I have no quarrels with the night, nor the day. Only with the shadow that runs deeply between their meeting. The barrier that stops the destined two from ever becoming one, keeping them always apart. Although ,i should be thankful for the shadow. The shadow that keeps me, and no doubt others like me, concealed from prying eyes that would like nothing less than to stare deep into my soul and rip it from me.
For years i was alone, hiding in the shadows. Until the day ,the day that the man with the eye patch found me the. The day Nick Fury found me. I was a mere child at the time, discovered in the rubble and dirt of the lab i was being held captive in.
The lab that made me what i am today.
"Artemis Lawrence Storm, get your ass down here now!...i've got news for you".
The dark mans voice boomed out across the hall ,echoing against every corner ,going from a demanding tone into a rather pleasant one in mere seconds. I sighed, looking down at the 'father' figure in my life.
"Nicholas ,come back later. I have..work to complete".
I wouldn't exactly call painting on the celling work, but Fury does not have to know of my current actions.
A bullet went whizzing by, a sliver of a fraction to the side of me. In the blink of an eye i had dropped down. Glaring eye to eye with the man that almost implanted a bullet into me.
"What?! Bless me with the knowledge on what you find so bloody important!".
"Don't you take that tone of voice with me young lady, i'll have you scrubbing the inside of the toilets!".
I stared through the man until he got the idea that i did not really care whether or not he tried to made me clean out the WCs.
The older looking colonel sighed. "Meet your new team".
My eyes harden to dark pebbles as he opened the door to five bickering teens in annoyingly tight pyjamas.
"Nicholas, is this supposed to be some form of punishment?! Putting me in a child's play group with-".
My eyes scanned over the group of teens once again.
"With a house, an arachnid ,a CAT, for christ sake! You know how much i dislike felines, and an over dressed ET".
"Woah, not cool man!".
The tanned kid with a mop bucket placed over his head argued out, sounding rather judgmental himself. Sure he has got a lot to be judgemental about ,i am a lab made red demon ('bamf') after all. A badly made one at that, one could say i am like an under baked brownie.
"Let the adults speak, moon boy. Fury if you don't mind, i'm busy".
"Artemis. Training in ten. Get your butt in gear or i'm turning off the irrigation".
I growled ,knowing all to well that he would let my babies shrivel up and die if i ignored him again.
"Fine. Just get out my room".
"This is your room? Wicked!".
I smirked at the arachnid "Peter Parker i presume? Nice to meet you".
I had transformed my room into a real life rainforest years ago, i even had a river running through it. Rather impressive even if i do say so myself.
"Y-you know who i am?".
I scoffed at the dorky kids question. "But of course, i live here after all~".
I grinned, my sharp teeth and piercing eyes the only things to be seen, leaving the 'heroes' to stand there slack jawed as i faded into the shadows.
"Artemis has some social...difficulties".
"So ,what, she's like Ol' web-head?".
"More like she's ripped her last three team mates hearts out. Keep away from the shadows. Her code names 'Mist' for a reason".
Fury's voice was laced with doubt and regret. I chuckled slightly, stepping out from behind Spider Man. I grinned, placing a hand on his shoulder. Lets just say that boy can jump, and screams higher than i.
"The hearts a delicate organ, one slip and 'plop' its fallen out into your hand".
I made a pulsing motion with my hand in front of Fury's face. The single eye'd man glared at me ,slapping my hand away.
"If your going to act like a creepy little demon child, go play on the support beams".
I growled, pushing off with my legs. Springing high up into the air before catching the beam and pulling myself up.
I had tins of red paint up here.
I lay on my stomach, my arms and legs hanging over the side, whistling old war songs as i swung a tin of paint to and fro. Every now and then small drops would spill over and splat down onto the ground near the training team.
It just so happened that the next few blood red drops landed on moon boys bucket.
"Oh shit".
I sat up, quickly sliding the paint tin along the beam as the teen in gold and blue, or is it black? flew angrily up towards me.
I smouldered at him, noticing the scowl decorating his lips lighten as i let out a smooth "Sssup~".
He pointed to his helmet "THIS is whats up!".
"Well damn kid, i know just how to fix your predicament".
I grabbed his head, pulling him in closer so i could at least pretend to inspect his helmet before i let him fall to his demise. Wrapping my legs around him i yanked his helmet off.
"If your deceased then you wont have to worry about your bucket. Or that horrible hat hair".
I went to push my legs apart, to let him fall. Really, i had the at most best intentions to do so, but the way that stupid kid looked at me. It was like he wasn't scared of falling, like he wasn't scared of me. Instead of dropping him, i flicked his helmet over the side with my ,arrow tipped, tail.
The boy done that over exaggerated thing most humans, and me occasionally, do when something falls and they O'so desperately want to catch it. I had to catch him by the collar to avoid him tumbling after it.
We sat there in silence for a while. I most definitely could have left him up there all alone, but i had nothing better to do.
"I don't have hat hair".
Letting out a bark of a laugh i threw my head back "damn kid, you really know how to make me laugh".
"It's Sam Alexander. Not kid. I'm probably older than you!".
I rolled my eyes "i am aware of your tagging, you being older is highly unlikely, Samuel."
"Oh yea..Fartemis ,was it? Just because you've kille-".
Sighing i kicked him off the beam. "Imbecile of a child".
Save him. You'll have to clean up guts, again.
Before the tanned ,messy haired hero could splatter across the floor i leaped down and grabbed him. My feet scudded off the floor, grabbing everyones attention as the room went into silence, well all apart from my loud feet noise. Flicking Sam out of my arms i gave him a quick glare before disappearing into the narrow shadows cast by the training equipment.
"Fury, she's dangerous!". Of course, it would have to be the CAT that complained to Nick first.
"She got red paint on my- guys what if this is blood!".
I held back a laugh at the teen frantically trying to get the 'blood' off of his bucket.
"Give her a break. All shes done is drop bucket head and splash a little paint on his helmet, he'll live".
Huh, i'll need to remember to not kill Parker any time soon.
"Seen as Mist seems to.. not hate Sam the most, he'll show her to her classes".
I practically fell off the roof and onto the table, landing on my stomach before springing off the table with my hands and landing behind Fury.
"Care to explain what you mean by 'classes', Father?!".
My hands were clenched into fists. Of course i would never hit him out side training, but i am not going to let him be aware of that.
"You're going to school. This is not an open discussion ,Artemis. Also, clean that boys helmet!".
Fury looked as though he was about to rupture a nerve as he pointed towards Sam's helmet. I sighed, gesturing to the teen to give me his helmet as the rest of the team watched in awe. He tossed it to me.
"Nicholas ,i am sure you've noticed, but i'm the same colour as blood. The same blood i will draw from every last student at that pathetic school if you attempt to send me in there like this.".
I threw Sam's helmet back, i had easily wiped away the paint whilst i was talking.
"So Fury, how do you suggest you save there lives?".
A light smirk danced across the one eye'd mans lips as his hand dug into his pocket, pulling out "an old ring?! Sure, i am a fan of artefacts, but how is THAT going to help?".
"You might want to put it on when theres less people around".
I grumbled under my breath, taking the ring from him and shoving it in my pocket. "Sure, whatever".
Thanks for reading the first chapter! Sorry its a bit short, the next ones will be longer. If you have any ideas or questions feel free to PM me, reviews would really be appreciated!
