Hi everybody! Well, here's the start of what I hope will be a good, fun story everyone will enjoy. I STILL get requests for follow-ups to my two little Sky High/Sharkboy & Lavagirl stories (even though it's been over a year and a half since I wrote them), and decided to finally go ahead and blow it up into a full story. Consider "The Kids Are Alright" and "The Wrong Guy at the Wrong Time" as the two prologues to this. I also threw in the characters from "Zoom" to make it a three-way crossover (and even more confusing for me to keep track of all the characters). Please be patient with me getting chapters out because my time is very limited for writing, and I am also working on the sequel to "We're Not in Kansas Anymore" (Sky High/Smallville with TONS of characters to keep track of) and "Sky High: The Series" (yes, I actually have a couple more episodes almost ready!). So without further ado, here we go!
"Heroes of the Future"
Chapter 1
"Introductions Are In Order"
"Mom, Dad, we're home," called Will as he and Layla entered the front door of the Stronghold residence.
"We're in here," called Josie from the living room. While they had heard reports of some kind of disruption down on the waterfront, neither she nor her husband had been called by the Mayor as it didn't seem anything to call in the Commander and Jetstream, so they had had a rare quiet evening at home.
Will and Layla entered to find Steve kicked back in his barely used recliner watching television while Josie was working on her laptop computer.
"So how was your date?" Josie asked without looking up.
"Well," started Will, "it was okay…until Lash and Speed showed up."
Both of his parents looked up at Will's statement with concern on their faces.
"What are those two doing running around? They're supposed to be locked up in Detention Central."
"That's what we thought," said Layla, "but they weren't after us. They were after…someone else."
"Who?
"Come on in guys," Will said into the entrance.
Both Steve and Josie were surprised to see two costumed kids, about twelve years old, come in. One was a dark skinned boy with black spiky hair and wearing a gray and black costume with a shark motif complete with a fin on his back while the other was a girl with pink hair wearing a pink and red outfit and seemed to be glowing.
"This is Sharkboy and Lavagirl," said Will, "they were being attacked by Speed and Lash when Layla and I showed up, but we didn't really have to do anything. They took care of them all by themselves."
"Wait a minute," said Josie, "you don't mean…"
"They're both super heroes already," said Will, "and they did a good job on Speed and Lash. I tied them to a lamppost for the police, but that was all. We thought we'd better bring them here for safety, especially after what happened with Warren."
"Warren? What about him?"
"He got attacked by our old enemy Mr. Electric," said Lavagirl. "I guess he was looking for us with some kind of heat detector and found Warren instead. He really clobbered him too."
"Warren got hurt?"
"No," said Lavagirl, "he totaled Mr. Electric. He's really cool, isn't he Sharky?"
Sharkboy only rolled his eyes as Lavagirl had been gushing over Warren because he was the first person she could have physical contact with without burning him. After nearly hugging the stuffing out of him she had held his hand the entire way to the Stronghold's house, never taking his eyes off him and grinning the entire time. If one didn't know better, one might think that maybe Sharkboy was becoming jealous.
"He's right outside," said Will, "he said he…didn't feel comfortable coming in here because…well, you know."
Both Josie and Steve nodded their heads. They knew that, despite what had happened with the homecoming dance, there was still tension between Warren and them concerning his father Barron Battle. Hopefully with time and Will's friendship that would change.
"What I want to know," said Steve, taking a firm fatherly stance, "is what are you two doing running around in costumes already. Do your parents know you're doing this? If they do I'll just call and let them know you're okay and they can come pick you up. If they DON'T know, I'm calling them anyway for your own good. I'll admit though I don't recognize you two…from your powers, anyway…as kids of anyone we know."
"That's…that's because we don't have parents," said Lavagirl.
"Speak for yourself," said Sharkboy defensively, "I've got a dad…I just don't know where he is."
"Really?" said Josie, her motherly and heroine protective instincts taking over, "you mean you two don't have anyone? How did that happen?"
"We've got each other," said Sharkboy, jutting out his lower jaw, "that's all we need."
"This is serious," said Steve, "we've not only got a couple of underage supers, but ones without parents at that. We'll have to call the authorities and get them placed somewhere…"
"They've got a place," said Josie, "and that's right here. I'm not about to let two kids be turned over like that. Remember what happened years ago…with the military and their stupid "Z Project"?"
Steve only nodded his head. It wouldn't be that hard for him to use his influence with the authorities as the Commander to get the kids placed with him and Josie for their safety.
"Do I smell something burning?" Josie asked.
Lavagirl jumped and realized her feet were scorching the carpet from having stood there for a few seconds too long.
"I'm sorry," she said, "I have a very high body temperature and…well…"
"That's okay honey," said Josie, "I've been meaning to recarpet this room anyway. Now let's see…I'm sorry, but we do need to know your real names, your first ones, anyway."
"We're Sharkboy and Lavagirl," said Sharkboy, "that's all we've ever gone by."
"Now this is getting weird," said Steve, "you mean the two of you don't have parents, or real names, or anything?"
"Her name is Serenity," came a familiar voice from the doorway, "and his is Bruce."
Everyone turned, surprised to see Warren leaning in the doorway. He nodded his head at the two kids and repeated their names.
"She's Serenity. He's Bruce. Anybody got a problem with that?"
"I like that," grinned Lavagirl, both from her new name and Warren having rejoined them.
"What kind of name is Bruce?" said Sharkboy, not so sure he liked his new name, possibly because of who was giving it to him.
"She looks like a Serenity," said Warren as he turned his full stare onto Sharkboy and the two locked eyes. "And Bruce is a tough name for a tough guy. It also happens to be the nickname of the shark from "Jaws". That good enough for you?"
That explanation seemed good enough for Sharkboy, but he just nodded his head and sneered.
"I just got off the phone with my mom," said Warren, turning his attention to Will and Josie but trying to avoid eye contact with Steve, "and she says Lava…I mean Serenity comes stay at our house. The place is totally fire and heat proof…you know why…and she can stay in the guest bedroom."
"That's a wonderful idea," said Josie, "and I think you chose very appropriate names for them Warren. Now I think it's time we get everybody settled in for the night. After all, it's still a school day tomorrow."
"Oh wow," said Will, "hey, can they come with us to school tomorrow Mom? Maybe Principal Powers or Mr. Boy can help find some information about them."
"Hmmm, I don't see why not," said Josie, "let me call first though and clear it through the proper channels. While I'm doing that Warren can take Serenity home and we'll get Bruce squared away in Will's room."
The honking of a horn outside was what Warren had been waiting for.
"That's Mom. Come on Serenity, let's get home."
"Home," said Lava Girl dreamily, "I like that."
Latching onto Warren's hand again the two left the Stronghold house with Steve looking sadly behind them.
"I wish Joy had come in for a moment. It would have been great to see her again."
"I know dear," said Josie as she put her arm around his waist, "I guess she's still a little ashamed after what happened."
"About what?" said Will.
"Warren's mom…she sacrificed her powers saving your dad the last time he fought Barron Battle. If not for her he would have conquered the city and your dad would be…"
Josie didn't finish the statement, but Will was able to put the pieces together himself.
"Come one," said Josie to Bruce, "let's get you upstairs and out of that costume. I bet you'd like a good bath and to sleep in a soft bed."
"I'll settle for sleeping in the tub," said Sharkboy, "as long as it's deep enough to totally submerge in. I'm getting dried out breathing all this air."
"You mean…?" asked Will.
"Dude, I've got gills. I'm SHARKboy remember? Not much good if I don't have gills, am I?"
As they led "Bruce" up the stairs, Steve couldn't help but lean over to Josie and whisper; "if I didn't know better, with that attitude I'd swear he was Barron's kid too."
"Wow," said Will as he and Layla were walking back to her house, "this sure wasn't how I expected our date to turn out."
"I don't think anybody could," said Layla, "I guess it goes along with being part of the super hero world…you never know what will happen next."
"Still," said Will, "it's weird to find a couple of kids younger than us already running around in costumes fighting evil. Maybe something happened to their parents and they just don't want to tell us yet."
"Maybe," said Layla as she and Will stopped at the front door to her house, "but we won't find out until tomorrow…maybe. I had fun even with all the little detours we took."
"I'm glad," said Will as he held Layla's hand and started to move in for a good night kiss, "though I think it'll be hard to top tonight on our next date."
"Don't worry," said Layla, "I'm sure you'll come up with something…after all, you are a Stronghold."
"Which means there should be a flaming meteor out there heading this way," joked Will.
Rather than listen to any more lame small talk, Layla took the initiative and kissed Will. Even though both of his feet were still on the ground Will still felt like he was floating in the air whenever Layla kissed him.
In another place, a secret place filled with advanced technology beyond anyone's dreams, laid a strange piece of machinery. It was an enormous metallic sphere with a plastic screen on the front, and on either side of it lay metal tubes ending in nasty looking pincers, while beneath it were two other such tubes.
The machinery suddenly began buzzing and screeching as a jolt of electricity shot through the sphere to connect it to the four tubes. The entire mass of machinery lurched and bucked as the screen lit up and a face formed on it. Slowly the machine sat up, and Mr. Electric was alive once more.
"It's about time you came back online," said a voice from the shadows that the artificial intelligence knew all too well, "I was beginning to think you had met your well-deserved end for going against orders."
"I would have been totally flat lined," replied Mr. Electric as he slowly began moving and testing his new body, "if there hadn't been an underwater phone line for me to transfer into just as my body was going down. That fire kid really did a number on me, but next time I'll show him the meaning of mega-hurtz…"
A sudden surge of energy that was the polar opposite to his own coursed through the robot body, causing the equivalent of pain that would have killed a normal human.
"NO!" shouted the figure. "I did NOT reassemble your shattered form and upload your consciousness into a new body just so you could go hunt down those children to begin with! Then you had the audacity to let yourself be encountered by ANOTHER super being and get nearly destroyed AGAIN! Luckily for you I was able to extricate Lash and Speed from their situation before the authorities arrived. But I am telling you what I told them. This is NOT about revenge…this is about the acquisition of power. After that, then we ALL get our revenge on those who denied us our rightful due. Is that understood?"
The equivalent of a nod was the only way the creature could answer, but the point had been made.
"Now that that is settled," said the figure, suppressing a twitch in the left eye which always manifested when irritated, "come along Mr. Electric, we have a few more recruits to gather before we put my full plan in motion."
"Dylan," a voice whispered in the dark, "Dylan wake up."
Dylan slowly opened his eyes to find it was still dark. The last time he had gotten woken up like this was when he and the others were in danger…
There was no one in his room.
"Dylan," came the voice again, and this time he realized he hadn't heard it, at least with his ears. It was the mental voice of his girlfriend Summer, calling to him.
Dylan was up in an instant and went to his window. Looking out he saw Summer was standing on his front lawn, dressed in jeans and a jacket. He opened the window and leaned out to call to her, but she motioned for him to stay quiet and come down to her. A smile crossed his face as he thought about all the times he'd dreamed of this happening, and now it was coming true. He quickly threw on a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers and crept downstairs to slip out the front door.
"Hey," he quietly whispered as he approached her, "what's up?"
"We've got to go," said Summer, looking around nervously, "something's come up."
"What, a mission?" said Dylan, "but why didn't my beeper go off? What's the trouble?"
"Zenith doesn't know about this," came another voice from behind Dylan, though there had been no one there a moment earlier. Dylan turned to see Jack Shepherd, his teacher and mentor Zoom. Jack was also in his street clothes, something he never did on a mission since he had come out of retirement.
"Zenith doesn't know about this…because they may BE the trouble. I'm getting you kids somewhere safe where we can get some help and settle a few questions about that place once and for all."
"Where are we going," asked Dylan as he saw the "flying saucer" they used as their transport vehicle lowering from the cloudy sky silently.
"We're going to Maxville," said Zoom, "I'm going to look up a couple of old friends and get you kids where you can continue your training at a safer, and probably saner place. And you don't have to worry about your parents having a fit about missing school because you'll still be going to school."
"And that school would be…" asked Dylan.
"Sky High".
To be Continued
Next: Houdini and Wonder come to Sky High at the same time Sharkboy and Lavagirl are getting a tour with Will and Layla; how will three different sets of super kids get along? Also, Zoom visits with the Commander and Jetstream while Princess' birthday party gets a VERY unwelcome guest!