Me: Please don't hurt me.
Wally: Why?
Me: This chapter is about Artemis reflecting...and possibly something happening to her.
Wally: ...
Me: *Hides behind Barry*
Barry: Don't drag me into this! *Speeds away*
Artemis had been searching for what felt like hours, the only hint that Wally was there had been red snow, she was following the trail until it stopped suddenly.
'Wally, wherever you are...please be safe.' thought as she pulled out a pair of spare goggles Wally had given her. "Keep them, they might come in handy someday." had been his exact words, she faintly smiled at the thought that crossed her mind, only to be replaced by tears when she remembered that Nightwing who at the time was still Robin was in the room with them.
She swears she could still hear his ominous cackle whenever she's alone, it unnerved her, but she felt at ease at the same time, knowing that in some way, he was still with her, a lone tear falling from her cheeks, Robin had been the first person she ever really felt close to, a reason being they were originally the only two powerless heroes on the team. Then came when she and Wally retired, she had never seen him look so hurt, it made her want to rethink her decision, then came him asking her to help with his plan to take down the light, she had been itching to pick up her bow for years, originally she had the idea to make it seem like she had given into her villainous heritage, but the thought was quickly shot down, in place with her faking her death, sure she knew it would hurt everybody, but she understood where he was coming from, if he didn't do this, then the future Bart had come from would have come to pass.
It sent chills down her spine to think about memories about that, she had expected the team to go easy, him being their leader and all, but none of them let up, especially La'gaan, that name brought out an inner anger she never knew she had, and when he said that about her friend, she just lost it, it was nice she wasn't the only one angered since M'gann also seemed to feel that same anger if her tone when she spoke to him was anything to go by.
"Oh Nightwing, what would you think if you could see us now?" she asked as she stared up towards the sky, a series of tears falling.
"Why, why didn't you talk to me, i-if y-you had i-i-it might -n-not have e-ended up l-like this." she screamed into the sky as she sobbed, she had always thought showing emotion was a weakness, so she always pretended to be the tough one of the group, the only ever time she let her mask fall was at new years when she and Wally got together, and that had been the happiest day of her life, and that moment had been replaced by the saddest, the death of her best guy friend.
Flashback
It was the day after she ran out of the cave, she was standing in the in the Gotham City cemetery, the reason why was that she had received an invitation to the funeral of Richard John Grayson after she got a good look at it, she began connecting the dots, so there she was crying as she looked around, she instantly noticed the other six remaining members of her team, she wanted to go over and cry with them, she guessed they all connected the dots as well, she even noticed what remains of the outsiders a small group within the entirety of the team, standing back within the shadows, trying to avoid being seen, failing miserably if she could notice them.
Finally the ceremony was over, the only ones remaining were the seniors, she hesitantly walked forward and extended her arms across Zatanna and Rocket, who did the same, until the whole group was enveloped in a group hug, tears falling.
"I'm not laughing Dick...i'm not laughing." she whispered her voice getting caught at the end.
After they all said they're final goodbyes, she looked down at the gravestones, to her left were the graves of his family, to her right the graves of the Waynes, Jason's grave separating him from his adoptive grandparents. "I'll miss you, and don't worry, i'll finish what you started, i'll take down the remains of Black Manta's troops." she crouched down and placed a rose in front of it.
"We'll all see you next Month." she whispered as she got back up and walked out of the cemetery, grabbing her bow and quiver.
"We'll never get to laugh about it...will we." she whispered out in a hoarse voice, question sounding more like statement.
After she was done crying she got up to her knees, noticing a scrap of fabric in the distance, a Lightning Bolt marking it's design, she instantly shot up and ran over, grabbing the piece of fabric.
"Wally must have been here, but why is he in his civvies?" she muttered to herself out loud, not hearing the footsteps approaching her from behind. "Artemis, what are you doing here, let's go." Artemis in a state of fear hopped over the source of the voice and pulled their arm behind them. "Artemis, it's just me...it's me, Rocket!" She said as she positioned herself so her arm wasn't hurting.
Artemis quickly let her go muttering an apology.
"What are you doing here?" Rocket asked again as she massaged her shoulder. "i'm looking for Wally, he came here, I don't know why he did, but we need to find him before he does something stupid." she took into account Rockets confused face and began explaining. "You know how Dick died, well, fast forward a month later, and he discovers Roy lying in a pool of blood, his brains shot out." she paused as she shivered and took into account Rockets surprised face, she took a deep breath to force back the tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "I had returned to the mountain from a personal mission, and when I got to his room, I found him wrists slit, blood pooling around him, he was crying and muttering things I couldn't hear, I managed to save him, but today...Megan got shot...she didn't survive, now I think he's here to attempt dying again." she finished holding up the piece of fabric in her hand. "I also found these." she whispered as she held up a bunch of discarded bandages. Rocket pulled a hand up to her mouth and gasped.
"That's why I found a blood trail earlier." she said. Artemis looked up in shock. "Take me to where you saw it!" Artemis all but screamed. Rocket complied, using her belt to form a bubble around them flying them to the spot where the blood trail continued. "Thank you Rocket." Artemis sighed as she took a step away. "I'm going with you, you know its hard to catch a speedster without a way to keep them still." Rocket announced as she took a step forward. "Rocket, you don't have t-" Rocket placed a finger over her mouth. "I want to help out, he's my friend too." Artemis simply nodded, a slight blush forming on her cheeks. They had kept with the blood trail, a bad feeling rising in Artemis's gut, she simply ignored it, until they came across a puddle, thankfully Wally had been nowhere to be seen.
But there wouldn't be a pool there for no reason...right?
Unknown Location
M'gann had gone to take a shower, when she was gone the second figure emerged from the darkness of the room. "You think they can figure it out?" ? asked
"No, not yet...we pull them out once we're sure it's to dangerous, it has to be like this, I don't like putting them through this either, but we have to do it." ? Replied focus still on the moniters in front of him.
"C'mon..." ? said as he began walking forward.
"Dick, my friend...please"
Dick simply turned.
"I can't, they can only get out once they die within it." Dick said as he sent a quick glance behind him, looking at the empty spot where M'gann once lied.
"Besides, this isn't nearly as bad as what we had to go through...Right Kal?" Dick said as he turned back to the moniters.
Antarctica
"Artemis, why don't we set up a place to rest?" Artemis simply replied by sending Rocket her own version of the Bat-glare. "We can't, he could be bleeding out somewhere, and we need to find him." she finished as she noticed a figure standing in the distance. "I think that's him!" Artemis yelled as she thought back to one of the last things she said to Dick.
Flashback
"Nightwing, if you couldn't trust us with your plan...then how can we trust you , for all we know you could really be a traitor." La'gaan screamed out as he stormed into the debriefing room. Nightwing simply sighed and stared back
"Because Lagoon Boy, I was protecting Kaldur, if you knew he didn't really betray us, then you would have pulled your punches, Black Manta would have gotten suspicious, and then he would have eventually figured it out, and do you know what villains do with people they don't trust, the kill them, then use their bodies for their own sick purposes, So when the time comes one of you have to step up as leader, ask yourself this." He paused to look around at all the new recruits in the room before continuing. "Am I ready to make the hard choices, do what needs to be done, to stay calm and collected when things get rough, Am I really ready to make the hard choices." He said wincing as he cupped a wound he received on their latest mission.
Tim was the first to come out of the trance and yell. "Really, you should learn to take your own advice, you know your team, B-girl and I are all prepared to fight our hardest if ordered to, but you still kept the information to yourself!" after he was finished with his yelling he ran out of the room. "You're all right...all of those who don't want me as leader raise your hand." he paused as he watched as all the hands in the room shoot up, a certain martian and her brother hesitantly raising theirs.
"No, those who want him gone keep your hands up." La'gaan spat out as he kept his hand up. only some people in the room lowering their hands, Artemis and Kaldur each placing a hand on his shoulders.
"It's settled then." La'gaan stated "Computer, remove entrance authorization for member B-01 authorization Lagoon Boy member B-18
Warning: Removing founding member from authorization is not recommended Password Required
"Password is Young Justice." La'gaan spat out without hesitation
Password Accepted
Nightwing B-01 No longer authorized for Cave Access
Nightwing just stared in shock at the scene that unfolded before him..
"Now get lost traitor, we don't need you here anymore." La'gaan yelled hatred laced in his voice, Dick simply stumbled back into the arms of the two members by his side.
"La'gaan, you have no right to kick him off this team, he is one of the originals, by doing this you have handed the position of leader back over to me, and be warned, you think he was harsh, wait until I let Black Canary know she will be needed for training sessions again." Kaldur announced as he left the room, stopping at the doorway his head slightly turned back. "I expect you all to be here tomorrow for training, those who are not will be removed from active duty until told otherwise, oh, and Lagoon Boy, your officially being added to a new designation. Standby." Kaldur then spoke out while walking out again.
"Computer create new designation set, the S-series."
New designation set created, at least one person required for it to become active
"Remove member B-18 from active team roster and add him to S-series."
Member B-18 Lagoon Boy being transferred...
Transfer complete
Recognized:
Lagoon Boy S-01
The other recruits were shocked at the decision they're old to new leader made, they all looked to Nightwing, who simply shrugged. "Don't look at me, i'm not your leader anymore." as he drove his cycle out of the base.
Stopping to look at Artemis. "Take care of Wally for me." he said a depressed look on his face as he drove out of Happy Harbor, never again to return.
"Wally!" Artemis yelled as she finished her sprint towards her boyfriend, looking over him noticing how blue he looked. "No no no." she whispered to herself as she checked for a pulse, relief washing over her as she felt one.
"Rocket, get him into a bubble and take him back to the mountain." Artemis stated as she walked forward, the feeling in her gut hadn't yet gone away, thats when she saw it, Roy's robotic arm.
She ran towards it, pulling it out of the snow and looking it over, not noticing the arrow flying towards her until its to late.
Pain burst from the wound that had been created, luckily it looks like it hadn't pierced anything vital, she quickly pulled the arrow the rest of the way through, as another one pierced her chest, piercing her lungs.
She took off running due to adrenaline, making it to the zeta-tube which was disguised as an abandoned snow vehicle, passing out from blood loss as the computer announced her arrival
Recognized:
Artemis B-07.
Unknown Location
Dick noticed a spike in activity on the moniter in front of him, racing over as M'gann came flying in, noticing Artemis and Wally thrashing around, and Zatanna slowly opening her eyes.
Mount Justice
"Artemis!" Zatanna yelled out as she approached her friend as she fell over, she caught her and picked her up bridal style, noticing the arrow lodged within her lung. 'No, please don't let her die too.' Zatanna thought, suddenlly having a thought pop into her mind. She raised a hand over Artemis, noticing Rocket rushing Wally into the room as well. "What happened to her?" Rocket screams as she notices Artemis on the bed next to Wally's. "Rocket...Tell them thank you for being my team." Rocket's eyes widened as she realized what Zatanna was about to do. "Z...no, you can't, you can't do this, we all promised Dick we would head to see his grave on the one month anniversary." Rocket screamed. Zatanna simply gave her a weak smile. "Guess I won't be able to make it." she said as she raised her other hand over Wally.
"Z...PLEASE!" Rocket yelled, Zatanna simply looked over again. "Hsup Tekcor tuo dna peek reh tuo." Once she finished reciting Rocket had gotten shoved out of the room by a magical barrier.
Zatanna simply looked back. "Take care of them." she mouthed as the bubble covered the room. "Evomer reirrab nehw I eid." she recited sighing as she moved her attention back to Artemis and Wally, "Evomer eht worra morf Simetra." the arrow lodged within magically disappeared. "Refsnart lla lataf sdnuow no eht owt rednu ym sdnah ot em." she muttered as the wounds closed up on Artemis and Wally, pain erupting from Zatanna, once they were all healed Zatanna used the last of her strength to write a note for them when they wake up. "Don't worry, I helped you. -Zatanna" she whispered as she fell onto the last open bed, eyes flickering closed, never to open again.
Unknown Location
"Megan, whats happening?" Zatanna asked looking around the room they're in.
"Don't worry, you're safe, nothing is wrong, focus on my voice." M'gann looked over to Dick.
"Go get BC." She stated in a serious tone
Dick nodded racing out of the room.
Wally: And there's the end of this chapter, review what you think is happening, and if you liked the chapter, now excuse me while I go m-i mean talk to the Author.
Me: Wally, what are you doing with that paint?
A/N: I have another special in the works, so look forward to that, also the next chapter will be out in about four to five days.