Where the Glass Heart Shattered pt1

The truck backed into the wide double doors of an old abandoned barn 5 miles into Arizona, stopping in front of a man with dark curly greased back hair.

Quixotic had arrived in the cage in the back of the truck in just his boxers briefs and his lab coat. The sleeve missing from where Phoenix cut it.

"Well don't you look like a snack."

Quixotic glared up from his sitting position in the cage at the gang leader who was wiggling around his spark plug fingers.

"Is this my thank you present for picking you up?" The gang leader asked, his fingers shifting back into human fingers. "You know I'm pretty good at controlling electronics and metals but anything around five or more miles away is pretty hard for me to get a grasp on. So I say I was more then impressive"

Quixotic forced his glare to become a smile, looking up into the greasy man's smug face.

"Oh, you think everything I do is for you, Alloy."

"I mean you are mine after all."

Alloy reached his hand forward to the cage. If by an incredible force the steel bars bent leaving an opening.

But Quixotic knew better then to get up just yet. Alloy entered the opening he made with his metal bending.

"I mean where would you even be right now without me?" Asked Alloy, eyeing his prey while he licked his lips. "I took you off the streets. You would probably be some ghetto stank shaking your tiny ass for someone else right now."

Alloy ripped the lab coat off of Quixotic's slender body and threw it aside. Wrapping his sweaty copper-colored arms around Quixotic's snow white waist.

"You got rid of your little stalker right?"Alloy's hot breath rasped in Quixsotic's ear.

Quixotic looked at his shoulder. The hand mark Phoenix burned into him back when they were teenagers was darkened and scabbed over, completely healed from it's festering. But nothing could heal the festering hatred he had for Phoenix who had pushed him against the wall in the locker room stall all thoughts years ago. Phoenix's big strong hand smoldered with fire as he gripped Quixotic's small quivering shoulder.

"We should celebrate."Alloy interrupted, kissing the old burn mark on Quixsotic's shoulder.

Quixotic winced as Alloy nipped at the spot. Alloy was always trying to replace Phoenix's mark with one of his own.

"That's precisely the problem. He got away." Said Quixotic trying to keep calm. "Not only that, but he's also bound to find our hideout soon. He not only knows your superpower but the range in which you can activate it. We have to move soon, or else we'll be compromised."

"Gringo is really pissing me off." Huffed Alloy pulling away from Quixotic."Fucker's, the reason we had to abandon 20,000 whole kilos of coke and a warehouse."

Alloy scowled stuffing his hands into his jean pockets. His fingers brushed against a cold metal remote as his scowl turned back into a smile.

"Hey, I mean on the bright side, that machine I made for you is finished though. I got it done and tested it while you were out."

Quixotic turned back around to face Alloy when he heard that.

"Really?"

"Ya, we tested it on the two heroes we caught sneaking around here. Magmamar is basically just as weak and powerless as well ...."

Quixotic didn't wait for the ending of that sentence, he ran over to the room where Magmamar was quarantined and chained to the concrete wall. Her eyes, that were once a bright magenta color, were now dark and glazed over. Her bright fiery pink hair that could normally burn you if you got too close, now a dull brown, and couldn't even scorch a fly. She looked so defeated. She didn't even flinch when Quixotic knelt down and put his hand to her forehead. He then put his finger to check the pulse on her wrist and felt her steady heartbeat.

"She's completely normal...completely human..."

"We still have Megalodon if you want to try it out for yourself." Said Alloy handing the remote to Quixotic.

Quixotic stood in front of the window of the next quarantined room. A man who kept attempting to change himself into his shark form to try to break out of his shackles was inside the room. He was so focused on doing this that he didn't notice the two men standing in front of the glass window.

Quixotic pressed the intercom button and brought his lips up to the mic.

"You can keep trying to break out, but as I keep saying it won't work. Those chains are made with your transformation powers in mind."

"Where's Magmamar!? You Villain! If you lay a finger on her, you're dead!"

"She's better than she'll ever be, and soon you'll be too, Taylor."

His finger hit the button on the remote as the quarantined room filled with mist.

"Wait what does that mean?! What did you do!? What did you…?! Ahhhh!"

Megalodon screamed as his gills, shark teeth and other mutated shark-like features began disappearing.

"Ahh ah…"

Megalodon groaned in agony as his skin and bones were forcibly shifted around in his face and body. The moment the fog cleared Taylor slumped down, his spiky brown hair flattened on his head as sweet beaded down his tan muscular chest. Even without asking, the prisoner knew what the villain did to him, he could feel it. His transformation powers were gone.

"It's finally airborne." Quixotic smiled.

"I knew you would like my little machine." Alloy breathed into Quixsotic's ear. "It spreads out your little drug nicely and evenly as far as the hand of God can reach."

Alloy wrapped his arms around Quixotic's waist pressing into the smaller male with his hips. Alloy dug his calloused fingers into Quixsotic's boxer briefs and began sliding them off of his pale slender frame, despite all the other gangsters that were still around them.

"You saved the blueprints for the machen right?" Asked Quixotic.

"Uh...Ya…"Alloy said, his breath becoming raged and heavy already.

Quixotic then forcefully shoved the bigger man off of himself before he could pull his boxer briefs all the way down. Startled, Alloy raised his eyebrow.

"Let's get one thing straight, I don't swing that way." Quixotic responded to the look. "Even if I did I wouldn't be the girlfriend." He laughed.

"You want to repeat that?" Growled Alloy.

"What needs to be repeated? I knew you were slow, but It's simple really, I got what I wanted from you and now I don't need you anymore."

Alloy's brown eyes started twitching as his blood began to boil.

"Who doesn't need who anymore!"

Alloy grabbed a tuft of Quixotic's black messy hair and slammed his face into the dirt. Shaking the ground so much that it knocked some of the tools off the sawing table, including the saw.

"You think you can just turn around and walk away from me you dirty little cock slut! Huh?!" Yelled Alloy twisting Quixotics arm behind his back. "After all these years I was the only one who took you in, no one in their right minds would invite a powerless little defect into their ranks! Now you think you can walk all over me? Ha! You and what super power?! I don't even need to use my power to hold you down and fuck you like the useless little fuck hole you are!" Alloy bent down, whispering into Quixotic's quivering ear. "I'm so worked up, I'm not going to bother holding back. Besides, Asians are supposed to be little and submissive anyways right?" Alloy licked Quixsotic's ear, his hand tightened around Quixotic's wrist as he pressed up against him. "So why don't you be a good little wage slave for your boss and...."

Alloy froze as he felt a sharp blade pressing against his sweaty neck. He looked up to see one of his minions had turned his arm into a sharp blade.

"What do you think you're doing? Tin?"

"Well, I don't know about the others, but… the ability to take away super powers sounds a lot more useful than moving around a couple of old trucks with metal bending powers…" Said Tin leisurely scratching the stubble on his sunburnt neck with his other hand. "Besides, your machine just makes it a bit easier, not impossible...I mean it's Quixotic's formula that we really need to take over the word."

"Ya, once we take away the super heroes' super powers we won't have to just push drugs anymore." Said one of the villains.

"If we're the only ones with super powers we could live like gods over the masses." Said another villain.

Alloy looked around at his gang. He knew if he went any farther he would have a mutiny on his hands.

Tin pushed the blade up against Alloy's neck until blood dripped from it. Alloy laughed hollow letting go of Quixotics head.

"Tch, if you all want to follow a defect without any super abilities, then fine." The greasy thug whipped his hands on his stain white wife beater. " THEN FOLLOW HIM TO HELL!"

Alloy turned around, his fingers shifted to spark plugs again. He took control of the truck Quixotic came in on. It swerved around making a sharp turn at full speed, dust flung up in the air obscuring everything as the truck headed right towards Quixotic. Hearing a thunk, Alloy smiled triumphantly. Before some of the dust cleared to reveal that the truck rammed into the saw table and Quixotic was not there.

"What the? Where did he?"

Vrr Vrr Vrrrrr!

But before Alloy could figure out what happened for himself a loud sound came out of the smoky cloud of dust behind him.

Alloy turned around just in time to see the chainsaw hit him in the face as it dragged down his body splitting him in half.

"*Huff*...*Huff*…" Quixotic painted, holding the blood splattered chainsaw in his shaking hands.

The gang leader's corpse hit the floor with a thud. The rest of the gang bangers in the barn froze and stared at their old boss' cut up corpse.

"Hey *pant, pant* Tin-Can Tim *huff* *huff*." Quixotic broke the silence as he turned from the dead mexican to the redneck in the cowboy hat. "....Thanks for standing up for me back there, you're a real pal."

"It's nothing, just as long as you keep your promise." Said Tin-Can Tim.

Quixotic smiled as he looked at the long blond- haired man in a plaid T-shirt and jeans. His next words resonated with every villain in the barn as they left his mouth.

"I promise."

Phoenix sat in the passenger seat of a delivery truck, his brown eyes staring out the window at a stretch of sandy desert and saguaro cactus. The overweight truck driver reached into the donut box sitting beside him taking out what had to be his fifth donut.

"So you're going to that old Yorha high school huh?" Asked the overweight truck driver taking a bite of his donut.

"Uh huh." Phoenix hummed leaning his head on the window.

"For some school reunion or something?" The truck driver said with his mouth full.

"Mmm hmm."

"Now, I had thought that old school had closed down years ago. It's still holding reunions huh? Place looked pretty boarded up to me, you know pal if you want I could, OH COME ON!"

The truck shook as the man hit a pothole in the road. His donut fell to the floor, rolling away from him to the back of the truck, wedging itself between two metal beams.

"Damn it…"

Taking his eyes off the road for a moment he stretched his hand towards his donut as the truck began to dip into the next lane.

HONK! HONK!

"Fucking wach the rode!" Phoenix yelled.

Phoenix leaned over grabbing the truck's wheel. Both him and the other van swerved out of the way barley nicking eachother. The truck driver bit his lip. His arm stretched like an elastic bungee cord all the way to the back of the truck to grab the donut. Once he got his sugary treat the man then bit into it getting sprinkles all over his red beard. Phoenix looked at the portly man and his dusty floor donut, then looked into the bag. It had ten other donuts. Perfectly clean and whole.

"What?" Asked the portly man in between bites. "Want one?"

The truck driver shook the bag towards Phoenix inviting him to take one. But Phoenix just let the man take back the wheel turning back towards the window, his dull orange locks pressing against the glass.

"You must be real fun on road trips…" Scoffed the driver. "Hey, so as I was saying the school might be boarded up. So if you want me to wait a bit with you….you know I have to help lift these heavy metal beams, I could use an excuse to wait another few.... days..."

"It's fine…" Said Phoenix."...I know where I'm going."

Phoenix looked at the note Quixotic dropped for him on purpose."Where the Glass Heart Shattered". It's such a nonsense message at first glance. If anyone else got this note they would be perplexed. It was a secret only him and Quixotic shared. "Where the glass heart shattered"...that's where he had met Quixotic.

It was a sunny spring day at Yorha High, the second semester of Phoenix's junior year. It was after lunch in English class the first time he saw Quixotic. A small, meek, quivering mess sitting in his desk looking at his feet. His black T-shirt had a smiley emoji with the caption "Smile the government's got you on camera.", which was ironic considering that he looked like he was about to cry.

"Do you even speak of the engrish?!"

A muscular dark skinned teen stood over Quixotic like a unmovable rock. Quixotic sat there staring at his loose jeans, his black scraggly bangs covering the scared look on his face.

"Hey, slants!" Yelled the bully slamming his hand on the small boy's desk. "I asked, do you speak a the engrish?"

"I...I..uh... speak engri...english…"

Quixotic stammered out quietly. The bully glared at Quixotics like he was going to burn a hole in him.

"What was that?!"

Quixotic fell quiet as he held his sides and continued quivering and looking at the floor.

"Can't even speak English," scoffed the bully. "I'm getting really tired of you Chinese transfer students, who think you could use Yhorha's Arizona public school system as a stepping stone to get into that fancy Xzavier hero academy up in New York! There are plenty of AMARICANS who can fill in the hero jobs here, in America. So you can go home to whatever rice farm you came from."

"Hey Animus! Are you blind or just that daft? He's obviously Japanese not Chinese."

Quixotic looked up, to see who had spoken up. He saw a teen whose fair skin was painted with freckles, his hair dyed and gelled in a way that made him look like a wildfire.

"Huh?!"

Animus turned his attention from Quixotic to the newcomer. His face contorted into a smirk.

"Also," continued the freckled kid. "What's it to you if he's here to compete with us for the next spot in the hero course? I say if you can't keep up with the competition then you should just drop out now and take the L, loser!" He then stuck out his tongue, giving a thumbs down.

"You know Phoenix, if you wanted me to pound your fugly, freckled, Paddy ass into the dirt you could've just asked. Stay out of it!" Yelled Animus.

Animus marched up to Phoenix until he stood inches from him, glaring down at the shorter male. Quixotic could tell that even though the teen with the wildfire hair was still taller than him, the darker teen was bigger and bulkier, and could clearly out match the other if they were to fight without superpowers.

"I would but with your big fat lips flapping so loudly, I wouldn't be surprised if the math building across the school could hear you."

"Oh ya, you want to talk about my big mouth? At least my handsome looks are natural.You dye and gel your hair so much you take longer to get ready in the morning than my bitches."

Phoenix unconsciously ran his hands through his dark red spiked hair.

"Well at least I care how I look. What's that moisturizer you're using?" Asked Phoenix smugly. "Morning, ass sweat? You look and smell like shit."

Animus growled feeling his dark skin steam.

"You would do better to keep your cracker mouth shut! I'm a finna, come over there and kick your ass!"

"Oh ya! Well at least I don't talk like a N…"

"N...N..nooo!" Shouted a plain looking fair skinned boy. "Phoenix, stop!"

Sand dropped out of the plan boy's dull brown hair as he tugged on Phoenix's freckled arm.

"Why?!" Phoenix seethed.

"Because, the Xavier school will never accept your application if word gets around that you were... I mean if you... said something racist."

"Ya…" Phoenix glanced from Quixotic who was now looking up at him with a tear in his eye, to Animus who had a wide shit eating grin."...Because I'm the racist one here. Tch!"

"I would listen to Rift if I were you Phoenix." Snarked Animus. "But hey, if you're up for an ass kicking today let's play a round of Junker Ball. Teams of three. Losers have to quit the official school team for the rest of their high school career, never stepping foot on the field again. If you really have faith in the little squint you, him, and him, can be on a team together!" Animus shouted pointing to Phoenix, Quixotic, and Rift.

"If we're doing teams of three, who are the other two people on your team?" Asked Phoenix.

R I N G !

The school bell rang out, signaling the beginning of class.

"I can't wait to kick your fugly ass off my field for good. See you after school douche monger."Animus smirked going back to his seat.

After school Phoenix saw Quixotic walking towards the school's playing field looking shrunken and nervous. Phoenix didn't get to talk to him much in class but he had to figure out what his power was. He had to figure out how to use that to his advantage. It had to be something powerful to be brought from Japan to the US...right?

"Hey! It's Quixotic right?" Phoenix put his arm around the smaller boy's shoulder causing him to jolt.

"Ya...bu..but how did you..?"

"Are you kidding, everyone has been talking about you. You're a new transfer student. Everyone either wants you dead for potentially taking their spot at the Xavier academy, or they are excited to see what you can do. I mean you are going to try for the Xavier academy in New York right?"

"I..uh..mean..it would be a dream come true..to be a hero someday…t..to save people who are in trouble…Kinda like how you just saved me...." Quixotic looked at his feet, a soft smile spreading to his face. "That was the first time anyones ever stood up for me…" Quixotic mumbled to himself.

"But of course, ever since super powers have been more common in people there have been more villains, more danger. What I wouldn't give to bring the smack down to any evildoer out there and really show people what I'm made of. Of course people expect great things out of people born with powers like ours right?"

Phoenix leaned his face closer to Quixotics to look for his reaction. But the tinier male just blushed and looked even more nervous than before.

"Ya…but...I mean..."

"Not to brag or anything but I'm pretty much a born hero." Said Phoenix unwrapping his arm from around Quixotic and igniting it. "My flames are not only big and flashy, but they can take out bad guys in a cinch."

Quixotic continued to stare in amazement as the pyromancer's fire danced across his arm barely coming up to touch his black tank top sleeve in a beautiful display of power and control.

"That's incredible." Quixotic smiled as he pulled out a notebook. "Can you tell me more about how it works?"

Is this guy seriously taking notes? Thought Phoenix. Oh I get it he wants me to tell him all about myself while he keeps me in the dark about his power. Well two can play at that game.

"I mean it's cool and all but, I bet it's nothing compared to what you can do, right?" Asked Phoenix. "What is your superpower anyways?"

"Well umm…" Quixotic looked down at his feet while clutching the notebook in his hands."I actually ...."

"Hey Phoenix!" Yelled Rift from across the field. "Animus didn't even show up! Think he flaked?"

Phoenix scanned the field looking for the bigger teen, but didn't see him anywhere.

"Knowing that guy…"Said Phoenix. "He should have been here earlier to rub how good he and his team are in our faces. It's really not like him to be late…."

Rift glanced at Quixotic noticing the sketch in his notebook.

"Is that Phoenix?" Asked Rift.

Phoenix turned his attention to Quixotic only catching a glimpse of the page before Quixotic clutched the notebook to his chest.

"Oh umm...ya…It's just...I mean..I usually only take notes on how pro heroes and villains use their powers...but...uhh...I guess I took an interest…I mean his pyro powers are so cool..." Quixotic smiled softly.

"Ya, I know how you feel, Phoenix is so lucky." Said Rift looking at the sand that always peeled and drifted off his fair skin. "Sand is really dull and boring…"

"I..I don't think so at all." Sputtered Quixotic. "You know if you could, sand pits could make a nice use as a trap. Or you can blind people in a whirlwind."

"I can't make wind with my power….but you may be onto something with that sand trap thing…"

"What else can you do with it? Where does all the sand come from? Do you sweat it out? Can you control how much you need at a time..?"

Quixotic became more excited as he questioned Rift about his powers. Rift rubbed the back of his neck, accidently ruffling his short brown hair in the process. Rift then looked over towards Phoenix. A soft smile began to appear on his face.

"You know I never thought of my powers as something cool on it's own. But there is something amazing I can do when combined with Phoenix. I don't think I could do it with anyone else…"

Phoenix glared at the plain looking boy.

"Oh come on, don't give me that look." Smirked Rift. "You know it's cool when we do the thing."

"Fine." Phoenix rolled his eyes, holding his hands out in front of himself.

Rift stood behind Phoenix sticking his hands out. Pools of sand dropped out of them to the grass field below.

"Ready to blaze it up?" Rift spoke into Phoenix's neck.

Fire blazed out of Phoenix's hands. It was so brilliant and hot that Quixotic shielded his face with his notebook and stepped back. Rift's sand started becoming clear as it's shapeless nature took a crisp form.

"Wow…" Quixotic breathed when the fire stopped. "Oh! You guys can even make shapes! That's amazing!"

Phoenix and Rift looked down at the glass that lay on the field. It was crudely shaped like a heart.

"I didn't...It doesn't even.." Phoenix turned his face away blushing. "I mean it's not like I was trying to!"

Rift looked at it, then looked at Phoenix's fluster face. He stayed silent feeling a smile come across his fair face.

"Hey! You fags ready to play or what?!" Yelled Animus starring the three teens down from a few feet away.

"Us?! We were waiting for you!" Yelled Phoenix.

"Uh, how do we play Junker ball anyways?" Whispered Quixotic pulling on Rifts plaid sleeve.

"You don't have Junker ball in your country?" Asked Rift turning towards him.

There was Junker ball in Japan, it was more like Quixotic didn't have any friends…

"Uh...ya…" Quixotic decided to say. "It's different in Japan…"

"It's simple." Begin Rift. "It's kinda like an old game of capturing the flag mixed with chess in a way. The teams can be either a 1 v 1 or teams up to 11 people on each side, although today we're doing a 3v3. One person from each team has a choker with a bell on it (the Junkers ball) that they tie around their throat, and the rest of the team are either defenders or attackers. The team who can capture the other team's Junker ball, or gets to their junker ball to their gole first, is the winner."

"Will we...I mean...what about powers?" Asked Quixotic. "Are they permeated to use right now while we play? Or are we waiting for the coach to supervise us?"

"Of course you can use your powers. I mean why wouldn't you…?" That's when it dawned on Rift. "Oh ya that's right in some countries like Japan the use of powers are more restrictive huh? Well welcome to the wild west that is America." Rift Laughed. "As long as no one is severely hurt, or dies, or its self defence, it's aloud."

Quixotic bit his lip and looked to the ground. Some games don't allow powers to be used...but thoughts were usually regulated to "keep things equal"....but Amaricans have been using their powers more freely than the rest of the world.

"Gotta hand it to you Anumuis, you're pretty ballsy to challenge me when I have a dark horse on my side." Said Phoenix. "You should have pussied out while you could because…"

Phoenix froze as he saw the blonde haired, blue eyed boy standing next to Animus.

"Torpid you shit eating pretty boy! What are you doing here?!" Shouted Phoenix.

Torpid looked at Phoenix with a serious look before responding.

"I'm here to play a game of Junker ball. Also, I don't eat shit, I like eating ice cream."

"Oh him? I figured bringing him would piss you off." Laughed Animus. "And that's all the reason we need."

"But that's not why I'm here, you promised me ice cream afterwards." Said Torpid.

"Shut up Torpid." Retorted Animus. "I'm only buying if you win."

"Bribing people to join your team huh?!" Yelled Phoenix. "Why you scummy little…!"

"Hi there." Rift interrupted Phoenix. "I've never seen you before, are you a freshman?"

Rift waved at the short platinum haired girl wearing a dark purple turtleneck, with a matching short skirt. She stood on the other side of Animus with a deadpan look on her face.

"Enough chit chat. You losers remember our deal, right?" Animus didn't wait for a reply before continuing. "Well let's add another thing to make this more interesting. How about the loser also has to cheer the winners on at the homecoming game and throughout the whole school day tomorrow wearing the banned cheerleading uniforms from 07 too."

"Wait, you mean the girl's uniforms that were banned for showing too much midriff?" Asked Rift.

"Those are the ones."

"But we never agreed to…"

"Deal." Said Phoenix. "I can't wait to see how ridiculous you'll look prancing around in a mini skirt."

"Pretty big talk for a loser." Smirked Animus.

He tied the choker with the little bell around the Freshman girl's throat before stepping in front of her with Torpid. Phoenix looked at the position the team took and could deduce two things. That one, they were going to try rushing forward. And two, the girl had the ball or bell meaning that whatever power she had wasn't strong in the physical type of way, whatever she had was more useful as an evasive move. Knowing those facts, plus the other team mates powers helped a little, but still ....Phoenix turned towards Quixotic.

"Hey, I know everyones powers on this field but you and that freshmen girl. It would help a lot to plan a strategy if I knew what it is you can do with your super powers."

"Well, I mean not much umm... actually…"

Phoenix rolled his eyes, he was getting sick of this, was this kid actually trying to humble brag? What was even the point of keeping his powers in the dark? Even if it gave him an edge for the Xavier entrance exams in a few weeks everyone was going to figure it out eventually.

"Are you more offense, defense, or an evader then?!" Phoenix shouted, losing his cool at this point.

He was going to get Quixotic to play and he was going to reveal his powers to him!

"I uhh….well…" Quixotic stuttered. "I can... evade things I guess... I mean...you and Rift can be defense and make a few glass shields to slow them down so..."

Phoenix glared at Quixotic….it actually wasn't a half bad idea. But that told him nothing of what Quixotic could do. Phoenix threw the choker with the bell at the smaller boy. Quixotic stumbled a bit before catching it.

"Fine," growled Phoenix. "But you better guard that thing with your life."

Animus smiled as he began his countdown.

"Be ready in 5…"

"Be sure to stay hydrated this time Phoenix!" Shouted Torpid. "I would hate for you to over use your powers and pass out dehydration again!"

"....3…"

"Suck my ass Torpid!" Phoenix shouted back.

"Why the hostility?" Quixotic asked Rift.

"Well let's just say Phoenix and Torpid…"

"...1!"

As soon as Animus said one, Torpid made an ice slide and glide as fast as possible over towards Phoenix. Rift made a small sand wall appear right in front of the ice user. Torpid couldn't stop gliding in time as he slammed into the sand head first.

"...are natural enemies!"