Chapter 10: Gargoyles, Gates, and Gumption

With matching deep breaths, they stepped forward, ready to face whatever extraordinarily ordinary adventures Evergreen Academy had in store for them. As they rounded the final corner, the imposing gates of Evergreen Academy loomed before them like the entrance to some bizarro-world Hogwarts.

Holy shit on a shingle.

Mia's jaw dropped, her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. She'd seen pictures of the school online, sure, but those glossy brochure shots hadn't prepared her for the real deal. Evergreen Academy was a architectural fever dream, a collision of modern design and medieval castle that looked like it had been dreamed up by a committee of mad scientists, avant-garde artists, and at least one sugar-high five-year-old.

The main building stretched towards the sky, its sleek glass walls reflecting the morning sun like a giant mirror. But sprouting from this futuristic base were honest-to-god towers and turrets, complete with honest-to-god gargoyles. Except these gargoyles... were they moving?

"Zo," Mia whispered, elbowing her friend. "Are those gargoyles... waving?"

Zoe squinted, then let out a surprised laugh. "Holy crap, they are! Do you think they're students who can turn to stone, or just really committed decorations?"

"Fifty bucks says it's some poor schmuck whose power is 'turns to stone but only while making wacky poses'," Mia snorted. "Talk about your niche talents."

As they approached the gates, the flow of students around them increased, turning into a veritable parade of weirdness. Mia felt like she was walking through the world's most bizarre comic con, minus the cosplay. Or maybe this was the cosplay, and she just hadn't gotten the memo.

A girl zipped past them on rollerblades that seemed to be made entirely of crackling electricity, leaving a trail of static in her wake. Nearby, a boy was juggling what looked like miniature storm clouds, occasionally letting out little yelps when one would zap his fingers.

"I feel like I'm in the waiting room for superhero rehab," Mia muttered to Zoe. "Hi, I'm Mia, and I'm addicted to uncontrollable color changes."

Zoe giggled, but Mia could feel her friend's grip on her arm tightening. She glanced over, noticing the slight tremor in Zoe's hands and the way her eyes darted nervously from one extraordinary sight to another. 

"Hey," Mia said softly, giving Zoe's arm a gentle squeeze. "We've got this, remember? We're the dynamic duo of useless powers. The Technicolor Terror and the Ficus Whisperer, taking Evergreen by storm."

Zoe's shoulders relaxed a fraction, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, you're right. Besides, compared to some of these powers, ours seem positively boring. Did you see that kid back there? I swear his hair was made of actual fire."

"Oh god," Mia groaned. "Can you imagine the money he must spend on shampoo? Or haircuts? Does he have to go to a blacksmith instead of a barber?"

Their laughter was cut short as they finally reached the gates. Up close, the school was even more impressive – and intimidating. The gates themselves were a work of art, intricate metalwork forming a pattern of leaves and vines that seemed to shimmer and move in the light. Mia squinted, then let out a soft gasp.

"Holy shit, Zo. The gates are actually growing."

Sure enough, tiny metal leaves were unfurling before their eyes, delicate tendrils reaching out as if to welcome them. Or possibly strangle them. The jury was still out on that one.

As they paused at the threshold, Mia felt a wave of emotion wash over her. This was it. The moment everything changed. No more hiding her power, no more being the freak in a world of normals. Here, she was just another flavor of weird in a Baskin Robbins of bizarre.

"We've got this, right?" Zoe's voice was barely above a whisper, a tremor of uncertainty breaking through her usual calm.

Mia turned to her best friend, really looking at her for the first time since they'd arrived. Zoe's face was a mirror of her own emotions – a cocktail of terror, excitement, and holy-shit-what-are-we-doing that threatened to overflow at any moment.

In that instant, Mia made a decision. She might be a walking rainbow disaster, but damn it, she was going to own it. For herself, and for Zoe.

"Absolutely," Mia said, injecting every ounce of fake confidence she could muster into her voice. "We're extraordinary, remember? Just... extraordinarily ordinary. Which, in this nuthouse, might actually make us the normal ones."

Zoe let out a shaky laugh, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "God help us all if we're the baseline for normal."

"Hey, speak for yourself," Mia retorted with a grin. "I'll have you know I'm the pinnacle of normalcy. I put my pants on one technicolor leg at a time, just like everyone else."

They linked arms, Mia careful to avoid skin contact even as she drew strength from her friend's presence. For a moment, they just stood there, two ordinary girls on the brink of an extraordinary adventure.

"Ready to dive into the shallow end of the freak pool?" Mia asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Zoe nodded, a determined glint in her eye. "Ready as I'll ever be. Just promise me one thing?"

"What's that?"

"If I start talking to the potted plants in the hallway, drag me away before I become the crazy plant lady of Evergreen, okay?"

Mia snorted. "Deal. And if I start turning the lockers into a pastel nightmare, feel free to lock me in one until I calm down."

With one final shared look – equal parts terror and exhilaration – they took a deep breath and stepped forward. The gates seemed to part before them, the metal vines curling back in welcome. Or possibly to ensnare them. Again, the jury was out.

As they crossed the threshold onto the grounds of Evergreen Academy, Mia felt a tingling sensation wash over her, like she'd just walked through a curtain of static electricity. She glanced down at her hands, half expecting them to be glowing or on fire or something equally dramatic.

Nope. Still just regular old hands, ready to turn the world into a Skittles commercial at a moment's notice.

"Well," Mia muttered, more to herself than to Zoe, "here goes nothing. Or everything. Probably everything, knowing our luck."

And with that, Mia Harper – the girl who could change colors but couldn't change her fate – stepped into her new life at Evergreen Academy for the Extraordinarily Ordinary. God help them all.