Part 3: A Rose by Any other Name
Kat sighed as she flipped through a fashion magazine. She enjoyed the articles about her mother. Everything else was just trash.
"Hmph!" she scoffed, "This is horrible!" she threw down the magazine, revealing a photo of a model wearing a dress that made her look like a peacock. "Style has gone to hell!" she rolled over onto her back on the soft bed she was lying in. Katherine Hasuma was now living in the Wilson's Mansion, situated just about outside Jump City. Her room had kitty cat wall paper as well as posters of cats hung up on the walls. Stuffed cat dolls sat near the foot of her bed. Hanging from the ceiling was a large scratching post. Her bed had a large canopy. She groaned, "It's so boring!" There was a knock on the door. She answered, "Come in, unless you're Grant."
"Kat?" a soft voice spoke as the door creaked open. Kat smiled.
"Rose! Come in!" she purred. The white haired girl padded into the room wearing only a blue tank top and matching knee length pants. On her feet were a pair of white sneakers. Rose looked at Kat shyly. Kat raised an eyebrow, "Okay, what's wrong?"
"Daddy...daddy is quite concerned with your behavior," Rose explained nervously.
Kat rolled her eyes, "Is this about how I wrecked all the punching bags? I already replaced them."
"No, it's about how you totally damaged all of daddy's Sladebots," Rose clarified.
"So they're a bit scratched up," Kat ran a hand through her long black hair.
"Katherine," Rose said sternly. Kat hated it when she used her full middle name, "You tore their circuits out and most of them are missing heads and limbs. Killer androids do not come cheap!" Rose placed her hands on her hips.
Kat narrowed her eyes and smirked, "My, my. The rose does have thorns. Rawr…" she growled, playfully.
Rose sighed, "Listen, daddy thinks that you need a break."
Kat replied, "So, I'm on vacation? Slade-sama said that?"
"Not exactly, more like on temporary leave," Rose explained, "Please, Kat, for me?"
Kat sighed and shook her head. She gave Rose a genuine smile, "Fine, Rose, only for you." Kat suggested, "How about tonight at 8? We'll watch a movie and have some dinner. Just you and me." She added, "There's also this party tonight!" Kat pulled a flier out from under one of her fluffy pink pillows, "A rave! At 10!"
Rose was a little hesitant, "I don't know…"
"Please, Rose? Pretty please?" Kat pleaded, pouting and giving Rose her pathetic kitty cat eyes look. She even went so far as to bat her eyelids.
Rose sighed in defeat, "Fine…but only for you."
"Great!" Kat hopped off her bed, wearing a black t-shirt and matching jeans. She skipped to Rose and kissed her on the cheek.
"And we have to go. Wintergreen will be calling us to lunch in a minute," Rose informed her.
As if on cue, Wintergreen's voice rang through the house intercom, "Lunch will be served shortly. Will everyone please kindly come to the dining hall?"
Kat smiled at Rose, "I could never figure out how you do that."
Rose smiled back, "I'm a precog, remember?" she winked.
"And beautiful too…" Kat purred, running a hand through Rose's hair, before pressing her lips to the white haired girl's own. Rose kissed her back and ran her hands up and down Kat's back. Kat pulled away and grinned, licking her lips, "Um…I just got an appetite."
"Later Kat. It's lunch time and I don't want everyone to lose their appetite."
"Ohhh," Kat groaned.
In the dining room, all 3 Wilson children and Kat were seated at a long dining table. In front of them were plates of food. Kat had herself some salmon with a side of salad and a glass of milk. Each of the Wilson children had their own favorites. Kat looked around, "Is it just me, or does Slade-sama never eat with us since I've been here?"
"Master Slade has been very busy, as of late," Wintergreen informed her as he had his meal as well. Wintergreen always ate with them and he was very nice, though a bit stiff.
"Father has always been like that," Grant told her, munching on a piece of steak and speaking with his mouth full. Most of the diners blanched.
((Gross!)) Joey stuck out his tongue and pushed his plate away. ((That's it, I'm not hungry anymore!))
"Joey, you really have to learn to stand gross stuff!" Kat chided, "In our line of work there's gonna be blood and guts and…" Kat continued to list all the gross stuff super villains had to go through. Grant and Rose just stared at her before pushing their plates away, obviously not hungry anymore as well. Only Wintergreen was the other person still eating.
"How can you still eat?" Grant whispered to the old butler.
"I have been in service of your father for a very long time. Almost nothing disgusts me anymore ever since," Wintergreen answered as he sipped his soup.
"Lucky you," Grant muttered, rolling his eyes.
Kat had a very strong stomach. Came in handy. Almost all Hasumas, especially the females, could eat a lot of food. She let out a belch and rubbed her tummy, "That was good…" she sighed contently.
"Good for you," Grant muttered sarcastically. He then shuffled back as he caught the glare from the cat girl.
Kat smirked. She knew how to push Grant's buttons. She may have lacked fire power, but she made up for it with her sharp wit and claws.
"I'll help wash the dishes!" Kat volunteered, levitating the dirty dishes into the kitchen sink and then telekinetically washing them while filing her nails.
"How do you do that?" Rose asked.
"I'm a copycat, remember? As long as I see someone use their powers, the info is locked in my brain. I can use anyone's powers as long as I see it once," she blew her nails, "Pretty handy, no?"
"You're just a cheap imitation," Grant muttered. Suddenly, a green energy bolt slammed him into the wall. He slid off and onto his face. Kat blew the smoke off her hand.
"Cheap imitation, huh?" Kat challenged.
Grant muttered angrily, tapping his fingers on the floor. Kat, Rose and Joey laughed at him.
"Later guys," Kat got up from her chair, "I have to look through my clothes for something perfect for tonight. It's my leave! Ciao!" she teleported away.
"Show off!" Grant mumbled, dusting his shirt off.
((You're just jealous that she's leader and you're not)) Joey remarked telepathically.
"I have to agree with Joey on that," Rose agreed.
Grant crossed his arms and grunted, slouching into his seat.
Kat was up in her room. A little black cat jumped onto her bed and meowed. Kat giggled and picked up the cat.
"Oh, Jasmine!" Kat purred, twirling around, "Tonight I have a date with Rose!" she hugged the cat close and it purred. Kat fell back into her bed and giggled like she was on cloud nine. Kat liked guys, but not as much as girls though. A macho guy was nothing compared to Rose. Her Rose. She sighed again. Tonight would be perfect and nothing was going to spoil it. And if anyone tried, they would meet the sharp end of her claws. "A rose by any other name," she quoted softly before falling into a cat nap.
Nothing was going to ruin tonight. Not her brother, not his stupid friends, not even that stupid mutt Pluto.
Oh, how wrong could she be.
To Be Continued…