Artemis and Wally
Artemis had never been one for friends. With an abusive, villainous father breathing down her neck, she never had the chance to make any. The closest she had ever had was her sister Jade, who consequently left when Artemis was only six. She'd always been left to do it herself, whether that meant her schoolwork or her training. So it was no surprise that she only had one real friend at Gotham Academy, Emma.
"Ems," called out Artemis, waving her friend over to the fountain she was sitting at.
"Hey Arty," replied Emma. The blonde walked over to her friend, her lunch neatly spread out on the black tray. She had pale skin, enough so she could pass off as a vampire. Her blonde hair was so light it was nearly a shade of white as soon as she stepped into the sunlight, a total contrast to her vibrant hazel eyes.
As she reached the fountain she placed her tray down with the utmost precision, making sure not a piece of food moved out of place. After taking a wet-wipe from her skirt pocket, cleaning off the fountain's already immaculate surface, and folding down her skirt with a perfect crease, the rather OCD girl asked, "What's up?"
"Not much, just the normal, boring Gotham Academy, the same tiresome science classes, the same dumb classmates. Nothing new," replied Artemis grimly. She had never been one to look on the 'bright side.' In the League of Shadows, even if you killed or kidnapped your victim, but took you a second of a second to long, you'd get slapped in the face and reprimanded, so looking on the bright side was just not in Artemis' nature.
"I know! I wish that just once we wouldn't have to use those chemicals! They get everywhere and make such a mess!" Cried out the white-blonde girl in agreement.
"I just can't wait until exams come and we're out of here," said Artemis, rather exasperated.
"Mmhmm," said Ems in agreement.
"I don't see what's so wrong about Gotham Academy," cut in Dick Grayson, sitting down next to Artemis. Artemis let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh, although Dick noticed it anyways. The spunky blonde didn't have anything against Dick Grayson, not really, but they were only sorta-friends. Sometimes they hung out, but they weren't really anywhere near as close as her and Ems or her and M'gann, even her and Robin.
"It's just…exasperating," said Artemis, choicely looking for the correct word, knowing full and well Dick had some sort of weird attachment to Gotham Academy.
"I know your only doing this for your mother, but you could try to put a happy face on it," said Dick, offering her up a smiley sticker from his blazer pocket. Artemis took the sticker in shock, how did he know that? She didn't tell him that? Did Ems? She glared at Emma, but Ems was totally oblivious.
"And you just had a happy sticker lying around?" Artemis asked. Dick responded only with a friendly, insiders only, wink.
"Oh, Dick's always got this weird stuff lying around, I don't know how he does it," piped in another voice. Artemis turned around to see Barbara Gordon, the commissioner's daughter, joining them for lunch. Her red hair flowed down her shoulders elegantly as she walked towards the three.
'It just figures she'd come. Wherever Dick Grayson went, Barbara Gordon followed," thought Artemis.
"It's like he's Robin, always having a tool belt of things to cheer people up," continued the Commissioner's daughter. Dick smirked at the comment, but nobody else understood the irony embedded within it.
"Now that I think of it, he does have a Robin-ish kind of feel," cut in Emma. "He's got the same haircut as Robin. He could probably do some of Robin's moves with that gymnasts body of his." Nobody else noticed, but the black-haired wonder started becoming peck-ish. He knew that Emma and Barbara wouldn't figure it out, but Artemis, maybe…
"Dick Grayson? As Robin?" Smirked Artemis. She let out a mocking chuckle. "I just can't see it." Sure, Rob was just as immature as Dick, and they both had some pretty good acrobatic skills, but beyond that she couldn't see the resemblance. Robin may be immature and childish, but he could get serious when it was necessary, she'd never seen Dick do that. Anyways, the boy wonder kicked ass and hacked into security networks, she couldn't imagine blazer-wearing, naïve Dick Grayson breaking into a top-secret lab and kicking the crap out of everybody the way that Robin would. "Imagine Dick flying around in some cape!" Ems, Barbara, Dick, and Artemis laughed, although Dick's was a bit more forced.
'Thank god for Artemis', thought Dick.
Trying to get the situation back under control the former Flying Grayson shouted out, "Hey, I resent that, I could make a great Robin." With that Dick jumped off the fountain and did the famous kick from Karate-Kid, purposely falling backwards upon execution. The four of them laughed again as Dick Grayson got up from the ground.
"Well, I think that the real superhero here is Artemis," said Dick, wiping off his previously spotless pants. Artemis blushed instantly; she could feel all of her body heat flush to her cheeks.
"It would not be me," muttered Artemis, suddenly shy and clammy. She rubbed her arm nervously, quite off-setting for Emma and Barbara, who didn't understand the awkwardness of the conversation. Suddenly Dick felt extremely guilty, thinking that Artemis probably thought her cover was blown.
In actuality, the thought barely crossed Artemis' mind, all the blonde archer could think of was about her past. It shouldn't be her. Rose by a murderous monster, told to kill people that now resided in holes in the League of Shadows headquarters, without a proper burial; their loved ones forever wondering what really happened to them. She didn't deserve to be a superhero, she couldn't be a superhero, did she even deserve the title of 'hero?' Sure, she'd saved a few lives, stopped a few bad guys, but did that make up for the lives she had taken? Innocent lives. "Let's just…change topics."
Emma's eyes furrowed, she delicately put a hand on Artemis' back, using a lot of restraint not to pull away from all the dirt that was probably residing on her best friend's Gotham Academy Blazer. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," said Artemis, pulling away from Emma's comforting hand.
"Are you sure?" Emma stared into Artemis' grey eyes and could tell that she was lying. She was her best friend after all; she knew when Artemis was lying.
"Yeah, it's fine. Just drop it," said Artemis, heightening her personal wall, blocking out Ems from just another aspect of her life.
With tight put pitying lips, Emma dropped her hand and the subject. Barbara coughed awkwardly, unsure what to do next. Luckily for all of them, the bell for fifth period rang, and the friends quickly scurried away from the uncomfortable scene.
"Recognized: Artemis B-0-7," said the mechanical security system. Artemis stepped out of the zeta tubes, still marveling at the tingling feeling of teleportation. It never ceased to amuse her. The fact that teleportation even existed was miraculous, but the aftereffects always left her oddly happy.
"Your late," said a low, menacing voice. The blonde archer would recognize it anywhere. He head shot up instantly. M'gann, Connor, Robin, Wally, Kaldur, and Zatanna were crowded around Batman, making one of his rare trips to the cave.
"I'm sorry, I had…personal business," muttered Artemis, hurrying towards the team and Batman.
"That is, if being late for work, having your boss harass you for being late-again, counts as personal business," thought Artemis.
Batman, obviously perturbed, managed to overlook saying anything and continue on with the assignment. "The Justice League was able to finally track down The Riddler, who managed to escape Belle Reve in the middle of the attempted break-out that Ms. Martian and Superboy fortunately stopped," the Dark Knight said in his husky, mysterious voice.
"The Riddler?" asked Robin.
Through M'gann's psychic link the Boy Wonder blurted out to them, "All the guy knows is how to set a few simple traps, he should be a simple, easy job." He wanted to tell his friends the ease of the mission to come, but knew that Batman wouldn't take his easy-going manner well.
"Yes," replied The Batman. "However, it seems that he's not the only one we've located." Kaldur's eyebrow furrowed.
"Who else have you found?" He asked in a wise, calm voice.
"It seems that The Riddler has found himself some allies," said The Batman grimly. "There are simultaneous attacks all around the world. Robin, bring up a holo-map!" Robin brought one up instantly, showing everywhere in the world. Batman pointed to the places on the holo-map as he talked, "Riddler and Abra Kadabra are attacking the Logan Farm, Luthor and Savage are attacking New York City, Klarion and Count Vertigo are attacking San Francisco, and Sportsmaster and Cheshire are attacking in Blüdhaven." Both M'gann and Artemis went pale, although for two totally different reasons.
"I have to go to the Logan Farm!" Cried M'gann. "I have to go now!" She leaned in Superboy, crying into his shirt. He put a comforting arm around her shoulder, caring for his girlfriend.
"With Luthor and Savage holding the most threat I'm assigning Superman, Kaldur, Captain Marvel, The Flash, and Superboy to New York City." A glimmer sparked in the young Kryptionian's eyes as he heard his name called alongside Superman's, both his hero and his father. Secretly he was ecstatic, but all he showed for it was a solemn nod.
"Zatanna, Robin, Dr. Fate, Wonder Woman, and I will be taking on Klarion and Count Vertigo," said Batman. Zatanna gulped as she let out a sad nod, remembering that her dad was no longer Zatarra, but Dr. Fate. The Masked Boy put a hesitant hand on the small of the magician's back. Although the magician questioned it for a moment, she accepted the masked boy's comforting hand.
"I'm sending M'gann and Martian Manhunter to join young 'Beast Boy' at the Logan Farm." M'gann looked up, happy to be going to help, but sad that her help was needed. "Leaving Artemis and Kid Flash to go to Blüdhaven and stop Sportsmaster and Cheshire." The moon goddess figured it would be her name called out for this part of the assignment, but it still came to her as a shock as it was called out officially.
"I'm going with her!" The redheaded speedster yelled. He said 'her' as if her name were crawling with worms and rodents. Ever since the Artemis had sent Kid Flash and Kaldur on a wild goose chase well she went after the real targets Wally had been giving her the cold shoulder, colder than before at least.
Artemis, who was still too busy processing the fact she was going up against Sportsmaster and Cheshire, together, didn't respond. She barely even noticed Wally's outburst, too overridden with fear and doubt. The man in all black addressed the archer in green, "Is that okay?"
Artemis snapped back to reality as soon as she heard Batman's slightly compassionate voice, very unusual for him, "Yeah."
"It's not for me," screamed the frustrated runner. Batman simply ignored the pouting child.
"So you have your assignments." With that Batman walked out of the cave and towards the Bat Car.
"Good luck M'gann," said Connor, giving her a quick but loving kiss on the lips. The Martian's tensed body relaxed instantly as their lips met.
"Thank you," the green alien said. She whispered in his ear, so only he could hear, "I love you." The two aliens kissed again before they both headed their separate ways, M'gann to the Bio-ship and Connor to Sphere, where Aqualad was already sitting.
"Are you ready to feel the aster?" asked Robin, quoting the opposite of disaster.
"As long as you do," said the magician flirtatiously, approaching her ATV. The Boy Wonder swore he felt his heart skip a beat as he stared at a girl more wonderful than him. He followed behind her in a trance-like state.
"Let's just get going," said Wally to Artemis. He picked her up bridal-style as they ran out of the cave. The team parted their separate ways, on their way to their biggest challenge yet.