Oh, She's Nobody
chapter ten: Disguised Anticipation
Wally stood on the sidewalk tapping his foot impatiently. He didn't understand what was taking her so long. Gotham Academy let out twenty minutes ago and he was pretty sure this was the main exit.
Frowning at the next wave of students coming out he noticed one particular gait. Upon looking at the girl, the speedster couldn't help but stare. The teen before him had her hair in two long tight braids that could easily have reached below midthigh; it was blonde, like Artemis' but it seemed darker somehow. She wore glasses that framed almond shaped eyes and screamed nerd, though her side swept bangs were so long they fell out of place and covered her right eye. Artemis didn't have bangs right?
This girl looked like the epitome of a nerd, but as the wave of academy kids departed to show her outfit... he had no idea how to describe her, but he was definitely sure this was his angry teammate.
Wally was so tired(scared) of the creepy pleasant Artemis, that he couldn't wait the extra hours to meet her at base. He had to see her at her school for two reasons. A: she couldn't bring up any YJ business, because B: they were in public.
"Hey," Wally greeted gently taking her arm to stop her. She turned around, and the plaits as thick as rope hitting him in the process.
"Oh, Kid–" she cut herself off and pushed her glasses up, before saying pleasantly, "What a pleasant surprise!"
"Can you stop being so nice to me?" the speedster couldn't help but burst. Artemis stared at him with hard eyes, though her mouth was still in a pleasant smile. Hell, he'd take hard eyes, at least that showed she was still in there.
He stated seriously, "We need to talk."
"Oh no, are you breaking up with me?" Artemis asked voice dripping with delicious sarcasm. A pressure in his chest lifted at the sound of it, and he felt he could breath again.
"Huh? N-no," he sputters for a bit then continues after a nervous cough, "it's about Sid and the–"
"Is he still picking on you?" she demanded angrily, her glasses glaring in the light.
The reaction was so unexpected that he answered without thinking, "Well yeah, but that's besi–"
"Want me to go over there and... fix him?" she asked menacingly. In her nerd attire, he couldn't help but think 'It's always the quiet ones.' though he knew she was far from a 'quiet one.'
"Kind of, but–" he said, a part of him just wanting to watch to see what happens.
"'Kind of?'" she repeated, a ghost of her old sassy smile just wanted to come out, he was sure of it.
Wally sighed just because he felt he could breath again. He pulled her away from the crowd, and said quietly, "It's about the neuralacuna–
"Is he starting to remember?" she asked again with a worried yet protective tone.
The speedster sighed again, but this time by being cut off, he answered, "Of course not, but–"
"Then what?" the markswoman burst impatiently.
"I never thanked you!" he said matching her pitch, causing classmates to look at the two curiously.
Artemis looked surprised at the outburst and her bangs fell into her eyes. She made no move to brush them away, just stared at him. Wally coughed uncomfortably and actively avoided eye contact.
"I... I never thanked you for doing that," he repeated though he sounded more sincere. He took a risk and looked at her eyes as he rubbed his neck.
She didn't seem to be buying his act because her eyes narrowed suspiciously, "I thought you said that it was, 'wrong' to take someone's memory away?"
"It.. it is, kind of.." he trailed off and ran the hand through his hair that so desperately wanted to brush her bangs out of her eyes. He mumbled, "I told Flash..."
"You WHAT?" she yelled as he said, "Don't get angry!
"I asked him, hypothetically, what would happen if someone like a classmate found out my identity... and what we would do about it... hypothetically of course," he continued nervously shifting his weight. It was all he could do to not speed out of the way of her uncomfortably stoic stare.
"Anyway... it would've been a whole lot of work and I would've lived under constant scare that he'd say something, so... thanks," he explained looking at his feet then glanced at her through his lashes. He wasn't trying for a bashful look, but that's what he gave her.
Artemis frowned and her eyes narrowed for a pregnant moment. He didn't know what he would've done if she gave him her pleasant smile in return... probably something like rip his hair out. The past couple days had been hell for him, he didn't know how much he enjoyed their squabbles until she took them away.
The archer sighed loudly as she finally flicked her bangs away from her eyes.
"Whatever, just stop groveling," she grumbled angrily pushing a long braid behind her. He smiled at the snide remark.
"I wasn't groveling!" he defended petulantly, but cut off her retort, "So, what's with the..." he trailed off unable to find the word. He simply gestured to all of her.
Her white button down was pressed though the first two buttons were undone and her tie loosed. Her skirt was so shortened that one could barely see it at the edge of her blazer and her hair was longer than it. Wasn't she cold? Sure, her hair and glasses made her look like a nerd... but that accompanied with her uniform?
"Tough nerd?" Wally offered a title to her outfit, smirking as he crossed his arms over his chest. She frowned at him and gave him that look that all smart-ass nerds had that said 'I can't believe I have to breathe the same air as someone this stupid.'
"It's called a disguise doofus. Maybe if you had one, you wouldn't've been recognized in a Bullseye," she said smugly.
"But if I didn't do that, I wouldn't have found out how much you liiiike me," he said playfully and she punched him for his troubles. As he rubbed his arm he couldn't help but think that, finally, all was right in the world.
"Artemis!" a male's voice broke whatever little moment she and KF had. A short boy with a prim and proper uniform that always looked like it was brand spanking new jogged up to her with a pile of papers flapping in his hand. She waved him over and he stopped in front of her bent over with his hands on his knees as if he were tired.
"I'm glad I caught you, you forgot your copy of equations," he said handing her the papers.
Artemis smiled as she thanked the boy, he was her first(maybe only) friend at Gotham Academy. Upon arriving at the school she decided she needed to join the mathletes to secure her status as nerd that didn't need to be bothered. When she met young Dick Grayson, she felt an immediate bond with the boy. He was shy and quiet at first, didn't really look her in the eye at all, but their friendship grew. They spent most of their lunch period making snide comments about people and she had a distinct feeling that he would be her friend for life if it weren't for her "extra curriculars." He always seemed to asked to hang out when ever she had do be at Mount Justice, or out with Ollie. Though he was very understanding about it.
"Oh hello," Dick greeted nicely once he noticed Wally. Crap, how was she supposed to explain him to her school mate?
Wally felt an intense panic of not knowing what to do. Did Artemis know? How should he act around his best friend?
"Where are my manners, Dick, this is Wally he's..." Artemis trailed off...
Wally's mind raced; who was he to Robi–Dick. This was Dick in front of him, and he never met the boy ever before in his life, yeah... he was screwed.
"Your boyfriend?" Robi-Dick finished sounding as though he didn't want it to be true and looked like he was denied his turn on their wagon. It wasn't the sound he was expecting from his best fri- the person he'd never met in his entire life.
Artemis gave Rob-Dick that look that girls give to things that they think are the cutest thing in the world. Wally frowned at the look, she never gave him that look... Before she could deny it, he put his left arm around her in a very boyfriend-like way.
"Yup, that's exactly what I am. So this is your almost like a little brother, Dick! Nice to finally meet you," he said surprising himself at his acting ability holding his right hand out to Rob like they never met– because they never did! … he was doing so well too...
Rob was always better at acting his part. Right now he looked even more like a kicked puppy as he shook his hand while mumbling something that sounded like, "I should've known you'd have a boyfriend..."
Artemis looked up at Wally with accosting eyes, asking him... something. She elbowed him when she realized that he obviously didn't get what she was asking, then went to gather Robi-DICK(the person that he didn't know) into her arms in a tender hug. That's right... Tender.
He didn't know if he'd rather have her be pleasant with him than have her tender with anyone else.
"Oh Dick, you're just the cutest little thing, but you're 2 years younger than me," Artemis said releasing him from her tenderness. Wally didn't question how good he felt at hearing her turn this Dick guy down(see he could do it eventually).
"So? I'm still growing, I bet I can solve equations faster than he could in two years," Dick said trying to make himself stand taller.
Wally never, ever thought this about his best friend, but the way Robin puffed his chest and looked like a belligerent child, he thought he was... well... cute. That's right, Boy Wonder's cute. Ohhh he was going to have so much fun rubbing this in later.
"I'll keep that in mind," Artemis replied smiling mischievously at Dick. A second later, he smirked at her as well and now it all looked like some kind of inside joke.
"Well, we've got a date. So it was nice meeting you, but..." Wally said putting an arm around Artemis possessively(he told himself that that's what his character would do). The speedster was always one for a good joke, but he hated not being in on it.
Artemis hid her glare from Robin by making her glasses glare at BW in the sunlight as she pushed them up. She said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Dick, and thanks again for the papers."
Dick saluted his goodbye and walked off to his limo where Alfred waited for him. Artemis openly glared at Wally, as Robin turned around and gave him the "We are SO going to talk later" look.
Artemis surprised him by putting her arm around his waist after stuffing the papers into her book bag. He looked down at her questioning without saying it aloud.
"You better have a good reason why you're doing this or we really are breaking up," she said smirking though the tone promised he'd be in pain soon. He laughed because hearing her threaten him made him happy.
"I've got a good reason," he said bending around her to take her school bag from her to carry it with the arm not resting on her shoulder. Before she could protest his holding her bag, he continued, "You've got to come with me to the Spring Formal at my school."
"I've got to what?" she asked incredulously, not knowing what to do with her suddenly free hand she let it hang on her side, though it felt awkward. She saw the rich popular girls whispered loudly as they past. She heard something like how'd the nerd get him.
Artemis didn't consider Wally someone to be jealous of, but she never saw him dressed like this before. Since his school didn't demand a uniform, Wally wore jeans and a black motorcycle jacket with yellow trim on the bottom, cuffs, shoulder seams and mandarin collar with yellow ovals at the elbows, symmetrical red lightning-like details running vertically on his torso made him look like a fan of Flash, but gave him a cool guy air.
So maybe, she saw where the "popular" girls were coming from, but she couldn't help but give them her nerd glare as they past. On it's own accord her free hand laced its fingers with the hand resting over her shoulder and she tightened her grip around Wally's waist in a wave of possessiveness that she didn't fully understand. The red head smiled down at her which only caused her to frown more. She growled, "Why do I need to go to your stupid school's dance?"
Wally looked surprised, as though he didn't think she'd ask him that question. Stupid boy...
"Well... Sid and his crew told the whole school that I've got a, and this is his words, not mine," he coughed, "Super mega foxy awesome hot girlfriend with a nice ass."
"Urgh, if he wasn't such an ass, I'd take that as a compliment," she exhaled sounding annoyed.
"Yeah... well if I don't show up with you, the whole school's going to think I'm a loser, and Sid's going to pick on me even more–"
"Alright! Geesh," Artemis said pulling him tighter to her because she was cold and to shut him up.
She wasn't thinking about it until now, but she didn't ask where they were going, until she saw a yellow motorcycle surrounded by a group of Academy boys.
"You brought one of the motorcycles?" she asked urgently.
"You didn't expect me to run here, did you?" he smiled squeezing her hand. She snatched it away to push her glasses up to glare at him. He laughed then said, "No, Artemis, this one's mine. Like Red would let me take out one of his."
"Great, and you expect me on that?" she asked trepidation hiding her embarrassment at him stating what she should've already known. Mount Justice had a wide range of vehicles stored there and she knew Red Tornado'd let them out for any reason besides a mission.
"What? Don't you trust my driving?" he joked sounding hurt.
"No, I don't," she said plainly, though she wasn't slowing them down. He laughed at her honesty and she couldn't help but smile at him because of it. With his arm still around her shoulder, their conversation looked absolutely normal to anyone watching. Like she was expecting him to pick her up and she wasn't surprised at all.
Seven steps later, Wally started answering her classmates questions about what his bike ran on and other technical inquiries. Her "boyfriend" took his arm off her to put her book bag away and she was invisible to the boys.
Artemis stood stick straight with her legs pressed tightly together and her hands in her pockets. She exhaled slowly as if that'd help her retain heat, but she couldn't help but shiver once. She straightened her back again as she closed her eyes willing the wind to pass.
A warm weight was placed over her shoulders and she looked up at Wally putting his jacket over her as he answered a question. He smiled his boyish smile while walking her closer to his bike.
"What about you?" she whispered, tugging on his shirt to keep him from leaving her. He looked down at her and smiled.
"Please, I can run at mach speeds in less than this, a motorcycle ride is nothing for me," he said quietly enough that the boys couldn't hear, Artemis let go of his shirt and he went to his bike while he said, "I'll get your helmet."
"Let me help you put that on," a charming voice offered while Wally's jacket was gently taken off her shoulders to be held behind her. Frowning she held onto her blazer sleeves and allowed the prep to help her into the speedster's jacket. It still held some of Wally's warmth and couldn't help but feel warmer immediately.
"Thanks Cyril," she said gratefully as she zipped up the jacket. Cyril Sheldrake was as tall as Conner, and a junior who made going to Gotham Academy an easy transition. He helped her find all her classes and since he was one of the most popular boys in school, the school socially accepted her because he did.
"It was my pleasure," he replied flashing his charming smile that said he really meant it, while he gently tugged her braids out from under the jacket. She was going to thank him again when a cream helmet with gold detail appeared in her hands.
"Here ya go," Wally said friendly enough, though his eyes flickered to the taller boy almost angrily through his helmet.
"Great, I'm driving," she said happily taking the helmet, fishing the keys out of his jacket pocket.
"You... are never...driving again," Wally said taking the keys and flinging himself onto the nice solid concrete sidewalk. Artemis wasn't a terrible driver, she was very good actually, but in the sense that she expertly swerved through traffic and didn't go under 50 save for stop lights(and not even that sometimes).
"Oh stop whining, we didn't even hit anything," she said taking off her helmet and expertly got off without flashing anyone from her short skirt.
"Not from lack of trying! You drive like you're running from an explosion," he said flipping up his visor. She didn't say anything because he was so close to the truth, he looked at the parking lot and asked, "Where are we?"
"If I'm going to help you, you're going to pay for it," Artemis said as though that answered his question, grateful for the change of subject.
"Okay, I'll uhhh... polish your arrows for a week?" he replied though it sounded like a question.
"Agreed, and you're paying for it."
"For what?" he asked suspiciously, knowing she didn't just mean the tickets.
"My dress of course," Artemis replied smiling menacingly.
"Don't you already have a dress?" Wally asked finally taking off his helmet. Artemis resented that his hair still looked fine and not flattened.
"Do I look like a girl who owns dresses?" Artemis asked, hand on her hip with her weight on one foot, she looked every bit a tomboy regardless of her short skirt.
"How about this one?" Wally asked showing happily showing her a long sheath of turquoise satin.
"..." she stared at him and the dress blank faced, "Go sit down."
"... Okay..." he replied, putting the dress away and sat on the benches by the dressing room. Artemis guessed that his mother taught him how to do that and she couldn't help but smile at the thought of his mother training him.
Wiping the image of Wally in dog form and on a leash from her mind, she focused on the task at hand. Artemis hated shopping, she was a terrible judge of hanger appeal, and which made her have to go to the dressing room multiple times before she found something that looked good on her.
"You know, this would actually look really good on you," she said holding up the turquoise dress in front of her.
"Really?" Artemis replied doubtfully.
"Oh yeah, what's the occasion?" she asked draping the long dress over her arm and holding onto the hanger.
"Spring Formal," Artemis replied starting to pull out a yellow dress but got her hand slapped off of it.
"No," she said simply then started putting back dresses that Artemis had on her arm, "You were always bad at this."
"Well it's a good thing you're here, isn't it? Wait, what are you doing here?" Artemis asked finally remembering that she didn't walk in with her ex-partner.
"Helping you shop?" Athena answered smirking, when Artemis said nothing, she continued on a sigh, "I saw you and Walter walk in here, so I decided to help. Speaking of Walter, I thought you said that you weren't dating him."
"His name is 'Wally,' and I'm not dating him," the blonde said quickly.
"Uh-huh, me too," she replied obviously not believing her. Artemis could've denied it further, but that would only convince her sister more, so she held her tongue. She watched as Athena quickly shifted through the racks barely glancing at the clothes. When she found something, she held it out to Artemis until the blonde took it from her. In no time, Artemis had six dresses in her hands.
"Okay, go try those on, I'll wait with your Wally-who you're not dating," Athena corrected quickly while winking. She shepherded the archer towards the dressing rooms while picking through dresses along the way. Before Artemis could say anything–
"Athena!" Wally greeted standing when he saw her "sister." There was something on his face that told Artemis that he was remembering how Athena swooned when she met Kid Flash.
"Hi Wally," she replied smiling her pretty smile, "So, why're you shopping with my Arty?"
"I have to buy her dress," Wally replied sounding grumpy. Artemis didn't want to be there for the conversation so she walked on.
"Whhhy?" Athena asked raising a brow while grabbing one of Artemis' braids to stop her.
"Because I'm taking her to my school's Spring Formal," he answered eyeing the way the sisters were acting.
"How cute," Athena said smiling though it sounded like 'you're such a liar Arty.'
Athena dropped the braid and Artemis took that as her cue to try on the dresses.
"I look like an expensive hooker," Artemis said looking at herself in her stalls mirror.
"It's perfect!" Athena stated happily looking over her friends shoulder after making sure the back straps were lying flat, "Now change out of it."
Artemis looked at her raven haired ex-partner like she was insane. Her mad "sister" answered the look with, "Well you're not going to show Wally, it's got to be a surprise."
"He's paying for it, he's going to se–"
"No he's not, I am," Artemis gave Athena another look that made her scoff and say, "Well, it's the least I could do for all the outfits you gave me."
"I didn't give you–"
"When you left, I took your wardrobe," Athena said smiling shamelessly. Though Shadows lived apart from HQ, they still had rooms. Much like Mount Justice was to Young Justice.
Artemis gasped animatedly and slapped her arm playfully and laughed, "You're such a bi–"
"Yeah, I know..." she said sadly touching Artemis' braids.
"Ari?" she asked using the nickname since they were in a private place. Artemis never liked seeing that look in her partner's face. The one that said she was forced to do something she didn't want to. Unfortunately, being with the Shadows made that look come to her eyes more often than Artemis would like.
"But..." Athena sighed loudly and continued, "Jade wouldn't be as gentle."
At the sound of their rival's name, the tension in the dressing room stall shot up as she looked into the Shadow's eyes in the mirror. Artemis swung around to hit Aria, but the Shadow pulled her braids, painfully throwing her off balance, and giving her the upper hand. Artemis landed a few blows, but Aria manage to pin her against the wall holding her arms at the small of her back.
"Did you find the 'gift' I planted in the drive you stole?" Aria purred in the thrashing archers ear. Artemis stilled for a moment and the Shadow sighed.
"Sensei's given you a mission," Aria stated, "and if you don't do it, your little junior league, is going to get the same gift, but this time with names."
Artemis stopped struggling at the threatening promise. She knew it was too much of a coincidence that Aria was there, but she admitted to herself that she missed shopping with her ex-partner. It made her feel normal again. Heck, quietly fighting with her made her feel normal again.
Artemis sighed loudly resting her forehead against the wall as adrenaline gave way to anticipation. She could lie and say that it was because Aria may be forcing her to do something she didn't want, but... she missed the Shadows. She could rant and rave about how messed up the Shadows were, but she was with them for nearly eight years, six months of playing hero didn't change that.
She thought about the red headed boy waiting patiently for her a few yards away and felt a tug of guilt eat at her. This mission could put him in danger, she could be betraying him, her team, but one thing was clear.
The anticipation wasn't because she was scared of the mission, it was because she wanted it.
"Get me a meeting, and I'll pretend that I never saw you," he said after slamming the drug lord against a wall with his bow across his neck. The boss' lackeys lay scattered about the alley. Since Roy's release, he was tracked down any bad guy even rumored to be affiliated with the League of Shadows, before finally coming to one of the big fish in Civic City.
The criminal laughed while coughing, like he was thoroughly enjoying himself. Red Arrow leaned heavily onto his bow, choking the crook while saying, "What's so funny?"
"You!" he gasped, blood running down his temple where he was hit. Red Arrow pushed off his bow and smacked him across the face with it. The drug lord fell on the ground and said fear in his voice, "You don't find her, she finds you."
"Not good enough," Red Arrow stated while notching an arrow, hearing that phrase far too much lately. All of the criminals he'd approached said the same thing, and he was getting tired of it.
"You're well on your way to find her though," he said surprising Roy, "search the dark and your Shadow will find you," he answered while laughing out right, "and when she does, you'll be dead before you realize it."
Red Arrow relaxed his hand and the arrow hit the criminal in the chest and proceeded to electrocute him. He looked down at the disgusting scum at his feet one last time before he heard sirens coming his way. He turned his back on them, not bothering to wait for the uniforms.
Cheshire wasn't just any Shadow. She'd want to play with him before she tried to kill him, he was sure of it. And he was sure he could take her.
Recognized. Kid Flash. B03. Artemis. B07.
"Urgh! What is wrong with you?" she demanded angrily even before she fully materialized.
"'Wrong with me?' You're the one with the unhealthy obsession!"
"Otters. Are. Cute!" she yelled indignantly.
He scoffed and replied, "You're cute!"
"Your face is cute!" she spat back, then realized what she said and covered it by saying, "If your face was like an otters, which it is not!"
"Nice save," Robin added while chuckling.
"Oh shut up, Rob," she said close to sticking her tongue out at him.
Kaldur cleared his throat in the way that made everyone shut up, and Artemis finally gauged the mood of the room. The halodome was lit up with maps and everyone stood in a cluster around Batman.
"You're late," he stated as if scolding them. Artemis punched Wally because it was his fault they were late.
"Sorry...?" he said like a question.
The blonde rolled her eyes and asked, "We have a mission?"
"Yes," Batman said and a map enlarged on the screen.
AN: thanks a lot to all of those who reviewed! please keep them coming! reviews make me type faster too =D