A New Beginning
Another day, another run down building. Jade was still in Gotham, after having returned to avenge the death of Ed Hayes. An escapade that had resulted in her confessing her life story to Batman. Admittedly, it was only fair, as she knew several of the larger details of his. But there was something more in it, she knew, something along the lines of simple human need. Frankie needed some semblance of a friend, someone who understood, at least, that she wasn't an entirely spiteful, malevolent psychopath.
Hunched down, leaning against a wall in the dimly lit, dusty room, her knees pulled up to her chest, she dozed. She hadn't had an honest good night's sleep since the few days she'd spent in the hotel with Quiverwing and company. Even when she'd been staying as Hayes' guest, she'd barely let herself doze off, feeling a need to watch the man's back. Jade was still angry with herself that she'd failed to protect yet another friend. Her dreams were all to eager to remind her of that.
Her thoughts drifted back to her younger years, as a teenager. Forming gangs, and betraying them to keep herself out of trouble. Murderous rampages, ending with being thrown into the bowels of the hell that was Arkham Asylum. Only to claw her way to the top of the tower to find Strangefate.
Images of simpleminded, ignorant Skulk were the ones that haunted her most. The nearly-mindless behemoth had been her only friend in the early days of service to Strangefate. She found herself once more curled on a small cot in the dark corner of a warehouse, her jacket pulled tightly around her, the heavy hand of the albino creature displaying its rare ability to be gentle as it stroked her hair. "Friend Jade… don't be sad. Skulk not want you to be sad…"
Those soft spoken words shifted to the violent rage in the last moments of Skulk's existence, after she had separated him from his Banner personality. Gruesomely, her mind presented the smear of blood that was Banner's crushed and broken body. Equally gruesome were the blood stains on Skulk's pale hands and face. And teeth.
Jade awoke with a gasp. Strangefate had known the outcome, when he had given her the knife that could undo the binding he had placed on Banner. She'd only wanted to help…
It took some time, but she calmed herself, and drifted off again. This time, it was a different face that intruded. A young face, with purple hair. He was alive, but in her own way, she had killed him too. Trunks had been the first person to ever reach out to her that way, and treat her as a being that could maybe be loved. Trunks had gone into a face-off with Strangefate, in a misguided attempt to save her from slavery. And she'd returned that kindness how? By telling him he was just a kid. By visiting him in the past, and causing him to spend two years of his life waiting for her. Only to arrive at their agreed meeting time to tell him that he was still just a kid, and she had no feelings for him.
Again, she awoke. This time shifting, her hand moving under her shirt to grasp the rabbit's foot that had dangled faithfully on a chain since the day he'd given it to her. Was it lucky? Maybe. Just maybe. Her fingers curled around the soft fur, she finally managed to drift off to sleep yet again.
Only to find herself faced with Hal. Each of his deaths, playing over in her mind. And his final death, that had proved utterly everything to be a waste. When she inadvertently killed him in combat as Parallax.
Failure. She was a failure, and a curse on all those that got close to her. And now, she'd given in completely to cowardice. Gotten rid of her ring, and started hiding. Stopped even bothering to try. Too scared to fail. Scared. Coward. Weak. Hopeless.
A new face formed in her dreams. Drifting, vague, bathed in a golden light that pushed her brutal thoughts away, bringing a feeling of almost peace. For a moment, she thought she perceived Strangefate. It wasn't, though. Somewhat weakened by her dreams, she murmured, "Who are you?"
"I am Volthoon. I wish to help you."
"I don't need help…"
"I have seen your dreams, Frankie Rayner. I have been observing you for some time. You have the need to amend your soul for the crimes of your past, and you nobly gave up your powers, thinking that was the correct path. But you are needed for something greater. I wish to give you a gift…"
In the light in front of her, something danced. A ring. Yellow, but otherwise resembling her own ring.
"What is it?"
"A ring of power. In the wrong hands, it could do great evil. In the right hands, it could do great good. I am using the last of my strength to give you this gift, Frankie Rayner. In you, all of my hopes reside…"
Like that, the being, and the light faded into nothingness. Jade awoke with a start, finding herself breathing heavily, sweat condensing on her forehead in the chill air. The muscles in her form gave out and her knees dropped to the floor, her hands falling limply by her side. The sound of something clattering across the floor after being kicked by her boot snapped her out of it.
Instinct said the vision of Volthoon wasn't just a dream. She forced herself to her feet, stumbling through the darkness to retrieve the item. A ring. A yellow ring. Her hand clenched around it, wanting to hurl it out the window. But Volthoon was right. She couldn't take being unable to do anything at all anymore. Closing her eyes, and muttering a curse, she slid the ring on her finger.