A/N:
Hey-o! It's Vid, and I'm here with Synk!
Yes, that is right, this is a collab.
Woohoo!
So, in this collaboration, we will be doing every other chapter, switching between our two OCs. My chapter's are odd, Synk's are even. Altogether, I really hope it's going to be epic.
So bear with us? Please?
Note: I know that Orrick is a real place in Mizzou. It's a nice little place. I was there a few weeks ago on my way to Rayville. I apologize for the seeming "Missouri hate", but I really just needed a complete 180 to Gotham. I love Mizzou. Most of my paternal side of the family lives there. So, no hard feelings? Good? Good.
This = flashback
Darkness: Chapter One:
~First Person POV~
Flat, green, wind.
Those are the only things that could describe Orrick, Missouri. Or any part of the state, for that matter. It had a population a little over 800, a school, a bank, and a few store-things. I honestly didn't know what Orrick had. I was too busy missing Gotham.
Yeah, that's right. Gotham. What could I say? I'm a city girl. Or, I was. Then my parents had a fight and my mom swept me off to the middle of nowhere where the fanciest car is a Ford Fusion and people drive tractors on the roads. And the Fusion's my mom's car.
No offense to Missourians, but that's how I saw it.
We wound up living with my mom's brother and sister-in-law. I couldn't understand a word they said half the time. And they kept using terminology like I knew what they meant by 'piece' and 'sack'. Well, sack was easier than piece. That took me nearly a month to figure out, because no one would tell me what it was. Again, the city girl in me showing like a man running down a Gotham street naked.
It was definitely safe to say that I missed my industrial home. And my dad.
But most of all, I missed donning the spandex suit. Yes, you are correct in you conclusion.
I am a superhero.
Cape and everything.
It was really cool until I broke my arm a couple months ago – not in costume, mind you – and my mom blew up, causing aforementioned argument. She went postal on Dad – he's a bad influence, I'm going to get jailed or killed, all that jazz. Then she took me away from my home, my life, my other life, everything.
It really is true, what they say: heroes have family issues.
Which sucks, 'cause Dad and I used to joke about how we had 'broken the mold'. But I'll save my dad for a later time. I'd rather talk about Batman. Fitting, because he's standing on my doorstep. Yeah.
The Dark Knight was on the other side of my front door.
Why I knew this before he even rang the bell? My wonderful mother went to get the mail, saw him, screamed, and slammed the door in his face.
I asked what was wrong, and she said – and I quote – 'That damn overgrown Bat is at the goddamn door'. Then she stomped upstairs.
"Hey Bats." I said with a smile, opening the door.
"Kat." He replied stoically. Sounds like my real name, doesn't it? Well, it's not. It's my supername. My codename. My alter-ego. Whatever you wanna call it.
I wish I could change it, sometimes. It was so…unoriginal. But my dad picked it out, and he's a fan of simplicity.
"No Boy Wonder this time?" He gave me a small shake of the head.
"Well then, I suppose we can descend to the inner sanctum." I made my way to a wood-paneled sliding door and pressed my left hand against it.
"Recognized as: Elena Spencer." A computerized voice said.
"Hey PAM. Code 507b. Batman." I responded cheerily.
"Access granted: Batman. Welcome." PAM responded, and the door slid open.
"That's new." Batman remarked, and I shrugged.
"Dad installed it. Same program as his HQ."
"Fuse sends his regards." Batman added as he followed me down the dank hallway and an even less inviting stairwell. Fuse was my dad. He blew shit up. Literally. My name was Kat…easy enough to discern.
This is the part where I repeat: Dad's a fan of simplicity. At least in names.
"Good. Now why, exactly, have you graced me with your presence, Batman?" I asked, sitting down Indian-style on my large, pink control chair. Batman opted to stand.
"Now that Robin is in Young Justice and I have more duties with the League –"
"– you need my help in Gotham. Shouldn't you be having this conversation with my mother?" I finished for him.
"She slammed a door in my face." He answered simply, making me laugh. He gave me his signature Bat-glare.
"Sorry, sorry, I get it. Mom's the bad guy. But I can't go behind her back. She catches on quick." Batman nodded and grew silent. I didn't bother him, he was deep in thought.
I liked Batsy. I had known him and Robin for about two years. I tried to get my dad to tell me when he met the Dark Knight. He refused. So I assumed they met a long time ago.
But knowing my dad wasn't why I liked Batman. Batman is straight and to the point. No shit comes from Bats. I liked that, 'cause my dad would always dance around the answers, trying to get me to do it on my own. That's great for math homework. Not so great for taking machine guns apart. Or freeing hostages. That's the only time when he doesn't like simplicity. Kind of annoying.
That's why I would go to Batman whenever I needed a straight answer. Every once in a while my dad would tell me not to bother the Dark Knight, but he didn't seem to mind, so I asked him anyway.
"Where is your mother?" Batman finally asked.
"Upstairs," a crash above us, "Scratch that. She's in the kitchen. Slamming shit around," Batman gave me a glare, "Sorry, poopy."
"I'll be right back." Batman said in his gravelly voice before whisking himself up the stairs.
"Oh, god, Bat –" But he was already gone.
"Shit." I muttered, and stared at the console before me.
"Now I know there's some way to turn on a camera in the kitchen…" I trailed off, searching the plethora of buttons. Bang. And then shouting.
"Oh my, oh my, oh my…" I frantically started pushing buttons at random. I didn't have a weapons system…or at least, I didn't think so…
Before the screen flickered to life, however, the screaming had stopped and Batman was descending into my little slice of Gotham once again.
"You are returning to Gotham. Pack your things." He stated plainly, watching for my reaction beneath his mask. I met his gaze and nodded once. He returned the nod, and I was almost positive there was a hint of a smile that came with it.
That was how I thanked Batman. He didn't seem one for sentimentals.
"Can you help?" I asked, batting my lashes. The older man before me spun on one heel and stalked to my closet, pulling my nondescript black roll-on behind him.
I immediately jumped up from my chair and dashed after him, not wanting to get glared at for being lazy. He stepped aside so I could get into the closet.
I had turned back to ask him whether I needed to bring everything (AKA ask how long I was staying) when he pulled off the cowl.
"Hi there, Bruce." I said with a typical Spencer shit-eating grin. I found out Batman's identity by accident, believe it or not. Shortly after I started actually going out in the field, I was awoken by a banging downstairs…
I crept slowly downstairs after hearing a sound, keeping myself pressed against the wall. My ears strained to pick out signs of life. Halfway down the stairs, however, they didn't need to strain any longer.
"It's a worrying predicament." A distinct warm tenor was saying. Easily recognized as my father.
"It's the price we all have to pay, Nicholas." Another voice responded, this one unrecognizable but still vaguely familiar.
"But I can't – I love her, Bruce. What do I do?" My heart thudded in my chest at the anguished words. Who could Dad be talking about? And who was Bruce?
I edged to the banister as I ran down my mental list of my father's friends and work acquaintances. I needed a closer look at this 'Bruce'.
And there he was. Only it wasn't a Bruce.
It was Batman.
…Or someone who had the gall to dress up like him and sit in my house at the table.
It was unlikely, but I wasn't going to rule anything out just yet.
"There's nothing you can do, Nicholas. It's only a matter of time." Maybe-Batman said.
"But Bruce –"
"You can come out now." Maybe-Batman's deep, gravelly voice cut my father off. I gulped and walked slowly down the stairs on shaky legs.
"Who are you?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. Once I was facing the two men, I instantly recognized the real Batsuit, even though I had only met Batman three times before. I clamped a hand over my mouth and felt a hot flush on my cheeks, instantly ashamed of my outburst.
Sorta-Batman-that-I-was-almost-positive-was-the-real-guy smirked at me.
"Bruce Wayne. And who might you be?"
Batman…Bruce Wayne…
It was then that the magnitude of the situation hit me.
What was the Dark Knight going to do to me, now that I knew?
"E-Elena Spencer." I stuttered out.
"Come here, Elena." Batman – no, Bruce – said, beckoning me with his hand. I hastily made my way over to what I thought was surely impending doom.
"Why were you eavesdropping?" He asked instead. Taken aback, I looked at his dark eyes, of which he had made level with mine. (I was much smaller than he).
"I heard a noise – thought it was an intruder – came to investigate…I'm sorry, sir."
"Elena, you cannot tell anyone who I am, or anything else you heard. Do you understand?" I nodded furiously.
"Yes, Batman, sir." I could have sworn he chuckled when I said sir. I glanced at my dad, who was looking on with sympathy.
"Nor can you tell anyone Robin's identity, since I'm assuming you can guess accurately." An eerily familiar dark-haired boy with blue eyes came to mind. A picture from the newspaper. Finally relaxing a little in the presence of the Bat, I replied:
"Of course I wouldn't. Why have a secret identity if it wasn't a secret?" My dad snorted ungracefully, trying to stifle his laughter.
"Alright, now go back to bed." Bruce told me, before straightening up again.
"Yes, sir."
By the time I was done remembering – and packing – I was pretty impressed. I had fit most of my things into one carry-on-size suitcase and a backpack. The only thing I would have to go back for with boxes was my personal library.
What can I say? I like books.
…Nothing wrong with that.
I slung my backpack over my shoulder as a now re-cowled Batman typed in a code I didn't know. A bright light blinded me, and the next thing I knew, I was in my father's basement. Also known as HQ.
"There she is!" Said family member exclaimed, and I launched myself into his arms.
"Daddy!" I was probably the only almost-fourteen-year-old on the planet who still willingly called her father 'Daddy', but I didn't care.
"Thank you, Bruce." I felt the rumbled in my dad's chest as he talked over my shoulder to the Bat. A soft click signaled his exit from the room.
"Batsy said I had to come back to Gotham. Why?" I asked once I was sure he was gone. My dad set me down and shook his head.
"Robin is part of a covert team now; stop calling him Batsy." I sighed.
"Direct answer, Dad."
"He's part of a covert team! That's why! It's League business." I picked up my backpack where I had abandoned it and started my way up the dimly lit stairs – started back to my home.
"Whatever, I'll call Aven, see if she knows. Or maybe Robin himself."
Truthfully, I had only met Robin a handful of times, and Dick Grayson only twice. Don't get me wrong, the kid was nice (if quirky – but aren't we all?) and he most definitely had looks (Of which I wasn't going to acknowledge anytime soon). And he knew I knew. Hell, I knew he knew, too, after I met Grayson the second time and he called me Kat. I just never really hung out with the guy. Especially over the past four months, when Kat's been forcibly MIA. We were just on different ends of the spectrum, I suppose.
Aven, on the other hand, was a different story. We were…friends…I supposed, but I wasn't going to jump to conclusions. She never actually said we were, so my assumption could have very well been totally wrong. I hoped not, though. She was nice.
Anyway, my dad's conclusion should have been that A) calling Aven wasn't a big deal, and B) calling Robin was. So he had better start talking. But did he?
Of course not.
That would have made my life easier.
As always, he got halfway there and called it a day once it started getting complicated. I honestly had no idea how a guy who wanted everything so simple like him became a superhero.
So instead of spilling the beans, he gave me an easygoing wave and an 'okay hon.'
I scowled at that. Didn't he know his Baltimore roots were obvious when he used words like that? Or was it just me being picky at his word choice…
Probably the latter.
I trudged into my room, left exactly the same as four months ago only with fresh sheets and not as much stuff on the floor. I made note to thank my dad for at least cleaning up my room. I fell back onto the bed, and my head collided painfully with the headboard, but I didn't care. I just fished my phone from my pocket and texted Aven.
April 28th, 3:07 PM
Hey.
Bats showed up at my mom's. Brought me back to Gotham.
Mentioned Boy Wonder's new team.
Any thoughts?
-E
I chucked my phone so it landed at my feet and closed my eyes. I needed some serious sleep.
Hopefully Batsy will fill me in tomorrow. I thought before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.
~KAT~
I woke up in darkness to my cell phone blaring 'Strange Charm' by Hank Green. I bolted upright. There was only one person in my contacts that had a ringtone about science.
"Not now, Dylan." I snapped into the receiver as menacing as I could in my sleep-clouded state.
"Why hello to you too." My cousin's voice crackled down the line.
"Dyl," I sighed, "what do you want?"
"I have a message for you from Bruce Wayne." I nearly fell off the bed.
"What?"
"I know, it's weird, right? How'd he even know we're cousins, let alone how he knows you? Anyway, do you want the message or not?" My dearest and only tolerable cousin sounded worn thin. Looking at the clock, I realized why. It was two AM. I couldn't blame him for being irritated at his little cousin.
"Yes, Dylan, I do want the message."
"It says, 'meet tomorrow at fourteen-hundred.' Then there's some coordinates, I'll text you those, then 'don't let Bird know.'"
"Mm…kay."
"Any idea what it means, cuz?" My excuse came pouring out of my mouth immediately.
"School. There's an internship that my teacher doesn't want me to do, so I emailed Mr. Wayne to see if the info could be sent by other means."
"I thought you were in good ol' Mizzou. These coordinates, if I remember right, are in Gotham." I snorted.
"Nawh, city boy, Dad got me out." I heard him chuckle.
"Good for you. If that's what you want, that is. I currently owe my mom fifty bucks. I told her you wouldn't last a month. She said you'd last five."
"Glad my family has so much faith in me. Love you too." There was a pause.
"Love you." Then, in a typical Dylan Spencer manner, he hung up on me.
I lay back down on my bed, happy I had a liaison in Wayne enterprises that wasn't Wayne himself. If I thought about it, I couldn't understand how my science geek of a cousin ended up in business. But he was probably doing something about the science or money or some crap like that.
In twelve hours, I might finally figure out what the hell's going on. Thanks Bats. I thought as I stared at the ceiling in the dark.
Woo! End of chapter one!
Tell us what you think, maybe? That'd be awesome.
Anyway, Hope you liked it. Next time you see Darkness, Synk's character will come up to bat! Yay!
Word Counts:
This Chapter: 2,704
Total: 2,704
Stay Awesome and Happy Writings,
Vid and Synk.