Water and Ice

For now, I’m just posting half of the 1st chapter. But I’ll put my little info later.

Chapter 1

I woke up with hazy white light. I was sitting in at a table in Red Lobster. How the heck did I get here? Oh, wait, I’m still dreaming. Yes… All you can eat lobster buffet here I come-

Someone rung the doorbell and the sound of Jason’s favorite guitar solo woke me up. Who the hell is here at- I looked at the clock- three in the morning?

Jamie. Jason mentally whined. Oh great, we have people here and he’s totally drunk. It’s not even Friday!

I know it’s not Friday but I got a challenger. Yeah, like that’s an excuse. Well, he is kinda funny when he’s drunk. Get the door would ya?

Why should I?

Jamie, just do it. I’m too drunk to get up.

“Fine.” I said, getting out of bed unwillingly.

I tripped down the stairs (which is really no surprise) and went to the front door. Now most kids are told not to open the door, but I can defend myself just fine, so I’m allowed to do it. Tyler on the other hand… Anyway, when I opened the door I saw a small tuxedo kitten and a shaggy brown dog in a trucker hat that said ‘Got beer?’.

“What the hell- Mark?” The dog in the trucker hat seemed like that guy in some of Jason’s pictures. His name was Mark and he was one of Jason’s drinking buddies in high school.

I could have just thought to Jason, but it would be more fun to wake up everyone else in the house. Hopefully Kristy and Shade.

“Jason! Mark’s here!”

Why now? We couldn’t he be here four hours ago and go to the Green Dragon with me and Ricky? Jason groaned and rolled out of bed. He stumbled a few times but made it to the door.

“Mark? I thought you were stationed in LA. Well, I guess not… come inside and take beer or two?” Such a Jason thing to say. ‘Oh hi. It’s three in the morning and you rudely woke me and my sister. Want a beer?’

You’ll understand when your fifteen Jamie. Jason thought to me, clearly annoyed at my rude comment. If he doesn’t like my thoughts then he should stay out of my head.

I thought the drinking age was 21?

I started at 15. Shade started at 15. You and Kristy will start at 15 too. I’m making it a family tradition or some other shit like that.

“It’s Mark in the flesh, Jason.” I didn’t like how awake this guy was at three in the morning. But I did like his hat. I’ll steal that later… “But we’ve got some more important fish to fry. Sierra!”

Sierra… The little tuxedo cat looked up and Jason and me. She’s kinda cute… Wait! What am I thinking? If she gets to me like that, I’ll have another person like Kristy who thinks I wont kill them when they deserve it. Then again, Kristy is my best friend…

“I know the orphanage takes in paranormals, right- even powerful ones?” Mark continued talking about the little tux. Paranormal… That’s just a fancy way of saying superhero. Maybe it would be good to befriend her… Or she could make a just as good rival. I smiled at the thought of a fight with this midget. I’d surely win. Powerful, yeah right.

“Can you keep her until she’s fond a foster home, Jason?” Foster home? We tried that with Kristy and she still practically lives here. Which is good, but I guess that means this freak will stay here forever too. Maybe the friend idea is better. I already have enough rivals at home… Shawn, Dan, Jason, sometimes Shade…

“What the hell is her fucking ability?” If Jason’s using words like ability, yet swearing in the same sentence, it’s so easy to tell he’s drunk.

“Jamie!” I heard Kristy call from upstairs. I must have woken her. Sweet. “Do you have to be so loud? Your elephant stomping shook the whole house!” She laughed.

Shade walked out of the shadows, seeing that Kristy was up. “Kristy, Kristy, Kristy,” he used a tone like Jason does when I’ve done something stupid, “Why is the little kitten up and about so late?”

I would have growled at the little kitten comment but Kristy just purred and gave him a hug. Sissy. “Maybe I feel like it, or maybe Jamie was just being loud.”

I growled playfully. I’m really not that loud, unless I want to be. Maybe I was a bit loud when I fell down the stairs… I was half asleep…

Mark seemed a bit impatient with Kristy and Shade’s side convo. He clearly cared about Sierra, which is sweet. No, I lied; It’s annoying.

“She’s starving, okay? She’s small but I’d die before I’d fight that kit. For one thing, she’s an aura-reader.” To be honest, I think someone like Mark would rather die before he fought anyone. He’s got no powers and is pretty much a loser in general.

Be nice Jamie. Jason said, entering my mind again. He’s a great guy, expect when you owe him money…. Anyway, do you know what the hell an aura-reader is? ‘Cuz I don’t.

I don’t either… But I have a feeling this trucker boy is gonna tell us. I can steal his hat later, right?

Only if you let me borrow it. I smiled, Jason’s the best. 

“Well… basically, she can see a person’s state of being- that’s right, isn’t it Sierra? Like if someone’s pregnant, sick, hungry, emotions, pretty much, drunk?” He looked at Jason with the drunk comment. But Jason just shrugged his shoulders, not caring. “It’s color-coded and she can focus on the aura and get more information on it. Oh and-“

“Can she talk for herself?” Jason said. Both of us could care less what this little kitten could do.

You can say that again. Jason commented on my thoughts.

Could you stay out of my head? I snapped, glaring at him for half a second.

Nope. He smiled that stupid smile of his…

“I’m articulate enough to be able to formulate and maintain a coherent conversation, if that’s what you’re inquiring.” Sierra said in small, but annoyingly honey sweet voice.

“What the fuck?” Is she even speaking English? Then again, who cares? “Whatever.”

Sierra sent a glare towards Jason, but continued explaining her powers. Seriously, who cares? “And I can see powers, talents…” Blah blah blah. I stopped listening almost as soon as she opened her mouth. “I’m also a hydro- no, wait, a wat-“

“So we understand she’s a freaking aura reader.” I interrupted. Someone needed to stop her rambling and it might as well be me. I decided to insult her style to add to the diss. “Hey, Tux, that any reason to wake us all up at three in the morning?” I rolled my eyes. I could almost taste that lobster I was going to dream about eating. When was the last time I had lobster anyway?

“Jamie, maybe you don’t understand Sierra’s situation.” Mark said, since Sierra seemed to be spacing out. She must have ADHD worse than me. At least I’m not the only one, but I really don’t want to have anything in common with that girl. Without even knowing her, we were as different as night and day, Coke and Pepsi, Mac and PC, fire and water… I’m running out of opposites.

“… fiercely independent, but not obnoxious, usually. Most pigheaded girl I ever met, but she’s good. Aren’t you, Sierra?” Mark ruffled her hair and I fought the urge to laugh. “Right. So, she’s got another power, I should tell you-“

Thank God Jason stop him. “Don’t know, don’t care. Stay with us tonight Marcus? WE can find a storage closet or something for Selena-“

“Sierra.” She interrupted, correcting Jason on her first name. She winced at the name Selena… Why?

Hey Jamie. Jason thought, with the idea of a challenge in his mind. This should be interesting. I’d pay good money to see you and Tux go at it. Although, it would probably just end up the same way it did that second time you fought Kristy, with Shade on her side.

That was a nasty fight. It turns out that if you fight a kid with shadow powers, you’re gonna lose. And then if you use that kid’s little sister as a hostage and brand her arm, he’ll get pretty mad. And I think God was mad at us too… But that’s another story.

Of course, I hid my slight embarrassment of the mention of losing a fight, but grinned at the chance I could use to get back in the spotlight. I’m the lead, people, not just a side character.

“Pfft.” I replied to Jason out loud. I really don’t know how you spell onomatopoeias, but I guess pfft will do. “You really don’t think I have what it takes to take on this pathetic ‘aura-reading’ freak? You don’t give me enough credit Jason.” I growled playful. A fight at three in the morning would be a new record.

“Oh? I, for one, Jamie, am perfectly capable of whooping your ass in a fight.” So the little tux doesn’t always talk like a college professor. I think I heard Jason laugh at my comment. “What’s red-eye against-“

“What do you know about red-eye, you little freak?” I glared at Sierra. I hadn’t said a word about my powers and neither did anyone else. Of course She and Mark rambled on about hers. But I guess that aura thing really does work. And I don’t like it.

“Oh, I know more about you than you think, Jamie Nicole Jonas.” Great, she knows my middle name to! I hated this tuxedo wearing freak more every second.

“You know nothing about me!” I yelled, probably waking up everyone else in the orphanage. “I know nothing about you! And I don’t want to know anything about you, you creepy, dirty, starved stray that wound up at my house at THREE IN THE MORNING!”

My eyes we a crimson red, but I didn’t want to make the first move. I’d be the one to get in trouble then. Well, when a fight starts, I’ll get in trouble anyway. But I’ll get in more trouble if I start it or someone winds up in the hospital. Notice how I said when a fight starts, not if.

“I’ll agree with most of that.” Sierra said, which annoyed me. “I’m starving, you could see me as creepy, that’s a matter of opinion, but I’m not dirty. Cleaner than you, at least.” I growled at that last comment. If you were a hydrophob, you wouldn’t want to take a bath either. “And I’m certainly not a stray.”

Kristy took that comment to heart, being a stray a few months ago. Sometimes I wonder if it was a good thing that I brought her here… Maybe she would be happier still as a stray.

A few more people had gathered, watching on the stairs on behind Jason and Shade. Shawn and Dan were two of those people, so when the fight started, I couldn’t lose. Of course, I could still see them snickering about the ‘cleaner than you’ comment. Well, if there’s a little blood from Sierra, I’m sure Jason wont mind.

“Well then, what the hell are you?” I growled as my eyes glowed a fiery red. “Some pathetic, tortured, emaciated runaway captive?”

I had hit a nerve with that one. If you wind up here and you have superpowers, you’re either a stray or a runaway. And she must have had a pretty bad torturer to look as mad as she did now. Of course, it wont seem like anything once I get to her.

But somehow, she managed to keep from screaming something at me. The way she talked was almost… condescending. “Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. You assume too much, and life is in the details. Next time, pay attention when someone’s telling you about her powers.”

A bucket of water splashed over me. That’s what she was trying to say before I cut her off. She’s a freaking hydrokinetic! I was totally, and utterly soaked. I screamed so loud that I set Shannon’s car alarm off. Everyone in the crowd covered their ears. My fur was matted to my side and I looked smaller than I wanted to be.

“Hydrokinetic, all forms of water. I use the moisture around me. Can’t drown.”

And now she’s bragging! My eyes glowed even brighter red without my control, which isn’t really a good thing. I bared my teeth and lunged at her. Of course, I had some control, so I only shoved her into the wall under the stairs. She curled up in a defense ball. Ha! This’ll be easy!

Be careful Jamie. Jason thought to me I honestly don’t feel like punishing you for causing another kid to be broken and bloody.

If you’re referring to Shade; that was your fault too. And a little skin wound wont hurt.

I slashed my claws at her neck and three blood red lines remained on her throat. I expected a scream, that’s what most people do with a skin wound. But instead, her eyes glazed over and her neck went limp. I heard a gasp ripple through the crowd. I could also hear the annoyance with me that was boiling inside of Jason.

I probably should have just walked away. Whatever punishment Jason would have given me then might have been nicer. But no, I just had to make sure this Sierra couldn’t get up. Her eyes glazed over white and for some reason my head started to hurt. But I ignored that, still furious she had public humiliated me and- and well, I said I was hydrophobic, didn’t I?

Her blue irises slowly reappeared as I circled around her, waiting for her next move. That eye thing was probably just some sort of ice power trick. Either I’ll lunge at her and pin her down, forcing her to admit defeat. Or I could just beat her until she’s conscious-

Her gasp for breath interrupted my plotting. She tried to get up but crumpled onto the floor. I stepped back and could fell my eyes fading green. Her eyes closed. She was out cold and I didn’t even-

Jamie!!!! Jason shouted. Did I not just f***ing warn you not to f***ing kill her!!!!!!!!

“Jason!” I said out loud, turning to him. “I didn’t do anything! What the hell are you talking about! I barely even touched her! I didn’t kill her, god, Jason.”

I’ve been charged with murder before, also proven false. This pissed me off big time, ‘cuz all I did was a minor skin wound!

Then Mark stepped in. “Why did you even start a fight with her? She was severely malnourished, emaciated, wounded- tortured before she came her, probably sick too. I mean, she could have died! She not dead, but why Jamie?”

“You think I care?” I said, a bit harshly. I may not care now, but I probably will later. Damn conscious. “ And I didn’t! She started it! Well… okay, she didn’t, but why did she have to drench me? It’s like she knew I was afraid of water.”

I heard Shawn snicker, but Mark raised his voice, “She did, Jamie. You never listen, do you? Someone help her! I’m serious about what she’s been through!”

Yeah, like everyone here hasn’t been tortured, abused or in deadly pain at one point.

Shut up, you selfish, heartless little- Jason stopped himself before he went to far. But he had already gone far enough… ouch. I’ll deal with you in a minute. “Amy!” He called, “We need you down here!”

Amy ran down the stairs, the crowd clearing a path for her. She mumbles something about finally getting some sleep but then she saw Sierra. She ran down into the lab and came back with a stretcher and Mark placed Sierra on it. He helped Amy bring it into the lab, probably to put Sierra on med support…

And this is when my conscious started to kick in. What the hell did I do? I mean, Mark’s right, she really was thin and probably showed up just now ‘cuz she recently escaped her torturers. Maybe it was some PHs, like Shade. I mean, she looks about in the same shape he was, maybe worse ‘cuz she’s from farther. If it counts for anything, I do feel really bad…

“It counts for nothing.” Jason growled as he grabbed my by the scruff and threw me in that hated bright orange cage. He locked the door, which I could have easily hacked open, but I’m not going to. I hate to admit it, but I deserve this. It’s one thing to beat up a fight able Shade, it’s another to beat up a tortured, weak newbie.

The crowd started to break apart. Shawn and Dan recorded the whole fight and were now filming me in here. I growled half heartedly, and then left to go edit. Kristy and Shade walked over.

“I’d be great on a welcoming committee, right?” I said, laughing nervously. Shade’s powers are pretty beast, and the cage has a giant PLB force field thingy in it, so I’m pretty much helpless. Something I don’t like being.

I looked up at Kristy, hoping she would smile, or say something to make me feel a tiny bit better. But… but she said nothing. She just sighed and walked towards the lab. Shade didn’t even look at me, and disappeared in a cloud of shadow dust. I was… alone. I hate being alone even more than I hate being helpless. And I’m both.

But- but I shouldn’t be worrying about me. What if I- no. I couldn’t have killed her. If the blow was gonna kill her, I wouldn’t be able to do it. I’d stop, literally inches away from her throat. Oh, I wish I had done that.

Wait a second though, I barely touched her! I swear that was all! This is just like that other time I was framed with murder. I just got into a tiny fight with Tyler. He clawed my belly, and it was MY blood that spilled, not his. And he went into a mild coma after he hit his head on the ground. I had done practically nothing! It was the exact same as this! I just grazed her neck, a MILD skin wound! I mean, I don’t even think she was bleeding!

Nonetheless, I’m in here. And everyone currently hates me.  I swallowed hard, fighting back tears. God, I would have never started crying if it wasn’t for Shade and Kristy making me all soft. I heard someone snickering to my left and I turned to see a bushy red tail duck behind the blue cage.

“Shawn! Get your youtube loving ass out here!” I whispered furiously. If I was too loud Jason would-

I’m not even going to bother getting up. You’re staying there all night. I was gonna let you out at midnight, but now you don’t get out ‘til I get up tomorrow. One more word and you’ll be sleeping outside. And it might rain.

He heard.

Shawn saw the snarl on my face, and thinking it was towards him, stuck his tongue out at me. I growled.

Now, a growl is technically not a word. But in Jason’s mind it must be. He stormed out of his room and Shawn ran back to his, Dan following quickly behind the fox. He grabbed the handle of the cage and swung it in a circle. I wrapped my claws around the holes in the walls; an “Eep!” escaped my lips. I don’t like roller coasters or anything that seems like a loop-de-loop.

He put me down outside, and didn’t even look at me. Just stormed back to his room. Ironically, the very second the house door closed, it started raining. For the second time today, I got soaked.

I guess it hurts the more right now than it would normally. Jason and I had been on good terms for almost two months now. Which is a long time for us. And then this Sierra chick shows up and- and I lose it. I can’t even blame her… Damn it. Sick of being miserable, I curled up in the center of the neon orange cage, hoping to avoid the rain. Sleep was hard to catch, but after a few times of turning over, I slipped into a dream.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Jason.

“Hey kiddo.” He said, a pleading look on his face. His thoughts were mostly apologies. Even if this was a dream it’s still a real mental connection between us.

“It’s okay.” I said, getting up. As I looked around, we were in the mental meadow. I love this place. But the pizza was missing…

“I’m sorry I was so harsh.” He said, scooping me up into his arms. In the waking world, I would have tried to kill him. But here… Here I hugged him. He is my brother after all.

“Like I said, it’s okay.”

Jason smiled. That kind smile… That big brother smile I love so much.  Shade could never compete even if he wanted to. But then Jason read my mind and said, “Well, Shade is hard to beat. I mean, he doesn’t leave his little sister out in the rain. And about the pizza… Midnight snacking will make us fat.”

I laughed. “Table tennis then?”

“No,” He said, still smiling. “You need to sleep. I’m gonna bring you to your room, kay?”

My vision was blurred for a second, but when I could see clearly, I was staring out Jason’s eyes. He got out of bed, just wearing his black, guitar hero boxers and went out into the rain. I saw myself, curled up in a shivering ball of matted orange fur. God, I look pathetic.

“You don’t look that pathetic. You look… Like your brother is an idiot.” Jason whispered as he opened the door to the cage and scooped me up.

I gave all my efforts to waking up, but I don’t think Jason wanted me to. He carried me inside and to his bathroom. He got a towel and wrapped me in it, cradling me like I was a little kid. Part of me loved this. He is a great brother. The other part of me hated this. Because I am not a little kid.

“I know you’re not a little kid.” Jason said, “But you are my little sister.”

Even through I wasn’t awake, I could still feel the warmth of being wrapped in a towel. I even purred in my sleep… Degrading.

Jason laughed quietly. “Please Jamie, you are human. You’re not always gonna be so tough.”

He took my out of the towel and carried me upstairs. Kristy was asleep and there was a pair of gold eyes in the corner- SHADE!

Chill out. Jason thought to me. He’s almost like a big brother to you. He smiled. Ugh, this is so unfair.

But Shade didn’t say anything, he nodded to Jason, and I think smiled. Either he’s mocking me or he cares about the fact I’m not in the rain. Probably the first one. Jason gently put me into my bed and pulled my blanket up to my neck. I smiled in my sleep. I was smiling mentally too. I can’t help it; Jason’s nice to me even when I really don’t deserve it.

“You do deserve it.” He whispered, stroking my hair once. Then I was forced back into my body and instantly fell back into dreamless sleep.