Origin: VoltaicSentinel ((7 parts - finished))

((Those I RP with outside of the Legion of Young Heroes have asked me to post this outside of the Legion's IC website's forums so they can read it as well. I'll also post it in the RP forums as some have asked me to post in both places as some of my RP friends only read one forum or the other. For his information look at the Legion's website so I don't have to post it here ;P ))

((Also note: I do try and catch spelling errors and such but the computer is only so good at it and being dyslexic (the spellchecker knows dog and god but god doesn't look right where an dog should be - same with stalks and talks get the idea? ;P) if there are errors I wouldn't mind if someone tossed me an email or tell in game letting me know))

ORIGIN: Part 1 - Three Blind Mice

It was a day like any other day for Rhys. He was getting ready for school, his mother was already gone just like always. Probably down at the women's auxiliary someplace, who knows with her. Rhys was checking on his sister, Ciara when his brother Colin screamed from the other room. Holding up a finger to her he ran to the other room to see what the clamor was about.

Colin stood dumbfounded, staring into the mirror. "What? What's wrong?" Rhys asked him concerned. Colin had screamed bloody murder and turned to face his older brother by two years to point to a small but rather large enough red bump in the middle of his forehead. "A zit!" Colin proclaimed. Rhys sighed as he shook his head trying not to laugh. "You panicked over that?" Colin nodded quickly. "It's the day all the girls ask the guys to the Sadie’s Hawkins dance Rhys! You might not care but I'm NOT going stag! You heard what mom said." They both chimed in together Rhys' tone sounding rather bored as if he'd heard her phrases more often "A Guy who goes stag might as well be a [censored]."

Rhys eyed his brother for a moment with a hint of concern, "You do know that's not true. [censored] people-"

Colin shrugged as he interrupted, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, but if she says it guess how many others do,” He looked at Rhys pleading, "Just please fix it!" Rhys nodded. "Just wear bangs today." Colin huffed, "I hate bangs." Rhys chuckled, "Then have a big fat zit on your face. Pick one."

"RHYS!!!!" Ciara began calling him from her room down the hall. "Just wear the bangs trust me!" he hollered as he ran off to see what her emergency for the morning was.

"I'm here, I'm here, what's the problem?" Rhys huffed as he ran into her room. "Whoa!" he hollered as he realized his sister was only half dressed.

"RHYS!" She screeched at the top of her lungs, "I'm telling mom!"

"Hey brat! You called me in here!" He quickly hollered back.

"You coulda knocked moron." She quickly threw on her pink robe and tied it. "Fine you can turn around now twit."

"Keep it up little lady I might just walk right out. Now what's the emergency?" he smirked at her. They played this word game every morning but she was right he did forget to knock. His mind was wandering this morning as he still has all their lunches to make. Or he could just dig into his allowance for lunch money. That sounded like a better idea since he was running out of time this morning. After all, he still needed to finish getting ready for school as well. The bus would be here in thirty minutes.

Ciara waved her hands down like a car model to three outfits, "Pick one, I can't decide."

Rhys looked at her flabbergasted, "What do I look like? Giorgio Armani? I don't know anything about fashion. That's your department."

Ciara sighed, "Please Rhys. I don’t care which one you pick, even if you go Eenie Meenie Miney Mo. Just pick one. I like them all."

Rhys lived with his mother long enough to smell a trap and shook his head, "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. I'm not picking, you tell me which one to pick and I'll pick it." He smiled smugly at her as she whined back, "Please Rhys." He looked longingly at the door, "I don't get to go until I pick one huh." Ciara shook her head, "Nope." Rhys lifted his shoulders as he held his breath trying to gauge which outfit was the right one to pick as his finger moved from one outfit to the next. Not able to get any sign whatsoever, he exhaled lowering his shoulders as he pointed to the middle outfit, "That one."

Ciara looked at him puzzled, "Umm okay. You sure?"

Rhys threw his arms in the air, "I dunno that one?" he pointed at the outfit on the left. Ciara's nose wrinkled, "Really?" Rhys' head bobbed to his chest and rested it there as he sighed. "I give up, that one." He pointed to the last outfit left. She squealed with excitement, hugged him, "Thanks!"

Rhys headed out of her room exhaled, "Oh thank god."

"RHYS! Are you sure?" Colin hollered.

"Wear the bangs!" He hollered back.

Shaking his head he headed off to his room to get the lunch money for everyone and put his shoes on. He finished packing his bag when Colin burst through his door. "Have you seen my other shoe?"

"Looked under your bed?" He asked?

Colin perked up and took off to check.

Ciara wandered in, "Rhys, I can't find my scrunchy."

"Use a barrette,” he suggested.

"I don't want to," she whined.

He thought for a moment then smiled, "Get one of mom's scrunchy thingy's."

Ciara's face went white. "I'm.... I’m...not allowed...to."

Rhys shrugged, "Then use a barrette."

"Will you get it for me?" she asked.

Rhys nodded, "Alright give me a minute go get something for breakfast," She smiled and ran off. In an afterthought he hollered after her, "Tell your brother to get breakfast too!" He smirked figuring he killed two birds with one stone. He grabbed the odd hairpiece for his sister and brought it downstairs. He handed them lunch money. "No candy. You know the rules. Eat from the cafeteria," he reminded them. His brother and sister chimed their mother's favorite phrases, "Candy is for Fatties." They laughed Rhys joined in the last one "Lunches turn into business brunches" the three of them shook their heads as they headed for the elevator inside their apartment building.

"I can't believe we actually remember these" Colin muttered.

Rhys smirked as he remarked, "Are you kidding? She says them to us over and over daily. Its amazing we don't remember anything but her little sayings."

Ciara giggled, "It'll say one day on her tombstone, 'Snug as a bug in a rug'."

The three of them burst into laughter as they exited the elevator and headed towards the bus stop. Rhys walked slightly behind them making sure they both got on the bus safely and had a seat.

ORIGIN: Part 2 - Blast Heard 'Round the School

Rhys went through the day like any other day. It wasn't until his second class of the day, world history, that he noticed his feet had fallen asleep, then his fingers. The pattern continued throughout the day, parts of his body kept falling asleep. He dismissed it as the slipped disc he had from last year when he was playing water polo for his school team and was tackled in the pool illegally taking him out of the game for the rest of the season until the swimming season started back up later that year. Every now and then he'd pinch a nerve thought if he slept wrong. Until he could 'pop' his back it would bug and bother him. But even after his little fix, the sensation remained which concerned him that he might have slipped the disc again even though he felt no pain from it.

He continued his day trying to figure out what was going on with himself even making a short stop at the nurse’s office but she didn't have any answers for him either except to slow down and stop trying to take care of everyone around him. He shrugged it off and continued to his next class before lunch. He found it extremely hard to concentrate and he excused himself back to the nurses office explaining that he just didn't feel well.

Resting during most of that class he returned just in time for the bell to excuse everyone for lunch. He tossed his books into his locker; rather surprised by the shock it gave him. "Dammit," he muttered before taking off for the school's cafeteria.

The cafeteria was packed as normal. The school ran it's lunches in four shifts. The High school and some Junior High Kids had first crack, the Elementary Kid's who's classes started later always got lunch last.

As Rhys stood in line he couldn't help but hear his sister babbling with her friends a few paces ahead, "Oh my god," it was her favorite phrase and she even had Rhys saying it half the time, "Did you see Kathryn's new outfit? Can we say skanky?" Her words after that became so fast Rhys ignored half of them as Ciara was hard to understand once her lips started moving anyways, "Iwouldn'tbecaughtdeadinit AND didjaseethenew...." her words trailed off as the noise in the cafeteria grew. Rhys looked around for Colin. He should be in line too but he couldn't see him. Rhys decided to hurry through the line so he could go look for him, make sure he wasn't at the vending machines. He noticed Ciara headed for the Salad bar while Rhys grabbed a Personal Pizza from the Pizza Hut inside. Grabbing a few milks he paid dumped his tray and went straight for the vending machines. Sure enough there was Colin.

"Colin? What are you doing?" he asked.

Colin shrugged as he waited his turned for the sodas, "Getting a soda."

Rhys looked behind him down the hallway at the line for the real food, "You couldn't get that afterwards?" Rhys looked slightly confused as he finished off one of his milks and half his pizza.

Colin looked at the line himself, "Doesn't matter both have long lines. Besides you're not my mother."

Rhys shrugged, "Alright just don't wait too long."

Turning around he walked back to the cafeteria and took a seat with the swim team. They joked and laugh and Rhys was still feeling odd but he pushed it to the back of his mind like he did when he swam with a sprained wrist a few months back.

As he finished off his pizza his stood to head for the trashcan when his entire body went numb. Before he knew it bolts of electricity shot from him with incredible force in every direction. They tore out of him searching for anything that they could hold onto, people, metallic objects (which there were plenty of them around), in some cases they jumped from one person to another until the electricity dissipated itself enough. Rhys felt horrified he couldn't stop it and he couldn't figure out why it was happening either or where it was coming from. To Rhys it lasted forever but it only actually lasted a few moments. Once the electricity from his system was expelled several around him were clutching electrical burns. Exhausted Rhys collapsed to the floor as his legs gave out on him. Teachers who witnessed the incident immediately pulled out cell phones as well as students alike and began calling emergency numbers, some students called their parents to come pick them up.

ORIGIN: Part 3 - Intermission

Kids from Steel Canyon Silver Lake Preparatory School began arriving at Steel Canyon's Hospital with mild to moderate electrical burns. Only one was admitted into a detention room for mutants until their abilities could be fully understood. The room had been quickly setup for him, since they knew he had electrical abilities, they setup a bed and bed frame outlined in rubber to properly ground him from further outbursts like the one he just had. His sister and brother, Ciara and Colin were pulled out of school temporarily since their mother had been unable to be reached to try and find out some background information.

"Has anything like this ever happened before," they asked them.

The two of them shook their heads no as they stared straight ahead through the glass separating them from their brother. They had been asked a million and one questions and Colin had had about enough.

"Look! You want answers and we want them too." He hollered at doctors standing behind them. Tapping at the glass his nose was almost pressed up against he queried them, "What is this room?"

"It's to keep him safe." the answered him.

Colin scoffed, "From him or us?"

"Both."

Colin shook his head.

Ciara spoke up in a smaller voice than normal and not as fast as she normally did, "When can we see him?"

"I don't know,” a new person answered. Someone new had entered the room. They never heard her come in but didn't bother to turn around and greet her either. She just wasn't important enough to him.

"Why isn't he waking up?" she asked them again. They hadn't answered her the first three times she asked this but maybe this new person would.

"Do you two understand what your brother did in that cafeteria?" the new arrival asked.

The shook their heads no, no one had explained it to them yet. They figured they were either too young or someone was waiting for their elusive mother to show up so she could make up some little kids excuse to explain it all.

"He hurt some people."

"Bull." Colin retorted. "They weren't hurt bad. Just shocked." He smirked at himself for the pun he made.

The woman smiled as well and nodded, "Yes but whatever it is your brother can do, he draws his power from somewhere. And from what the monitors show over there," she pointed to a set of computers to the right of Colin and Ciara, "His power comes from within him. He just used it all up. Until it builds back up he needs to rest."

Ciara and Colin eyed the computers but they didn't make any sense but what the woman said made some sense to them. She could tell they were still a little lost however. "Everyone has an electrical charge in them. We create electricity within us. From what those computers show, your brother's mutation allows him to create more than his fair share. Like a giant battery, when the electrical charge is gone, he has to rest to build it back up. Get it?"

Colin tilted his head, "Mutation?" He sighed, "Mother is going to go nuts."

Then nodded and Ciara chirped, "So he's sleeping."

"Right."

"He's not hurt."

"Nope."

Ciara's smile twinkled across her face. The woman then asked if she could take them home since it had been a long day for them both. They eyed their brother cautiously and she assured them both he was perfectly safe here they even posted guards outside to be sure no one would retaliate against him for the incident at school. Reporters would also not be able to get through. They both nodded.

As they started to leave Ciara twirled around and ran back to the glass separating them and she hollered best she could through it, "Goodnight Rhys! I love you!" she left a kiss on the window and a handprint before turning back and running out the door.

"You're so silly," Colin told her. "He'll prolly be out tomorrow. You can tell him then instead of a piece of glass."

Ciara shrugged, "Yeah but what if mom throws him out?"

Colin smirked, "She'd never do that. You get the strangest ideas sometimes."

"But mom hates mutants."

Colin grimaced, "She does not! She hates heroes."

"No. Mutants. Remember? There was that story on the news she said if my child was a mutant I'd disown them."

Colin sighed, "He was a hero Ciara."

The woman interjected, "Wasn't she a hero and a mutant?"

They both blinked, they hadn't realized that she had been listening in and remained quiet for the rest of the way home.

ORIGIN: Part 4 - Recollection

Rhys bolted upright in his bed. Recalling the day’s events, he suddenly felt sick and leaning over, he threw up his lunch from earlier in the day.

"Good morning Rhys, or I should say good evening." said a voice that he couldn't place or tell where it was coming from.

Wiping his mouth he sat back up and looked around. Was he dead? His body felt like it had fallen asleep. Perhaps he was dead.

"Rhys?"

"God?" He asked.

A laugh came from wherever the voice was coming from, "No, sorry to disappoint."

"Oh thank goodness," he breathed a sigh of relief as he yanked out the rubber tubing that was wrapped around his face and nose. "Where am I? Where's Ciara? And Colin? Are they okay?"

"They're fine."

Rhys exhaled with relief as his head bobbed to his chest his eyes closing slightly.

"Now, what's the last thing you remember?" the voice asked.

Rhys' face whitened a bit as he thought of what to say. He lifted his head and looked out the safety glass window as he spoke, "Erm, class. No, eating a pizza," he lied.

"Rhys."

"What?" he asked his fingers toying with the bed sheet a bit.

"What's the last thing you remember?" the voice asked again.

Rhys glowered slightly as he turned towards the two-way glass mirror, "Eating a damn pizza," he stated through clenched teeth.

"Rhys we can do this the easy way or the hard way, it's your choice. I don't think you'll enjoy the hard way."

He tilted his head and looked around, "Excuse me but am I a prisoner here?"

"No"

"Then you can't do jack to me," he informed them.

"When it concerns your safety, yes we can,” another voice announced.

"Rhys please do as they ask." a more familiar voice chimed in.

"Mom?" he seemed surprised. "Wha? Eh. Ah. Um. Wait a minute," Rhys grew a bit irate, "Someone tell me what's going on."

"Soon as you tell us the last thing you remember, we'll tell explain everything you need to know"

"What about everything I *want* to know?" Rhys asked upset as he stood on the cold floor.

"Son, that's on a need to know basis," a stranger's voice spoke over the speaker rather coldly.

Rhys motioned to himself, "Hello?!? I think *I* need to know! And I'm *not* your son!" he hollered back at them.

Rhys walked up to the two-way mirror. After a few minutes of silence he banged his fist on it, "Hey!"

"Yes?"

"It....got quiet." he quietly admitted as he shook out his hand trying to make it feel more awake. He started to walk back to his bed as the floor was extremely cold and what little feeling he had in his feet were telling him to find someplace to warm them up.

"We're still waiting to hear the last thing you remember. We have a telepath on this side who disagrees with your statement."

Spinning around he narrowed his eyes. He had heard of telepaths but he didn't believe they really existed. He plopped onto his bed and sighed. He'd have to tell them to truth. No way around it. He sighed and quickly biting his lip he explained, "I remember looking for Ciara and Colin. Then everything went black like a tunnel."

"Why did you look for them Rhys?"

Rhys looked at the mirror in disbelief, "Because they are my sister and brother."

"Why else?"

"I..."

"Did you want to hurt them?" the voice asked.

Rhys' mouth dropped in astonishment as his eyes widened.

Who'd ever think of something like that? "Oh my god no! What are you some sick monster?!?"

"Then why? You injured everyone around Ciara."

Rhys paled, "I-I-I did?"

"How did you manage to not hit Ciara?"

Rhys looked down at the floor. How did he do that? Rhys took a deep breath and exhaled turning to look out the window. "I dunno how I did it. I guess-"

"You guess what."

Rhys shook his head. "No, it's stupid."

"Indulge me."

Rhys bit his lip and continued staring out the window, "If anything happened to Ciara or Colin, especially if it was my fault, I don't think I could live with myself."

The voice returned calmer and less intimidating than before, "Many of the students said they were surrounded by some sort of field. Your brother and sister included. Half the swim team too."

Rhys' brown furrowed. How? Where'd it come from? He can't do that. Can he?

"Rhys?"

"Huh?"

"Did you protect these students?"

"No. Maybe. I dunno." he replied.

"Your mother tells us that you used to have these fields pop up around the house when you were younger." the voice informed him.

Rhys nodded slowly at first then more assuredly adding a small smile, "Yeah I kinda remember. I used to try and make it happen. See if I could bounce Ciara or Colin off em maybe surprise them. Ciara thought they were funny and I thought they were a fun way to torture them. I used to shock them too. But they just stopped happening eventually. I dunno why."

"Did you learn to control these fields? And your ability to shock them?" the voice asked.

Rhys shrugged, "I dunno. Maybe. I doubt it after what happened today." Rhys lowered his head feeling guilty over the day's events.

"That's enough for today Rhys, get some rest we'll talk more tomorrow."

Rhys half whispered to himself, "But I'm not tired-"

"That bed will help you sleep. It'll ground you so you won't be so awake and energized from any electrical buildup in your system. You'll sleep just like any normal non-mutant person does"

Rhys rolled his eyes and laid down mumbling to himself as he thought of his mother, "define normal," within minutes he was asleep just like they said he would be.

ORIGIN: Part 5 - Games People Play

Rhys pounded his fist on the two-way mirror, "HEY!!!!!"

"Sorry kid, I had to go to the bathroom. Whatcha need?" the voice asked.

"Can I get a television in here?" Rhys asked.

There was a pause before the voice responded, "Sorry kid you can't have anything electronic. Besides you really don’t want to watch the television right now."

"Why not?"

"'Cause you're all they're talkin' about."

Rhys winced, "Oh. What are they saying?"

"Sure you want to know?"

Rhys nodded.

"That you'd a menace to society. The Electric Eel boy. You killed fifty kids and you'll kill more and you have a killers instinct-"

Rhys cut him off, "Okay, okay you're right, I don't want to know."

"Hey, most of them don't know the real story anyways. Not like they can get to you in here to ask ya right?"

Rhys gave a small smile. He was bored silly. He'd had any more electrical outbursts in over a month. They even had to bring in a dentist to replace his fillings last time when he popped every last one.

Rhys tilted his head at the mirror, "Hey Artie, Why are they saying I killed people? I don't understand. I never killed anyone."

Art Benoit was the daytime nurse who had been keeping Rhys company over the last six and a half weeks shrugged, "Kid it's sensationalism. It sells papers and it sells the news at night. When it's a fifteen year old, it makes it an even more exciting story and people tune in."

"Yeah but what makes them from prosecuting me?"

"No grounds"

Rhys nodded and hoped Artie was right. Plopping back onto his bed he sighed.

"Alright kid, Elvis Presley."

Rhys thought for a moment.

Artie laughed, "See? See? You can't do it!"

Rhys finally grinned, "Yup. In two moves."

Artie scoffed, "Can not!"

Rhys grinned, "Elvis Presley was in Live a Little, Love a Little with John Wheeler who was in Apollo Thirteen with guess who Kevin Bacon."

Artie's mouth dropped. "How...wow. Kid you've seen to many movies. Okay then, Betty Davis!"

Rhys laughed, "Betty Davis was in Masked Mommas with Irving Bacon, Irving Bacon was in The Happy Years in nineteen fifty with Robert Wagner, Robert Wagner was in Wild Things in ummm nineteen ninety-eight with guess who-"

Artie cut Rhys off, "Kevin friggin' Bacon."

Artie was silent for a moment and grinned, "Okay new game."

Rhys laughed, "What I'm too good?"

Artie, "You've just seen to many movies kid. Okay same game but any movie star or television star."

Rhys thought for a moment and grinned. "Okay."

"Jeff Foxworthy to Arnold Schwarzenegger." Artie grinned
behind the mirror and leaned back in his chair folding his arms. There was no way Rhys could match these as Jeff Foxworthy was a comedian and just started in film and television.

Rhys thought for a moment. His brain wrapped around movie and television shows but he couldn't do it. Then one popped into his head, "Oh! Umm umm..dangit what's her name..."

Artie grinned, "Can't do it can ya?"

"Grf!" Rhys almost had it he was so close but that woman, that actress what was her name?!? "No, I can I can do it give me a second."

Artie chuckled, "Doesn't count if you don't know the names kid."

Rhys was getting frustrated but he almost had it, "Debbie something she was in Total Recall, played the spunky midget"

Artie leaned forward, "Yeah I remember her. What's she got to do what Jeff Foxworthy?"

"Debbie Carrington! I got it! Jeff Foxworthy was in Blue Collar Comedy Tour in Two Thousand and Three, the Limo Driver was David Allen Grier. David Allen Grier was in Tiptoes with Debbie Carrington and Debbie Carrington was in Total Recall in Nineteen Ninety with Arnold Schwarzenegger! HA! Gotcha!" Rhys sat back on his bed proudly.

Artie sat there dumbfounded before throwing his arms up, "Okay, I give up!"

Just then a new voice came through, "Rhys."

"Yeah? Hey when do I get to leave?"

"Soon."

Rhys smirked, "How soon is soon?"

"I think you should talk to your mother about that."

“Rhys? Honey?” Rhys knew something was up. She never called him honey.

ORIGIN: Part 6 - It's Never Goodbye, Just Until Next Time

"Rhys?" his mother's voice echoed through the room.

He met her with silence.

"Rhys answer me."

"Why."

They already had explained to him that his abilities were due to a genetic mutation but he didn't understand all the medical mumbo jumbo they were spouting at him. And he knew what his mother felt about heroes and mutants. He knew his mother would be more than happy to just leave him here for the rest of his life and be content with it, but he was going stir crazy and wanted out, now.

His back to the two-way mirror, unless she gave him a damn good excuse why she wasn't going to let him out, he wasn't about to give her the pleasure of facing her either.

"Rhys please lets be civil about this. I didn't raise a spoilsport. A spoil sport is the worse-"

Rhys spun around, "Spare me your quips and quotes and tell me what you want."

"I've made arrangements for you to go live with your father."

"WHY!" screeched.

"He's already agreed to take you in-"

"I don't understand?!?" Rhys questioned as he felt his legs almost give out on him.

"I can't handle this. I can't handle you" she started to explain.

"But what did I do? I'll fix it" Rhys pleaded.

"Rhys, you can't. You can't fix everything. The school board has thrown you out of school."

"But I don't know him. He left when I was seven." Rhys' breathing quickened as he walked towards the two-way mirror pressing his forehead against it trying to see the other side.

"Rhys it's for the best."

"But Ciara, Colin?" Rhys asked his voice cracking.

"They'll be fine."

"When can I visit them?" Rhys continued to plead.

There was a pause before he mother answered "Rhys...It's best if you don't-"

"NO!" Rhys screamed at the top of his lungs as he backed away from the mirror, "It's not fair!"

"Well it's not fair to us either Rhys! The press is everywhere. I can't show up at my parties without being followed by cameras, or even try to go to fundraisers without being hounded by questions about being the mother of the boy who zapped his classmates." She pleaded with him.

Rhys paused for a moment before narrowing his eyes at the mirror. "I get it. This isn't about me. It's about you. It's always about you!"

"Dammit Rhys I won't let you talk to me like that. Your sister's friends won’t even talk to her anymore! Colin's was beaten up yesterday, did you think about that?" she hollered back at him.

"And where were you when the school called, mother." Rhys asked coldly. "Women's auxiliary club picking out whose garden will make the magazine cover this year?"

"Rhys that's not fair," she hollered back.

"Neither is this! Just because you can't stand mutants doesn't give you the right to throw me out!" Rhys was yelling at her, something he'd never done, but he really didn't care.

"I'm not throwing you out. You'll never be safe in our neighborhood anymore. And what if you have another outburst?" she asked.

"What if I don't?"

"But what if you do? Who do you hurt next time? Ciara? Colin?" she asked.

Rhys lowered his head to the floor, "You can't know that," he whispered loud enough for her to hear. But it was apparent that he wasn't going to change his mother's mind. All he could do was try and gain as much ground from her as possible. Like seeing his brother and sister even if it was periodically or just to say goodbye temporarily.

"Your father will pick you up tomorrow. Alright?"

"No. But it doesn't look like I have a choice do I?" he scoffed.

"I'll bring your things by tonight." she added.

"Can you bring Ciara and Colin too?" he asked.

She was silent a moment then agreed, "Alright. But only for a short visit."

Rhys hid his smile as she left.


Later that evening Rhys heard some commotion behind the mirror, "Ciara? Colin?"

"No hon, I just brought your things by like I promised."

"What about Ciara and Colin? You promised!" he nagged.

There was a silence that seemed to go on forever before a sigh came from the mirror, "They...didn't want to come." she lied.

"LIAR!" Rhys seethed. He knew better. They would do anything to be there if they knew he wasn't coming home.

"How dare you!" she declared. "You do not talk to me that way young man!"

"I don't live with you anymore I can say anything I damn well please," Rhys argued.

After about thirty minutes of trading arguments Ciara and Colin ran into the room, "We made it!" Colin wheezed. Rhys and his mother stopped arguing as Rhys asked, "Colin?"

"Yeah?"

"Ciara with you?"

"Yup!" she replied, "We took the tram here!"

Rhys smiled, and his mother glared at the two of them. "Didn't want to come, guess they changed their minds."

Ciara turned to Artie, "Can we go in there?"
Artie shook his head, "No sorry sweetie you can't."

Ciara frowned as tears welled into her eyes, "Why not?"

"I don't know, bosses orders," Artie exclaimed as he shrugged handing her a tissue.

"When you coming home Rhys?" Colin asked.

"Not." Rhys smirked.

Ciara screeched at the top of her lungs and Colin started asking all these questions. Rhys shrugged and explained everything to them but their mother kept interrupting. Rhys sighed, "Does she *have* to be here? Or can I make her leave?"

Artie smiled, "You don't have to have anyone here you don’t want to be here."

"Good I want her outta here."

"But-" Rhys' mother protested.

"Kid's room if you continue to upset him further who knows if he'll have another outburst and *you* are upsetting him. You always upset him. You have a knack for that it seems." Artie smiled. He wasn't fond of Rhys' mother, Ophelia either. Nobody was.

Rhys smirked and muttered, "She upsets everybody."

Soon as she was gone Rhys pleaded why Artie, "C'mon Artie, break the rules just this once. I'm begging ya here."

Artie thought for a moment, "I dunno kid."

Rhys got an idea, "Here use one of those binders for me that they were using when I go for my tests. It'll keep me from using my powers at all. Please Artie It's my brother and sister here. I just want to see em."

Artie eyed Ciara and Colin then Rhys. He grabbed the ankle binder and placed it into the bin and sent it into the room with Rhys. "Here kid you know how to put it on."

Rhys grinned and slapped it on. "Alright Artie lock it down."

Artie flipped the switch on the remote and the tingling sensation within Rhys' body disappeared, he felt normal again, the binder was heavy but it was worth it. Artie motioned to the doorway on the left and unlocked it for them. They turned the handle and then ran inside tackling Rhys instantly. He hadn't seem them in a few weeks and human contact felt good. The talked, giggled and played board games with plastic pieces for two hours. Their mother informed the staff they had homework left and had to go and to say their goodbyes. Rhys hugged them each about twelve times, Ciara was crying but he tried to explain that when he turned eighteen their mother wouldn't be able to keep them apart. "When I get settled, I'll write to you okay?" he told them. "And I'll send you stamps, mom leaves envelops everywhere so just grab some and hoard em." They nodded. Ciara promised to send him bracelets she liked to make and anything she could think of to send. "You guys have to take care of each other now, promise me that. Colin you watch out for Ciara and Ciara you watch out for Colin."

"Alright," they said in unison.

"This just isn't fair," Ciara said between sobs.

"I know," Rhys told her wiping her face with his shirt. "It's just temporary though."

"Yeah, she can't keep us apart forever." Colin agreed.

"Still isn't fair," Ciara continued to sob as she gave Rhys a kiss on the cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down to her height. "Gack! Warn me next time little dweeb!"

"[Censored]!" she fired back.

"Moron!" Colin joined in.

"Monkeys Uncle!" Rhys hollered after as the door shut behind them.

They turned around at the glass and made faces at him which he couldn't see but he could guess as they chiming in together, "You would know bucket head!"

Rhys pressed his forehead against the mirror as they left. He couldn’t see them but they could see him. His hands were against the glass, Ciara matched it and left a kiss on the glass, Colin matched the other hand.

“Lets go kids,” Their mother snapped.

“I *sob* don’t *sob* want *sob* to” Ciara bawled all the way down the hall

After they left Artie released the lock on the ankle binder and Rhys removed it placing it in the bin and pushing it back through to the room opposite the mirror. Turning around he leaned against the mirror, then slowly slid to the floor and wrapped his arms around his legs.

Artie frowned, "Okay, Britney Spears to Kevin Bacon."

Rhys sighed, "Artie?"

"Yeah kid?"

"I really don't feel like playing right now."

"I know kid. I just thought I'd take your mind off it."

"I know, I just don't feel like playing." With his back against the wall, the mirror above him, he turned his head towards the window on his right and let his head rest on his knees as he watched the sun continue to set. It wasn't until then that the emotion of the day caught up with him or maybe he just didn't want anyone to see it but now he just couldn't stop it as the tears started streaming sideways across his face. Worried someone might see he buried his face into his knees and tried to make it stop but nothing worked.

“You okay kid?”

Rhys nodded as he replied his voice cracking slightly, “Yeah.”

There was a long silence before Rhys spoke again, “Hey Artie?”

“Yeah kid what is it?”

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

“What you did. Today I mean.” Rhys was still fighting back his own tears but he had it pretty much under control by now.

Artie smiled at himself, “Don’t mention it. If I could have one more hour with my own son, I’d take it.”

“The one who died during the Rikti invasion?”

“Yup. Least I can do is give you a few hours with your brother and sister. You seem really close.”

Rhys smiled and nodded, “Yeah we are.”

“I know you can’t see the other side of this glass but they each matched your hand you know.”

“Yup, I know.”

“And your sister-“

“She kissed the glass, I know.” Rhys smiled.

Artie blinked. “What is this? You guys aren’t triplets are you telepathic?”

Rhys chuckled, “No. We just sorta know each other really really well.”

Artie nodded, “Wow I’ve never known siblings to be that intune to each other.”

Rhys shrugged and didn’t bother continuing the conversation, he was having trouble keeping his own emotions surpressed and they kept spilling out all over his face and down onto his shirt.

After about an hour he fell asleep against the wall while sitting on the floor his arms still wrapped around his knees. Within minutes he very slowly fell sideways and continued sleeping.

ORIGIN: Part 7 - Freedom

"Rhys"

"How'd he end up asleep on the floor like this?"

"Rhys!"

"Wha? Huh? I'm awake!" Rhys rubbed his eyes and stretched.

"Rhys, how'd you end up on the floor?" a voice from the other side of the mirror asked.

Rhys looked around. Sure enough he was on the floor. "Ummm, good question. I was sitting here last night, I guess I fell asleep."

"Your father is here to pick you up. You haven't had any more outbursts in a month. We have gone over the list of clothing we think should help you prevent further outbursts."

Rhys raised a brow, "So I can leave? Anytime I want?"

"With your father, yes."

"Right now."

"We'd prefer it if you'd put on these clothes first since these have plastic button instead of metal ones"

Rhys nodded and took the new clothes from the bin as it slid over to his side of the room. Dressing quickly in the medium weight t-shirt, button fly jeans with plastic buttons and thick-soled shoes Rhys walked to the mirror and smirked. "Okay now can I leave?"

Rhys heard the door to his room unlock and he walked over to the door and grinned, "Great, open sesame!"

Artie laughed and the door didn't move, "Use the handle kid."

"Oh." Rhys grinned and opened it.

He saw the people he'd been talking to for the first time and they introduced themselves. He knew the names and now he knew their faces. Artie was a large round man with thinning hair but had a very kind face. There was another man there who hadn't introduced himself yet.

"Who are you?" Rhys asked.

"Your father." the man answered back seeming a little annoyed by the question.

Rhys winced a bit, "Oh," perhaps he should have known that information but he hadn't seen him since he was seven, that was eight years ago and from the few memories he had of his father he remembered someone much taller and much younger. Rhys' mother didn't keep pictures of their father around either so it wasn't like he had any reference to go by except faded memories before their divorce. After that he just disappeared, until now.

Before leaving with the things his mother brought for him he shook hands with the people who kept him company, especially Artie. If it hadn't been for him Rhys would have gone completely crazy in there. Artie was the one who found things for him to talk about, word games, he even found a way to pass the plastic board games back and forth through the bins so he had a partner to play with during the day. Artie even snuck in soda pops in plastic cups, sometimes would sneak him in some candy for dessert with his meals. In talking to him Rhys found out Artie used to have a son once until the Rikti attack. Rhys figured that's why Artie took such good care of him. Making up for lost time or just figured if it were Arties son, he'd want him to be treated that way too. Either way Artie was Rhys' lifeline and he hoped one day to repay him for it.

For now Rhys was happy to be free, have human contact again and he couldn't wait to try and return to school, didn't matter which one, just a school. He looked forwards to receiving his first letters from Colin and Ciara as well. Perhaps he can arrange secret meetings with them behind their mother's back. But for the time being he needed to get to know this stranger he'd be living with, and a stranger indeed. Rhys felt like he'd be walking on pins and needles for the next week or so until he figured out how things worked around his father's house. Until then he'll just enjoy the freedom.



Once at his father’s apartment in King’s Row he opened the windows and left the door to his room opened. After two months of being in a detention room the idea of everything being shut up again didn't appeal to him anymore. His father already had a bed in the room like the one he had at the hospital. He had a computer in the corner with gloves lying beside it. He remembered what they were for as he had fried some of the hospital’s Internet computers, two of them to be exact. He opened the closet to find it already full of clothes, exactly what they hospital doctors told him to wear. Lots of jeans, several pairs of thick-soled shoes and tons of t-shirts, he was in heaven. His favorite clothes! There was a necklace on the dresser to his right. A note was attached.

Dear Rhys,
I left this at the hospital last night and ask the guy Artie to leave this for dad. I hope you like it. I started making it the day you were admitted. Hope to see you soon.
Love you lots
Your favorite sister – Ciara

Rhys picked up the necklace; it was intricately woven with a clasp at the back. Dangling from it was a plastic lightning bolt. “Cool,” Rhys muttered.

He quickly put it on when he heard his father bellow from below, “RHYS! Dinner!”

Rhys sighed. The ride home the only thing his father talked about was how proud he was of him and how he thought his powers were a good thing in Rhys’ life. That he would do everything he could to help him out and make sure he was taken care of. He even mentioned that perhaps Rhys should look into becoming a Hero. He wondered if Dinner might be a little quieter of if his father would continue going on and on and on. He’d had a tough few months and he was looking forward to getting to know his father, not his opinion about Rhys and his abilities. Perhaps if he gave his father a week or so he’d calm down from trying to impress Rhys and just be himself.

Running down the stairs Rhys headed for the kitchen to have his first meal with his father since he was seven. Who knows maybe this was for the better. He's have to wait and see.

Great story so far. Very well written and emotional. Kudos.