“Being an author is overrated,” I told my friend Veronica as I sat at her kitchen table and watched her make tea. “I think I’m going to give it up to become a superhero.”

“This is a change,” she said, setting out mugs. “Last week you were going to give it all up to become a McDonald’s fry cook.”

“Fry technician,” I corrected. “And I realized being around French fries all day was probably a bad idea.”

Veronica nodded. “Being a superhero will certainly keep you in better shape.”

“Really, I wanted to be a superhero all my life.” I pursed my lips in thought. “A gypsy, a ninja, and a witch too. But the witch thing was totally because of Lois Duncan and her books.”

“You’re no witch, but you’re definitely superhero material. And you’re already most of the way there.”

“How do you mean?”

She counted off on her fingers. “You’re a kung fu master. You have a cache of weapons. You have the requisite awesome tattoos. It was only a matter of time. I’m surprised being a superhero didn’t occur to you sooner.”

“I’m slow sometimes.” I waited until she turned off the whistling kettle. “I’ll need some sort of superpower, though. Like the ability to control things with my mind.”

“You already do,” she replied as she joined me at the table and handed me a steaming mug. “I’ve never known anyone who could talk things into existence the way you do. Do you remember New Year’s?”

“Of course I remember New Year’s.” I’d been in Buenos Aires, and what should have been the loneliest New Year’s in history turned out to be the best ever. 

“Earlier that day, you emailed me to say you wanted to have a New Year’s adventure that included champagne, and what happened?” She went ahead and answered for me. “You ended up in the most famous café in Buenos Aires drinking champagne all night with two gentlemen you met on the street.”

I smiled fondly. “That was a lovely night.”

“Yeah, but the point is you have mad Jedi skills.”

I cradled my tea in my hands. “If I already have superpowers, then what am I missing? Because you said I’m most of the way there.”

“Your wardrobe needs help,” she said, sipping her tea. “Your clothes aren’t nearly skimpy or tight enough for a modern day superhero.”

“You’re right.” Mental note: buy more Lycra.

As a little girl, Kate Perry dreamt of many things. Like becoming a ninja. Dressing up in black and carrying a big sword? Seemed like a no brainer. However, Fate had other plans for her, and she studied Kung Fu San Soo instead. A Kung Fu Master, Kate now has more weapons than she ever imagined—including several swords.

She lives in San Francisco. Voted by her friends as the woman they’d most want to stroll with down a dark alley, Kate’s as likely to be spotted at the opera as she is doing tai chi in Golden Gate Park. Usually wearing black—in both cases. You can also find her at her website or on Twitter.