Rookie Touch

It's the middle of the night, Dad should be out by now doing his whole "vigilante" thing, so he shouldn't be back until just before morning. God, he takes this mission of his way too seriously. I understand he wants to give Mom's death meaning, but I don't think he thought this through. I can remember those nights after it happened. He couldn't forgive himself for not stopping those robbers. I sometimes have the same feeling. Maybe that's why I want to do this. Tonight.

I peek out my doorway to make sure Dane is still asleep. He left his door open again, and I can hear his little snores coming from his room. I shut my door and head over to my closet. Thankfully, Dad lets me keep my privacy, so it was easy to hide this costume I made. Well, "made" is sort of a loose term. My best friend Angie told me about this website that lets you make your own hero costume. With her being such a heavy cosplayer, it makes sense she would find such a site. A small laugh hums in my throat as I remember her trying to make her first cosplay outfit. God, that must have been, what? Three? Four years ago? Where does the time go? I remember how I couldn't stop laughing at the terribly sewn together dress she made. Me laughing made her puff out her cheeks and her face get so red. I had to stop when she mumbled, "I tried my hardest, Jessie."

A smile forms across my lips as I look at the outfit I commissioned. It was a yellow bodysuit, with gold trimmings here and there to give some details. With the suit, there was a yellow belt with similar gold trimmings as details, and the buckle was gold too. Well, painted gold, this whole outfit was short of seventy bucks, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was plastic too. Besides the belt were the last two accessories, a small, golden cape and hood that were sewn together, and golden bracelets that should cling to my wrists. I also have a pair of boots at the bottom of the box, and they are the same golden color with details imprinted on the sides. I think I did good job.

I quickly put on the suit, I don't really have time to bask in my online design skills. Once I have the whole outfit on, I check myself out in the mirror. I look good! I do a small spin to get a once over of myself, and the suit fits perfectly. This was only the first task, the next one is more of a challenge. Getting out of the building without being seen. I've seen Dad use his bedroom window before, but I don't see what he does after that. Curse these tall apartment buildings! I open my window to see if I could figure anything out. At an arm's reach away was a pipe from the storm drain on the roof. I guess that might be how he gets out? I reach for it and successfully grab it, but now I have to actually get down. I put both of me feet out of the building so I'm sitting on the window sill. I let out a ragged breath, not because I'm tired, more so because HOLY COW I am up high! I grip on to the sill and the pipe with equal death grips. I may be a part of the gymnastics team at school, but I've never done something like this before. I let out another breath, this one was smoother, and I focus. Luckily the mask I have covering my entire face has one sided gold tinted plastic where my eyes are, so I can see as clear if I didn't have a mask on. I swing my whole body towards the pipe and... I make it! OHMYGOD! I let out a sigh of relief, then begin to scooch down my life line. Luckily, someone had the foresight to secure the pipe to the wall with some heavy support, so it was sturdy all the way down.

Once my feet hit the ground I felt like I just finished climbing Mt. Everest. I didn't realize it until now, but my muscles were tense that entire time. I stretch out for a bit before I head out... On my first patrol! A smile instantly crosses my hidden face and I couldn't help but squirm like a child getting ice cream. I'm just so excited! For the past years, Dad goes out, knocks some heads together, then his actions are on the news the next morning. I couldn't help but beam with happiness every time I saw that. I just wanted to do something like that too, be a hero, fight supervillains. It sounds like so much fun! But Dad wouldn't let me join him on his patrols, kept on saying they were too dangerous for me. I wasn't that young when Mom died, I still remember all of those emotions going through me. I just want to get back at those who still do those kinds of things. I think Dad and I really do share that feeling. My face was getting cold from the autumn winds in the city. I should probably get moving.