Amethyst Gaze into the Future
Chapter 14
Ally was still looking around the watch tower. It was new to her despite the fact that she had trained alongside Batman when she was in her early teens some things still held some surprise for her. This watch tower was more than likely different from the one that she had seen in the sky back in her own time. At this point they hadn't had the chance to explore the station in their own time. This space station was enormous…and the very fact that she was part of this group was starting to cause her to wonder about a few things. One of them being how the heck, did she and Dick of all people end up married. That wasn't even mentioning the fact that she was a Nightwing fan girl though it was to a lesser extent than it had been, oh say last week. This was mainly due to the fact that she now knew who was behind the mask now.
As she and the rest of the group followed the older version of herself she tried to follow what was going on with little success. Artemis walked next to her fists clenched in an obvious show of frustration. She wanted to get her Wally back and never let him go again. She was still feeling the guilt from agreeing to be part of that mission. A little behind the two M'gann walked next Conner her soft brown eyes looking at the clone from her peripheral vision. The clone had learned how to control his anger and now he was the voice of reason among the young heroes even though he was the one that needed the most advice in the beginning because of his more unusual creation. Despite all this M'gann knew that she was the one that had needed the support of the young man.
Dick was still thinking about the way that his future self looked at the woman that was leading his team down the hall. Sure she was beautiful and capable, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there were reasons why his other self had told him not to mess anything up. The thing is that he didn't know what he felt for Ally right now. Sure she was powerful and scary when she decided to actually get serious…it was no wonder she and Artemis were friends. As he continued to ponder about the girl that was basically Wally's sister in all, but blood the rest of the group came to a halt in front of a large door that was locked. The adopted son of the world's greatest detective was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even think to ask why there was such advanced security on the satellite when only the League could get up to the space station.
"Alright everyone, this room only allows specific people in so any interlopers, such as my many nieces and nephews can't get in. Daddy-Bat is already inside the room so if you all would step through the door," Lily said gesturing to the room and handing her daughter off to the young man that appeared next to her. Another question was filed away to be asked about later of the young mother.
They entered and sat down around a large glass and chrome table. They all took in the fact that Batman was standing there with his ever present scowl on his face. "Hello, Dad," the copper haired heroine said in a nonchalant manner causing all of the younger occupants of the room to all stare in shock at the way she spoke to the detective. No one had ever spoken to him in such a way except for maybe Dick and Selena Kyle when they were younger.
"Lily, I trust that this is the group that you were so insistent on bringing here even though Zantana did state that it would be a strain on you," Batman asked his tone bland and not giving away any emotion.
"Just because my hair turns white when I do powerful magic it doesn't mean that there is any danger," Lily stated just as blandly a smirk threatening to appear on her face. The rest of the team was staring at the interplay between the two. Some with amusement others, namely Dick and Ally, were trying not to freak out about what they were seeing. This was not the way that you talked to the Bat. Not unless you had a way not to get him to attack for the disrespect, such as blackmail though that one usually turned out really bad for the person responsible of blackmailing the Bat. "By the way, Dia is going to be over tonight. Dick and I have patrol. That cool?"
"Of course, Damian and I would be happy to have some company." There was a slight smile on the normally stoic man's face again shocking the group. None of them, save for maybe Dick, had ever seen the caped crusader smile even the slightest. He seemed cold to most people to begin with because of his almost frozen demeanor.
Ally gazed in wonder just like the others, but unlike them she had caught on to the additional name in that sentence…who was Damian? In fact how was he even related to the detective? Her mind which was usually so ordered with each piece of information in its place was in complete disarray. She had no idea about what to think at the moment.
"Never mind that though we have other matters to discuss for example how we're going to extract a certain speedster from a known threat to the League." Lily's eyes gazed down the table at the heroes assembled before her. None of them even taking a guess as to who the enemy they were going up against was.
This prompted the planner and mission leader in both Kaldur and Dick to jump into action. The two men were both now fully immersed in the process that was going on now. "What do we know?" Kaldur asked his voice just slightly lower than normal.
Dick made no vocalization of his thoughts he just waited for the wife of his future-self to continue what she was saying. It seemed as though they knew more about the young group than they let on. Considering that they were them…well it wasn't too much of a shot in the dark. If it was even a shot in the abyss to begin with.
"From the readings of Wally's energy that we found originating from the original incident we have theorized that he is being held somewhere in the Alaskan peninsula. Though our Wally still has a somewhat sketchy memory of the time that he was held after that, we know that the one holding him is none other than Brianiac." The expressions that were thrown at the two older heroes were various forms of disbelief, and considering that the afore mentioned villain was someone that they had never gone up against they were all understandably shocked by the sentient computer's interest in their speedster . Brianiac had never gone against anyone except for Superman though no one was sure of the reason for the being's isolated focus on the Kryptonian except for the man himself.
"Why is Brianiac after Wally?" Artemis asked giving voice to the question that all of the others in her group were thinking. Though some of them were asking various other questions like why the hell did he wait so long to show his interest in any of them.
"For the very same reason that he can't understand how every time he comes and takes the League on we take him down." Batman stated his gruff voice serving as a perfect counter for the increase in anxiety that the younger heroes were now feeling. "In his mind there is no way that mere organics can take him down. But somehow we do every single time. It is because we do not let the impossible stop us that we are here today."
"Thanks," Lily stated with a nod at the Caped crusader. "Now," she placed her hands on to the top of the table staring down each and every one of them "Here's the plan, the kids are going to do recon and get as much information as they can. Then we are going to be on standby ready to bust in then get the hell out of there with Wally."
"I like this plan, short and sweet and to the point. When do we start?" Dick said finally giving in and wise cracking like he used too to lighten up the tension that has accumulated in the room since the start of the meeting. Ally, Artemis, and M'gann exchanged looks of shock. It had been some time since Dick had actually acted like himself instead of a younger version of his mentor. They were actually more relieved to see this side of him than they were going to admit at this juncture, however much it may have lifted their spirits this was not the time for that sort of conversation.
Connor decided that it was the moment for him to pull what the team firmly called a Wally, "Well it's about freakin' time!" Laughter was heard further lightening the atmosphere. Wally was known to be the best at breaking the ice due to his utter failure to read the tension in the room…at least that's what many people wanted them to think.
"Wow, I was waiting for that to happen," Lily stated as she smiled at them. Then she turned her eyes onto Dick. "To answer your question, we start the operation as soon as Red Hood is done with his patrol. Until then please feel free to talk to your older selves. They know what they can and can't disclose to you about the future." With that they all watched as the masked heroine disappeared from the room to do something that she hadn't disclosed to them.
"So how did they take it all," Wally asked as Lily walked into the room where all the others were gathered.
"As expected though at one point it looked as though Artemis wanted to leap across the table at one point because I was asking Bruce to watch his granddaughter instead of immediately telling her where your younger self is at the moment. You're her whole world you know. "
Wally didn't look at Lily when he answered because he was watching his wife who was across the room dressing down her brother in- law for one thing or another. "I know, she's mine too." The scarlet speedster's goofy smile served to make his foster sister smile as well.
"What did Roy do this time?" Artemis was really lighting into the archer and it didn't look like she was going to be done any time soon if the fact that her bow was still on her back was any indication. Usually these discussions ended with the blonde archer either pulling her bow on Roy or her storming off to shoot some targets to let off some steam.
"No idea although it might have something to do with the fact that he was supposed to be keeping an eye on Lain. You know how Artie feels about family and any wrongs on the part of an adult towards a child." Lily nodded in agreement. Artemis was harsher than she normally was when she came across child abusers or men who hurt women because they could. It was an important part of the blonde's character.
"So the face that young Nightwing when he found out that he was married and had a kid…" Wally trailed off with a chuckle. "Funniest thing I've seen since his fainting spell when you told him that you were pregnant."
Lily rolled her eyes. "That's nothing on the face that he made when we all found out that they were actually dating behind our backs," Connor stated jumping into the conversation a light smile on his lips with his arms wrapped around a glowing M'gann.
"Seriously, I thought the talk that he got from my mother and aunts was scary. I didn't even take into account the fact that each of you all considered yourselves my older brothers. Dick really stuck his foot in his mouth when he started that fight in front of you all and Uncle Barry." Lily laughed and continued to do so even as the subject of their conversation with toddler sleeping against his shoulder walked into the room.
"What's so funny?" Dick asked as he set the copper haired little one on the couch next to where she was standing.
"Nothing," the quartet said in unison looking at each other and then bursting into another fit of laughter.
"Uh-huh, I don't believe any of you, but I know that you're all laughing at me for something or another." Dick grinned at the glare that his wife gave him as she pouted. The rest of the group just chuckled at the two who more often than not were having one argument or another about something silly like who their daughter liked better. Although that was a tossup as she tended to want Grandpa more than her parents half the time.
Then there were the times that they just held each other the memories of those they couldn't save filling their minds and making them cling to each other. It was one of the reasons why they made such a great couple if no one brought up the one fight that almost ended everything for Dick with the woman who was now holding his hand with their fingers loosely laced together.
Wally West woke slowly the pain blinding him even with the increased healing factor that he possessed due to his powers couldn't mask this. Despite the fact that he was used to pain because his metabolism burned off the pain meds faster than anything else he knew that this was something else. At the moment he was at a complete loss as to where he was and what had happened to him. The last thing he could remember was excruciating pain and the feeling of regret.
He could hear the sounds of metal and robotic voices, but none of that really register all that he could thinking about other than the pain that was drowning him slowly was the starling grey eyes that he knew were the answer to everything that ailed him.
Moon-chan: I know, I know I disappeared off the face of the Earth…you all can be made at the gain road block in my life called Writer's Block! I know most of you have dwelt with this at one point or another. It is the most annoying thing in the world to me. I made sure that this was at least 2,000 words so that you guys had something to read.
Now to address a request from a reviewer as to the parents of certain youths in this story here it is!
Wally and Artemis: Irey/Iris, Jai, Arete
Roy and Jade: Lain
Dick and Ally: Diana/ Dia
Bruce/ Batman and Taila Al Ghul: Damian Wayne
That's all the kids so far, but I may add more later I have some more stuff in the works for when this arc is over…hint some of it is alluded to in the scene where Lily is talking to Wally.
See you on the flip side! I'm gonna be binge watching my shows that I need to catch up on so caio!
Moon-chan: (2/24/16)edit I wrote some things into this chapter so its alittle longer, also I want to apologize for the unannounced hiatus, my computer broke so I needed to get it fixed, but it's all good now so I should be updating again soon!