A/N ScottyBgood: Power wise Jade is a perfect replica of Wolverine. She's only different in her looks and personality, though they share some similarities. Her claws, as I think I've mentioned, are void of adamantium. She's working with strictly bone claws. I wouldn't call it a power but Jade's fingernails grow out faster then normal and if she wanted she could use them like Sabertooth does. This isn't spoilers btw.
"Why would you need our help?" Jade gave the heroine a questioning look. "We're not heroes, no matter how much Tori has Hero Envy."
"Hey, I grew up watching the X-Men and the Avengers save us time and time again."
"So did I but that doesn't mean we need to worship the ground some of them don't walk on."
"I don't do that!" Tori protested, crossing her arms.
Cat decided to intervene, "I saw the footage remember? You didn't hesitate to spring into action to stop the bad guys."
"That doesn't explain why you need our help." Tori said.
"See, my archnemesis, Silver Destroyer, has teamed up with a bunch of baddies and I.." she sighed, as if it were hard to say. "I can't beat them by myself."
"And you want us to help you? Why not call The Avengers or the Fantastic Four? Hell the Young Avengers would be better than us." Jade snapped.
"Okay, look, I'll level with you. I'm a new hero. I need to show all the other heroes I can do this kind of thing on my own without needing to run to them. And besides, I can see that you can be good heroes too."
"And what do we get if we help you?"
"Well, the cops will track you down eventually if you keep going from motel to motel. You can stay in my house, it's big enough for everyone and it'll keep the cops of your trail."
"You're not worried about getting in trouble?" Tori asked.
Cat shook her head, "I know you're runaways but I'm sure you have very good reasons."
Tori looked from Cat to Jade then gave the redhead a polite smile, "Just give us a minute to talk this out?"
"Sure, but don't take too long I might've drawn more attention then I wanted out there." There was a hint of a blush on Cat's face.
Confused about where to go to get some privacy Tori had a moment before she grabbed Jade's wrist and dragged her inside the bathroom. She shut the door behind them and opened her mouth to speak but Jade beat her to it.
"No."
"Jade, come on. We won't have to worry about rent, right now anyway, and she's right. We can't outrun them forever."
"But being a superhero? Really? I don't do spandex okay?"
"No one said u had to wear that. Come on, Jay."
Jade sighed, "This is a bad idea."
"I don't want to go without you, but I can't just not help."
"I know you can't. Fine. We'll go."
Tori smiled and gave the Goth a quick kiss before walking out of the bathroom. Jade stood there for a moment with a finger to her lip before slowly following the Latina.
"We'll help." Tori announced.
"Don't you have to confer with that guy too?"
Tori's eyes widened slightly, "Oh, you need Beck too?"
"Well I guess I don't really because with you two the numbers are even but better safe than sorry."
"Um. Well he's not here right now."
Cat opened a compartment on her boot and handed the younger girl a card. "This is my card. It's got my address on it. Talk to him and then you can pack up and head over. I've got places for your cars in my garage. I'll see you later." The visor shut and Metal Lass quickly made her exit.
Jade wasn't at all surprised at how quickly Beck agreed to help a girl he didn't know. She couldn't figure out though, if he were doing it just for Tori or as possibly a rebellion against his Asgardian father. Within an hour the group packed up, checked out and drove to the address. What they found was a mansion.
Well, at least Jade thought it was a mansion. It was big enough to be a mansion, but wasn't all that big. It gave Jade the impression that Cat was rich, but just barely. Not that it mattered, she would've stayed in a house if that's what Cat had.
"This is a big place." Beck mumbled.
"Should've figured she was rich. How else can she afford that suit." Jade said.
Tori stepped up and rang the doorbell. A moment later Cat opened the door, now void of the suit and wearing a shirt and jeans. "Girls! I'm glad you made it. And you brought your friend too. Oh, your cars are in front. Here give me your keys and I'll get Roland to put them in the garage."
Beck handed over his keys, but Jade crossed her arms. "Hell no. No one touches my motorcycle but me. Roland can lead me to the garage and I'll put it in there."
Cat nodded, "If you insist."
"I assume Roland is your butler." Tori said.
"Yes. He's just in the other room. Roland!"
Roland was a tall man, even taller than Beck, wearing the normal butler outfit. He had no hair, not even facial hair, but gave Cat a warm look, "Yes Miss?"
Cat handed the man Beck's keys. "Put this in the garage for our guests. They'll be staying with us for awhile. Jade here doesn't like anyone to touch her vehicle so she'll follow you inside. Once your done with that could you please take their bags to their rooms? Oh, pardon me." The woman turned to the group. "Are any of you um..wanting to room together?"
Before Beck could even speak Jade jumped in front of him, "Well, I've got very used to sleeping with Tori. If she doesn't mind I mean."
With warm cheeks Tori nodded, "Fine with me."
Cat gave them a knowing grin and turned to the butler. "You heard them Roland. You can put them in the guest rooms down the hall close to my room."
"So, more near your own room then your husbands?"
"Yeah. After that you can take a break. Didn't you have a movie you wanted to go too? You can go to that."
Roland smiled, "Thank you Miss Cat."
"I've told you just to call me Cat."
The older man shook his head, "As a butler I need to keep it professional with anyone until the day I am fired or quit."
Cat giggled and shook her own head, "Okayyy. But really go enjoy yourself. You work too hard around here. Oh, after you get done in the garage can you lead Jade to the T.V. room? Or I may be in the kitchen if he's still working."
"As you wish." Roland walked out the front door and Jade followed after him.
"Come along. I'll introduce you to my husband." Tori could have sworn she heard a bit of….repentance at the mention of Cat's husband.
She and Beck followed the redhead through the house and into a "family room". Sitting on the couch was a skinny man, glasses and a look of concentration on his face. He was leaning over the coffee table using a screwdriver on a fancy looking gun.
"Robbie?" Cat questioned.
"Just a minute babe." Robbie didn't even look up.
Cat sighed and instead lead the duo into the kitchen. Once they were in the room she gestured for them to take a seat at the table, which they did, one on each side of the table. Cat sat at the head of the table. "That was my charming husband Robbie."
"What was he doing?" Beck questioned.
"Robbie works for different companies. He basically makes different technology for different organizations, like right now he's working on a prototype blaster for Shield."
"How old are you two?" Beck once again asked a question.
"I'm 23, and Robbie is a year older then me." Cat answered calmly.
"Isn't that a young age to be married?"
"Beck!"
"It's all right, Tori. I sometimes wonder the same thing. Robbie and I dated during senior year and college. We got married once we finished school."
Beck went to once again ask a question, but Tori shot a piece of ice at him. "Beck, shut up! She's letting us stay here don't be a jerk." Tori shook her head and looked at Cat. "So, how can we help you?"
"Um, I'll explain once Jade gets here. I don't really want to have to explain it twice if I don't have to."
"We'll I'm here. Start explaining." Jade's voice came from the doorway just before she walked in. Roland wasn't with her however.
"Where's Roland?"
"He lead me here then went out."
"Would you like a drink? I've got soda, lemonade, tea.."
"Tea."
"Lemonade."
"Soda."
Cat giggled, "Once of each then." She walked to the fridge and started pouring the drinks.
"How was the garage?" Beck asked Jade.
"That's a lot of cars." Jade said. "A mustangs, firebirds, thunderbirds, trucks. Whose are those?"
Cat walked over and sat the soda in front of Jade, and the lemonade in front of Tori. "Some are mine, some are Robbie's."
"Robbie?"
"Her husband." Beck said, taking his tea from the redhead with an appreciative smile.
"Ah."
"She's 23."
"Uh.." Jade looked at him awkwardly.
"I will freeze you, Beck." Tori said warningly.
"Well, now that your all here," Cat sat back down, "let's talk about why I need you."
"You can't do it alone?" Jade offered as she lifted the glass to her lips.
"More specifically. See, the Silver Destroyer is an old classmate of mine that stole my prototype armor."
"Prototype armor? I thought you were using Iron Man's old armor."
"Oh no. I have nothing to do with Iron Man. I even went on record stating that. See, Iron Man saved my high school once and he's been the real inspiration for me wanting to help people. So, Robbie decided he'd make me my own armor so I could save the city. He knew how much I loved Iron Man and used his suit for inspiration."
Jade nodded, "And the prototype armor that was stolen is the first he made for you."
Nodding in agreement Cat continued, "Right. And she just hates me so she's trying to destroy me and the city. She hasn't been able to beat me so she's got friends now to help her. I don't know any of their names, but there's three of them. There's two girls: one seems to be telekinetic and the other is terrakinetic."
"What's terrakinetic?" Beck asked.
"Terrakinesis. She can control the ground. Make a fist with it, stairs, whatever she wants. But I don't think she can move the whole world or anything like that. And there's a guy with them, but I have no clue what his power is. I felt some kind of...pull towards him though like I was supposed to do what he wanted. I suspect he has some kind of charm power though and my suit protected me from it."
"They moped the floor with you didn't they?"
"Big time. I already have one helper but I figure five would be better than four. "
"So, Robbie's going to help us?"
Cat started to laugh at that. It was a good minute before she settled down. "Robbie- Robbie doesn't fight. No, my friend will help."
"Friend?"
Jade suddenly leapt to her feet, claws extended, seconds before there was a puff of smoke behind Cat and a man stood behind her. He was wearing all black; tank top, pants and boots. He had a sword on his back and a utility belt around his waist.
"Cat, watch out!"
"Jade, calm down it's okay. Seriously, you need to start using the door." Cat turned to face the intruder.
He gave her a slight chuckle in response, "Sorry, Lil Red."
"This is my friend, Andre. Or Slayer, as he's called."
"Hi, I'm Tori." Tori said, smiling at him. "This is Beck and Jade. Jade settle down." She reached up and put a hand on Jade's arm. "How'd you know he was going to be here before he was here?"
Jade gave him another look before sitting back down and retracting her claws. "I...smelled him."
"Smelled him?'
"Well dang, I didn't think I smelled that bad. I mean I'm using a new shampoo but-"
"No, you idiot. I can tell people apart without seeing them by their scent. Your scent appeared a second before you did."
"Huh. Maybe something's wrong with my teleporter." Andre mumbled to himself.
"Andre here helps me out occasionally when I need it."
"So, what's his power?"
Andre shrugged, "Don't have one."
Tori raised an eyebrow curiously, "No powers?"
Andre shook his head, "Not one. I am a master at many different fighting styles, including weapons, and I've also created my own accessories. Well tweaked them really. Robbie helped me work some bugs out."
"Accessories?" Jade questioned. "What you got an ear ring to go with that outfit?"
"Yeah, it makes me look pretty." Andre replied. "No, accessories like this." He pulled a pair of shurikens from the belt.
"You a ninja or something?"
"No, man. Something like that though."
Cat gave Andre a very warm smile before turning to the group. "I think before we take you out to fight these guys we should help you improve your fighting abilities."
"Improve our fighting abilities?" Tori repeated.
"Yeah. I mean don't get me wrong, your fighting instincts are great. However, it never hurts to improve what you know about fighting. Andre's always teaching me new things."
Feeling like there was a double meaning to that Tori responded slowly, "Well… I guess it can't hurt to learn a bit of fighting. Though I did take some karate classes awhile back."
"That's good." Andre said. "Let's head to the gym. You tell me what you remember from those classes and we'll go from there. I guess we'll start from scratch with you two." Andre gestured to Beck and Jade.
"I think I'm fine with my instincts. After all I do have the instincts of Wolverine."
"Uh..what?" Andre and Cat, even Beck, looked at the Goth confused.
"I'm a clone of Wolverine." Jade stated. "I can fight like he can."
"I'm pretty sure he had to learn all that." Tori said, glad that she seemed to be getting over the fact that she was a clone. "Come on, it won't be bad. Besides, Wolverine's claws are coated in adamantium. Yours aren't."
Jade sighed, "Fine." She took Tori's hand and followed Cat through the halls.