More Trouble!

by Katrina Kahler

  “So, how was your day at work?” Mom asked.

  I chomped on a chicken wing and said, “Wendi and Patti made me do all the jobs they don’t want to do.”

  “That’s not surprising at all,” Mom said.

  “They’re just jealous of you,” Grandma Betsy noted. “If I had been you, I would have literally blown them away with a fart.”

  “Mom, she needs to learn to deal with her problems like a normal person,” my mom lectured both her mom and me.

  “Well, what about dealing with super baddies?” Grandma asked.

  “Now that’s different,” Mom said.

  “I take it you guys heard about my little adventures today,” I said.

  “It’s kind of cool you have an arch-rival,” Grandma gushed. “From the video that Zeke shared with us, you taught her a pretty good lesson.”

  I groaned. “Not sure how I feel about the arch-rival thing. But I did enjoy kicking Paula’s butt.” I smiled and then paused for a moment. “Thing is though, she’s a super smart girl and I am sure she’ll come after me. I’m also sure she will improve her tech to become more challenging. Her parents are rich and don’t seem to mind throwing money her way.”

  “I could contact Mr. Lawrence and ask him to shut her down,” Mom offered. “After all, she does train and study at his Future Now Labs.”

  I shook my head. “Nah, let’s leave Paula alone. I’m pretty sure I can handle anything she throws at me. As long as she is fixated on me, she is leaving the rest of the world alone.”

  “Good point,” Mom said.

  “Now, what about those other two?” Grandma asked.

  I nodded. “Yeah, that’s a different story. Large Marge is as tough as nails. But I am stronger than nails so she’s nothing I can’t handle. Though, as far as Jamer is concerned, she packs a lot of punch.”

  “From the data Jason gave me, she can control all forms of energy,” Mom said.

  “Yeah, and somehow even gravity,” I added. “She made me feel like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. She reflected my energy blasts. She is really tough one on one. But when teamed up with Large Marge…” I sighed. “I’m not used to being outnumbered.”

  “Well, you do have Jason and Zeke,” Grandma Betsy said.

  “That doesn’t mean anything against Zeke,” I sighed, “because he is kind of useless in a fight. In many ways, he just gets in the way.” I forced a smile. “Although I’m sure Jason will work with the teams at BMS Labs to improve his tech so he can resist Marge’s commands. But even so, I do miss having my team around. When I’m backed up by Adam, Lori, Marie, and Tanya, I feel I can take on the world!”

  “Yeah, there is a lot of power there,” Mom said. She stared at me.

  “But…” I coaxed.

  “But maybe it’s good for you to be the only superpowered good gal around for a while. They do say adversity is the mother of invention. Maybe being outnumbered will help you to push yourself. You’ll find you have even more power and ingenuity than you think.” Mom was as upbeat as only a mom could be.

  “Hey, Jamer fights with her mom by her side. Maybe I could have my mom back me up?”

  Mom shook her head. “Nope, this super lady has long ago decided her role in life is to heal. Of course, if the chips get really down, I will be there. But I am not built for fighting crime.”

  I turned to Grandma Betsy. “What about a grandma and granddaughter dual?”

  Grandma Betsy smiled. She flexed her muscles. “That would be fun. I’m pretty sure I could teach that Large Marge a thing or two about pain. Back in my crocodile wrestling days, I used to make those crocodiles cry. That’s where the phrase crocodile tears originated.”

  My mom looked at her mom. Grandma sank back into her chair. “So in an emergency, I will be there of course, like any grandma. But other than that, I’ll leave you be. After all, I have a lot of needlepoint to catch up on,” Grandma said.

  “Okay, thanks, I guess,” Looking down at Shep by my feet, I said, “What about you, my favorite dog?”

  Shep wagged his tail. I took that to mean… ‘If you need me I am there. I can always use dog breath on the baddies.’ I patted Shep on the head.

  “You wanna go out and see a movie tonight?” Mom asked.

  “Actually, I'm beat. First day at work. First day with an arch nemesis. First day meeting two new super bad gals. You know, same old, same old,” I said forcing myself to smile.

  Trying my best to act like a normal kid after dinner, I decided to sit with Grandma Betsy and Mom to watch a nice family comedy on Netflix. The movie was about a talking dog trying to hide his intelligence from the world. The dog discovered how hard life was when you were the only talking dog in the world. In the end though, he found a family who loved and understood him.

  It was meant to be mindless entertainment. There are times when mindless is good. It lets the brain reset and relax and recharge. Yet, I somehow found myself relating to the talking dog. I guess it wasn’t totally mindless then, as it did make me think. I guessed, or I hoped that a little thinking was good. Regardless, I chuckled a few times. As well, I do believe Shep loved watching another dog on TV. Maybe Shep dreamed of being a TV star? I chuckled more at that thought.

  When I heard the skype alert sound go off from my computer in my room, I streaked upstairs at super speed and noticed it was a call from Jason. I accepted the call and Jason’s face filled the screen.

  “Hey,” Jason said.

  “Hey,” I said back. “I see we’re communicating old school with Skype instead of over the MAC interface,” I added.

  “Yeah, I wanted a bit of the old school. Like it was back when our lives were simpler,” Jason said. “My parents are out for dinner so we can talk freely over regular computer lines.” Jason paused for a moment, his expression was full of disappointment. “Sorry, I let you down today…”

  “Say what?” I asked.

  Jason locked his eyes on my own. “I know the rest of our team is away so I wanted to step up and man up. I thought I could take on Large Marge by myself. Well, by myself with Zeke.”

  “While I appreciate the thought,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “You know I never mind going into battle with you. Even if Zeke is there. Like he says, he makes a good distraction.”

  “Yeah,” Jason moaned. “But you’d already had such a hard day with the animals going out of control and Paula showing up. I just wanted to make your life easier. Plus, I admit I wanted to prove I could be super by myself.” He sat silently for a few seconds before continuing. “Man, did I prove the opposite or what? Large Marge made me cower and drop to my knees. I think I might have even sucked my thumb a bit.”

  “Dude, you don’t have to tell me that,” I said. “Marge was really nasty. You did your best!”

  “Lia, you’re my best friend. The best friend I’ll probably ever have and I had one simple task…take down a ten-foot-tall mad woman so you don’t have to. And I failed…” Jason said.

  “Yeah, you did,” I said. Jason’s eyes dropped. “But I’m betting you learned from that encounter.” Jason’s eyes perked back up.

  “I did! I so did!” he said. “I’ve modified my armor to help strengthen my brain and block out mental attacks!”

  “See Jason, that’s why I like you so much. First of all, you own your mistakes and that is great. Second, you learn from them which is even better. We all make mistakes; mistakes are how we learn.”

  “Agreed,” Jason said. “Except for maybe Zeke. He makes a ton of mistakes but he doesn’t ever seem to learn.”

  “I guess that’s what happens when your brain is mostly dead,” I laughed.

  Jason laughed back. It felt great to hear his laugh.

  “MAC gave me some recordings from your battle with Jamer Ju,” Jason told me. “Her control of energy is impressive. She will be a hard one to put down.”

  “Not sure I have to put her down or take her out,” I said. “I get the feeling that Jamer and even Large Mar
ge think they’re actually helping the world by doing what they are doing. We might be able to convince them to switch their tactics and even join our team.”

  “Man, that would be great,” Jason smiled.

  “You’re just saying that because you saw how pretty Jamer is. You’ve always liked the cool skater girl type,” I teased.

  Jason nodded. “True.” I could tell his mind had drifted away. He had to be imagining himself flying with Jamer behind her on her skateboard.

  “Earth to Jason,” I prodded.

  “Right,” he said, snapping back into the now. “It’s all good. I like the idea of getting Jamer and Maggie on our side.” His eyes opened wide. “Also, I talked to Paula. I tried to discourage from the life of a super villain.”

  “And?” I asked.

  “She said, and I quote, ‘I love being arch-rivals with Lia, I think it will bring out the best in both of us. The world needs balance, yin, and yang.’”

  “Funny, I can’t disagree with that statement,” I said.

  “She also asked if I want to go to the movies with her sometime,” Jason admitted.

  “Say what now?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

  “I told her I couldn’t date somebody who considered themselves to be my best friend’s arch nemesis,” Jason smiled.

  “How did she take that?” I grinned.

  Jason laughed. “She said… ‘Give it time. You’ll both learn to appreciate me.’”

  Jason and I both laughed. We then talked into the night. We hadn’t done that since... well, I can’t remember when. It felt good.

  Really good!

  Dear Diary: I know what Mom is trying to do. She wants me to be able to function independently. After all, I am a pretty powerful girl. I may very well be the strongest person on Earth. Sure, it’s great to have friends and teammates and all. But when push comes to push harder, I need to be able to rely on myself. With my powers, I have to hold myself to higher standards. Sure, I never asked for these powers. But they are, for the most part, a gift. I need to learn how to use this gift in the best way possible for myself and the world.

  Perhaps that’s where Paula can come in. She, as my arch nemesis, will force me to be at my best. I need to be ready for anything. The fact that she seems to have a crush on Jason, my BFF just makes it even more interesting. It also forces me to think about what kind of relationship I want with Jason. We’re always going to be best friends. But do I want more? Truthfully, I don’t know. I mean…I also like Adam a lot. Being super and a clone, Adam and I are both different from almost everybody around us. I can relate to him.

  But Jason, my Jason, I’ve known him forever. I think I might know him better than he knows himself. And vice versa. Maybe we are meant to end up being together? Or maybe we’re just meant to remain great friends? I’m old enough now to know that many romantic relationships do tend to fizzle out… I also know you can never have too many good friends. In fact, good friends are to be cherished.

  I just hope that in time, I will figure this all out!

  My Real Arch Nemesis

  The next morning, I decided to get up early and walk to work. I wanted to show Mrs. Trompe that I had ambition and could be a good team player. I also wanted to see the pool without anybody else around. I needed a chance to get to know the place a little. Just in case I did have to save somebody.

  Reaching the pool grounds, I found Mrs. Trompe swimming in the pool. She had a smooth steady stroke of a competitive swimmer. She saw me and smiled. She completed a few more laps. She got out of the pool and toweled off. I couldn’t help but notice she was a very fit woman.

  “Did you used to swim for a team when you were at school?” I asked.

  Mrs. Trompe smiled. “I was on my college swim team. I was pretty good.”

  “I can tell,” I said.

  “I swim every morning just to make sure the water is fit for our guests. I check the pH and the temperature,” Mrs. Trompe told me. She smiled. “Great to see you’re here early.”

  “Well, I like to prepare for the day,” I said.

  Mrs. Trompe’s smile widened. “Very good. I like that. And, Lia…sorry again that Wendi can be a little trying.”

  “Oh she’s not that bad,” I said, biting my teeth.

  “Please, you don’t have to mince words with me. I know she’s a pain. But my boss, the mayor, makes me give Wendi a sweet job because her mom donates so much money to the school.” She sighed. “It is what it is…”

  “I understand,” I replied.

  Mrs. Trompe grinned. “Of course, your dad runs a really big research lab. If he were to make a donation to the town or to the pool, I’m betting the mayor would want to make your life easier as well.”

  “Actually, I don’t mind a little adversity,” I said. “It builds character.” I wasn’t thrilled with Mrs. Trompe suggesting my dad make a donation. I like to do things by myself, get promotions based on my own merit.

  “That’s commendable,” she said slowly. “I guess whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” She slowed her words even more, “Say, you know…I wouldn’t mind a tour of your dad’s labs sometime…”

  Hmm, I didn’t know what to make of Mrs. Trompe. She certainly wanted something from me. I had to play this carefully. I didn’t want to fall even lower in the ranks of pool employees.

  “Sure, I’ll talk to him!” I promised.

  “Great,” Mrs. Trompe grinned. “Now, I’d better get out of this swimsuit before the paying customers arrive.” She pointed over my shoulder. “And here comes Wendi and Patti now.”

  “Wow, Mrs. Trompe, you look very good in that bathing suit,” Wendi gushed. I’m pretty sure she faked most of that gush. Man, Wendi knew how to play the game.

  “Yeah, it’s hard to believe you’re an old lady!” Patti said.

  “I’m only forty,” Mrs. Trompe frowned at Patti.

  “I didn’t say ancient, just old,” Patti insisted.

  Patti had been letting Wendi do her thinking for so long, it seemed Patti couldn’t think too well on her own anymore. I smiled.

  “Well, I’ll leave you girls to get organized while I go and get dressed,” Mrs. Trompe said. She turned and walked away.

  “Why are you here so early?” Wendi demanded.

  “I wanted to impress you!” I told her.

  “Well, you failed,” Wendi said. “Today you’re on bathroom duty!” “Excuse me?” I asked.

  “Find a hose, a bucket, and some soap and make sure those bathrooms are sparkling clean,” Wendi ordered.

  “Wait, I thought Janitor Jan cleaned here over the summer?” I asked.

  Wendi put her hands on her hips and stared defiantly towards me.

  “She does, but I’m making you her aid. She’s old; even older than Mrs. Trompe. Go find her and tell her you’ll be working with her now!”

  Even though Wendi’s bossy attitude was really annoying, I actually didn’t mind working with Janitor Jan at all. After all, Janitor Jan was a powerful wizard and it was always good to have wizards on your side.

  I found Jan in the supply closet collecting the items she might need for the day. She sniffed the air. Without turning around, she said. “Lia, I see Wendi is forcing you to work with me.”

  “Yeah, she is,” I nodded.

  “I love the way you girls think that doing my job is a punishment,” Jan said.

  “Oops,” I said.

  “Don’t worry, honey, I won’t turn you into a toad. I know this job is the pits!” Jan laughed.

  “Then why do YOU do it?” I asked her.

  “Hon, when you are a wizard, you hold great power. I mean, I could just snap my fingers and say the right words then everybody here would turn into jello, bunnies or toe jam; whatever I wanted. That’s why I do this job. It’s important for me to stay mellow and grounded.”

  “Fair enough,” I said. “What do you want me to do?” I asked.

  Janitor Jan pointed to a few brushes. “Grab the brushes, you have to
ilet duty.”

  “Oh, joy!” I groaned.

  “Hey, you could level us all with a fart, so it’s just as important for you to be humble.”

  “I guess,” I sighed, grabbing the brushes.

  We headed out to the first set of toilets. These weren’t too bad as the pool area hadn’t opened yet. I actually had to admit, I found the work relaxing. Jan and I moved from bathroom to bathroom. Working with Jan turned out to be quite handy because she used her magic to clear out the smells from the day before. I might be super but even I didn’t like smelling bathrooms after other people had used them.

  Just as I started to actually enjoy the morning, I heard a very familiar voice. “Do you guys need any help?” Zeke’s voice sounded.

  Turning, I saw Zeke standing behind me. He wore his holographic cover so his skin didn’t have the green tint it normally did. He licked his lips. “I love cleaning toilets! All the cool smells...” He sighed happily at the thought.

  “Zeke, why are you here?” I asked, probably sounding more upset than I wanted to. “I thought you were working at my dad’s lab for the summer.”

  “I am!” he said proudly. “But Hana told me to come here and keep you company. She thought you might be lonely!” He looked at Janitor Jan and smiled. “She must not have known you’d be with the lovely, Janitor Jan.”

  Janitor Jan giggled. I had never heard her giggle.

  Zeke walked over and bowed to her. He kissed her on the hand. “Yum, I love the taste of soap and ammonia in the morning,” he said.

  Janitor Jan smiled. “Zeke, you are a smooth one!”

  “He is?” I asked.

  “I am!” Zeke agreed.

  “He has an old-fashioned charm to him,” Janitor Jan insisted.

  I felt pretty certain she’d been smelling too many cleaning agents. I didn’t say anything though. They were both pleased. Who was I to rain on their joy? I don’t believe I had ever seen a female react so positively to Zeke before. Apparently, he appealed to the fifty and over crowd.