o - o - o - o - o
Madeline assumed that magical friends who only she could see, and a pet polar bear cub who used to be a stuffed animal were the end of her oddities.
She had assumed wrong.
The day after Kumarie had become a real bear started off normally compared to its predecessor. Madeline woke up groggily, searched for her glasses, and when she found them, proceeded to make her way to the bathroom. Too focused on squirting out just the right amount of toothpaste, she nearly dropped her toothbrush in shock when she finally looked up at the mirror.
Reflected back at her were not the deep blue Madeline had been used to for the past eighteen years. Instead, she saw violet.
Madeline took off her glasses, rubbed her eyes, and proceeded to put them back on. Nothing changed. Madeline's eyes were still that unusual but evocative color.
Her father had always told her he loved the blue eyes she got from her mother. Truthfully, Madeline never knew what to make of that statement. She had heard stories of her mother from her father: a passionate and adventurous woman, a force to be reckoned with, and one that gave her love freely. Madeline loved her father and his stories, but to her, her mother was still a stranger. The blue of her eyes never seemed quite right to Madeline.
Now, examining her new eyes in the mirror again, Madeline felt she had regained a part of herself she was unaware she had lost.
o - o - o - o - o
As it turns out, she also had super strength now.
Madeline was trying to open a pickle jar so she could make a sandwich for her lunch. Pickle jars were notoriously hard to open and she had already exhausted her other options: using a spoon, running the jar under hot water, etc.
In a moment of frustration, Madeline attempted to simply just pry the lid off of the jar. To her surprise, she succeeded...a little too much. The lid came off, at the expense of cracking the jar. Luckily for Madeline, the jar did not crack entirely. Enough to keep the pickles safely inside and to avoid a mess for her to clean up.
Even with her annoyance fueling her, there was no way Madeline should have been able to open the pickle jar that easily. For the rest of the day, she practiced with her newfound strength. Soon enough, Madeline was able to control how much strength she used and for what. She could now do tasks ranging from squeezing an entire apple with her bare hands, to carrying her sofa up and down the stairs.
Inkblot, Sneak, Oggy, Susan, and Woodstock were just as clueless as her as to how her eyes suddenly changed colors, or why she had inexplicably gained super strength. Madeline chose not to pursue the matter further. Too many strange happenings had occurred to her in the span of a little over two days.
It was really no use trying to wrap her head around it all. The violet eyes she could pass off as contacts, but super strength is in no way a common, everyday event.
There were more important matters to deal with. Her father's RV was still in perfect condition, but Madeline's job was to make sure it was fully stocked. It had all the amenities like a kitchen, bathroom, laundry and dryer machine. What she needed was cooking supplies, clothing, toiletries, etc. Madeline was planning on traveling a couple of months, if not longer.
Then there was making sure the house was well taken care of while she was gone. Madeline had no issues with entrusting her neighbors to clean the house or mow the lawn every once in a while.
Come September, Madeline was ready to go. She had all the documents she needed to cross the border. Kumarie could turn back into a stuffed bear when the occasion called for it (how Madeline discovered this is a story for another day). Truly, this was for the best. Madeline did not relish the thought of explaining to the border services officer why she was traveling with a bear.
With wanderlust in her heart and optimism for the future, Madeline set out on the beginning of a new adventure.
o - o - o - o - o
Traveling through several U.S. states after crossing the Canada-United States border, Madeline saw it all. From the splendour and beauty of national parks to the urban life of populous cities. U.S. cities are drastically different from their Canadian counterparts. Madeline was grateful she had brought her bike along, but she also made sure to acquaint herself with the local forms of public transportation.
Another month had passed and the moderate temperatures of September turned into the cooler temps of October. Vibrant green foliage transformed into pleasant reds, oranges, and yellows.
The beginning of October found Madeline in Maryland. She had booked a week of her trip to stay at the famous Cherry Hill Park. Splitting her time at the park and in nearby Washington D.C., she and her magical friends thoroughly enjoyed their time sightseeing.
Inkblot, Sneak, Oggy, Susan, and Woodstock had never been outside of Canada before. Therefore, it was a new experience for them just as much as it was for Madeline. They saw all the famous landmarks, took a guided tour of the city, and had the pleasure to meet fellow tourists and friendly residents. All the while, Madeline took plenty of pictures. Her camera gear was safely stored away in her camera backpack, along with snacks, water, and whatever else she needed.
The last day of Madeline's week was spent exploring the National Mall. Daytime ended as the sun set, ushering in the night. Washington D.C. was beautiful after dark.
Madeline was walking to the nearest metro stop from the mall. Despite it being nighttime, she wasn't worried. She had taken self defense classes back in Canada, and that, paired with her strength, made her a force to be reckoned with.
Her loyal companions kept an eye out for any would be criminals. Madeline had sent Sneak, Susan, and Oggy back to the RV, but Inkblot and Woodstock stayed with her. They'd warn her upon noticing any would be criminals, and attack them if necessary to defend Madeline.
Just after turning a corner into another street, she saw it happening. A man, clad all in black and hiding his face with a ski mask, dragging a lone woman into an alleyway. The woman's fear stricken face soon disappeared from Madeline's view.
The sight of the unfolding crime left her shaken. What's going on?, Madeline thought. Is this a robbery? An assault? She hadn't been prepared for this. Madeline could defend herself, but she hadn't planned on saving someone else's life. I have to do something! Now! Every minute that passes, that man could kill this woman! Or something far worse…
This thought was what finally spurred Madeline to action. She sent Inkblot and Woodstock to examine the area, just in case the criminal had backup. Meanwhile, she'd deal with the lowlife herself.
Dim lighting and an empty street helped Madeline creep undetected to the alleyway. When she risked a peek, she saw the robber had knocked the woman out and was currently rifling through her purse. His back was facing Madeline.
She used his momentary distraction to approach him. With crouched legs and slow but steady breathing, Madeline managed to place herself right behind him. Immediately, she locked her arms around the robber's neck and placed him in a sleeper choke hold. After fifteen seconds, the robber lost consciousness.
Madeline took out a roll of duct tape from her backpack. She duct taped the robber's mouth and made sure to wrap his wrists and hands at least four times. Madeline was about to duct tape the robber's legs together when she was interrupted by a voice.
"Need some help with that?"
Observing her from the entrance of the alleyway was a man who looked to be around her age, although he was taller than her. He was 177 cm (5'9.6") compared to her 162.3 cm (5'4"). He had short blond hair, a prominent cowlick, and sky blue eyes that stared at her behind his glasses. He wore dark jeans, a black undershirt, and a blue and white letterman jacket with matching sneakers. The sleeves of his jacket were decorated with space motifs: a rocketship, stars, and a UFO.
"My name's Alfred F. Jones. Can I have yours, Ms. Heroine?"
A "camera backpack" is different from a regular backpack. There are several pockets/compartments to place your camera and camera gear, so your camera isn't bouncing around like in a regular backpack.
I'm making Madeline's height 5'4", the average female height in Canada.