Life Light (8 page)

I give her a grateful grin.

“It is part of being a healer, kitten,” Grandma says gently. “I think my Nicolas has already told you this, no?”

“Yeah,” I admit.

“It is a built in self-defense. But that does not mean you ARE normal. You should have very good stamina and strength--not on our level, of course, but much better than that of a norm. It is needed for your job. That you have another defensive ability is a pleasant surprise!”

“I...” I keep going down, trying to figure out how to say this, “You... realize that it was mostly Grandpa’s fault that I actually used it, right?” I say finally.

“Oh, yes, I know,” she says far too casually. “He can be quite frustrating, my Clifford.” I feel a large hand gently pat me on the back. “I am proud of you for putting that behind you.”

“How DID you put it behind you?” Liz asks abruptly. “I mean, I still feel strange calling him 'Dad,' and I’m a blood relative--I can’t exactly deny it.”

“Liz!” Grandma scolds.

“It’s true, Tatiana,” she says. “He was always gone. Nico got to where he absolutely hated him. I was stuck there, listening to him rant about how useless our ‘Father’ really was. He did calm down, though, after Dad ‘died,’” she says, her tone softening. “He started college, moved into the dorms, and met Pan and Summer.”

“And you?” Grandma asks.

“I was still pretty much alone,” Liz says quietly, “he would stop by daily, make sure everything was going well--that I was being taken care of by the lady he hired. She kept me fed, took me shopping, signed papers for school, that sort of thing. And then Nico was arrested.”

“What happened?” I ask.

“I moved into Central Hall, where I got my GED and started working as a cape,” Liz says. “The closest person to my age was Taurus, and he was transferred to the West Branch before I really tried to get to know him. But then I met Jeanie,” she goes on, her tone turning bright.

“Jeanie is Star Spangled?” Grandma asks.

“Yes! She’s a bit older than I am, but we didn’t care--we became best friends almost instantly,” Liz says. I smile, feeling much better about this story now. I always knew that Liz and Jeanie were best friends, but I didn’t know how it started. “She automatically accepted me. She was newly married and had a one-year-old, but she always made time for me. I learned to change diapers and she learned how to lure me out of video games. It was a good time. I just wish I’d known about the twins,” she adds a bit sadly. “I would have grabbed them out of the home in a heartbeat.”

“So Nicolas did not tell you?”

“Nico didn’t know,” I say. I’ve heard this part--Emily, Zoe, and Adanna are best friends. I’ve been dragged into a few of their sleepovers. It’s even funner when we get Morgan to come over. We learn a lot about each other on sleepover nights.

“Yeah, Nico didn’t have a clue. I’m not sure Summer even noticed until Nico was arrested, actually. There was no way to tell him when he was in the Cape Cells--supers aren’t allowed to visit.”

“And why did she not tell Mastermental?” Grandma demands. “This is why they were not known to you, is it not?”

“I don’t know,” Liz admits. “I need to ask her sometime.”

Grandma sighs. “There is much that happened while I was not here,” she complains. “I, too, would have been happy to take the twins in. I... have failed my family so much.”

“You didn’t fail! Things happened--it could have been a lot worse, you know?” I say. “You could have been killed.”

“Yes, I know that,” she says quietly. “That is the problem with our type--we just believe that we are undefeatable. It catches us off guard completely when something happens.”

“Maybe that’s what happened with Summer, too,” I say. I’m starting to get a little tired--oh, there’s the floor. I step down onto it, planning on sitting down.

“Back up, now, kitten,” Grandma says, patting me on the back again.

“But--“

“You have not reached your breaking point yet,” she explains.

I start climbing again, trying to focus on things other than the climb.

***

“So... I’m going to be transferring next week,” Alyssa says, looking down at her hands. Of all the teachers she has, Miss Vine is the only one she plans on telling. The others will find out from the principal--she doesn’t really care to see them pretend to care she’s leaving.

“I see,” Miss Vine says. The class hasn’t started yet, so they’re the only ones in the room. She pulls Alyssa into a hug. “I’m so happy for you,” she goes on.

“Wait, what?” Alyssa asks blankly.

“Andre Harrison called earlier, asking if he could come visit again--I think he’s intent on getting you into the Hall,” Miss Vine says as she pulls away.

“What?” Alyssa repeats. “I’m seriously confused right now--“

“He’s the owner of Hero TV, isn’t he?” Miss Vine says. “He had to have a reason for coming here--I thought, perhaps, that it would be Michael or Pedro, but for it to be you! How wonderful!”

“You mean you thought--you knew there was a--a super in the class?” Alyssa asks.

“Oh sweetie, it’s not the first super we’ve had come through the school. There are a few small powers scattered in every few years or so. I remember at least two that were whispered about when I was your age.”

“So wait--you’re transferring?” Michael asks from behind them. A chill runs down Alyssa’s spine as she slowly turns, looking at the football player.

“Yeah,” she says, crossing her arms in an unconsciously self-protective move. “You got a problem with that?”

He starts to say something, only to stop and look at Miss Vine. “Your brother didn’t say anything,” he says, instead.

“My brother has no say in this,” she says, turning away from him and heading for her chair. Michael is one of Rylon’s ‘pals.’ She hates him. She hates all of Rylon’s friends, actually.

The class starts, going as usual until Miss Vine is called away for a phone call. Almost a second after that, Michael is standing over her chair, right up in her face. “You think you’re going to get away that easily?” he hisses.

“Leave her alone, she’s not worth your time,” one of the girls says. She isn’t sticking up for Alyssa--she’s just interested in Michael.

“You stay out of this,” Michael says, his attention focused on Alyssa. “Do you really think we won’t follow you?” he demands. “You’re how we’re going to win the nationals!"

“Get out of my face,” Alyssa snarls. For a moment a look of shock crosses his face before stark, ugly rage takes its place.

“That’s it,” he says, grabbing her arm. He shoves down her sleeve, grabbing the flesh.

“Hey--wait--what are you doing?” the girl from earlier asks in shock.

“Let GO,” Alyssa yells, jerking away from him.

The door opens and a huge black man crosses the room in three long strides. Michael lets go, taking a step back as Andre moves between him and Alyssa. “Don’t touch her.” This close, the difference in their sizes is obvious. Michael is big for a teenage boy, but Andre is well over six five, and twice as broad as the boy.

“Mr. Harrison?” Alyssa asks.

“I said I wasn’t a hero, but I AM affiliated with the Hall,” Mr. Harrison says. “I came to continue our chat from the other day.” He looks Michael straight in the eyes. “But I walk in to find you assaulting a little girl,” he says in a cold tone, “I’ll make sure you and anyone else that dared doesn’t find work in Central territory for the rest of your lives.”

“Mr. Harrison,” Alyssa says, getting out of her chair and grabbing his arm, “stop. He’s not worth it--”

“I want to know who else has abused her like this,” Andre says.

“Mr. Harrison, please,” Miss Vine says, grabbing the arm that Alyssa isn’t holding, “calm down, I’m sure there’s an explanation to all of this.”

“I talked with Jack. I heard all about what happened last night,” he says, looking from her to Alyssa.

“Jack?” Miss Vine asks.

“I think we need to discuss this in private,” Andre says, glancing at the kids that are still staring at them. Michael looks like pale. To Alyssa’s surprise, she can actually hear his heart pounding from where she’s standing. “Alyssa? Are you okay?” Andre asks her.

“I--I’m fine,” Alyssa says when Andre lays a hand on hers. There’s a gentle expression on his face as he waits for a reply.

“I think you’re right, Mr. Harrison,” Miss Vine says. “Class, consider this self-study time. Please behave while we’re gone. Mr. Harrison, Alyssa, if you would follow me,” Miss Vine says, leading the two of them down the hall and into an empty room. “I’m afraid this is going to cause a bit of a problem... I wasn’t aware--I mean, Alyssa, what happened?” she asks Alyssa.

“Nothing,” Alyssa says, looking away. “Nothing that hasn’t happened a million times before without the teachers noticing, anyway.” She can practically feel Miss Vine wince, and she feels a little guilty. It’s true, though.

“It's possible that it isn’t their fault, entirely,” Andre says, moving to her side. “It's possible they didn't realize what a simple touch can do. My granddaughter is also a healer,” he says quietly.

“Wait--you mean Life Light is--“

“My son is in a relationship with Firefly,” Andre says with a little smile, “which lets me claim both Life Light and Divine Justice as my own.”

“So THAT’S why you came!” Alyssa says, her excitement actually showing for once. She tries to hide it a second later, but it’s too late. “Is she really in the Arctic?” she asks.

There’s a confused look on Miss Vine’s face as she looks at them. For a moment Alyssa thinks she’s going to ask something serious--and then she goes, “So Taurus and Firefly really ARE a couple? Your son is Taurus, right?”

Alyssa almost groans, except--“Wait, really?” she asks. "Do you like that they're dating?"

“Why shouldn't I?” Andre asks. “Liz--Firefly is a wonderful person with a huge heart. I couldn’t ask for a better woman for my son.”

A huge smile crosses Alyssa’s face.

“And yes, Life Light is in the Arctic right--“ Andre stops, staring at her sharply. For a moment she doesn’t know why, and then she realizes that something strange is happening. She’s floating.

***

*Earlier*

“AUBREY!” Emily shouts as she teleports to the highest piece of ice in the obstacle course. All of a sudden there’d been a hole in the top of the mountain and a glowing form floating out of it. She knows it’s her sister--Liz tends to spark dangerously when glowing, and Tatia doesn’t let off light at all. “Aubrey, what are you doing?”

Tatia and Liz fly out of the hole Aubrey created, circling the glowing female in the air. Something is off, Emily notices. Without a thought she teleports again, jumping on Tatia's back. “What happened?” she asks.

“Hello kitten!” Tatia says happily, not fazed at all by her sudden appearance. “We have unlocked a surprising ability in your big sister. I am not quite sure what it does, but it is quite interesting!”

A pulse of light explodes from Aubrey, spreading out in all directions like a wave. It goes further and further, until it’s out of sight. Emily’s so busy watching it go that she almost falls off as Tatia shoots forward to catch the falling body of her sister.

“Is she okay?” Liz asks worriedly. They go down, landing on the ground next to where Taurus is waiting impatiently. Tatia reaches up, pushing Aubrey’s hair away from her face.

“There is a strong, healthy heartbeat,” Tatia declares with a smile. “We have unlocked a new ability--but it is not the one we were aiming for. Still, I think she is deserving of a break, now. We try again tomorrow!”

“But we don’t know what that light did,” Taurus says.

“Sure we do,” Superior says. “She sent out a pulse--an instinctive call for assistance.”

“What?” Liz asks as Superior lands beside them. “To who?”

“As far as I can tell, other healers,” he says with only the tiniest hints of wonder on his face. “It was slow enough for me to pick up that much... there’s a chance we’ll see repercussions as far as Central Hall territory, at least,” he admits.

“Repercussions?” Emily asks.

“The pulse will affect every healer that gets hit by it. What, exactly, were you doing to our granddaughter, Tatia?” he asks his wife.

“We were merely doing a bit of exercise, my love, it is nothing to panic over,” Tatia says, waving it off.

“We were going to catch her,” Liz agrees.

“Catch her when?” Taurus asks.

“When she fell off the wall, of course,” Liz says. “But then she started floating, so we figured we would see what happened next.”

“It was very interesting, how the ice melted when she reached it,” Tatia says to Liz.

“It was! It was like it got hit by a sunspot,” Liz agrees cheerfully. “That’s got to be a form of defense, too, don’t you think?”

“You are right! I proclaim this lesson a rousing success!” Tatia says.

“Are we coming at an awkward moment?” a deep, somewhat amused voice says from above. The group looks up, seeing a massively broad-shouldered man floating above their heads. A woman is sitting on his shoulder, her legs crossed as if she were sitting on a couch, her hand resting on his opposite shoulder.