#call the rebels

[artino1987]

Chapter Seven - Call the Rebels

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Hugh threw the blankets over his face. 

He hated everything at the moment. He also felt it was his right to. Things were kind of shit right now. His mother is more accepting of him being gay than him being a prodigy. And she's not very accepting of him being gay. Then there's his dad, who he barely sees. Hugh wouldn't say he has a bad relationship with his father, but it's always awkward to be around him. They just were never close. Plus, he needs to tell him a few things. A few small things that his mother hates about him and there's a good chance his dad may not be more accepting than her. 

And then... there's school. 

Hugh didn't want to get into that at the moment. Hugh didn't want to get into anything at the moment. Hugh wanted to sleep. He wanted to sleep and hopefully forget that he has a life to live when he wakes up. Sleep sounds good. 

Or it would sound good if there wasn't a loud bang against the window.

Hugh jolted from he spot on the bed, his heart racing and his chest heaving. He through the blankets off of him and made his way over to the window. He pulled up the blinds and saw... nothing. Nothing there. Hugh starts to think that he's hearing things. Or maybe a giant bird had smacked into the window.

He reached for the cords controlling the blinds and puts them back down. As Hugh's about to turn around, he hears the noise again. This time, there's a loud groan that comes right after. Hugh lifts the blinds to see Alec, upside down in front of the window, holding his nose in his hand. 

"What are you doing?" Hugh says, loud enough for him to hear it from the other side of the window.

Alec nods his head quickly and the window slides open by itself. Itself and his powers. He rights himself and steps into Hugh's room, still clutching his nose. "That was my horrible attempt of scaring you."

"What exactly went wrong? It kind of looks like it all went wrong but.."

"I was gonna bust in through the window when you turned around, but I forgot to open the window."

"So you smacked into the window?"

"Yup." Alec says, moving to sit onto Hugh's bed. He slowly removes his hand, relaxing when he doesn't see any blood. 

Hugh follows Alec, stopping directly in front of him. He leans down, telling himself that the action was made with the intent to check Alec's nose, and that it was not at all because he liked being close to the boy. Definitely not it.

"It's not bleeding, but it is really red," Hugh reached out his hand and touched it lightly. Alec winced and shot back away from Hugh. "Want me to go get you some ice?"

"No. I'm probably fine. I think I'm just being a baby."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, plus I can always get it myself," Alec winked. The door to Hugh's room opened slowly and a plastic ziploc bag filled with ice was floating towards them. Alec grabbed it and held it close to his face.

"I think it might be better if you stopped using your powers so out in the open. Someone could have seen you dangling outside, you know. And my mom could have been home! She would have killed us or something if she saw that."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. But where's the fun in not doing whatever the hell I want?"

Hugh moved to the spot next to Alec and sat criss crossed on the bed. "You still can do whatever you want, within reason. But you should think about it more. And be safe about it." He hated to say it. He really really did. He knows Alec was born a prodigy, he knows that it's something he can't change or get rid of, but it's still something that has to be hidden. Hugh has known Alec for years now, and nothing can get him riled up like this does. This being him hiding his powers. This being hiding himself. And telling him to do exactly that felt like telling a kid that Santa wasn't real. Or worse. Probably worse.

Alec scooted back and laid down know the bed. "I shouldn't have to."

Hugh did the same, laying next to Alec. 

"I get being safe with my powers. I don't want to be reckless and hurt someone or myself. But shouldn't have to hide it. Not like it'll be what gets me killed."

"It is what'll get you killed."

"But it shouldn't be! The zombie apocalypse should be what gets me killed. Or falling pianos, like in the cartoons. But not this."

Hugh couldn't say anything back. He was right. He's always been right, but Hugh always ignored it. He didn't want to agree. Hugh preferred to do what society and his mother told him. He preferred to his himself because that way, he knew that he had a better chance of living to see another day. Alec wasn't like that. Alec was hungry for change. He demanded it with every inch of his body. Hugh wanted change too, but it scared him more than it inticed him.

For change, a lot would neet to happen. Hugh didn't think he was strong enough for it. 

"Aren't you tired of this? I mean, your power isn't that bad. You're just beefy as fuck and will probably only ever die of old age! That's not dangerous. That's not extremely shocking. But you still have to hide it because if you don't, your life has a good chance of becoming hell," Alec shouted, tossing the ice bag to the side.

Alec was looking at him now with those big, dark blue eyes. They were sad, and it tore at Hugh's heart.

"Don't you want to do something about this?"

"I... I don't know. I do, but-"

"Then let's do something!"

"Alec, I- God, what would we even do?" 

"Protest! Trash the school! Kidnap the principle! Anything, really! Anything other than sit and let this shit go on."

"We can't kidnap the principle, Alec."

"I know! Well, we can, but it wouldn't be the best thing to do."

"Alec."

"Okay, okay. I know."

"That doesn't answer my question, though."

Alec groaned, turning on the bed until his face was flush against the pillows. Hugh guessed that he was going over idea after idea in his head. Hugh felt bad to admit it, but a part of him hoped Alec wouldn't come up with anything. A part of him hoped that Alec would just drop this whole thing. But knowing him, that wasn't likely.

"Do you have David's....thing? I forgot whatever the fuck he said."

"His blanket?"

"That."

"Yeah, I'll go get it."

Hugh pushed himself off of the bed, making his way out the door. He had washed it and set it in the small towel closet down the hall. Alec was left alone in the room, still thinking. Hugh opened the closet and grabbed the small thick fabric. But instead of going back inside the room, he went down the steps of the house.

Hugh pulled open the sliding glass door and walked outside into the backyard, sitting down in the dry, prickly grass.

[artino1987]

Chapter Five- Call the Rebels

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Hugh grabbed the back of his chair and dragged it across the classroom to where David sat, his head on the desk, pale slim fingers gripping onto tufts of black hair. English was their last class before lunch. Class was going to start soon, but the teacher wasn't even in the classroom yet.

Hugh noticed that nearly all the prodigies in the school were upset. He also guessed that it was most definitely because they had to walk through metal detectors and get patted down before entering the school. He and David usually always used the South entrance to the school since it was closer to the Junior lockers. But when they got there, three long lines were formed from the doors all the way to the field. Hugh's mom had told him that a new security system was added to the school, but she didn't tell him what it was exactly. All she did was give him a card with his basic information on it. Name, grade, date of birth, student ID number, etc. When he pulled the card out of his pocket, David stared at him, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"What is that?" he asked.

"What, do you mean this?" Hugh held up the card between their faces. He watched David's eyes shoot back and forth from his own and the card. David opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted before he managed to get any words out.

"Hey! You!" a man shouted. He wore a padded black vest and pants over a black long sleeve shirt. 'Gatlon City High School Security' was written in bold white letters on his chest. He walked quickly over to where Hugh and David stood. He noticed how David tensed more and more with each step the man took. Hugh wondered how much longer till David turned to run away. He'd be lying to say he didn't think about doing the same.

The security guard stopped a few inches away from Hugh. "Where did you get that?" he asked, gesturing to the card. His voice was deep and gravelly.

"The.. The mail?" Hugh responded in a scared whisper. The man took the card from his hand. He focused on the picture of Hugh on the top left of it, matching it to the blonde boy in front of him. He clamped his mouth shut, hoping that the highlight he added to his hair wasn't enough to make him unrecognizable. The man gave the card back to Hugh. "Cut the line and show this to the guards at the front. But next time, please come in through either the main or west entrance," he said before walking to the end of the three lines.

Hugh turned around to face David, who was staring down at his shoes. " I didn't get anything in the mail."

Hugh looked down at the card in his hands. Every single student in the school had an ID card, but his eyes widened when he saw what was different on the new one. While the magnetic strip on the back didn't interest him much, what did, though, were the words 'Non-prodigy' under his name. David stared at the same words over his shoulder.

"I thought you told your mom right after you found out."

"I did."

Hugh looked around him. The long lines of students, the metal detectors, the guards patting people down by the front of the doors; it was all because they were prodigies.

David placed a hand on his shoulder. He was smiling at Hugh. It wasn't sad or forced. It was a genuine smile. "I'll see you in second period, okay?"

Hugh didn't see David is second period.

He knew that David was able to make it to the third period, though, despite having different classes. Hugh had seen David walking down the stairs, coming from the class he always does. Since Gatlon City High School was one of the few schools that accepted prodigies, there was always more of them than non-prodigies. Hugh might have thought that it would have taken longer for David to get through.

"So you made it out alive?" Hugh said, sitting down.

"Sadly, yes. Sorry, Hugh. Looks like you're stuck with me."

"Dang it! So close," he laughed, "But seriously, are you okay?"

David looked over at Hugh, "Yeah, I'm alright. But I've never been patted down before. It was quite the experience, actually. You should try it some time."

Hugh knew he was joking, but he still felt uneasy. He was a prodigy. He should have been in that line right beside David. It didn't feel right to have a head start against everyone else for something that they couldn't control. Especially since he wasn't different. He had powers just like them. Hugh made a mental note to ask his mom if she had registered him as a prodigy, even though he already knew the answer.

"Mr. Everhart!" a woman shouted from the front of the classroom, "Please return to your desk!" The woman, Mrs. Briggs, placed a small stack of papers on her desk, then tugged down the ends of her blue and white polka dot skirt. Hugh pushed with his legs, scooting the chair across the floor as he remained seated. The bell rang.

[artino1987]

Chapter Six- Call The Rebels

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Alec bit into a baby carrot, clenching his teeth as hard as he could with every chew. His eyes were focused straight ahead on nothing in particular. Hugh sat next to him, dragging a plastic spork through an almost equally plastic bowl of mac and cheese. They sat at the same table they had been sitting at since Alec's freshman year. The table closest to the green halls and the small store where you could buy both school sweaters and stale cookies. The lunchroom was different today.

No students were running around different tables. There was no loud yelling. Once people had sat down, no one dared to move. Students chewed softly and whispered. There was this weight pushing down on both prodigies and non-prodigies alike. There was an elephant in the room that had spanned over the entire school, and no one wanted to talk about it.

Rios sat down in front of Alec, looking down at his lame excuse for a sandwich. "Davids not coming. Had to retake a quiz," he said, eating a stray bit of lettuce. Hugh gave an acknowledging hum. The three sat quietly, poking their food, keeping to themselves.

A loud buzz sounded, breaking the silence. Alec sighed. It wasn't even his phone, but he was desperate for any kind of distraction.

Rios fished his phone out of his pocket, turning it on to read the notification quickly. He looked at Alec, then at Hugh, then behind him before he quickly put his phone away.

"Well," Hugh paused, biting the end off of a breadstick, " That wasn't suspicious at all."

"It's a little hard to he subtle when everyone can see every little thing you do," he said, shyly 

"It's a little hard to be subtle when you're extremely suspicious," Alec teased. Hugh swatted him away like a fly, keeping his focus on Rios. 

"What was it?"

"What was what?"

"Whatever that was on your phone, what was it?"

"It wasn't anything."

"If it wasn't anything, then why are you being weird about it?"

"To be fair, he's always weird," Alec added.

"Thank you! I think?"

"You're welcome, I think."

Hugh smacked Alec's arm, "You're supposed to be on my side."

"Hey! Alec Artino joins no sides but his own," he said. Pointing his carrot towards Hugh.

"Can we just drop it? It's not a big deal," Rios asked.

"But-"

"Please?"

Hugh stopped, looking down at his food. "Okay," he groaned.

A loud voice sounded over the lunchroom. Every student quickly directed their eyes to a man stood near the doors that led to the school's field. He was short and skinny with blond hair that had begun to turn gray at the roots. Alec recognized him as one of the foreign language teachers, but he can't remember which one. French?

Students watched him carefully as he held the microphone. During lunch is when the school gave small announcements or small reminders. Alec could see everyone waiting for him to discuss what's been on everyone's minds. Or was it Spanish? 

"There are about 7 minutes left of lunch. We ask that you throw away your garbage as soon as you are finished. Let's leave the lunchroom cleaner than it was when we came. Thank you." He turned off the microphone and walked away. Maybe German? Or Mandarin?

"Algebra II," a voice said behind him. Alec turned and saw a girl with tan skin and purple-dyed hair. "He teaches Algebra II. You were way off."

Alec laughed, "Mindreader?"

The girl's eyes widened, "Gosh, no. You were just talking out loud," she said, beginning to laugh with him. 

"Oh, oops."

"Yeah," she brushed something off her cheek, but Alec didn't see what. She laughed harder, "Me? A Prodigy? Honestly, I'd rather die."

***

Alec kicked a rock down the street, mumbling to himself about the staff at Gatlon City, flaunting around how 'inclusive' they are for teaching prodigies. All the posters plastered around the school about kindness and equality were just one big fat joke now.

It's been an entire school week with the new security system. Alec thought the whole thing was stupid. Prodigies were checked every morning, but for what? Prodigies are smarter than to even think about possibly giving the school a reason to get them in trouble. They weren't going to waltz in with a gun hidden in their bag or a knife in their pocket. Hell, no one even dared to bring toothpicks! Only because the last time a prodigy did, they ended up getting suspended because they were 'too sharp.'

Teachers had said the system was to stop trouble, but if anything, the system only created it. The entire week, parents had marched into the office, demanding that the school take away the system. They demanded that the school apologize for the humiliation they've caused students. Part of the parents was politely asked to leave, with a promise that their request would be considered. The rest were threatened by security to leave immediately. The rest of the parents, to no surprise, were prodigies. 

David practically had to beg their father to not go down to the school as well. There was no point in going. The school wasn't going to change. Things were going to stay the way they were. The next time Alec went to school he was going to grab those metal detectors from the guards and shove it up their-

"Alec."

He stopped in his tracks, staring down at the rock he had been kicking, except it wasn't there anymore. Had he just been kicking the gound? When he looked up though, he saw the rock hovering in the air, an inch in front of his nose.

"Where are you going?"

Alec pointed his finger downwards, using his power to lower the rock back onto the concrete. Behind him, David stood on the porch, watching him. Alec, having been too lost in his thoughts, ended up walking past their house. 

"Um, to bother Hugh for a bit. I'll be back in time for dinner, okay?" he said, looking over his shoulder. It was the first excuse he could come up with.

"Can you bring back my blanket? I left it at his house on Wednesday."

"The green one?" Alec was just going to keep walking on to wherever his feet carried him, but now he had to go see Hugh. Not that he was complaining, though.

"Yea."

"I'll bring it." David turned to walk inside their home, leaving Alec alone outside. He continued walking through his neighborhood.

It's not too bad of a walk, but it definitely wasn't convenient. He'd have to walk the rest of the neighborhood, then a couple blocks past a small park with food carts along the outskirts. He was going out of his way, but it was for Hugh, so it made things a little bit better.

As Alec went, he gave quick nods and smiles to the other kids coming from the opposite sides of the neighborhood. They were either coming from Lexington Academy or Romero Hills High School. Romero Hills only taught non-prodigies, but he was lucky to never have come across a student against people like him. 

Then, there was Lexington Academy. It was a fancy school that accepted prodigies and treated them normally, which Alec was sure was impossible. The school was way too expensive though. The students there were rich posh children that never had to fear whether or not society would be kind to them. Of course, society was kind to them, they have money.

Alec stops himself when he remembers that the girl David had talked about went to Lexington. He liked to believe that David had good judgment when it comes to people and if he said Tala was good, then Tala was probably good. But Lexington students only reminded Alec that even other prodigies were cruel to prodigies. Or at least the Lexington students he'd come across. They made him realize the only person you can ever really count on to be there for you was yourself.

On the opposite sidewalk, Alec instantly recognizes Noah Smith, a boy who he used to be friends with from Romero Hill. He'd go over with David to their house and play video games all throughout Elementary school. Their interactions now are limited to quick hellos and small waves, but that alone brightens Alec's day a bit. He makes a small mental note to catch up with him the next time they meet. He didn't see Tala, though. Maybe she doesn't take the bus home.

Alec turned around the block and left the neighborhood

[artino1987]

Chapter One- Call the Rebels

Woooah... this is the first post of my renegades au. Its just my own take on what happens before the Age of Anarchy and how it starts. This specific part though takes place a few days after Nova's family dies. I hope you like it!

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Nova let her head rest on her Uncle’s chest. She couldn’t sleep. Again. Nova barely managed to get any sleep the first night after her family’s death. And who could blame her? No one expected her to recover from what happened in less than 24 hours. But this was the third night. Yes, they knew she wouldn’t be okay then, but the anarchists hoped she could at least sleep. Even for five minutes. People worried that another sleepless night would drive her insane. And so her Uncle Ace left a meeting with the Anarchists early just to lay in bed with her. To comfort her. Her father used to do the same thing when she’d have nightmares. Nova almost felt bad for pulling her uncle away, but once he laid the blanket over them, she didn’t care. She felt safe.

Ace sifted his fingers through her hair. “Nova, close your eyes and try to rest. Please.” And she did. She was so tired, she felt she could have passed out right then and there, but she didn’t. Not when she knew what would happen if she did.

“Uncle Ace?”

He hummed.

“Why do you think the Renegades didn’t save them?”

He stopped playing with her hair and held her head to his chest instead. “The Renegades are selfish people, Nova,” he kissed the top of her head, “They only care about what they want. And without your father, there were fewer weapons to worry about."

“But Papa promised to stop.”

“The Renegades are liars. They’ll say what you want to hear, and then stab you in the back.”

Nova felt tears in her eyes, but she still kept them closed. It was almost funny how her uncle and father had two completely different views on the Renegades. Her uncle despised them and her father trusted them. But look at where that had gotten him. He had told Nova to trust them too. He was so sure they’d be safe. Nova heard hundreds of stories about Renegades and the amazing things they did, all the people they saved. Why were they so loved if they were only lying to us?

“How do you know the Renegades only lie to us?”

She felt his jaw tighten on the top of her head. “I used to be close with one before he became a Renegade.” Nova noticed his heart began to beat faster. “I had known him since we were kids. He used to be your father’s best friend. I only got close to him because David insisted on us being friends too, but it became more than that.” Not only had his heart felt like it was going to explode any second, but his body trembled ever so slightly. She had never seen her uncle like this. “I loved him, Nova. And he loved me. But he lied to me, just like he lied about protecting your father.”

“Did he lie about loving you?”

“No. It was about something else.”

“Then what did he lie about?”

He held her head closer. “Shhh. Get some rest, Nova.”

She didn’t want to. She wanted to open her eyes. She wanted to know what the Renegades had done to her uncle. She wanted to know what Hugh Everhart did. Ace said the Renegade who lied to him was the same Renegade who let her family die. What had happened?

Though she had so much on her mind, Nova grew tired again. Ace’s hand had returned to playing with the ends of her hair.

So instead, she kept her eyes shut as her breathing evened out. Nova fell asleep that night in her uncle’s arms. But he grew busier and busier every day. Raids, meetings, attacks. He was never able to be with her to help her sleep. He was never able to hold her.

That night was the last night Nova ever slept.

[artino1987]

Chapter Three- Call the Rebels

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Hugh walked down the stairs, his hand holding onto the wood railing. The smell of sizzling bacon filled him the closer he got downstairs. He heard the rustling on pots and pans, and the sound of the faucet running. On the last step of the stairs, his old lion slippers awaited him. After slipping them on, he trudged to the kitchen.

His mom was there, her arms elbow deep in the bubble filled sink. She turned back for a second and looked at Hugh. Except it felt more like she was looking through him. She turned back around and continued washing the dishes. "I made breakfast. It's on the table."

A plate of French toast and bacon sat by itself at the table in the kitchen. Hugh guessed his mom already ate without him.

Recently his mom was doing a lot more things without him. Telling her that he had been hiding superpowers from her was a lot more challenging than coming out as gay, but he did both only two months ago. She was supportive of him for being gay, but Hugh can remember the look of terror she wore when he lifted the car right above his head like it was nothing. She said nothing and walked back inside the house. His mom had never said anything towards his face, but he noticed every time she'd scoot away from him on the couch or when she stared at him a little too long when he created things out of chromium.

Hugh knew she still loved him, but there are just some things a parent has to learn to accept when it comes to their child. It's hard for her, but he appreciates that she tries.

Hugh sat down at the table, reaching for the fork and knife laid out right next to the plate. He ate his food quietly while his mother kept washing the dishes. There was this awkward eerie silence that Hugh knew would take time to disappear. He just wishes it'd disappear faster. And at that moment, it did.

"Your father's coming into town to visit you, " his mom said, still facing away from him, "Did you tell him yet?"

Hugh quickly chewed his food before speaking. "Uh, no. I haven't told him- about either things." He turned and looked at her. She had fawn brown hair that was either braided and draped over her left shoulder, never the left, or it was messily tied up into a ponytail. Only at special events like parties or weddings had Hugh ever seen her hair down, straight or curled.  This time it was braided.

She always said he looked like his dad, from the hair to the height to the personality. There was no way you couldn't tell they were related.

"I think you should tell him while he's here. It's up to you, but I don't know when you'll get to see him again."

His parents got divorced when he was three years old. It was simple, there was no cheating or fighting. They simply just fell out of love. In fact, the two were still close even after they separated. Now, his father lived in a small city outside of Galton with his new wife and new kids. Hugh nodded, even though she couldn't see him. "Okay."

Hugh quickly finished his food, giving the plate to his mom before walking to the living room.

***

Hugh kicked a pine cone as he walked down the neighborhood. With his mom pulling away, Hugh decided to pull away too. Maybe it wasn't the best choice, but it seemed easier this way. It was still early in the morning and there was an hour or two before the area came alive with people. But up ahead, Hugh saw a little girl looking up at a tall tree. She turned her head and gasped when she saw him.

The girl ran up to him.

"Hey, Max."

She smiled at him. "Hi, Captain!" She raised her right hand up to salute him, the left holding the arm of a stuffed pig toy. Their parents were friends and Hugh often had to watch her when Maxine's parents were called into work or just needed time off.

"I'm really glad you're here!"

Hugh crouched down to get closer to her height. "Yeah? Why's that?"

She turned and used her free hand to point at the tree she had been staring at earlier. "Emily ran up the tree, again. She's really high up this time."

Hugh groaned. Emily was an off-white cat that Maxine had gotten for Christmas two years ago. She was so cute and cuddly, but whenever Hugh tried to pet her, she always attacked him. He had a couple of scars on his hands because of her, but he was still determined to win her over. Eventually.

"Can you please go get her?"

He didn't want to. He really didn't want to. But Max lowered her head, squeezing the stuffed pig in both arms as she pouted, and Hugh found himself walking to the tree. The closer he got, the easier he could see the fluffy tail swaying back and forth on a branch. A really really high branch. He stood right where Maxine had a few moments ago.

"I could ask someone else if you don't want to," she mumbled.

"It's alright. I can go get her."

Hugh sighed grabbing onto the closest branch he could reach. This wasn't the first time Emily had gotten herself stuck in the tree, but this was the first time she had ever gone higher than halfway up the tree. He held tightly onto the branch and pulled his feet up against the tree. He continued grabbing more branches, slowly climbing up the tree. He pulled and stepped on the same branches he always had before. Hugh looked down and Max smiled up at him nodding, encouraging him to keep going. When he looked back up, Emily had been watching him. She yawned and laid her hand down on the branch she rested on. Hugh began to question if this cat really had any other purpose other than giving him hell.

Hugh was close enough up the tree that if he reached out, he could just barely place his hand on Emily's back. There was no way he was going to be able to grab her, so he brought his right leg up on a branch that was a little too high for him. Hugh was holding an awkward lung stretch against the tree. He pushed off on his left leg as hard as he could, grunting as he crouched down on the single branch. It felt weak under his body, but if he carefully leaned forward, he'd be able to get Emily. And so that's what he tried to do.

Emily meowed and continued to sway her tail as if instead of laying on a branch, she was resting on Maxine's pillow. It didn't help Hugh to know that even after this, Emily would hiss and bite whenever he tried to pet her.

Hugh grabbed her carefully with both of his hands, lifting her up slowly. Once the lifter her body off the branch, he pulled her close to his chest. Hugh smiled, placing his hand on top of her head. This time, she didn't move. Instead, she purred, welcoming the touch. Hugh almost could have enjoyed this moment, but he heard small cracks coming from the branch underneath him and Emily. It dipped, slowly breaking away from the tree.

Hugh cursed as he looked around. There wasn't a branch the looked sturdy enough for him to grab onto, and he was too scared to stretch his leg onto one underneath him.

"Are you alright, Captain?" Max yelled.

"Uh, yeah! I'm alright!" He yelled back, still looked at the branches around him. "Hey, Max?"

"Yes?"

"Doesn't your dad have a ladder?"

"He does! But it wasn't tall enough for me to reach Emily!"

Hugh wished he had asked about the ladder before he went climbing the tree. He felt stupid for realizing that not just now could he have used it, but he could have used every other time Emily had climbed up.  He was really starting to hate this cat.                                            

"Can you still come bring it?"

"I can! I'll be right back!" she yelled, running off to her house. But before she walked onto her porch, she ran back to Hugh.

Maxine set down her stuffed big, so it sat facing the tree. "I'm leaving Beni to watch you, okay?"

Hugh smiled, "Okay!" He didn't really know how the toy would help him, but it was still cute.

The branch was just barely holding on, but every now and then it would slip down as more of it broke. Hugh took a deep breath in, looking back to Emily. "I hope you know that this is all your fault." She only meowed back at him.

His body jolted as the branch dropped dramatically. It looked as if it could snap at any second. Felt like it too.

"Crap, crap, crap."

There was nothing he could support himself on. He heard loud sounds of metal scraping along the pavement. Max was pulling the ladder along behind her slowly. But as she continued getting closer to the tree, the branch got closer to breaking off.

"I'm almost there, Captain!" she yelled.

But before she could take another step, a loud snap erupted from under Hugh. He screamed as the branch broke completely. He shut his eyes tight and held Emily close. He fell from the tree, and as he braced himself to hit the pavement, someone shoved themselves into his side.

The person hugged him tight as they both rolled forward on the sidewalk. Hugh felt pain in his side from where the person crashed into him. He felt like his breath had been ripped straight from his lungs. When the stopped rolling, his head hit against the top step of the ladder that had been dropped.

"Are you alright?"

Hugh felt groggy and the voice was muffled, but he could tell it wasn't Max's. He slowly opened his eyes and it took a while for him to clearly see. The earth was spinning.

"Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

A girl with dark skin and dark brown hair hovered over him. she got closer to him and put her hand on the back of his head.

"Hello? Are you okay?"

Hugh groaned, "I think so?"

"Can you get up?"

"No. You're sitting on me."

She gasped, pushing herself to stand up. "Oh, I'm sorry." She reached her hand, which Hugh grabbed, and she lifted him up. Hugh turned back and saw Max holding her toy in one hand, Emily in the other.

"My name is Georgia," she said, smiling.

"I'm Hugh."

"Well Hugh, what were you doing in that tree?"

He turned and pointed at Max. "Cat."

She nodded and laughed. "Okay, then. But maybe use the ladder from the start next time, okay?"

He laughed with her. "Let's hope there isn't the next time."

Georgia turned to leave but stopped. "You're not gonna tell anyone about me, are you?"

"What?"

"You're not gonna tell anyone that I flew and catches you?"

Hugh didn't even realize that she flew. At that moment, all he could think about was how much he hated Emily.

"No. I won't say anything."

She continued walking again. "Thanks. Goodbye, Hugh."

He watched her walk down the street, before looking back at Maxine. She looked down.

"I'm sorry you fell, Captain," she mumbled.

He crouched down and hugged her. "It's alright. Now go make sure Emily gets back home safe."

She smiled and ran back to her house. Hugh picked up the ladder and followed her.

[artino1987]

Chapter Two- Call the Rebels

First Next

The oven beeped.

Alec picked up the pan and walked over to the stove, opening the oven a hot air blew in his face, making him cough. He could never get used to the puff of heat no matter how many times he used it. Alec sat the pan on the top rack, pushing it into the middle before closing the oven.

“How long do I put it for?!” He shouted, clicking on the screen of the stove.

“35 minutes!” A voice from the living room yelled back. Alec set up the timer and began to clean up the kitchen. The eggs, milk, and a box of red velvet cake mix. His father hated using a cake mix and preferred to make a cake from scratch. But it was a lazy Monday evening during spring break and no one seemed up for extra work so Betty Crocker will do for now.

“Alec! Come here for a second!”

After putting the last spoon in the sink, he walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. The news played on the TV while his dad furiously waved the remote. The lady babbled on about statistics and police officers, but what really caught his attention were the words at the bottom of the screen.

Seven prodigies found dead in a dumpster at Gatlon City High School.

His mouth gaped open. Seven prodigies. Seven people with abilities. Seven people. The lady wasn’t on the screen anymore. Instead, there were pictures of the people that died. From when they were alive, obviously. An old man with a third eye, a woman with purple skin, someone with actual fire for hair, twin males with fangs, a lady with a tail, and lastly, a little boy. He looked normal. The only thing out of place with him was the tooth missing in his smile he had in the photo. It hurt Alec to think about how the little boy must have been so excited to show his parents that tooth. He had to look away.

“Are you seeing this garbage, Alec? There’s no proof that they ever did anything bad! For all we know, they’re innocent!”

Zachary Artino was usually a calm man. He found happiness in cooking and playing sports with his sons. He loved teaching and helping others. Barely anything ever made him mad. Maybe if someone, probably David, spent money on something useless, or if someone forgot to do their homework, he’d be upset. But prodigy inequality made him furious. From hate crimes to a simple “I’m not helping you” at the checkout line of a grocery store. His father believed everyone was equal despite your abilities. And he raised Alec and David to be the same.

Recently, more murders have happened. They appeared on the news all the time. Alec and David look normal people, and as long as they hid their abilities in public, they were safe. But their father was a different story. He had dark brown skin, ears at the top of his head, large black pupils, horns, and a muzzle. He had the body of a normal man, but his face was somewhere in between human and bull. Zachary Artino was not a bad man. His speed never carried him from the police, and his strength was never used to kill a man. The only time Alec can picture him using his abilities is when he’d tried to beat David in football.

No matter what kind of man Zachary Artino was, his appearance was the only reason people needed to kill him. It was why David and Alec always offered to run errands, and they usually do, but sometimes their father doesn't give in to staying home. He can still remember years ago when his father came back, a Walmart bag in hand and blood streaming down his face.

“It’s insane, Alec. If I could change the world, I would.”

He said that all the time. He said it when the news came on. He said it when he read the paper. He said it when he drove Alec around. He said it when he comes home late, bloodied and bruised all those years ago. He said it all the time.

His father looked back at the remote and changed the channel. From murder to a princess killing zombies. From furious to happy and dazed.

Alec heard footsteps on the wood of the porch and laughter behind the door. It swung open and three people walked in. David ran into the living room wearing a cowboy hat. Hugh and Rios walked in, looking exactly as they did when they left. Only David could come back from a normal walk wearing a cowboy hat. A pink glittery cowboy hat. Only David Artino.

“David! What the hell is that?!” Their father lowered the volume of the show and had completely turned to the boys.

“A hat...?” he said shyly. His father turned to Hugh.

“And you let him buy that?”

Hugh shrugged, “I tried to stop him.”

He shook his head. “David, give it to me now.” David groaned but handed it to him. Instead of tossing it next to him on the couch like Alec expected him to, he put it on top of his own head. It covered up his ears and horns. A bull wearing a cowboy hat. A sparkly pink cowboy hat.

Hugh walked over and bumped his shoulder into Alec’s. He leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “I lied. I’m the one who told him to buy it.” Alec covered his mouth to keep in his laughter.

“Where did you even find it?”

“Rios said there was a swap meet happening in the parking lot of a church nearby.”

David and Rios laughed with each other as they walked into the kitchen. Hugh bumped his shoulder again and smiled. “What cake did you make?”

“Red velvet.”

Hugh hummed sweetly, turning to walk into the kitchen as well.

“I love red velvet.”