Chapter 11. Of Mice and Cat

This morning, Seth woke up with a bad feeling and subliminal sense of dread. For quite a long time he lay on his couch with his eyes open trying to understand where this feeling could come from, but he did not come to a definitive conclusion. There were no active signs of trouble. Later that day, he greatly regretted that he didn't listen to his subconscious and didn't stayed on the coach.

"Put your hands in the air. This is StROBbery!" Sunset heard a shout coming from the store by which she and her partners had just passed.

"This moron again." With annoyed tone groaned Flechette.

"I thought he was still in the cell." Quasar wondered aloud. "How did he get out again?"

"We have already caught him two times this week, I already tired of him and his idiocy." Irritably exclaimed Sunset.

"Are you sure we can't just ignore him?" Whined Flechette massaging her nose bridge. "Why should we catch him again? Maybe we'll just walk away, and then we will report to the console and let them send Hex and Onyx to arrest him?"

"Unfortunately, Momma-bear will be very unhappy, and when she is unhappy, the load in the gym only grows." Concluded Quasar, and others just sighed. "Let's do it quickly and go to the Stardew Mall to distribute autographs."

"Hey, where did that cat go?"

"Midnight was smarter than us, and ran in advance."

"Traitor."

"You say so only because you could not escape yourself."

"The point still stands."

"Let's just go." Sunset said in defeat.

And the trio of young heroes, without much enthusiasm, went back to the store from which came threats and shouts. And their reluctance could even be understood. Since the criminal who disturbed the rest of this particular store was none other than...

"Remember this day forever! The day you were robbed by Strawberry Robber!" Laughed a villain, dressed in giant strawberry costume and armed with a big red paintball marker.

Once upon a time, his name was Arthur Wilkat, he was a migrant from Eastern Europe and an aspiring actor on Broadway, but unfortunately his passion for alcohol and bad literature led his career to an early end and forced him to look for a job as a mascot for a chain of stores selling berries. The work that was supposed to be temporary very quickly became permanent and the former actor spent eleven years in the costume of a giant strawberry.

His passion for alcohol and bad literature about the mythical revenge of his imaginary heroic Baltic country over the imperfections of the world seriously shaken his already unstable psyche. And when a random drug addict tried to rob him, his mind failed, and he, after beating the unfortunate robber to a pulp, took his knife and, with a newfound goal, went to rob the store himself.

You can of course ask why the PRT is involved in this business when it is obvious that this is a job for the NYPD, then the answer is pretty simple - being the first time behind bars our crazy ex-mascot got into trouble with one of the Irish gangs here, who immediately decided to beat the crap out of him, which caused him to trigger, and he got some super powers. Minor, and not very strong, but quite annoying.

He began to call himself Strawberry Robber and made blasters for himself from paintball markers that could almost endlessly shoot juicy strawberries. It is not particularly dangerous, but when the flow of large strawberries flies at you at the speed of a machine-gun burst, then even the police will find it difficult to contain. Especially if the villain himself has a quick regeneration, and can smash through a brick walls with his fists.

Unfortunately for the villain himself, gaining super power had a negative effect on the former actor’s own mental faculties. And after his next escape he wasn't able to think anything smarter than to make himself a new weapon, and go rob the first store on his way.

And, apparently, this week a trio of young heroes have already managed to arrest him twice, but he continues to escape from imprisonment in some unknown way. Although among some other teams of New York Wards there was already a thought that the police might let him escape because they, too, cannot tolerate his antics for too long.

But again, our heroes have to make his latest arrest right away.

"As if we let you get away with it!" Shouted trio of youngest Wards. "Give up! You're under arrest!"

"Ah! Our little wardens finally arrived!" Delighted the robber. "You still cant understand that I am unstoppable? Then taste the STRAWBERRY!"

He threw bags of loot on the floor and started shooting his blasters at the trio of Wards almost immediately drenching Sunset with strawberry mousse.

"Ewww. What is this thing?" Repulsively asked Sunset.

"Hm, tastes like strawberry mousse." Replied Quasar after dripping his finger into substance and taking a lick. "Looks like he improved his weapon."

"Bweh! Why did you licked that?!" Shouted Flechette. "It could be anything! Even poison!"

"Oh well, my bad."

"Your end is near!" Strawberry Robber shouted again and threw something round at Wards.

"Watch out!" Cried Sunset but it was already too late.

Throwed object flew at them, and then exploded, pouring everything around with thick foam of strawberry cream. No one left unscathed, or more likely uncreamed. And while our heroes were trying to get out of the store filled with cream, under the laughter of the villain, Sunset said:

"Not like it could get any worse."

It could. Because suddenly a criminal who was trying to escape from the crime scene was tied up with a bolo-wrap and fell to the ground.

"Surprise! You can't get away from justice miscreant!" Shouted mysterious figure bathed in light of setting sun. "Never fear citizens, because your friendly neighbor Mouse Protector is already here!"

And then the figure jumped off the roof, she appeared as a woman in a dark blue suit and a purple robe with a half mask in the shape of a mouse face, and a fake mouse ears on her head, with a round shield on her left hand and a short sword in her right.

"Who the hay is this?" Exclaimed still stained in cream Sunset.

"That's Mouse Protector, she is rogue hero." Answered Quasar.

"Oh-ho! I'd never felt joy like that before! I met someone who still does not know me!" Happily shouted Mouse Protector turning to Sunset and doing fast clapping gesture. "Isn't this exciting? Are you excited because I'm excited I've never been so excited, well, except for the time that I saw you three walking into this shop and I gasped because I knew that you would need my help! Who could top that?"

"Excited?" Surprised Sunset. "I just didn't know about you."

"And I don't wanna even comment that." Grumpily retorted Flechette.

"Bzzzt! We've got ourselves non-believers!"

"Non-believers?"

"But of course! You doesn't seem to believe in Happiness and Laugh!" Nodded Mouse Protector.

"But we like to laugh and joke sometimes too."

"And I here can say that you don't Smile!" Pointed to this fact mouse themed hero. "It seems my goal for today will be to make you smile. And I will make everything to brighten up your day!"

"Really?"

"Surely!" Chipped heroine. "And seeing you so fluffy and pink with cream for some reason I think of unicorns and a rainbows."

"Unicorns?" Stiffened Sunset.

"Yes, like those pink fluffy unicorns who dancing on a rainbows from that very pestilent song."

"Uhm."

"This is all great, of course, but we urgently need to return to the protectorate tower in order to change." Interjected Flechette. "We still have to sign autographs at the presentation of a new line of Wards toys in the mall."

"Oh, right, we gotta go."

"Oh my gosh. Hold on to your hooves – I am just about to help you!" Suddenly exclaimed Mouse Protector.

"Wha.."

She grabbed their hands and all of them disappeared together in a flash of light momentarily arriving to security level of the Protectorate tower right in front of a guards, with bolo-bound criminal at their feet.

"What the..." Startled a guard, but seeing drenched Wards in company of famous rogue hero he immediately calmed down. "Mouse Protector." He stated.

"The one and only!"

"Great, and here I though that day would be dull."

"We should never be bored, because there is so many things that can make out lives happier!"

"Like what?" Grunted another guards.

"Stop you idiot! Don't say that!" Other guards tried to prevent the inevitable.

"Laughter! Joy! Partying and Dancing! And of course singing the sound of our souls!" Happily chirped Mouse Protector. "Everything is for a Smile! 'Cause I love to Smile! And everyone must Smile! It fills our hearts with sunshine ans rainbows!"

"Oh, gods..." Recoiled a guard.

"You brought it on yourself!" Only to be blamed by others.

And while Mouse Protector enthusiastically told the unfortunate guard about the charms and wonders of smiles and joy, a trio of young heroes hurried off to their floor.

Freshly bathed and dressed in clean costumes, our trio of Wards found themselves in front of the eyes of their curator Ursa Aurora. Who was not particularly happy with their public failure and the fact that the villain almost managed to escape.

"I never thought that some loser could defeat three Wards." Berated them Ursa. "Am I too quick to let you go on your own patrol?"

"No, It's just we..." Started Stephen.

"We are sorry." Interrupted him Sunset. "He was too annoying and we didn’t think much about our steps in advance."

"And now the whole store is filled with strawberry cream, and its owners are demanding compensation from us."

"We did not know that he modified his weapon."

"And you should always think about this possibility in advance, even if your opponent is a complete idiot."

"We will try to prevent this from happening again."

"Please do, because I do not want to hear discontent from bosses because of your mishap."

"Now, now, Marsha, do not be so harsh to the kids, they have not yet gained enough experience." Exclaimed Mouse Protector suddenly appearing in the middle of Wards common room.

"And you even brought her with you..." Mumbled Ursa.

"Don't be so gloomy, Teddy-bear, they are so adorable, like we were." Beamed mouse themed heroine. "I still think that the glitter on the Alexandria costume were a great prank."

"I was the one who was forced to wear glitter on MY costume for months!" Grunted Ursa. "So what are you even doing here?"

"I could not pass by so sweet and brave young heroes! They needed my help and I gladly provided it!"

"And then you decided to come here and annoy me?"

"Of course not, Silly, I came to meet them personally!" She said taking of her mouse mask and hood revealing a blonde woman with smiling violet eyes. "And with their cat too! So where is he?"

"He with Tony and James are already at the Stardew Mall, presenting a new line of Wards figurines from Hasbro."

"So no big kitty here? Thats awful! I was misdirected! Well, we should look at the bright side! I still had young Wards to befriend! Come to me kids! Auntie Mouse wants to make friends with you!"

"Oh gods." Groaned Ursa again.

"At least I hope that this traitor cat suffers among all this crowd of fans." Uttered Stephen.

"Yes! Yes! Praise me more!" Internally shouted out an overly pleased Seth, addressing the crowd of fans who surrounded his table.

"So whats her name?" Stephen asked his curator. "Looks like you know each other from before."

"It's Surprise!" Shouted Mouse Protector from another side of the room while talking with girls.

"Me, along with her and the rest were among the first set of Wards. The Inaugural Ward team."

"And she was always like that?"

"Now she is much more humble and calmer than in her youth." Reluctantly admitted Ursa.

"Still, whats her name?" Asked again Stephen.

To which Ursa only grumbled something inarticulate, and throwing her hands into air, she left the common room without saying a word.

Seth subconsciously felt that the day could not be so beautiful without something that would surely destroy this whole wonderful moment. And his moment of glory, bathing in the rays of the fans love, scratching and stroking which he received from them, had to be interrupted at the most pleasant moment. Because of some weirdo woman in the costume of a giant mouse with a sword and shield.

"Rejoice people of New York! Mouse Protector is here and ready to confront her Eternal Rival - The Midnight Shield!" Shouted individual.

"So cool! It's Mouse Protector!" Exclaimed some fan.

"Is it some planned event?" Asked another.

"This will be the best presentation in the world!" Shouted a fat boy in superhero themed shirt.

The troublemaker herself, without losing a single moment, immediately jumped toward him then, for a moment, hugged him like a plush toy, and then tried to lift him off the table with her hands. Without much success, since with his size, Seth also had a corresponding weight.

"Aren't you a fat one? I thought that my Eternal Rival should be more athletic and fit!" She chuckled. "But do not worry! Mouse Protector will definitely help you get back in shape!"

But Seth had other plans for that. And as soon as she was distracted by the fans for a second, he rushed with all possible speed into the deeps of the mall, widening the distance between them. But just as he ran into an empty room, a familiar voice came from his behind.

"Ufufu! You know what this calls for? A contest!" She giggled. "Like we swap roles! The cat became a mouse, and the mouse became a cat! It's a classic comedy!"

Yet, Seth was not going to sit in one place and listen to her further. Being close to this freak was dangerous, which means he should run away as fast as possible.

The pursuit of this cat bring a joy for Mouse Protector. He was not the stupid animal he was trying to appear. He constantly set up traps, secretly changed directions, closed the doors behind him and hid among the plush toys in the children's section. He even used his powers to avert her eyes. But he was not destined to escape. Not from her. Because she had a secret.

If she touched you at least once, then you will not be able to hide from her nowhere and never. She will always know where you are and can always, if not catch up, then teleport directly to you. And no one ever escapes from Mouse Protector!

"Halt! My destined Eternal Rival! There is no escape!" She shouted in pursuit of him. "Hmm. Does my persistence in pursuing you make me a crazy cat lady? Well, I always let my imagination run away from me! But I will not let you do the same!"

Seth was beginning to get tired of this chase. His paws were buzzing from the strain, and his breath went astray. Besides, he could not understand how did this crazy psycho constantly finds him. Even the casting of the repelling charm did not save from her for long. It was as if she smelled him, but he definitely included the smell in the params of veiling spell.

And now he was hiding in a garbage container on a backstreet among packets with different trash and pondered the situation. She found him all the time, without even seeing him with her own eyes. She managed to catch up with him when he jumped down two floors. And even caught up with him when he ran through the long rows of clothes. As if she felt where he is.

But this was possible only if... He quickly looked at himself from all sides, and nowhere on him he could see any marks. But the mark was supposed to be here. And if he does not see the mark, it means that it is invisible. So he had to check the last likely possibility. And he opened his inner magic gaze and looked at his body again, and then at the edge of his vision he noticed subtle energy marks on the surface of his pelt. It must be it.

It was at this moment, something metallic hit the container in which he was hiding, and the container began to slowly rise into the air. Seth looked out from his cover and saw that a big gray vehicle pulled up and hooked container with metal claw, lifting it above itself. He realized that he didn’t have much time to think, and so he magically transferred the marks from his pelt to the nearest garbage bag and then he jumped out of the container and ran back to the mall.

Mouse Protector appeared inside some cramped dark and very smelly place. It was full of bags of trash and other stuff. But the marks showed that the cat is hiding somewhere among these bags, and so she had to find him.

"Kitty-kitty! Come out! You can't hide from me! How about, hmm, some tuna?"

But the cat didn't answer and so she had to turn over all the bags herself.

This crazy pursuer did not appear until the very end of the presentation and the distribution of autographs, and Seth even though that she was finally lost or decided to leave him alone. Unfortunately it isn't. And when all the fans had already dispersed, and the young Wards and Seth were about to leave, the doors to the presentation hall opened and Mouse Protector appeared between them.

Her costume was very dirty, her left eye was twitching, and the appearance itself did not promise anything good. She took a few stomping steps forward, and then holding out her index finger in his direction, uttered loudly:

"No one has ever managed to get away from Mouse Protector! But you, you somehow played me. And you know what that means?"

Swallowing loudly, Seth shook his head.

"This means that you confirmed your destiny to be my Eternal Rival!" She happily exclaimed. "Finally! A worthy opponent! Our battle will be legendary!"

She roared raising the clenched fist of the right hand to the ceiling. And at this very moment, Seth realized that he had met with a real monster.

Somewhere in the depths of the night, in the abandoned part of the docks, a figure dressed in samurai armor fought with a group of wild-looking people, who like barbarians were dressed in costumes made of bones and pieces of metal. Their leader laughed happily and loudly, announcing to the whole district in his deeply maddened voice.

The girl in samurai armor struggled with the superior forces of the enemy, but they more and more pinched her into a corner. And being in despair, she snatched the last arrow from the quiver and shot their leader in the face. He fell off the back of his decorated with skulls, bones and banners ATV and crashed to the ground unmoving.

For a moment, she thought that she had finally won, that at last everything was over, but then dozens of voices were heard in her head, and her mind sank into madness.

Author's Note

Not the best of my chapters, but I tried my best. Unfortunately, it was incredibly difficult for me to write a character like Mouse Protector.