S.H.I.E.L.D Academy

Kindergarten Flashback- Alise Rogers' POV

The first day of Kindergarten; a day for little girls and boys to "get out there" and "begin their journey". For me, it was the day I met my friends for life.

Oddly enough, I remember the day pretty well. The sky was blue and the weather was nice. It was a perfect day. I walked into the classroom, which was set up and decked out in all things Kindergarten. The book nook, the art area, the computer cove, the show-and-tell section, the "play place" (although all that was there was basically play), and the nap mats. The classic Kindergarten look was definitely there. Well, sort of.

This "school" of ours--from Kindergarten--where it all begins--through high school graduation--where it all really begins-- is tens of thousands of feet above sea-level. Is that crazy or what? Crazy for you, but not for me. I mean, my dad is about a hundred and eight years old. Abnormal isn't a word used often in my world. As I walked into that classroom, the first thing I noticed was that I wasn't the only one with that policy.

"Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D Academy!" was the first thing I heard. I looked up into the pretty face of Ms. Hill and smiled. She took my hand and gave it a little reassuring squeeze before letting go.

I looked around, absorbing every detail. My dad always said, "Alise. Remember: before you dish it out, take it all in." Sayings like that come with being a war hero, I guess.

The other kids were fascinating. They looked pretty ordinary, but something about them told you another story. You just knew they had something promising to prove. I could say that all this occurred to me then, but honestly it didn't until I looked back on that day. In my five-year-old mind, all I saw were kids I knew were going to be my friends. Kids just know that stuff. They can look at another kid and feel a connection, a promise of a friendship. I felt that stir with a few certain people, and to this day they're my family. My "crew". My "besties" or whatever people call the closest, most fun, infuriating and amazing people in their lives.

I first went over to the book section, leaving my parents with the teacher. A little black-haired girl with big grayish blue eyes and pale skin sat in a bookshelf--yes, in a bookshelf, she was that small--reading a picture book. She looked up at my approach and grinned.

That was my first friendship-promise; I felt the "click". I smiled back and sat down on the floor in front of the bookshelf she sat in.

"Hi," I said quietly, as she put her book away beside her and reached for a new one. "What's your name?"

"I am Laerika," she said with the slightest hint of an accent. "But Mum calls me LaLa."

"LaLa?" I giggled.

"Yep. She calls me that because I like to sing all the time. Who're you?"

"My name's Alise," I said. Her eyes were sparkly, like the prism in my mom's kitchen window. "Whatcha reading?"

Before she could answer, a boy ran up to the bookshelf.

"Hey, Jinx! Don't get stuck in that shelf, or you'll have to magic your way out," he teased, while another boy came up behind him and started making wand waving motions.

"Bippity boppity boo!" they said in a singsong voice. "Abracadabra!"

I didn't really see how that could bother anybody, the teasing was so pathetic. But when I looked back at LaLa, her lip was quivering. That was it for me. But before I could open my mouth to defend her, she was already on it.

"Go away, Stark!" She growled in her little accented five-year-old voice. "You're just jealous you don't have any powers. All you've got are chunks of metal."

"Ouch," Stark said with a fake hurt expression. "Aww, Jinx. We were just kidding."

LaLa stayed silent and went back to her picture book. Stark glanced at LaLa and then at me.