Hello! If you're a reader familiar with my work, welcome! If you're not, welcome!

What continues here is the 11th story in a series of adventures by my OC, Maria. If you want to know her story leading up to this point, just go to my profile and start working your way through them! It may take a while, though - I'm gonna warn ya that much.

So here we go!

Chapter 1

A blue, circular portal opened in a small forest clearing, and a figure stepped out into the open, looking around as the portal closed behind her. She tilted her head slightly, listening to the faint sound of honking horns that came in the distance.

The figure – who looked like she couldn't have been any older than eighteen – closed one bright blue eye. "GPS calibration….puts me in Central Park in New York." She opened her eye and nodded, then looked around the forest clearing again. "Far off the beaten path, and with no trouble in range. Must be a quiet day."

"Whenever you show up, it's hardly quiet for long, Flare-Up."

Flare-Up turned sharply at the boyish voice, moving into a defensive stance just in case she needed to move at a moment's notice.

A young man with hard eyes that made him appear older was standing a few feet behind Flare-Up at the edge of the clearing. He stood as tall as he could – which was a little taller than Flare-Up – and had his arms folded across his chest like he was used to looking intimidating, despite his somewhat-skinny appearance. There were muscles underneath his short-sleeve shirt, however.

Flare-Up frowned at him. "How do you know me?"

The young man inclined his head slightly. "You never saw me at this age?"

Flare-Up blinked. "No." The gears were clearly turning in her head. "But that doesn't narrow down my guesses."

The young man paused, then seemed to pull something out of thin air – a bat-shaped piece of black metal, clearly made to be thrown. A moment later, it disappeared again as Flare-Up's eyebrows rose up.

"You remembered," she said, relaxing. She put her hands in the pockets of the orange jacket she was wearing, unzipped to show the plain red shirt underneath. "How?"

"I'm not certain." The young man didn't relax his stance.

"Have you told anyone?"

"No." He paused. "There are others who remember."

"Dr. Strange told me there was one," Flare-Up said. "And where he happens to be. But I came here because of another reason. Matthew is here. He didn't return home as I did after the Continuum Shift, and it's likely he has not regained his memories himself. Strange said there was a chance he would, but I have to be nearby in order to trigger them. I'm planning on finding him."

"Bruce, where are you?" called a voice somewhere outside the clearing.

Bruce turned and looked back. "Over here, Mom!" The youthful sound of a teenager was starkly different from the serious tone that he was using with Flare-Up. He turned and looked back at her. "I'll meet you tonight. Do you have anything arranged for you to stay anywhere while you're here?"

"I just got here; do you really expect me to have been able to call ahead and—"

Someone came through the trees – an adult male with graying hair and a build that suggested he might have worked out at one point but didn't have much of a reason to any more. "Bruce, you really should be careful when you disappear like that. I know you know what you're doing, but that doesn't make your mother worry any less. Especially with the people that you might find in some places." He looked over at Flare-Up and frowned. "And you are—"

"Maria Carlsdale, sir." Maria coolly offered the man a hand to shake. "Just someone who's visiting from out of state. I was enjoying the peace and quiet of this part of the park when Bruce found me."

The man blinked, then took Maria's offered hand in a firm handshake. "Thomas Wayne. Where are you from, Maria? And do you have any family nearby?"

"I'm here on my own," Maria replied. "And I'm from Wisconsin. I just figured I could go out and have some time to think over my options before I start looking into colleges." She shrugged.

The statement wasn't a complete truth, but it was enough of one that Mr. Wayne bought it. Maria could see the flicker of something in Bruce's eyes as Mr. Wayne nodded at her words, but she didn't do anything to bring any attention to that.

"Did you just arrive here then, Maria?" Mr. Wayne asked.

"Only just, yeah." Maria nodded. "I hailed a cab and came out here because I wanted to see what Central Park was like first. I haven't looked into any places where I could stay yet, though. I'm sure there are hotels inexpensive enough for me to stay in for a week or so."

Bruce raised an eyebrow at that. "Hotels, even inexpensive ones, can get to be pretty expensive. Especially if you're planning on staying here for a week."

"Well." Maria shrugged. "I'll just have to see what happens."

Bruce and Mr. Wayne exchanged looks at Maria's response. The raised eyebrow on the adult's face made his teenager son shrug in response.

"…you sound like you came here without any experience and very little money to support yourself for a week," Mr. Wayne said, looking over at Maria.

Maria shrugged, uncaring. "I've been able to handle myself before. I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Not with how these streets get at night," Mr. Wayne said seriously.

Maria's demeanor changed at the adult's comment, raising her chin and adjusting her posture slightly. "Sir, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I can and will be able to handle myself, regardless of what people may throw at me. I know how to watch my own back."

There was a coldness in her tone that made Mr. Wayne blink in surprise. He shook his head a moment later. "Young lady, I don't know what it is that you're capable of, but it might be better if you didn't do anything of that sort." His expression shifted to something kinder. "Why don't you spend a few days with us? I'm sure that my wife would appreciate the company, and Bruce could use a friend – he doesn't have many, even back in Gotham."

"Dad, she's not going to be my girlfriend," Bruce said in a teenager-ish, rebellious tone that didn't sound the least bit right coming from him.

"I wasn't expecting it to go in that direction after only a few days." Mr. Wayne's eyes suggested otherwise. "There's nothing wrong with helping a young woman such as Maria find herself in New York. Let's go back to your mother. I'm sure she will agree with spending a few days with this fellow tourist." He looked over at Maria with an expectant expression, and motioned for her to follow him back through the trees.

Maria frowned, weighing her options, then nodded and followed Mr. Wayne and Bruce back through the trees and towards a more open area of Central Park.

Bruce looked over at Maria with a dark expression, which she took in stride and raised an eyebrow at in response. When Bruce jerked his head towards his father as he moved ahead of them to a woman and another man a short distance from them, Maria shrugged in response.

"I wasn't expecting him to do that," Maria said.

"You have no plan as to where to stay," Bruce argued.

"You know I can handle myself."

"You don't know the world you have come to. Tony Stark's world has merged with ours."

"I know that."

"But you don't know the consequences of that. Maybe staying with us will be wise – for now."

Maria inclined her head at Bruce's response, then nodded slightly. "Very well. You still intend to go out tonight."

"If your addition to our outing here doesn't change anything, yes." Bruce's eyes narrowed.

"Hello!" Bruce's mother approached them with a bright smile and an eager expression. "You must be Maria – it's good to see that Bruce is making friends already – and on his first day in New York!"

"Mom, you don't need to act so embarrassing," Bruce muttered.

Maria snorted at Bruce's comment and smiled a little. "Well, it's my first day here, too, and I'm looking forward to having a look around the place."

Bruce shot her a look out of the corner of his eye, then sighed. "She's inexperienced in what to expect in a city and it really shows. She doesn't even have a hotel, and I don't really think she brought any luggage with her."

"Don't need it," Maria replied. She shrugged one shoulder. "I can take care of myself well enough."

"Young lady, do you really expect yourself to be able to walk around New York for a week in the exact same outfit?" Mrs. Wayne frowned disapprovingly. "Maria, you will smell horrendous!"

"I smell fine," Maria replied, her tone starting to border on the annoyed.

The man standing with Mr. and Mrs. Wayne cleared his throat before speaking with a British accent. "Madam, perhaps it would be best to allow Miss Maria her own opinions about her way of dress for the moment. We got away from Gotham to relax for a few days and not think about anything stressful, did we not?"

Neither Maria nor Bruce missed the meaningful glance the man sent in their direction. Maria inclined her head slightly in response to the "we'll talk later" sort of expression he had in his eyes, and she gave only the slightest of nods in response – a nod that most wouldn't have been able to notice.

Mrs. Wayne paused at the man's statement as Mr. Wayne nodded.

"Alfred is right," Mr. Wayne said. "Let's not think about Maria's fashion habits for now – let's spend the rest of the day simply touring New York and think about where we could go for the next few days. This is our vacation, after all – Wayne Enterprises is functioning well without our needing to be there, and I'm sure that you have other things to be thinking about besides our finances or what people like Maria are doing with their money – no offense, young lady."

"None taken, Mr. Wayne," Maria replied without so much as a twitch of annoyance.

"So, how about we go enjoy some time alone and allow Bruce some time to get to know his friend on his own? He is getting older, and we won't always be there for him. Besides, he seems to have a good judge of character."

Something in the way Mr. Wayne looked at his wife seemed to convince her to back off, and she nodded.

"Now, I think there's a vendor somewhere who has something that we could eat – you two stay out of trouble!"

As the two adults turned and walked away, Alfred's knowing gaze intensified and focused on Bruce. As soon as they were out of earshot, he said, "This is one of those super-powered friends you spend so much of your time with, isn't it?"

Maria blinked at Alfred's comment as Bruce's expression went serious.

"Maria is someone that I haven't seen in this dimension in a long time, Alfred," Bruce said evenly.

"He's aware of what you do?" Maria raised an eyebrow. "I knew he was in the old timeline, but with your parents around, I had wondered if that was still the case in this timeline."

"He covers for me when I go out," Bruce explained.

"And while I do not approve of Master Bruce's actions, I can see that it is doing…some small measure of good in Gotham. I only wish he would not put him into these situations so often." Alfred frowned at Maria. "And who are you supposed to be, Maria?"

"Flare-Up," Maria replied. "I haven't made my mark in this dimension yet, and if and when I do, I intend to do it on my own terms. Right now I'm just trying to look for someone who's disappeared from my dimension."

"…right." Alfred wasn't going to show his doubt very clearly, but anyone who knew how to read him could tell what it was that he thought of Maria. "Well, Miss Flare-Up, if you intend to be near Master Bruce at all during this vacation, I recommend that you keep your hero business as far from him as possible. If you have to go away and do something by yourself, don't take him with you and – how do you know that he is who he is?"

"I watched an adult Bruce Wayne in cartoons go around as the Batman and save people's lives," Maria replied calmly. "I also got to know him personally when we interacted in dimensions other than my home."

"Dimensions?"

"Alternate Earths." Maria paused. "You doubt that what I am saying is true. But it is the truth, Alfred. I'm not one to lie when it comes to my origins or the reasons that I'm here. I'm just more in the habit of withholding the complete truth."

Alfred blinked slowly.

"If need be, I can offer proof from the alternate timeline that was lost to this dimension," Maria said. "But I doubt that it will fully convince you that I know who the heroes of this dimension are and what it is they are all capable of."

"Young lady, all you will do with that is only convince me you are even more crazy than Master Bruce," Alfred replied. "If you wish to prove that you are trustworthy, show me in action, not in words."

Maria inclined her head at that. "I doubt you will be following me into battle anytime soon."

"True. However, do not doubt that I have my own ways of gathering information."

Maria quirked a brow slightly at that, then nodded a little in acknowledgement. "Very well then."

The fact that Maria did not look the least bit surprised at Alfred's words caused him to raise an eyebrow at her curiously. "Just how old are you, young lady?"

"The last time I saw Bruce in person, he was an adult and I was eighteen years old." Maria paused. "Now, the situation has reversed slightly. According to my home dimension, I am 38. However, if you wish to still think of me as a child on the cusp of adulthood, I will not fault you for it. Especially considering that I do not look remotely middle-aged."

Bruce stared at Maria. Alfred did the same, but his expression was of uneasiness, rather than a guarded expression.

Before Alfred or Bruce could say anything to Maria's comment, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne came back with a selection of ice cream treats, both looking much more relaxed.

"Well, let's get this day trip started!" Mr. Wayne said cheerily.

Time Break

Maria's POV

The hotel suite that the Waynes had taken over for the week definitely suited their tastes. A couple bedrooms, a small sitting area, and a kitchen that Alfred could use to his liking if he felt like it.

I would have taken he couch in the sitting area, but the Waynes insisted I sleep on a proper bed for once. Bruce volunteered to take the couch instead, since they only had two rooms and not three.

Alfred seemed to think that I was going to conk out as soon as I hit the bed because of all the sight-seeing that we'd done during the day – which was wandering around Central Park and take in all the statues and things that were going on there, mostly. It had given me time to look into what was going on in the rest of the world while learning more about them at the same time, at least.

There is no Justice League. Not yet.

The Avengers and the X-Men are formed, and there are events happening in Dakota, Gotham, and Metropolis – which are both cities of their own not far from New York – but the heroes of the DC side of this dimension haven't started working together full time yet.

And Captain America is the one who is interred in an asylum. That point caused me to pause - I hadn't thought that they would have willingly done that to him. At the same time...I had been him and I had suddenly remembered things that had not happened, I too would be...under suspect for certain trains of thought.

Regardless, the players are all here. It's only a matter of time before they are brought together under dangerous circumstances, or they never will.

At eleven, Bruce slipped into my room and closed the door behind him before making his way over to his luggage in the dark. I was lying on the bed, looking up at the ceiling when I heard him.

"So, Nightwing is an adult in this timeline."

Bruce's movements paused. "We haven't talked about that."

"I have access to the internet, Bats; I've been looking into recent events all afternoon." I sat up and looked at him. One of his suitcases was open; he was in the process of revealing a hidden compartment. I knew what was in it without having to see it. "I wasn't expecting to see you younger in age, but if you and Nightwing had an age swap pulled on you by the multiverse, that does make sense. At least then someone is keeping an eye on Gotham for now."

"He doesn't remember. He's always watched Gotham." Bruce started pulling his costume out from the hidden compartment in his luggage and started pulling it on, stripping down to his underwear as he did so. I turned my gaze away slightly, but I wasn't put off by his actions. While Bruce was younger, he was also mentally older than I was. I wasn't planning on doing anything with a boy I had looked up to when he was a man.

"In this timeline." I paused. "What do you plan to do tonight?"

"Patrol."

"In the Avengers' territory?"

"There's always Hell's Kitchen."

"Daredevil." I got off the bed as Bruce settled into his costume. It was strange to see him wearing it when he was only a teenager. "The Avengers have New York pretty well covered, with how many heroes there are gathered together in one place."

"There are still pockets of places they can't reach." Batman looked at me with serious eyes. "And you have someone to find. Going out tonight will help you find him better than going around during the day with my family will."

"I agree," I acknowledged. "I simply questioned why you were planning on going out regardless of my presence." I paused. "Where do you want to start?"

"Mutant sightings. Your brother would count for one, if he is here."

I nodded. "Xavier's school? He would know where to find mutants."

Batman considered my question, then nodded slightly. "Come on." He went over to a window and pushed it open before jumping out without any sign of hesitation.

I followed after him a moment later and leaped out into the space between skyscrapers.

I twisted in the air as Batman shot off on a grappling hook shot towards the roof of another skyscraper. A red and orange board of metal appeared underneath me; my hoverboard, made by Gear from Dakota, back in the old timeline.

Before my Continuum Shift caused everything to change.

I moved after Batman, and my clothes shifted to something else – armor, mostly red and gray, with some orange on the armor that covered my chest.

Batman looked me over as I reached the roof of the skyscraper, expression as guarded as my own. After a moment, he turned and started across the night skyline with another grappling shot. "You're going to need a mask."

"I didn't need one before." I followed after him, spreading out my senses to see if there was anyone nearby. I doubted there was anyone out at this time, but it seemed at least somewhat likely that one of the Avengers or other heroes was out patrolling the area, looking for trouble.

"People are going to notice you with us."

"People may think that I'm just a lookalike. And it will take time for Flare-Up to make any sort of mark in this dimension, Bats. Let's find that school and see if Xavier knows anything about my brother."

"I doubt that's all you're here for."

I frowned at Batman's comment as we continued to make our way through the city towards where Xavier's school for mutants was located.

Right now, my focus was to find Matthew. However, the way that I had been told where he was….

"Dr. Strange told me Matthew was here."

Batman glanced back for a second before he kept moving forward. "The Sorcerer Supreme?"

"Yes. He knew about Matthew and directed me here. If there's anything else that is going to happen here as a result of the crossed-over worlds, him telling me to come here might have been more purposeful than to just help me find missing family." My eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "Whatever the events are, I'm sure they'll make themselves known in time."

"No visions this time?"

"Not yet. I will let you know if I see anything that hints at the future."

Batman considered that, then nodded slightly as we kept going. He didn't seem concerned over what could come in the future, but after facing the Dark Arms, I could assume that he was preparing for every threat that could make itself known – both on Earth and far beyond it.

It's not hard to be, when the planet has something that everyone is going after.