Obligatory Credits: This is fan fiction for the Whateley Academy series. It may or may not match the timeline, characters, and continuity, but since it's fan fiction, who cares? To see the canon Whateley Stories, check out Whateley Academy at http://www.crystalhall.org
Pic Credit: Lady Death from Chaos Comics (pic adjusted for the story)

Author's Note: This is fanfiction, obviously. Here is a notice to all the fan-boys and fan-girls out there. I have not read every single Whateley fic and or fanfic out there so I don't know every single little bit of trivia there is to know. If you see a tiny little error that that has absolutely no bearing on the plot, please, restrain yourself from pointing your finger and gasping in abject horror. I think it's fairly close so slowly put your blades away and relax. :)

The Middle of the End

"Is there anyone listening out there? I was once like you: a normal sixteen year old guy, I had a father that taught me right from wrong, took me hunting occasionally, friends, significant other, the whole ball of yarn. Then my world changed."

I rubbed my eyes, the bright light, overhead, started to give me a headache. Reaching into my inner coat pocket, I withdrew my Oakley Pit Boss sunglasses, a gift from my dead father, and slipped them on.

"There was a verbal argument. I apologized. They didn't accept. Now they're trying to kill me. The newspapers call me criminally insane, even though they've never met me. Humanity First calls me a threat to life as they know it, even though they've never met me. Some of you in the blog-o-sphere call me a modern day Pancho Villa. Shouldn't it be Pancha? I'm a girl after all, thanks to a genetic mutation that I didn't have anything to do with, changed me nearly a month ago."

After taking a sip of water to ease my dry throat, I set the bottle down.

"They came to my home, my property, the land my family bought over a hundred years ago and tried to kill me. A ninja wannbe crashed through my front window and tried to slice me up with his sword. I defended myself."

The memory was still at the forefront of my mind. Watching the twenty-something guy literally falling apart at the joints in front of me from Sangria's quick actions.

"Did I kill him? Yes. I freely admit that. Did I kill the other two men sent to do the same thing to me? Yes. They were on my property with the sole intention of doing me lethal bodily harm. Excuse me if I didn't want to lay down and die.

"Did I have a right to defend myself? If you ask Humanity First, then no. Since I'm a mutant then I have no rights. If you check the Constitution of these United States then yes, I was born a citizen and thus have the right to defend myself with equal force. So, they're dead."

Sangria caressed my cheek with a tendril of my hair.

"Did the State appointed mutant adviser, Tammy Morse aka Morphine live, even though she's the one that started all of this mess, yes. She's less a couple pints of blood, but she's alive and under the tender mercies of the MCO.

"Now I've lost everything that meant anything to me. Being hunted like an animal. Dropships have carried dozens of flunkies in their so-called Power Suits on my mountain to bring me in." Leaning into the microphone I let an edge go over my voice. "Send more if you want. I'll keep sending them back to you. Maybe not in the most pristine of shapes, but they'll be alive. That's more than I can say you'd do if you had the chance to get a hold of me."

I eased up and tried to relax.

"For those mutants out there that are hunted like I am, you have a voice now. There's someone that is trying to fight back against the bigotry and hatred that's been a part of our country for decades. Don't lose hope. Don't give up. Let your voice be heard."

Leaning back in my chair, I breathed nice and evenly for a few seconds.

"I wish I could help you directly. I know that some of you don't have the power to defend yourself. If you don't, then find somewhere to hide. LIVE! Someday it will be better.

"Well, my time's up. They'll be closing in on my transmitter any minute. Keep your radio tuned to this channel and I'll be back with an update as soon as possible. Good luck."

I was dressed in military grade winter camouflage to blend in with the background and to provide a defense against the infrared scanners they were using to hunt me down. The small amount of heat that I was releasing only looked like one of thousands amongst the wild creatures roaming around. For all intents and purposes, I was invisible.

There never was an all out assault or massive search party for me. Apparently this type of thing happens all the time. The local police showed up at the house and washed their hands on the situation. They brought in a psychometrist who read the scene and told them it was self-defense.

That was good enough for the superheroes who wanted no part in furthering the ambitions of the MCO or Humanity First. So they weren't coming anywhere near my mountain.

But the newspapers and television crews wouldn't let it alone. They had a business to run, and nothing sold papers or raised ratings more than a fugitive mutant murderer on the loose.

Tourists would drive by hoping for a glimpse of me ripping apart one of the many Power Suit teams they sent against me. It was a big mountain and the odds were minuscule that they'd see anything, much less me in a fight, but they came anyway.

Below me, about five hundred yards to the south, was the base camp for the MCO. A single dropship sat along side, powered down. Odds are they wouldn't try anything tonight, but I stayed crouched in the tree, watching, waiting.

"Tell me a story, Sangria," I whispered.

As you wish, my love.

Three thousand and nine years ago lived a maiden girl, fair of face and body. She was sought after by dozens of suitors, the pride of her mother, and destined to be a governess of the local municipality. She lived a quiet life and was a devoted follower of her goddess.

One night she visited the temple to pay homage to her goddess as she did often, when she was visited upon by a tall muscular, bearded man who reeked of fish. They were a coastal township, you see, and men often smelled this way.

He set upon her and despite her pleading to her goddess, she was raped repeatedly in the very same temple. She fought as best as she could, never willingly giving in to his unquenchable lust.

Eventually he grew bored and left her there, on the goddess' altar to die. That is when her goddess deigned to reveal herself.

For the crime of desecrating her altar, the girl was cursed.

"Hold on. The girl was raped and this was her fault?"

According to the goddess, my love, that is correct. You see the goddess was jealous of the girl's beauty, her shining golden blond hair, the attention she was receiving from the men. She thought it an affront to her own supposed divine beauty. In so many words, she was asking for it.

"That is so wrong." Sangria didn't respond, and I saw something deeper in the new feelings I was experiencing through her. "My love," I said. "Was this you?"

Sadness and anger welled up inside of me. I was uncertain about the source. It might have been me or her.

She cursed me that night to never be looked upon again without dire penalty. My beauty was stolen from me, my hair brought to life to mark me and to taunt me.

"What did you do?"

I hid myself, far in the mountains, away from the judgmental eyes of the normal people. They saw her punishment as just. I came to find out later that it was the goddess's own uncle that that came to me that night, sent to fulfill her own machinations, her own petty jealousies.

"It was a setup."

Indeed. From that day on I swore revenge by any means, cursing their names.

"Were you able… did you…"

After a fashion, my love. Her father sent a champion to kill me and he was successful, but in the end I was able to seek another such as yourself before my life force was pulled into Tartarus.

"Hold on, I've heard that name before."

It is the Greek version of the afterlife, the Underworld, Hell.

All the pieces started coming together. "Are you telling me that you're…"

Medusa, my love. Athena was my patron goddess, the man that attacked me was Poseidon, and the god that sent his bastard son Perseus to kill me was Zeus. All because I was once beautiful.

Sangria was quiet for a long time after that. Her life, such as it was, had turned full circle, probably time and again. Here she was secluded in the mountains once more. Hiding from those that thought that she deserved punishment for being different. Granted, I wasn't a raving beauty before or after I turned into a mutant. In fact, I would probably scare the pants off of any guy that looked at me. Nobody wanted a girlfriend that looked like a demon, well, not the sane ones anyway.

It was just as well. I seriously doubt that I would ever come across a guy that I would be attracted to. Heterosexual males just didn't do anything for me.

Spotlights ignited and drenched the area in white light. Sangria was quick to shield my eyes while I dug out my Pit Boss sunglasses.

"What's going on?"

The enemy is on the move, my love. Something has attracted their attention.

"Me?"

No, I think not. Something else… there! A strand of hair pointed to the east. Two figures, one tall and imposing, the other short and very large. No, wait… the first one is carrying another. Three of them.

The whine of the dropship engines powering up drew my attention. Dammit, and here I was thinking it was going to be a quiet night.

"Get us in close, Sangria. I want to see who else is trespassing on my mountain."

Two shocks of hair launched out and I felt the rush of cold wind on my face as we moved from tree to tree, well above all of the action. The three newcomers were running uphill, blind, and we were on an intercept course catching them in seconds.

"Keep moving, Gordo. We've got to find somewhere to hide. They'll be on us in seconds."

The short fat kid was huffing up a storm, looking like he was going to have a heart attack any second when Sangria dropped us right in their path.

"Too late," I snapped. "They're already here."

They were obviously mutants. The tall one didn't have a face, only two slits of glowing solid green eyes. The one he was carrying was a girl, I think. She might not actually be alive if what I was seeing of her head was any indication. She had no skin. Muscle and bone was all that was showing. Jesus.

They stopped and the tall one's body language showed nothing but fear. Mutants, on the run, on my mountain!

I pointed to the side. "Three hundred yards that way is a road. You'll find an SUV there. Get in and don't move a muscle until I get there."

The squat fat kid, pale-white, and sweating went wide with his eyes. "You're her!"

A spotlight from above shot down on us. "Move now!"

Sangria grabbed the nearest tree and launched us into the air, straight at the dropship hovering close above.

It was a shoebox with wings; that was the best way to describe the aircraft that held an untold amount of Power Suits. Usually they just dropped a single capture team, but I've proven a little too evasive and stubborn for just a single team anymore. I've seen as many as three teams, and with mutants on my mountain being chased, there was no telling what to expect. That's why the deployment portals on the bottom were my target. They come from there, spat out one by one, the Power Suits.

The outer controls were shredded on two of them in seconds, compliments of Sangria, locking the portals closed. Only one more, but it was too late. Out dropped three figures before I had a chance to move. The only other opportunity I had before it got out of control was to take out the ship itself.

Sangria looped a length of hair around one of the wings and swung us up to the top.

Two engines on either wing swiveled around to provide the thrust and hovering capability that were the weakest part of the ship and my new goals.

The first pod was sliced off in a second sending the dropship swerving to the right while it was trying to compensate. That was probably a good thing since I narrowly avoided getting blasted into plasma goo from the Pitcher in his vain attempt to kill me.

"They brought out the big guns, Sangria!"

The second pod dropped to the forest below. There was no way it could stay up in the air for much longer, so we made our escape. The trees below were problematic at the moment, because of the rate the dropship was spinning. The only other way was straight up.

Needless to say, the Pitcher was caught off guard when Sangria latched on to his legs and spun me around to his back. He was the only airborne member to the Power Suit team and with me hitchhiking he knew he was now a target.

"Just drop me anywhere, flyboy."

"Get off! Get off!" he yelled.

Sangria looped around his neck and started to squeeze. It was one of the weaknesses of the armor, the joints. People tend to panic when their air supply is cut off.

"Get me to the trees safely and I'll go."

That's when we stared to receive small arms fire from below. I looked down and my own eyes widened. Trees were being shredded by the spinning dropship.

"I'd hurry if I were you."

Bullets were pinging off the front of the Pitcher's armor. I guess they really don't care who gets hurt just as long as they get their mutant.

The Pitcher took his cue and dove to the side. I braced myself on his legs and then jumped. Sangria took care of the flight pack attached to his back and I sent two arms of hair to the nearest tree before watching the Pitcher fall to his just reward a hundred feet to the ground.

He'll live. His suit will see to that. He might not be in one complete piece though.

That's when something went boom. I didn't get to see what it was, because Sangria wrapped me up nice and tight in a hair cocoon, but I felt the concussion blast send me flying into the air, knocking me senseless.

Cold wind in my face woke me.

Are you well, my love?

I took off my sunglasses and wiped at my eyes. "Fine. Where are we?"

Almost to the vehicle.

Good, I need a warm bath and some sleep.

Do not forget about our visitors.

Ugh.

Sangria set me lightly to my feet before pulling back and assuming her normal state at the bottom of my shoulder blades. I dug into my pocket and retrieved the keys to the SUV as I approached. The tall one was waiting outside, by the passenger side door. He didn't say anything to me as I neared.

Looking through the to the back seat I saw the girl being nursed after by the fat boy.

"I want to make one thing perfectly clear," I said to the faceless guy while I looked at the girl. "I'm in charge. You do what I say until you are away from here and safe. If you can't handle that then you're free to…"

"Fine," she said without any argument. "You're in charge."

Slowly, I turned my head and let him see the seriousness in my eyes. To his credit, he didn't flinch when he saw the red. Of course he had his own set of freakshow eyes to lay claim to so it was an even match.

"Get in."

Nothing was said the entire way home, although I could hear whispers of Spanish from the back seat. When I lowered the garage door, sealing us inside the mountain, I released a sigh of relief.

Nobody moved, obviously waiting for me to do something while everyone listened to the engine ticking away as it cooled.

I looked into the rear-view mirror at the fat boy. "Is she hurt?"

"My sister is exhausted," the boy answered in a heavy Mexican accent.

"Names."

The fat boy started. "I am Gordo, this is my sister, Crystal, and he's Void."

The faceless guy nodded in my direction. "Thank you for your help, tonight."

"Uh-huh." I opened my door. "Come on inside. It's not home sweet home but it has a bathroom, food, and it's safe."

Sangria disarmed the alarm system and opened the armored door before we made it there. I pointed to around the place. "Kitchen, bathroom is off the bedroom which is there. There's only one bed and it's mine, but the couch is a hide-away. Sheets are in the closet, there. Help yourself to the kitchen, books, TV, whatever." I turned around and looked at the three. "I only have three rules. Clean up after yourself, leave that door alone," I pointed to a closed door with a key pad positioned left of the frame. "And if you betray me… well, you've seen the news, use your imagination."

Nobody said anything. Chatty bunch aren't they?

"May my sister use your shower?" asked Gordo.

I looked at the skinless girl which was a lesson in keeping your lunch down. "Can your sister speak?"

Void held up a hand, silently asking me not to press the issue. "It's better if she doesn't. Gordo always knows what she wants."

I raised an eyebrow at that. "Linens are in with the sheets. Help yourself."

The girl leaned heavily on her obese brother as he led her into the bedroom and closed the door.

"Who skinned her?"

Void pulled at the fingers to his gloves before removing them. "That happened when she became a mutant. She has skin; it's just see-through."

That's got to suck. And I thought I had it bad. At least you could see my blindingly white skin. Speaking of which, it was starting to get hot. The camo I was wearing was specially made to be for cold temperatures. Unbuttoning the outer layer, I took it off, exposing the fitted tank underneath. I felt, more than saw, Void's eyes on me. It was hard to tell one way or the other since he had no visible irises or pupils. Ah well, no matter how weird I look, I knew I had a hot body, and he was obviously heterosexual.

"Hungry?"

He shook his head. "I don't eat, normally. Though I'm sure Gordo is starved."

I almost smiled at that. "You're kidding, right? He looks like he could live off of his reserves for a year."

Void unzipped his jacket and slipped it off. "He's a mutant too. Used to be skinny as a rail."

Entering the kitchen I opened the refrigerator and looked over the contents. With three, or rather two more mouths to feed I'd have to call in an order pretty soon. Sangria had a large buck for breakfast so she was good for a few days. After thinking about her exertion through the hubbub tonight I amended that, maybe a day.

Another thing that had changed for me: no processed foods. Everything had to be natural.

"What's your story?" I asked.

Void was down to a black t-shirt and from the way the little sleeves were stretched at the seams, I'd say he was powerhouse.

He shrugged and leaned on the counter, watching me toss a three steaks on the George Foreman and setting up the steamer for the veggies. Potatoes went into the microwave. "I was laying low in Atlanta when the wonder twins showed up and blew my hideout."

"That sucks."

"Yeah."

I licked the blood I'd picked up from the steaks off of my fingers. Yeah, I like my meat on the rare side these days. I blame Sangria.

"I was waiting for a acceptance letter for financial aid for Whateley Academy. That's in the toilet now."

"Whateley?"

He nodded. "Hogwarts for mutants."

"Yeah, I know what it is. Expensive I take it?"

He nodded. "Freaking private school times three. You can't learn your powers unless you go there and you can't go there unless you're rich. Just another case of keeping the black man down."

I snickered at the black man comment. Come on, he was black alright. There wasn't a single reflective surface on his skin. It was like looking into… well, a void. I got a scowl for that one, and the only way I noticed it was that his jaw line changed and his green slits narrowed.

"You got a problem with black people?"

This time I did laugh. "Nope. It's just that I didn't take you for African-American, but your skin is about as black as it gets."

He turned a little and looked the other way. "Yeah, well, look who's talking, white-girl."

Got me there.

"Anyway, I'm not from Africa, I'm from Jackson, Mississippi. I'm just plain old American."

I let it go for a little while and concentrated on making dinner. Handing him the plates and silverware I asked him to set the table. He may not have been eating, but he'd pull his weight around here regardless.

In the end he couldn't let the silence lay. "You mind if I ask what your powers are?"

I shook my head. "I'm an avatar." Pointing to my hair. "This is my patron, Sangria." A wisp of hair lifted and waved at him. Void waved back before he realized what he was doing acknowledging my hair.

"So it can move?"

"Obviously." I mean it was obvious. Sangria never stayed still, ever. That was part of Athena's curse. People would always know she was cursed by the gods. "You?"

"I'm a brick."

I eyed him for a second before checking on the steaks. "That doesn't explain the light absorbing skin."

He sighed. Apparently it was a touchy subject. "I've never been tested, but from what I can tell, I absorb radiation. During the day, if the sun's out, I can take in enough UV to look normal again."

I looked up from the grill and cocked an eyebrow. "I'm guessing doesn't last."

He shook his head. "If I go inside or am away from anything that I can't absorb then I turn back into this within an hour."

"We're all a bunch of Morlocks then."

"What?" he asked like I'd just confused him.

"Morlocks, H.G. Wells The Time Machine? A book?"

He blinked at me, so I rolled my eyes. "Guy builds a time machine and goes to the future, finds a race of evolved humans, well, devolved really, but basically they're mutants that can't show their faces above ground. They live in the dark away from the rest of humanity."

There was a pregnant pause in the conversation before Void broke the silence. "These Morlocks, they the good guys?"

"Uh, no, not really. They eat the regular humans and wind up getting thrashed in the end." I sighed. "The point I'm making is that we're underground, mutants… never mind."

Void stood up and straightened his back. "No, I like that. Morlocks. Sounds ominous. Maybe it'll keep people away."

Gordo and Crystal chose that moment to come back into the main room. She was still leaning on her brother, but not nearly as much. "Dios mio, something smells good."

"Have a seat. Dinner will be ready soon." I pulled glasses from the cabinet above. "All I have to drink is water." It was about the only thing I could drink unless I bothered to squeeze my own orange juice or go milk a cow. Why bother?

"I'll live," said Gordo after seating his sister at the table and coming in to help fill the glasses. "Thank you for the shower… and everything, really."

Eating next to someone that was exposing her blood vessels, not to mention her muscles, some ligaments, bones… you get my drift. Well, it's kind of appetite killing.

"Crystal says that she's sorry for putting you off your meal. She can go change if you'd like."

I shook my head. "I'll get used to it. Don't worry about it. It's just different."

"She says your hair is very beautiful."

I looked up at Gordo. "How do you know what she's saying?"

He shrugged. "I can hear her in my head." Then he snapped the t-bone in two and popped both large pieces into his mouth.

My jaw dropped a little. "Hungry?"

Void had himself a good laugh. "Gordo can eat just about anything. You really don't want to see his other power in action at the dinner table, believe me."

That made me curious, but I'd take his word for the time being. Gordo was eying the leftovers on my plate after eating what his sister left behind. I passed it to Crystal who sent it down the line.

"Thanks, it's been forever since we've had something this good."

I nodded. "Look, Void. I can get a hold of Whateley for you if you want."

I could almost see him grin. "Really?"

"Yeah, I've got some numbers that my…" I stopped before telling him about whose place this actually was. "Anyway, I could call them. See if they can come pick you guys up."

The sound of another bone popping sent my eyes to Gordo who was looking at me. "I thought…"

"What?"

He set the bones back on the plate and wiped his hands off with a napkin. "My sister and I heard about you on TV, then we heard you on the radio."

Oh hell. They actually came looking for me, like I was the newly appointed protector of abused mutants or something.

"Gordo, I'm not set up for a boarding house."

"We wouldn't take up much room. We'll be quiet." He started blathering before his sister put her hand on his. A look from her and he quieted down. "My sister says to thank you for your hospitality and that we'd be happy to accept whatever help you want to give."

Gordo didn't look too happy anymore. Hey, I'm not the leader of some funky resistance movement that takes in strays whenever the mood strikes.

"On the radio, you said you wished that you could help." That resulted in a scowl from me to Void.

Crystal tapped on the table and gave Void a reproving look. Gordo translated. "She says that we should be grateful that we aren't in a MCO detention center because of Braith's help, and not to be an ungrateful guest in a home that is not your own."

That was my cue. "Look, I'm happy to help, but…"

The red light that was installed over the secured room started flashing, and I was to my feet in a second. "Don't move." I raced to the door and Sangria had the keycode punched in and the door opened for me.

The locked room was a weapons and security repository, set up quite nicely with monitors and a video feed for two hundred yard perimeter. The monitors were showing movement at the road that ran parallel to our location. When I saw who it was, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Of course, my warning of don't move was ignored by Void. "Whoa."

I spun around an saw the stunned look in his eyes as he checked out the armory. "Planning on starting a war sometime soon?"

After flicking off the warning signal I pushed him out of the doorway and secured the room again. "Do the words 'don't' and 'move' exist in your lexicon?"

He looked down at me, and I could almost feel the resentment emanating from his body. "You got that number to Whateley? We'll be out of your hair as soon as possible."

I crossed the room and grabbed my coat. "The mail has run."

"At night?" Gordo seemed a little suspicious.

I shrugged. "You're in the mountains. Be happy that it runs at all."

Before I punched in the keycode to exit the room I turned around. "Okay, listen this time. Stay -- here."

I really wish I could tell what kind of look Void was giving me at the moment. Something told me it was one of reluctant annoyance. He turned around and went to sit at his place at the table, threw his hands up in a TADA! pose and leaned on a clinched fist. I just rolled my eyes and exited.

He is sexually stimulated by you, my love. He wants to protect you.

"Yeah? Well I'm stimulated by him too. So stimulated that I want to put a boot up his ass."

The night was quiet. A slight breeze lifted my hair, or that could have been Sangria. Keeping to the shadows as much as possible I worked my way down the side of the mountain to the road. The smell of car exhaust was still in the air. The mailman really needed to get that looked at before he broke down in a place that you really don't want to break down.

Yes, it was odd to get mail this late. Bordering on nine o'clock was late for anything to be running around there. But I knew the mailman, and that was him. Maybe he did break down and was just now finishing his rounds.

Checking the surrounding area proved to be fruitless. There was nothing out there but a… with the crunch of bones, the raccoon that was trying to make a getaway just got slurped up by Sangria.

"I really wish you would warn me before you do that."

My apologies, my love.

I retrieved the single envelope and returned to the shelter as quick as possible. Being out in the open hadn't set right on my shoulders since the incident a month ago. Once I was safely inside, I was able to breathe normally once again.

Gordo was washing dishes at the sink while Void still sat in his chair. "Good boy."

There was a sticky note on the front of the envelope.

Sophia was the previous owner of the bunker, also, conveniently, the previous host of Sangria. With me resuming the grocery delivery, people around here assumed that she had returned.

There was no return address in the corner and only an address in the traditional position. Sangria was nice enough to provide a few strands of hair to slice open the top. Inside was a single sheet of paper.

"What the hell?"

"What?" asked Void with intense curiosity.

I looked at my three guests then went to the security pad and punched in a series of numbers before closing my eyes. A white light pulsed then I checked the readout. All secure. There were no listening devices in the area. Then how in the hell did someone know… I reread the sticky note. The postman said he was paid this morning. How did this Mrs. P know about the Morlock thing when I didn't even mention it until an hour ago.

"Was that from Mrs. P?" asked Gordo.

In a daze I nodded my head.

"That's why we originally went to Atlanta," he clarified.

Void stood and grabbed the letter. "That's why I led them in to Kentucky. My note was stuck on the side of a Coke can at a rest stop outside of Atlanta."

Something didn't set right with that. "I thought you didn't eat normally."

Gordo saved him. "The Coke was for Crystal. She told him to get one for her."

"I thought she didn't talk." I was getting really confused.

"She talks, but the only thing that comes out is prophecy junk."

"Prophecy? Like she tells the future?" I asked.

Gordo nodded as he dried his hands. "That's why she doesn't talk much. It's almost always bad news."

"I see the future crystal clear."

"Ah, crap here she goes." Void didn't seem too excited.

"What?" I was looking at Crystal and she had a faraway look in her eyes.

"She's doing the prophesy thing."

If there is one thing I've come to realize in my life it's that I have control, nobody else. I don't believe in fate. While fortune telling or far-seeing is a proven fact where mutants are concerned, I'd much rather not know what's coming. Call it a phobia if you want. I call not stressing about what might be, staying sane. So, I plugged my ears with my fingers, and started talking to Sangria.

'Thoughts?'

Are you sure you wish to do this, my love? Knowledge of the future can surely aid you in your decision making.

'I've read Harry Potter and I've seen The Terminator, no thanks. Prophecies, in general, just suck,' I thought back.

As you wish. You might be interested to know that I have encountered the mysterious Mrs. P in the past.

'Oh really? Is she on the level?'

She is a manipulator. Her farsight is extraordinarily accurate, that is how she was able to have her message delivered at precisely the time it would do the most good. As to her motivations, only she knows.

'So this could be a trap by the MCO?'

No, I seriously doubt that. Mrs. Potter is wealthy and has strong ties in the mutant community. Nobody with any sense would cross her.

'You think we should trust her?'

You were originally open to the idea of attending Whateley Academy. With this small group of mutants and two others soon to be included, you would have like-minded allies should events turn against us.

I thought about that for a few seconds. 'Can we trust them?'

As much as you can trust anyone, my love. You will soon learn that there is nobody that looks after others' interests before their own. It is an unfortunate fact of life.

'Even you, Sangria?'

You and I are one, my love. Your interests are my interests. I freely admit that if using your new acquaintances will further our future needs then we should use them.

'That's kind of cold-hearted.'

Such is life.

I opened my eyes and saw everyone staring at me. Guess the prophecy is over with. "Sorry, I was talking with Sangria."

"It talks to you?" asked Void.

"She talks to me."

"Creepy."

I felt the sarcasm roll across my tongue. "Says the guy with glowing green eyes."

That brought a smile to Crystal's face. Speaking of creepy.

"Anyway, Sangria says that we should trust Mrs. P for now. She knows her."

Gordo wiped a meaty palm down his face. "So we're going to Whateley?"

I took off my jacket. "Not before I talk to someone first." Crossing the room, I headed to the secured door. "I don't plan on driving up to the front gates expecting everything to be all hunky dory."

"Whateley Academy, please hold Miss Brice, Mrs. Carson will be with you in a moment."

I didn't even have a chance to get a single word out, and I used the encryption program on the call. From what Sangria says, the signal is bounced off about ten different routers in ten different countries, not to mention the number of satellites that were involved. My question was, how in the heck did the receptionist know who was calling?

Just when the Girl from Ipanema was about to drive me to the brink of insanity, the line opened. "Miss Brice, you're speaking to Headmistress Elisabeth Carson. Shall I assume that you've received Mrs. Potter's missive and are arranging your travel plans?"

Uh…

"You're Headmistress at Whateley?"

"Obviously. And you are the new host of an entity known as Sangria." She said it as a matter of fact and not a question.

"I have three others with me."

"Crystal and her brother will be interviewing with Mrs. Potter. Void, Woodchuck, and Portia, along with yourself will be enrolling immediately.

I surmised that Woodchuck and Portia were the two others that we were supposed to meet tomorrow. "Who are you people? How do you know so much about what's going on?"

Her tone was straight forward and clear. "Miss Brice, it is my job to know everything that in any way pertains to Whateley Academy and the safety of its students. As to how I know Sangria, she was an instructor here for three years. We have extensive files on her, and she was my friend."

'You know this lady?' I thought to my patron.

Indeed I do. "Hello, Elizabeth."

I heard a sigh on the other end of the line. "I should have known you would have integrated with Miss Brice by now, Sangria."

"I hope you have been well these last thirty years."

"I have been fine, thank you. Since Miss Brice has been nice enough to allow us to converse I need to extract a promise from you before you are allowed on the grounds."

"I'm listening."

"Any threat to your host will be dealt with in a non-lethal manner."

I heard myself laugh. "I return whatever is dealt to me or my host, Elizabeth. As long as we are left unmolested then I will in turn not harm others. Lest you forget the last time my host agreed to the Headmaster's demands."

I broke into the conversation at that point. "What happened?"

"As I am sure our Headmistress will verify, my host was attacked while on school grounds by a student that did not appreciate a failing grade. Her scholarship was in jeopardy and refused to be swayed by her argument. She attacked me with deadly force and I swatted her down where I would normally have simply killed her on the spot. If I had done so then she would not have broken out of security and killed my host later that same evening. I did, however, deal the final blow before succumbing to fatal injuries."

"Sangria…" Mrs. Carson started.

"I will not allow my host to harmed, Elizabeth. Not again. Make your speeches that you are so fond of, my friend. Warn your students of the consequences of their actions if they want to test my mettle. I do hereby swear that I will only deal out what is dealt to me and mine."

There was silence on the other end of the line, and I thought that we may have been cut off for a moment. "I'm sorry, then, you will not be allowed to attend the academy."

"Hold on a second, Mrs. Carson," I told her. 'Sangria, what's going on?'

My love, Lacy, my host at the time died an excruciating death. Her organs were eaten alive by a plague so horrible that her regenerating abilities could not save her. That was her opponent's power, to visit upon the victim their worst fear. Lacy's fear was dying from an incurable disease. Except it wasn't drawn out over the course of weeks or even days, but mere minutes.

The steak rolled in my stomach. 'I'm sorry.'

It is why I have chosen to defend my hosts so cold-heartedly, my love.

I thought about that for a few seconds. 'Would you be open to a compromise?'

What do you have in mind?

'There are fates worse than death, Sangria. You'd be able to defend me and still not have to kill someone. Breaking all of the bones in their body would be one of those ways. They wouldn't be able to fight back and would suffer."

A mental sigh settled over my brain.

'How about an amputation or three. It's kind of hard to fight back if you don't have any arms or legs, and technically you wouldn't be killing them.'

That does ring a certain amount of justice, my love. Very well.

"Elizabeth."

"I'm still here."

"You have my promise that I will not kill anyone while on school grounds. However, you also have my promise that if anything happens to my host while under the auspices of your enlightened sense of nobility, when I find another host, I will be coming for those responsible and you as well."

My printer got a workout that night. Apparently we have to enroll to go to school. Who woulda thunk it?

Me? I still had my original papers that Sangria decided to slip in my duffel when I wasn't looking. Thoughtful of her wasn't it? Have you every had that feeling that you were being herded in a specific direction by forces beyond your control? Well, that was me. However, I had nobody to blame but myself. It was me that came up with the loophole to allow Sangria to protect me. If I didn't want to go to Whateley I'd have to kick my own ass for being all sneaky about it.

Maybe I was bored with protecting my mountain. Maybe I was holding on to the past out of some sense of loyalty to my father. Maybe I was just lonely and really enjoyed having company even if it was with a bunch of freaks just like me.

What was really bugging me, more than anything else, was that everyone had a cool code name and I was still going by my boy name.

"How about White-Girl?" Void offered that one. Original isn't it? Racism is alive and well in my mountainside bunker.

"Wraith is cool," suggested Gordo. "Except you have red hair and you don't really scream."

"I think that's a banshee. And I'm creepy looking enough, I don't need a ghosty name."

"Albino?"

I pointed at Void. "Okay, you don't get any more suggestions. Do you have a problem with the color of my skin?"

If I didn't know any better I'd say he was embarrassed. Void looked away and stuck his hands in his pockets in a very twitchy manner. I looked down at myself. Was my shirt inside out or… oh no. I hadn't changed before coming out for breakfast, which meant that I was wearing a black cami that was crawling up my ribs and some very tiny shorts. Void was checking me out.

Thank god I can't blush. He wasn't being racist, he just had his mind on other things. Oh brother. Like I need some overly hetero guy getting his move on. No thanks.

"Nevermind, forget about it. We need to get ready for the move." I had everyone's attention. "Gordo, if you would do me a favor, plan and out a menu for today, we leave at nine tomorrow morning. Everything else perishable needs to be thrown out. Crystal, if you could gather up everyone's laundry, the washer is in the garage." I received a nod from both of them.

"Void. If I can get you to load up the SUV I'd appreciate it."

"Sure."

"Thanks." I left it at that and stood to go change.

Void needed the last word or something. "What are you going to do?"

"I need to make sure the two newbies don't fall into the hands of the MCO, and I have a couple of loose ends to tie up before we leave."

The weather outside was frightful, and by no means delightful. I had to leave the SUV at the bunker. This left me with the motorcycle, which I had no idea how to ride. Sangria hooked up the side car, because there was no way I could fit two more people onto the back, and she took the lead in getting us to the safe zone just outside the MCO's patrol range.

The mess I'd left last night was considerable. Who knew a dropship could go boom like that. Charred and still smoking wood covered about two hundred square yards. That took out my primary perch. The secondary was closer to my house, which would give me one last look at the place I grew up before leaving for parts unknown.

The small barn where mom used to house a single horse, years ago was empty, as it should be. From that vantage point I could see clearly through most of the windows in the rear of the house. No movement, but that didn't really mean anything. I wanted nothing more than to go in there and see if there was anything else I could scavenge, but even I knew that odds are it was being watched in case I returned.

With a frown on my face I turned and made my way to the second perch were I could see what other mischief the MCO was participating in.

The camp was still there, sans one dropship. They hadn't brought in a replacement, so that was good news. No Power Suit team to screw with in the near future.

Look thirty degrees to the left, my love.

Ah hell. Two costumed heroes stood outside one of the tents and they looked like they were arguing with one of the higher ups. How could I tell that the person they were talking to was some type of muckity muck? Only douchebags wear wingtips with a parka in Kentucky. He had to be in charge. It wasn't that cold.

"Psst."

Sangria moved before I even turned around.

"URK!"

I spun and crouched to see… something. It was well-camouflaged, only five feet away. How had we not heard them. Sneaking up on Sangria is very hard. The figure that she had trussed up with my hair blurred for a second and then I could seem him as plain as day. Evidently, he had some sort of chameleon powers, which explained why we didn't see him. I probably walked right past him and didn't even notice.

"Ease up on his throat, Sangria. If he screams, tear his head off." I made sure the guy heard my threat. It was a bluff. I'm not that bloodthirsty, but he didn't know that.

"I'm not here to harm you," he rasped. "That's why I said, psst."

"Who are you?" I whispered somewhat loudly.

"My codename is Blender. I'm with Firefive. The State called us in after you took out the dropship last night."

Firefive was a superhero team stationed out of Lexington that serviced pretty much the entire state. I'd seen them on TV a number of times. "I see two others down at the camp. That leaves two unaccounted for."

"Gay Blade is in the house, and Big Head is at home sick with the clap. He couldn't come."

Too much information. 'Big Head', 'the clap', and 'couldn't come' are six words that should never be used in the same sentence. "Wasn't the first lesson good enough for everyone? Why is there someone trespassing in my house?"

"We're waiting for you." Sangria squeezed a little too hard around his midsection and Blender gasped. "We just wanted to talk. We're on your side, sort of."

I cocked my head a little and then slid my sunglasses off to take a better look at his face. 'What do you think, Sangria?'

He seems sincere enough. I do not think he is lying.

"Is my house under surveillance?"

"Except by us, no. There was a EMP set off when you crashed the dropship, it fried all active electronics in a half-mile radius. They haven't gotten any replacements yet."

'Awful chatty isn't he?'

Sangria didn't reply.

"Why are you telling me all of this? You're aware of the reputation I have. I'm a killer, a bloodthirsty mutant and all."

He sighed and then relaxed. "Because I'm not your enemy, Braith. We just want to talk and then we'll let you be on your way."

I turned and looked back at the house. The sun was just cresting over the rooftop and I was almost blinded by the bright light. Slipping my sunglasses back on I willed my hair to release Blender. "Stay in front of me and lead the way. Any tricks and you're first, before anyone else. Just keep in mind, Sangria hasn't eaten today."

Well, she hasn't. She didn't need to, but he didn't know that.

Laughter bubbled up in the recesses of my mind.

You are a wicked girl, my love.

'You try to be gay in a town of hillbillies and not learn to tell half-truths with a straight face, for three years.' This is the least of my abilities.

I unbuttoned my coat and made sure the pistol I had hanging under my left arm was clear. Yeah, I know, Sangria can handle just about anything, but the thought of her host being murdered by a school kid was still fresh in my mind. These were professional mutants. Heroes or not, I wasn't going down without a fight.

Gay Blade was sitting there at the breakfast table, her sword hilt sticking up over her left shoulder and her hands laying flat in front of her. "I see you found her."

Blender rubbed at his throat and the phantom feeling of Sangria twisting my hair around his neck. "Let's just say, I see why the MCO has a hardon for her."

"Hey, impressionable teenager here. Can we keep the damn cussing down?" was my response. "What are you doing trespassing in my home?" I wasn't one for pleasantries at the moment.

"Very well, we're here to find out what you plan on doing in the near future."

I glanced at my watch and back up at the sword wielder. "In about twenty-four hours I plan on hitting the road. I'm just waiting for some friends."

Gay Blade nodded. "Good enough. When they get here, you plan on leaving the… area?"

I thinned my eyes at her. Was she trying to tell me something? "The state actually, but yeah."

She lifted her left hand slightly, careful about not making me jump to conclusions. "My watch here is a transmitter to my other two teammates currently down at the MCO base camp. If I can signal them, I'll have your two friends brought up here."

Now this is the point that I started to get a little worried. Was I nervous that they possibly had Woodchuck and Portia? Not really. Yeah it sucks that they got caught, but they were nothing to me at the moment; faceless names.

"Four against one aren't really good odds. Maybe some other time."

She put her hand back down on the table. "Braith, to tell you the truth, I don't want to be here. I know exactly what happened here last month and I've been following your exploits through official and unofficial channels. From day one, when the MCO was brought in, Firefive was contacted. Considering their history with new mutants, we did our own digging around. Once we found out the real story we chose to stand back and let you do your thing."

I grinned, somewhat sarcastically. "Yeah, thanks for all your help there, Ms. Blade."

"What happened here last month was wrong, and we recognized that you were defending yourself."

There is movement from outside, my love. Move away from the kitchen.

I nodded, trying to look solemn and contrite as I crossed my arms inside my coat and walked slowly toward the living room. "They tried to kill me. I had no other choice." Thumbing the holster open, I eased the pistol into my grip.

"I understand. But you've gone a little overboard with your stunt last night. Twelve men were killed in that crashed dropship."

Bringing my eyes up to meet Gay Blade's I set my jaw. "Then they shouldn't have been trying to kill my other friends." She tried to say something, but I cut her off. "All I wanted was to be left alone, but no. First Tammy, then the MCO, hounding, hunting, threatening, attempted murder, all in the name of bigoted justice. Those guys in that ship knew exactly what they were up against. They knew what I would do if they came after me." I turned and paced to the living room. "For a month they've come after me with bigger and more deadly weapons and I've sent them back crying in their beatup Power Suits, all alive.

"But this time other lives were on the line. I was not going to sit back and watch them kill innocent mutants so they could have a good news day and a pat on the back by their buddies at Humanity First."

There is one on the other side of the door, my love.

"So pardon me if I don't shed a tear for the dearly departed." I eyed the new door that someone was nice enough to have replaced for me. 'Grab him and hold him, Sangria, on my go.'

"Braith, I know you have no reason to trust me."

'Okay, that's line's pretty much a go.' I looked back at her. "You're right."

Sangria launched two large arms of hair through the door and a second later whoever it was on the other side was pulled through a shower of splinters, spun in the air and slammed face down on the floor.

Gay Blade, and Blender were to their feet, one of them had their sword drawn quicker than I could blink, but I already had my pistol drawn and was kneeling down with it pressed to the head of the costumed man at my feet. "And you wonder why I don't trust anyone."

Blender stepped in front of the sword mistress, holding his hands where I could see them. "It was me. I signaled for them to bring your friends. They weren't here to take them in Braith, I swear."

I pressed the barrel harder into the back of the dazed guy's head. "Where are they?"

"In the kitchen." The fourth of the five person group showed up. The gang's all here.

'Sangria, can we take them?'

If you kill the one you hold your weapon against, I can handle the chameleon and the sword wielder easily. The last one will pose a problem. He uses plasma blasts as his primary weapon. I cannot protect you from their effects. We will have to flee.

'Get ready.'

Sangria spread herself all over the living room. "I'm not a happy camper at the moment, ladies and gentlemen."

"It looks like we are at an impasse, Braith," the newcomer said. I think his name was Hot Tamale, but I could be wrong. Who really cares?

"Not quite. I can kill this one here, Sangria can take the rest of you down before you can say, standoff. So… this is what we are going to do." With my free hand I reached inside my coat pocket and pulled out my cell. Hitting memory-eight I set the phone on speaker.

"Hello."

"Void, we have ears listening."

"Braith?"

"Listen. Change in plans. Can you find the place were you found the SUV last night?"

"Uh yeah, why?"

"You're gonna pick up the two newbies and take off without me."

"What the hell are you talking 'bout white chick?"

"MCO called in the big guns and we're kind of having an OK Corral moment here at the old homestead. Get to the place and get these kids to safety, okay. If they don't show up in thirty minutes then everyone's already dead, just go."

Silence ruled the quiet living room before Void broke it. "You're cool in my book, white chick."

I broke the connection and thumbed up the locator for the bike I had hidden. When I saw the red light blinking on the phone I yelled out. "Woodchuck!"

The costumes stepped aside and a mousy looking guy thinner than my left arm peered around the corner.

"You're Woodchuck?"

He nodded. "What's your friend's name?"

"Uh, Portia." Good enough verification for me. I really didn't have much choice at them moment. I tossed him the phone. "Follow the blinking red dot. You'll find an SUV with three other mutants. They'll take care of you. You've got thirty minutes. Go."

Hot Tamale nodded to his teammates. Gay Blade sheathed her sword and sat back down. That's when Woodchuck turned and ran.

The guy below me cleared his throat. "Um, if you're not going to shoot me right away, could you take your knee out of my back. That really hurts."

I gave the newbies fifteen minutes before holstering the pistol. Firefive just stood, sat and lay there, quietly.

"They should be gone by now. If we're going to do this then let's do this."

I stood, letting the guy beneath me get to his feet. He stretched his back and grimaced for a moment until I heard a pop. "Ahhh. That's it. Much better."

Hot Tamale stepped away from the wall and looked at me standing there, prepared for anything. "I think I've seen enough. Blade?"

"Transport's on the way."

"Hastings gone?" he asked.

What the hell was going on?

"He left when you came up here," answered Gay Blade.

"Braith, we weren't lying when we said we just wanted to talk. We had to find out just how far you would go to make sure the kids got out safely. Contrary to popular opinion, I don't exactly trust psychics."

Sangria pulled back in. "You mean this was all a set up? What would of happened if I just decided to put a bullet in his head?"

The guy I was sitting on shrugged sheepishly. "To tell the truth I wasn't expecting the gun."

"Sundown is your biggest supporter," Tamale informed me. "He was going to stay outside and just listen in but… " He spread his hands at the splintered ruin of another door.

I heard the whine of a hover jet engine. Thinking it might be another dropship I turned to the side and looked out the door.

"It's our jet on remote. The MCO is gone, Braith. You can relax."

Needless to say, I didn't take his word for it. I gave him my, 'I'm less than convinced' look before turning away and proceeding upstairs. The view from Dad's bedroom window wasn't the best, but I could see the edge of the camp and the tents being dismantled. Before going back downstairs I went to my room and grabbed my dad's cell phone, laying on my desk with the rest of his belongings from the accident.

After powering it up I noticed I had enough of a charge to maybe make a single call.

"He-hello?" It was the sound of a decidedly worried version of the boy I saw downstairs earlier. "Woodchuck, it's Braith. Did you make it safely?"

"Is that Braith?" Void's voice sounded in the background. I heard the phone being shifted. "Braith, it's Void, you okay?"

I sighed with relief. "I'm alive."

"Look, we talked it over. We're not leaving without you. So meet us back at the place."

A little spark of hope jumped in my chest. "It might be a while. I need to make sure I'm not followed." That's when the phone started beeping at me. "Void I got to go. The phone is dying."

"See you then, girl."

Sparing enough time to set up the charger for dad's phone I went back downstairs. Once I was about mid-way I smelled the aroma of fresh brewed coffee, my dad's blend.

Blender was standing in the kitchen looking kind of apologetic. "Sorry, I hope you don't mind the coffee. I'm still freezing."

I shook my head. I could really care less. There was a big piece of plywood covering where the front door used to be. My guess is that it was probably the same piece that was used to seal it when I destroyed it last time.

Mr. Oliver the local handyman was going to be getting another call from me in the near future. There was one good thing about having a household fund that took care of nothing but bills for the upkeep and utilities. Dealing with mundane things like people asking for money so the heat would stay on wasn't really at the top of my priority list.

"How did you get the MCO to pull out?"

Hot Tamale pointed at Sundown. "That was his doing."

The black-haired superhero shrugged. "I just pointed out the discrepancies in everyone's stories. That there was ample evidence to prove that the MCO is purposely instigating these incidences to amp up mutant hysteria and keep them in power. You aren't the first person this has happened to, Braith."

Letting that bit of information settle into my brain for a few moments, I watched as Blender passed out a mug of coffee to everyone. "So what happens now?"

Gay Blade sipped at her mug before setting it down. "Now we make sure you make it to Whateley, safe and sound."

I was through being surprised about what people knew concerning my plans. "I've already made arrangements. We leave tomorrow morning."

She looked at Sundown and pursed her lips.

"It would be better if you left immediately," said Sundown.

Shaking my head, I replied. "I have things to do, and I have my own psychic that said that would be the best time." There was no need in clarifying any of their assumptions.

Blender nodded.

Tamale set his mug on the table. "We should be able to keep them off your back until then, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Never asked you to."

He smiled at me with a knowing look. "It may not seem this way at the moment, Braith, but the entire world isn't against you."

I gave him a sardonic huff in return. "Only about ninety percent."

They took off soon after, literally. It must be nice to have your own little jump jet to ferry you around the state. I made a call to the handyman to make sure the door was taken care of and then shut the house down. This time I did it right. In the rush to exit the scene previously, I'd only performed a half-assed job of lowering the thermostat, and taking out the trash. This time I shuttered all the windows, did the dishes, and arranged to have the house looked after by Jeremy while I was away. While he wasn't my boyfriend anymore, he was still a friend.

Every time I turned around, there was something else that I wanted to take with me. Pictures, little reminders of mom or dad, something that I might need but really didn't want to take the chance on losing. Before I locked the back door I just stared at the house through the kitchen.

"I might not ever see this place again, Sangria."

We will return sometime, my love. For now, you have a much more important duty to fulfill.

"What's that?"

To live your life. To learn about yourself and those like you. You have a responsibility to the group you have brought together. I have a feeling they are going to take your lead in deciding what to do with their lives.

"Uh…"

I felt Sangria's mirth.

Do not worry too much. Sacrificing yourself for people you barely know has this type of effect.

I stood there for a few minutes thinking about what she said. It really wasn't my intention to 'sacrifice' myself. There just wasn't another way around the situation without going overboard like that.

You're going to keep me very busy in the future aren't you?

Okay the chick with six arms, that is definitely something you do not see every day, much less, oh pretty much anytime. She held one of them out to me, along with the attached hand, for a friendly shake.

"White-Girl, we got pizza."

I looked over Portia's shoulder -- luckily she only had two of those -- Five very large boxes were stacked on the kitchen table. "Quit calling me that. Everyone will think that's my codename." I was about to pull away from the newest female member of our little freak club when she grabbed my hand with all the rest of hers.

"You're like totally famous. I can't believe I'm like here in your secret lair and everything."

My eyes widened under my sunglasses. "Uh-huh. Well, welcome. Can I have my hand back now?"

She grinned wickedly and stepped back like she was star-struck or something. This, I did not need. "So, we're all ready to go?"

Void nodded as he was leaning back rubbing his belly in teenage contentment. "Yeah, baby. The family truckster is loaded and gassed up."

We spent the majority of the day getting to know one another. Woodchuck's name was actually Chuck and his power was burrowing through virtually anything, rock, dirt, heavy minerals, steel, transparent aluminum, you name it. Portia was into magic, of which I had no clue how that worked. I was more of a techno type person. I wouldn't go so far as to say geek, but I liked things I could actually touch.

When I woke up the next day I found myself wrapped up in more than one set of hands. I felt bad for relegating some of them to the floor since I had a queen-sized bed. Portia and Crystal slept with me while the guys got the living room and its various furniture. Needless to say the bed was a little crowded and thus the reason why there was a hand on my stomach, leg, breast, butt, and everywhere in between. Maybe Portia was a needy sleeper, or perhaps she had a little bit more than hero worship in mind seeing as how tightly I was spooned against her.

Sometimes, well, more times than not recently, I wished I was attracted to something other than gay guys. If I were straight I could probably go for Void, that is if I could get past his little attitude he had going. He spent a little time outside the day previous and um, yeah. He was smoking hot in his real skin. The only thing that made him stand out was his brown hair. It was unnaturally straight and long. Not that I have anything against fros, but there was a couple of times yesterday that I wanted to run my fingers in there just to see what it felt like. I bet it was soft. It looked soft.

Now I had a possible lesbian laying unconscious possession to me. That would be pretty easy too, if I swung that way. Portia was pretty in a girl next door way. If she'd wrap her additional arms around her waist and donned her coat, you'd never be able to tell she was any different than the average girl out there. Maybe a little on the hefty side, but she was cute.

Hey, I can be appreciative of how people look without jeopardizing my sexuality, or more to the point lack of. I'm so screwed up. I just don't know what I want anymore.

What I do know is that I needed to concentrate on the here and now if I was to stay sane. It's worked for the last month or so. If I didn't keep busy or have Sangria to distract me then I would have probably curled up in the closet and died by now. There was only so much pressure I could take. And now I have the added responsibility of being the defacto leader of my little band of Morlocks.

Yep, it's official. Void pressed the issue yesterday, holding a impromptu vote for the name of our band of cast-asides not to mention with me as the leader. With all of this in mind, I had to focus, once again.

Good morning, my love. It seems as if you've acquired an admirer overnight.

'Yeah, kind of hard not to notice.'

You could do much worse than a magic user as a mate. Once trained, she would provide you with protection even I cannot.

'Sangria?'

Yes, my love?

'Could you not play miss matchmaker. I don't really go for girls that way.'

I heard her sigh in my mind.

Sexual attraction is simply a state of mind. Given enough exposure to a single person, one can develop desires and needs.

'Are you saying that I could want Portia or Void if I just hung out with them more?'

Precisely.

'That isn't exactly how it works, Sangria. I'm a gay guy.'

And yet you are no longer male. Does it not stand to reason that perhaps your sexuality might have been affected along with your body?

I didn't leap to defend myself, and actually thought about what she said. 'I suppose that it's possible, but then why do I still desire Jeremy in my bed?'

Because that is what you have become accustomed to. As I said before, if you allow yourself to accept the possibility of change then you will have an easier time of adjusting. If you resist the prospect that you can have no other but the one that you have ingrained into your conscious mind, then you will be a very lonely person, my love. Gay men traditionally do not desire anything other than gay men.

'You're making my point for me.'

Do not be obtuse. Others do not have me to show them that they have other options.

'It's not like a light-switch, Sangria. I just can't say, poof, and all the sudden I like straight guys or even lesbian girls.'

I have seen into your thoughts, my love. At one time, you thought girls were quite desirable.

'I was twelve, going through puberty and had just found porn on the internet. Of course I thought they were hot.'

And at the time, did you not desire to even be one of them?

'That was before I realized what I wanted. I didn't want to be a girl. I wanted to be desired by men like the girls in the pictures.'

I believe I've made my point. Regardless of method, you are now desired by the male species, and it appears the female as well.

A couple of the hands that were around me tightened, moving slightly. The one clasping my breast shifted and I felt my nipple harden, which I'm sure was an involuntary response to external stimuli. Hey, I've read human biology books.

Deny what you will. You and I both know that being in the arms of this female is comforting to you.

I squeezed my eyes closed. 'Is it wrong to want someone to hold me, even if it's like this?'

Not at all. You have been forced away from your Jeremy. You have been alone these many weeks with only my company. It is only natural that you relish the contact you are receiving.

'I didn't say I relished it. I just like feeling someone beside me again.'

In trying to deceive me, you deceive yourself.

It was like I was arguing in circles. 'This isn't going to be settled in one day, Sangria. Just let me think about it for a while, okay.'

As you wish, my love. However I should let you know that I approve of a relationship with the magic user. She will have much to offer you. The brick is of limited value. There is virtually nothing he can contribute to your continued well-being except companionship and a penis.

'Well I happen to like penises. They give me a good feeling.'

So can six hands, my love.

"Mmmm, right there, Braith," Portia breathed into my ear, before I felt her hands slide across my body.

'SANGRIA! What are you doing!'

The feeling of delighted laughter bubbled up inside me.

Just helping things along.

I willed my hair to pull back from whatever it was Sangria had it doing, and at the same time I struggled away from Portia's grasp, which is a lot harder than it sounds.

She whined a little. That's when I fell out of the bed.

The shower was a little longer than normal. I think it was certain to say that I was frustrated. All this talk about sex and the thought of actively looking to date again made me… frustrated. Cold water seemed to take the bite out of it at least. Sangria was less than pleased, but I was in control of my body, not her. She just had the hair.

Gordo was panning out the last of the eggs into a large bowl while his sister was working on various meats. The breakfast table only sat four so Void and I went ahead and swiped some eats so the others could sit down when they were finished cooking.

The one thing I liked about having someone else cook was that I had orange juice, freshly squeezed.

Void was first up and I followed soon after. That's when Portia came out of the bedroom looking… um…

"Morning everyone. Isn't it like a beautiful morning?" Her eyes stayed on me a little bit longer than I was comfortable with.

"We're inside of a mountain, Insect-Girl. How exactly can you tell?" Ah, Void, ever the politician.

She gave him a withering glare. "Insects have six limbs. I have eight. Didn't they teach you how to count in down in Dixie?"

He didn't have a response to that. It wasn't until Portia came over and kissed my cheek before moving to the kitchen that Void became totally non-verbal. His eyes, however, went as wide as saucers. How, exactly do I get myself into these situations?