Yilmaz was staring at Larisse's backpack, from where a tiny burp had popped. "Something's alive in your bag, Laura."
Think something up, quick, before he checks!
"Alive?" She gave him a hearty laugh and took a big step away from his hand. "Wouldn't that be a shocker? No, no, it's just a…ringtone! A new one I just got for my…backup phone," she realized she was stilling holding hers, "and it mean…my mom is calling me…eh! I'd better take this," she jogged off, "nice meeting you…eh!"
Nailed it.
She ran out of the Parthenon as her real phone dinged with a new text. "It's Neo," she read aloud so the Kwami could hear, "he and Isra have found Peri by the Erechtheion. Texting Tani and Stephan now."
She made her way through the crowds, but as she neared the Old Temple of Athena her phone dinged again. "Uh oh," Neo's text had her on edge, "what do you mean Peri 'accidentally' removed Isra's wig?!"
"This is bad," Gemme poked his head out of the backpack, "she'll contact Yilmaz, and they'll try to kidnap her!"
"Not here. There's too many people," she rounded the Erechtheion, clinging to the building's corner, "but if they can get her out of the Acropolis, we'll never be able to track them down…look, over there!"
Peri had Isra in her arms, the blonde wig on top of a wall of rocks. She was trying to break free but Peri whispered something into her ears as tourists passed, and she fell silent.
She's threatening her into silence? Cold blow.
"Sunne," she sat in the shadows and opened the backpack up, "it's time we transformed."
"Wait," her Kwami put a hand on her cheek as the others flew out, "before you do, there's something I should tell you." She whispered into Larisse's ear. "…Remember to only use it in an emergency, because once you do you'll only have a couple minutes before you de-transform."
A final ability…I'll have to use it wisely if we're going to defeat these guys.
"Sunne, FROM THE ASHES!"
In a flash of gold Foinix stood. "Find your partners, guys," she sent the Kwami away as Beaak stayed by her side, "stay out of sight until I can get Isra over here, okay?"
"Got it. Be careful, Foinix."
"Oi," she ran out and jumped onto one of the piles of stones, "let the girl go, fiend."
Peri turned her way, along with three dozen other tourists coming in from Athens. "You're here," she sneered, "I should have guessed. Where the orphan is, you heroes follow. Her little minions."
Foinix whipped one of her wrist ribbons out and wrapped it around Peri's arms, giving Isra the chance she needed to break away and ran past her. "The corner of the wall," she told her with a wink, "for your own safety."
"You can't do this," Peri warned her as a crowd began to form around them, "I haven't done anything."
"You mean you haven't done anything yet."
The driver chuckled. "This is the difference between heroes and vigilantes, girl."
"Just keep quiet until we-hey," she covered her eyes with her free arm as camera flashes filled her vision, the crowd chatting and snapping photos and video, "hold on, I can't see-ah!"
Thump.
"Ow," she rubbed her head, having fallen off the wall in an attempt to back away from the cameras, "at least I can see now."
Her ribbon had come loose, and as she stood she could see the crowd parting as Peri booked it out of sight. "Alright, people," she got back onto the rock pile as Grypas ran up to her side, "we are Mythic, and we need your help."
"Are you heroes?"
"Superheroes are in Athens!"
"I'm so sending this to my grandma!"
"Was that a criminal?"
"Do we have to pay for this show?"
"Listen to me," she called out so everyone on the Acropolis could hear her, "we are about to battle supervillains! If you don't leave you're going to be in danger!"
"Yeah, right," a deep voice rang out, "how do we know this isn't some sort of hoax?"
Crash!
"Never mind, never mind," the voice cried out as chunks of broken rock flew all over the place, "we believe you!" The crowd spread out, screaming in terror as Chimaira appeared. "Save us! Everybody run!"
Wow, Foinix looked around, they clear out fast.
It took no time for the Acropolis tourists to file out as Chimaira tossed another chunk of rock their way. "Forget about the weaklings," she cackled, "you want a battle? I'll give you one!"
Grabbing her slingshot she began a rapid fire of acid at them. Grypas flew onto the Erechtheion as Foinix ducked down behind the rock pile. "I'm going to take her from behind," she told Grypas, "keep her distracted!"
She nodded and grabbed the bouncing ball from her purse before holding it out in front of her. She let go as it hovered in front of her, spinning around her chest as Chimaira cackled again. "You think I'm going to fall for the same trick twice?"
As Grypas flew around Chimaira, the ball smacking at her legs to keep her aim off balance, Foinix ducked behind the rock piles, slipping closer and closer to them.
I just need to get close enough to grab the slingshot, and then we'll wrap her up before going after Yilmaz.
Chimaira's snake tail hissed in her direction. "A sneak attack?" The villain turned Foinix's way as she was halfway between two remaining pieces of the once grand Pandroseion. "This was once a place of sanctuary for a daughter of Attica Greece's first king, but it's about to become your graveyard!"
Grabbing two pieces of stone she whipped one at Grypas, throwing her flight off as she tumbled to the ground, her bouncing ball bouncing away. The other she whipped right at Foinix's head, moving at the speed of sound.
Super strength-
SWACK!
Dun-dun-DUN! Looks like Foinix and Grypas are in trouble. Can the others make it there in time to help them before Chimaira's work is done? And now I have the deepest desire to actually see the Acropolis with my own eyes. Sometimes pictures aren't enough, but at least I was able to try and recreate some of its glory for the story here.
Until the next chapter!