by Skiye Brant
Chapter 4
The week was relatively calm. Tiger's Blood didn't cause any issues. We didn't have to make-up any excuses to get out of any classes, no being sleep deprived. It was nice week. On Friday, I packed stuff for a picnic and went to pick up Robyn.
"You ready?" I asked when I got there.
"Yeah, so what are we doing?" she asked walking next to me.
"We are going to have a nice picnic together at the park," I said.
"That's nice," she said. "I heard that there was a movie playing there, too. Are we going to see it?"
"Yeah, hope you like kid movies," I said as we found a spot. I laid out the stuff for our picnic. While we waited for the movie to begin I said, "Listen, Robyn. I really-" I was cut off by what sounded like a dinosaur roar. I looked at the movie and it hadn't started yet. I looked up and I saw a dinosaur running through the streets.
"Hold that thought, I have to go to the restroom," Robyn said getting up.
"Me, too," I said. We ran in opposite directions. I jumped in the bushes and took off my outer layer of clothes and quickly put on my boots, mask, and gloves. I pressed my Bluetooth on and said, "Hey, guys, we have a huge situation down by 5th Avenue."
“‘Kay, we'll be there," Nate said. I ran off towards the giant lizard destroying the town. I climbed up one of the buildings and stood on the roof. Python was next to me.
"I can't believe this," she said. "On a date and Lizard Lips shows up and ruins it."
"Same here," I said. "Ok, we need a plan."
"Agreed," she said.
"Lizards usually are cold-blooded and generally their tail falls off. They also see in color," I said reading off my phone. "Ok, that doesn't help much. Let's go fight him and see what his weaknesses are." I put up my phone and jumped off the building. I rolled when I hit the ground. I looked and saw my brothers arrive in the Silver Bullets, mine right behind them. "Glad to see you."
"Yeah, so we have to fight a giant lizard?" Nate said. The lizard was about the size of the three of us combined, twice.
"Yep," Python said. "Let's go." With that the four of us went after Lizard Lips. I started throwing as much electricity at him as possible.
You know what's weird? The fact that I can actually hear its thoughts. I think it’s actually human. Nate thought to us.
"Is it scared, angry, or what?" Nick yelled. "We need something to work with, bro, besides that it's a person in a lizard body."
"It's a she," he yelled. "And she can change shape."
I paused a moment and said, "What?" I stayed still too long and got knocked down by its tail.
"Guys, she is a villain and her name's Copy Cat," Nate said. Then we watched as Lizard Lips shrunk down to normal size.
"What are you doing here?" Python asked firmly.
"Why are you being so mean to your auntie? I mean you got your powers from me. Without me you'd be a nobody," Copy Cat said. "You should be grateful."
"I don't care," Python said. "I hate you for what you put me through, just so I could be your slave." She punctuated the sentence by punching her aunt in the face and a kick to the gut. The three of us stood there and watched.
"And who are these lovely boys?" Copy Cat asked. She walked up and prodded us like sacks of meat.
"Leave them alone," Python said. "They have nothing to do with this."
"Alright, no need to get so testy, Robyn," Copy Cat said. I couldn't believe my ears. I wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse. Robyn then went crazy, punching and kicking her aunt in every available spot. The three of us grabbed her and stopped her.
"It's ok, just calm down," I said in her ear.
"Looks like your friends have more sense than you do. Now, I have to go. Be a good girl now," Copy Cat said. When she left, the four of us left in the Silver Bullets. I stopped by the now deserted park and grabbed up my stuff and headed to our base.
"Come on, Robyn," I said leading her inside. We took off our masks and set them down on the table in the kitchen. Nate started up the coffee maker. We were quiet for a moment. Nate brought us each a cup of coffee.
"So, what was that all about?" Nick asked after a moment.
"Before I came here and before I was Python, I lived with my aunt, who is Copy Cat. But at the time she was just Aunt Lucinda or as I called her Aunty Lu. She was able to change into any shape and multiply herself. I adored her and wanted to be like her so badly. So, one day she took me to this doctor. His name was Dr. Victor Van Lake. Dr. Victor had me lay on a table. He strapped me down and removed most of my clothes. I was eight at the time. I was scared and my aunt just kept repeating, 'You're going to be like me.' Dr. Victor pulled out syringes filled with this purple liquid. He started to inject me with the stuff, all over. I started to feel pain all over. My heart rate sped up. Then I blacked out.
"When I woke up, I was in a nightgown and back at home. Aunt Lucinda told me that the whole thing was a bad dream. I would have believed her if I hadn't noticed that everything seemed to move slower like the world was in jelly and I was only one moving normally. She told my parents that the whole thing was a bad dream when I told them about it. She then started training me, every day. She taught me how to be a mini criminal, but she also taught me how to fight and move around unnoticed. You guys know the White Shadow?" she asked us. We nodded.
"That was me. I hated it but I was only a little kid, a scared little kid. Finally I told my parents what happened, and I showed them. My parents got a divorce over it. My mother took my brother to San Diego. My dad and I stayed in D.C. I decided to become Python and fight the thing I was forced to become. We moved here because Dad got a better job and that's when I learned that Tiger's Blood was in other places than just D.C. It’s more widespread than people think," Robyn said. She started crying. I grabbed her and comforted her. Nate toned down my electricity to where I wouldn't hurt her.
"It's ok," I said. Nate and Nick left and went upstairs. "You have us now. We won't leave you to be on your own. You don't have to do anything by yourself."
She nodded and said, "Thanks, but I don't want to get you guys in the middle of my issues."
"We're already knee deep in it," I said smiling. "Besides, super powered freaks have to stick together. If we don't then what would be the point of fighting?"
She punched me in the shoulder. "I'm not a freak. But you're right, it is better to have people along with you. I need to get home. It's getting late."
"Why don't you stay here tonight?" I suggested.
"No, my dad is probably worried. I should go," she said.
"Let me walk you home then," I said. She nodded. "Let me just change real fast." When I got back, she had changed as well. We started the walk back to her house. We were quiet, content with just each other's company. When we got to her house, I turned and looked at her.
I stared into her eyes. They were brown with little flecks of gold. I placed my forehead onto hers. "Listen, I really like you. I think that I might even love you," I said. "Now that I know who you are, I like you even more and it makes life a whole lot easier. You are beautiful on any given day. You intrude my thoughts so much that Nate has given me so much grief that it’s not even funny. I can't even go somewhere without hoping to see you. I want to do anything for you, impress you with my superhero side. I want you to be mine. I want to be that guy that makes you laugh, smile when you cry, and the one that you hope to see every day." She leaned a little closer and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around her and she wrapped her arms around my neck.
She whispered in my ear, "You do the exact same thing to me. You make my heart beat a little faster, if that's even possible." She broke away as her dad opened the door. "See you tomorrow."
"See ya'," I said.
When I got back Nick said, "Something good must have happened to you."
"Something did," Nate said. "Robyn happened. He confessed his love and she did the same." He overdramatized like it was some soap opera, which it probably was with our lives.
"Whatever," I said
throwing a pillow at them. It missed and swung around and it hit me like a boomerang. I laid down on the couch. "Oh yeah, Robyn is coming over tomorrow."
"You are treading upon sacred ground," Nick said.
"It isn't in the rules," I said. "Also, I want to see how good she is. You can let Lily come if you want."
"Deal," he said. He swung over the back and landed on top of me. I felt my breath get knocked out of me. I pushed him off of me and sat up. After that, Nate put in a movie and brought over popcorn.