Biohuman

Lightning snaked around the landscape as Keng waited for Liz to do something. Liz stared at the screen. Young Lee Seng and Manny smiled as Manny looked back at Liz while Lee Seng looked ahead. A smile curled on her lips. The screen flicked changing to another memory. Keng turned to watched to see a memory of Manny on the screen.

"To think this wasn't the first time we met…" Liz whispered. "Y'know I was scared when I went to the Academy freshman year…" The scene played. Liz filed into the huge auditorium, finding a seat. People cut her off and sat together, stopping her from doing anything.

"Hey." Manny's voice called out. Liz turned watching as a lanky young teenager was standing behind her. "Tryna find a spot too?"

"Y-yeah…" Liz answered with a stutter.

"Cool, I am too. Wanna find one with me?" Manny pointed. Liz nodded and the two of them headed off together. "What's your name?"

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Walt. You can call me Liz." Liz introduced herself. She stuck her hand out to him and Manny smiled and shook it.

"I'm Manny. Manny Valentin." Manny smiled. Manny looked ahead, pointing to a set of empty seats ahead. "We can sit over there."

"Wait, you're Valentin?" Liz looked at him. Manny nodded. "You're the son of a Number? Y-your sister's one too right?"

"Yup." Manny nodded. Liz and Manny walked over to the seats, pushing past people as they sat down. "Do you think I'm something else?" He gave her a cocked smile. He was definitely comfortable in his own skin and exude a strong aura. Liz gulped, unsure what to say. Manny cracked a smile. "It's alright. My dad and my sister are famous so people usually always ask about them, trying to be friends just to see them. And now I'm at the school they run to help 'foster the next generation of Biohumans.'"

"It seems like your life is lined up, well." Liz commented.

"Mmm. So where do you live? You live in Capitol City or you live outside the city?" Manny asked, switching the subject. There was a subtle pain hidden in his eyes that Liz caught onto.

"Oh, no." Liz shook her head. "I've never been outside the city. I'm from Eastside. In those… Quaint little neighborhoods."

"Oh." Manny nodded. "I live outside the city just a bit. Mom works in the city and Dad's always here or there, so just a bit out of the city where it's quiet."

"What did you do with all that time?"

"Mmm… I spent much of my time in the lab, honestly." Manny's face saddened.

"There you are." A female voice called out. Liz turned to see a tall blonde girl coming through the aisle. She looked at Liz as Manny stood up to greet her.

"Hey, Sara. Saved you a seat right here." Manny motioned.

"Who's this?" Sara asked. "Already making new friends?" Sara gave Liz another look, moving closer to Manny, grabbing onto him for support.

'Ah, she's his.' Liz thought.

"Liz." Manny replied, moving Sara to the other side. "She was lookin' for a seat so I asked her to come find one with me."

The TV paused as Keng glanced at Liz. The scrapbook's energy shimmered brighter as Liz sadly looked at the memory. The TV flickered. Liz was in winter gear, walking inside the dormitory.

"Are you really going to leave me?" Sara shouted. Manny rolled his eyes. People were avoiding them, moving back into the halls while also being nosy. Liz gulped and slid to the side of the front door, trying to not be apparent she just walked in at the worst time. "Be in a group with me! You promised!" Sara shook Manny's hand as he kept his gaze away from her.

'He looks mad.' Liz observed. Manny's eyes moved to look at Sara but noticed Liz first.

"I already told you. If she isn't in the team with us then I don't want to be on a team with you. We're Numbers kids. We can handle ourselves. The power level might be—"

"I don't care about that!" Sara shouted. "You already know how much I've sacrificed to get to this point! Stay with me!" She grabbed his arm tighter and tried to pull him in. Manny pulled his arm away, lifting it up into the air as he looked at Sara.

"I don't think this is gonna work out." Manny told her. He fixed his winter sleeve and patted himself down. "Y'know we used each other as an excuse for —"

"Shut up!" Sara slapped him across the face. Metallic balls raised into the air and first year students began to whisper. "Don't you dare bring him up!"

"Why?" Manny cocked his head to the side. A strand of hair fell across his face as he raised his eyebrows at her. "You lied you loved me so he would be heartbroken and wouldn't ever come looking for us. I looked like the bad guy in front of him so we could both not die from his orders. Why is it my fault you can't keep a hold of your feelings?" Metallic balls shook.

'She's going to hit him.' Liz thought. She raised her hand and gulped. 'Come on! You've been training for months! You can do this!' A streak of purple lightning bolt flew out as the metallic balls caved in at Manny. The lightning scattered across the balls, charging them and pulling them into a clump into a wall. Sara's eyes widened as she turned to see Liz stepping away form the front door with the growing group of students.

"You little—" Sara growled turning. Manny began to move when Liz passed the overhead columns and planted herself conveniently in her spot.

"You should really know when to take a hint and find a better place to figure out your little couple problems." Liz told her. Lightning flickered in her hands before she stuffed it in her pocket. "You're causing a show, Evans."

"Huh." Sara scoffed. "You think you're all that? I heard you're still at the bottom. I don't see what Manny see's in you. You're just a volatile girl waiting to explode at any moment." Lightning flickered off of Liz as she narrowed her eyes at Sara. "See what I mean? You're a danger to everyone. You should take a hint and not get involved in someone else's problem."

The clumped balls pulled away circling around Sara. She lifted her hand and fired the balls straight for Liz. Liz quickly lifted her hands, shooting bolts of lightning trying to charge the balls to stick. A few metallic balls flew past the lightning, hitting Liz and piercing the glass door. Liz grunted, holding the pain inside as more lightning flickered across her body.

Her eyes began to glow and Manny moved forward.

"Enough!" Manny grabbed Sara and threw her onto the floor. Everyone gasped as Manny stood defensively in front of Sara and Liz. "That's enough! This isn't about you two and how you never liked her Sara. My choice is final. If you don't want to accept her because she's so volatile then count me out. I'll be merc with her if I have to."

"You little—" Balls slammed into Manny, snapping Liz out of her rage. She watched as Manny was continuously pummeled by balls. He bruised and then bled as Sara screamed at him. Her incoherent words came out as the group of students recorded everything that was happening.

Manny huffed as he stumbled. He wouldn't allow himself to fall. Not to Sara. Not to anyone. Blood spilled as he lifted his hand and activated his heal. His body slowly and painfully started to light up as he tried to heal himself. Sara screamed as she pulled the balls in.

'No.' Liz thought. She rushed forward, lightning coursing through her entire body. Her eyes glowed purple as she involuntarily enveloped herself with purple energy. She flew at Manny, standing in front of him as all of the metallic balls flew at her. They slammed into Liz, sticking onto her as Liz's eyes burned with fury.

Sara's eyes widened as the furious Liz stood defensively in front of Liz. She gulped trying to pull the metallic orbs back.

"Why isn't it coming back?!?" Sara pulled furiously. Her fear grew with each pull. "Why isn't it—"

"I've been trying to be extremely patient with you." Liz's distorted voice spoke. It drew everyone to her as Liz flickered in her pure lightning form. "But it seems like you still don't get it, princess. He doesn't want to be in your team. Stop acting like a fucking four year old brat who doesn't get their way!"

Lightning flew out at every direction hitting the walls and the ground. The students all screamed as Liz narrowed her glowing eyes at Sara.

"Liz…" Manny whispered. She ignored him as she crouched down.

"You're just a spoiled brat who got here off of your mommy and daddy's connections. You might be stronger, but you're missing something vital: the willpower to push yourself." Liz tapped her head. The energy flickered disappearing as she lifted herself.

"Liz." Manny spoke her name louder.

"Let's go, Manny." Liz grabbed Manny and pulled them away from Sara. "Princess needs to run to her people and scream bloody murder."