I clawed for that image—swimming for the surface and fighting against the pull.

My eyes shot open and I sucked in a large breath. A burst of pain hit, and I curled up, hacking, with tears streaming down my face. Head pressed against my face and sweat slid down my temples; a comforting hand curled around my shoulder.

I rose my watery eyes to Lila's transformed face.

"Lila—"

"Are you okay?" she asked in a deep voice, her eyes pressed and guarded.

"I—" I could barely feel my tongue. "Yes."

She furrowed her brow with disbelief when a sound jerked her attention to something behind me. I blinked, rubbing my eyes, and looked around—we were in an alleyway. The rain drizzled down the walls and hit the trashcans like hammers.

Lila was crouched in front of me, peering around the wall I was slumped against. Her eyes were hard, analysing the situation, and the bright of her nose was wrinkled. Her lips were pressed in a hard line and her short hair stuck to her face like second skin from the rain.

And without thinking, I blurted out, "So, how are you?"

She stopped, and I realised that it had been the wrong question at this given her time. Slowly, she turned her head back in my direction, appearing bemused. She looked at me good and hard before shaking her head and climbing back to her feet.

She stepped outside of the alleyway and snatched the rod from her thigh, whipping it out so it extended to her height. Her face was unmoving, and she wrapped both her gloved hands around the rod's middle and twisted. My eyes widened when the rod split into two halves and both blades popped out from the ends. They were longer this time, appearing almost like swords, and the silver flashed against the rain.

Her expression didn't falter as she twirled them around like a pro.

"Oh, wow," I blinked, utterly shocked. "Didn't know it could do that—is it new?"

"Stay here," she wasn't looking at me. "I need to get those people out of here."

I opened my mouth, but she had already turned into a blur, dashing down the street for the park. The fogginess behind my eyes as still strong, but I could hear the sounds—the cries, the slashes and the whooshes as Lila travelled like a ghost.

A small voice told me to listen to her, let myself rest for a bit before throwing myself back into the fight, but a larger one told me the opposite. I wasn't Blue Jay, this wasn't about me, there were people out there that needed me, I couldn't keep remaining useless anymore. I pressed a hand to the wall and use it to drag myself up to my feet. My knees were buckling, and I gritted my teeth, resisting the urge to rest. I was still a Guardian, this was my destiny—I wasn't giving up.

The ground was shifting, and my weight rocked back and forth. My nails scraped against the bricks, but I continued to move, fighting against the void that breathed down my neck. The sky was rumbling, and icy rain poured so thick they looked like curtains. It stuck between my suit and skin, squelching loudly in my boots, and my hair was like a wet rope hanging between my shoulder blades.

I stopped with a sharp gasp when I noticed the man from before. He was no longer underneath the Kiska Theatre, he was pushed up against the ground on his elbows, like he'd just fallen. The woman wasn't anywhere to be seen—Lila must've already taken her—and he had a dazed, confused look on his face.

The alleyway was across from the theatre and I quickened my pace in his direction. The closer I got to him, I realised that he wasn't a man at all—he was my age, a boy. He wore a large red hoodie and had long, ginger hair tied in a messy bun at the nape of his neck.

I stopped a few inches behind him, but he hadn't realised I was there, so I awkwardly cleared my throat. His face snapped up and a look of surprise registered in his expression. He was handsome, in a kind of wolfish way. He had high cheekbones and a hard jawline that curved sharply. His nose was straight, graced with dark freckles, and on either side were blazing hazel eyes framed with dark lashes. His lips were thin and naturally curvy, and they parted when I stuck out my hand.

"Blue Jay?" he said, in a low, husky voice that made me pause. He blinked a few times then looked from my hand back to my face before he accepted and let me pull him to his feet. "Wha–what happened?"

"Attack," I said in a voice that sounded a lot heavier. My throat felt cloggy, which I put up to the draining. Shaking my head, I stepped closer and laid my hands on his shoulders, and he blinked. "You need to get out of here—now."

His eyes widened.

"Blue Jay!"

Lila.

I looked over my shoulder and gasped when a tongue of fire hurtled straight for us. I pulled the gasping boy into my chest and flung us both out of the way. The air sizzled as the fire blasted over us and I tightened my hold around the boy, pressing his face into my shoulder. There was a hissing noise when the fire hit the pavement and we soon followed.

I twisted my body so I would hit the ground first, but we kept rolling until I ended up on top. My elbows were on either side of his head, my nose inches from his, and his eyes fluttered open. My braid swung over my shoulder, gliding his ear, and some loose hairs hung from my face. I hovered over him and scanned his face for any injuries but thankfully couldn't find any.

"Are you okay?"

He blinked, his eyes going wide as his gaze trailed up and down my face, before a pink spread over his cheeks. He clamped his mouth shut, a strange look now on his face, and frantically nodded.

Relieved, I breathed and looked over my shoulder. There was a Mutant that stood beneath the Kiska Theatre, but this one looked different from the others. It had eyes, gold and piercing, and large, bulging limbs with thick black claws that flexed by its sides. A tail snapped back and forth behind it, and its chest was heaving up and down. Something about its stance alerted me that it was readying for another attack.

I was on my feet in an instant, yanking the kid up beside me. The force shocked him, and he yelped, pulling his arm from my grasp.

"You need to leave," I stressed through my teeth. "Now!"

He opened his mouth when his gaze flickered over my shoulder. His brows furrowed, his lips shutting, and when he looked back at me, he was nodding. Relief slammed into me and he turned on his heel and raced down the street.

I turned around when he was out of sight to another ball of fire. It was immune to the rain, dancing red against the grey, and thick smoke trailed behind it. I yelped, falling backwards onto my rear, and the fireball crashed mere centimetres from my feet.

The wave of heat was intense, but before I could move another plume of fire descended for me. An embarrassing set of noises came from my mouth and I quickly backpedalled across the ground. These set of flames were larger than the last and when it hit the ground, it did so with an explosion. The light was so blinding I had to cover my eyes and the hot swirling air was practically oppressive.

A few seconds later when the heat had vanished, I opened my eyes to wisps of smoke curling and lifting from the ground. There were black scorch marks where the fire had landed, but the flames had completely extinguished. I didn't know whether that was because of the rain or because the blasts weren't supposed to last long.

Either way, I wasn't happy.

"Enough fooling around!"

It chuckled, a low and throaty sound. "Oh, I intend to."

It threw back its head, its mouth opening so wide it reminded me of a cartoon character, and a flurry of light burned from the back of its throat. The rain came down so hard that it was like we were surrounded by sheets, and against it the fire burned brighter. It occurred to me how drained I still was, far too weak to attempt a forcefield, and those fireballs were already strong. Fighting it head on would be stupid, I would have to buy myself some time. But the world was still spinning, the rain blending everything into a murky muddle.

The air suddenly grew hot as another shower of flames rampaged in my direction. It was much larger than before, a ball of flames that hissed so strongly the raindrops around it evaporated. It blazed against the silver downfalls and roared as it shot for me. The air washed over me—hot and dangerous—and all I could do was stare.

But before the flames could reach me, a pair of hands yanked me out of the way and the wind was on my face. My ear was pressed against a chest, my legs hooked over an arm, and I sighed, already knowing who it was.

"What did I tell you?" she demanded, her hair flying back across her face.

And honestly, my mind was still muddled, so I just gave her a sheepish grin.

It was so weird being at Lila's speed.

Everything was so fast, it was a blur that I couldn't make sense of. The rain flew past, and the buildings became indistinguishable. Yet her breathing stayed the exact same, like we weren't the ones moving, but everything else was. It honestly was like we were locked in our own world, one that made my stomach shoot into my throat from the fast motions. But then it all came to a violent stop when something caught onto Lila's ankle.

She screamed, and I flew from her arms. My shoulder rammed into the concrete and I tumbled across the ground. The sleekness from the rain made it all last longer, the world spinning before my eyes, until my head cracked against the pavement and I came to a stop.

The rain rattled around me, and something was trickling from my brow. My head was spinning uncomfortably, my stomach a churning mush, and I pushed myself onto my forearms. The trickling was on the same side as the graze, and when I touched it, my fingertips were coated in red.

I bit my lip.

Then, there was a scream, and I jerked up in Lila's direction.

"OW—fuckfuckfuck—JESUS!"

She was slumped against a fallen streetlight with her hands wrapped around her ankle. Her face was pink, scrunched with pain, and sobs burst from her mouth. Breath filled my lungs and I struggled to my feet, pushing myself until I was at her side.

"What's wrong?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

She didn't look up, her glimmering eyes were frozen on her injury, and her hair curled around her jaw.

"It's—shit —it's my ankle," she forced out between her sobs. "I think I—crap—I must've sprained it or something."

Fuck, this was bad. Running was Lila's entire power. She couldn't fight if one of her ankles was injured like this. We had faster healing factors then humans, but it would still be hours—at best—before she could walk again, much less run like before.

The silence became loud and the raindrops felt thick. They splattered across Lila's red face and melded with the tears that rolled down her chin. There was a growl and I glanced around at the Mutant opening its mouth.

Shit!

"Jump on!"

I dropped to one knee, and Lila threw her arms around my neck. My knees buckled but I rose up and shot out a wire with my free hand. I couldn't see where it connected but the next thing I knew, we were racing through the sky. The weather rumbled around us and pellets of water spat across my face. Lila's breath was washing over my neck and I could feel her shivering against me. I blinked against the rain and noticed a fence—approaching fast. Gritting my feet, I lifted my feet then slammed them down, planting myself safely on the railing. Then, I shoved off into a straight flip and landed in a crouch on a flat plane.

The impact cracked up to my knees and the air was rattled from my chest. I sucked in a breath, it was sharp and brittle, like the air was full of glass. The thunder rolled from the sky above and I slowly glanced around. We were on top of another skyscraper; the ground was sleek with rain and the entire area was enclosed with a fence that came to my hips.

The wire snapped back into my wrist and I gently set Lila down against the fence. It groaned against her weight, the linked chains folding around her back. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her fingers immediately wrapped around her ankle.

"Can I have your rod?"

Her eyes opened, surprise sweeping across her features, and she glanced up at me. Her hair was flat against her head, like she had swept it back and pinned it down with gel. I didn't know what she saw when looking at me, but it made her close her mouth and wield a simple nod. Her fingers seized the dormant rod from her side and placed it into my hand.

"Thanks," I said, surprised with how light the weapon was. No wonder she could spin it so easily, I'm pretty sure my knife weighed more then this. "Stay safe. Shouldn't be too long."

Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth when I turned away. I was facing the fence and gripped the railing, letting a low breath slid out from my mouth. My heart was pounding, and the side of my face still burned, but it was fine—this was okay.

Fight your way out.

"Helga—wait!"

I shifted my gaze down to her.

Her mouth had dropped, and panic twisted in her expression. Her fingers clung to the chains in the fence and she shoved herself onto her side to look up at me.

"You—you're not going to fight them alone, are you?"

The water ran crystal clear down her pale skin and clung to her eyelashes. Her face was frozen with a sick sense of horror and her eyes flickered from mine to my hands wrapped around the fence.

I smiled. "Lila, it's okay. I've been doing this for a while now."

My palms pressed down, and I jumped, sweeping my legs over the railing. I hung from the other side, wrapping my fingers around the chains, which shook from my weight, and pressed my feet against the building below. The wind threaded through my hair, which fluttered across my face like a ghost, the braid becoming more and more loose.

I shivered.

The rain gurgled down and swallowed the city whole. I could barely tell the sky from the ground apart; there were faint outlines of surrounding buildings and some city lights flashing through the downpour. I couldn't rely on just my sight, I would have to open up my other senses to land safely.

"Wait!"

I looked back over my shoulder.

Lila had managed to stumble to her feet and leaned against the fence. Her hands were gripped on both side of mine and her eyes were glistening.

"Helga, you've been drained."

"I'm okay, Lila."

"Oh, shut up," she snapped, and suddenly she was glaring at me, her brows drawn together. "You're stumbling for fuck's sake—a–and you're bleeding, and there's so many Mutants. Just stop—think about yourself for a minute!"

My smile turned solemn.

I hadn't stopped thinking about myself all week—complaining about having my limelight stolen, letting those articles twist my mind until I could only see one thing. My vision had become a tunnel, swirling and spinning with ignorance and narcissism. Instead of celebrating that I was no longer alone, I had focused on Arnold's shifting attention. I hadn't even taken the time to realise that it wasn't just me standing in the way of destruction, but now it was her as well.

Because I hadn't been thinking of anyone but myself.

But the different between now and then was that I was no longer myself. I wasn't Helga—a teenager who lived and thought for herself and never gave anyone else a passing glance. I was Blue Jay—a Guardian who had sworn herself to protect everyone.

Helga was a name for me, but Blue Jay was for the people.

"Just wait, alright?" Lila pleaded, her voice growing quieter, like the fight was draining from her. Her eyes were round, boring into mine with alarm. "You never do that, you just jump into things without another thought, a–and it always almost kills you."

You can never seem to die.

I lowered my chin, looking at our hands. Hers were covered in a black leather, shiny from the rain, and on both sides of mine. My hands were a lot more relaxed, there was more colour in my fingers, despite my hanging on for my life.

"Just wait."

The rain travelled down my body like ice, and I looked back at her. "You know, a friend of ours once told me something," I leaned my head back, allowing the water to curve around my face, "If we don't fight, how can we win?"

Her breath hitched, and I looked back at her. The anger had melted away and an icy sense of shock sprawled over her face. The breeze made her short, damp hair dance as she stared at me with wide eyes.

And then I let go.

Shutting my eyes, I spread out my arms like they were wings, and let myself fall.

"BLUE JAY!"

Gravity was pulling me into the night.

I was on my back, it burned as the wind lashed beneath it, and rapidly losing height. I hurtled through the air, plummeting for the ground from a drop that was more than ten storey height. But I wasn't scared; my stomach shot into my throat and my chest seized, yet a foamy dose of acceptance filled me.

I opened my eyes and found myself surrounded with silver hues swirling in steady and radiating ripples. I could no longer see Lila's face, I had fallen too far, and the rain was blurring my vision. My braid fluttered like a rope hanging from my neck, and strands curved around my cheekbones.

I jerked my fist out and a wire shot from my wrist with a sharp hiss, hooking into one of the streetlights. The pull was exhilarating, and I watched the dark sky rush past, a glassy smile on my lips.

The wire whipped me around and I smashed my knee into a Mutant's jaw. It staggered backwards onto the ground and I flipped down onto my toes. Thunder was cracking, a breeze swept across, swirling my hair over my shoulder. My fingers twirled the rod so quickly by my side like it was a helicopter blade.

Roars came from all around, and so were a series of stomps. They were coming—I snapped my gaze back and forth, counting the movements that flashed in the streetlights.

Four.

The rod stopped, my hands wrapping around the middle.

There were four Mutants left—one which could breathe fire. The others were plainer in terms of power, but I had to stay cautious.

Clenching the middle, the rod extended to my height and the silver blades popped from both ends.

Bring it on.

The first Mutant came from my right with needle–like claws. I ducked beneath the blow, whacking it in the stomach, and jamming the blade into its side. A hollow cry billowed from its black mouth and I shot out a wire that dragged me away before the explosion could hit me.

A twist of my body and a straight flip later, I landed in a crouch. The braid was falling from its binding, rippling behind me like a blanket, and I dragged the back of my hand across my injury. The blood wasn't as thick, watered down from the rain.

A spike in the air shifted behind me and I turned in time to dodge a zooming fist. I reeled back, jerking the rod down, and slamming both my feet into the Mutant's face. It roared, flying back, and I came back down to my feet. Gritting my teeth, I swung the rod over my shoulder and the blade slunk into the Mutant's foot. An outraged howl greeted my ears, and I scrunched my face, tightening my hold so the blade on the other end popped up. It cut off the Mutant's cry as the blade pierced through its mouth.

I jumped out of the way, springing onto my hands then back to my feet as the explosion grazed down my back. I landed in a crouch, the rain trailing down my face, and looked up as the rod spun high in the air.

There was another cry and I turned around to the third Mutant advancing. Clenching my teeth, I shot out a wire which pulled the rod back into my hands. I darted forward and planted the blade into the ground, jumping up and smashing my foot into the Mutant's face.

The creature flew back, and I sprang back to my feet. Right hand still wrapped around the rod, I yanked my spare hand through the air. A warmth spread in my ears as my knife flashed from over my shoulder. The blade glinted and sunk into the Mutant's face, knocking its head back.

Yanking the rod from the ground, I threw out another wire that shot me into the air. The rain came down like darts and my fingers began to numb from the iciness rolling over me.

Frowning, I flipped back down onto my feet, but the impact sent me to my knees. The rod clattered to the ground and my hands pressed against the cement. The air slipped between my lips, stinging my teeth, and the reddish water tricked down to my jaw. The rain clattered around me, gushing down my scalp, and the wind sliced across my skin.

My senses suddenly burnt, and I looked up at the pillar of fire heading my way. My hand wrapped around the rod and I quickly rolled out of the way. The flames crashed into the pavement and an intense wave of heat crashed over me. My eyes were water and I scrambled backwards, looking over my shoulders.

The Mutant was standing across the road from me, its chest heaving up and down. Its eyes glinted with a predatory look, and its tail swished angrily behind it. The Kiska Theatre lights came down harshly, like some type of live production, and the rain rattled like an applause.

The air oozed hot next to me until the spluttery flames fizzled out with a sharp hiss. The chillness scattered across my skin like fingers and the rain fell in diagonal sheets like silver curtains. I should've been scared—staring at this powerful Mutant—but I wasn't. Not because I was feeling particularly brave or confident about this fight. But because I could feel my strength coming back.

I glanced down and a rush of power travelled down to my fingers. I could feel it sparking at the tips and pumping between my temples like golden static.

I smirked.

The Mutant's mouth with a ferocious roar and I jerked the rod into the ground. The water came down in waves as I used it to heave myself onto my feet. Steam slipped from the Mutant's gums before a shower of fire burst into the air. The flames hissed and burned against the rain, forming a wall that sailed in my direction.

My heart was in my throat and I clenched my mouth shut. Waves of power rushed through me like sunshine and a tingling prickled between my brows. My fists were tight and cramped around the rod, aching from the rigid hold. My hair hung loose, blonde locks moving from the wind and billowing around my shoulders like a cape.

A bright light blossomed from my knuckles and stretched into a shield that cackled in front of me. The fire slammed into the shield and a shower of red and blue sparks dissolved into the air. The impact rung strong and almost sent me flying, but I tightened my hold around the rod. The fire roared, and plumes of orange curled around my barrier, twirling around the edges in a fiery dance.

I expected it to vanish, but the flames were never ending. I slid my foot back to keep balance against the weight, lowering my chin. The fire flickered and lapped against the shield, a shimmering dance of red and blue as black smoke twisted into the air. My knees were buckling from the weight and an ache shot up into my arms. It was like someone much larger was pushing up against me, my teeth clacked together, and I tried fighting back.

The flames were hissing so loudly. I looked up at the two colours curling around one another; the flames leapt across in a cascade of glowing embers while the magic across my barrier flowed and twirled like a myriad of dancers. The heat was getting unbearable, I could feel sweat dripping down my temples, but the blood was drying up, cracking over my skin.

The weight pressed on and I crumbled, feeling the strain in my calves. It was like my wrists had been shackled and they were dragging me further and further to rock bottom. A strain buried deep into my muscles and the blood was roaring hot in my ears. My heart throbbed in my chest and for a moment, I was tempted to let the barrier dissolve right then and there.

I was just . . . so tired—so fucking tired. And this, it was all so overwhelming and powerful. But then I remembered—

"Awww, is that any way to speak to your partner in crime?"

I froze—Lila.

"You must be good to yourself."

Nel.

"I haven't seen that vein since primary school days."

A ghostly smile curled my lips—Nadine.

"You're such a dork, H."

Phoebe.

A flurry of warmth swirled in my chest. It cut through the hollow pit in my soul, streaming through my blood with silver heat, and flooded me with a warmth that glittered with every sparkling wave.

I wasn't alone.

There were still people around me—people I loved. People I knew at one point had loved me back, not because of who I was friends with, but because I was me. There weren't many of them and the feeling may not be mutual anymore, but they were still there.

I wasn't fighting for myself anymore.

The epiphany shatter at my joints and a cool breath filled my lungs. My hands were no longer on the rod, instead they were splayed out in front of me. My fingers were shaking, but I was no longer tired—strength shot through me like hot iron. It rolled across my shoulders and bloomed in my biceps. The shield was brighter then ever, stretching into a bubble that shone like the sky. It was twinkling like sapphires, a blue coat of velvet, and puffed out like a protective dome. The heat was fading fast, and as the sweat disappeared from my skin, something flared in my chest and I knew what to do.

I ran.

The flames grew bright—stronger—with every step I took. The weight was growing, and the fire hurtled over me like bricks. I gritted my teeth, feeling the strain burning in my arms, but continued to move. The gravel crunched beneath my boots and my heart was flying—throbbing—as I flew forward. The red was simmering against my barrier, but the air was cool against my skin, and my hair was flying.

And then I heard it—the smack.

The barrier had slammed into the Mutant, knocking it from its feet. There was a howl, and the fire immediately went out. The weight vanished and I fell onto my hands and knees, the barrier evaporating. The rain buzzed, and the breath was swelling my chest like bloody bruises. The air surrounded me, pressing against my skin with its iciness, and I looked up at the sky.

The dark hues were a molten blue, swirling in steady and radiating as water gushed around me. There was a short silence and I slowly looked back down across from me. The Mutant had slammed against the Theatre doors and was slumped on the ground, clutching its side. It looked up with a snarl and rose onto its hands and feet, charging in my direction.

My lips pulled back, and I cried out.

Swinging my hand out, there was a hum of fuzziness in my braid. It grew warmer and I watched as the blade darted from over my head like a bolt of lightning. It struck between the Mutant's eyes with a force that slammed it back against the doors. The impact rattled both those doors with a sharp bang, and I watched with halted breath as its body exploded into a cloud of dark particles. The heated air violently broke out, but only managed to skim the side of my face.

The silence buzzed around me, every muscle was seized and tight. My heart hammered in my ears and I let out a low breath. The thunder rolled across the shadowed sky, echoing like a drum, and the breeze pressed my hair into my chin. The knife flew back into my fingers and I took a moment to look at the sleek blade. Small globes of water dribbled down the silver, trailing down the thin unknown letters carved into the metal.

I sucked in a breath and looked up at the building.

Lila stared back.

She was herself when I got back.

Lila—not Legacy or Blade or whatever name she had chosen for herself. Her hair wasn't short or copper, but orange and flat from the water sliding down her head. She was folded against the fence, her arms wrapped around her middle, and her eyes blank. They were looking out at the sky, but I knew that she was seeing so much more then that. The shivers rolled down her body from the breeze and her chest heaved with every breath she took.

She didn't look when I landed above her. She didn't look when I swung over the fence next to her. She didn't even look when I transformed back to Helga.

The silence rattled around us, and the thunder crackled loudly. It was so thick it became hard to breathe and the air got caught between my teeth. It was like someone was choking me, my heart thrived in my chest, and I waited for her to speak first.

And then her eyes snapped up to mine.

"I knew from the start that you were lying," she declared in a voice that sounded so unlike herself. There wasn't an ounce of enthusiasm or bubbliness that usually accompanied her pleasant smiles. It rang loud over the thunder but was strait–laced, sharp like a knife. "Going to get my pen? How stupid do you think I am? You're not as good at lying as you like to think."

I grimaced, lowering my gaze. It hurt, these words were spat out like bullets, but I knew I deserved it.

So, I nodded. "I know."

She dropped her gaze, her lips curling with disdain, and her fingers became wet fists by her sides.

"You're also stubborn—a–and narrow–minded and arrogant and–and—" she looked away and wrinkled her nose. "Don't get me started on how jealous you can get. Not just concerning Arnold, but regular things. You're like a child who can't handle someone else getting the attention."

I looked away, at the city lights that glowed from below. But the rain was getting so thick that the lights became blurrier and blurrier with every second that passed.

"But—" her voice softened. "You're incredibly brave."

The breeze moved my wet hair around my face and I slowly turned back to her. There was now a softness hidden in the bitterness on her face, and her eyes slightly glimmered.

"Seriously brave," she continued. "To the point of stupidity. You're also determined, loyal and . . . selfless—" she looked down with a grave smile. "—so fucking selfless. So much so that it makes me worry."

"Why?"

She gave a mirthless laugh. "Because you're practically suicidal! You're so protective of those who manage to get into that guarded heart of yours to the point that you can't think about yourself!" she looked back at me. "When was the last time you just stopped, actually stopped? Or how about the last time you gave yourself a break from all of this?"

I couldn't answer.

Pressing her lips together, she gave a steely nod. "Exactly."

I was quiet for a moment. I rested my hip against the fence and wrapped my hand over the railing. My hair was lifted in the breeze, and bones shaking from the cold. Lila watched me knowingly, waiting for what I had to say.

"Lila, this job . . . it's demanding. I mean, really demanding. That's why I didn't want you to become a Guardian," I shoved the hair from my face, glancing down. "I have nothing going for me, but you . . . you're so popular." And for once, there wasn't an ounce of bitterness when I admitted it. "You're well liked, you have friends and a family. People will miss you when you're gone. People who'll notice if you don't turn up for a week."

Something tightened in her expression, and she looked up with wide eyes. "You really think that about yourself?"

Shrugging, I admitted, "I know that about myself."

Her mouth twisted the tiniest bit and she shifted her gaze down to her fists as the rain stormed icy curtains around us. Her uniform was drenched and clung to her body. My eyes trailed down to her ankle and I quietly gasped—it was pink and swollen, like a puffed up balloon.

And then Lila hissed, "Fuck that," and wrapped her fingers around the chains beside her. The interlinked loops shook beneath her weight as she pushed herself onto her feet. She stumbled from her injury and I threw out my hands to catch her, but she regained her balance.

Her eyes were hard, fiery, and bored into my own. They were so vicious that I stepped back but she clamped her hands down onto my shoulders.

"You, Helga Pataki, are a quitter."

"What?" For a moment, I didn't know how to respond to that, and could only stare into her quivering irises. "No—no, I'm not. I haven't given up on my duties as Blue Jay since the day I got them. I may not be fighting for myself, but I—"

"No, you're not fighting for anything anymore!" She shouted and shook me. My mouth hung from her outburst and all I could do was let her, my body now numb. "You gave up a long time ago! Sure, as Blue Jay you keep trying, but let's face it, Helga's a quitter! You don't fight for anything—your grades, your friends, Arnold . . .your life. You just gave up—" her eyes were fierce, and she sucked in a breath. "Well, I say fuck that—you may have accepted your death, but I haven't!"

She shoved me back, letting go of my shoulder, and wiped her face with a shivering fist. Her eyes were pink, but she took a step backwards, standing with her feet square apart. Her shoulders stiffened and her chin raised, and I realised that she was standing like a soldier.

"No longer do you get to surrender—not anymore! From now on, you lose when I say you lose. You win when I say you win, you quit when I say you quit. And . . ." she trailed off, her eyes glancing down, before she frowned and tightened her fists. "You die when I say you die. And I haven't said any of those things yet, so you . . . you keep fighting, Helga Pataki."

My head churned, and all I could do was stare at her. Lila—she was so small, barely came up to my chin, yet she was a tiny powerhouse that had whirled into my life. I used to see her traits—the strong ones like her stubbornness, or her prying curiosity—as nothing but bothersome qualities. I would feed those habits into the fire that burned within me, use them as more reason to fuel my hatred for her. But now they were what held me standing, they were what had me rooted to the ground, feeling more secure than I ever had.

"Why do you care so much?" it as nothing but a whisper.

Her expression shifted, the exasperation melted into something softer. She was no longer glaring, her red eyes were nestled with this warmth, it almost seemed nurturing—sisterly.

"Because we're partners," her voice was wet, like she was trying to hold back her tears.

I pressed my lips together, my vision blurry. "And friends."

She smiled, nodding. "And friends."

The thunder cracked in the air and the rain came down harder. Eventually, Lila and I moved over to the fence, our hands on the railings, and watched the downfall. It was like staring into a static TV, we could hardly see any further than the closest buildings.

"I think I've decided on a name," Lila murmured quietly, not dragging her gaze away from the sky.

I wiped my nose with my sleeve. "What is it?"

"Lark."

Huh.

"Lark," I repeated it and smiled. "I like it."

"Yeah," her grin spread from ear to ear. "I do too."

Sooooo a lot of things happened and I'm tooootally prepared to be yelled at in the reviews XD But before you do, I would like to stress that I did not break Arnold and Helga up, this is still a ship fic (of sorts) and they WILL get together, but I really wanna break this fixation Helga has on him. She always puts him on this pedestal, thinking he can do no wrong, and I wanna stresss that he can do wrong and he DOES have flaws.

Also can I just say that my love for Lila has like tripled this chapter? Like I hadn't actually given her much thought until I wrote that part in the beginning and I was kinda like 'oh, dang, gurl'. Both of them need hugs and pronto. Oh, and also, after reading the comments on Lila's romantic status, a surprising amount actually suggested she might be into girls. It's definitely occured to me a few times, but I still think she'd be into dorky dudes like Arnie (although I think she'd be more pickier with guys), so from here on out, I dub Lila Sawyer (in this fic anyway) panromantic. I dunno why, but the idea is so adorable to me, and I love it for her!

But anyway, onto the reviews:

Kryten: Those are both interesting predictions, I especially like the suggestions regarding their powers! I cannot confirm nor deny, BUT I can say that you and I have similiar tastes XD Thanks for the review, girl!

Elie (Guest): Hi, girl! Thank you so much! Yes, Lila and Helga are now stronger then ever! And Lila is definitely going to be able to help Helga with processing how she's feeling, considernig that's definitely not Helga's forte. Yeah, actually a lot of people preffered that Lila stay single, and I'm totally fine letting that happen, so unless any other options come out, she'll probably stay like that! But I'll definitely give your recommendations a read, I'm curious to see how that would work now XD And I like the reasoning behind your predictions, thanks for sending me them!

Princess Hinata Bug: Hey, thanks for the review! Huh, your actually not the only person who has suggested Sid and Lila, I'm definitely gonna be doing some investigating of more fanfic's and wiki pages to see how that would work! Thanks again, dear!

Thanks everyone for the reviews and, again, sorry this took so long! I've been procrastinating like crazy cause this chapter was so large.

Now, this might be a bit of a mood whiplash, but I kinda wanna talk about the elephent in the room: the protests in America.

If you follow my tumblr, you'll know my feelings regarding the situation (although Tumblr may have taken it down considering I was pretty blunt about it). I know this is just a stupid fanfiction and you log onto this site for an escape, but the reality is that there are people behind these screens. And the person behind this screen is a black woman. I'm not American, but I am African, and my heart breaks for black Americans who continue to suffer daily from the systemic racism that no one in power seems to care about. Black lives have always mattered, and that should be reflected in the law.

What I'm trying to say is that please consider donating to the causes that support the Black Lives Matter movement. There are many, many organisations that support bailing protestors out, or rebuilding damaged minority owned businesses, or even getting lawyers. I'm going to be linking these resources on my tumblr, and even if you don't have the money to donate, I ask that you educated yourself on these matters. They're all extremely important and we should all be paying more attention to these issues.

And to anyone who lives in America regardless, I hope that you're all safe and doing okay.