Disclaimer: I don't own Sky High, because if I did you'd be watching this instead of reading it. It would guest star Jennifer Love Hewitt as Tink, Carol Kane as the Fairy Queen, and would feature the songs "If You Want My Love" by Cheap Trick, "Party Hard" by Andrew W K, and "Me and My Fantasy Girl" by .38 Special.
Sky High: The Series
Episode 3
Girl Trouble
It was another beautiful spring day in Maxville, especially in the quiet little neighborhood that secretly was the location of the homes of several of its resident super heroes.
Layla stood up and smiled at her latest work; an entire bed of multi-colored wildflowers she had germinated from various seeds that had been sent to her from relatives all over the country that knew how much she loved plants, but only a few knew about her power over them. Preparing the ground had been good hard work, even though she could have made the plants instantly sprout no matter what the soil's condition. She enjoyed the smell of fresh-turned earth and getting her hands dirty, especially for such a good cause. The flowers growing together at first acted like people from different parts of the country would; curious, standoffish, and even scared. It had taken her powers to commune with nature to get them all on the same page and cooperate, but it was worth the hard work for the spectacular display and fragrance coming from this new addition to her garden.
But what she didn't know was that someone she didn't even know existed had watched all her work. Even as she went back into the house to clean up and get ready to spend this potential-filled Saturday with her friends, two tiny figures appeared.
Both looked like barely six-inch tall women with proportionate glittery dragonfly-like wings. One had a wild mane of blond hair somewhat pulled back into a ponytail and wearing a leaf green sleeveless dress with a short skirt, while the other was in glowing blue robe and wore a golden tiara that sparkled in the morning sunlight.
"There you go," said the Fairy Queen, "just as I told you. This wonderful human girl has been doing work like this for years…ever since she was a child and her powers manifested. She has made this part of the city a place of beauty and a haven for our kind as they seek shelter from the increasing encroachment of the mortals with their worked stone and cold iron. I hereby decree that she be granted a wish…no matter how big or small, because I am confident she will not wish for anything that would be dangerous or harmful to anyone."
"So where do I come in?" asked the blonde fairy.
"You are to follow her around Tink," said the Fairy Queen, "invisibly of course, but you are to watch and listen closely, and the moment she makes a wish, WITHOUT knowing you are around, you are to grant it."
"Without knowing I'm around?" asked Tink, "But she could go days…weeks without actually saying anything about wishing for something."
"You don't have anything better to do," said the Queen, "besides, what's the FUN of someone having their wish granted if they KNEW it was going to happen?"
Both fairies grinned mischievously at that, and then disappeared.
Layla came bounding out of her house, freshly showered and wearing a matching green top and skirt. Her red hair was pulled back in a single long braid that bounced behind her almost like a wagging tail, and she wore open-toed sandals revealing her painted toenails that were the color of freshly sprouted green grass.
Layla absolutely loved spring, and enjoyed all the scents and sights that came with the budding leaves, blooming flowers and first buzzing of bees looking to start their work for the year. She stood and enjoyed the warmth of the sun as much as all the plants around her, almost imagining that she was also growing and reaching for the sun as well.
"I almost wish I was a…" she started to whisper.
"Hi Layla!"
Layla stopped and smiled as she saw Will walking up to her. He was wearing his usual red, white and blue striped shirt and a pair of blue denim knee-length pants, obviously enjoying the spring morning as well.
"Hi Will," said Layla, "are you going to be ready for this afternoon?"
"This afternoon," said Will with a puzzled look on his face, "what's going on this afternoon?"
"We're all getting together here at my house and having a "Welcoming Spring" party. Well, that's what Mom calls it, we're going to have a barbecue…veggie burgers of course…then have some fun like maybe…spin the bottle." Her nose crinkled as she gave Will an impish grin.
"That was TODAY?" asked Will, "I thought it was NEXT Saturday. I…sort of made plans for something else."
Layla's eyes narrowed dangerously as she looked at Will. She had a bad feeling what his plans were about…or rather WHOM there were about.
"I'm taking Lori to the movie this afternoon, then we're going to go have dinner at the Paper Lantern. Sorry."
Layla Williams was normally a nice, calm and polite girl, but Will Stronghold had the uncanny ability to push her buttons lately, and it was only a matter of time before the temper that came with her red hair would finally break. And it did.
"AGAIN with Lori?" she said, sounding angrier than she really felt, "you've taken her out EVERY weekend since she moved here. The only times I get to see you are at school or when we're having study group at your house. When was the last time WE did anything together?"
"Uh…you just said we do stuff at school and study group," he said with a puzzled look on his face.
"I meant "we" as in YOU and ME," she said in a near growl that was VERY uncommon for her. "We haven't been out on a date since…since…"
"Since Lori moved here," said Will, finally catching on somewhat to what Layla's point was.
"Yes," said Layla, feeling her anger start to subside, "and when we are together we're with the gang…and even then all you do is talk about Lori this and Lori that."
"I'm sorry Layla," said Will, moving in close to her so he could whisper and still be heard, "it's just that I like Lori. She's a nice girl and…"
"I know," said Layla, "and I like her too. I hate feeling this way…it's wrong for me. It's just that…I feel like I'm losing you again."
"Layla," said Will, taking her hands in his, "you're not losing me. Lori and I are just friends…I sometimes think I may be the only friend she has right now."
"But you're taking her out again," said Layla, "and to the Paper Lantern. You don't like Chinese food…and you're taking her to…our place."
"Layla," said Will, " that doesn't mean anything. Actually I kind of like some of the stuff now…orange chicken is pretty good you know."
Doesn't mean anything? Taking a girl he just met to the one place he had avoided like the plague the entire time he had been growing up and not wanting to go with Layla even when she virtually begged him. And what did that crack about the chicken mean?
"No," said Layla, "I DON'T know how good orange chicken is because I'm a vegetarian! And you were willing to try it for HER and not for me?"
"Layla," said Will, "you're acting like a little kid. What are you…jealous of Lori or something? Are ALL girls crazy like this? No wonder I didn't get together with you before… "
Will realized he had let his mouth outrace his brain when he saw how Layla went red in the face, nearly as red as her hair. She glared at Will as her mind boiled and seethed in anger she did not think she was capable of. Even when Penny had struck her back at homecoming she did not feel the pain and humiliation that Will's words had caused. All the plants around were reacting to her anger, and she knew she had to vent before they started attacking Will.
"WILL STRONGHOLD, I WISH YOU KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE A GIRL!"
"Done!" cried a tiny voice that made them both jump.
"What was…"? Will started to say, then there was a bright flash of light and he felt dizzy for a moment. When the flash faded he still felt weird, like his center of gravity was off balance somehow. He looked at Layla, and saw that she was no longer angry, but she had the weirdest look on her face, almost a mixture of surprise and trying to keep from laughing.
"Layla," he said, noticing that his voice seemed higher…almost like it did before puberty started to take over, "are you okay?"
"I…" started Layla, her eyes nearly bugging out as she continued to look at Will, "I'm okay, but you…you…"
"What do you…" was as far as he got before a lock of hair fell into his eyes. He absent-mindedly brushed it aside, not wondering why it was so long all of a sudden, and then he noticed his hand. It was no longer the hand of a teenage boy, but was now small and delicate with tapering fingers that were definitely not his. Will's gaze continued up the willowy arm to the shoulder and across to…
"I…I've got…" Will gulped as he noticed the shirt was fitting VERY differently in the upper body, particularly in the region of the chest and had slightly pulled his shirt up to reveal a smooth stomach minus the just beginning abdominal muscles he had been so proud of finally sprouting. His pants also fit differently, having slipped off the slim waist to catch onto the wider hips. More hair fell into Will's eyes, and he brushed it away again, finding every strand was shoulder length.
"I'm…I'm…" the shock was wearing off and panic was starting to set in. His heart was banging in his chest, but it seemed faster and lighter than Will was used to when he had one of his occasional panic attacks.
"You're…a girl." Layla whispered, finishing Will's thought for him.
Then Will said the first thing that popped into his mind with this revelation.
"My dad is going to totally FREAK."
Gwen Grayson felt the undeniable urge to bang her head on the nearest wall. It had become a regular occurrence ever since she had opened up her hidden lair to house two of her minions, Lash and Speed, who were banished from their respective homes for their actions despite their sentences having been commuted. Despite her being a genius, she had forgotten what complete and utter pests teenage boys could be, and the two had proceeded to give her a crash refresher course.
"Stitches!" she yelled as loud as she could, though she hoped her lifelong sidekick could actually hear her above the deafening din of Andrew W.K.'s "Party Hard" that Lash and Speed were piping through the entire lair at full volume. Somewhere amidst the devastated landscape of pizza boxes, burger and candy wrappers, soda cans, comic books, dirty clothes and who knew what else Stitches appeared like Gollum from the shadows.
"Yes?" asked Stitches, who looked like he hadn't slept in days, either because he couldn't because Lash and Speed were up making noise at all hours or he was actually in on it with them.
"Where are the parts I need to finish my latest project?" she demanded, "I can't find ANYTHING in this dump!"
"Well," said Stitches as he looked around, "I think the cerebral de-fragmentor is over there under Mount Gym Socks, and that funny looking thing that looked like a little pizza cutter…"
"Yes," Gwen hissed impatiently, "you mean the psionic gyroscope?"
"That's it," grinned Stitches as he snapped his fingers, "it's over there in the pizza box from Degreasy's."
"WHY is it in a PIZZA BOX," Gwen growled, feeling her blood pressure climbing to nuclear meltdown proportions, "it is a delicate piece of equipment."
"Well," snickered Stitches, "it LOOKED like a pizza cutter so…"
"One of you IDIOTS used it to…?"
"Lash was complaining how Degreasy's never cuts the crust all the way through so…"
"Get…out."
"I'm sure if you use some wet naps it'll clean right…"
"OUT!"
Stitches was gone in a flash, leaving Gwen to fume amidst the garbage heap that was once her pristine lair. Penny was lucky her rich parents had taken their "little princess" back in a heartbeat, leaving Gwen all alone with…boys.
"Next time I form a gang," she growled to herself, "NO BOYS."
Will stood there, still looking at the reflection of his transmogrified form in the small pond in Layla's garden. Actually "she" was kind of cute with a little button nose, long eyelashes and full lips that didn't need any gloss. Whoever had done this sure knew how to design a pretty girl.
What was he thinking? He was a GIRL!
"Layla," he stammered, "how did you…what did…"
But Layla wasn't listening. She was looking past Will, and "she" realized someone was standing behind "her". "She" slowly turned and found "herself" looking for the first time with a girl's eyes at a VERY tall, dark and handsome boy in a leather jacket, black t-shirt emblazoned with the Chinese symbol for fire on the chest and well-worn blue jeans.
"Hey Layla," said Warren before he brought his dark eyes down and locked onto those of the girl standing before him, "who's your friend?"
"Uh…" started Layla, caught completely off guard by EVERYTHING that had just happened, "this is Will…I mean…uh…yeah, that's it. Warren, this is Will's cousin Willamena."
Willamena? What a HORRIBLE name! It was bad enough getting caught out in public in those ill fitting clothes, but now having this cute boy…
Cute boy? It was Warren! Warren, Warren, Warren! Will's best friend! The guy that had nearly barbecued and served him up in the cafeteria a little while ago, the guy who…who…who had the DREAMIEST eyes "she" had ever seen. And what was that cologne he was wearing? It was...AAARRGGHH!
"Willamena, huh?" said Warren, "Interesting name…kind of old fashioned…but I like it."
Will felt a blush hit "her" cheeks. It took everything to keep from letting out a nervous giggle. Had Warren ALWAYS been so tall?
"Yeah," said Layla, her mind racing to come up with a plausible story, as Warren was too smart to fall for a little white lie. "She's from…out of town and came to visit for the weekend. She lost her luggage at the airport so that's why she's wearing some of Will's clothes."
"She looks a lot better in them than Stronghold does," said Warren.
Now Will did giggle as "her" cheeks turned bright red. It was taking every ounce of self control to keep from flying off and hiding in embarrassment by not only this whole situation, but by the fact Warren was being REALLY charming…and it was getting to "her".
"Uh…yeah," said Layla, "but we were heading into my house so she could borrow some of my things…don't want her running around looking like some kind of tomboy you know."
With that Layla grabbed Will's hand and started leading "her" to her house.
"Why don't you come in and wait for us," Layla said to Warren, "by the way, aren't you early for the party?"
"I didn't have work today," said Warren as he started following the two girls without taking his eyes off "Willamena", "first Saturday I can remember in a long time, and for some reason I couldn't sleep in like I wanted. I was driving Mom crazy hanging around so I decided to come over early and hang with Stronghold. Where is he?"
"Isn't that great," said Layla to "Willamena", "Warren will be hanging around ALL DAY."
Will nearly had a two-pronged panic attack. He didn't dare reveal that he was now a she as Warren would probably injure himself laughing and Will would never hear the end of it; the second was that having Warren around was causing all sorts of strange thoughts to flit in and out of "her" head. Will was finding himself feeling girlier with every passing second.
"Will…went with his parents to help show some houses," Layla said to Warren as they got onto the front porch of her house, "we've got no idea when they'll be back."
They entered Layla's house and Layla motioned for Warren to have a seat in the living room while she and "Willamena" headed for the stairs.
"Make yourself comfortable," Layla grinned (albeit nervously) to Warren, "turn on the tv and watch whatever you want…except maybe a cooking show…too much meat, you know".
Once the door to her bedroom shut behind them Will finally lost it.
"What are you doing," "she" nearly shrieked, "why didn't you send him home? I can't have him around with me being…like this! I need to get help!"
"Calm down," said Layla, "you haven't been a girl ten minutes and already you're trying to throw a hissy fit. What are you…crazy?"
Will felt ashamed as his words were thrown back at him. Now he was beginning to see why Layla had been so mad at him earlier.
"If I sent Warren away, he might get suspicious," Layla said as he started looking through her clothes, "besides, we might need his help getting you back to normal."
"What can Warren do? I need Mr. Medulla or some other big brain."
"I don't think so," said Layla as she chose a nice outfit, "this was too quick…to "clean" a change. I don't think it was mad science…I think it was magic."
"Magic? But we don't know any magic people."
"Well, Warren's mom's arch-enemy was a witch, so maybe she might know how to get you to normal or knows somebody who can."
"Warren's mom's arch-enemy?"
"No silly," said Layla, noting that Will's change in gender had not changed his speed on the uptake, "Warren's MOTHER. Here, try this on."
She handed Will a matching blouse and skirt that were not her usual green colors, but was a sky blue in color. Will stood there looking at the clothes for a moment as if "she" didn't know what to do.
"Well," said Layla, "go try them on. Just use the bathroom."
"Yeah," said Will, "but I really need to …"
"To what?"
"Use the bathroom."
"That's what I said, use the bathroom."
"No Layla," said Will with increasing frustration, "I mean I HAVE to use the bathroom."
"Oh. OH." Said Layla as the full meaning hit her.
We'll skip this part for the obvious reasons and go downstairs to see what Warren is up to.
Warren was sitting on the sofa, flicking through channels with the remote. He was starting to get peeved, as he didn't plan on wasting a perfectly good Saturday sitting on the sofa vegging in front of the tv. Suddenly the doorbell rang and he got up to answer the door.
"Hey Warren," said Magenta when the door opened, "what are you doing here?"
"I came over to hang with Stronghold and ended up holding the sofa down while the hippie's upstairs with his girl cousin who's visiting."
"Really?" said Magenta, "let me upstairs and I'll see what's keeping them."
Magenta went upstairs and knocked on Layla's bedroom door. At first both she and Will nearly had heart attacks until Layla opened the door a crack and saw it wasn't Warren.
"Oh good, you're early," she said as she let Magenta in and quickly locked the door behind her.
"Yeah," said Magenta, very suspicious about the way her friend was acting, "I hear Will's cousin is visiting…?"
"Not exactly," said Layla as she bit her lower lip, which she always did when she was nervous.
That was when "Willamena" stepped out of the bathroom wearing the blouse and skirt.
"WILL?" Magenta nearly shrieked, causing Layla to try to cover her mouth and Will to dive back into the bathroom and slam the door.
"What is he…wait a minute…" Magenta threw open the bathroom door and stared for a moment then closed the door again and turned to Layla.
"Okay," she said, "he's NOT just trying it on for a reason I do NOT want to know about…he's REALLY a…"
"Yeah," said Layla, "it happened just a little while ago. We were arguing and I said something and…poof."
"Okay," said Magenta, "unless it was "bippity boppity boo" there is NO way you could have done THAT."
"I think," said Layla, looking around like she expected someone to overhear her, "there's a fairy hiding around here."
"Uh-huh," said Magenta, just when she thought this day couldn't get any weirder.
"Seriously," said Layla, "I yelled that I wished Will was a girl and…there she is."
"Are you telling me…?"
"Yes," said Layla, totally somber, "there ARE fairies…and sprites, elves, goblins, and so on. They're all real. I've studied about them since I was little…it kind of came with my powers, I guess. You know, "in tune with nature" and all that."
"Fairies? You have GOT to be joking."
"Magenta," said Layla, "we KNOW zombies and vampires exist, so do werewolves and sasquatches and all sorts of magic. Why not fairies?"
Magenta couldn't argue with Layla. How many people believed in girls who could control plants or turn into purple guinea pigs?
"So what can I do to help?"
"First," said Layla, "help me get "Willamena" there made over. I think it will make him…her…feel better.
"And second?"
"Get Will and Warren both out of here so we can find the fairy that did this and make her turn Will back to normal before his parents get home."
"I've got an idea," said Magenta, "first let's take care of Miss Stronghold, then I'll handle the rest."
It took several minutes to convince Will to open the bathroom door, and once he did they both jumped him and forced him to sit still and listen. While it was easy to convince "her" to let them try to look more the part, the other idea was totally stone walled.
"I am NOT going out with him!"
"It's NOT a date," replied Layla, "we need you to keep Warren busy and…frankly we need BOTH of you out of our hair while we track the fairy. Besides, think of it as a chance to get to know your best friend in a different way. He might tell you things he'd never tell you if he knew you were…you."
Will had to admit the idea was intriguing. There was tons of stuff he was curious about concerning Warren, but was afraid of getting fireballed if he ever asked. Maybe he would be more open with a new face…especially a girl.
Warren was literally smoldering at being kept waiting. How long was it going to take for those girls to finish doing whatever it was they were doing? He was just about to leave and forget coming back for the party later when Layla came rushing down the stairs.
"Hi Warren," she said, "I'm SO sorry it took so long but Willamena…well, she wanted to make sure she looked perfect."
"Perfect for what?" Warren scowled, but was still a little curious.
"Well, Magenta and I have to get things ready for the party and I know you don't want to just sit around and watch us, plus with Willamena being new to town we thought maybe you'd like to show her around."
"You set us up for a date?"
"NO," said Layla, "I mean no, it's just being a chaperone for her for a couple of hours. That's okay, isn't it?"
Warren was about to tell Layla to forget it until he looked up and saw Willamena coming down the stairs. He instantly rethought the whole thing.
Willamena was wearing the sky blue blouse and skirt, now accented with a dark purple scarf Magenta had pulled out of her purse and tied loosely around the slim waist. Her hair had been done in a long braid like Layla's, and with a touch of blue eye shadow that matched her dress and a little red lipstick she was even prettier than when Warren had first met her.
"Now you two go have fun," said Layla as she basically pushed them out the door, "and don't come back…I mean take your time and we'll see you later."
Warren and Willamena stood on the front porch for several minutes after the door closed, each wondering what to say.
"Well," said Warren, "I guess if I'm going to show you around we better get started."
"Yeah," said Willamena, "I mean…yes, that would be nice."
"Look," said Warren, "I know this is all sudden and you don't know me or anything…"
"I know all about…I mean Will told me all about you," said Willamena, "we talk a lot over the phone. He says you're a great guy…a little quick with the fireballs but…"
"He TOLD you that?" It was hard to tell if Warren was panicking or getting mad as a few wisps of smoke started appearing on his person.
"Uh…yeah," said Willamena, trying to think fast, "but it's okay. I'm super too, I go to Sky High…I mean WEST Sky High, you know, in California."
"Oh," said Warren, calming down, "what's your power?
"I'm super strong," Willamena blurted out, but then stopped herself before she let slip she could also fly.
"Must be the Stronghold side of the family," Warren thought out loud, "but I didn't know the Commander had a brother."
Willamena mentally kicked herself. Of course Warren would know all about his dad since he had been nursing a grudge against him for years before he and Will had become friends. Why hadn't he said he could fly…Warren probably didn't know anything about the Demarco side of the family.
"Uh…no, but his cousin has a…I mean I'm the daughter of his cousin…who's my dad…the Commander's cousin, I mean."
Warren looked puzzled at Willamena and secretly wondered if ALL Strongholds were a little slow mentally, but at least this one made up for it in looks. There was also something else about her that Warren found himself really liking.
"Well," he said, "how about we go find something to eat? I know a great place not far from here."
"As long as it's not Chinese food," Willamena said with a "yucky" expression that registered 24 on the Cuteness Scale of 1 to 10.
"Don't worry," said Warren with that smile that melted Willamena's heart all over again, "I work in a Chinese restaurant and that's the LAST place I want to spend my day off. I was thinking of pizza."
"Sounds great…I mean, I'd like that." Willamena was finding it easier over time to get the words right to sound like a lady and not some dumb boy.
The two then began a leisurely stroll down the street, headed for what would prove to be an interesting lunch. But unbeknownst to either of them, they were being watched from high up in the sky, where an extremely keen pair of blue eyes saw their every move
To be continued
Yes, this is a "one episode" story, but I decided to break it down into "first half" and "second half" of the show so it wouldn't be too long a read and it would give me time to get the other half done without rushing it. So while the "commercials" are on, go to the bathroom and get a snack and we'll meet back here soon for the second half.