Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice, but I do own Andie Kyle.
Andie POV:
The Boy Wonder sped ahead, turning and weaving through vents and empty corridors. I followed quickly, leaping and contorting my body with a cats ease.
"Ow!" Wally cried once again. He struggled and flailed as he tried to climb into the next vent. His lower half dangled uselessly over the edge. "Will someone give me a hand?"
I watched him with an amused smile. "Sorry KF. Can't turn around in this vent."
I turned away and crawled onwards, quickly catching up with Robin as Wally fought with the vent entrance. "Where are we heading?"
The Boy Wonder paused, and crouched against the vent wall. He tapped a few keys on his wrist computer. "Quit mumbling, I'm trying to concentrate here."
"I'm not mumbling Birdbrain."
He ignored me and continued to type. "Security cameras breached; is in the room just west of here. He has some muscle guarding the freeze machine."
Wally clambered up the vent, finally appearing beside me. "Only twenty? Dude, it's like he wants to get caught."
Robin glanced at the two of us. "Both of you take the West vent and head in first. I'll be right behind you."
Wally nodded and scurried ahead. I narrowed my eyes at Robin. "Wait a sec. If you're the leader, why don't you head in first?"
"I don't have to explain myself to you," he snapped.
"If you can't even be a teammate, how the heck are you supposed to be a leader?"
He sighed loudly. "Quit being so damn dramatic. I have a plan."
I scoffed. "You always have a plan. It just never works." Crawling away, I followed the West vent where Wally waited at the end.
"Ready?" He asked.
"As ready as I can be."
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Jumping backwards, I narrowly avoided a kick to the stomach.
The twenty guards, who protected the machine, had genetically enhanced super strength. A major fact that Robin neglected to mention. Freeze was nowhere to be found.
Wally cried out, distracting me, and a guard landed a hit to my jaw. My head swung backwards and I skidded against the floor, struggling to keep my footing. I breathed heavily as a dribble of blood slid down the corner of my mouth.
Wally cursed, flying through the air as a result of a well-placed kick. He rolled to a halt at my feet.
I grinned weakly. "Not doing so well?"
He stood up slowly, glancing around at the converging threats. "Yeah, you could say that."
Suddenly, a burly guard charged at me, his mutated feet causing the floor to vibrate. I clenched my fists and stood my ground, my stern expression wavering as it gave way to exhaustion. I aimed a hard right hook at his jaw, but he grabbed it and twisted my arm, spinning me away. I stumbled, but re-gained me balance, flying over his head to attack with a roundhouse kick. He raised his arm, just in time, and red blossomed where my foot had landed.
"Yes!" I pumped my fist in the air, closing my eyes in glee. "I landed a hit!"
"Move!" Wally yelled.
My eyes snapped open, and I gritted my teeth as a foot approached an inch from my eyelashes. Wally dashed towards me, a blur of brilliant yellow. He held me in his arms, only stopping when he'd hidden us behind a crate.
"We're dying out there. Please tell me Rob's answering is comm," Wally said.
I tried again. "No. Still nothing."
Wally rubbed his face viciously and took in a deep breath. "Then we have to get serious. Pull out all the stops. You up for it?"
I nodded, and Wally put on his goggles, running back into the fight. I took a deep breath, and braced myself. "Essence of the Cat, I call on you."
My body spasmed, once, twice. Then my inner Cat emerged.
My head lolled forward, dangling upon my neck. My black hair, which I had neatly braided into a plait, was loosened by an unseen force. It swirled around my face and tangled into treacherous knots. Looking down at the marble floor, I saw an angered goddess. My green eyes became shades lighter, rounding to a perfect sphere. The black pupil mutated, forming a miniscule slit which seemed to pierce the surrounding green. A dust of black grew along the edges of my eyes, contaminating both the top and bottom lids. My ears pointed to a delicate tip, flattening out and creating two identical triangles. My teeth began to ache, dispersing along my gum to increase in size. Two fangs protruded from my mouth, resting upon my bottom lip as my nails enlarged. I had claws. As if on cue, my hair succumbed to gravity. The black strands rained down, masking my face in a thick layer of hair. I raised my head, my eyes frantically darting around.
Though I hated Selina Kyle for abandoning me, I despised her for 'blessing' me with the 'Essence of the Cat'.
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Flashback:
Crouching down to my level, she held onto my shoulders, shaking me with gleeful vigor. "It worked! You have it!"
I cocked my head, staring at her. "Have what mummy?"
She frowned, and stood up to her full height. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me 'mummy'."
I lowered my head in shame. "Sorry Selina."
"Better," she snapped. Removing her Cat woman mask, she released her black hair, allowing it to flow down her back. "You have The Cats Essence," she whispered.
I blinked slowly, my eight year old mind trying to make sense of her words. "What's that?"
She laughed at me and shook her head. "You don't know? It makes me wonder if you even deserve it." She placed a hand on my head. "The Essence of the Cat is a blessing. It grants you with unimaginable abilities. Far superior to what I can do."
"Does that make me strong like you?" I questioned excitedly.
She grinned, a twisted, disturbing thing. "It makes you stronger than everyone. You, my dear, are a walking weapon." She stood up and clutched onto my hand. "You are the only one who's compatible with the power. You must tap into it, and fight for me. With you, I can have anything."
I grinned widely. "Of course mummy! I'll work extra, extra, hard! And follow you around the whole widest world!"
She removed her hand from my head. "Don't call me 'mummy'!"
"Sorry Selina," I mumbled fearfully.
Glancing up at the night sky, she walked towards the roofs edge. And dived off. Her words drifted up to me. "Come Andrea."
I followed obediently, frightfully teetering over the edge I cried out to her. "Will you catch me?"
I listened for her response, waiting as her steps became fainter. "Don't be foolish."
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
My ears twitched as Wally cried out yet again. Climbing on all fours, I waited for an opening to attack.
Selina had always referred to 'The Cats Essence' as a gift. But she had never called me her daughter; she is my mother in genetics alone. The only thing she'd given me was her surname.
The power I possessed wasn't unlocked in the years I'd spent with her; I can only guess that she got tired of waiting. She was naïve for calling it a gift. She praised a power she had no knowledge of. 'The Essence of the Cat' is a feline soul which lives inside of me. In exchange for its power, I forfeit half the control of my body and mind. When I'm in my feline form, I have enhanced, strength, speed, agility and balance. My senses are one hundred times more powerful. But I risk the chance of losing myself completely; I'm in a constant battle for control. If the Cat spirit wins, I'll cease to exist.
I pushed off of my legs and soared over the crate. Finding an opening, I sliced the stomach of a burly guard. He went down fast. Another approached, hurling a fist my way. I bent backwards, completely horizontal to the floor. Using my arms, I swung my feet upwards, kicking him in the chin and flipping to a standing position. The guard flew towards the ceiling, shredding through the concrete like it was paper. By the time his upward momentum stopped, he was wedged snugly into a concrete hole.
From behind me, I heard a foot shuffle. Jumping up, I twisted in midair and landed on a guards shoulders. I dug my claws into his chest and flipped over, slamming him into the ground. An indent of his body decorated the floor. As the cracks filled with his blood, I tore my claws out of his chest cavity.
Rising to my feet, I searched around for others threats. My eyes darted around the room, finally resting on a pale Wally who lent against a wall. He held a hand to his heart as his eyes followed my every move. Suddenly, my ears twitched, and I pounced in front of the speedster. I crouched on all fours, my mouth wide open and my fangs displayed. Within the shadows, I saw movement. Focusing my eyes, the man became clear. Another bodyguard.
He pointed a gun at us, then pressed down on the trigger. I listened closely as the barrel turned and the bullet scraped against the metal. Focusing, as it cut through the air, I lifted my bloodied claws, catching the bullet an inch from my forehead.
"Man," Wally said, finally finding his voice. "I…I didn't know you could change into…that." He said, pointing to my crouched figure. "When I said 'we need to get serious', I meant, you know, psyche yourself up. Don't go easy."
I stood up on two legs, and brushed the hair from my face. "This is a secret." My voice sounded deep and husky. The type of baritone you'd imagine from a builder with smokers cough. "You breathe a word, and I will eat your soul."
Wally paled further, taking a step back from me.
I balled my fists and turned away from him, closing my eyes as I spoke in my head. "Begone Cats Essence. I no longer need your power. The battle between us is over; you have lost yet again."
A husky baritone filled all the corners of my mind. "This is just one of many battles. You will call on me again, as you have done times before. And if not, your anger and pain will lend me strength. Just wait. It only takes one win for you to be mine."
"Leave me!" I shouted. And slowly, but surely, the Cats soul resided. Not hiding, but waiting for its next opportunity.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Hope u enjoyed it. And give me your thoughts.