She often pondered what it would be like, to be on the upper-end of Gotham City; to have money to spare. Money to give.
It made her sick to her stomach, that someone as rich and powerful as Gotham's Prince did nothing to assist the hungry, and the individuals without roofs over their heads. Surely with that kind of money, he would be able to provide a couple of shelters, at least. Some place warm, dry, and clean.
She was starting to lose faith in the world's righteous system.
"Artemis, hey, c'mon."
Her eyes fluttered open and all at once she was leaping up from the sofa, disoriented but ready to attack. The ghostly little cackle her movements sparked made her grip on the handle of her bow loosen, and Robin stared at her behind his dark glasses, smirking slightly. "Sorry, but you were starting to drool on my shoulder."
She could feel her face flush slightly as Robin rubbed the shoulder of his black sweatshirt. She couldn't even begin to recall when she sat down on the couch, let alone when Robin had showed up, and she'd fallen asleep on him. "Um-"
He chuckled. "Don't worry about it. You earned it; tonight was rough."
Artemis nodded awkwardly. "Well, I guess I should head home..."
"I guess so." He seemed much too amused. "Back home to Gotham?"
Her back went rigid. "What? No-!"
"I thought you were visiting your cousin?" He had a full blown smug-ass grin, now.
"Oh. Right. My cousin." Troll.
The seconds tolled by; her peering blankly at the black lenses of his shades, with him looking back just as intently.
She wasn't entirely sure what had been her breaking point. Whether it was the unhappy cries of the baby, or the fact that every time she passed the concrete slab under the overpass it seemed to be housing more and more suffering people. Whatever the catalyst, she was a gun with a trigger that had just been pulled, and the words spilled out in a pathetic, desperate rush.
"You have to help me!" Her voice even cracked, as she fell back down onto the plush green sofa next to the boy, who's eyebrows strung together in what could have been confusion, or worry.
"Um, sure, what's the problem?"
"Gotham," Her voice shifted into only a breathy whisper. "It's people."
The crease between his eyebrows only deepened, as did his frown. "What are you talking-"
"You and Batman patrol Gotham all the time! Don't you notice all the citizens that are dying? I'm not talking about the rich socialites, or the democrats. I mean the poor, starving people without homes. Don't you care about them? Doesn't Batman?"
Robin understood, all too well, the same feelings of anger and bitterness when he'd first taken up the role as Batman's sidekick. He saw the trash-ridden streets of Gotham, the tall, boarded up warehouses and the sheer blackness of it all. How even in the daytime, it felt like a fortress that radiated darkness. "We can't save everybody." Robin recited the exact words Batman had spoken to him all those years ago, before taking his leave, and allowing Artemis to stare after him mutely.
The following week, four new homeless shelters were built in Gotham City.
XXX
