New character: Chandra
Parents: Dead
Guardians: Unknown
Age: 14 (freshman)
Powers: Inflicting Pain, healing, sickness
Eyes: Brilliant blue
Hair: light tan
Friends: Zach
Enemies: Anyone who hurts those she loves
A/N: This is my first fanfiction. I hope you like it, but if you don't, please only constructive criticism. If you feel the need for something else, you don't have to read the story.
She was never in the same place each night of the week. She changed her sleeping spots in no discernable pattern and constantly had her back against a wall. One might have called her paranoid. She didn't think so. There was nothing wrong with wanting to know which dangers could be around the corner. And she wasn't trapped. No, having a wall at her back just allowed those who wronged her to run away. But she was getting ahead of herself. Her name was Chandra, meaning "Moon." She gave herself that name. After all, no one was out there looking out for her. She had been left on her own on the streets at age six. She walked into her best friend, Zach's house. Zach was the only one she trusted, and she often got breakfast from his mom.
"Hey, Ms. Braun."
"Good morning, Chandra. Zach is still upstairs. Would you like something to eat?" she said, gesturing at the table.
"Yes thank you. There wasn't anything good in my area to eat this morning." Chandra said 'area to eat' because she knew if she said 'dumpster' Ms. Braun would get worried and try to get her to stay. Chandra didn't want to be a burden and, frankly, was worried that Ms. Braun would get tired of her. At least if she didn't live with them, the woman couldn't give her up for adoption.
Chandra sat at the round table and bit into the fresh bacon, groaning happily as she chewed.
"Whoa! What did that pig do to you?" my platinum blond friend dressed in neon yellow exclaimed. Chandra said nothing in favor of eating more.
"Look, Dra, you want me to pitch in a bit for your lunch at school today?"
"Thanks, but I've got enough money for it."
He groaned. "You've been fighting again, haven't you?" He already knew the answer, so Chandra remained silent. So she used her powers to make her punches a ton more painful and win street fights. It was an easy way to get money and paid a lot more than healing did. Besides, plenty of people would bet that the masked little girl wouldn't be able to beat the large men in the arena. She made it seem like they put up a good fight, and then she immobilized them with pain as she "hit their pressure points," causing them to collapse. She had to work hard to make it believable. In her opinion, she earned the money fair and square. Besides, those big men were willing to beat up a teenage girl for money. Why should she spare them?
"You know I don't like being a burden. Besides…" I looked at his mom, "You've got other bills to cover"[1] Zach winced and glanced over at his mom.
"Her back has been giving her more trouble lately. I'm worried, but she won't admit to anything," he whispered.
Zach's mom had a degenerate disease eating away at the walls of one of her vertebrae. If left untreated, the vertebrae could come loose and damage her spinal cord, paralyzing her from the waist down. The surgery to prevent this costs $150,000. That's why Chandra was saving. There was only one adult who actually cared about her, and it was Zach's mom. Besides, while she would welcome Zach with open arms and teach him how to survive on the streets, she didn't want that life for him. Or anybody else for that matter. Chandra was the only one Zach had told about his mother…and the only one that he had told his power to. But she wouldn't tell anyone until he revealed it himself.
Ms. Braun turned on the television.
...reports
of a situation downtown.
Let's check with a picture
from News Chopper Five.
Evil has struck our morning commute.
Here's a hint. If you're
traveling eastbound on the
you might think about
alternate routes.
Hang on. This just in. The Commander
and Jetstream are on their way.
Left. Left!
Circle back around!
I'm on it.
Release!
Launch!
Oh!
And the robot goes down!
He's plucking out a souvenir
from another successful battle!
What a team!
The Commander and Jetstream.
What would we do without them?
"They are good," Zach said. "You really need to meet my other best friend. He's the son of Commander and Jetstream. But he's really down to earth. You'd like him. And his friend Layla, powerful chic but total pacifist."
"If she's a pacifist she certainly won't like what I do for a living." Zach winced at the reminder.
"Yeah, maybe avoid mentioning the street fights until she gets to know you."
"Kids! Time for the bus," Ms. Braun called.
As they waited at the corner for the bus, Chandra was suddenly nervous.
"Zach?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I sit with you?"
"Of course C-dog."
"Don't call me that."
"Okay…Moon girl."
Before she had a chance to respond, the bus pulled up. She tried to ignore the stares and whispers her attire afforded. She was wearing a tight silver crop top with moon earrings, silver bangles, and navy blue jeans. Her hair wasn't anything special, just her long bangs woven into braids to crown her head. So she had money. She wasn't flaunting it, she just was looking nice. Perhaps it was the giant white scar crossing her exposed abs. That might be it. She averted her thoughts from the stares and went to the back of the bus to sit next to Zach.