YAY! I've finally hit double digets! Warning: Super long chapter! Hope you enjoy and PLZ REVIEW!
"Gah! Pfft ka cha he ff" I sputtered as I landed on my butt in the training room, soaking wet for the third time that day.
"My apologies," Kaldur said as he helped me up. The team had me training with them to see if they could get me to use my so called powers. I still didn't believe I had any but I kind of didn't have a choice at this point.
"C'mon at least try to use your powers," Kidflash whined.
"I CAN'T!" I yelled at him then muttered, "I do-don't even know what my p-powers are sup-supposed to be."
"That may help would it not?" Kaldur smirked. I smiled; I hadn't taken him for the sarcasm type.
"You're a telekinetic, telepathic, technopathic mind seer." Batman stated as he walked in with Robin. I had no idea what he was talking about and my confusion must have showed.
"Your powers," Robin clarified, "you can move things with your mind, read and communicate with other people's minds, control, build, or destroy technology with your mind, and see what's going on other places rather than where you are."
"Like spying?" I asked.
"Sort of," he responded.
"If that's all true I'm k-kind of awesome." we all laughed as I took the towel offered to me by Black Canary.
"You seem much more relaxed here than you were before." Canary commented. I backed away and looked at my feet.
"Th-that's because I, I th-think of you, you guys f-friends now." I muttered.
"Well that's good!" Robin chirped, "Because I've considered you my friend since we started hanging out at school!" He gave me a warm smile and I returned it. Dick was amazing. He always knew how to cheer me up. He had become like a little brother to me though no one could ever replace Jakob. I had a strong urge to protect him like I had failed to do with my real little brother.
"Well how about you sit out for a while and dry off, Julie," Black Canary spoke up, "and Conner and Wally will spar." as the two walked onto the mat I sat next to M'gann, though I called her Megan because I found it hard to pronouns M'gann with my stutter. She didn't mind. She and I had become good friends. Artimiss wasn't as hostile when talking to me and we got along well enough, but Megan was like the older sister I never had.
Later that day we were all in the entertainment room and Wally and I were in a heated argument. We still didn't get along very well. The argument was about something stupid and I don't even remember what. But it ended kind of like this.
"I'm older than you there for I'm the boss of you!" Wally yelled.
"You d-don't even know how, how old I am!" I yelled back.
"Wally, Artimiss will you please stop fighting?" Kaldur pleaded from behind his book. Robin began cackling and I put one hand on my hip and pushed him off his perch on the back of the couch with other. I then gave Kaldur an irritated look though he couldn't see it through his book. Hearing the boy wonder's laugh Aqualad laid the book down and noticed his mistake.
"My apologies, Juliet, I just assumed it was Wally and Artimiss arguing for they have a habit of doing so." I smiled at his apology allowing him to know my irritated look was a joke and that I was not offended.
"How old are you anyway." Robin abruptly stopped laughing and peeked over the couch to await an answer to his question.
"Fifteen," I stated hopping over the back of the couch and sitting on it next to him.
"Really I would have pegged you for thirteen considering your height." Artimiss commented hearing the conversation as she entered the room from the kitchen.
"Hey." I snapped jokingly, "I'm t-taller than boy wonder over here." I grabbed Robin's head and gave him a noogy which prompted him to playfully shove me onto the floor.
"Are not," he complained.
"Are too" I responded getting back on the couch.
"Both of you stand up," Wally suddenly said. We did and he studied us for a moment, "sorry dude she's taller than you."
"Ha!" I exclaimed.
"Only by, at most, a half an inch," Kidflash concluded.
"Don't feel bad Robin. Think of it this way she may be barely taller than you but she's two years older. Not much of an accomplishment." Artimiss teased. I retaliated by sticking my tongue out at her. We all suddenly laughed and settled in front of the TV.
Wally and Artimiss were about to start arguing over what show to watch when suddenly a computer voice announced "recognized batman- 02" and the Dark Knight walked in.
"Team, suit up you have a mission." I watched as they left the room when randomly Batman added, "you too Brain Wave." and stalked off to the debriefing room. I sat there stunned for a second. Was he crazy? Did he remember that I still couldn't use my powers? Then I decided it was best not to question the Dark Knight or keep him waiting and I sauntered off to retrieve my Brain Wave costume.
I was the last to enter the debriefing room and I was surprised to find the team and Batman waiting for me.
"Now that we're all here," Batman began as I gave him my best apologetic look while trying to put my roller blades on standing up, "let's begin." A screen appeared behind him with pictures of a gang, a syringe, and a bald dude.
"This is a group of thugs that refer to themselves as The Thieves." The Thieves, I thought, why does that sound so familiar? "A few weeks ago The League received information that they were working with Lex Luthor to smuggle the drug Venom into the city they reside in, Pseudo City, and the ones surrounding it." I gasped and the others looked at me. Pseudo City? Is that why Batman wanted me with, because the mission was in my home town?
"What would you like us to do?" Aqualad asked.
"At the moment The League is not concerned with Venom," Batman continued, "What we are concerned with is their hostage. A few weeks ago a fifteen year-old girl was abducted off the streets of Pseudo. It is now known that she is being held hostage by the group of thugs. Your mission is to find Hailey Ring and return her home safely." I fell to my knees as I looked at the picture and heard her name. It was Hailey. She was the hostage. Tears welled up in my eyes as I imagined how scared she must be.
"Brain Wave what's wrong?" Robin asked. I looked up at the picture again and turned to the Dark Knight ignoring his protégé's question.
"Is this w-why you wanted me on th-this mission?" I asked calmly standing back up.
"Yes," He responded. I nodded and looked at the team's confused faces.
"That," I clarified pointing to Hailey's picture, "Is the friend I was talking about." They all nodded in understanding.
"Then let us go save her," Aqualad spoke up, leading the way to the bioship. We all followed.
I sat in my seat warily looking out the window.
"Don't worry," Robin consoled, "We'll rescue her safe and sound."
"I kn-know you w-will I'm just, just not sure how m-much help I'll be. You kn-know with-without my powers." I reminded him.
"You'll be plenty of help. You know hand to hand combat-" Robin started.
"You're awesome on those roller blades," Kidflash cut in.
"And you're the only one who knows their way around Pseudo City." Artimiss added.
"Thanks guys, b-but I haven't been to my ho-home city since I left th-three years ago," I confessed, "P-plus if anyone remem-remembers me that might cause us some trouble,"
"How?" Megan asked from the driver's seat.
"Ev-everyone there kn-knew about my, my powers so if th-they recognize me it, it will be as Juliet Williams. It w-will give away my s-secret iden-identity plus I wa-wasn't exactly well l-liked back then." I explained.
"Juliet Williams?" Superboy asked, "You told us your name was Juliet Sowden."
"I changed my m-middle and l-last name. N-not legally, but I wanted to, to make sure that if people knew my last name th-they wouldn't recognize me as the m-missing girl from Ps-Pseudo."
"What's your real name?" Artimiss asked. I sighed.
"Juliet Marie Williams,"
"That's really pretty," Megan commented.
"Th-thanks,"
"So what's your new full name?" Robin asked.
"Juliet Rachel Sowden," I responded with a smile, "The middle name was my Grandma's first name and the last name was my mom's maiden name."
"I think you're new name is totally astrous." He complemented. I gave him a you're-crazy smile.
"You know like, like is the opposite of dislike. Take the prefix off disastrous and you get astrous." He animatedly explained.
"You, you do kn-know that's not a r-real word, right?" I asked.
"But it should be." He remarked.
"Approaching destination," Megan stated as she began to land the bioship. I looked out the window again and sure enough there it was. My old city, it hadn't changed a bit.
"Robin, do you have the coordinates?" Aqualad asked Robin who was looking at his wrist computer.
"All I have is a lead. The league believes they're holding Hailey in an abandoned warehouse village?" Robin responded. I groaned.
"Abandoned warehouse village?" Kidflash directed his question at me.
"Yeah it's th-this area that holds about t-twenty storage warehouses. Th-they're never used so teens use-used to use the v-village as a regular hang out until the c-crime rate here sk-skyrocketed and it became the r-regular hide out for thugs, g-gangs, and other groups of b-bad guys. People g-generally try to, to stay as far away from there possible, now." I explained.
"Do you know how to get there?" Aqualad asked.
"I do, b-but it's on the other s-side of the city from here. It'll be at least a t-two hour walk." I replied
"That is fine; it will give us time to orchestrate a plan." Aqualad thought for a moment, "We should not travel out in the open it would be best to stay hidden."
"Superboy and I can take the roof tops." Robin offered.
"I can fly there." Megan commented.
"I can travel by roof top with Robin and Superboy." Artimiss supplied.
"I have to st-stay on the ground." I said gesturing to my roller blades.
"Very well, Kidflash and I will follow you on the ground as well." Aqualad concluded.
Everyone got into position and we set off. I focused only on the road and nothing else; I didn't want to risk the memories. Unfortunately a tree blocked my view as I rounded a corner and I crashed into a group of people. Not just any group of people, my worse tormentors from when I lived in this town. The girls would call me names and push me around, while the boys would actually beat me up and call me a freak. All just because of… my powers, I thought, yeah, my powers. At least I have one memory back. I stood up and looked at them. They were all still taller than me and could probably all still beat me up.
"I'm sorry," I apologized dusting myself off as Kidflash and Aqualad caught up to me and stood by my sides.
"You should be!" The girl in front snapped. Jessica, I recognized, she hasn't changed a bit. It looked like Kidflash was about to say something but the boy next to Jessica beat him to it.
"Wait, do we know you?" He asked curiously. Oh crap!
"N-no, I don't th-think so," I mumbled.
"Are you sure? I defiantly recognize you from somewhere." I was surprised at how nice he was being about it.
"I'm p-pretty sure," I responded, "Um we have to go." I began to walk around the group when another girl gently grabbed my arm stopping me.
"No way," She whispered astonished and I knew I was busted, "Julie? Is it really you?" The rest of group surrounded me to get a closer look and I spotted Aqualad and Kidflash look at each other warily as they were cut off from me.
"Oh my gosh, It is you, Juliet. Everyone thought you were dead." Jessica spoke softly.
"Listen, Julie." The boy who had spoken before started, "After you left we all realized how terrible we acted and we wanted to say we were sorry, but we all thought we had lost that chance. But here you are." He put his hands on my shoulders, "We are all so sorry for what we put you through as a kid." As he said this there was an echo of apologies from the others.
"I forgive you." I replied. Me forgiving them had nothing to do with me absolving them from their actions against me. It had to do with relieving myself of the burden of being a victim, letting go of the pain and transforming myself from victim to survivor.
"So uh how's everything going with your um superpowers?" Another girl asked.
"I don't have them at the moment." I responded.
"Really?" Jessica asked, "Well that's okay now you're not a freak anymore your normal like everyone else." I looked straight into her eyes with a glare that would have made Batman proud.
"Having powers doesn't make me or anyone else who has them a freak," I said deathly calm, "It makes us unique and my powers will be back eventually and when they are I'll be glad. Because under no circumstances would I ever want to be anything like you. I'd much rather be like my friends who do have powers and use them to keep people like you safe even if some of you don't deserve it." I backed up so I was next to Kidflash and Aqualad once again but continued to glare.
"Well who are your friends anyway?" Jessica asked snottily.
"I am Aqualad and this is Kidflash," Kaldur answered. I smirked as their eyes got wide and their mouths dropped open. I looked up and saw the rest of the team waiting for us to continue our way to the warehouses.
"If you'll excuse us," I stated, "We m-must be going." And with that we continued through the town.
The whole team got to the warehouses and began to sneak in between them looking into the windows to find the one where Hailey was held. A few minutes into doing this, we were ambushed.
A fight broke out and we were holding up quite well for being way outnumbered. Until one of the thugs somehow got a hold of Robin, the thug had a tight grip on him and was holding a knife to his neck. We all stopped where we were and it seemed as time had stopped all together.
"Leave or I kill the kid," The thug holding Robin said in gruff voice.
"If we leave will you let him go?" Kidflash asked. The thug began to smile evilly and he shook his head slowly.
"No, but I won't kill him. He'll be put with our other hostage." No matter what we did it put Robin in danger. I was abruptly reminded of my brother's death. I had failed Jakob, but I wasn't going to let these thugs hurt Robin. Anger began to boil up inside me with every thought. I looked into Robin's eyes, he looked calm but as my anger rose I found myself reading his mind. He was frightened.
"Better hurry up and make a decision," The thug commented and began pressing the knife slightly into Robin's neck.
"NO!" I shouted pushing my hands out in front of me gesturing for him to stop. As I did so a blast of electricity came out of my hands and hit the thug head one lectrocuting him. Robin was suddenly free. I looked at my hands completely astonished at what I had just done. As all the thugs stood stunned I looked up at my team mates.
"Could I do that before?" I asked. They all had wide eyes and began to shake their heads. I looked back at my hands.
"That's what I thought."
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