CHAPTER FIVE
I would shun the light, share in evening's cool and quiet
Who would trade that hum of night?
For sunlight, sunlight, sunlight
But whose heart would not take flight?
Betray the moon as acolyte
On first and fierce affirming sight
Of sunlight, sunlight, sunlight
Sunlight by Hozier
The drive back to town after the meteor shower is calm and quiet. Cass drives a little slower and lets Rapunzel wear her helmet for the music. It may be her imagination, but the shorter woman seems to hold her a little closer for the length of the ride.
It's nearly eleven when she parks her moped on the sidewalk in front of Rapunzel's building. The blonde is slow to climb off the back, and when she does she keeps hold of Cass's arm.
"I had a really good time tonight," she hums, glowing in the low light of the street lights. "Even if you were late."
Cassandra laughs and offers Raps a rare smile. "Thank you for forgiving me for that…"
Gleaming emerald eyes crinkle with delight as Rapunzel returns her date's smile. "I'm glad I did."
Stories above, from an open window, is a loud bark. Rapunzel laughs, leaning into Cass as she rises from the moped. "Can I walk you inside?"
The blonde leans further into her dark-haired companion and hums. "How about," she steps away with another coy smile, "You and I take Max for a walk?"
Another bark sounds and Raps smiles bright and mischievous as she steps back towards the main entrance to her building, tugging Cassandra along. How can I say no? "Yes." She whispers like it's a prayer, a plea, something to tether her to the earth lest she floats away in joy. "I'd love to."
The smile that overtakes tanned freckled cheeks blooms the briar in her chest. Cass is lightly dragged into the building's elevator, and as the door closes Rapunzel grins playfully at her. "You're going to love Max! He's the best dog." They're dangerously close, nearly nose to nose as Rapunzel gushes about her pet. Cassandra gets distracted by the younger woman's fluttering eyelashes and vibrant green eyes. The elevator dings and the dark-haired woman nearly jumps. The reaction rewards her with a playful giggle and another sunlit smile. "A little distracted tonight, Cass?"
She's shifted to lean her shoulders against the wall of the elevator, hands still grasping Cass's paler ones, but with her face further away so the taller woman can focus a little better. "Can you blame me?" she shutters out, following the curve of a playful smile back to glittering green.
Rapunzel tugs her playfully out the elevator and down the hall. Each door is a mirror of the next, but she can tell which one belongs to her date from down the hall. It's a tunnel of deep browns till the last door on the right. It matches the deep browns around it, but expertly painted across the wood is a beautiful forest scene. Birds flitter almost lifelike, across the wood, and the leaves of the trees look real enough to touch. "Wow."
"Do you like it?" Rapunzel is almost shy with the question, and it strikes Cass as odd. The shorter woman was lively and excitable. This was new.
"Raps… It's beautiful."
A nervous giggle draws her attention from the painting and Cass can see the soft flush across tanned cheeks. "It's my little secret, but I love painting," They're not touching anymore, but Cass can still feel the other woman against her somehow.
She turns her back to the door and pulls Rapunzel closer, adoring the still present flush across freckled cheeks. "I think that's amazing. I couldn't draw a double amputee stick figure." She's rewarded with a laugh as Raps leans against her. Cass realizes belatedly, that even the hallways in the apartment building are heated. That or whatever warmth that's filled her chest has moved outwards through lungs and ribs to permeate the air.
"So, Max?" Rapunzel murmurs, maybe a little too distracted by Cass's lips.
"Who?
The blonde roars with laughter and presses her face into Cass's shoulder to keep her tone down. "My dog, Maximus."
"Right, right. Just uhh… Keeping you on your toes." She flashes a pair of finger guns and melts at another burble of laughter from the bubbly blonde.
"Of course."
Sunkissed hands unfurl a jingling bundle that appears more keychain than keys as Rapunzel unlocks the door. Cass sees purple walls with more beautiful murals painted across them from floor to ceiling. A bark pulls her attention from the lightly furnished two-bedroom apartment to one of the largest dogs she's ever seen. Suddenly Cass is nervous. Dates weren't necessarily new to her, but meeting friends or family was, and what were pets if not just that? What if he didn't like her? What if he liked her too much. A thousand thoughts flood her head as she stares vacantly at the enormous white great dane holding his leash in his mouth across the room.
The lightest touch across pale knuckles brings her back to reality, blinking and worried. "He's very sweet," Raps says softly holding Cass's hand as she gestures Max closer. "Just a big softy, I promise." Cass nods, still more nervous than she'd like to say. When the canine is a few feet in front of them Raps crouches and tugs Cass down with her. The heavy emotion that has wrapped around the would-be hero's heart lifts at the wide brown eyes Max levels at her. There's a breath, chuffed, as he stands and sniffs at her face and hands. His whip-wire tail waves lazily as he plops back to the ground and smiles towards Rapunzel.
"He likes you!" She cheers with her sunrise smile. "I knew he would!" Cassandra chuckles low as she stands, hiding her nerves in a tense shrug. "Let me grab his leash and we can head out!"
A horror movie scream plays low from Cassandra's jacket pocket and Rapunzel raises a brow towards her. The scream replays and the dark-haired woman huffs as she pulls out her phone. "It's Varian, one sec." Raps smiles and points to the small balcony that overlooks the street. "What's up Var?"
The line buzzes faintly, something Cassandra only started noticing after her episode at Rapunzel's office. "How was your date?"
"Still on it." She leans lazily against the railing of the balcony with a smile, but Varian clears his throat.
"For how much longer?"
"I don't know Var," her tone comes off sharp, but she's not sorry for it. "This is Rapunzel we're talking about. I've wanted this date for-I don't know. Forever."
"I know, I know." He sounds sorry and Cass sighs.
"Why do you ask?" Through the glass door, Cassandra watches Rapunzel talk animatedly to Max. As she feeds her chameleon, she flutters to and fro, a physical representation of sunlight and spring.
"It's nothing…"
"Somehow I doubt it." Varian shifts on the other line, and Cass rolls her eyes.
With a huff, Varian relents, "It's dad. It's his day off and he got called in for extra security."
"Yeah? That happens sometimes, why are you worried?" Across the street, a door slams and Cassandra watches a teenager huddle into their coat as a sleek silver vehicle slows to a stop to let them in.
"Well, he left in a hurry, almost forgot his badge… I think something big is going down." Varian sounds more and more worried as he continues, the soft waver in his voice becoming more and more like a quiver.
"What makes you think that?"
There is a pause, followed by shuffling and the scratch of a police radio. "I was curious, so I made a police scanner."
She smiles, "Of course you did. Could buy one, but instead, you make one."
"I don't understand the codes, but there are a lot of cops moving towards downtown."
Cassandra rubs her neck with a sigh, "Var-"
"Your dad is there." Lightning shoots through her spine, sparking at her hands and her phone beeps like it does when it's fully charged. There's a sickness that sinks into her gut, and her vision blurs at her periphery. There's an overwhelming feeling of dread that sinks into her bones and blood, a warning igniting in her body.
Cassandra pauses with a sigh, "How bad do you think it is?" Her hands shake.
"There are reports of gunshots."
"I'm on my way."
Stepping back through the door, Cassandra clatters, pushing with just a little too much force. Rapunzel almost jumps, looking worriedly towards her.
"I'm sorry. I-" In an instant, Raps is at her side. Tan hands cup pale cheeks and Cass feels the panic leave her like the breath that seeps from her lungs. "There's a family emergency. I have to go, but I want to see you again." The words fall out before Cass can stop herself. "If that's okay."
"It's more than okay." Raps hums, leaning up to press a soft kiss to open lips. "You have my number."
"I do."
"And I'll see you Monday? For the delivery?" It's playful as she scratches Cassandra's jawline lightly.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." She presses another kiss to Rapunzel's lips, pulling the other woman closer before stepping away. "I'll text you tonight."
"I can't wait."
Cautious of neighbors, Cassandra leaps down the stairs with skills she's only had for a few weeks. She bounds from walls to floor, and out the front door onto her scooter. At this time of night, there's no one on the road, but her drive is still much slower than she would like. She parks just outside Moon-Drop and strips her date clothes for her sheer black spider-suit. She pops the bluetooth headset into one ear and tugs her mask over her face. The lenses flare to life and the world is tented green.
She shoots two webs and swings herself into the air. Gracefully, she flips in the air and whips another web forward. She swings through town and arrives at the bank tower Quirin works security for. Stopping two buildings away, she watches the patrol cars as they shine spotlights into the building.
"Come out with your hands up, and we can talk about this." An officer shouts through a loudspeaker, towards the building.
A familiar electric buzz warns her before Varian speaks. "At least one gunman, two guards are being held hostage."
"Quirin?"
"Yeah." He sighs.
"Some guards."
"There's an entrance on the roof you should be able to short circuit."
Cassandra groans, swinging towards a darkened spot on the building and crawling upwards. "Short circuit, you're assuming that I can manage that on command."
"You can do it, Cass." You have to do it. Rings loud and clear in her head.
Once on the roof, the wind pushes her up and over the ledge. The entrance Varian mentioned is connected to a keypad with a ten-key backlit by flickering green. "Just a little juice, I can do it. No pressure."
"Your gloves will conduct the flow evenly through your palm."
"Gee, thanks." She huffs, rubbing her hands together.
She takes another deep breath and presses her hands to the keypad. The wind whirls and she shivers against it. Time ticks by but nothing happens. No electricity sparks from her fingertips. No wave or surge floods through her, just another warning from the police on the other side of the building, and the whisper of the wind.
"Cass-"
"I'm trying, Varian." She hisses, worry filling her chest with a frost. She was so warm and happy just an hour ago, and now- A spark. Nothing big, the keypad flickers once but returns to its dulled state soon after.
"What was that?"
"I-"
"The system flickered. Was that you?"
"I think so." She takes another deep breath and pulls on the emotions that have filled her most of the night. Rapunzel's soft smile, and the feel of her hands, her lips. Warmth surges through her chest. Inside her, a spark ignites, something more powerful than she'd touched on before. Her eyes light up, a glow she can feel as her emotions swell. She pushes outwards, pushing the warm buzzing in her chest towards her shoulder, and down her arm into her hand, and- Blue sparks burst from her hands and the door's keypad fizzles and bursts into its own shower of sparks that lurches the door open as the lights go out.
"Cass?"
"I did it!" She cheers, just above a whisper, nearly jumping with joy. "I'm gonna save your dad Var."
There's no answer as she rushes in. It's a big building, one she's never navigated before, but she's able to sneak her way up walls and across ceilings into the save the three bank robbers have the two guards.
"There's three of them." She whispers, low enough that the thieves can't hear above the buzz of the power grid trying to pull itself back up.
"That explains how they took down two guards."
"Why are there only two guards tonight?" It didn't make sense. If Quirin was called in as backup, why was only one guard scheduled in the first place? "Contact the police. This was an inside job."
"Cass wait! What are you-" She silences the headset and drops from the ceiling soundlessly. The criminals don't see her yet, but she takes a deep breath and walks forward.
"Quite a place for a gathering so late in the evening, don't you think boys?" The first bank robber, standing guard at the opening of the safe turns towards her. The same sickening feeling of nausea and dread fills her head and chest and Cassandra shifts to dodge a gunshot she hadn't seen coming.
"What the fuck?" He stares at his gun and points it at her again, and the same feeling fills the vigilante. She follows the feeling into another smooth dodge, and another as the fiend fires off three more rounds. She ends up hanging from the ceiling again.
"Look what you've done now. You've waisted four whole bullets and I just wanted to talk." The man is shaking, staring up at her from his post outside the safe.
Soon enough the other two men rush outside to gape up at her. They're all wearing balaclava and night vision goggles, but are only armed with and guns. They didn't intend to get caught, not that underprepared.
"Make one more move and we'll shoot the hostages." None of the men are looking at Quirin and his fellow guard, but their tone is deadly serious. Cassandra glances towards them to assess any wounds. Quirin is awake, wide-eyed, and furious behind a broken nose, and his comrade is out cold.
"There's no need for that fellas." She hops down again, startling all three men. Beneath her mask, she smiles. A dark figure in an empty building is startling enough, but one who could dodge bullets and hang from the ceiling? She was going to enjoy this.
A single step forward has the men pointing their guns towards Quirin and the other guard, but a follow-up step has them shifted towards Cassandra again. That's right boys, all eyes on me. A quick flip sens a rippled gasp across all five men guards included, and Cass shoots a solid web at the closest guard's gun. It's yanked from his hands, and with a heavy swing, the gun becomes her own weapon. She whips it in a circle around their heads and slams the blunt object into its owner's head.
The other two men lurch forward, diving away from another vicious swing, and Cass shoots a few bursts of webs at the downed man. The remaining men converge on her, but she catches them both by the chest and smiles beneath her mask. "G'night boys." She chirps, before surging another blast of bioelectricity from each hand and sending the men backward.
Blue lightning arcs from their lightly twitching bodies, but upon quick inspection, the robbers are simply knocked out. She secures them next to their cohort and attends to Quirin and the other guard.
"What are you?" He whispers, his gruff voice familiar and soothing.
"Just a harmless vigilante," Cassandra replies as she unties them and steps back. "I should be going though." Another set of awkward finger guns and she dashes away, up the adjoined staircase and out into the cool night air.
Back at Moon-Drop Cassandra pulls off her mask and video calls Varian. The teen is worried then startled, but Cassandra spews the events of the last several minutes. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Better than okay! Why do you ask?" She watches in awe as Varian points his phone towards a nearby mirror, showing what he can see on his end. She's smiling and vibrant, more so than usual, due to her glowing blue hair and eyes. "What?"
As her smile drops, she watches as the color slowly fades. Her hair returns to her normal dark curls and her eyes fade back to their natural steely gray. "Looks like we've got a color scheme for your official costume," Varian chuckles, as he angles the phone back to his face. "Get home safe Cass. Oh, and thanks."
She ends the call with a quiet thumbs-up and shuffles back to her moped. The night had taken a lot out of her, in more ways than one, and she was ready for bed. Her phone chimes as she settles down on the scooter's seat, and she lazily opens it. It's a message from Rapunzel that says goodnight, with another bout of thanks. Attached is a photo of the blonde, her hair splayed about behind her head as she lays cuddled up with Max on a thick purple comforter. She's smiling coyly, dressed in a simple nightgown that shows off long tanned legs kicked out above her, and Cass's mouth goes dry. It was hard to be mad about leaving her date early when she'd saved her best friend's dad's life, but somehow she still had the energy to be just a little grumpy about it.
Goodnight Raps. See you soon.