Don't Be so Scared

“What power can I give you?” He asked with a sinister smile showing clearly in his eyes.

“You have plenty of power. I can tell by the way that girl hovers by your side.” She said with a look of disgust when speaking of Catwoman.

The Skeleton King laughed at her response to the woman at his side, he really thought the same thing, but men in power have a thing for easy women.

“Would you rather it be you hovering at my side?” His voice held all the arrogance that remark needed.

She let out a hiss that was his warning to choose his words carefully.

“Excuse me King, but why would you want her to replace me.” Catwoman’s distain was more than obvious.

“Her face requires no mask.” He spoke only using the words to degrade her more than she could do herself by hanging on him for her chance at escaping obscurity.

The vampire leader laughed out loud only earning an intense glare from the insulted woman.

“Darling you might want to take that look off your face or I’ll do it for you.” The vampire lightly responded.

***

“So everybody morphed into their costumes and the only way you’ve found to even partially change everyone back is to remind them of their life?” Carden asked making sure he had the whole thing straight.

Everyone in Cobra nodded.

“This shit is insane.” He muttered and dropped his head in his hands.

“You have no idea.” Gabe agreed.

“You were so fuckin’ creepy dude.” Nate added.

Carden ignored that last comment.

“So what else is there to know?” He asked regaining that air of strength that Mike Carden always had.

“You know what we know.” Ryland said seriously.

“Well we have one theory.” Alex spoke knowing that Mike would have more of an idea of what could have been off about the intro than any of them. “From what we saw we think it started with the intro, with the people involved with it. Was there anything that went really strangely during the intro?”

Carden paused, visibly doing what they’d all done earlier, probing his memory for any hints.

He looked back up to them. “It’s all a blur.”

Cobra all glanced at each other unsure of what to do next.

“Why don’t we try to find another one of the guys and see if they remember more than me.” He suggested getting up, ready to move.

They all followed him mentally preparing themselves to rescue another friend from the internal case that their costume traps them in.

***

Catwoman hissed back.

The vampire’s laughter changed to a face contorted in anger.

“What Catwoman? Planning on scratching my eyes out? I’ll rip your throat out without a second thought.” Johnnie said as she took a step forward.

The Skeleton King laughed. “Ladies, ladies, calm down. Johnnie, if you and your vampires can take out the heroes you can replace Catwoman at my side and rule not just the vampires but all of the monsters.”

“At your side? Like a silent queen who really has no rule at all no thank you. I’ll only take that offer if it means I truly have a hand in ruling.” She said holding her head high in pride, her pride is what survived the transformation.

“Of course.”

***

Mike led Cobra to Sisky.

“Esmarelda!” Mike shouted. He was going to do this because these were his band members they were trying to save.

Vicky-T had explained how it worked for her.

Esmarelda walked over to them in a way less intimidating fashion than Dr Fear had.

“Yeah?” His voice sounded like he thought he had a good proposition coming up.

“Your name isn’t Esmarelda. You’re Adam Siska. You go by Sisky Business, or just plain old Sisky. You’ve been friends with Bill since you were 13.”

Sisky still hadn’t resurfaced, Mike figured he hadn’t given enough information.

“You have two cats that we refuse to let you tour with no matter how much you fight us on it. You love life and try not to take it to seriously your like a kid brother to all of us-” Mike was cut off.

“Mike why are you telling me about myself?” Sisky was back.

“Sisky.” Mike took him in a hug.

“Dude it’s not that deep. We see each other constantly, why are you hugging me like I just came back from the dead?” He was completely oblivious.

“Dude there’s some crazy shit going on.” Mike said deathly serious. “We all morphed into our costumes.”

“Nice try Mike.” Sisky didn’t believe him.

“Sisky touch you chest.” Gabe said knowing that Sisky wouldn’t believe it until it was proved to him.

His hands traveled down to the breasts that had been fake.

“Shit!” He said once he’d gripped the breasts that were now real, and a part of him.

“Welcome to my world.” Mike said gesturing to his face lightly.

***

He didn’t think he would have to make good on his promise. He assumed the superheroes would tear her and her vampires apart. He thought they would be a good method of stalling until he came up with a better plan.

“Then we have a deal.” She spoke with an eerie calm, she didn’t even fear the superheroes a little.

“It seems that we do.” He rose from the drum riser that had become like a throne to him and extended his long bony hand out to her.

She stepped up and slid her hand right into his, feeling every slight twitch that went though his bones. The feeling of the hard, smooth bones pressed against her soft, cold skin caused shivers up her spine.

“Eager for the deal to come through?” He felt her shiver from his touch.

She just yanked her hand away and turned to get to work with her vampires following close behind her.

“I think I have a better idea.” He spoke as the new plan fluttered into his head in perfect time. “Is that Batman character still hanging around?”

“Why?” She asked knowing she’d have to speak to Batman because he had a soft spot for her.

“Because I think someone’s out after his hero buddies.” His voice was indicative of the evil thought well enough that he needed no face for it to be plain as day.

***

With Sisky now back and throwing the bits that he remembered out there, it helped jog Mike’s memory but it wasn’t enough.

“I think Jaedyn would know.” Mike spoke slowly in a low voice. He didn’t remember why she’d know but he knew she would.

“I haven’t seen her at all since this whole thing went down.” Gabe said quietly fearing his honesty. “I think she’s running the streets. I don’t think she’ll be easy to find.”

“Who have you guys seen?” Sisky asked in desperation.

“Butcher.” Nate said simply.

“Close enough.” Mike said ready to bring another friend back. “Which way did he go?”

***

“Batman.” Catwoman purred as she came up behind him as she wrapped her arms around his middle, nails lightly tracing the contours of his muscles clearly outlined by his costume.

“Catwoman.” He said coldly as he grabbed her hands and tossed them off of her trying to resist her charms and turned to look her in the eyes.

“The Skeleton King wants to speak with you.” she said putting her hands back on him.

“He’s leading the other side with you at his side. I’m not going to speak to either of you.” He attempted to leave her.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him back stepping right up to him.

“You know you don’t mean that.” She said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her lips to his.

He looked like he hated himself for letting her do that and not being able to make himself stop it as soon as she pulled away.

“Now the king only has good things to tell you and it’s very important. Please come and listen.” She said in her little cutesy voice that she knew he couldn’t resist as she started tracing her nails lightly over the exposed part of his neck even sliding her fingers under the fabric hiding his neck.

“Fine.” He said truly unable to resist Catwoman.

***

“Butcher!” They were calling though backstage, which had now become like a ghost town, in search of him hoping he would have the answer that could save them all.

Then Suarez who was bringing up the rear of the group started screaming.

They all whipped around to see Mummy Butcher clinging to Suarez sucking the life from him.

Suarez couldn’t even scream anymore by the time they were all looking at him he had his mouth open gasping for breath. The veins in his face popped out so you could see them beneath his skin and you could see the life flowing through them.

Sisky was the closest and grabbed Butcher’s arms pulling them off Suarez.

Sisky didn’t feel the life drain from him.

He was dead there was no life force for Butcher to suck from him.

“Dude, snap out of it.” Sisky said holding him at arms length almost shaking him with every word. “Andrew Mrotek everybody calls you The Butcher. You’re a kick ass drummer. You’re one of my - Adam T. Siska - best friends as well as the rest of our band The Academy Is.”

Butcher just let out another incoherent moan and escaped Sisky‘s grasp and started hobbling away.

“I thought you just had to remind them?” Sisky said frantic turning back to everybody.

“That’s how it’s worked for you and Mike.” Vicky replied back just as hastily.

“Maybe it has to be something that really matters, but in a different way than the band. For Mike it was Tina and I think for you it was your cats.” Ryland reasoned somewhat amused by the fact that for Sisky it was his cats despite the situation they were all in.

Sisky got an idea and ran and caught Butcher.

“Butcher.” He said spinning the mummy to face him again. “Man remember the day on our first tour you told me your biggest fear was ending up what everyone said you would be?
They said you were crazy to try and pursue art and music as a career and with the way you were getting tattoos you’d never be able to support yourself you’d forever be the starving artist. Well they were wrong Butcher, you made it! You’re successful, nothing like they thought you’d ever be.”

“Thanks man it’s great to know you think that.” He was back. Sisky’s words really meant a lot to him. “But why’d you just come out and say that?”

“Dude, all hell’s broke loose and it was the only way to get you back.” Sisky explained.

***

“What did you want?” Batman asked as coldly as he could manage.

“I wanted to warn you and your superhero friends.” The king answered vaguely.

“Warn us of what?” Batman asked more seriously this time.

“I want to know that the superheroes will be on better terms with me if I help you.” He got to his angle very bluntly.

“So there’s really nothing to warn us of you just want to be on our good side, right?” Batman caught on quick.

“No you’re all in danger, I just want to know that I’m not just helping people who are going to come after me if said threat is unsuccessful.” He spoke in an honest tone for someone lying through their teeth.

“We’ll be on terms for making agreements.” Batman bargained with the king.

“I’ll except that.” He knew the heroes wouldn’t have his knack for bargaining.

“So what’s the threat?” Batman wanted to get Catwoman standing at the king’s side out of his sight.

“The vampires are going after the superheroes, they’re going to try to take you all out so they don’t have you standing in the way of their food.” The king spoke as if he really cared about the superheroes.

Batman looked taken aback by the king’s concern.

“Thank you.” He said as he flipped around and started out of the building.

The king rested his hands together as if he were going to pray and placed his chin against them.

“Oh how easy it is to get everyone to do my bidding.”

***

“We need Jaedyn.” Butcher said after they discussed the intro again.

They couldn’t find that missing link without her.

They didn’t even know why they believed she’d know, they just knew she would.

“How are we supposed to find her?” Pessimistic honesty seeping from Suarez who was still recovering from the attack.

“She’ll be back.” Butcher said confidently. “Trust me.”

***

Batman found a mass of superheroes where they’d gathered talking about ideas for protecting humans, what’s been working, how many monsters they’ve seen, and things of that nature.

“Heroes.” Batman’s brooding voice came out rushed.

They all turned to see him jogging toward them.

He recognized one as the Superman who was onstage with him at the beginning of all this.

“The vampires are after us. They’re angry that the Superheroes have been protecting the humans.” He explained to the waiting heroes.

The fifteen heroes looked around at each other as if summing up what could happen in a fight in their heads.

“They’re coming.” Spiderman said as he felt a tingle in his spider senses.

Electra opened her eyes. “They’ll becoming at us from that alleyway in about thirty seconds.” She drew out her weapons readying herself for the battle at hand.

“Good I’ve been itchin’ for a good brawl.” Wolverine spoke gruffly and dropped his cigar stopping it out with his foot and released the blades from between his knuckles all in one fluid motion.

They all stood ready for the showdown.

***

“Fight harder than you ever have before.” Johnnie said as the vampire’s surrounded her. “The superheroes are powerful and we’ll all need to fight. If any of you run I will find you and kill you myself. That clear?”

The vampires all made sure she got that they understood her without a single one of them uttering a true coherent word.

They were ready.

They all began on their attack emerging from the very alleyway Electra predicted.

Rushing at the heroes that knew they were coming. They knew they weren’t going to surprise the heroes.

Almost the very instant they emerged blows started being thrown.

There were more vampires, there were easily double the number of vampires.

The heroes weren’t even afraid for a minute.

Within moments the heroes were winning easily and obviously.

Johnnie was exchanging blows with Superman with little success.

The lesser vampires decided this was all the sign of weakness they needed to see to make the decision that she no longer led them and they figured she wouldn’t make it out to make good on her promise so they fled.

That simple fact enraged her enough to fight hard enough to get one really good hit to Superman’s jaw before Batman caught her wrist and bound them behind her back.

“Just kill me quickly. I’d like to retain my dignity.” She said holding her head high hoping they’d carry themselves as heroes should and wouldn’t disgrace her any further.

The superheroes respected her in this moment seeing her nobility.

“You’d have done better had The Skeleton King not warned us.” Batman said out of simple courtesy.

Her body stiffened. “The Skeleton King warned you?” She asked through clenched teeth. “Because he’s the one who asked the vampires to kill you.” She spoke with so much malice for the man who betrayed her, almost like she expected better from him.

“He sent you?” Batman asked taken aback by that.

“We’ve been played my friend.” She said slowly still seething.

“Get up.” He yanked her up and decided to drag her back to the skeleton in question. He had to get to the bottom of this.

***

“They’re all just like puppets and I’m the grand puppeteer.” The Skeleton King spoke aloud to no one as he paced around rather impressed with himself.

The doors slammed open halfway through that sentence.

Batman stormed in throwing Johnnie on the floor in front of the skeleton.

“Puppet master, eh?” Batman a spit, disgusted by the skeleton. “Bet this wasn’t part of your plan.”

The skeleton instantly turned to them shock prevailed in his eyes.

“So would you like to explain to Batman here why you asked me and the vampires to kill him and his friends.” The vampire hissed up at him.

The skeleton sputtered something out that no one could have ever dreamed of understanding.

“What? Catwhore got your tongue?” She said with a smirk traveling to her lips in satisfaction.

His eyes turned menacing and he glared at her. “She’s a liar. Who should you believe the woman who tried to kill you or the man that tried to save you?”

“Bastard!” She jumped to her feet outraged by the accusation.

“Now Nurse Blood, temper, temper. That is what got you here right?” He said in his typical condescending tone.

She didn’t say anything else just broke the binds that had kept her hands behind her and went straight for the skeleton.

Of course this would be the moment Catwoman returns and decides to defend the king.

She caught a hold of Johnnie’s hair and yanked her back before she could lay a hand on him.

Johnnie looked back to the woman whose hand still had a firm grip on her hair and smiled. “I wanted to do this anyways.”

She spun, the girl’s arm now behind her head tangled in her hair, and punched her square in the jaw.

Catwoman’s hand instantly released her hair as she stumbled back.

“Bitch!” Catwoman screamed back as she moved her hand away from the spot where Johnnie struck her.

From the corner of Johnnie’s eye she could see the tranny grab Batman by the shoulders and start talking to him as Catwoman lunged at her.

Johnnie dodged the woman jumping at her catching her hair much like Catwoman had done to her only moments prior and pulled her close so she could speak directly into her ear.

“Now as much as I’d like to take the time to beat you severely I have bigger fish to fry.” Johnnie whispered harshly as she launched the woman across the room into a wall rendering Catwoman unconscious.

She returned her attention back to The Skeleton King. “Got any other whores that are going to fly out of the woodwork when I come after you this time?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” He said haughtily.

Everybody else entered; Butcher, Suarez, Gabe, Vicky-T, Carden, Nate, Ryland, and Tony (who they‘d only just saved) the whole gang that had assembled to fix the Halloween fiasco. Not that Johnnie and the king noticed.

Johnnie threw the first punch.

The king caught it and used it to pull her close, slinging his arm around her waist. “Do you want to dance vampire?”

She growled and shoved him as far as she could.

“Jaedyn! Bill! Stop!” Vicky shouted as a reflex action knowing how little it would help.

Neither of them slowed.

Instead - the now back to himself - Chiz and Carden ran toward the stage where this was happening to grab Johnson and Bill.

Micheal grabbed Johnnie pulling her back from The Skeleton King as Mike caught the king pulling him back as well.

Then Sisky hopped on the stage between the two.

“You are William Beckett.” He said pointing at Bill then he turned to Jaedyn, “You are Jaedyn Johnson.” He paused trying to figure out what to say to each of them. “Bill I’ve known you since I was thirteen man. We’re like best friends. We bonded over music, it was our passion.”

Nothing changed within Bill.

“Johnson, we met you when you met Butcher but you never ended up being the typical ’friends girl’ you ended up friends with all of us.”

Again there was no change.

Everyone was trying to find something to say that could bring them back as Sisky kept rattling off things that weren‘t changing a thing.

Johnnie got out of Chizzy’s grip and The Skeleton King got out of Mike’s.

She went straight to him and wrapped her hand around the top vertebrae that make up his neck and he returned the favor wrapping his skeletal hand around her throat.

“What Johnnie? Wanna kiss me? Go ahead. Do it.” He taunted her and tightened his hand around her neck.

Then Butcher bounded up to the stage after his face full of thought changed to one of determination.

“You’re William Beckett and you’re Jaedyn Johnson and you love each other! The two of you are in love and you’ve been denying it because Johnson over here has always had a fear of ruining a great band!”

The room was stunned silent and their eyes fixed on Jaedyn and William to see if this worked; to see if this was true.