A/N; Just for clarification, when something's in Italics, as in a sentence, its when the character who's POV the part is is. I hope you enjoy.

Will's POV

Standing at the corner of the street with Layla, we waited, making small talk until the bus came. Mostly about what to save as a hero. True to form, Layla went on about animals, the rainforest, etc., until a stereotypical yellow bus pulled up alongside us.

The doors opened, as the bus driver let out a greeting. "Morning." Layla and I called back. As I walked up the steps on the bus, Layla behind me, I asked; "Is this the bus to Sky High?"

Cue slamming doors.

"SHHH! What are you, crazy?" The bus driver accused. "Do you want every supervillain in the neighbourhood to know we're here?"

"Uh, no. No." I shook my head. Man, I've never even seen a villain in this neighbourhood. How is he so sure… My thoughts were interrupted by the bus driver.

"What's your name, freshman?"

"Uh, Will Stronghold." I responded.

Pause. "The son of the Commander and Jetstream?" He asked; a slight bit of awe in his voice. I'm used to that, but it's slightly annoying. I don't see the big deal. Just cause my parents are two of the biggest superheroes, doesn't mean I can live up to their name.

"Everyone, it's Will Stronghold! Son of the Commander and Jetstream!" He announced, grabbing my shoulders so he could turn me to face the bus load of students. He looked me in the eye. "I'm Ron Wilson, Sky High bus driver."

"If I can make your journey more comfortable, let me know."

Turning to two students sitting behind the driver's seat, he said, in a slightly authority-toned voice, "You two! Get up! The seat behind Ron Wilson belongs to Will Stronghold."

The boy in orange stood up, saying it would be an honour. "No really, you don't have to..." I said, slightly uncomfortable with this idea.

"No, I want to. You're third generation man! C'mon Magenta, get up!"

The girl in purple cast a strange look at him. "Why? He only needs one seat."

"So he can sit with his girlfriend!" Girlfriend? Oh nonono… what to say…

"Layla? Oh, no, she's just my friend." Please back me up, please…

"Yeah, totally. He's like my brother." Oh, thank you! Pause. Crap.

A kid with a ginger afro (Wait, what?) and an argyle sweater stood up. "Well, in that case, I'm Larry." He said, winking at Layla. I think she's a little creeped out by that kid. I know I would be, in her position.

We walked down the aisle of the bus, looking for a place to sit. I spotted Zach near the back, a space next to him, but a few rows before him was a spot next to a girl; maybe Layla could sit there.

I glanced back. No, Layla couldn't. She looked a bit too intimidating.

She may have had pin-straight, blonde hair that fell just about 2 inches past her shoulders, with a few black streaks on the right, but it was her clothes that were strange. Solid black. No color, just black.

Even her coat, a leather trench coat, was black. She also had on a hoodie, fingerless gloves that only exposed the tips of her fingers, and what I thought were hiking boots. She looked to be pretty tall, possibly almost six feet tall. Her eyes were solid black, like the pupil just dominated the Iris.

A glint of silver caught my eye as I walked past her to sit with Zach. Were those Dog tags she's wearing? I plopped down next to Zach, and Layla sat one row back on the other side.

"Yo, Will. Hey, how you doin'?" Zach gripped my hand in crazy shake we shared. "Hey, Layla." He said, waving to our Hippie-like friend, who waved back.

"How ya doing Zach?" I asked. "How was your summer?"

"To be honest, it was tough, man. T- U-P-H." Zach sucks at spelling, did I mention that?

"I was seriously sweatin' it. My dad going, 'Zach, I powered up before I started shaving.' And here's me, dude, halfway through August, and zip."

"Oh… So you don't have your powers?" I said, slightly hopeful someone was in the same boat as me.

"You think I'd even show up today if that happened? No. No, no. Woke up a few days ago and... bam!"

Layla jumped as Zach clapped his hands together.

"That's great. So, what- what is it?" I asked, now worried I was the only one without my powers.

"You have to wait and see, like everybody else. But it's awesome, man. It's awesome! Come on. It's not like you ever powered up in front of us."

I sighed. Yeah, Zach. Cause I can't.

I decided to change the subject. "Hey Zach…" I started.

"Yeah, what?"

"You see that girl, blonde hair, and a few seats ahead of us? Solid black clothes."

"Yeah, what about her?" he asked, puzzled as to why I was asking.

"Who is she?"

Zach arched an eyebrow. "Dude, believe me, I have no sweet clue who she is. All I know is she looks like the kind of person who'd roast you alive without a second thought, if she's a Pyrokinetic. I wouldn't cross her."

I gulped. "You think she's a Pyrokinetic?"

"No clue man, no clue. But whatever her power, I would NOT want to piss her off. Who knows what she's like..."

Thanks Zach… That is REALLY encouraging.

The bus screeched to a stop, jarring my bones, to let one last person on.

"Soo-rry!" Ron called, as he opened the doors. "Morning!" He called to the kid climbing the steps, who just nodded.

"All right, that's everyone. Next stop: Sky High!" He said, ripping a pocket off his sleeve and replacing his hat.

As he drove onto a closed off bridge, lap restraints and seat belts appeared, locking everyone in place, and also startling everyone.

"Where are we?" Layla asked, but I just shrugged. I didn't have a clue.

"Hang on back there! We're going off-road! " Ron called. Off road? Wha-

The bus just dropped off the end of the bridge, then lurched upwards. Screaming, I thought this is a ROCKET-propelled school bus? Where IS Sky High?

I got my answer not long after.

Of course… It's in the name, after all. The school is literally, Sky High.

Ron started to go on about the school, but I wasn't paying a lot of attention. I was just worried about falling off the edge.

As he pulled down for a landing, the bus hit the ground roughly, the contrary to the "Smooth and easy" Ron claimed, who called out another sorry, then proceeded to explain something.

"A word of advice. Don't miss the bus, 'cause the bus waits for no one. Except for you, Will Stronghold! You ever running late, running early, or you just want to talk..."

He flashed a business card to me, so I took it."... Give me a call." I just nodded, as the group of freshman walked towards the steps of the school. Two students landed from flying to school and a group of cheerleaders welcomed everyone back.

Wait a sec… On closer inspection, I realized every cheer leader was the same. Most defiantly when seven disappeared, into the one in the center.

Then the entire group closed in, pushing everyone into a small a bunch as possible; someone was running circles around us, penning us in.

"Hey, freshmen! Your attention, please!" A voice called, as a guy moved down the stairs, his arms and legs stretching to cover more ground. The person running around us halted right next to him, as Mr. Elastic stood in front of us, beginning to talk.

"I'm Lash. Uh, this is Speed. As representatives of the Sky High welcoming committee..." He trailed off, a hand extending, on an impossibly long arm, to the kid in orange.

"We'd be happy to collect that fifteen-dollar new student fee."

"There was nothing about a new student fee in the handbook…" He said, slightly uncertain.

Just then, a girl walked over, taking over before Lash could say something.

"OK, guys. Very funny. I'll take over from here." Lash and Speed left, evidently annoyed they didn't get any money.

"Hey, everybody. I'm Gwen Grayson, your student body president. I know you're all going to love it here at Sky High. I know I have. I've just had the greatest experience..." Oh, man, she was beautiful…

"...but there are a few rules that I just want to let you guys know. First of all..." She continued, but I had zoned off by this point. I couldn't stop looking at her.

Stupid, over-active imagination…

"If you can remember those few simple rules, I promise you will not fall off the edge of the school. Follow me inside for orientation." I was shaken to reality by her turning around to lead us inside.

"Rules? What rules?" I said, and Layla elbowed me. "Weren't you paying attention?" She asked, but she knew the answer.

As we walked through the school, I noticed the girl in black kept to the back of the group, and looked like everyone wasn't going near her. She wore a constantly neutral-yet-slightly-angry expression, but looked as though she could get really angry at any moment.

We walked into the gym, where Gwen left us, as we made our way to a podium. Halfway across the gym, a white blur rocketed overhead. The blur landed behind the podium, turning into a woman as it did so.

"Good morning. I am Principal Powers. On behalf of all the faculty and staff, welcome to Sky High."

Zach clapped his hands together, yelling "Yeah!", but a stern look from our new principal silenced him, and she continued.

"In a few moments you will go through Power Placement and your own heroic journey will begin."

"Power placement?" I whispered to Layla. "Sounds fascist." She replied back.

"Power Placement: it's how they decide where you go." The orange-clad guy replied.

"The hero track or the loser track." Purple girl added.

"Th-Th-There's a Loser track?" I stuttered out.

"I believe the preferred term is 'Hero Support.'" Orange replied.

I gulped.

"For now, good deeds and good luck. Let the adventure begin. Comets away!" Our principal flew off, and as we turned around, a platform was rising out of the ground, with a gym teacher on it.

Oh, what is up with those shorts? Those are waaayyy too short for sanity. Gonna be having nightmares for a long time now.

"All right, listen up. My name is Coach Boomer. You may know me as 'Sonic Boom.' You may not." He looked around, assessing the group.

"Here's how Power Placement is gonna work. You will step up here and show me your power. And, yes, you will do so in front of the entire class. I will then determine where you will be assigned. Hero or sidekick." Damn, dad is so not going to be happy when he finds out… I'm so going to be a sidekick…

"Now, every year there are a few students or, as I like to call them, "whiner babies," who see fit to question and to complain about their placement." What is WRONG with this guy? "So let's get one thing straight. My word is law. My judgment is final, so there will be no whiner babies. Are we clear?"

The group of freshmen mumbled and nodded. Boomer narrowed his eyes. "I said… Are. We. CLEAR?!" The last part was loud enough to act like a gust of wind.

"YES, COACH BOOMER!" We yelled back, nowhere near his level of volume.

"Go time!" He said, almost jubilantly, then pointed to the ginger-afro kid. "You there… What's your name?" "L-Larry…" He choked out. "Little Larry..." The coach sneered. "Get up here." He gulped and walked up to stand next to Boomer.

"What's humiliating him going to prove? This is so unfair." Layla commented to me. I suppressed a snort of laughter. "If life were to suddenly get fair, I doubt it would be in high school."

On the platform, Larry powered up at Boomer's request. A two-ton rock stood on the platform. Wow… Don't step on my toes, please.

"Car." Boomer said, pressing a button.

Larry caught the car with a roar.

"Big Larry. Hero!" Boomer nodded his head.

"So, he's good." Zach whispered. "But I'm better." He clapped my shoulder and walked up to the platform before I could say anything.

"Did I say you were next?" Boomer asked, surprised someone was up there of their own free will.

"Name's Zach, Coach Boomer. Try not to drop your clipboard." Oh crap….

Zach clapped his hands together, standing there as though he should be basking in admiration. Nothing whatsoever has happened.

"Any day now, superstar." Boomer said, clearly annoyed.

"I'm doin' it." Zach said.

"Doing what?"

"I'm glowin'."

"I don't think so."

"Well, it's easier to see in a dark room… Maybe if you turn off some of these lights, cup your hands around your eyes and look real close…" My friend insisted.

"Sidekick."

"Are you sure you don't-"

"SIDEKICK!" Boomer, well, boomed.

Next kid up was the one from the bus, who wanted to let me sit where he was.

"Let me start off by saying what an honor it is…" Orange kid started to say, but was interrupted.

"Is that your power? Butt-Kisserey?"

"Very funny Sir. I've heard you have a wicked sense of.."

"Shut up and Power up."

"Right away Sir." And he just melted. Into a puddle.

"Say, that's pretty impressive… For a POPSICKLE! Sidekick!" Boomer gave him a thumb down.

After a few more kids, Boomer picked out the girl who sat next to the Popsicle. "Purple kid, let's go."

"What's your shtick?"

"I'm a shape shifter." Boomer looked slightly impressed.

"Alright, shift it." Rolling her eyes, she shifted. Getting smaller. And smaller..

And then there was a little black and purple Guinea Pig.

"A Guinea Pig?" he asked, confused.

"Yup." A very squeaky voice replied.

"Not even a swarm of Guinea Pigs?"

"Uh, no."

"Sidekick. Shoo!"

"Bite me." She retorted.

"Flower child, let's go." Boomer called on Layla.

This will not end well…

"Uh, I believe in only using my powers when the situation demands it." Layla stated.

"Well, you're in luck; this is the situation, and I'm demanding it."

"But to participate in this test would be to support a flawed system. The whole hero-sidekick dichotomy only serves to..."

Boomer cut her off. "Let me get this straight; are you refusing to show me your powers?"

"It's more complicated than that, but…"

"Sidekick!" Layla walked off the stage. "We'll pick up right after lunch. Starting with you." I gulped; he was pointing right at me. "And then you." He pointed to the girl in black.

Lunch was okay. But I now have an arch enemy; Warren Peace. Great, not even through my first day, and I already have one. Plus that girl in black sat with Peace. What's up with that? How does she know him?