CENTRAL CITY
AUGUST 20, 15:00 EDT
We had a tradition. Every afternoon we'd walk together to the same pizza place, grabbing a slice together, and doing our homework there. Then he'd walk me to my house where I lived with my adoptive parents. We'd hug and laugh and I'd head inside and my head would just whirl with the thoughts of how I could've finally told him.
This year is different. Wally has been more and more busy lately, as have I so I don't know why I get upset about it. But I just wish he'd at least give me a hug instead of rushing past me in the hall without a single glance.
I let out a sigh, shutting my locker just as my cellphone rang with the name Dinah popping up on the screen. Another sigh escaped my lips along with a loud groan as I answered it.
"Dinah." I whined. "I have a day off, it's my first since I started this whole thing. Please respect it."
"I know Redd, I just thought maybe we could have some dinner tonight. Think you get get away from your guardians tonight?" Dinah asked over the phone. I felt a reign of excitement pour over me. Dinah has been my mentor for the past 5 or 6 years and it's been such a long time since we'd actually hung out together instead of training.
"Yeah-yeah! That would be great, I'm sure I could just make an excuse or sneak out or something. I'll meet you at the usual place? Yeah great!" I hung up with the biggest smile on my face as I grabbed my bag off the floor and quickly ran out of the school, passing by my other classmates just like Wally had done not so long ago.
I hopped up on my Moped which I'd received last summer for my birthday and stopped, wondering where I could possibly waste five hours. It was Friday so my homework wasn't due till Monday, but I had nothing else to do. I let out a hmph as I placed my helmet on my head. I knew exactly where I was going.
It didn't take long to arrive from school to my destination, although as soon as I did arrive it seemed the house was empty. So Wally wasn't at home, then where could he be? His little disappearing act lately was getting on my nerves. Maybe I'm the only one he's disappearing on.
I looked down sadly for a moment before deciding, if Wally doesn't wanna be my friend anymore then that's fine! I don't need him! I don't need him at all! Just as I thought that, my phone buzzed again with a text from my adoptive mother telling me it was okay to go out tonight as a response to the text I sent her from a stop light. I opened my phone and winced as I saw a selfie of me and Wally causing me to nearly crush my phone in my hands.
What a jerk! He hasn't even said anything beside occasional conversation, acting as if nothing is wrong! We're friends, in fact, he's one of my only and closest friends. How could he do this to me? I have time for him and I'm Black Canary's sidekick! Ugh, I wish I could hate him. I just wish.
I started my moped and drove away from the West residence, deciding maybe I don't need days off. As soon as I got home, I ran up the stairs ignoring my 'parents' and immediately shoved my closet door open, dropping my school bag as I dove to the fake wall at the bottom and opened it, grabbing my costume.
I needed to blow off some steam and normally I had to ask Black Canary for permission but I just needed some time by myself.
I pulled on the cape and pulled a leather jacket over it that would easily cover it. Thanks to leather jackets it's easy to blend it in as just a sort of punk rock outfit. I pulled my goggles on my head and walked downstairs, grabbing my keys and phone.
"I'm out guys! See you later." I told my guardians as they looked at me curiously for a second before I disappeared through the door. I've never really spent anytime with them... But whatever.
I waited till I was further in Central City before I pulled on my hood and threw my jacket into a secret spot in an alley so I could come back for it later. I pulled my goggles on and watched crime logs flash across the screen, looking for a robbery or something to take my mind off of things.
"What are you doing Little Red?" I heard in the comm that unluckily was put into my goggles. I groaned. Of course.
"Blowing off some steam." I said, dangling my legs as I looked off at the city below me, still paying attention to anything that I could do in this damned town.
"You're not allowed to crime fight in Central City, that's the Flash's territory, we're Star, you hear me?" Canary scolded, I groaned.
"I'm not doing anything huge, just... I don't know! I've been doing this for a couple weeks now I just need some time alone. Or maybe I don't, I don't know. I'm just frustrated." I hugged my knees looking at Central City's skyline as the sun set. It seemed so calming.
I heard Black Canary sigh on the opposite end of the comm. "Alright, your consequences." She said before the comm went off.
I sat in silence for a while. I was so calm I couldn't bother getting up to fight crime at that point. The sky seemed so dazzling it was as if it caught me in a trance, I nearly forgot about me and Dinah's dinner together.
My goggles beeped as my itinerary appeared on screen, signaling our dinner was due within an hour and a half. Great. I need to get home, change, then get the zeta beam, and walk from the Star zeta to the restaurant. That sounds like it could be done within a half hour.
I made my way down the fire escape with my sick parkour skills, jumping onto my moped in the alleyway and throwing on my leather jacket. I made it home quickly and ran up the stairs, my parents were out doing something probably. I quickly changed, pulling my hair down as the ringlets framed my face. I changed into a nice dress and a leather jacket with some fishnets and boots. Alright, punk rock and ready to go! Nice!
I grabbed my helmet and ran down the stairs again, quickly running outside and hopping on my moped excitedly. I loved hanging out with Dinah, since we barely had a chance to with training and all.
As soon as I had zeta beamed into Star city, I was immediately confronted by my partner. In her Canary get up.
I eyed her and crossed my arms.
"What's going on here BC?" I asked her, lifting an eyebrow curiously.
"I just had some League business, speaking of I have to go back for a debriefing." I pouted, great. "Sorry, it came up so suddenly."
Dinah put a hand on my shoulder and I nodded solemnly.
"First Wally now you, this is great. Everyone's ditching me." I frowned. Dinah gave me a look.
"Wally?" She asked me incredulously.
"Yeah, that boy that I hang out with all the time at school? Oh, yeah I never mention him because we never hang out." I turned my head, about to walk back into the zeta tube when Dinah put her hand on my shoulder again, stopping me.
"I wasn't done here Redd. I want you to come with me. I want you to meet the other leaguers."
I looked up at her, smiling. "Really? I mean they already know me, and we've already met Batman and Green Arrow, but really?! I'm not even in my outfit oh god!"
"It's okay Redd, just come with me. I'll go first to give you access." Dinah walked around me and into the tube. "Just come in right after me." She instructed before beaming out. I did as she told me and it only took a couple seconds before I was also beamed.
When I appeared again, I was transported to some cave.
"This isn't the Watchtower or the hall...? Dinah, what is this?" I asked her, walking forward to where she stood on a nearby computer.
"This is Mount Justice. The headquarters for the team." Dinah informed me. I looked at her curiously.
By team, did she mean the team? Like the team of sidekicks that banded together and go on league issued missions? I lifted my eyebrow at her, taking off my helmet as my hair fell out.
"What are we doing here? I told you I want nothing to do with this team. I'm not ready." I told her, once again. I started around the time the team started, and I was barely ready for that. There was no way I was ready for this.
"Listen, Redd. I tried to tell the other members of the League this. But they believe we need you under watch."
I tensed as she said that. "I am under watch! Your watch! I'm not joining a team I don't believe in just so you can be reassured I won't go back to my... My old ways." I looked down. I knew the look Dinah would give me and I couldn't bare to see it once again.
"I know you won't Redd. They also know that, we all trust you. But, you left a very bad place. We don't want to be reassured about you going back, we want to be reassured you won't be forced back." Dinah said slowly, placing her hands on my shoulders. I looked at her and sighed.
"I don't really have a choice do I? I'm never gonna let that past become a past. Am I?" It was more rhetorical since I already knew the answer.
Dinah smiled at me, trying to comfort me obviously.
"We want to protect you. That's all Redd." I nodded.
"Then, where are the other members?" I sighed, smiling. It was definitely reassuring knowing that I'd always have Dinah at my side. No matter what happened before I came to America, she's always been at my side, always been protecting me, always been like a parent to me.
"They actually just got off a mission, I think it was a troublesome one. I've told you about Doctor Fate, right?" Dinah asked me. I shrugged, how was I supposed to remember? I'm taking AP classes, I can barely remember what I ate that morning!
"Well, he's a Lord of Order. I won't go into detail, but his helmet is dangerous. Once you put it on, you can't really take it off. It's like he controls you. One of the team members put it on yesterday during the mission, and well... You get the gist, right?" Dinah asked me. I once again shrugged.
"Dinah please I'm a high school student, I barely understood the League's teachings as a child." I confessed as Dinah rolled her eyes at my mention of the League.
"Just, here I brought your extra uniform. Go change into it. I don't want them seeing you like this at first, it'll discredit you. I'll introduce you, but after that I have to go back to the watchtower and prepare for a funeral tomorrow." I raised my eyebrows motioning for her to further explain but she simply waved me off,
Dinah grabbed a bag hidden off into the corner and threw it at me, I stumbled as I caught it but regained my balance.
"Uh, how do I change into it? I mean, where's the bathroom?" I asked her, a tad more confused than I already was. Dinah glared at me before pushing me in a direction.
I followed that direction and went into the bathroom, or locker rooms I guess. I quickly changed into my uniform which consisted of my leather jacket. Wow, way to tell me to cover up Dinah.
I pulled my goggles out of my jacket pocket, since I normally always had them on me with Dinah around, you truly never know with her. Final touch, pulling my hood on to shade my face for added effect.
"Alright, now where the hell am I?" I wandered out into the hall trying to find my place back to the Hangar or whatever. I tapped my goggles to find heat signatures, figuring I could probably either find Dinah, or my new team members.
Okay, I could see a couple people. But how do I get there?! Bright idea me! I should get a blaster instead of a useless mobile computer!
"BC! How do I get back!?" I shouted, wandering around the cave. As soon as I shouted the question I accidentally wandered into a large kitchen with a couple of kids... And Wally?
/an/ Hello! Welcome to AGFT! I hope you've enjoyed the preview, this story is very important to me and so is Redd. She's like a baby to me, and I spell her name like that because I want to make it more like a name than a color lol. I have made edits to this chapter because of reviews I've already gotten so know that your opinions are valued here! But flaming is not, please be polite. That's all I ask. I hope you enjoy 3 Miles loves you!
