Hello everyone! I'm back with the first chapter of this story! Again, this will be in Karen's perspective the whole time through. So, this chapter takes place about two years after the prologue. And if you think the My Hero letter was just used as a plot device, you're wrong because it will be a very important plot point later on! So, hope you enjoy this chapter!
Lights sped beneath me as I watched cars pass by in the streets below. The wind rustled my hair as I stared down at my quiet little town. It was beautiful really, with the spots of white that flew softly down from the covered sky. The air was crisp and fresh, the lights of the lampposts illuminating the dark streets. I moved from my perch, running along the concrete top of the building I used for a loft. I laughed as I jumped from building to building, my skilled feet gripping the stucco. I dived into an alleyway, hands gripping the side ladder that hung off the building.
I dropped to the ground lightly and sprinted quietly back home, leaping over the train tracks that was barrier for the normal and the alcoholic pieces of trash. My feet fell into the fresh snow as I made my way to the side of the broken green fort, opening my rusted window. I quietly closed the piece of pane and let out a sigh, my chest taking in gulp fulls of air.
"You're later than usual," a stuffy voice whispered from my door way. I pulled away my half-mask, letting free my brown locks and looked up to see my older brother, Kevin. His dirty brown hair, parted away at the middle, covered a couple of bandages that littered his dirty face.
"Sorry bro! A lot of drug deals tonight were just beckoning for me to come and beat the crap out of those low-lifes. No need to worry!" I explained, blowing a piece of brown hair out of my face.
"Karen, you know I have to worry. I just don't want to lose you to this... hobby," I rolled my eyes, untying my cape,"Karen, you're not Kenny. You're not immortal."
"I know, I know. But I have smoke bombs and tasers! I'll be fine!" I argued.
Kevin sighed,"Just, just be careful out there. Promise?" I jumped at the word.
"I can't promise anything, Kevin. And if I did, it would just be broken some way or another," I muttered, fingering the heart I had stitched onto my vigilante outfit.
"Right.." my brother left my room, quietly closing my door. I changed out of my outfit to my school one. The green sweater hugged my torso, a perfect fit. I hung up the red-ish purple-ish outfit in my closet, covering it up with jackets. I smiled, remembering when I first became my alter ego.
It was about five months after Kenny's death. Stan and them asked if I wanted to join their club to fill in for Mysterion. I agreed, feeling like it was my duty to finish what the fallen hero had started. They brought me on a couple of expeditions against the local supervillain, Professor Chaos. They even donned me Mystefine, in memorial to my brother and his mysterious ways.
As the club disbanded slowly because of school or boredom, I stayed, growing more and more into my role of protecting the city, just like Kenny. And it just sort of stuck with me. Kevin found out about me a while back when I was caught sneaking through the bathroom for first aid supplies after getting my arm cut by one of the druggies I found in the alley way, when I spilled the whole box against the half-tiled floor. He broke into the room and I told him everything. He saw my arm and of course fretted over it. I would come home at around two to get some sleep, and he would wait at my doorway to make sure I was alright. Our parents didn't know, not that they would care anyway. They were too drunk to really do anything anymore. And it's just been routine for us after that.
The light of the rising sun spilled into my room, marking the time of my departure. I picked up my hand bag, opened the window, and jumped out onto the plush snow underneath.
The light of morning awakened the sleeping town. All the small restaurants and coffee shops started opening up, their doors welcoming in any early birds. I walked by, destination in mind. I led myself into another neighborhood, my feet landing on the concrete stairs of a dark brown house. I opened the door and took a deep breath. The smell of pancakes drifted around the room, making my stomach growl. I dropped my handbag near the front door, slipping my shoes off as well. My feet padded silently against the hard wood floor as I made my way towards the dining room.
I entered to see one of my best friends, Ruby, stuffing her mouth full of syrup and pancakes.
"Oh hey, Karen!" she waved, some crumbs falling out of her mouth.
"Ruby, that is very rude," her mother scolded her silently, earning a sorry in a reply.
"Hi, Ruby, Ms. Tucker!" I waved back.
"Hello Karen," Ms. Tucker greeted kindly,"Have a seat!" she offered. I sat myself down in a chair next to Ruby, who pushed a plate of pancakes near me.
"Thanks!" I replied to the gesture, graciously biting into the fluffy breakfast food. We sat and ate before it was time for school. Ruby ran upstairs to grab her school bag as I slipped my shoes and bag on near the front door. The girl bolted down the stairs, into the dining room to grab her lunch and say goodbye to her mom, and finally to the front door.
"Let's go!" she charged, pretending to break down the front door. I giggled in reply to her antics and shut the front door. We walked silently down the sidewalk for a bit, enjoying our moments of freedom before the prison that was school. "So who'd you catch last night?" the red head asked casually, as though this was the norm for everyone.
"I got some druggies last night. Amateurs. They were pathetic really. Paying twenty percent more for their Alabama Kush than they should have. They weren't that hard. Confuse 'em with the smoke bomb than boom! taser attack!" I reenacted the events from last night with enthusiasm.
"Sounds like fun!" Ruby exclaimed. "I wish I could do what you do, but my parents would never allow it," the Tucker's shoulders drooped.
"Eh, it's not as fun as you think it is. There's a lot of work involved and you can get really hurt. It's good that you stay out of it Ruby. Don't follow the path I've chosen. K?" I advised. The young girl nodded her head. We walked in silence as we made our way to the building of knowledge. As we pushed our ways through the big metal doors, I felt something boring into my back. I quickly turned around to see a black van receding into the forest. I stared at it for a while in suspicion until Ruby pulled me inside. We made our way to Mr. Garrison's class, dreading his ridiculous lectures that were sure to come. The chatter of students erupted as I pulled open the door. Paper airplanes and spit balls littered the skies as I tried to take my seat in peace. I sat next to a kid named Dougie. Red hair, super nerdy, you wouldn't think much could come from this ultra-geek. But no, he was the brawn of all of Professor Chaos's plans, the one that actually brought action to the Professor's plots.
He waved hello, his eyes enlarged by his spectacles. Ruby leaned over to him, "Hey Dougie! My Dougie boy! Best friend in the world ri-?" She started.
"What homework did you not do this time, Ruby?" the curly headed kid asked, rolling his eyes in annoyance.
"Uh, the math, language, science," she began to list off.
"So everything?" he finished, blatantly. I chuckled. Typical Ruby. Her antics, countered by Dougie's sense, were interrupted by Mr. Garrison, his annoyed expression that we all knew and loved, plastered onto his face.
"Alright students. Today we will be focusing on the east coast, specifically the state of Delaware. Now Delaware, known to have random headstones wind up on their waters, is one of the smallest states in all of Amer-" the teacher had started. The speakers turned on.
"Hello students," a heavy Wisconsin accent voiced from the intercom, "we have issued a shelter-in-place. I repeat a shelter-in-place." Mr. Garrison rolled his eyes.
"Screw that, like there's actually any jacked-up killers here."
"And yes, Mr. Garrison, even you have to lock your doors and shut your windows. This is just a drill issued by the local fire department to prevent any... accidents... from happening after many kidnappings that have been linked to a black van." I tuned out the rest of the precautions as my mind recalled seeing said van in front of our school. I suddenly reached for my backpack, landing my hand on my favored taser. Dougie looked at my sudden movements and leaned closer to me.
"What'cha doing?" he whispered.
"I saw the van outside the school. Get ready," I warned, slowly pulling the weapon into my lap. The announcement had finished. The only noise in the room was the pulling down of shutters as Mr. Garrison the directions of the principal, mumbling complaints under his breath. He was about to lock the door when gunshots and screams were heard from the front office. I looked to Dougie who had his "disarray" gloves on. He nodded as I threw something to the ground. Our room was covered in smoke as I escaped out of the classroom, the boy of chaos close behind me.
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Just wanted to introduce some characters, so not much action this time! But don't worry, next chapter will be more action-packed! Please R & R if you liked it or if you have any advice! Til' next chapter!