BlakJak Part 1
"You know they're going to come after you right?" Sahdvi, Badjwah's mother says condemningly as she pushes past her only daughter towards the closet in the small studio apartment.
"I didn't know there were cameras mom." Badjwah flops her hands to her sides and pushes a bundle of shirts still on hangers into a suit case.
"Cameras?" Sahdvi grabs more clothes out of the closet and tosses them onto the twin sized bed in the middle of the room. "What about the big bag of money in your hands. When did you start stealing Badjwa?!" The motherly concern and disapproval pour out through Sadvhi's still lingering Indian accent. "I cannot believe you would use this gift for such horrible things."
"Please Maji, don't be mad. I only wanted to help you and dad" Badjwah's voice melts into a child's tone, whining for her mother's forgiveness.
"Nothing in this world is worth stealing. It is all nothing and will become nothing." Badjwah's mother grabs her arms and gently tries to force some sense into her by squeezing her and staring into her deep brown eyes. Both women exhale and Sahdvi rubs her daughter's arm as she turns back towards the closet to grab more clothes. "And why is your costume so skimpy?" Sahdvi says as she holds up the infamous BlakJak costume. Badjwah grabs the costume from her mother and shoves it into her bag.
"Loose clothes can get cut off in the drop."
"Cut off?" Sahvhi's face crumples and her head instinctively tilts at her confusion.
"Yeah, I lost a whole cardigan once when I tried to teleport out of the mall." Sanemi responds with a giggle. Her mother almost laughs too.
"Is that what happened with your mask?"
"No, that was Aceblade. He managed to sneak up on me and pulled it off. I still don't know how he knew I would be there. I didn't even plan it."
"Well, he's Aceblade." Sahdvi replies with a hint of admiration. "If you weren't my daughter I would WANT him to catch you." Sahdvi furls her brow and nudges Sanemi jokingly. Badjwah doesn't laugh. Instead, her brow furls and her eyes begin to water. She crosses her arms and her mother turns to embrace her. Two quick shallow breaths in and her emotions begin to overcome her. Sanemi hugs her mother and begins to cry.
"It's alright my beautiful girl." Sahdvi embraces her daughter and begins to softly pat her back. "There is always time for restitution. This is not the end of your journey. It is a new beginning." She leans back and looks up into her daughter's eyes once again. "You are strong and smart. Aceblade will never catch you. Just stay ahead of him until the pressure dies down and you can live your life as you wish."
"Yes Maji, but I wish for things that I cannot have. Things that you and papa can't give me. If I have these gifts, why not use them to make life better for us. We don't HAVE to live like indigents anymore." Badjwah wipes away her tears and pleas passionately with her potent petition. Sahdvi takes a deep breath and shakes her head.
"Well, my daughter, you have to make your own path. WHATEVER you do, make sure you are the best version of you. Whether it's as my Badjwah... or as your BlakJak." The two women embrace once more and then begin unpacking the bags. Badjwah will stand her ground and force her own path. One thing is for sure, she will have to face Aceblade in order to achieve her goal.