WARNING THERE IS A CHARACTER DEATH! DO NOT READ IF YOU CAN'T STAND CHARACTER DEATHS!
Disclaimer~ If I owned YJ it would be more depressing...
Calm Before the Storm
Nightwing's POV
"Team get ready we are almost there" I say sitting in the front and center most seat in the Bio- Ship, Robin and Batgirl on each side of me. Everyone nods, determination on their faces and I am once again grateful for their general acceptance after me telling them all about Artemis being alive and Kaldur not being a traitor, they had understood though they still weren't all that happy, then again they didn't real have time to be, I'm sure I'll get yelled at enough after. We arrive at the location Kaldur had sent us, and the Bio- ship hovers in camouflage mood over the wide open landscape surrounded by mountains on all side but one which had a steep cliff. I spot the two parties, the Light and the Reach and signal for my Team to prepare to engage and watch as the Light and Reach get closer together. I notice that Luthor, Queen Bee, and Klarion are missing from the Light's side but it was undoubtedly so the two more famous of the two could try and fix the Reach's mistakes and Klarion was most likely busy doing his own thing. I also notice that Black Beetle had made an appearance despite having been supposed to be protecting the War World, which the remaining League members were attacking at the moment to gain full control. We had to make sure we trapped them, we didn't want anyone getting away to chase down later. This would end tonight. I spot Wally out of the corner of my eye staring at the disguised Artemis, worry clear on his face as Ra's watches her warily. The Demon Head then stalks forward and rips off her necklace reveling her true form as Artemis. The villains below us immediately turn on her and Kaldur, realization hitting. It was now or never. I nod to signal the start and Miss. Martain opens the hatch and the entire team drops out.
"Kaldur'ahm how could you do this?"I hear Black Manta say before I'm swept into battle, immediately engaging Deathstroke. I see Batgirl and Robin working back to back and Blue Beetle, Superboy, Wondergirl, and Miss. Martain all working together to try and take down Black Beetle. Bumblebee and Gardian were working together to take down foot soldiers of both the Reach and the Light and Beast Boy and La'gann had attacked Ubu and Monsieur Mallah. Impulse and Wally were running circles around the Brain and Artemis was attacking Ra's Al Ghul. Vandel however was unchallenged. I'm brought back to my own fight as Deathstroke swipes at me, hitting the air were I had been moments before with deadly force, enough to cleave me in two but instead catches my utility belt separating it from my person. I manage to grab my eskrima sticks and bring them to a defensive X in font of my face, effectively stopping his next strike.
"Come on Nightwing, I expect better from you" Deathstroke taunts. I growl swing forward my eskrima sticks, attacking him furiously. I manage to land a few hits on him as we are draw away from the rest of the group, closer to the cliff face. To late I realize what is happening. Savage had followed and now begins to attack me to, where I was to far away to shout for help.
"You may have found us and infiltrated our forces Nightwing" the super villain growls and I back flip away from his and Deathstroke's attack, getting closer to the precipice. "but with your death your precious Team will fall apart and the Light's plan will once more be put into affect." the villain says swiping at me. I manage to dodge him but the evasion leaves me open and unbalanced. Deathstroke swings his sword forward with the flat of the blade and suddenly I'm falling backwards down, down, down, to the cold hard ground below, the villains turning away triumphant looks on their faces as I plummet to my death. But I feel startlingly calm marveling at the darkening sky as I fell and I reflect.
It really was amazing how the world slows down before you die. How your life flashes before your eyes. How you realize you had left so much unsaid, so much you want to say. Like telling Babs how much I really loved her and how truly sorry I was for putting the Team through my plan to infiltrate the Light. I see the outstretched hand of Wally as he screams my name but I can't do anything, I'm falling, falling. How fitting it was for me to die the same way my parents did all those years ago, no safety net to catch me. Thanks to Deathstroke I was without my utility belt so there was no chance of using my grapple line to latch onto something with at the last possible second, not that there was much to grab on the barren cliff face. The only things I had were my eskrima sticks not much good in saving my life in a fall. I sigh accepting my fate and try to focus on the good moments of my short life. The first day when the Team was formed, the New Years day when we had defeated the mind controlled League, the pride as our Team grew, adding new members, the adrenaline from fights, the day I had finally worked up the courage to ask Barbra out. Then the bad moments in life force their way into my mind, the day of my first families deaths, Zatanna and my breakup, the arguments between me and Bruce leading to me becoming Nightwing, the deaths of Tula and Jason. Bruce. This would kill him, him and Tim. I see Artemis join her boyfriend at the cliff edge and her mouth opens yelling something and Blue Beetle racing over and spotting, me zooming down to catch me. I glance down at the ground below and judge the distance, knowing Blue would never reach me in time, but instead of being scared I felt strangely calm. There were many things I regretted like leaving Tim, leaving Wally, leaving Barbra, but I would finally be able to see my parents after 10 painful years, see little Jason and finally apologize for not upholding my promise to keep him safe. I hear a scream of anguish reach my ears as Barbra joins the retired heroes and I can see the horror on her face. I close my eyes unwilling to stand it and a bright white light fills my vision as I hit the ground followed by blinding, red hot pain then blissful blackness.
... what did I just write? I have no clue but well I guess if you guys want the Team's reaction, whether each indivual or whatever... please
Review
~Lakeshine
