A girl with blood red hair sat at a old table eating breakfast. She was almost as pale as the milk in her bowl, but not as pale as the white streak running through her hair. A woman sat across the table, far from her. She was a brunet, with green eyes as empty as the bowl in front of her. 

The girl pulled up her sleeves, her jacket looked expensive, but there was stains of dirt and other things that no one was able to explain. There was no noise between the two, only the sound of a TV playing a commercial about the Hero Academy. "Join hero academy and you can be the next Shooting Star or the most remembered Meteor-". The tv was cut off by the brunet, afterwards she threw the remote across the room. 

A frown spread on the girls face. She wanted to yell out words but knew she would regret them. The Woman looked across the table, studying her hair with disappointed eyes. The child wouldn't make eye contact with her. 

"We're getting your hair dyed back tomorrow, Autumn" she said. Autumn's eyes widened 

"Rebecca, please don't! All the kids will laugh at me if they don't think I have an ability! I'll be the laughing stalk of the school" Autumn said, tears beginning to form in her eyes. 

"It's better than that trashy looking hair you have" Rebecca scoffed. 

"You don't even let me prove myself" Autumn yelled "Just let me join the Hero Academy, I can graduate and make a lot of money once I become a real hero we don't have to live like this.." 

"That TV is filling your head with sinful idea's." She said "Never will I let you join that stupid academy." 

"What are you too scared I'll end up like-" Autumn got interrupted by a fist slamming onto the table making the plastic bowls shake. 

"You know we don't talk about that!" She yelled "YOU LIVE IN MY HOUSE SO YOU FOLLOW MY RULES. If you don't like it go run away with a friend, but until you do that, or move out, you will listen to my every command. Let the dream of you being a hero die." Her face was completely red. 

Autumn's face also began to turn red as the tears dripped down her cheeks, making what looked like small rivers. Realization set on the woman's face. She went to go comfort her but Autumn only turned away

"I'm sorry" Autumn hadn't heard her say those words in years. Everything was always 'you'll get over it' or 'stop crying'. Though why now was she saying it. "I shouldn't have snapped at you." Rebecca cradled her in her arms. She cried into her shoulder, something she didn't thing out happen at the age of 14, or something she didn't think would happen at all. 

"I'm sorry for pushing your buttons" Autumn said muffling the words into Rebecca's coat. She rubbed her back giving Autumn a feeling of comfort. "What was dad like?" She asked, her voice was weak and she wasn't sure if she had done the right thing. 

"Autumn, not now.." She said with regret "You know how I feel about it." 

"Please?" Rebecca sighed 

"Well your father... he was... brave, the bravest man I knew. He was so charming and a gentleman. I remember when we were young your he would come to my window and I would sneak out with him at night. He wanted adventure and to fully live his life, it was so hard to believe a man like him fell for me. He would die for the people he loved... it's too bad he loved the world." Autumn watched the smile fade from her face with the forced memories. 

Rebecca helped Autumn get back up, she pats her back "Go to school" she said. Autumn walked towards the door grabbing her bag from the couch and flinging it onto her back. She walked to school her eyes feeling heavy, once she got into first period she would fall asleep. It was habit at this point. 

Autumn walked into the building reading a sign she had been reading for the past 2 years. 'Welcome to NorthWood Middle School' She finished reading and put her head down. The halls filled with laughter and gossip. Even if the path was meant to hold several students, it seemed to become narrow. Autumn's breath quickened and became shorter, her heart went rapid, she felt her stomach sink. She wasn't able to tell if everyone was still talking about her, or if it was just all she heard anymore. 

The room felt like it was spinning. She slammed into her chair, clutching her desk trying catching her breath. The feeling began to go away, but time felt like it was slowing down, it wouldn't go away fast enough. 
Autumn released her hands realizing the corners of the desk were frozen and beginning to spread. Her head darted around the room, so far she was the only one inside. Autumn melted the ice away before anyone could discover it. 

A woman with caramel skin and chocolate hair walked in, her eyes always reminded Autumn of Almonds. "Autumn, you know the rule, no coming into class before I walk in" She walked over to the desk in the very front of the room, sorting papers and sipping coffee every so often. 

"I'm sorry... Mrs. Jones" Autumn muttered "I started to have a panic attack in the hallway, I needed a seat..." Her eyes were still focus on the desk in front of her. 

"Everything will be okay" Mrs. Jones got up from her desk going over to Jane. She got to eye level with her, not breaking contact. "All of your thoughts are just thoughts, nothing more, nothing less. Do you understand?" Autumn nodded her head, slightly shifting her eyes "I know that's going to be hard to understand, but eventually you'll realize what people think doesn't matter. In fact, I doubt anyone is talking about it anymore. You're sorry for what you did, right?" 

"Yes ma'am" Autumn mumbled, her eyes were glued to the desk. A few more students entered the room, Mrs. Jones got back up taking a seat at her own desk. 

"Take your seats children, class is about to start" 

Autumn set her head down thinking to herself, the same thoughts that sent her tossing and turning in the night. She sprung her head up looking around the room, all of the kids had this beautiful hair with the most vibrant colors. Bright reds and greens, purples, some kids with different colors in their hair, like Autumn.

It felt like all eyes were on her as everyone who glanced at her seemed to snicker when they saw the red and white mess sitting on her head, it wasn't even real. 

Autumn ran her fingers through her hair, she pulled on it covering it up. No one would believe she had an ability. With her hair soon to be a plain color, things would only get worse. Autumn felt a tap on her shoulder, turning around she saw no one. She turned back forward looking at the front of the room. Then a second time she felt something, like arms wrapping around her. Autumn began to freeze up, her body becoming stiff and her shoulders beginning to freeze. 

Her stomach dropped as she remembered that night, jane was terrified. The arms slithered around, Autumn began to panic as half of her face began producing frost. The arms wrapped around her neck, pulling her into a hug from behind. The ice began to melt away as she turned around coming face to face with a pair of eyes that reminded her of Kisses. The girl was looked like milk chocolate with lighter splotches every so often around her body. Her hair looked completely different from the last time Autumn saw her. It was pitch black, like staring into the sky when the clouds cover up every visible star, but now it was platinum, her hair shinned like the sun in the light. 

A giant smile grew on the girls face as she realized Autumn was looking at her hair. "Notice anything different?" She said, flipping the hair behind her shoulder. 

"Via you... you got your ability?" Autumn said, her eyes widened along with her smile. Via nodded her head. 

"Can you guess what it is?" She said trying to keep her voice down, but somewhat failing to do so. 

"Invisibility, right?" 

"Bingo!" Via said making a finger guns motion, giggling a little. 

"Well now that you have one, you're too cool to hang out with me right?" Autumn said in a bit of a sarcastic tone, knowing that somewhere inside of her she meant it. 

"What? No!" Via said sitting herself down in the desk right by Autumn's "You're my best friend, and the greatest person I know." Via looked Autumn in the eyes, something about them were so reassuring, even if they just looked like a black spot, she had stared at them for so long. "besides you have an ability anyway, y'know, only the most epic one any living creature has ever seen?" Via playfully pushed her friend teasing her. "Fire and Ice, literally the coolest combination, I'm quaking. I have some dumb invisibility that's only really good for scaring small children... and you." Autumn smiled at her, Via could talk all day, once she started she wouldn't stop. 

Autumn didn't mind it, she didn't have any interesting things to say anyway. "You don't have to remind me that I am a small child, thank you." She said laughing 

"okay, okay" Via sighed "I'll leave you alone... for now" she slightly giggled playfully elbowing her best friend. 

"Okay everyone quiet down." The noise began to fade into nothing "Now as your homeroom teacher I am required to talk to you about Hero Acadamy" the talking started to rise again as all of the kids began talking about their abilities, saying how they would be top performer in the class. "Settle down please, now I know all of you are excited, and even though I don't agree with the principal sometimes, he is having Shooting Star herself come and speak to you" 

The class erupted with cheers and Jane's stomach dropped "Do you really think Shooting star is coming?" most of them said trying not to shriek, even for the guys it was hard to hold back. 

"Okay, okay, please keep calm and let her talk, she didn't have to come here. No bad behavior, so basically act the complete opposite of how you always do, except you, Autumn."  

Autumn nodded her head, she tried to pretend to be excited, but what if shooting star remembered her, what if she was disappointed in the person she had become? The thoughts and questions ran through her head like a train on the highest speed and the carts went on for miles. 

There was a knock on the door, the teacher hushed all the children – taking a bit longer than it should have – and opened the it, shooting star walked In costume and all. The children had to hold back from their fangirling and fanboying. Autumn couldn't even look at her, she felt embarrassed for shooting star because she had met her once. The little girl in Autumn wanted to ask if she had remembered her. If she could prove everyone wrong and tell the entire school that jane did indeed have an ability. 

"Hello everyone!" Shooting star exclaimed "Most – if not all of you – are going to be going graduating this year. As you know this means you have the choice to stay in school, graduate, get a job, and live a normal life. Though by your expressions... I think most of you want to go on the second route, joining Hero Academy!" The students cheered as they began to show off some of their abilities. Autumn just sat there, watching. 

"Yes, yes, I know you all have unique and amazing abilities, but I don't think using them during school is allowed. As most of you know I graduated from Hero Academy along with my partner Meteor. To this day I still miss fighting side by side with him." Shooting star's face look hurt, as if memories she didn't want came back, the ones that were unforgettable. She put on another smile, staying cheery like everyone had known her to be "Though lets not ruin the mood. Hero Acadamy shapes hero's like me and Meteor, and some day it may even shape you." 

All of the kids looked up to Shooting Star in awe, everyone wanted to be like her. "As you know some students can get recommended into the Academy. Luckily for you I am a recommender this year. So, who wants to prove they can be a hero?"