We own the rights to nothing of this story.
'High School Never Ends' is performed by Bowling for Soup
A new morning was breaking over the city, light catching off the glass spires and dappling the slowly filling streets. Gar and Blackfire had returned approximately two weeks ago and had quickly resumed business as usual, dealing with several low level threats without incident. A week after the elder pair's arrival back at the base, Leonid and Rosabelle had stopped by, finished with their honeymoon, to pick up Baby. It had been a lamented and tearful event – largely on the part of Duela, who wailed as she clung to Leo's boot, begging for them not to take away her playmate. Her actions had earned her the perplexed and bewildered stares of the couple and their child, who had blinked his big yellow eyes and patted her crimson hair in an attempt to console her. Eventually, they had managed to dislodge the pale skinned girl and bid their farewells to the peculiar family.
Since then, they had been preparing for their mission into the school that the younger members of the Bat Family suspected to be a front for N.O.W.H.E.R.E.'s operations. It was an upscale private academy that provided boarding for more distant attendants though most lived close enough that only about a quarter of the students actually resided at the school. The Dalton Institute had acquired a rather prestigious reputation within the state and much of its roster was derived from the cream of the social crop, but they diversified the population and garnered the public's favor by awarding scholarships to those of lesser means every year. For all intents and purposes, the Dalton Institute was a shining example of the city's prosperity that gave to the less fortunate.
And it was their task to uncover the nightmare that lay beneath it.
"Two kids entering school midway through the semester at the same time – don't you think they're going to find that a little bit suspicious?"
The lean girl with short brown hair narrowed her eyes as she seemingly grumbled into the air, her redheaded companion more interested in the passing people who paid neither of the pair any mind. With the dawn of the day, adults hurried to work while the youth of the city lugged their backpacks to school, their expressions more befitting men being driven to the electric chair. None took any particular note of the new duo, attired in green blazers with blue dress shirts and, in the case of the female member of the two, a green plaid skirt while her partner wore cerulean slacks. She carried a battered, old black backpack that was incongruous with the neat uniform and shiny shoes, and he had a satchel slung across a shoulder, resting at his hip as his hands clenched about the strap.
Microphones small enough to be hidden in the interior of their ears buzzed as a man answered, "Not so much if they're twins."
"Eddie and I don't look a thing alike," Rose pointed out in an attempt to dissuade Gar from his plan.
"You're fraternal."
"And the clown couldn't do it because . . .?"
"Her identity shifts on a nearly daily basis. You've got a better grip on that temper of yours than she has on who she is. Besides, she has a different part to play."
"Heh," Eddie snickered. Rose swiveled her head around to glare at him and she growled.
"Something funny, red?"
He shook his head, "Nope."
Rose regarded him through narrowed eyes before pushing off of the short wall that they had been lounging against and snarling under her breath. As she trudged down the sidewalk, Eddie rushed after her with a wide grin. He was strangely enthusiastic for someone who was headed towards school, elated with being able to walk amongst the public without the constant stares or people crossing themselves after his passage.
Back at the base, Gar stood in the control room, watching the projections streamed from the youths' camera contacts that his company had provided. As he released the button on his headset, ending the conversation with the pair, Blackfire floated into the room, encased in her otherworldly armor once again, and approached him. He turned to her with a smile and greeted her with a soft kiss before asking, "So how's it going?"
"She adapted almost disturbingly well," she answered. "Though if you ask me, I believe we should be locking her up in one of your people's padded rooms."
"Be nice, babe, or we'll be going a few round in the training room," he cautioned.
"Are you sure that you want to make that challenge, Gar? I've learned all your tricks," she claimed.
He laughed, "Beautiful, I've got the entire animal kingdom at my disposal. You can't learn all my tricks."
"Hmm," she pursed her lips before pausing a tic, her face turning serious as she queried, "I still must ask, in all seriousness, exactly what is wrong with that girl?"
"Oh, Rose isn't that bad -"
"I'm not talking about the child," she scoffed. "I'm talking about that pale girl who doesn't understand the concept of personal space."
"Ah. Dee. Right. Well, she's just friendly. She doesn't mean anything by it – usually."
Blackfire crossed her arms and scowled, "You know that's not what I was talking about. Are you sure that she's safe to keep around?"
"Heh. You know, a lot of people asked the question about you. Wait. Lose the past tense."
"Gar, you're avoiding the question. Continue to do so and you shall suddenly find your bed very cold – and lonely," she growled.
He sighed, dropping his head before turning to meet her glower as he tried to explain, "Duela's a bit . . . unique. We're not actually certain that she's part of this – what was it? – time stream. Some of the big thinkers say that she might be the intersection of several minds flowing in from different time streams, the whole paths not taken thing. I'll be honest, I wasn't really paying attention. Mewtwo was being a real bastard 'cause I'd already used the Master Ball on Snorlax. Got him in the end though. Naturally."
"How do you know that all her 'minds' are as benevolent as she usually is?" she pressed.
"She's human," he shrugged. "I trust her about as much as everybody else – at least until she does something to make me do so otherwise."
Blackfire considered him for a second before dropping her arms and sighing, overwhelmed by her lover's faith in others. A devious smile crossed her face a second later, "Regardless, I can't wait to see Rose's reaction to our little surprise."
"Yeah, tape that for me. I'm going to be as far away from her and anything sharp as I can," he chuckled.
"Hey, you still there or are you busy ramming your tongue down your girlfriend's – and I'm being generous with that term – throat?" Rose's voice intruded upon them over the intercom, more pronounced than it had been in the conversation she and Eddie had been sharing.
"How eloquent. You know, everyday I'm amazed by the fact that she hasn't ensnared herself a mate yet," Blackfire mused mockingly. The green man let her finish the remark before pressing the button on the headset.
"What's up, Rosie-Posie?"
"Just wanted to make sure that you're still there. We're at the school," she reported as she and Eddie gazed across the street at the regal Dalton Institute. The private academy was guarded by a looming wall topped with iron spikes, like the dark gate that was opened to admit the flow of students. Most arrived on foot but a portion of the number was supplanted by buses that rolled to the sidewalk and stopped to release their passengers who joined their friends loitering in the courtyard. All the students were attired in the same uniforms as Rose and Eddie though that seemed to be the only restriction on appearance, evidenced by the latest arrival. A tall stringy youth with spiky purple hair rode to the gate on a skateboard that he kicked into his arms, straightened out his uniform, and then strolled through the gate.
"Security looks pretty basic. Laughable," Rose observed, scanning the building and picking out the lazily placed security cameras as well as the rather flabby guards who stood place at the gate.
"Looks like any normal school," Eddie added. "No monsters, mad scientists, or death rays here."
"So total snooze-fest, huh?" Gar quipped.
"Pretty much," Rose sighed. "Have I ever told how much I think this plan completely and utterly sucks?"
"To the point where I'm surprised that you're not hoarse from it," Gar noted. "Okay, so remember the story. You guys are Edward and Rose Bloomberg, originally from California. Unfortunately, your Aunt Marla died in an accident out there and your parents couldn't stand the tragedy of it – so you came east. You're attending the school on her money, and you're pretty new to this particular area. Your schedules are in your backpacks, the teachers are expecting you, and I'll be in your ear the whole time."
"Joy."
"Got it," Eddie nodded though his tone was somewhat somber. Rose cast a glance towards him, but didn't press the issue before they strode across the street.
They entered the gates without any difficulty, the guards not even sparing a glimpse in their direction, and weaved through the crowd towards the building. As they entered, Eddie reached into his satchel for his schedule, and Rose followed his lead to compare the sheets. After a moment of studying both of them, she frowned, "We have three classes together. And two of them are lunch and study hall."
"We need you to cover ground. Everything leaves evidence, so N.O.W.H.E.R.E. can't be completely hidden. If they are there, you'll find signs. Keep your eyes open, trade notes during lunch and study hall, and don't get caught," Gar instructed.
"Have some faith," she scoffed. Despite her assurance, the sudden clanging of the school bell had her reaching for her hidden blades before Eddie caught her arm. His touch convinced her to relax as the other students began to file in from outside, flowing around them as they headed towards class. He peered at his paper and then back up to her with a smile as he joined the crowd, waving a farewell.
"Good luck, 'sis.'"
Rose stuck her tongue out after him and then gave her schedule a gaze meant to incinerate it. Failing at that, she shuffled down the hallway, glancing at the numbers over the classroom in search of her homeroom. As she walked, she asked in a voice largely hidden by the surrounding crowd's clamor, "Hey, just how much is this gonna suck?"
"What do you mean?" Gar answered.
"My mom was a former princess. She may've lost that position, but she got out with most of her gold, jewels, that sort of stuff. We weren't exactly strapped for cash. And until my . . . my dad came smashing back into my life, I was taught by private tutors and trained by her. Honestly, meeting the Titans was the first time I was around kids my age who weren't being paid to hang out with me," she admitted.
"Wow. Okay, I think you just managed to depress me," he claimed with slight astonishment. "But I don't think I can offer much help. I was raised in an African village where 'school' was gathering around the elders and learning from them. And when I got to the States, well . . . a few things better left unmentioned happened and then Steve took over my schooling. Telepaths make terrifying teachers."
"Great," she muttered.
"Hold up a sec."
There was relative silence for a second before Gar's voice returned in her ear.
"Okay, yeah. My sweetheart's got no clue what regular schooling was like. If you want, I could try asking DeeDee, but I don't think -"
"Let me stop you right there. I'm not about to take advice from that clown."
"What clown?"
Rose's gaze snapped towards the tall, curvaceous girl that looked at her quizzically, her full lips pulled into a friendly smile. Even in the unflattering uniform, she attracted the stares of all the passing boys and a few of the girls as well, their eyes fixating upon her tanned skin. Long wavy hair descended past her shoulders, its color a deep oak hue. Around her neck was a small pendant made of silver that was adorned with a simplistic design of a cat's head with glittering pink whiskers. She stood there, staring at Rose with kind eyes as the throng of students passed by them.
"What?"
The stranger repeated, "What clown? And who were you even talking to?"
Rose hiked the backpack higher onto her shoulder and strolled away, casting back, "Nothing that concerns you."
The girl rushed after her, keeping pace alongside her as she gave a short laugh, "Right, yeah. You're new, and here I am pestering you. I'm Kat. Kat Summers."
"And I'm not interested."
"Are you always this friendly or did I do something special to deserve this treatment?"
"Hey, good news; it's the first one. Now if I'm correct, this is my homeroom. So, bye."
"Well, frosty meetings notwithstanding, let me be the first to welcome you to Dalton Institute," Kat smiled again before waving at Rose and heading down the hall. Rose stared after her for a moment, trying to work up a scowl before sighing and slouching into the room.
"Yeah, bet it's gonna a real blast."
Ethan York came from a long line of heroes, a clan of firefighters, policemen, and paramedics who had been around since the revolutionary war where they had fought on the side of the rebels. They were generations who had made it a habit of not only running towards burning buildings, but into them for the sake of others. As the eldest member of his generation, beating out his twin brother by seven minutes, Ethan accepted all the responsibilities that came with it with admirable aplomb. Not even old enough to possess a license, he was already demonstrating his family's selfless courage, running towards danger, even at the risk of his life just to save a stranger. It was a trait that Gwendolyne Matsura admired and loathed in equal measure though more so the latter as she raced after him down the rocky slope, a terrain that seemed to go on forever, struggling to keep her footing.
Her lineage was not as impressive as her friend's, largely compromised of business men and housewives. Her great-grandparents had emigrated from Japan to the United States several years before World War Two, running a small grocery store. They had survived the internment camps before trekking towards the east coast in search of a fresh start. In more recent years, and more important in her eyes, was the exploits of her father who had built and ran one of New York City's hottest clubs. She herself secretly operated as a DJ in several clubs geared towards younger crowds, the infamous 'Bekka Babe.' Unfortunately, such a lifestyle left her woefully unprepared to the seemingly boundless hell that she and many others had been dumped into.
"Dammit, Ethan!" she shouted at the brunette as they charged towards a flattened part of the desolate landscape where the tangle of bodies had massed, a motley assortment of humanoids, some that looked more human than others. Their skin was a variety of unnatural hues of scales, fur, thick hides, and mechanical implants that glinted in unnatural as they converged on a tall, dark-skinned girl. She struggled against the dull-eyed horde, but with all the grace and precision of her strikes, she was still being overwhelmed.
"Let go, you freaks! Git off!" she shouted, panic taking root in her tone as hands, not all of them entirely human, seized her flailing limbs and forced her down into the pile.
A blue glow that threw off fierce sparks emanated from Ethan's eyes, and it infused his balled fists as well as he leapt into the fray. His fist made contact with a cyclopean cyborg who was sent sailing through the air before plowing into the earth, digging a furrow before coming to a halt. Gwen took up position at the base of the hill and had begun a ranged assault with the rocks in her vicinity. The men barely noticed him, single-minded in their pursuit and as he sent a blast at another foe, he caught sight of the girl the men were dogpiling. With a growl, he seized the nearest man's head and the glow about his hands intensified before arcing between the other members of the group. They seized up, trembling before slumping to the ground and falling into unconsciousness.
"Shitshitshitshit," Gwen sprinted to catch Ethan as he staggered forward, grunting as his larger mass fell into her. She slipped one of his arms over her shoulder and asked, "Are you all right?"
"I'll manage," he rasped before nodding his head towards the girl, "More importantly, how's she doing?"
"You know, a little self-interest might not be a bad thing. Sure make my life a heckuva lot easier," she grumbled, earning the glowing glare of her friend. She rolled her eyes and peered over at the dark girl. "She's outta it, but she looks fine."
"Good."
"So what exactly did you do there?"
"Burnt away Leash's hold on them. I'm really sick of him messing with the newcomers," he muttered as he dragged his feet towards the collapsed girl who found refuge in her sleep from the waking nightmare they were trapped in.
"Yeah, somebody really needs to shove something up where the sun don't shine," she nodded.
The girl would have towered over both of the pair had she been standing, and the dark skin of her buxom, athletic frame was smooth and enticing. A black suit with plunging cleavage, unlikely to be a natural part of her wardrobe, melded to her curvy body, thick straps arching over her shoulders but leaving her arms bare. White panels lined the sides and other lines of white that carried a strange glow to them ran across the suit. Black hair was pulled into tight braids that splayed out beneath her head with a single thick strand lying across her face and her full lips. There were black, fingerless gloves on her hands and thick-soled boots on her feet.
"Come on. Let's get her back to the shelter before somebody else comes along," he urged as he tried to stand on his own. He managed for a few seconds before his knees began to shake and he nearly toppled to the ground, Gwen grabbing him and dragging him upright again.
She rolled her eyes, "Right, because you're going to be a huge help."
"Can't leave her . . ." he mumbled, groaning lightly as his voice faded.
Gwen shook him, forcing him to open his eyes as she snapped, "Hey, don't you go fading on me now! How am I supposed to drag this stork and your ass back to that little hovel?!"
"Take her first," he directed.
"Excuse me?"
"Get her back safe, secure her, and then come back for me."
"Yeah, how about 'no?'"
He groaned, "Look, Gwen, I can still use my powers. Somebody comes for me, I'll drain them. I'll be fine until you get back."
"Okay. Sure. We could do that. Or, and this is just a suggestion, we could leave her behind and go on our merry way," she said.
"Gwen," he chided.
She sighed, "Fine. Fine, you win. But she better have the power to turn rocks into cheeseburgers or something because, otherwise, this just isn't worth it."
Ethan chuckled as he lowered himself onto a rocky outcrop, and watched Gwen struggle with the long-limbed girl. He held back a laugh as she finally managed to lay her across her back, draping her arms in front of her to provide some sort of hold and letting her feet drag in the dirt. The short girl scowled at her friend, "Say a word, Ethan, and, I swear, I won't be coming back for you."
He mimed zipping his lips closed, which only seemed to further aggravate his friend who began the hike back to their shelter grumbling under her breath.
And thus begins the N.O.W.H.E.R.E. story arc! If you want an actual name for the arc, we've been calling it 'The Middle of N.O.W.H.E.R.E.' Bad name? Probably. We going to change it? Nope.
So we hope you enjoyed this chapter though we felt a little bit iffy about it. If you did enjoy, please leave a review. Tell us what you liked or what you didn't like. Help us improve as writers. And if you enjoyed the writing, please check out our new story, 'Before the Batman,' the tale of a young Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham midway through his training. The poor thing needs more reviews.
I Be Sporks: We're glad that you're enjoying Duela (can you believe you're only like the second one to mention her?) and we're sorry she didn't appear in this chapter. Hopefully, her appearance in the next one will make up for it. And that conversation would be absolutely hilarious. Yeah, Doom Patrol has some of the weirdest baddies and members. And, yes, Eddie is Dormouse because of the tail. 'Princess Bride' is a great movie, one of our favorites. And now we want to write something completely horrible with Holocaust Cloaks. Hee. So you won the contest; however, we already had plans for Jaime to make an appearance, so you are free to make another request.
Until next time, everybody enjoy yourselves! And review!