Adrianne looked at herself in the mirror. Her reflection looked back, as reflections are wont to do. Her mirror-self didn't stay put, though. She twirled around and gave a jaunty little wave before going still.

She tugged on her scrunchy, pulling her ponytail in place. Then she bit her lip, frowning faintly. Her hair was okay, but her face wasn't. Rummaging in her dresser, she found her old glasses and put them on. Her eyes flashed from pink to brown as they compensated for the lenses, and the lines of her face subtly altered.

Adrianne nodded. It still wasn't quite right, but it was close enough. Any discrepancies could be chalked up to her sudden weight loss.

Anyway, her face hadn't changed THAT much...compared to the rest of her.

Adrianne rubbed her ears, fingering the lobes. They felt a little odd, but she was fairly sure the shape would hold. Not that she expected people to poke her ears, but better safe than sorry.

It would be terribly awkward if someone saw through her disguise. Adrianne Casmir was supposed to be a normal girl, not a purple-haired elf.

Of course, even if the glamour failed...the other kids would probably just assume she'd gone overboard with cosplay. Adrianne smirked. Finally, her geek reputation was good for something.

Satisfied, she smoothed down her skirt, grabbed her backpack, and headed to school. It was a little early, but she didn't want to be late on her first day back. Besides, the walk would be nice.

And if she got tired of walking, she could always teleport.

TALES OF THE LEGENDARY
SPACE CASE

By Acyl

Adrianne skipped into school, laughing all the way. She drew a few weird looks from other students, but she didn't care. Stares and whispers weren't new to her. Nothing could ruin her mood. Life was good.

She all but danced through the building, tapping a staccato beat on the hall floor. Reaching her locker, Adrianne began spinning the dial...but stopped, after only two clicks.

Slowly, she drifted towards the glass case on the other side of the corridor. She'd walked past the thing many, many, times, but she'd never really looked at it. Today she did, her eyes roaming over the trophies and old photographs. Her gaze settled on the centre shelf, the place of honour in the display. It bore a number six football jersey and a shot of the athlete who'd worn it. But what really drew her attention was the other photograph. The picture showed the same man, except older and in a different uniform. One with a cape.

"Someday, Mister Hero," Adrianne murmured, "my picture will be next to yours."

She pressed her fingertips against the glass, and whispered, "Someday soon."

"Um," came a quiet voice, interrupting her reverie, "are you okay?"

Adrianne whirled, blinking rapidly. Another student stood behind her, a blonde girl about Adrianne's height. She wore a t-shirt, jeans, and a concerned look on her face. She seemed afraid for Adrianne's health - more specifically, her mental health, or lack thereof.

"Nonononono, I'm fine, I'm fine," Adrianne said hurriedly, in what she hoped was a reassuring manner, "perfectly alright!"

The girl didn't seem convinced. "Uh, okaaaayy. Um, you're Casmir, right?"

Adrianne bobbed her head. "That's me! Adrianne Casmir! You're...wait, you're in my Modern Lit class, aren'tcha? No, no, I'm fine, really, anything you've heard about my missing school due to a nervous breakdown is completely and utterly false! Well, except for the bits that aren't, but those are only little bits!"

"I'm Raye," the girl said, "Raye Langley. I didn't mean to...I just..."

"It's okay," Adrianne replied, "everyone thinks I'm crazy, I know."

"That's not true," Raye insisted, "we've missed you. Really." She smiled. "Welcome back, I guess?"

Adrianne shuffled her feet, suddenly unwilling to make eye contact. She peered at her shoes, feeling very awkward. "Ah, thanks," she said.

Then she froze.

In a blur of motion, Adrianne swooped down, throwing her arms wide. "CUTE!"

Surprised, Raye jumped aside, but she wasn't Adrianne's target. No, Adrianne was hugging a penguin. The bird seemed just as shocked as Raye, wings failing against the iron grip.

"Eep! I say," the penguin squawked, "unhand me!"

"Oooh," Adrianne chirped, squeezing tighter, "and he's British, too!"

Frantic, Raye spun round, looking up and down the corridor. Thankfully, it was still early, and the hallway was mostly empty. The few students around were preoccupied with their own affairs, and nobody seemed to notice Adrianne's outburst. Raye breathed a sigh of relief, shoulders slumping. Kneeling, Raye grabbed hold of the other girl, gently prying her arms off the distraught waterfowl.

"Shhh," Raye hissed, "not so tight! And not so loud!"

"Er, sorry," Adrianne said, loosening her hug, "is he a secret agent penguin?"

"This is my natural colouration, madam," the penguin huffed, "not a tuxedo."

Raye stared at Adrianne. "You're...not supposed to see him."

"Oh," Adrianne gasped, clasping her hands to her mouth.

The penguin took advantage of the opening, squirming free. He waddled a few steps back, giving Adrianne a wide berth. Then he frowned at her, beak curving in puzzlement. "You CAN see me, Miss Casmir?"

"Yeah," Adrianne answered, kneeling on the floor, "though you're kinda fuzzy. But that makes you cuter!"

She lunged forward, trying to pet the penguin's head, but was thwarted by his quick evasion.

"He's invisible," Raye explained, "to most people. Well, everyone, actually."

"Oooh," Adrianne marvelled, mouth opening in a little 'o' of wonder, "that's totally cool! You're like breaking the no pets rule and nobody can catch you!"

"I am NOT a pet," the penguin stated, puffing his chest out, "my name is Alistair!"

"Alistair! That's a nice name!"

Raye watched the exchange with an air of amusement, but also a hint of worry. It was getting close to the bell, and the hall was beginning to fill with students. So far nobody was looking their way, but it was only a matter of time.

"Look, er, Adrianne," Raye said, "can I talk to you later? I think we have the same lunch period, and..."

"Sure, sure," Adrianne replied, scrambling to her feet. With a final cry of 'BYE MISTER PENGUIN', she flounced back to her locker, spinning the combination with manic intensity.

Raye watched the other girl for a moment, then shouldered her own bag and set off down the hall. Alistair waddled alongside her, but the penguin's presence passed without comment. No students or teachers noticed the talking bird. Just as she'd claimed, the penguin was invisible. Or at least, eyes just slid right past him. It was like the bird had an SEP field - Somebody Else's Penguin.

"That was...odd," Raye said in a hushed tone, keeping her lips still and her voice low. She didn't want to seem like she was talking to herself.

Alistair, however, was under no such restrictions. The penguin responded with a sardonic squawk. "Odd? She's crazy."

"No," Raye disagreed, "Superball's crazy. Looney's weird. Adrianne's just a bit..."

"Crazy," Alistair muttered.

"Different," Raye chided, with a grin, "be nice. She likes YOU."

"I wish she had a different way of expressing it," the penguin grumbled.

Raye smiled again, before her expression grew serious. "How come she could see you?"

Alistair shrugged, his wings rising and falling. "I don't know," he admitted, "I've been to your literature class, and she never noticed me before. Maybe she's just..."

"...crazy," Raye finished, lightly bopping the penguin on the head.

"Ow. Yes. But I don't think she'll be any trouble. Even if she tells people, who will believe her?"

"True," Raye quipped, "invisible penguins are kinda hard to swallow."

"Hard to swallow? Hmph," Alistair sniffed, "no worse than that tripe your History teacher keeps spouting."

"Mister Herman is okay," Raye said, "just a little boring."

"That man," Alistair snapped, "has no respect for the grand traditions of the British Empire!"

Raye grinned. "You do know I've got double History this morning?"

Alistair whimpered, clutching his forehead. "Don't remind me."

* * *

Mr David Herman wasn't a happy camper. Not a happy man at all.

He hated his job. He never wanted to be a high school teacher. But that was the fate cruel destiny had forced on him. He'd been comfortable at the university, but those fools didn't grant him tenure.

And now he was reduced to this, begging for a meagre salary, chained to a classroom of juvenile dimwits. He was an academic of the highest order, a genius! He didn't deserve this!

He deserved respect. Respect that these insufferable children refused to give. They had no concern for the matters of history. All they cared about were their petty little teenage lives.

There, at the back of the class! Did they think he was blind? Whispering and giggling to each other in mindless flirtations. Hormonal stupidity, nothing more.

Such insolence, such unmitigated gall!

Mr Herman glared at the room. There! A boy slumped like a spineless amoeba! The brat was asleep, he knew.

An insult, a slap to the face!

But worst of all were the ones who LOOKED attentive. The ones who pretended to be listening. Mr Herman knew the truth. They were liars, dirty little liars. He could see right through their evil masks. Like that...what was her name? The pretty blonde in the front row, that Raye Langley girl. She sat straight, even writing in a notebook. But the little bitch didn't fool him. He knew that look of concentration was feigned.

He could feel her contempt. It made him angry.

She raised a hand, soprano voice rising...

...and Mr Herman slammed his hands onto the desk, splintering the wood.

"THERE WILL BE NO QUESTIONS," he barked, flecks of spittle flying from his mouth.

The class went still, stunned into silence.

A sneer crossed the teacher's face, a grotesque smirk stretching from cheek to cheek. With an almighty roar, he leapt atop his desk, ripping his shirt open. Buttons tore free, exploding like bullets.

The students gaped.

For the first time in his career, Mr Herman had their full attention.

* * *

Adrianne pranced down the hall, whistling a happy tune. As expected, her teachers had given her an awful lot of work to catch up on. But she wasn't going to let that torpedo her spirits. Life was good.

One of her classmates had a talking penguin! She was looking forward to finding out what was up with that.

"Miss Casmir! Miss Casmir!"

Whoa, Adrianne thought, speak of the devil. She stopped as Alistair the penguin raced toward her. The bird sped between the legs of the crowd, sliding furiously on his belly.

"Hey, chill," Adrianne said, "what's wrong?"

Alistair fell against her ankles, breathing heavily. "It's Raye! She...she's..."

But the penguin never finished his sentence.

A wall exploded, shattering just a few feet from them. Students screamed, many caught and injured by flying debris. But a single figure took the brunt of the blow - a glowing girl.

She flew through the hole, slamming into the corridor floor. She bounced a few times, hen lay still. Her aura flickered, light fading from her body like a dying bulb. A sword dropped from her hand, clattering to the floor.

"RAYE," Alistair wailed, beak wide with horror, "NO!"

Adrianne stared. The prone figure was an entirely different girl. A warrior princess in blue and gold, with a winged headdress sweeping from a mane of hair.

But she WAS Raye Langley.

Another figure appeared, framed by the broken wall. It was taller, unmistakably male. He strode from the cloud of smoke and plaster dust, looming threateningly over Raye's fallen form.

Adrianne gasped. It was Mr Herman! Except Mr Herman didn't normally walk around with his shirt hanging open. And she was pretty sure Mr Herman didn't have a giant cuckoo-clock where his torso should be.

"I AM HISTORIMANDIAS, TEACHER OF KINGS," he howled, "LOOK UPON MY HOMEWORK, YE MIGHTY, AND DESPAIR!"

He lifted one foot, preparing to stomp on Raye's head.

Then a bolt of blazing blue flashed into his gut.

The history teacher reeled, snarling like an animal. He turned to face his attacker, and found Adrianne.

But she was different too.

Her hair writhed like a living thing, snaking into a stream that reached her waist. No longer was it brown: now it shone a vibrant purple, matching her eyes. Gone were the glasses. And surmounting it all, her ears grew sharp and pointy, the ends twitching with anger.

"BACK OFF, BUSTER!"

A second blast surged from her arms, pounding into Mr Herman's chest like a tiny freight train. The force knocked him off his feet, flinging him down the hall.

Her eyes narrowed, closing into slits.

Staff and students had fled soon as the fighting started, leaving only the unconscious and badly wounded. About half a dozen kids...and Raye.

Quickly, Adrianne shifted her hands, sketching a line in the air. Dark energy lashed at the insane teacher, striking him before he could get up. Inky blackness swirled back into Adrianne - before rippling out in a wave of smoky green. It healed wounds, mended bones...

...and woke Raye.

The caped heroine rose in a spiral of light, health flooding back from the spell. Instinctively, she grabbed her sword. Then she blinked in confusion. "What the...Adrianne?"

"Hiiiii Raye," Adrianne sang, "Mister Herman looks really mad. Did you flunk a test or something?"

"Or something," Raye retorted. She twirled her broadsword, adopting a ready stance. "But call me Evangelia, okay?"

"Ohhh, secret identity," Adrianne said knowingly, "I understand."

Running over, Alistair released a sigh of relief. "Eva! Are you alright?"

Evangelia nodded. "Yeah. A little sore, but---" she cut off mid-sentence, muscles tensing, "---LOOK OUT!"

The costumed girl sprang forward, just as the teacher leapt back to his feet. The two collided with a resounding crash, the flat of Evangelia's blade smashing into Mr Herman's skull. But the teacher shrugged off the blow.

Growling, Mr Herman reached for Evangelia with claw-like hands. She evaded his grasp, but only barely, slashing desperately at his midsection. The blade sunk into the oversized clock replacing his torso, kicking loose a few splinters and chips of wood. But the sword only penetrated an inch or two before stopping dead.

"Raye...er...EVA! GET CLEAR!"

Her sword was stuck, but Evangelia managed to wrench it free - by planting both feet on Mr Herman and using him as leverage. She rolled away, just in time.

A massive burst streamed past her, engulfing the teacher in a flood of cerulean light.

An electric thrill ran through Evangelia's body. She'd felt it before, when Adrianne revived her, but she'd assumed it was part of the healing. Yet Adrianne's attacks produced the same sensation, like a spark dancing down her spine.

It must have felt different for Mr Herman, though. The teacher's voice rose in a scream, a shriek of pure unadulterated agony.

The light show stopped, leaving Adrianne swaying on unsteady legs. Channelling that much energy hadn't been easy, and she was clearly exhausted. Panting, Adrianne focused weary eyes on Mr Herman...

...and blinked. Because he didn't look hurt at all.

Adrianne gulped. "Uh oh."

Alistair peeked out from behind her, beak clicking nervously. "I concur," he said.

The clock on the teacher's chest made a soft whirring sound. Hands spun until they struck the hour, chiming with an ominous knell. A hatch opened where Mr Herman's gut should have been. More chimes played as a painted cuckoo shot out, rocking back and forth.

Mr Herman laughed, cackling in time with the music. "YOU CAN'T STOP THE MARCH OF HISTORY!"

"Is it just me," Evangelia whispered, "or is he getting stronger?"

Alistair nodded, unable to speak.

"Okay," Adrianne said, her voice unnaturally calm, "new plan."

Pause.

"RUN AWAY!"

She ran away. A moment later, Evangelia followed suit, sheathing her sword and scooping Alistair into her arms. The girls (and penguin) raced down the corridor, pursued by the cuckoo teacher.

As they dashed through the school, Adrianne glanced at Evangelia and asked, "You're a superhero, then?" Her tone was light and conversational. She sounded as if she were out for a casual stroll, not running for her life.

"Er, yes," Evangelia replied, after a second.

"That's so cool," Adrianne gushed, "I'm one too! Well, sorta. I mean, I registered last week and everything and even made a costume, but I left it at home today 'cause I didn't think I'd need it at school. It's not FAIR!"

"That's life," Alistair sympathised, making a philosophical gesture with one wing.

Evangelia took a fleeting look over her shoulder. The teacher was nowhere in sight, but she could hear him rampaging through the building, bellowing like a rabid buffalo. "So," she said, "do you really have a plan, or are we running all the way to China?"

"It's cool," Adrianne assured her, "just follow me."

Alistair gave her a quizzical stare. "You have some way to stop that thing?"

"Think so, yeah," Adrianne answered, as she charged up a staircase.

Evangelia ran after her, tightening her grip on the penguin. "Mind sharing, Sherlock?"

"Okay," Adrianne began, as they took stairs two at a time, "I do magic, see?"

The girls (and penguin) tumbled onto the fourth floor landing. Adrianne cornered like a racing driver, complete with burning rubber. Her shoes slid across the floor, hard enough to singe the soles.

Adrianne kept running, skirt flaring as she blasted forward. In a breathless voice, she continued, "I...er...sorta figured out how to tap...um, the human spirit, I guess. Dreams, emotions, creativity...that kinda thing."

Evangelia arched an eyebrow. "You shoot people with motivational posters?"

"Noooooo, more like science fiction and fantasy, that's my power source," Adrianne said, long ears shaking, "buuuuut, I can use other stuff, and I know where to get more firepower."

"Where?"

"Here!"

Evangelia stared at the place they'd stopped at. In an incredulous voice, she exclaimed, "The computer lab?"

"Yup," Adrianne nodded, "hold him off while I charge up!"

Without waiting for a reply, she dove into the room, parking herself at the nearest PC. She brushed the mouse, hammered in a single line of text - a URL - then leaned back, arms spread, and began to chant.

Alistair wiggled out of Evangelia's arms, dropping to the ground. The penguin waddled after Adrianne, climbing onto her lap and squinted curiously at the screen.

Left alone, Evangelia pulled out her sword. She stood guard outside the computer lab. She really hoped Adrianne knew what she was doing, because Mr Herman was getting closer. The sound of the crazed teacher's passage echoed up the stairwell, ringing in her ears.

As she predicted, Mr Herman appeared a second later, pounding up the steps like a raging bull. The hands of his torso clock spun and spun, rotating so fast that the breeze ruffled her hair.

"HISTORICAL INEVITABILITY," he proclaimed, fists held high.

"You're late," Evangelia said. Her sword slashed a silvery path through the air, a glittering arc of gleaming steel.

Mr Herman staggered, clutching his head. "I'm late," he moaned, "I'M LATE!" For a moment, Evangelia swore the man had bunny ears. The moment didn't last, however. The teacher recovered, ignoring the fresh cut bisecting his face.

"You're LATE," he snarled, "DELINQUENT! DECEASED!"

Evangelia wove her blade in a stunning display of swordsmanship. She looped through five successive swings, a brutal combination that drove the teacher back.

Yet despite the punishment, the man didn't fall.

The teacher attacked, and Evangelia blocked his punch. The blow had been telegraphed, but that didn't diminish its speed or strength. He hit so hard that Evangelia was forced to use her blade as a shield. That put her on the defensive, an opportunity the cuckoo teacher was quick to exploit. She managed to deflect the next attack, and the next, but she knew she couldn't hold out forever.

"EVA," Alistair cried, "GET DOWN!"

Reacting on instinct, Evangelia threw herself to the floor.

Magic filled the corridor, a cacophony of sight, sound, and raw emotion. A shimmering wall of voices, charged with images, words, thoughts and feelings.

Life, love, death, hate, passion, apathy, hope, and fear...a million voices, screaming, laughing. It was like all human existence compressed into a single heartbeat of light and darkness.

And then it was over.

Evangelia looked up, staring as the last wisps of power evaporated into the ether. There was a very large crater at the other end of the corridor, as if a giant fist had slammed into the wall. The teacher lay crumpled on the ground, body twisted at a painful angle. Only the faint rise and fall of his chest showed signs of life. His clock torso was completely shattered, the cuckoo-bird dangling with a tiny cross-eyed expression.

She could still hear the voices, echoing in her head.

"Ick," Adrianne groaned. She leaned against the lab door, sweat soaking her t-shirt. She was exhausted, but supremely satisfied. "kinda overkill...but cool, innit?"

"What," Evangelia asked, "was THAT?"

"MySpace," Adrianne replied, pointing to the computer behind her.

* * *

"EVANGELIA! EVANGELIA!"

Evangelia blinked as she stepped out of the school. Not at the sunlight - the glare wasn't that bad - but at the crowd gathered round the building. The street was packed with students, staff, police, paramedics...and reporters, lots and lots of them.

Shutters went off in a cascade of clicks, microphones were shoved forward, and video camera lights went on. Journalists screamed questions, each struggling to be heard.

Media attention wasn't new to Evangelia, so she took it in stride. So did Alistair, since he knew they couldn't see him. Adrianne, on the other hand, was stunned. She'd never been in a situation like this.

Adrianne's eyes lit up. She bounced, hopping on the balls of her feet, purple hair streaming behind her. She waved and waved and waved, pumping her arms, flashing peace signs to the crowd. They ate it up, showering her with cheers.

"EVANGELIA," one reporter shouted, pointing at Adrianne, "IS SHE A NEW MEMBER OF THE LEGENDARY?"

Adrianne frowned. "The Legenwhatsis?"

"Eva's supergroup," Alistair explained.

Adrianne's eyes went wide. "YOU HAVE YOUR OWN SUPERGROUP?!" She stared at Evangelia, ears drooping like a puppy's. She leaned extremely close to Eva, her expression a wordless plea.

Feeling somewhat trapped, Evangelia looked away. She met Alistair's gaze, instead...and the penguin gave her an expectant stare.

Evangelia sighed, then raised her voice for the benefit of the crowd. "Yes," she announced, "her name is...er..."

"The wonderful beautiful COSMIC heroine, the magician of the FUTURE, the sorceress of the SPACE AGE, defender of all that is shiny and true, I am..."

Adrianne paused for dramatic effect, striking a pose.

"THE SPACE MAGE!"

As the reporters yelled more questions, Evangelia turned to her penguin. "Remember," she said, "this was YOUR idea."

F I N