Down! Set! Hike!

It'd been a few weeks and Roy was glad to be out of the hospital, but even with the lower dose of pain medication he was on everything was still sore. He'd not even used his powers since he'd gotten his butt kicked, it made everything hurt worse. The doctor told him that he could double up on the pain meds a few times if he felt he needed it, but not to do it too much, or his body would have a hard time adjusting to the drop in medication, when his prescription ended. Roy had no compunction about leaving it at the lowest dose he could manage with, even a little below the doctor's tolerances.

His first day back from his impromptu vacation had him running around and doing make up tests, and turning in mountains of homework to keep his already average grades from slipping into failure. It hadn't been a fun day, lots of pencil movement and very little body movement, it reminded Roy of being in the hospital bed, and now he wanted to be up and around to be walking and talking to see friends...

Which was what brought Roy to his present place in time. It was after school and here he was at the front door of the school again looking for his friends, for Dia. He wanted to thank her for the nice herbal tea, he wasn't much of a tea drinker, but he felt that the warm feelings that went with it had helped in the greatest degree. Still, he'd not seen her all day in school, she usually stood out in the hall ways, was a traffic obstacle. But no such roadblock existed, and though he called her home phone she was seldom home during daylight hours.

It was this small quest that brought Roy to the front doors after school which was where Dia usually camped reading her book on the front grass, but she didn't exist there either. It wasn't until her heard a commotion from around the front corner of the school in a little alcove.

"What Broke kid? Can't hang out after school a little bit with the best football team in the state?" The voice Roy recognized instantly. It was Damon Chancellor, five foot nine, two-hundred one pounds, with matchstick black skin and dreadlocks, he passed for the most yards in the state, and started, for all his varsity years. Confident under fire even when his pocket was crumbling which it often wasn't because as on the field he was flanked by, Jimmy Johnson a six foot two, two-hundred thirty pound brick-shit-house Center, that is possibly one of the best pass blockers in the State. And Clark King, six foot three one-hundred and ninety-five pounds of pounds of rushing meat tenderizing madness, he had the most sacks in the state. Damon, Jimmy, Clark and Frank were all well known brawlers, and often got their wrists slapped from mixing it up with other teams after the games, and at least Frank wasn't hesitant to pull a weapon.

Circling their prey, a young man with eerily similar nearly white hair to Roy's was, Benjamin Riggins, and Frank Cook, who he'd encountered in nearly the same spot as before but with Dia. Roy stepped out from the cover of the brick building. Or... Tried to step out as he was watching half the football team heckle the white haired guy, but his foot was frozen to the ground. As he looked at them for a moment he could see the face of Charon in his mind. His entire body felt heavy and ached all over, his eyes locked onto the spectacle, it looked like it would come to blows in the near future, and Roy wanted to step in and give the bullies some what-for, but his body wouldn't obey... He was frozen in his tracks. Why couldn't he move?

"Come on." Damon said again chiding Byron and giving him a wide smile as he looked down the end of his nose at the trash, "You can be our water boy. Maybe go get us some Gatorades."

The bell rang signaling the end of the school day.  Everyone quickly packed their things, excited for the end of the school day to either head home or to their after school activities.  Byron was more leisurely in his process.  He had a new job to get to, but his shift didn't start for another hour and a half.  He strolled through the fast emptying hallways, until only those that had after school extracurricular activities remained.  Internally, he desperately hoped not to run into the twins again here.  He took the long way, using one of the side exits in order to avoid confrontation.  He stepped out the side door and let out a sign of relief, glad to not have to confront the devious duo again.  Byron walked along the side of the building, passed the practice football field, and towards the front gate.  

From the practice field, someone called out, "Hey, you!"  Byron ignored the call, not thinking it was directed at him.  After a moment, he heard someone jogging up behind him and call out again, "Hey there, you really shouldn't be ignoring people like that."  The person spoke snidely.  Byron turned, now realizing he had been called out, to face a dark skinned man, most likely his senior, who Byron vaguely recognized as a member of the football team.  Byron responded in a flat tone, "I apologize.  I didn't realize you were calling to me.  What do you need?"  

The man to be later identified as Damon said, "Oh, hey.  You're that weird school vigilante, aren't you."  As he spoke a posse of four strode up to join him.  "What was your name again?  Brian?  Yeah, Brian.  So hey, what a coincidence seeing you here.  We were actually looking for someone like you to help us out here."  He snickered, followed by a couple laughs from the group.  "My name is Byron, actually.  Unfortunately, I have somewhere to be right now, so I can't."  Byron turned to leave but was blocked off by a towering man to be later identified as Clark.  Byron stepped back, finally being backing into a nearby alcove.  

"What Broke kid? Can't hang out after school a little bit with the best football team in the state?"  Damon said, now standing flanked by the two giants, especially when compared to Damon's own height.  The two remaining began to circle Byron, closing him in, as if herding their prey.  Damon spoke up again.  "Come on.  You can be our water boy. Maybe go get us some Gatorades."  Byron remained externally calm, but was pretty irked by his current predicament.  One versus five was not a situation he fancied, but he was never one to sit back and take anything.  He responded coolly, matching his dropping body temperature.  "I don't know about that.  The last time I got a drink for someone, they got thermal shock.  And I don't think that is something you would enjoy."  

Byron was about to make a move to push passed them, but stopped when he saw a white haired boy standing near the entrance to the alcove, seemingly frozen in place.  He didn't recognize the boy, but the white hair rang a few bells.  If he would make an attempt to leave now, the group would notice the boy and start harassing him as well, which was not something he would allow.  Byron looked in the white haired boy's direction and made a subtle gesture signaling him to leave.  Byron quickly returned his attention to the football players with a serious and defiant look in his eyes.  He pushed one of the two circling him aside, who probably felt a quick cold sting from Byron's touch, and walked up to Damon, Byron standing a head above him.  "Otherwise, if you want Gatorade, then go get it yourself."

Steeping back, out of sight, Roy froze in his tracks. The words Miss Polzin spoke to him, about taking on threats that were his level. How he might wind up in the hospital or dead again. He was struck with a fear that planted his feet like redwoods. He could feel a cold sweat bead up on his skin. What was wrong? He tried to move to the group again, but Charon's face flashed in his mind, the hospital ceiling... a cemetery on a hill overlooking the ocean far away. A Headstone reading James Arthur Wulf. Roy's breath was caught in his throat. His vision blurred. His hands shook, his knees were so weak he felt he could collapse at any moment. He'd never felt this kind of fear before. This overwhelming sensation, during the fight with Charon he'd experienced fear. But this was abject terror.

"Breathe." A voice called to him as his head spun around to address the interloper that'd given him a handhold to keep him above the precipice of emotional collapse. It shocked Roy as he stared at his doppelganger, whose crossed arms and down-the-nose look shamed Roy. "You hate bullies. You loathe those who pick on others." He shook his head, "And here you're letting them do whatever they want. Two months ago you'd have beat your own ass for allowing it. Now, you're running like a whipped dog."

Roy was dumbfounded at his clone, was he in such a panic he was hallucinating? Or was his self-admonishment so strong it could project itself as another person?

"Get your head right. Breath. Get ready for a fight. And Give those bastards hell. Miss Polzin said to keep to your level. They're on your level, if not then maybe you should stick to helping old ladies across the street."

Roy shook his head and blinked, as he did he took a deep breath. The figment vanished and he felt light on his feet again, though he could tell his clothing was soaked with sweat and his body hurt. Reaching into his pocket he produced his Rx bottle and cracked the top shaking two of the pills into his hand and throwing the back before closing the bottle tightly and tossing it into his pocket. Relief was instant. He could breathe again. Wiping the sweat from his brow was all Roy did to fix himself up as he strolled around the Corner.

"You'll pay for that Bitch!" Ben called back holding his stomach, and balling a fist to swing at the boy in focus, a look from Damon stopped him cold. "Yeah, I think you're gonna learn to fetch Gatorades for us the hard way."

"Still getting people to play gopher for you?" Roy asked in very loud voice calling attention to himself and giving a massive shrug. "What happened to the last water-boy anyway?" Damon had pushed him around enough to make him leave. "Oh well. I guess it's time to pay the piper."

Damon looked sideways at Roy. Then to Byron. "I guess idiots come in pairs don't they?" He was a big talker, but he also lead the football team in brawls, he was more like a general than a Quarterback. Though Roy had never partaken he'd always turned a blind eye to the activity. Something that was biting him in the ass now.

"Deal with the exile. This one's mine." Damon wasn't going to take Byron alone, he was going to have Frank and Benny back him up. Clark and Jimmy would however move from flanking Byron and Damon to approaching Roy with Clark passing behind Damon.

It was only a second for Roy to realize that talking was over now. He'd deploy his Subcutaneous Armor, and Tensile Strength. As Clark and Jimmy approached rubbing their fists, and cracking their knuckles, Roy would strike first, jumping into the air with his enhanced strength. His bound would put him between the two of them, giving both a kick to the head, and executing a perfect three point landing. "Way too fucking slow boys."

Clark and Jimmy both recoiled neither losing the balance but both obviously shocked at the sudden impact. Though they were linebackers, sudden powerful impacts weren't unfamiliar to them. But Roy was just getting warmed up, he would kick off and cartwheel forward to his feet putting his back to Byron and facing off the familiar footballers. "Roy." He introduced back over his shoulder, keeping his eyes on the linebackers while tilting his head back so that his new compatriot could hear him.

The one Byron had pushed aside growled at him and Byron could tell he was going to attack.  However, Byron made no move to block or dodge, simply preparing for impact.  When Damon gave a halting glare behind Byron, he could no longer hear the boy coming at him from behind.  Byron had already been expecting a fight, but Damon saying he would have to teach Byron the hard way confirmed it more.  Byron was ready, but he didn't expect someone to taunt the football players from the entrance of the alcove.  When Byron looked to see who it was, he was shocked to see it was the same boy that had looked frozen and scared before.  He didn't appear scared anymore.  In fact, he looked quite eager to start a brawl.  I hope this guy isn't just trying to play hero.  

Damon sent his two bodyguards after the white haired boy while boldly declaring he would handle Byron.  Byron watched Roy immediately jump into action, jump-kicking both Clark and Jimmy at once.  Well I guess that answers that.  Byron turned his attention back to Damon as Roy rolled in to stand back to back with him.  Depending on how close Roy was, he may feel a cold chill in close proximity to Byron from the low temperature of his body.  "Roy, huh?  Now where have I heard that name before?  Names Byron.  I thought I made it clear you should have just left earlier."  Byron shook his head.   "Well, whatever.  A little help isn't too bad either.  Just be careful not to touch me.  I can't help it if you get hurt."  This may have come off as some sort of threat, but Byron was attempting to warn Roy about his power.  

"It might be best if we spread out a bit for this.  I may know a bit about fighting, but I'm no trained martial artist.  I'd rather not accidentally hit you, and I'm not the best at pulling my punches."  Byron's built physique showed his physical strength gained from frequent workouts, topping or rivaling those of the football team.  Byron stepped forward, but did not make a move to attack.  Instead opting to wait for his opponents to make the first move.  He may get in trouble for the fight regardless, but it was always nicer to have the 'in self-defense' tag on your side.  Plus, them attacking him was going to be more difficult than they most likely anticipated.  Byron let his body temperature slowly drop.  

Ben had had enough waiting and decided to go in while Byron was watching Damon.  He rushed Byron from behind but also away from Roy, who was most likely focusing on Clark and Jimmy.  He raised his fist and let it loose full force at the back of Byron's head.  There was a loud crack and Byron's head jerked forward slightly.  Some may have thought the crack was Byron's head splitting open from impact, but the thought would change after a few moments when they heard Ben yelp and hold his damaged hand.  Byron rubbed the back of his head calmly and cracked his neck side to side.  "That actually kind of hurt.  Your punch is stronger than I thought it would be."  He only ever gave a side glance to Ben.  The reason Ben was the one in pain from this was because Byron's power had grown to allow him to comfortably change his body heat to sub-zero temperatures.  He took this to a new level and changed it to such a low level that his body became much more rigid and solid than normal.  This limited his mobility but drastically increased his defensive qualities.  Ben punching Byron as he was was almost the equivalent of punching concrete.  "Now then,"  Byron took up a defensive stance facing Damon, "who want's to try next?"