A few nights had passed by and everything returned back to normal. I didn't see those guys anymore. I guess they got the message. I was back to kicking greedy ass by myself, like usual. However, something was really strange. I noticed it the one day when there was absolutely nothing happening in the town crime-wise. I checked the news: television and all. I walked around town. Nothing.

This meant I didn't need to get dressed into my superhero alias. Which meant I could just mope around the entire day being the regular old Victoria Van Buren and not have to stop anyone since they weren't doing anything suspicious. The feeling of relaxation felt great but at the same time... I couldn't help but feel paranoid.

I knew I should've trusted my instincts when I went out downtown to grab some Starbucks late evening. Earlier, I had spent the day just moping around in my dorm with my boyfriend Jake and not doing work like I was supposed to. Typical. Then I felt like I needed coffee, so I just decided to rush downtown for a quick grab. I told him I would be back, but it would only take forever until I got back... only because I decided to sidetrack just getting coffee and just hanging around downtown for the rest of the day.

Finally toward the evening as it was getting dark, I walked out of the coffee shop feeling satisfied as I held my blissfully sweet peppermint mocha in my hands. I knew that by the time I got back to my dorm, the cup would be empty. Because that's just how good it was... okay, I'm getting a little sidetracked by the coffee here, so I'm just going to skip to the part where I was walking down the sidewalk. Just around the curb near Starbucks, I happened to turn and down I went. If I went further down, I would've had to cross the street on my right to get onto campus.

So as I walked down the right side of the sidewalk towards the crosswalk, I saw a dark figure heading up on the left side of the sidewalk. At first, I thought he/she was just a regular person getting on with their business and getting to wherever they needed to be. But then as I passed by and was about to stop at the crosswalk, I felt like they were stopped and looked at me. I don't know why... I just did. I looked back and they kept walking. Oh well.

I crossed the empty street anyway and walked past the dark sycamore trees that surrounded the long entrance to the campus. The trees seemed to outline the path I walked on... acknowledging the fact that the campus was practically AND obviously surrounded by freaking trees and leftover snow.

Anyway, I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard footsteps behind me. That was strange. Maybe I stepped on a twig or something. Or I was just listening to my own footsteps mistakingly. I tried to reassure myself that no one was following me and I was just hallucinating or some crap like that. I looked up and noticed the dark bursting leaves that seemed to shelter all around me and the pathway. It almost provided me a sense of security, so I went on walking down yet once again, refusing to acknowledge someone was stalking me.

I gripped my coffee tighter around my gloved hands as I held it close to me, sipping almost absent-mindedly as I listened to my boots clomp on the pavement. I was about to reach the big garden fountain in the middle of the campus when someone reached behind me and grabbed my shoulder, scaring the living crap out of me.

I turned around and it was someone in a black hoodie. Almost reminded me of those robbers from the other night, but not as dangerous looking as I suspected. I glared into his non-existent eyes; as it was kinda dark, I couldn't make out anything from the appearance. Then they pulled their hood down and revealed themselves to be... well, my boyfriend. But from the looks of it, he didn't really look too happy. And he smelt strong of liquor and a bunch of other weird-smelling... substances... most of it smelling like cheap alcohol.

I said quietly making a smile, "Oh, hey. Why are you out here? Waiting for me?"

"Where the fuck were you?" Jake seemed to slur. Slurring. It didn't take me long to realize that he was drunk by the way he was swaying as I was talking to him. I rolled my eyes and answered him, "I was getting some coffee and grabbed a couple of snacks. I thought I told you I'd be back.. but I guess I should've told you sooner-"

I was interrupted by a strong shove to the ground. I was almost in shock, but mostly, I was angry. Not only angry at the fact that he had assaulted me being drunk for the third time with nobody on campus to witness, but the fact that I hadn't even finished my coffee and it was sprawled on the ground, completely spilled all over the pavement. Damn, I thought, I paid five bucks for that.

But enough of that. I turned my head hastily at him and snapped, "What the hell's your problem?"

He leered, "I was worried sick about you! Don't do that... again!" Ignoring his remark, I got back up and shoved him back as a reply. I replied back hastily, "Why don't you stop getting drunk while I'm gone for the third time and man up?"

Our shovings practically evolved from a cat fight to actual fighting. He shoved me against one of the trees near the fountain and clung to my wrists. It almost felt like they were bleeding by the way he gripped them so tightly. I was unfortunately helpless, for I didn't have my thunder weapon with me and my wrists were locked which meant I couldn't snatch for anything. I tried kicking but it didn't really do any good to get him off of me.

Great, I'm gonna show up to my friends tomorrow with a black eye and bruises. How else am I going to explain this to them? After being pinned to the tree, I was thrown to the ground yet again, almost knocking the daylights out of me. Before any second thoughts crossed my mind, something leaped up behind him from the tree branch above where we stood and shoved him to where he toppled to the ground helplessly.

The release of my wrists was painful, but almost alleviating. I could finally defend myself... at least I thought I could, until the mysterious figure and Jake started tussling with one another. I was secretly grateful that the masked figure had shown up, because I was defenseless at that time he was pinning me to the tree, but I was tired of feeling helpless. I needed to defend myself better in some way.

I wanted to jump in and stop the whole fight, but something kept me to the ground watching the two of them fight to the death almost. The hooded figure growled as he stood over me when Jake was about to walk over to me, "Don't go anywhere near her!"

He glared back. "I can do whatever the fuck I want, that's my girlfriend, not yours, Robin Hood."

"It doesn't matter. Hurting her won't do you any good. Now leave. Or else..."

Jake put his hands in the air as if he was surrendering, but all I could see was just a sarcastically aggravated look on his face. He simply slurred, "Fine, whatever. Bye, Vi." With that, he simply walked... or trudged... whatever... looked like he was attempting to walk but ended up swaying back and forth with every step... away. I didn't even know where he was going, but I knew it was off campus grounds.

I simply sat there on the ground like the fucking defenseless person I was. I probably looked like an innocent victimized damsel in distress in this situation, which is NOT how I wanted it to be. Seriously...

The figure looked down at me and stared at me for a little bit until he held out a gloved hand. I reluctantly reached out and grabbed for it as he pulled me up ever so suddenly that I almost collided close to his chest. I slightly looked up at him and smiled nervously as if to give a silent thanks. But he didn't say anything.

That's when I noticed that he looked familiar. I'd seen him before but I couldn't place my finger on it.

That green question mark on his head. It reminded me... of...

Mysterion.

That name gave me the chills for some reason. I realized that I had seen him before. From that robbery one night. The night where Coon tried to destroy me but was held back by Toolshed. I remembered when Coon told me who the members of his league were, and Mysterion's name was the one that seemed to ring in my head so suddenly and so strangely.

I gasped shortly, but then I asked him to make sure, "Is your name Mysterion by any chance?"

"... yes," he answered shortly, "it is. But I'm not telling you my real identity if that's what you want."

"Oh, no... of course not," I calmly said, shaking my head vigorously, "it just sounded... familiar."

He replied gruffly, "Good, 'cuz I already know who you are." I was about to nod absent-mindedly in unison when I realized that he knew who I was. He knew. He knew I was that female superhero that warned him and his band of buddies to stop trying to save the day because it was my job. He knew that I was the one who got in a tussle with Coon after trying to stop the robbers. The one with blonde hair and wore purple. The one with the lightning bolt.

Well, crap, I'm screwed. He knows who I am now.

I tried to shake it off by saying, "Oh, no no no, you must've got me confused with someone else. I'm just a regular 18 year old girl who just so happened to be wandering around downtown."

He stood silent for a minute, but I knew he could see past my attempted lie. "No, I know I'm not mistaken. Your name is Victoria and your superhero alias is Disturbia. You're the one that was fought by Coon who tried to save the day in your purple suit and thunderbolt."

I sighed heavily, knowing that there was no point arguing with him. I hung my head down low and said, "Yeah yeah, you know who I am. I guess this is the end of me. You're gonna go around and tell people who I am, just so you can save the day on your own. That's fine with me." I was about to turn around and walk away when he grabbed my shoulder and muttered, "Don't worry. I'm not going to tell anyone who you are... your identity's safe with me."

I swept a piece of hair out of my face as I quizically looked at him. Was he just lying or...? I questioned his motives. I whispered, "How do I know you're not lying?"

He replied back quickly, "Just trust me. I just saved your innocent ass from that drunken asshole you were just with minutes ago anyway."

He had a point. I folded my arms and walked toward him, keeping a stern face. I had to question him back somehow though. I asked him as I tilted my head, "Well, if you know who I am, don't I deserve to know who YOU are?"

Mysterion simply stared at me with dark eyes and shook his head, "You can't. It's absolutely mandatory that I have to conceal my identity. It's very important."

"Oh, please, just like you mentioned earlier how my identity is a secret to yours, I'll keep yours a secret in return. It's not fair! Please-" I reached out to grab his shoulder-"just tell me?" He shook off my hand and hopped up a tree before I could say anything back to him. I walked quickly towards the tree and looked up at him as he was sitting on a branch, glancing down at me.

I snapped, "Seriously? That's all you're gonna say to me? Know my identity but me not knowing yours? It's not fair! I wanna know!"

He suddenly hung upside down from the branch smirking at me which almost made my heart skip a beat, "You have to find out yourself. That's why they call me Mysterion." The way he hung from that branch with me standing in front of him made it look like a Mary-Jane and Spiderman moment. Oh god...

I heaved another sigh and looked down, kicking a pebble, "Very well then. I'll find out who you are. It'll be extremely easy." I looked up again straight at him with a smile.

He seemed like he was about to laugh it off as he returned, "Don't ease this upon yourself. I have my own ways. So don't even try."

I smugly smiled. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Mysterion instantly mentioned, "Speaking of that, I didn't come here just to save a damsel in distress..."- I rolled my eyes at this comment-"but I came here to tell you that the Coon wants to speak with you immediately." The Coon? I thought he didn't like me at all. Hm. Seems like he wants unfinished business to take of perhaps. After all, I didn't think we would leave each other hanging after that robbery incident. I blinked twice and remarked casually, "I thought he didn't wanna hear from me ever again. What does he want, a fight?"

He shook his head and sat upright on the branch above me again, "No... the opposite. Just meet him near the empty alleyway right across from the police department tomorrow early afternoon."

"Will do. By the way..." I gestured a finger as to gesture him towards me. He cautiously inched himself forward off the branch, then stopped when I added quietly, "thanks for helping me... you know... with my drunk boyfriend and all."

He responded quietly, pulling his hood closer down his face, "No problem, miss. I'm just trying to help."

I remarked seductively, "Yup. You're doing a good job at it. Maybe I should've thought twice about declaring myself the hero this town truly needs. You'd be a good one too." Before he could respond back, I stood on my tippy-toes and repaid my everlasting gratitude by giving him an innocent kiss on the cheek. Well, it's not like I was cheating or anything. When a hero like Mysterion saves you, you can't expect to not thank him with just a 'thanks' and walk away. You gotta give them something to yearn about later on.

That's exactly what I did. Plus, it was part of my plan to figure out who he was. I knew he would reveal himself later on due to affection. The funny thing is, he froze for a minute as if awestruck by the fact that he got repaid with such a small innocent kiss on the cheek. Then, before you know it, I could feel him vanish off into the night when the leaves suddenly bustled.

A girl's charm is none like any other.