There was a storm that night, and I couldn’t sleep a wink. The usually comforting thunder seemed increasingly menacing with each blow. I walked from my room to the fridge and with each step the lightning seemed to strike closer and closer to the warehouse.
“Kitty Kat, Kitty Kat.” A voice teased from upstairs.
“Who’s there?” I called out.
Jonathan was the only other person who inhabited this building and he had since moved; so who was upstairs? I set my glass of milk on the counter and silently climbed the steps. The storm raged on outside, casting angular shadows all over my new home. A girl giggled and footsteps padded through Edward’s old room.
“Luna? Is that you?” I pushed the door open and the green light made my head spin. “Luna, come out.”
“I’m no moon.” The girl teased from the bathroom. “Come find me Kitty Kat.”
“Who are you and what the hell are you doing in my h-“ There was no one in the bathroom. Well, that was a lie because I was in the bathroom. “No.”
“Hello Kat.” My reflection waved and giggled at me. She had my same hair and clothes, but her eyes seemed to glow amber. “Took you long enough to find me.”
“Storm?” My voice cracked as I touched the cool glass.
“For the time being.” She nodded with a grin. “Why do you call me ‘Storm?’ I thought we were ‘Chesh’ now.”
“We? There is no we.” I growled. “You’re violent and could kill someone, I can’t… I won’t do that. Ever.”
“Congratulations!” She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips, giving me one of my customary ‘you’re such a freaking idiot’ looks. “Someone give me a prize for stating the most obvious fact in human existence.”
“What are you going on about?” I glared. “Just say it. You of all people should know I don’t like stalling.”
“On the contrary, you love stalling; you hate when other people stall. Since we’re on in the same person I figured the stalling point was-“
“Shut up.” I sighed, rubbing a hand down my face. “I’m sitting here talking to my reflection, I’ve officially lost it.” I mumbled.
“See!” She got all excited and smiled at me while pointing. “There you go, what did you just say?”
“I’m talking to my reflection I-“ She cut me off with a laugh.
“Listen to yourself Katrina! You’re brilliant, absolutely brilliant, but you never listen well enough to hear it.”
I stared at her and thought about it. I’m talking to my reflection. Why the hell am I listening to my reflection in the first place!
“Look, I, we, whoever, needs some serious sleep.” I sighed and began to turn around.
“Not until this is settled!” She yelled right before thunder shook the entire building. I slowly faced her again to see anger had replaced her innocent bliss. “You’re so brilliant and dumb; just like Edward.”
“Don’t you compare me to him!” I hissed, lighting struck outside and lit up the room.
“Then stop being so blind.” She whispered, her face softening. The storm outside took a break for the first time in four hours and I started to get it.
“My reflection,” she smiled and nodded for me to continue. “You’re not some ‘other part’ of me; you’re just me.” My voice broke. “I’m that violent. I’m that dangerous. I’m that insane.” My knees gave out and I caught myself on the countertop.
“Think of ‘Storm’ as more of a…” she took a moment to choose her words. “Survival mode.” After a few seconds I stood back up and looked into her smiling face. “You’re not insane, necessarily, but you have a violent survival instinct because that’s what you’ve been exposed to since a young age.”
“Great, now my reflection is my psychologist.” I grunted, smiling a bit.
“I’m just trying to help us.” She shrugged.
“So there’s no Storm, or Chesh, It’s just me.” I spoke slowly to let the truth sink into my head.
“Just you; I believe that now that you’ve come to terms with that, you won’t have so many problems.”
“Well, thank you then… I think.” I chuckled. “I mean, I still am talking to myself.”
“It’s only a problem when you answer back.” She winked at me and then my reflection was nothing more than that; a mirror image of me.
“I think I can sleep now.” I yawned, making my way out of the green-lit room. I can’t remember if I even made it all the way down the stairs before I blacked out and dreamt of killer rabbits attacking the innocent witches who conjured marshmallows that carried AK-47’s….
You can’t judge me anymore; you lost those rights two books ago.
--
“I SEE YOU DRIVIN’ ROUND TOWN WITH THE GIRL I LOVE AND I’M LIKE, FORGET YOU!”
“Aghhhh!” I jumped up from my slumber and started tumbling down the stairs. My face was just about to smash into the cement before I flipped myself onto my feet.
“And ten points goes to the klutzy sleeper.” His velvety voice chuckled from my TV speakers.
“I’m going to kill you.” I growled, looking up at his smirk. “Edward-motherfricking-Nigma, I’m going to come to your hide out, tie you down and filet the skin off of your body while you’re still breathing. Then I’m going to pour salt over your exposed flesh and muscle and laugh hysterically before calling an ambulance.” Edward’s face stayed the same, but his panic was extremely evident in his eyes. I stood in front of my television and glared for a few more seconds before smirking. “Gotcha.” I winked.
“That was…” he cleared his throat and straightened up in his chair. “That was extremely unexpected; and frightening.”
“Sorry, I just had to test something.” I smiled shyly, thinking about my ‘revelation’ last night. “So what do you want? Jonathan isn’t here anymore.”
“I know.” He nodded, just looking at me.
“Wellllllllll.” I turned to my kitchen and walked in. “How can I help you?”
“You were asleep on the staircase.” He stated, almost in a questioning way. “You were also in my room last night… Talking to a mirror.”
“Yes.” I nodded, opening my fridge and grabbing the milk jug before turning back to him. “What of it?”
“Yet you still act like your normal self.” He squinted at me, scrutinizing my every move.
“If you saw me then you heard me.” I frowned more to myself than him. “I just… had to listen to myself and figure something out. I’m fine Edward.”
“Edward.” He smirked. “Still mad at me then?”
“Does it even matter if I am?” I rolled my eyes, popping the top off the milk jug and taking a swig. I wiped my hand across my lips before continuing. “You stopped Jonathan and Luna from doing something they’d regret and I’ve come to terms with that. And before you start pushing how okay I am with things, I’m perfectly aware that Luna’s working for you again and I’m fine with that.”
“I wasn’t looking for your permission in the matter.” He chuckled.
“I didn’t think you were.” I rolled my eyes. “I just know how you like to push things and I want to cross that thing off your list. Now if you’ll excuse me,” I sighed and sat down on Johnny’s old couch. “I have to wait for Dent to show up.”
“You’re working with Harvey?” He frowned and got closer to his camera. “Why in the world are you working with him?”
“Jealousy isn’t a good color on you honey.” I teased, laying my head on the arm of the sofa, enjoying the shade of red that spread across his face.
“I’m not jealous.” Eddie muttered, fidgeting with his tie.
“Thank you for your concern Ed, but I think I can handle Harv.” I smiled sleepily at him. “What time is it?” I yawned.
“It’s currently six thirty in the afternoon. I’ve been very patient with trying to wake you up.” He chuckled as I flailed onto the floor.
“SIX THIRTY?!” I ran into my room and started pulling out every drawer that contained clothing. The TV over my dresser turned on and Edward smiled at me.
“I forgot how funny it is to watch you.”
“Creep!” I laughed and ran into my bathroom with an armful of clothes. “Don’t you dare watch me in here Edward! Or I swear on all the frozen yogurt in the world I will kill you how I described earlier!”
“Goodbye Katrina. Keep in touch.”
“Tell Luna I say hi!” I yelled in a last-ditch effort before stripping and trying on different outfits for the next twenty minutes.
I stepped out of my room wearing a pair of black shorts and a black, long-sleeved cut-off. I know I know, why shorts with a long-sleeved cut-off? I’ve recently become very proud of my fitness and have decided that it can’t hurt to show off a bit. Harvey was sitting on his couch, flipping his coin and grumbling to himself.
“Hey Harv.” I grinned while he dropped his jaw. “You’re ten minutes early.”
“Well, don’t you look nice.” He stood up with a smirk on his face. “I wanted to go over what I need you to do tonight.”
“Sure, sure.” I nodded, walking into Johnny’s lab. “I’m just looking for something really quick, you keep talking!” I called over my shoulder as I rummaged through John’s costume closet.
“Normally I’d hire Bane or Grundy for this, but I’d really like to stay out of Arkham this time.” He started, leaning in the doorway. “You’re security detail tonight. Your job is to make sure Batman doesn’t show up and blow this job you understand?”
“I don’t have near the strength that the boys have, why do you need me?” I continued sifting through some drawers in the closet until I found a black domino mask and black fingerless gloves. I tried them all on and everything fit; perfect.
“Because I don’t want people to know you’re there.” He grinned. “You’re all acrobatic now and can be hard to spot when you don’t want people to find you. I want you to stay hidden, but keep an eye on everything.”
“What, you want me to hide in the ceiling?” I snorted. Harvey’s face didn’t change and I grinned. “I’m getting paid to sit in the rafters?”
“Essentially.” He nodded. “If something does go wrong, I need to know that you’ll be able to handle it. If it’s Batman or a civilian.”
“No killing tonight Harv.” I raised an eyebrow at him sternly.
“It’s not the hired help’s place to tell the boss how to work.” Two Face growled, stepping closer to me.
“Then hire Grundy.” I stood my ground and he eventually backed off.
“No killing; fine.” Harvey nodded. “You keep hidden though, otherwise you’re on your own.”
“Deal.” I smirked, walking out of the warehouse. “Let’s get going then.”
--
We arrived at the bank separately, each going in our respective ways. I crawled through some of the air-ducts before dropping down on one of the metal beams. Harvey had just burst in through the front doors and started shooting off a gun. Everybody screamed and tired to hide while trying to escape his eyesight. I walked along the rafters and stayed out of sight; just like I had been told.
"Everybody listen up! If I even think you're reaching for a phone, you're dead. You got that!" Two Face yelled, some kid whimpered a few feet away and drew the psycho’s attention. "C'mere," he growled at the boy, who couldn't have been older than eight, as he pulled him from his mom. "If everyone behaves how they should, the boy will get to go back home with his mother."
I stood above the crowd and Harvey shot me a quick smirk before he dragged the child with him to the vault. I made my way to the center beam before deciding to sit down and swing one of my legs over the side. Everyone cowered under chairs and tables, sending terrified glances to one another. One of the clerks tried to push their panic button, but I quickly fried the circuit breaker on the wall behind her; putting the bank into true lockdown. There was an audible ‘click’ as everything locked down for good until the police arrived. Harvey would just have to deal with that for the time being.
“Hello sweet heart,” Someone called up to me from the far corner of the room. “What are you doing up there?”
I looked down to see Jason Todd stand up and walk under me. Needless to say, everyone else looked up to see a girl clad in all black and a small domino mask. I stretched my legs and grinned down at him before lying on my stomach and pulling my feet up on the beam with me; my knees bent below me.
“You know… typical stuff.” I grinned. Jason was in all leather and a mask as well, so the citizens became wary of his presence.
“Storm! Why can I hear talking in here? Who the hell are you?” Two Face glared at Jason. The kid’s face was tear streaked and his heartbeat was like a humming bird’s.
“Come on Harv,” I cooed, trying to appeal to the more logical side of him. “Let me have the kid and I’ll tell you.” I jumped down and landed on my feet; the cool marble felt so much nicer compared to the metal up top.
“Why should I hand him over? Everyone’s followed the rules today… Well, almost everyone.” He glared at Jason. “I guess that means his mother’s going to have one less mouth to feed.” He grinned as he cocked his pistol.
“Don’t do it.” I growled from my spot three feet away. My eyes kept flashing between him and the kid while Harv’s heartbeat raced in excitement.
“Got a problem with that, babe?” Two Face taunted me.
I knew that if I moved the gun would go off, but at the same time, if I didn’t move, there was no way for me to protect him. My survival instincts kicked in and I could feel my fingertips start to crackle.
“You don’t want to push me Harvey. Think about everything that could happen to these innocent people, and then think very, very hard about what will happen to you.” I snarled. He stood there and debated with himself for a few treacherous minutes.
“Fine, this time you get the kid.” Two Face pushed him to me and I easily caught him. “Next time,” he glared at the boy. “He might not be so lucky. Let’s go.” He walked between Jason, glaring at him longer than necessary, and me.
“Thank you miss.” The child whispered before his mom tore him from my grip.
“Not a problem.” I shrugged and turned to see Jason still standing there. “How did Harv just pass you up without violence?”
“Must have something to do with the fact Batman showed up just now. How can you be working with him?” Jason kind of glared at me in that last second. I looked out the glass doors to see that he was indeed telling the truth about Bruce.
“I don’t steal anything, I don’t hurt anyone, and I still get paid. Plus, I get to keep him in line with the hostages. My job is to make sure everyone comes out of these things okay. And seeing as my vision’s getting fuzzy I’m going to assume you or Harv just drugged me.” I frowned sleepily at the old Robin.
“Makes it that much harder for you to resist your rescue.” My vision was fuzzy, but I could make out the glass door starting to crack as Bruce tried to force his way inside. “I know how you always like saving yourself, but tonight I feel like someone should keep you safe.” He chuckled, picking me up bridal style. “Everyone here is safe, now let’s keep you out of Arkham shall we?”
“Put. Me…… Dow-“ And that’s about the time I blacked out.