Of Times Past
Disclaimer: All familiar characters belong to DC. I own Farrah/Persiana, Lance/Diablos, Kaede/Onyx, and Bast.
One Shot
Lance, the immortal hero Diablos, stared vacantly at the lights of New York. He sighed heavily, looking down at the city that never sleeps, something weighing heavily upon him.
Having taken his girlfriend on vacation to Miami after the symbiote attack, Lance had encountered a new group of heroes; Titans Miami. One of them, Kaede, the ninja Onyx, had some fantastic powers. Many thought it was because she was able to channel her chi into her attacks, but Lance had to wonder; was it really that?
Bast, the feline goddess and once Diablos' lover, appeared behind him. She stealthily made her way up to him and purred,
"Enjoying a midnight stroll, Diablos?"
Lance turned around, smiling,
"I'm glad you could make it."
Bast looked out at the skyline,
"You can barely see the stars in the city. I always did like Egypt; the stars were so much brighter and the moon was divine."
She sighed, happily remembering fond memories of her champion from so long ago.
Lance shook his head,
"Bast, I need to talk to you about something. It's important."
Bast sighed,
"Very well."
Her gaze narrowed,
"It had better be, since I am missing a night of hedonistic passion with a very charming young man."
Lance blinked at that. He learned not to inquire about his former lover's…personal matters. He asked,
"Do you remember, after the First Crusades, when we escaped it and headed east?"
Bast laughed,
"Yes, I certainly do. You found it to be a glorious waste of time, seeing as how they would never get what they wanted."
The red-eyed hero nodded,
"Yes, well, anyway, we went east, until we arrived in Japan."
Bast thought for a moment,
"You are correct. We stayed there for a few years, attempting to build a city there and establish myself."
She asked,
"Diablos, did something happen in Miami you wish to share with me?"
Lance nodded,
"I encountered a woman in Miami. She was a ninja that had could turn into a panther hybrid and she also had some attacks that seemed…familiar."
Bast thought about it for a moment before answering,
"Ah, so it was about that cult that I made. I have to admit; since the Egyptians turned away from me, I never thought I would ever have followers again. So, it has survived all these centuries."
Lance smirked,
"It's become more than that. It's now a full fledged ninja clan hidden in Japan. They're much like the Amazons; isolated and hidden from the rest of the world."
Bast shook her head,
"Well, I was never one for setting a particular doctrine, but this is an all women cult? I allowed men in my temples."
Lance shrugged,
"I don't know all the particulars, but this girl Kaede…I don't know why, but…"
He looked at Bast,
"Did you give birth to a child and not tell me?"
Bast looked hurt,
"You honestly think I would deny my champion the right to hold their own daughter?"
The swordsman's eyes shot open,
"We had a daughter?"
Bast cursed herself for letting it slip. However, she sighed and came closer,
"Yes, I did. Believe me, I won't ever forget that. You left before I could do anything, something about the New World or something…"
Lance nodded,
"Yes, I wanted to see what was going on."
Bast continued,
"I was hurt you left. I wanted to tell you, but, I thought it best that, should you return, I would have built an entire city in both our honor."
She wiped a tear away,
"Sad to say, that did not happen. I began recruiting followers, taking in daughters abandoned by their families. Pretty soon, I had about a dozen women and several small children. Having been a cat, I helped them specialized in stealth combat, striking the enemy before they know you are awake. It came about from the assassins that murdered several prominent pharaohs and their families. I was going to teach these skills for the path of justice and good, and that is how this…clan, as they put it…came to be. I taught them that, while men are important as soldiers and husbands, women must be soldiers in their home and for their families, to defend their children with their dying breaths and seek vengeance against those that would dare harm children."
Bast looked up,
"Why are you having me relive all this?"
Lance shook his head,
"I'm left wondering…should I tell Farrah all this?"
Bast was confused,
"Tell her what? About the possibility that a child was sired centuries ago and that she led a clan of were-feline ninjas? She does not need to know that."
Lance looked at her,
"Bast, Kaede could very well be my descendant, and I don't know if I can live with having such a big secret like that be exposed to the rest of the world."
Bast countered,
"Why tell her? Our daughter has died, her spirit having gone into the afterlife. There is no need to raise her now."
Lance was surprised,
"How did our daughter die?"
Bast shook her head,
"An old enemy of mine. He and I have been at each other's throats for centuries, even before Set. He is a collector of souls, Neron."
She looked at him,
"Don't tell Farrah anything. It is best she not know."
With that, she teleported away. Lance looked out at the night sky and shook his head,
"What am I going to do?"
End of One Shot