Sky High: Next Generation.

Chapter 10: Bruised and Baffled

The gates of the arena swung open allowing the combatants to exit. All the boys walked with mild limps and blossoming bruises, as Fiona walked by Max she said, "Good game".

Max couldn't help but chuckle at that, though the action brought him pain, "Maybe for you, Alberts, us heroes got thrashed. I do have one question though. When I was Ghostly, Monica was still somehow able to hit me with her lightning, how?"

Fiona looked momentarily surprised then in a clinical voice, not unlike Coach Porter's, she said, "intangibility may make the user untouchable to physical attacks however most forms of energy, such as electricity or heat, can still affect the user".

"Wow, you just know stuff like that off the top of your head?"

Fiona smiled, "I like to be prepared, I borrowed some of my mom's textbooks from her time in the school. I guess it paid off".

"Yeah, I guess so", mumbled Max as he went to join the others.

Jared and the other players didn't bother taking off their gear yet, since anyone of them could be chosen to play again. Mostly the group sat in silence until Eleanor spoke.

"So I found out why we're here", she said.

"Why? To get our butts kicked?" Replied Emerson.

"Speak for yourself", chimed Jared with a small proud smile.

"I mean why we're here in the Gym instead of starting our classes", Eleanor tried to continue.

"And why is that?" Asked Lily.

Eleanor smiled at Lily's subtle encouragement and answered, "Well normally after lunch we would all get our Class Schedules but apparently the central Mainframe of Sky High crashed. No Mainframe, no schedules. No schedules, no class. And no class means gym for the rest of the day".

"Does that happen alot around here?" Asked Emerson.

This time Lily answered, "No, my Mom told us stories about this place and one time she told Max and I how the tech within these walls were off the charts, glitches like this never happen. I guess it's our luck it happened today".

"I hope no one's student information gets lost, how horrible would it be for the school to forget you're a student huh?" Said Jared half joking.

This earned him a few nods of agreement and a soft laugh from Emerson. He noticed, however that Lily hardly looked his way. His head began to race with reasons why she would be upset with him, maybe she hated him for his part in the match?

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The group continued to converse casually as they watched 5 more rounds of "Save the Citizen" with some very interesting students. Len ended up playing a round with a guy who could teleport items into his hands and a flying girl.

Len managed to stay powered up for 37 seconds before his power switched off, and the flyer had a skirt on so she stayed grounded. With only the teleporter to work with the team failed to stop their heroes from rescuing the Citizen.

As the school day came to a close the Coach stood up and spoke.

"Honestly, you freshmen have impressed me. Every year the freshmen I get have a hard time even throwing a punch during there first week in Super Games, but already we have a handful of bruises and a scar or two". He paused at a sudden thought, "Oh that reminds me, someone take Jim Henderson here down to the nurse's station. Taking a fireball to the face is never pretty. Anyways enough gooey talk, good job bashing each other to bits. Now: dismissed!"

The class left surprised yet proud. The walk to the bus area was a loud one filled with nervous chats about the next day's lessons and where the nurse's station was. Jared, Emerson and Eleanor all headed towards their bus.

"Hey, Jared", said Lily.

Jared turned relieved to have her finally speak to him, maybe she wasn't mad afterall.

"Yeah?"

"Give me your cell number", she demanded after a blank look from Jared she went on, "How else am I supposed to buy you dinner, I don't even know where you live".

"Oh! Right yeah, of course". Jared quickly recited his number as Lily typed it into her phone.

"Cool. Do you like Chinese food? I know a great place called the Paper Lantern. This friday at 8pm, what do you say?"

"Oh yeah, sure, sure", Stammered Jared unsure what else to say.

"Good, then I guess it's a date", Lily replied with a crooked smile as she turned and walked away.

A date? Jared thought, Maybe this year won't be so bad afterall.

The rest of the day sort of blew by in a blur. During the bus ride home Eleanor gave Jared and Emerson her cell number in case, "you ever want to hang out". She seemed very excited about her new friends.

When Jared arrived at home his parents immediately assaulted him with questions. A few hours and one home cooked dinner later he finally rested in his room, feeling the tiredness of the day he drifted off to sleep excited about his school year.

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Several miles away in an unknown area sat a 15 year old boy in front of a laptop.

I had nearly missed the first day of school, thought the boy, but thanks to the little fight I started today the Central Mainframe was left unguarded.

He typed away furiously at his keyboard forming code after code until the screen displayed the four magic words that would let him find The Crown.

Access Granted: File Accepted.

Time to go back to school.