Ok guys, I can not get chapter 3 right at all. So we're going to try this one more time. A fresh start and from the beginning. Leave me a review below and tell how I'm doing so far. As always, I don't own any part of YJ or the DC franchise. I only claim this plot and my OC, whose name you're finally going to learn! Would you believe me if I told, I just realized that I hadn't given her a name yet? Well, I knew her name but I just haven't told you guys yet. Heh heh...oops?! Anywaaayyysss...the story continues!
Chapter 3: The Courier
"No like this. You have to tuck it through here."
"Tuck it where?"
"In here silly."
"This is impossible. And stop laughing at me." I frowned at the small girl sitting across from me on the hospital bed. I then glared down at the failed cat's cradle wrapped around my fingers.
The girl smothered her giggles behind her hands.
"So what do you have for me today, Miss Courier?"
I grinned and detangled my fingers from the string and pulled a package from my backpack.
"Your sis send lots of love, Ameika." I tossed the package at her. " And a lot of candy."
The small girl whooped as she caught the package. Ameika tore off the brown paper with gusto and started munching on candy immediately.
"Thanks, Issa." She said around a mouthful of candy. "You're the best courier I know."
I gave her a skeptical look. "I'm pretty sure I'm only courier you know."
"Details, details. Facts aside, you're the best courier."
"Uh huh… Sweet talk isn't going to work kiddo. We've been over this. I can't courier you out of the country."
"Oh come on Issa! I'm tired of hospitals! I'm tired of radiation! I'm tired of being treated like a monster for being able to to do this!" I watched as Ameika threw her hands into the air and the lights above us flickered on and off.
"AMEIKA! Are you alright?! I'm coming in."
"Issa, you have to-". Ameika turned away from the door only to see an empty room. The curtains fluttered from the wind passing through the open window. A glimmer caught her eye and causing her look down. A completed, glowing blue cat-cradle sat on her bed.
"Ameika. It's time to go. Your Greatness awaits."
Ameika jumped as the cradle shattered and faded away. It had been made from solidified light. Wait did that mean-
She turned to face the smiling man. She didn't trust him but her parents had placed her in his care. She had no choice.
"Yes, Mr Luthor ."
I was so late. I peeked around a mannequin before crawling from my hiding spot. If I could just sneak in and put my watch back on the hook….
"You're late." I shrieked as an apple whacked me in the head. I looked up to see my boss sitting on the front desk, tinkering with a radio.
"Give me back my snack." She snapped sourly. The apple that hit me had several bites taken out of it. Nice. I lugged the apple back her, which she caught without even looking up. Show off.
"So exactly how late am I, Katz?" I cautiously leaned back against the counter. No need to anger the old coot any further. The old woman was temperamental and sadistic, quite the contrast to the happy floral print clothes she wore.
"Enough for reductions."
"Ah come on Katz! I wasn't that late!" I slammed my hands on the counter frustrated. The little witch didn't even look up. I could barely afford to buy ramen at the cheapest convenience store in town. I didn't want to starve!
"Your definition of late and my definition are very different."
Yup. Was going to totally stare until next month.
"Please, Katz! I really need the money. I'm already in the red this month!"
She finally looked up.
"Why would you be in the red already?"
Katz gave me her infamous soul searching gaze. Thankfully before she could look too hard, my favorite person in the world came home.
"I'm home Katz~!" Ginji crooned before toddling into the room. Katz grunted in acknowledgment but otherwise didn't pay her husband any mind. She was to focused on prying answers from my soul.
"Issa! My girl!" Ginji lit up like a lightbulb when he finally noticed me. He fluttered around and hugged what he could, which wasn't much seeing as he only came up to my kneecaps.
"How are you dear?"
"Not well seeing as how she's already in the red concerning her finances. The month just started." Katz had long forgotten her radio and was now staring me down.
"What? What's going on Issa? You know that you can tell us dear." Ginji's beard dipped down with his frown. I sighed. It seems that I couldn't worm my way out of this one with them both focusing on me.
"You remember the theft at the Hall of Justice and the commotion at the Police Department last week?"
They both nodded, completely focused on me. I sighed again.
"Well….fireworks are a lot more expensive than I thought."
There were about five seconds of silence before both elders exploded.
"YOU STOLE FROM THE JUSTICE LEAGUE?!" Ginji shouted at me.
"YOU BOUGHT FIREWORKS FROM THE SUPERMARKET DIDN'T YOU?! I TOLD YOU TO GO TO THE BLACK MARKET!" Katz snapped at me, shaking her apple core in my face.
"That's what you're upset about?! Our grandchild is a criminal!" Ginji whirled around to yell at his wife.
"Of course! She never listens to my advice and she isn't our grandchild!"
Before they could continue their shouting, I put my thumb and pointer to my lips and blew like the taxi driver had taught me. They both shut up and turned to glare at me. The glares were for different reasons but they were both intimidating all the same.
"Now before you two have a stroke, let me explain. First, I didn't blow up the police station. I just set off some fireworks off inside. It was enough of a distraction that I could slip out unnoticed. Second, I already took care of the whole 'criminal' thing which is why my face isn't on any wanted posters."
"How did you take care of it?" Ginji crossed his arms over his chest. At this rate, I was going to have to explain the whole story. I took a deep breath and spat out my story.
"I was getting sick. The medicinal herbs Katz were giving me weren't working anymore. I had built up an immunity to them. I started looking around for some alternative. I found it in the meta-gene stabilizer that Lex Luthor created. There was no way he would give such an expensive drug to a nobody like me for free, so I offered him a favor. He asked me to steal some files from the Hall of Justice. I broke in and got the files but I was caught as I was escaping. Thankfully I had a plan B, which just happened to involve fireworks. The most damage I did was singe the eyebrows off of some cop. I stole the files for Luthor and he gave me the meds. The deal was cut and dry between Luthor and I. I'm not a wanted criminal because Batman is rather understanding. Well, he becomes understanding when trying to drag me off to jail doesn't work. Batman wiped my slate clean in exchange for the files I stole. IN conclusion, Luthor asked me to steal the files, which I did. I never broke my deal with him because of the wonderful loophole I found. Luthor asked me to just steal the flies, the Bat asked me to give him the files. I did both and never broke my deals. You both know that I would never work for villains. Or at least I would try to never work for them. He just had what I needed and there were no other options. Well, dying was an option but it wasn't one that I had wanted to take."
I took a long deep breath. Word vomits were dangerous. Going that long without air could not be good for my health.
"Issa." I looked Katz in the eyes. Her eyes twinkled behind her dirty spectacles.
"Yeah?"
"Have I told you how proud I am of you lately?"
"Don't encourage bad behavior, Pinto Bean!" Ginji shouted Katz pet name. The old man paled as the words passed his lips. Judging by the glint in Katz eyes, he was in trouble. And by judging by how my foster grandparents were acting, I was no longer in trouble. Thank goodness.
The ancient wooden stairs caved perilously under my weight. I really need to start saving up my money so that I could move into a better apartment. I groaned as my apartment door stuck. I had told the landlord a million time that he needed to fix the damn door. A couple of good shoulder rams had the door opening finally. My foot slipped over the threshold and I froze. Oh, I saw how it was….
"Man, today was hard!" I said as I crossed my arms behind my head. I walked down the small foyer that opened up to my kitchen/ living room. I stepped into the room and I let my powers surge. With a burst of light, a gun formed in my hand. The barrel pointing to the middle of the Dark Knight's forehead.
"I believe we had a deal Batman. I give your stuff back, you stay the hell away."
I glared up at the superhero who was giving my construct an unimpressed look.
"I am aware of what I agreed to Issa. My associates were never part of the agreement, though."
My turned away from the Bat and faced the other two heroes in my home. My mood went from annoyed to straight up furious.
"Get out…." I snarled, not looking away from the two punks dressed in green.
"We have something to discuss with you, Issa." Batman completely ignored what I had said. Oooh, wrong move Bat. You never dismiss a woman's anger. My power flared with my temper and my skin lit up.
"Get. OUT. NOW!" I hissed at them. Wisps of light began to flare up at the corners of my eyes. Well, that wasn't a good sign but I was too pissed to care.
"Trust me, I want to leave this dump but Batman wants us to talk to you. So just shut up and sit down kid." The Green Lantern on the right sneered at me from across the room. He was right. The apartment was a dump. The paint was peeling, floorboards rotting, and no amount of Lysol that I sprayed could eliminate the smell of mold. He was completely right but this was still my home. And no arrogant ass of a Lantern was going to come into my home, tell me what to do, or diss the home that I toiled endlessly to purchase.
"Let me rephrase what I said then." My powers flared violently, my eyes illuminated completely. "Get the hell out before I cleave your head off."
The gun in my hand twisted and elongated into a long sword. I dragged the tip against the floor, pleased by the smoke that curled against the tip of the burning sword.
"You want to go brat?!" The Lantern was ready to lunge at me but his companion kept him from fighting.
"We have a deal for you." He said, approaching me slowly. When I didn't lunge forward and decapitate him, he took it as a sign to keep talking.
"You will go peacefully with Hal and I to Oa, where you will train. If you don't I will inform the Blue Corp that you are here."
"That isn't much of a deal." I grumbled. They had efficiently backed me into a corner. I looked over at Batman and if I was a betting girl, then I would bet my life savings(which wasn't much) that he looked pretty smug under that cowl.
"Do I have a choice in a matter." The fight went out of me as well as the blue light around me. Immediately I felt the familiar pain of a migraine. I pulled my pill bottle from my pocket and swallowed two tablets dry. I regarded the adults with tired eyes.
"I'll go, but if you try and turn me into a sidekick, I will remove your kidneys."
FINNALLYYY! I'm sorry everyone. I really struggled with this chapter. I knew where I wanted to go but wasn't sure how to get there. Leave me a review below and let me know what you think. Follow and favorite if you like what you're reading. See ya~