Part 90: Cat's Cradle

Neko Katherine Hasuma stood in front of the Black Clown shop with an evil smirk on her face. She was dressed in a tight black turtleneck sweater and a red leather miniskirt. She wore a black bow ribbon in her long black hair. She looked like a normal girl, except that her eyes were storm blue and her pupils were narrow, like that of a cat's.

"So this is where they went," she said, her voice like a seductress

With a snap of her wrist, she produced a black rectangular box. In the center was the symbol of a cat, colored silver. She stared at the box.

She walked up the steps, strutting like a model, proudly, as if she was someone important.

She was.

She was Zodiac Knight Copycat, apprentice to Slade.

Over the past few weeks she, although she hated to admit it, had grown quite fond of the man. He was like the father she never had, strict, yet fair and held gentleness in him through the whole cold and hard exterior. If he didn't have a bit of goodness in him, he wouldn't have healed her wounds.

His children would vouch for him that was to be sure.

She stopped in front of the door and realized it was unlocked.

With a push of her fingers, she realized the door was ajar. She smirked, "Too easy." She pushed it open even further, the door creaking slightly. She didn't even bother to close it.

Libra looked sadly at Katherine as she entered the building.

"Kat…" he said.

"Your daughter?" Fuji inquired. Libra nodded.

"She looks so much like her mother," Libra stated. "Her hair the color of midnight and her eyes the color of a storm."

"And she has your fighting spirit," Fuji added.

Libra closed his eyes. "She has dived too deep into the dark side. She has sided herself with an evil man."

"An evil man who treats her like his own daughter," Fuji added, yet again. Libra whirled his head to his friend.

"What do you mean?" Libra demanded, angrily. Fuji closed his eyes, his features becoming serious.

"Can't you see? Copycat and Draco grew up without their father for a long time now. While Leo grew up happily with his mother, Kat grew bitter and jealous at her brother for being the one to inherit the name Draco," Fuji explained.

"But did she have to become evil?" Libra screamed.

"You said it yourself, the Cat armor corrupted her. It fed on her bitterness and turned her towards the dark side. Now, she wants to hunt down Draco and finish him once and for all," Fuji concluded

Libra smiled. "I don't think so."

Fuji was confused. "Pardon?"

Libra sighed. "Kat is too proud to let others get to Leo first since she wants to be the one to eliminate him. She would rather kill off the competition then fight him first. It gives her more of a challenge."

"Something she inherited from you? I thought you were a pacifist."

"I may have been a pacifist, but I was also competitive. She'll help Leo first. Then she'll kill him."

"But not necessarily in that order."

Libra chuckled. "Yes."

"Let's just hope your son will be able to free her from that armor and let her see the light before it's too late and she really makes a fatal mistake," Fuji said. Libra nodded in affirmative

She snuck around the store, looking at the latest videogames and trading card games available.

"Now isn't the time for that," she scolded herself. "There's work to be done," she reminded herself.

She found a hole, large enough for a group of people, in the middle of the floor. With shrug, she jumped in, letting out a cheer of jubilation as she slid down.

She landed on her feet with cat-like grace and silently as a cat would do. She hid behind a large pillar and peaked to see what was going on.

She saw a short boy, bald, wearing a green jump suit and a large Neanderthal-like man dressed in a black sleeveless bodysuit with a bit of gold in it.

She continued to watch. Based on their description, they were Gizmo and Mammoth, members of the HIVE Academy. Slade told her that the HIVE was gone since Brother Blood had been defeated and incarcerated. However, some of the students still lived in the base, even if it was more like a hideout and stronghold rather than the evil school it once was.

With a quiet purr she transformed. She whispered, "Zodiac Force. Cat." Her armor encased her and she held the whip in her hand.

She climbed the pillar. That was when she saw something shocking.

All of the Titans were strapped to chairs and had strange helmets on them. Even more surprising, there was another girl, quite similar to Starfire, but with black and silver clothing and black hair.

She was really beautiful. She wanted her like she wanted Jinx.

(And yes, Kat is bisexual. She likes both guys and girls if they look good enough to, dare I say it, eat!)

With cat like agility, she ran across the walls, on all fours and then snarled, gathering the attention of Mammoth and Gizmo.

So much for stealth.

She swung her whip forward, only to have the big brute, Mammoth, grab it and yank her forwards. She heel-kicked him in the chin when she got close enough, sending him tumbling on top of the midget.

"Mammoth! Get off!" Gizmo screamed, struggling to get out from under Mammoth. Copycat kicked the unconscious Mammoth over and then grabbed Gizmo by the collar.

"Hey! Who are you!" Gizmo demanded.

"Your worst nightmare," Copycat answered threateningly. Gizmo gulped. "Tell me what's going on?"

"How should I damn know!" Gizmo yelled. Irritated, Copycat threw him against the wall. Gizmo cried out as he made impact and slid down. Copycat walked towards him and grabbed him again.

"Wrong answer!"

"Okay! The Titans are trapped in a VR world, okay? Mammoth and I as well as Starfire's sister, Blackfire…"

Blackfire…so that was her name, Copycat thought

"Came here and found them like this!" he explained.

Copycat stared at the boy and let him down, roughly dropping him on his ass.

"Ow! Why you pit sniffing scum eater!" he pressed a button on his controller and his back pack came to life with lasers and missile launchers aimed for Copycat. "Eat laser!"

Copycat swung her arm down and sent waves of crescent energy blades at the guns, shredding them to pieces. Gizmo gulped.

"Make me a helmet. Now!" that wasn't a request, it was an order.

"Okay!" Gizmo said, meekly. He quickly put together a helmet for her.

"Perfect," she purred, before placing it over her head. She sat down, Indian style, eyes closed. In seconds, her surroundings faded, only to be replaced by a lush forest.

"Be careful brother," she warned, "I'm here and I will find you," she cackled

To be continued…