I heard them calling in the distance
So I packed my things and ran
Far away from all the trouble
I had caused with my two hands
Present Day:
Kori grinned to herself. The ring that was placed on the silver chain was ever so shiny and very beautiful. She had not been expecting Richard to ask her such a question yet but was more than pleased when he had. Normally he was very quiet, more of someone who works a great deal than preforms romantic gestures so the question was a shock.
It really was quite glorious.
It had been four months and she still was absolutely thrilled.
Kori was unsure of when they what time the date of the marriage ceremony would take place. They each had agreed to keep it to themselves and not speak with anyone on the subject quite yet. Richard mentioned something about finishing the school term and getting married during the break, or the next year, which made sense to her. Kori did not wish for a big deal to be made over it so the two decided to keep it a secret until they had a set plan.
So she decided to wear the ring on a long silver chain that would be concealed beneath her shirt should she wear it as a necklace. It was a pretty ring. Very pretty. Quite a large one that was certain. It was very distracting during her classes however because of how shiny it was. The glimmer was absolutely beautiful but she couldn't concentrate when she looked at it. That was why she strung it on the chain.
When her class was finished Kori bid her goodbyes to the friends she had made in said class and made her way to her car.
Kori didn't have much to do that day other than her required classed so that left her with a lack of activities to participate in during the rest of the day.
Richard would not be free from work for a while and everyone else worked a considerable amount.
Her phone suddenly began vibrating in her pocket. Kori jumped slightly, she always forgot that it meant someone was calling; it usually scared her a little.
"Hello?" She greeted answering the phone.
"Hello Kori."
"Galfore!" She cried happily, "It is ever so glorious to hear from you. How have you been?"
"I have been well, I miss you."
"I apologize that I have not been back to see you in a couple weeks, school has been quite busy." Kori explained sadly, wishing she had more time to spend with her guardian.
"I understand, your education is important to you as well as me. I just called to bring you some news."
Kori tilted her head. What kind of news could he have for her?
"Your mother and father are coming home." Galfore revealed.
Kori froze, not quite believing what she was hearing.
"Are you sure they are not just speaking of coming? For they do that frequently but never seem to." Kori asked nervously. Her parents had been saying they would visit ever since Kori had located herself in America, they never seemed to so it was natural that Kori would be skeptical.
"Quite sure, they have business in America." Galfore confirmed.
"I see." Kori looked at the ground.
"They will want to see you."
"I doubt it," Kori said with a melancholy tone to her voice, "But should they ask for me I shall have to bear it."
"I will let you know, but I believe that you will have to see them." Galfore warned.
"I suppose so," Kori agreed with a sigh, "I don't really want to talk about this, I apologize."
"I will be sure to call you later."
"I'm sorry that I couldn't talk much longer, I suddenly find myself in spirits very low."
"Don't worry about it, I promise it won't be too bad if I can help it."
"Goodbye Galfore." Kori said hanging up the phone.
She had no idea what to do. There was a reason she had gotten an apartment separate from her family. Kori did not want to be there, she and Richard had come to the conclusion that her staying in the same home as Kaylea would not benefit her. The toxic relationship between the two sisters was not healthy for Kori, even Jinx had agreed with them. The pink haired girl had voiced the opinion that while Kaylea and Kori were related by blood that did not mean that her older sister wished her well.
The same with her parents, Richard had said that staying away from them would be the best option and Kori could not help but see the logic in her words. Kori had other people who cared for her. She still met with Galfore when she could and she loved Richard's family. Bruce was very nice company and Alfred had become a lovely friend of hers.
Kori did not need her parents, if they did not want her, she did not want them. At first she had thought it harsh but she realized after countless years of believing in them it was fruitless. Kori would be civil towards them but not expect anything pleasant to come of meeting them again.
Three years, they had left her here and been gone for three years. Even before then she did not know them well enough. Kori could not recall her parent's voices anymore it had been so long and she was OK with that because she had other people who cared for her.
Kori dialled a phone number into her phone.
"Hey this is "The Garage" located in Jump City how may I help you?" The voice on the other end asked, not exactly enthusiastic.
"Hello Jinx, this is Kori."
"Oh hey," The girl replied, sounding a little happier, "Do you need your car fixed or something?"
"No, my gas run vehicle is working fine for the moment; I called to see if I could speak to Vic." Kori explained.
"Well Vic's got his hands a little tied at the moment, covered in car grease. He's got a busy day today; doing whatever it is he does so now might not be the best time."
"Oh, then can I speak with you?" Kori asked. She wanted to confide in someone and she needed some sort of advice. Gar was not the sort you went to for advice, Richard was in a meeting, and Vic was working.
"Uh, I'm not good with this kinda stuff, you'd better wait for Vic." Jinx answered, sounding reluctant to comply.
"Please," Kori begged, "You give very good advice and I would be honored if you could help me."
"What is it?" Jinx groaned.
"It's my parents." Kori said as she unlocked the doors to her apartment.
"Them? I thought you dealt with them already, haven't we talked about this?"
Kori wandered into her bedroom and plopped onto her bed.
"Well yes, but they're coming to visit very soon."
"Oh, well that really sucks." Jinx sympathized, "Why do you even have to see them?"
"You mean I don't have to?"
"Of course not, you're an adult and they pretty much gave you up. You have your own life and family now, separate from them."
"I just feel bad because Galfore requested to have me present."
"I don't know what a Galfore is but if you just visit them once you don't have to see them again I suppose. Then they won't bother you."
Kori sighed, partly because she was weary and partly because Jinx never could remember her guardian's name,
"I just don't think I know them anymore."
"Ha! Did you ever know them? Do you even want to?" Jinx questioned, appearing a little blunt.
Kori pondered the question. Did she know her parents? Their faces were hazy in her mind and she hardly knew what they were like other than their apparent flakiness.
"They are like strangers to me and I don't know what to say around them."
"They are strangers then, treat them like they are." The girl suggested.
"Is that not rude?" Kori wondered.
"Not really, not as rude as they've been to you." Jinx pointed out.
That did make sense, she did not have to be unkind to her parents, but Kori was in no way required to behave as if they were close to her.
"You seem to know a lot on the subject and I am glad that I asked you for countenance." Kori said with a smile.
"Meh, it's no problem. Believe me; I would not be as nice if my biological father came to me asking to meet. I could never be as good hearted as you."
"All the same I thank you very much." Kori said warmly.
As she said this Kori heard someone scolding Jinx for chatting on the phone, she suspected it was Vic but couldn't be sure. She heard Jinx tell said person to "F off" except she had used the longer version of the first word and did not put it as respectfully. Jinx used many words that Kori did not like to speak of or use in everyday life. Richard sometimes too when he was stressed from work, never at her though, Kori would have given him a good whack if he did.
"I have to go Kori; Vic won't give me a break. stupid klud." Jinx sighed, "I'll talk to you later."
"Have a lovely rest of your day."
She heard Jinx mumble something about Kori being too chipper then hung up.
Kori got in her car lost in thought. She was definitely still nervous about her meeting with her biological family but she felt a little more secure about how she would approach the situation. Speaking to Richard on the subject would not be a bad idea and she would soon.
As she played with the ring on her necklace she wondered to herself about wedding guests.
She couldn't imagine inviting her parents but she couldn't imagine not having them there.
What was she to do?
Jinx yawned as she stretched her arms above her head. She hated the last ten minutes of work because it felt like an hour. The tacky T shirt Vic forced her to wear felt like dirt on her skin and she couldn't wait to get it off. The job wasn't that bad, it was just boring when Vic didn't have anything for her to do.
Jinx didn't have anything scheduled for her evening job tonight either. All she really had to do was call Gizmo and get their plan in order for the next night. Not a problem.
She also had to call Rita and make sure that everything was in order for the arrival of the two women they had spoken about the other night. Then she had to call someone else, someone who had been helping her with a certain project she hadn't really talked to many people about.
Pretty easy night in her opinion.
"Vic can I go yet?" She whined in her most obnoxious voice possible, simply for the purpose of annoying him. It was one of the only things she could take pleasure in while she worked at this stupid front desk.
"Fine, fine." A voice called from the other room, "Just make sure you finished all that paperwork for car 201938?"
"The Volvo?" Jinx asked, "Already done."
"Then you are free." Vic said peeking his head out from the door frame.
"Finally!" Jinx cried tearing off the nasty shirt as she did every day. She wore a tank top underneath it for the sole purpose of being able to have it off her body as soon as possible.
"Wow, I'm offended." Vic said sarcastically, "You're so eager to leave?"
"Well you do give the crappiest uniforms I have ever seen."
"Cry me a river."
"You seem to forget Stone, I have." Jinx chucked, "The number of times I've begged you, fake tears and all, to get better clothes would be able to fill the Nile… twice"
"Yet I am unmoved," Vic laughed, "Just make sure you clock out OK?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Jinx said with an eye roll, "Can I order take out?"
"Why are you working tonight?"
"No," Jinx replied, "Why would you assume that?"
"Because you always order take out when you have to work the night."
"Well I'm not, so stop looking all judgy." She said wiggling her fingers in his face.
He hated that she still did work in gangs, but she wasn't about to stop anytime soon. Especially not now.
She had been working hard for the past three years to get in with Trigon and now that she was she couldn't risk leaving until he was brought down from power. Gizmo, Mammoth, her and the others all were pretty high up. They were still friends but Jinx had to admit that she had used them to get this far up. To prove that she meant business. A few of Trigon's men had been suspicious of her, so having a group of criminals you hang around helped shake those suspicions. Now she worked as a personal secretary and strategist for Trigon and his little group of elites and was part of the intelligence unit. Gizmo worked as head of tech in the gang and Mammoth just fought a lot. Billy, Kid, and Seamore were in reconnaissance. Each had found a place in one of the most dangerous gangs in the country. It had taken a while for Jinx to convince the others to join with her but after much persuasion they agreed, now they couldn't imagine not being in the gang.
Jinx wouldn't admit it to anyone but she had taken the jobs because she couldn't quite give up the life she had been living. She liked working in gangs and on the streets, not because of the results but because it was comfortable. Jinx was used to it and change wasn't an easy thing.
Jinx yawned again,
"Anyways, I'm getting take out. Did you want any?"
"Yeah sure, you know what I like right?" Vic asked.
"It's pizza, not that complicated."
After they had eaten and Jinx had called Gizmo and planned their next night. Jinx then picked up the phone a second time to dial Rita's number.
"Hey, what's going on?" The woman asked on the other line.
"Just wanted an update." Jinx confirmed, "Are they coming?"
"I have them scheduled for a plane to arrive here tomorrow." Rita said, "You'll have to meet with the two of them, you realize that right?"
Jinx sat against the wall of her room,
"Yeah, don't remind me. I can't see them tomorrow though, I have work that night."
"Can you make it the day after?"
"No, I'm super busy. It's not like I can just ask for a night off that isn't offered to me without raising questions."
"I know, can you get off work in the daytime?" Rita asked.
"I have the day off on Thursday and that's it."
"Three days? I can work with that, I wish it could be sooner."
"You think I don't? This may not directly lead to me, but it might soon if he finds out anything. I don't want him on my tail thank you very much." Jinx insisted.
"Alright, I'll let them know. I'm sure seeing Emma again will be interesting."
"You have no idea." Jinx said, the corner of her mouth turning up slightly, "I have to go, I have a lot on my plate right now."
"No problem, just one more question."
"What?" She replied sounding impatient.
"Do they suspect anything?"
"If you mean Trigon, no. If you mean others, no. I've got this Rita, have a little faith, I'm not that useless."
"Alright, I'll meet you Thursday at noon, you know where."
"Whatever," Jinx said hanging up the phone.
She had no desire to do this, but what she said was true. If she didn't do anything she could be in a lot of trouble with multiple circles. Jinx hated that she was involved but at the end of the day she was out for herself and maybe a few others if she was in a good mood. This was how she would save her own ass.
It sounded really bad when put into words but Jinx wondered how many people wouldn't think like that. Jinx wanted to survive and that was it. She had people she might consider friends but she would choose herself over them. At least she was honest about it.
Jinx pulled out her laptop and began on her project again.
A few months earlier Pamela Isley had introduced her to someone. Someone to help her find out the information she wanted to.
So far they'd made progress but it would take a while. Jinx was looking for someone and that someone didn't exactly want to be found.
It would be a long time before everything would be complete but Jinx didn't mind, not if it worked.
So she searched, and made sure to do it well.
Rachel made her way silently through the crowd. She hated groups of people, particularly jet lagged, angry people. All she wanted was to get her baggage and get out of the airport but apparently that wouldn't happen anytime soon, at least not if every human being here insisted on behaving like children and acting disagreeable.
She hated planes. Not that she'd been on very many. Only two in fact, but the two experiences she had had were mind numbingly awful. There had been a child kicking her seat from behind and the man who had sat on her right smelled like rotting fish. Rachel hoped that this was her last trip using an airplane.
When she had finally reached the baggage claim she couldn't seem to find her bag.
"Perfect." She muttered.
"Can't find your bag?" A voice behind her asked.
Rachel turned to see a younger man with a smile offering to help. She wasn't sure if he was attractive by society's standards, his blonde curls and his tanned skin might fool others but Rachel couldn't find him anything but repulsive simply because of the arrogant smile he wore on his face.
"I'm fine." She replied coldly, brushing him off.
"You sure?" He asked, "I can ask someone for you."
"I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself, I am a human being with a functioning brain am I not?"
"You sure? You look a little lost girly." He smirked.
Rachel raised an eyebrow at him, not impressed in the least bit. She saw no need to continue on with the pointless conversation and simply turned to resume her search for her baggage.
"Ah so you're the hard to get type huh?" He laughed putting his hand on her shoulder, "C'mon let me give you a hand."
Normally Rachel would write this off as someone who actually was trying to be helpful but the fact that he was appealing to the eye (and obviously knew it), and that he had the nerve to touch, speak to her like that, made her know for sure he was a creep.
"Actually no," Rachel said in monotone, then glanced at his hand, "I'm the type who isn't turned on by forms of sexual harassment."
The guy opened his mouth, most likely to spew out more sexist or unpleasant words but she cut him off by continuing,
"So either you get your hand off my shoulder or I'll have to break it off and don't think I won't."
"Emma?" Another voice asked, sounding worried.
Rachel turned to see a woman with long black hair, undeniably beautiful even with her loose fitting jeans and sweater. She held two bags in her hands.
"Oh you found my bag. Thanks Mom." Rachel replied taking one of the bags and forcibly removing the man's hand from her shoulder, not enough to hurt, but enough to warn him that she could carry out her threat. She then left him looking dumbfounded and walked along with her mother.
"You could at least be friendly Rachel," Arella whispered, chastising her daughter, something Rachel never appreciated.
"Yeah sure, and blow all of this? Being friendly with someone like him would guarantee me a rash, I swear I'm going to check myself for an STD after this; I'm bound to have caught something with those hands of his. Besides, I don't need to be friendly 'Abigail'."
"You really are impossible, you are allowed to feel. Will I always have to be reminding you of that?"
Rachel frowned, not liking where this conversation was going,
"I'll feel when he's dead."
Arella sighed, but didn't protest the matter any further. She frequently tried to get Rachel out of her shell and Rachel had to admit she felt bad for shooting her down so often, but she had a goal and she couldn't focus on anything else until it was accomplished. Maybe tunnel vision wasn't a good thing but in her situation thinking about other things wasn't going to solve her problem.
"Where are we staying?" Rachel asked.
"A motel as of now." Arella replied with a smile.
"Great, rat droppings and dirty bed sheets, here we come." She deadpanned.
"Stop complaining," Her mother scolded.
The two took the bus to a cheap motel out of the nastiest parts of town. They didn't need to run into any old friends during their stay in Jump City. That would not only be awkward but problematic considering Arella and Rachel Roth were missing and presumed dead.
The mother and daughter duo were now Abigail and Emma Walters. The names didn't stand out but they weren't too plain. They had an entire cover story for themselves. Rachel's (or Emma's) father had died of lung cancer when she was eight, they lived in Maine up until two years ago before deciding to move to Canada, Abigail worked at a small retail store and Rachel went to school just like anyone else. Living in a small town in New Brunswick had been a lot more peaceful than Jump City considering there were no gangs lurking about, that didn't mean that Rachel didn't constantly worry.
When Rachel opened the door and saw what beheld them she looked at her mother with a look that said, 'I told you so.'
"How quaint." She remarked.
"It's only temporary." Arella reasoned.
"Whatever, when is Rita coming?"
"She said something about meeting up with us in a few days."
"A few days?" Rachel said, obviously displeased, "Why so long?"
"Jinx couldn't make it until then."
"I swear that girl…" Rachel muttered sitting on a chair located in the corner of the room.
"Well she is working hard for us." Arella pointed out, "Without her we wouldn't know anything about Trigon."
"I've known Jinx for about six years now, I am pretty much one hundred percent positive she's in it to save her own skin."
Arella gave Rachel a warning look to which the younger daughter ignored.
Rachel didn't want to see any of them again. Not because she disliked them but because she would be putting all of them in danger by being near them, not that they weren't already.
"I'm sure Jinx isn't that bad, she saved you remember?"
"It's not like you've met Jinx either, how can you hold such a definite opinion on someone you've never met? I wish Rita had never talked to you about that." Rachel replied, "You keep bringing it up."
"Only because you keep acting like those people mean nothing to you." Arella countered.
"They shouldn't, I knew them for a little over a month when I was seventeen. It's absurd to think that they mean anything to me at this point."
"You've known Vic for longer."
"My point still stands." Rachel said firmly, "I'm here for one reason and one reason only."
"I understand but—"
"But what?" Rachel cut off.
"I was hoping…"
"That I was a nice kid who had friends? That I'd be a normal girl with a boyfriend and a college major? I'm Trigon's daughter, I can't be those things. You made sure of that."
Arella frowned slightly.
"I'm not trying to blame you," Rachel softened when she saw the hurt in her mother's eyes, "But it is true, had I not been Trigon's child my life would have been exactly how you wanted it to be, I however am glad of my upbringing because now I could never be one of those people."
"I'm sorry," Was all Arella said before retreating to the bathroom. Rachel knew she hurt Arella and despite the past couple years the two had spent together, the mother and daughter still couldn't quite relate to one another.
Rachel's mother was a dreamer and Rachel herself was a realist. The older woman put a lot of her time into encouraging Rachel to have faith, hope, and trust, whereas Rachel simply believed nothing worked out unless you worked through blood, sweat, and tears. Even then most of the time you didn't get what you wanted and the world was still an unfair and harsh place.
Their different ideals made it hard for the two to get along, much less agree on a plan to take down the head of their family, Trigon. After years, the two, along with Rita and now Jinx, hadn't come up with any sort of way to get him behind bars or preferably (to Rachel) dead. Trigon was too powerful, he had men everywhere. He had them in the police department, he had them in Gotham, and he had them in the city's government. Trigon manipulated the city without anyone knowing it. Now that things had changed as of very recent, Rachel was back to where she grew up, with no plan whatsoever. Not exactly a comforting feeling.
Rachel was dreading this next week too which didn't help with the knot ever-present in her stomach.
Seeing everyone again would be a nightmare. Sure, she cared for them more than she let on otherwise she'd still be in Canada and not worrying for her safety. It had been a while actually since she decided that not feeling anything wasn't humanly possible, she felt anger, she felt disappointment, she occasionally felt happy, and she couldn't do anything about it. Instead Rachel made the choice to not let those emotions get in the way of her goal. Once it all was over she could move on, but for now she would let herself become consumed.
Regardless she was dreading seeing everyone again, they all had moved on from the month they'd known each other in high school, that was normal, they had their own lives now. Rita had informed Rachel that everyone except Jinx was in school, Vic had opened up his garage and Richard was preparing to inherit a company. They all were becoming their own people and forgetting their younger years that had caused them pain. Kori had become estranged from her family and moved to Gotham and Gar was on his way to getting a degree. Even Jinx had a job other than the one in the gangs.
Rachel was still in the same place. She couldn't move on. She would. But not yet. She would make the others aware of the position they all were in then leave them to their own lives. It would be unfair to pull them into her life again. Jinx would help and that would be enough. Even Rachel couldn't figure out why she was assisting her though, people didn't change.
The door to the bathroom cracked open again, her mother peeked her head out,
"Are you upset with me Rachel?" Arella asked quietly, "Because you really are all I have, I couldn't bare you hating me."
Rachel stared and gave her a humorless half smile
"I'm not mad Arella, I'm just always displeasing. That doesn't seem to change. Nothing about me does."
Alone we traveled on with nothing but a shadow
We fled, far away
-Of Monsters and Men (Mountain Sound)
Here it is.
Yay for quick updates. I know I keep saying that they'll be a while but I seriously can't help it. I need to do my school work but instead I'm writing about Teen Titans. That excuse would not go over well at all with teachers if they asked why I wasn't doing anything. Seriously though, this will actually be my last update this month. Or second last. I have a lot of work I need done.
Before I go on I want to address something from the last chapter. Gar and his sickness that is. Most of you voted B (like I thought) and a couple voted C. You all gave me a lot to think about. I did like MrsDylanLightwoodIvashkov's suggestion that if Gar doesn't die, it should be at a price, that was very clever. I just wanted to clarify as well that should Gar die, it won't be any time soon in the story and if he did it would be closer to the end. I think a lot of you thought he would be gone right away. Remember the doctor did give him 6 months to 2 years. I always planned for his illness to be something that he has to deal with throughout the entire story. So all you Beast Boy fans, do not fear, he will be present all or most of the story, depending on his fate. I won't tell you what I decided but I've made up my mind about what will happen to him but please don't worry too much about Gar.
Anyways back to this chapter.
Kori has moved out and her and Richard have decided to keep their engagement a secret. This is actually somewhat important. Kori's parents are coming, should be interesting to see what they are like although I'm sure most of you can guess. I like Jinx and Kori's conversations, even in the prequel I loved when they talked due to their contrasting personalities.
Jinx is Jinx. She doesn't really change. She's as selfless as ever (that was sarcasm in case I didn't make that clear) and still keeps too many secrets. That person Pam introduced to her will eventually be revealed although I'm not sure when, not sure when I'll reveal what they're doing together either.
Rachel is actually Emma. I'm not sure if that came as much of a surprise but whatever. Rachel is a little different in this story, instead of suppressing and refusing to feel emotions Rachel feels them, but only focuses on her goal. Not healthy probably.
I'm actually sick right now so I don't really feel like writing anymore right now. I'll just cut it off here.
POLL:
Is Rachel's new philosophy (ignoring feelings and focusing on taking down Trigon) a good thing for her? (I'm curious to hear your opinions)
A) Yes, she has a huge responsibility and needs to keep her mind on that, Trigon won't be stopped with half assed attempts.
B) No, if she ignores her feelings and focuses on Trigon too much she won't be able to look past her own thoughts and see the bigger picture.
C) Not sure, it could be good or bad, depending on how she handles things.
D) Other (Let me know)
THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE SO FAR TO THE STORY, YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!
