"You know, you look very familiar. You have the same eyes as our ruler, Poseidon", he said to Shira. Immediately, an electric shock coursed through her. She knew her father was Atlantean, but Poseidon?
"He must be my father. I know he's Atlantean, but I never knew who", she said at last. Feigning ignorance was futile, since these people knew she was half Atlantean.
"Come with me, I'll take you to him", Aqualad said. She hesitantly looked at the others, wondering what to do.
"We'll come too", Robin said.
The other five got into the T sub, while Shira and Aqualad swam. But Shira would eventually have to get back into the submarine, though, because, being only half Atlantean, she couldn't stay underwater for long.
When they finally reached the palace, the guards took one look at Shira, and immediately let her in.
They know who you are. We all do, Aqualad said, telepathically, to Shira.
Let the sub in, she said, to the guards. One thing the Brotherhood, and Brother Blood, headmaster at Hive Academy taught her was to never be caught off guard, and ALWAYS exert authority.
He was in the palace hall. Her father. The man who had always been a mystery to her. Did he know who her mother was? Would he blow her cover? She couldn't let him.
"King Poseidon. Your daughter, with some friends", a messenger, who escorted them into the hall said. Clearly, Poseidon was startled. He slowly turned. One look at Shira, and his expression darkened, for a fraction of a second, before softening. He did know, about Madame Rouge then.
"Shira", he whispered, coming close to her. She nodded.
"We'd better go", Robin said. "They need time alone"
"They don't know, then?", Poseidon asked, once the other six had left.
"No, father. Waiting for the right time"
"How did you escape from that woman, and her vile companions?"
"They sent me to take down Beast Boy, the little grren one."
"Will you, though?"
"No", she said, not sure if she was lying or not.
"How will you face her?"
"It's very early. I'll worry about them, when the time comes."
"I wanted to bring you here, Shira. Your mother, and that vile contraption overpowered me, though. They were so intent on turning you into a ruthless monster."
Shira smirked, at her father, referring to the Brain like that. She found it funny.
"If you knew she was so evil, why did you...", she trailed off.
"She used to have a dual personality. Do you know your mother's story, Shira?"
Wide eyed, she shook her head. She knew little about her mother.
"Your mother used to be a theatre actress. One day, she had an accident, and that thing, and his monkey saved her, and gave her her powers. From then on, she was always stuck between good and bad. I met her, on one of her good days, and succumbed to her charms. I had no idea what she was. We were together for almost a year. When you were three months old, they tracked her down, and converted her to evil, for good. I was powerless, and couldn't even save you. But here you are, safe!", he said, embracing his long lost daughter.
"I don't understand. If she was given those powers, by surgery, how can they have been passed on to me? You don't think...", Shira said.
"It's too dangerous to try on an infant. You wouldn't have survived. But who knows, they may have. Show me how those powers work."
Shira morphed into her mother, making sure every detail was correct.
"I cannot do it as well as her, because I am supposed to use these powers, lest my identity is out", Shira said, in her mother's European accent, without contractions, just as her mother would talk. She then quickly changed back into herself.
She spent the entire day, with her father, getting to know him. He seemed to be a kind, caring man, who deeply doted on his daughter.
"You should tell your friends, about your mother", he said, while showing her around the palace.
"But if I do, they won't want me around", Shira said, her voice wavering.
"If you don't, they won't want you around. If your intentions are good, then you have nothing to lose, by telling them."
He was making sense. She nodded.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Bye", Shira waved, to Aqualad, Tramm and Poseidon, along with her five teammates, as they prepared to leave, in the T Sub.
"There's something I have to tell you", Shira said, so that only Cyborg could hear. She might as well start off with him, if she stood a chance.
"Okay, what?", he asked.
"I'll tell you, when we get back to Titans Tower."
Once they were back, Beast Boy started talking.
"Man, it was just like being with the Doom Patrol, fighting the Brotherhood of Evil!"
Shira withdrew, at this. Beast Boy, oblivious to her discomfort, kept going.
"Man, we'd ALWAYS kick their butts, and I'd do it again, if I had to!"
By that time, Cyborg noticed how pale Shira had gone. She was having second thoughts. She couldn't tell them. She'd take down Beast Boy.
"Everything okay? What'd you wanna tell me?", Cyborg asked.
"Uhh...Uhh...Just that...I know this great place with good ribs! In Gotham City! Let's go!", She said, hoping she sounded convincing.
"I can't read minds, but I know that's not it. BB scare you?"
She sighed. One at a time, she thought.
"I'll tell you, but in private", she said.
"Okay, what's goin' on?", he asked, once they were in Cyborg's room.
"I'm a double agent. The Brotherhood had me trained, at Hive Academy, and sent me here, to take all of you, and subsequently the Doom Patrol down", she said, looking at her hands.
For a long while, neither of them spoke.
"So, you were kidnapped, from Atlantis?", Cyborg finally asked.
Sighing, Shira morphed into her mother, for the second time, that day.
"This is the face of my mother. I have her powers, and must follow in her footsteps", she said, in Madame Rouge's voice.
Cyborg started to backtrack. Quickly, Shira changed back.
"Please, please believe me, when I say I'm not evil. You guys are the only real friends I've had. Nobody's ever been this nice to me. I used to think evil was the only way I could live, until I met all of you. In fact, if I didn't have the Rouge powers, I'd be black and blue."
"How do I know this isn't a con act? That you're not picking us off, one by one?"
"Because my original mission was to bring down Beast Boy, before hunting down any of you."
They looked at each other, for a while, before Cyborg spoke.
"You're telling the truth?"
Shira nodded.
"When will you tell the others?"
"When I'm ready. Eventually. Beast Boy scares me, though."
"Don't be scared. I won't tell anyone. That's up to you."
"But you believe I'm not evil?"
"I guess."
They looked at each other, some more, and in those minutes, Shira knew that it was finally going to happen. Just like in all the movies she'd watched, with the others. Any moment now, she'd have her first kiss.
She was only seconds away. At the last second, however, the door burst open. Standing there were Robin and Beast Boy.
"It's video game night! You guys coming or what? We still have the Mega Monkeys marathon!", Beast Boy said, oblivious that the two of them, now plenty of feet apart, were feeling awkward. Robin seemed to notice, by the look on his face, though.
"Yeah we're coming", Shira said, composing herself. Cyborg nodded in agreement, and followed Beast Boy out. Robin took Shira's arm, as she was leaving.
"Everything all right?", he asked, looking at her, in a way that made her uncomfortable. She nodded, and made her way out.
We hve no story, like those movies, she mentally shouted at him. Keep your distance.