Hi everyone! Sorry, I didn't post last week, I underestimated the amount of craziness taking place the first week of college. Sooooooo, I didn't get writing time. But I did manage to finish this last night, so yay! New chapter! XD
Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, there would have been a new episode by now!
Artemis didn't trust Rachel. Something about the older girl just didn't sit right with her.
She didn't like the way Rachel seemed to look right through her. She didn't like the way she seemed to know what she was thinking or how Rachel made her feel like she didn't have any privacy. She knew that didn't make any sense; there was no way Rachel could know everything about her, after all, she wasn't with the girl twenty-four seven. Still, Artemis couldn't shake the feeling that she was never completely alone, especially when she was at the cave. It unnerved her.
Rachel seemed to be completely aware of everything around her, but at the same time she was clueless. She would know when Megan needed help finding the flour for a new cake recipe she wanted to try, but wouldn't notice when the flour exploded and covered her when she accidentally dropped the bag. She would know when Conner needed help controlling his strength because of his anger, but wouldn't notice the bruises he accidentally left on her skin in his frustration. She would know when Kaldur was becoming dehydrated, but wouldn't notice he same thing about herself.
It was unnatural.
And to Artemis, that meant Rachel was unnatural.
*x*x*
Artemis walked into the common room, only to stop in complete shock.
The floor was covered with a tarp and various pieces of newspaper. Rachel stood in the middle of it all, an easel in front of her. Cans and jars of paint littered the floor around her feet. She wore a long white, button up shirt that went to her knees, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. The shirt was covered in paint, the front almost entirely, as were her hands, from fingertip to wrist.
Artemis watched as the girl dipped her entire hand into an open can of yellow paint before she ever so delicately traced her fingers over the canvas in front of her. The process was repeated over and over with a different color each time.
Eventually, curiosity got the better of her and she walked over, looking at Rachel's painting over her shoulder, right as the girl stopped and stood back. What she saw nothing more than a mismatching of colors. At a second glance, she noticed that the colors on one half of the canvas were dark while the others were light. Artemis knew she wasn't an art person, but she still thought she could paint something better than that.
Rachel turned to her. "What does the Goddess think?"
"Well…it's very…colorful," she said slowly, not wanting to outright offend the girl, after all, she wasn't Wally.
Rachel cocked her head to the side, glassy eyes tracing over the archer's face, expression unreadable, before turning back to her painting and shaking her head solemnly. "The Goddess does not understand. Every color is a thought, is a mind, is a soul. They show what is inside, whether it is wanted or not. Colors are not always seen."
Artemis frowned at the girl. "What the heck are you talking about?"
This girl frustrated her. Why did she always speak in riddles? Why couldn't she just talk like everyone else?
Rachel glanced at her before slowly extended a paint covered finger, pointing to a splotch of deep crimson in the upper left corner of the canvas. "He committed suicide after he found his wife sleeping with his brother."
Artemis's eyes widened as she took a slight step back, startled by the answer that was given. "What the hell?"
Rachel continued as if she hadn't heard, pointing to a muddy brown. "She was raped by her best friend's father." She moved on to dark gray. "He killed his parents just because he could." She pointed to the black spot next to it. "He watched his older brother do it."
The older teen continued onto a royal purple. "Her lover died after taking a bullet meant for her." Midnight blue. "Their daughter was kidnapped in the middle of the night." Murky green. "She is jealous of her sister, who can have a child while she cannot." Just as Artemis was about to yell at Rachel for being so gruesome and hopeless, the girl shifted to the other side of the painting, features softening ever so slightly, pointing to a bright sunny yellow. "He just learned how to ride a bike." Sky blue. "Her son finished the model plane his father was never able to complete." Bright pink. "He just became the father of a baby girl." Lavender. "They just married." Pale green. "He got a toy dinosaur for his birthday." Bright teal. "They just reunited with a son they had been told was shot and killed ten months ago."
She let he hand fall to her side looking at Artemis. The archer stood stock still, mouth slightly parted, eyes wide. Slowly, Rachel raised her hand again, running it down the middle of the painting, between the light and dark colors, the still wet paint smearing beneath her palm. "The Light and Dark are separate, but there is an area where they mix: the Heart. The Light and Dark are everywhere, occupying the same space at the same time, fighting for dominance in a never ending battle. For victory can never be obtained in an endless war." She turned to Artemis, her hazel eyes so intense that she took step back. "But there is a middle ground between the two warring sides where a soul can swayed. Which will the Goddess choose?"
Artemis suddenly didn't like the way Rachel's eyes were boring into her. They were actually looking at her and seeing her. She didn't like what the girl was implying either and felt her walls go up. A cold, hard glare formed on her face. "I don't know what you're talking about."
With that, she turned and left.
*x*x*
The mountain was silent as Artemis sat on the floor of the living room, polishing her arrows. She had been avoiding Rachel ever since the painting incident. She didn't like the way the older girl had looked at her. It was like she knew everything. She hadn't even been nervous when Red Arrow had threatened her back when she first joined the team. Sure the former sidekick knew some stuff about her past, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.
But Rachel…there was something different about her. She seemed, or rather was, untouchable. It wasn't anything tangible, just a feeling in the back of her mind that she couldn't get rid of. Rachel knew something, that much she was certain of.
She was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn't notice the object of her attention enter the room until she sat down in front of her, knees drawn up to her chest, eyes watching the younger girl's hands intently.
Artemis froze. "Can I help you?" she asked slowly.
Rachel said nothing, her eyes glazing over. Slowly, he younger teen began to polish her arrows again, ignoring the fact that her instincts were screaming at her.
Suddenly Rachel began to hum softly. "Follow me, follow me, fa la la la. Follow me, follow me down. Follow me, follow me, fa la la la. Follow me, follow me down the rabbit hole." Artemis glanced up from her work, the older girl wasn't looking at her. "I found myself in Wonderland. Strange maze, what is this place? I hear voices over my shoulder. Nothing's making sense at all. Wonder, why do we race?" The arrow lay in Artemis's hand limply, surprise painting her features. "The Cards shall dance, the Hatter laughs." Rachel looked Artemis in the eye. "The Cheshire Cat grins."
Artemis stiffened and Rachel fell silent. The older teen watched the younger, her face blank, expressionless. "The Goddess let the Cheshire Cat go free," she said.
The arrow in Artemis's hand clattered to the floor as her eyes widened. Getting over her shock, she lurched forward and grabbed Rachel's arms, holding her in place. "What do you know?" she hissed.
Rachel's eyes became startlingly clear. "There is nothing that the Goddess does that Nemo cannot see. There is nothing the Goddess says that Nemo cannot hear."
Artemis tightened her grip on the teen, her nails digging into ivory flesh; the older girl didn't even flinch. This was bad. Rachel was saying she knew everything. She could tell Robin, could tell the team, hell she could tell anyone. She needed to do something. Was if just a bluff, or was she telling the truth? How could she know? What was she supposed to do?
"Nemo will not tell, the Goddess has nothing to fear."
Artemis's eyes narrowed, her grip remaining firm. "How can I trust you?"
Rachel shrugged. "The Goddess much decide on her own whether or not to trust Nemo. It is a decision she must make."
After a tense minute, Artemis slowly released Rachel. "What are you going to do?" she asked.
Rachel merely shrugged. "Nemo will do what Nemo has always done."
Artemis frowned. "And that would be?"
"Nemo has always seen, always heard, always felt. This is something that will always be; it cannot be changed. So Nemo merely observes, listens, and waits."
"That's it?" Artemis asked, raising an eyebrow.
Rachel didn't answer the question. Instead, she rested her head on her knees and started singing again. "Follow me, follow me, fa la la la. Follow me, follow me down. Follow me, follow me, fa la la la. Follow me, follow me down the rabbit hole."
*x*x*
Artemis stormed into the gym, dressed in civvies, pausing only a moment to throw her jacket to the side. She began to furiously beat one of the many punching bags in the room (Conner kept breaking them). This continued for almost fifteen minutes, Artemis hitting the bag anyway she could as she screamed in frustration.
She had the dream again. The one where her mother lost her legs. Because of her. And she hadn't even tried to stop it. Images flashed through her mind before she could stop them; the pained screams echoing off the walls, the crimson blood staining the floor, the emotionless mask of the man that did it.
A choked cry escaped her throat, sounding like a strangled animal, as she expertly kicked the punching bag clean off its hook. She stood there, staring at the bag, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
Suddenly, a small hand was placed on the center of her back. She tensed, the coolness of the hand seeping through her shirt and into the flushed skin of her back.
"Relax. Calm. Breath."
Artemis felt a presence by her shoulder. Rachel. The girl radiated calm. Gradually, Artemis's breathing slowed to a normal pace, She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning to the older teen.
"What are you doing here?" her voice lacked its usual bite, she was already emotionally spent.
Rachel cocked her head to the side. "The Goddess feels turmoil. It churns deep within her like a raging sea."
Artemis gave a weak scoff. "What do you know?"
Rachel frowned. "Nemo knows everything."
"I'm sure you do," Artemis said, rolling her eyes.
"The Goddess is high and mighty, powerful and strong," Rachel said, her look disapproving, "But really, it is just a mask to hide what is wrong."
Artemis fumed. This again? Was she really going to have to listen to this girl pretend she knew everything about her? What right did she have to judge her? What right did anyone have to tell her how she should live her life? She wouldn't go through that again. Not after what he did.
Before Artemis could form a reply, Rachel spoke again.
"The Goddess remembers that fateful night, the one she wishes loss of sight. She remembers it all; the screams, the begging, the blood. The blood of the Tigress. The last night of the Tigress's prowl. The pain is too real, too close, to ever truly heal."
Artemis glared at Rachel, trying to stare her down, but she just stared ahead blankly, her face expressionless. Artemis let her shoulders droop, a defeated sigh escaping her lips. She sat down on the mats, drawing her knees to her chest. Rachel sat down next to her, far enough away to give her space, but close enough to still provide comfort. She didn't say anything, didn't look at Artemis, didn't speak. She simply waited.
Finally, Artemis spoke.
"It was my fault, you know," the archer said, voice uncharacteristically soft, "It's my fault Mom can't walk anymore." Rachel glanced up at her, cloudy eyes sad, but said nothing. "I didn't finish a mission my dad gave me, I disobeyed him. So he—" Artemis cut off, choking on her words.
Rachel nodded slowly and Artemis felt as if her chest had been crushed. "The Poacher likes control, so he seeks to break what can't be broken. But the will of the Tigress is strong, unbreakable." She looked at Artemis, a small smile on her lips. "Something she passed to her daughter."
Artemis felt her lips twitch into a small smile. But it quickly faded. "Still, I cloud have been stronger, more prepared. Then he wouldn't have been able to..."
Rachel grimaced, or at least her face screwed up into something that resembled a grimace. "Everyone always wishes they were faster, or stronger, or better. Nemo does not understand. Why does no one try to use and cherish what they are given?" she looked at Artemis, almost like she expected her to have the answer.
Artemis hesitated. "Probably because…they would be able to prevent something they didn't like from happening."
Rachel's face still showed distaste. "But if the events the regretted never occurred they would not be who they are today. They would be different, no longer them, no longer whole."
Artemis started, understanding what Rachel was getting at. "That doesn't mean I still wished it never happened," she grumbled into her knees.
"The Tigress is proud of the Goddess," Rachel said softly, voice barely above a whisper.
Artemis glanced over at her. Rachel's eyes were somewhat hazy, but clearer than they had been. She stared at the floor just beyond her feet, her expression soft. Artemis slowly uncurled, navy eyes locked on Rachel's expression. She couldn't place it, but the girl looked like she wanted to say something else. Artemis waited patiently, her stomach churning with unease. Finally, Rachel spoke.
"The Goddess shoots, the Goddess strays, the bird it kills and falls away. The flock is lost and starts to crumble, before evil's might it is but humble," she said, a slight frown on her lips. Artemis felt her eyes widening. "The Bat and the Archer trust the Goddess to stay on the straight and narrow. But the Arrow leaves in anger, watching, waiting for betraying. A choice to be made, the Goddess wavers, friends or father, who will win her favors?"
Mentally, Artemis was panicking. Rachel knew everything. She knew about her parents, the Shadows, everything. And she had said so much, so much, more than she had ever intended. But Rachel seemed to take it in stride, never questioning or prodding. Her simply being there had made her talk, there was a secureness about her, something that had changed in the way Artemis felt toward the girl. And it scared her. It was like she was no longer in control, but at the same time, it felt as if she was merely being guided in the right direction.
She took a deep shaky breath. "I-I don't know. I don't want to, but…if I fail again…then…I…" she fell silent.
Rachel suddenly turned to her and smiled. "If ever the Goddess needs to talk, merely think of her, and Nemo will be there to lend an ear," she said, sounding exactly as an older sister would. Reaching over and smoothing back some of the archer's blond hair, Rachel got to her feet and quietly left the gym.
*x*x*
Artemis hadn't planned on taking Rachel up on her offer.
But when she found herself in the older girl's room, she couldn't really say she was all that surprised.
Wally had been grating on her nerves, more so than usual. And ever since the incident in the gym, Rachel seemed strangely approachable.
Rachel's room was plain. The walls were bare, her sheets were white, there were no personal belongings of any kind. It was almost like Robin's with just how impersonal it felt, but at least Robin's room felt lived in. Rachel's room just seemed…empty.
Said girl was laying on her bad, staring blankly at the ceiling. As Artemis entered the room, the door sliding shut behind her, Rachel sat up and offered her a place on the bed. Artemis sat and almost immediately launched into a rant about how annoying Wally was, about how her new school was absolutely ridiculous because it was full of snotty rich kids (with the exception of that Dick Grayson kid, he was actually pretty laid back and was rather nice), about anything and everything that had managed to tick her off for the past few days.
Throughout the entire thing, Rachel said nothing. She didn't nod when appropriate, make a gesture or expression at any time to tell Artemis she was right or to sympathize, she simply sat and listened, her hazel eyes clear and focused. And that was all the reassurance Artemis needed.
When her tirade was over, Rachel wrapped her up in a hug. She told her that even though Wally was a jerk, he was still happy she was on the team, he just liked picking fights with her. She told her that her mother was proud of her for going to the new school and that, even though she didn't like most of the kids there, she had friends in high places, she just had to find them.
Artemis left the room feeling oddly lighter, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
When she looked up, she saw Robin leaning on the wall, arms crossed over his chest, a sort of proud, nostalgic smile tugging at his lips. He noticed her and the smile turned into a smirk.
"You feeling the aster?"
And Artemis couldn't help but smile.
So that's the end of the chapter!
Originally, Wally's chapter was going to be next. But I got a request to do Superboy's chapter first. So we will put it to a vote. Whose chapter will be next: Wally's or Superboy's? Tell me which you would prefer!
Oh! And if you can't tell who I'm talking about in Rachel's riddles, feel free to ask!
~ Elri