CHAPTER TWO
>
2 Fast 2 Dashes?
Dash walked down the long rows of red velvet seats with people unknown to him in each one. He kept on seeing people turn to each other and begin to talk, giving him an itching feeling that they were talking about him. He did, however spot a familiar face, and slid into the seat next to it.
"Hey, Matty," he said, running a hand through his hair.
"Oh hey, Dash." Matty leaned back revealing a dirty blonde girl of a good build looking a little confused. "Danielle, this is Dash Parr. Dash, this is Danielle Owens," Danielle smiled and waved a sleeve covered hand, her black sweatshirt seemed to swallow her body.
"Nice to meet you," Dash said smiling. He locked his blue eyes with Matty's bright green ones and grinned sheepishly, his ears turning red. He slumped in his chair and waited for the curtain to part. He stretched his lanky, toned arms and put his feet up on the chair in front of him.
"Hey, Dash, you seem pretty bored, wanna play Patty-cake?" Dash looked at her a little confused. Danielle was rolling her eyes and said something Dash couldn't hear; Matty hit her.
"Ow, that hurt!"
"You expected it to tickle?" Matty smirked, "Come on! It'll be fun!" Dash was at a loss for words, but she would not let him say no, "You know you want to!" He sighed and gave in.
Their slapping hands got faster and more rhythmic as time progressed, it was as if Dash was in a trance because he didn't realize how fast they were going. Their hands were a blur, but they never missed a beat or each other's hands.
They were in a synchronized rhythm, going five claps per second, but then Dash noticed Danielle staring at them and she was tapping on Matty's shoulder. "Okay!" Dash barked and they stopped just as the lights began to dim.
"Whoa, that was a good round!" Matty laughed falling back into her seat with a big grin on her face. Dash however wasn't so entertained, had other people, besides Danielle, seen them going that fast?
The spotlight blared in the center of the curtain which parted to reveal a very frightened student speaker bound and gagged. "What is it?" Dash turned to see Violet melt into view in front of the speaker.
"Violet?" Dash stood up, and as he did this, she put a force field around the auditorium, and the crowd began to panic. Dash turned to Matty and Danielle, but they were gone, so he ran with all his might, through the double doors, toward the edge of the force field, but he couldn't break through. He had to break his sister's concentration.
He zoomed up to her, "Violet, what's up with you?" She turned to him and threw a punch his way. He ducked and went in to grab her when he felt something wiz past him and tackle Violet. When he looked closer, he found that what had attacked his sister, was him! He was staring at a mirror image of himself.
Dash tackled his "reflection" and watched as it transformed into a brunette girl dressed in a royal blue costume with silver accents, mask, and a giant, silver "M" on her chest. She pinned Dash to the ground and shook him. "That's NOT who you think it is, Dash. I know she looks like your sister, but she ISN'T. Don't show restraint."
The girl grabbed Violet by the hair, "Dash! Dash! Help me!" Violet screamed. Dash was too confused to do a thing. How does she know that she's my sister? Should I believe her? How did she turn into…me?
Wait, what's that thing?
Dash had seen a blinking light coming from the back of his sister's neck. He came in for a closer look, but the "M" girl had thrown Violet to the ground, and she was pinning her down with her hands palm-down on Violet's face.
"Don't hurt her!" Dash said as he shoved his hand under Violet's hair. He felt the back of her neck, until he found a smooth, plastic-like bump. He grabbed it between his thumb and his forefinger and pulled it off of her. Violet instantly fell limp in the other girl's hands and the force field around the auditorium disappeared.
"What is that?" the "M" girl asked, but as soon as those words escaped her lips, the blinking-thing had a miniature explosion in Dash's fingers.
"No way of finding out now," he replied disappointedly, as he picked up the unconscious eighteen-year-old, and began to carry her off the stage. Dash stopped and turned to face the girl, "What's your name?"
"I'm the Mimic," she said holding out a hand to Dash. He took her hand and shook it, and as he did, he noticed that the palms and fingers of her gloves are open, having felt soft skin instead of fabric. She smiled at him again, "Want me to take her home for you? Or do you want to get in costume, or what?" taking her hand back.
"Why would I have to get in costume?" he asked, a confused look on his face.
"Well, your classmates would have a field day because you saved a Super, and who knows who's out there that could discover your secret identity if your not in costume and you carry her home?"
"I can book it," Dash defended.
"But do you want to risk it?" Dash thought for a moment.
"I'll get in costume," he said as he sprinted off still carrying Violet in his hands, then came back with an afterthought, "Do you mind holding her for me, 'til I get back?"
"No problem," she said pulling one of Violet's arms over her shoulder, and Dash took off again.
Dash returned to find the stage being crowded with freshmen, shouting questions, but Mimic had her back to the audience and was untying the speaker with Violet still draped over her. "Thanks," Dash whispered, surprising Mimic so that she jumped.
"No problem, Dash," passing Violet to him, which was difficult for her because Violet was considerably taller than her. "See you around!" she said before transforming into a hawk, and flying out an open window.
Dash ran out of the auditorium and turned a corner, ramming into Matty, sending her to the ground. Dash, stood up, picked up Violet, then held out a hand to his new friend. Putting on a super-hero-like air, he said, "I'm sorry, miss, I didn't see you." Dash remembered the force field and wondered how Matty had gotten through it, "Excuse me, miss, but how did you get out of there before I came?"
"Um… I broke through it, but I don't remember how, sorry," she said as she took his hand and stood up to a full height. This was the first time Dash and her had been talking while standing, and he was about a head taller than her.
"It was nice meeting you, uh-"
"Matty Emil," she said smiling.
"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Emil, but now I must be going," and Dash took off just as Danielle busted out of the auditorium.
"I've been looking all over for you!" she shouted just before going out of Dash's hearing range.
"That's a useful power, isn't it, Dani?" Matty said watching the leaves rustle before they turned around and headed back inside the school.
