Chapter 2. Enter the Black Cat
Adolescence didn't make sense
A little loss of innocence
The ugly years of being a fool
Ain't youth meant to be beautiful?
Felicia
Felicia wasn't sure how she felt about her new school. The tour went over well, Peter was funny and made her feel like she was welcome. However, the incident with Flash had almost ruined everything. It was that damn ability of hers. Whenever her stress levels increased too high her body would release a gas that only affected those her body deemed threatening. Unfortunately, that just so happened to be Flash. Felicia could remember a time when she had control over this ability. When she didn't get nervous everytime someone looked in her direction. Felicia would never be like that. Not anymore.
When she and her mom arrived home Felicia went into the kitchen to make lunch for the two. Grilled cheese and tomato soup always made Felicia feel better. It was something her dad made her every day after she got out of school when she was little.
"So how was the tour sweetheart?" Felicia's mom asked.
Felicia took a bite of her grilled cheese before responding. "It was fine. Peter was nice, he made the tour fun." Felicia didn't bother to mention the Flash incident, her mom would chalk it up to be a coincidence.
Her mom raised a brow. "Peter? So it was a boy then?"
Felicia clenched her jaw, "Mom don't." Felicia wasn't in the mood for her mom's disapproving looks and words of caution. Felicia knew to be careful.
Her mom's gaze turned somewhat sad. "I'm just worried honey. We don't want a repeat of what happened in LA."
Felicia stood up, "Do you think I want a repeat of what happened in LA? I didn't want it to happen to begin with." Angrily, Felicia stomped into her room. Gone was the nervous girl that Peter met. This version of herself was angry. Felicia went over to her closet and pushed some clothes out of the way to reveal a black suit and a black mask. The suit felt cool in her hands. It was lightweight and durable. Perfect for her nighttime activities.
Tonight can't come fast enough.
A knock on her door made Felicia jump. Quickly, she shoved the suit back in its place and shut the closet. "Come in."
Felicia's mom opened the door, her face apologetic. "I'm sorry for what I said in the kitchen. I'm just worried. Brooklyn is a world away from LA and we don't know anyone here. And with everything that's going on with your father..." Her mom sat down on Felicia's bed, head in her hands. "I just don't know what to do."
Felicia watched her mom for a minute before joining her on the bed. "I get it, mom, I'm sorry for snapping at you. Today has been stressful for both of us. I just want everything to go back to the way it was," Felicia said. She leaned against her mom and closed her eyes. Felicia felt her mom wrap an arm around her.
"I love you so much sweetheart," her mom said, kissing her forehead. Gently, her mom took her arm off Felicia and stood up. "I have to head to work, but I'll see you right as you're going to school."
Felicia stood up and gave her mom another hug. "I love you too mom. Have a good night."
Her mom returned the hug, "You too and don't stay up super late."
"I won't," Felicia lied. She needed to get a good grasp of the neighborhood and scope out anyone who might be a problem. Felicia and her mom said goodbye again before her mom left the room, Felicia held her breath until she heard the front door shut. Exhaling, Felicia walked into her closet and changed.
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Looking for homes to rob and billionaires to piss off was so boring. Felicia just wanted to break into a home and take what she wanted. She couldn't though, not when so many different things could go wrong. Alarms could be set off, someone could still be home, or they could have a dog. However, Felicia could pick on some unsuspecting passerby while she planned. People always carried some amount of cash and Felicia was pretty good at picking out who had more on them.
"What do you mean you can't show up? Miss Nazario the senator is going to be there. I can't have you embarrassing me like this," an angry voice grumbled.
Felicia peered curiously over the ledge. A man with a black trench coat yelled angrily into an iPhone. Peaking out of his sleeve, Felicia could see a very nice, very expensive Rolex. She grinned. She followed him until he got off the phone-no need to alert Miss Nazario that someone was robbing this asshole. Once the phone was safely in his pocket, Felicia pounced.
Or at least she tried to.
Something pulled her back and the next thing she knew Felicia was stuck on the side of a building. "What the hell?" Felicia struggled to get free, but a voice stilled her.
"You know, robbing people isn't all that nice."
Felicia looked up, her eyes meeting a man in a red and blue suit. He was small by most standards for a male, but she could tell he had a lot of power behind him. Cute.
"Well maybe I'm not all that nice handsome," she purred. The man's steps faltered as he approached her, she smirked. "What's wrong?" Flexing her hand, Felicia felt her claws push their way out of the suit. She pulled her hand up and freed herself. "Cat got your tongue?"
She saw the man cock his head to the side and even though she couldn't see his face she could tell he was thinking. Finally, he said, "Look I don't know who you are-"
"Names Black Cat cutie," Felicia said. She stepped a little closer to the masked man. He took a step back.
"Anyway as I was saying, I think I'll let you off with a warning this time since you haven't stolen anything. Just go home and we'll call it a night," he said.
Felicia raised a brow. "Who says I haven't stolen anything?"
"Have you?"
Felicia checked her non-existent pockets, then she checked her new watch, the diamonds on it glittering. "I'm almost pawsitive I had, oh well the nights still young." Leaving the man no time to respond, Felicia shot her hand out and released a grappling hook that shot out and latched onto another building. "Love to stay and chat, but I've gotta run." The grappling hook launched her onto a neighboring building. Once she landed Felicia broke out into a sprint. Close behind, she could hear someone pursuing her.
As she dodged the man's attack Felicia remembered seeing something on TV about a webbed hero that went by the name of Spider-man. He was a known associate of a Mr. Tony Stark, a known billionaire and not to mention one of the Avengers. This little spider could be her key to wherever the new Avengers HQ was located. All of that tech at her fingertips could make her a very rich kitty. She could help her father.
Landing on a ledge, Felicia stopped. She heard Spider-man land on the roof behind her.
"I don't think I've ever chased a cat before," he said.
Felicia turned, "And I don't think I've ever met a celebrity before. There's a first for everything."
"You aren't from around here," it wasn't a question.
"Afraid not, though I don't know why I didn't move here sooner. There are so many people who think their homes are protected, they're ripe for the picking," she said.
Spider-man took a step closer, "Well protecting the people of Brooklyn is kind of my job."
Felicia frowned. "With those abilities, you could make this city your bitch. You could have anything you wanted. Besides, if you only steal from the people who can afford it then it's fine."
"I want to protect the city from thieves like you, and just because someone can afford to be stolen from doesn't mean they deserve it," Spider-man said.
Felicia narrowed her eyes, "What if someone had a good reason to steal from someone who can afford it? Do they deserve to go to jail?" Truth be told Felicia was enjoying her little chat with the friendly neighborhood Spider-man. He was going to make things interesting. Felicia loved interesting.
"There is never a good reason to steal. A thief is a thief," he said, firmly.
"What if someone is helping their family?" Felicia challenged.
"Is that what you're doing? Helping your family?"
Oops.
It was time to change the subject.
Stretching, Felicia yawned. "This conversation is getting a little boring Spider. I might just fall asleep where I'm standing." To prove her point Felicia let herself go limp and fell backward. Right over the ledge.
Felicia heard the hero curse before someone grabbed her hand, leaving her and Spider-man dangling over the ledge. A thin string of web was keeping the two from plummeting.
"Are you crazy?" Spider-man cried.
Felicia winked, "Relax honey, I've still got all nine lives." With that Felicia braced her feet against the side of the building and pushed, sending to the two swinging back onto the rooftop. They landed with Spider-man on his back and Felicia on top of him, her face close to his.
"I hope none of that got in my hair," she breathed.
The masked hero seemed frozen, much to Felicia's amusement. She booped his nose, "I do hope we can see each other again cutie. Unfortunately, I can't have you following me, I wouldn't want you figuring out who I am on the first date after all." Felicia reached into a compartment in her belt and pulled out a small canister.
"What-"
Before he could finish that sentence, Felicia sprayed him with the canister. Within seconds the hero went still. He was knocked out cold.
Felicia jumped up and smiled down at her hero. "Enjoy your little cat-nap sweetheart. I have big plans for you." And she had plans to take a nice hot bubble bath when she got home.
Just a few blocks away, watching the pair was the old Avengers Tower. It's abandoned form serving as a reminder or an omen for what's to come.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think about Black Cat and how different Felicia is when she has the mask on. This chapter is a little shorter, but I'm pretty happy with it. I've got plans for these two and I can't wait to throw Tony into the mix. Review and follow the story if you want and I'll see you for Chapter 3!