Still October 24th, 2010
I left my house with the red robot, and followed him in awkward silence out to a black sedan that you would expect to see the president to ride around in. He went, opened the door, and gestured for me to enter. I instead just stood surprised.
"What, is this transportation not suitable for you?" He droned.
"Uh no, I just thought we would..." I stopped realizing how dumb I was about to sound.
"Fly?" he asked. I paused not wanting to answer.
"Maybe" I said slowly, embarrassed.
"Much to your surprise, I would rather not carry you to our destination. Now, please get in the car." I did as he asked, but we stopped soon after. Outside of...
"A dumpster?" I questioned as soon as we got out of the car. The aforementioned automobile had already sped away, and we were left in a back alley in front of a green, graffiti covered dumpster. I looked over at Red Tornado, as afraid as I was I couldn't help but be a little disappointed. I mean I was expecting a helicopter or the bat mobile, something cool. Ya know? Instead I got a dumpster.
"Not just a dumpster" The robot says and slides a panel of the green trash receptacle to reveal a high-tech looking photo booth. He steps inside. I look at him honestly bemused, but I follow. I had learned my lesson from the past two times that the robot had little patience for my awe. A green light beamed from the black wall of the booth and scanned Red Tornado up and down.
"Recognized Red Tornado one six" A female voice sounded from the mechanism, the green light then scanned me. When it reached my toes, it turned red.
"Not recognized, activating security measure red" She said. I started to freak out. I didn't want to die in a giant trash can! Quickly, Red Tornado said "Override HOJ slash Mount Justice priority green" The light turned green again, and I let out the breath I was holding.
"Guest protocol activated. Welcome" Suddenly a warm yellow light started to shimmer all around us. I got a strange feeling like I was being dropped off a tall building; I felt like I was going to throw up. The light faded and when I looked up from my ducked down position holding my gut we were in a grey turbine shaped room that opened to some kind of hall or theater. My head was spinning, my stomach fluttering, and my mind was at a loss for what just happened. Before I could question it, Red Tornado stepped out of the metal cylinder we were standing in. I had no idea where I was or what to do, so like any rational person I followed him out of the secure space into the big scary room.
There in the center of the hall stood a woman. She was probably around 5'7, wearing black and blue, she had long blonde hair. Once I noticed her choice of jewelry, it was clear who she was.
"Hello Amethyst." She said, I just nodded in response. My mind felt foggy, like I was in some sort or dream. I knew what was happening, but I also really didn't. I had no clue where I was, was surrounded by a bunch of super heroes and had the fate of the Justice League resting on my shoulders.
The room was more like a chasm. The ceiling had huge stalagmites hanging down from it. The thought of one of the falling made me want to exit very quickly. Directly underneath the half-hazardous ceiling were huge tv screens, surrounding what looked like a stage that we were standing on. I had so many questions swirling through my head as I followed Black Canary out of the room and down a long adjacent hall, but one stood out.
Who am I healing?
Black Canary opened a door to our left, inside was a white washed hospital looking room. There was medical equipment lining the walls, along with gurneys and curtains. One set of curtains in the far corner was closed. The drapery opened momentarily and out stepped a man, or at least who I assumed was a man, the cape and cowl made it difficult to see his features. I gasped. Even though his clothes were black, I could see his blood soaked chest, and I could sense the tired eyes behind his mask. Batman! I am healing BATMAN! Although he was covered in blood, he did not appear to be injured.
"This is the girl?" His voice was low and harsh, and he spoke in fast short words. Canary nodded in response. The masked man came towards me suddenly. He tightly grabbed my arm and dragged me into the curtained area. I couldn't help but wince at his almost super human grip.
The pain I felt was completely forgotten when I entered that little room. On the bed in front of me was a flurry of red. My eyes started to water and I almost choked on the haze of pain the young boy was emanating. His breathing was faint, but I could still see his chest rise and fall among the countless stab wounds riddling it. He looked pale under his black mask. I couldn't imagine what he had gone through to get himself hurt this badly.
"So do it" the harsh voice urged from behind me. His persona may be tough and morose but in his voice I heard sadness. I heard pain. I heard-
"Do it!" he yelled. I stood up straighter completely rigid. I needed to do this. I had to find a way to bypass all my fear, all my shock and worry.
I took a deep breath in through my nose, held it, and let it out. Come on Amy you can do this. I knew little about my powers. I did know that they came from deep inside me. Other than that, I was clueless. I tried to think of what could possibly help.I took another breath, but it did nothing to slow my quivering hands. I raised them despite their shakiness. Good thoughts, good thoughts. I closed my eyes, but behind my eyelids lay only memories. I opened my eyes, distraught, and ran a hand through my hair. I shook the harsh images from my mind and focused on what was in front of me. A boy. A boy who was surely going to die if not helped. I had to set aside all my problems and focus on the task at hand, as hard as it may be.
I felt my heart start to grow warmer and my hands cease to shake. I urged the warmth to spread from my heart out my arms and to my hands. Blissful radiance surrounded my whole being, I raised my hands once more and hovered them above the injured boy. A sharp pain hit me right in the back of the head like I had been shot, then in the side, my legs felt numb, it was like I was standing on broken glass and soon my entire body felt like it was on fire. Hot lava was burning through my veins. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks, I grit my teeth. I would not scream; I refused to. I opened my eyes to look at the wounds. They were only half healed. My vision was starting to get fuzzy, but I could not surrender to it yet. I held on tightly to my thoughts. Mom, Dad, Friends, Wally, Barry, Iris, anyone and everyone who could lend me their strength. I let out a whimper. The world seemed to be going in slow motion, as my pain dragged seconds into minutes and minutes into hours until finally I was consumed by nothingness. The last thing I remembered was my body hitting the floor.
I was alone. It was hot—no boiling. I looked down, but saw only black. Where am I? How did I get here? I willed myself to remember, but nothing came to mind. I continued to rack my brain, but it was blank. Suddenly there was a noise, off in the distance. It was faint. I could barely hear it. Something inside me urged me to follow it, so I did. I got to my feet and started running. Far off I saw a dim purple light. heard it in my head "find me" it whispered. It grew as I approached it. I ran faster knowing I had to reach it. But, in front of me the ground opened up. I tried to stop but my legs went numb, and I fell forward tumbling into the abyss.
I sat up, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down my forehead. A pulsing pain tried to escape from behind my eyes. I closed them quickly pressing them shut tightly trying to block out the bright light.
"Woa woa, now you're alright" I heard a female voice say. The light outside my eyelids cast them red and I had no desire to enter that blinding hell. My throat was dry and sore, but I managed to croak out.
"Where am I?" I felt a cold glass be placed in my hand and I raised in to my lips swallowing greedily the water I was presented.
"You are in the infirmary, you just passed out... you can open your eyes." She paused obviously confused why I was drinking with one hand and covering my eyes with the other.
"Too bright" I murmured between my gulps of water.
"Here" Another different voice said. I felt a hand move mine away from my eyes and something cold slide behind my ears. I opened my eyes, the room was tinted brown. I looked up into the hospital like room and it all came rushing back to me. Red Tornado, the dumpster, Black Canary and—
"Robin! Is he okay?" I blurted out turning to Black Canary at my bedside.
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" She said pointing over to the opposite corner of the room. There, leaning nonchalantly against the wall, was none other than the boy wonder. He was in a clean uniform now and looked perfectly fine.
"Are you... good?" I asked slowly, after all my superhero encounters today Robin had me flustered. Of all the people!
"I'm feeling whelmed. How's the light?" he asked gesturing to my face. I reached up to my face and touched the frames. I realized I was wearing sunglasses.
"Oh good, uh thank you" I muttered awkwardly tapping the corner of the glasses. He smiled and chuckled.
"Thank you" He said and exited the room. My gaze lingered on the door a little longer than it should've as Black Canary coughed slightly to get my attention.
"Yes, Amethyst thank you for your service, one of our team members has offered to return you to Central City. He should be here soon" Then in a flash of yellow the door slammed open and a masked figure skidded to a stop in the door way.
"Hey sweet stuff heard you healed my frie—" The teen turned to look at me, as I stood up from my gurney and he stopped dead in his tracks. He just stood there staring at me.
"Um, are you alright" I asked cautiously. He shook his head as if to clear it.
"- uh, ya, I'm good, great actually just great." He blurted out quickly trying to act cool leaning on one of the rolling trays, but it slipped and he began to fall before catching himself. "I'm going to take you home now." What is up with this guy? I walked up to him, deciding against my best judgment to be polite.
"I'm Amethyst" I said holding my hand out for him to shake.
"I'm K-kid Flash" He stuttered, I giggled at his lack of cool. He blushed and shook my hand.
"I know" I said looking into his eyes. There was something familiar about them, something in the green depths that I just couldn't place. I continued to shake his hand and it became my turn to be embarrassed as I had shook his hand for much too long. He ran the said hand through his exposed hair and turned around exiting the room, obviously expecting me to follow him so I did.
Kid Flash escorted me through the cave, to the flashy turbine thingy's, and out of them all the way to a back alley in Central City without a word. Just as I was about to say thank you, my hair was blown back by wind and he was gone. I stood there completely stunned not at the speedster's rudeness but just the sheer craziness of the day I just had. Luckily, I managed to find my way home from down town. I made it home, but what was waiting for me there may have been worse than the teleportation. I mean, leave it to me to forget that Barry, Iris, and Wally were coming over for dinner that night. I wonder how well that went.