Early 2011
"Are the others back yet?"
"No Black Canary, I'm the only one here."
The blonde heroine nodded and motioned for the newbie to come nearer.
"You understand why you're here with me and not out with them, yes?"
"Mm-hm. I need basic combat training before I can be allowed anywhere near the field. And if I even dream of pulling a stunt similar to the 'Cadmus Fiasco' I will be outta here faster than the Flash."
Black Canary raised a brow at the younger hero. Zemirah giggled.
"Yeah, that last part was heavily implied; so I just said it out loud because no-one else would."
"I'm more surprised you know about it."
"Well… Kaldur might have told me about it…"
"Of course he did… So do you have any previous experience in combat?"
"Um… I took a couple Tae Kwon Do lessons a while back, does that count for anything?"
"Did you retain anything from them?"
"I remember all of them actually."
"Anything else?"
"I take ballet, if that helps."
Black Canary gave the younger a smirk and their lesson began. The two were almost done when the hangar doors opened.
"They're back!"
Her sudden outburst did nothing to deter Black Canary from knocking her legs out from under her and sending her to the floor.
"Buhday, wha you do that for?" Zemirah complained weakly.
"Never let your guard down," Black Canary explained amusedly.
Before Black Canary could help her up the others filed in, visibly tired from their mission. The youngest looked at her poor best friend who now sported slightly singed hair. Her eyes grazed over the others and was not at all pleased with what she saw. Kid Flash was bruised and his suit was slightly torn. Artemis held her arm and Zemirah was sure she had a cracked bone. Robin was even limping. But for some odd reason, the injury that struck her the most wasn't even the most severe. Kaldur had a cut on his face as though he'd been sliced. The girl shot up and scrambled over to him.
"Wha happen?" She asked, whispering in a voice pitched higher than normal.
Kaldur said nothing but winced under her touch, gently removing the hand from his face. Zemirah escaped his grip and moved to touch the mark again. The Atlantean flinched and Zemirah gently shushed him.
"It's alright, hold still."
She gently placed her hand on his face again, just under the lesion. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes for a moment before snapping them open again. Everyone was stunned into silence as her hand started to glow a soft, wispy teal. Almost instantly the gash began to close up. In under a minute the wound was gone. There was no evidence of it having existed.
"Does it still hurt?" Zemirah asked with a gentle voice.
Kaldur touched where the laceration used to be and flinched slightly. It still stung, but it no longer bled.
"Alright, how long have you been able to do that, and can you do it again?" Robin asked.
Zemirah looked and finally noticed that everyone was staring at her in awe. She looked at the Dark Knight's Apprentice and nodded.
"I've been able to do this for about as long as I can remember. I'm a little out of practice since I never did it much at home. Usually only on little cuts and pin-pricks. Though, I think I heal pretty fast either way."
"What? Why wouldn't you?" Artemis asked. "If I could heal up cuts and bruises like that I'd use it all the time."
"Yeah… You wan try explain to your mother why that cut you needed stitches for suddenly disappeared?"
"Good point," Artemis answered with a smirk.
Zemirah spent the next few minutes healing her injured… co-workers? She wasn't sure if she could truly consider them friends yet — beyond Caroline whom she'd known since she was eight; and a soulmate whom she knew very little of, all things considered. She knew she counted Robin as a friend, though she also knew it was a painfully biased decision as he was her best friend's boyfriend. She liked Wally enough, he was surprisingly sweet; but she wasn't sure what to make of him. Sometimes he was one of the most brilliant people she'd ever met, and others he was obtuse as an angle. Artemis was amicable, but guarded and kept her emotions in check. Miss Martian was a very bubbly person but she was often so worried and doubting that it was hard for Zemirah to go near. Not without being consumed by strong emotions to the point of being driven to tears, at least. The only ones it was easy to talk to was Zatanna; the mischievous but well-meaning magician, and Superboy; the classic tall-dark-and-handsome teen, with a heart of gold. The fact that he got her a welcome bouquet alone was enough to win him her favor. However, the fact that he had a tendency to avoid Zemirah led her to avoid him as well, if only to make him feel more at ease in his own home. And then there was another member of the team she had yet to even meet. She hadn't been told much about her, however.
"So Zemirah, are you gonna go camping with us tonight?" Kid Flash asked as soon as his bruise was gone.
"I'm sorry, what?" the empath asked.
"You know, you switch between that cool accent and talking like an American a lot," Robin observed.
"I know, when I was a little gyal I used to watch a lotta TV," Zemirah automatically responded. She then turned back to the red-head, "And as for you; I'm sorry, what?"
"Um, I asked if you were going to go camping with us tonight?" the Kid repeated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Oh, no. No. Nonononononono. I cyan understand ayou Americans and this fascination with camping. Why you wan' sleep outside wid ten million mosquitos and no plumbing? Das jus' crazy!"
"Um… Because it's fun?" Kid tried.
Zemirah blinked.
"You well sot. If a hurricane hit you wan' be in a tent, or you wan' be inna house; which one? 'Cause I never see tent survive a hurricane in my life. An' I'n goin' campin' until I do."
The second she said that, she noticed Robin get smug, almost as though he'd won a bet. Zemirah prepared herself for the worst.
"That's too bad, 'cause I finally convinced Batman to allow me to tell you all my secret ID. We planned the whole trip just for you. But if you don't wanna go…"
His implication was obvious enough. It took Zemirah a few seconds before she made her decision, inhaling deeply before letting out a calming breath. She walked over to Caroline looking fairly unhappy.
"If so much as one mosquito bite me," she said shaking a finger at her friend before using her other hand to point back at Robin. "I gon' kick him."
"Just not in the face," Caroline responded.
[Marks]
They all sat around the campfire, at a distance comfortable for both Kaldur and Miss Martian, but close enough to roast marshmallows. Zemirah sat with her legs crossed in between Kaldur and Caroline.
"So now what?" Zemirah snapped.
"Well, now, we get to introduce ourselves to you," Robin said. "Anybody wanna start?"
Everyone went quiet. Zemirah could feel confusion and even some mild apprehension. Well, if none of them were ready to tell her, they didn't have to.
"Y'know, its okay if none of you want to tell me," Zemirah said. "I don't mind."
Well, that last part was a bit of a lie.
"Actually, I don't know about everybody else, but I want to," Artemis said. "So, aside from being my code-name, I'm also known as Artemis. Artemis Crock"
"…Hi Artemis," Zemirah said, her heart lifting.
"I'm M'gann M'orzz."
"…Connor Kent."
Everyone looked to Robin, who had yet to reveal his Secret Identity. Caroline leaned over to whisper:
"He's gonna drag this out like the Drama-Queen he is."
"I can tell," Zemirah whispered back.
"So," Robin said standing up. "I know all of your Secret IDs, but you guys don't know mine."
"We know Bird-Wonder!" Artemis said. "So are you gonna tell us, or not?"
"I will… Although, to be entirely fair, Kid Flash has known for a while now."
A few whispers of shock went across the group.
"Seriously?" Artemis asked turning to her boyfriend. "You know?"
"I do," he answered with a nod.
"And you all called him 'Kid Big-Mouth'," Zemirah said with a chortle.
"Yeah," Robin said, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's on me too. Please know that I have never doubted you for a second."
Zemirah could feel the elation and relief at the reassurance. She smiled and rested her head on Kaldur's shoulder, holding his arm in her grasp.
"Anyways, you all know Robin. However, my alter-ego is known as Richard Grayson."
With a deft motion, Robin removed his ever-present shades, revealing a pair of crystal-blue eyes. She heard gasps of surprise from across the group, save for Kaldur, Wally, and herself. There was a sudden influx of excitement when the shock died down.
"You mean you're-?"
"No way!"
"You little troll!"
And there was the indignation she thought she imagined.
Robin- Richard, looked over at the blonde and gave an absolutely wicked grin. Artemis glared, but gave a small smile that struggled to hold back a laugh.
"Hey, I told you we'd laugh about it someday."
With that the smile became a laugh Wally and Richard soon followed suit. Zemirah couldn't help but giggle along.
"I can't believe you," Artemis said with a final chuff.
"Um… What are you talking about?" Connor asked.
"When I first started going to Gotham Academy, this guy over here surprised me on my first day bay taking a selfie with me and then running off to who-knows-where. But Bette didn't call you 'Richard'."
"Yeah, I know. It's a nickname."
"Wait, what nickname?" M'gann asked.
"Well, instead of Richard I go by Dick Grayson."
"Uh… Isn't that a slang term for-?"
"Connor, please don't finish that sentence."
"It's an old-school nickname," Zemirah said.
"Yes, finally! Someone who gets it! You," Dick said, turning to Caroline. "Keep her."
"Speak to her. I am but a best friend, not a remote control."
"Don't worry, I plan on sticking around."
[Marks]
Caroline sat back and eyed the characters on her palm. She could not decide which hurt more. The fact that they were silver forever; or the fact that they were silver at all.
"You know staring at it won't change anything."
"I know Z. But I can't help but think it isn't fair. You're sure it's silver because their dead and not because I died?"
"Batman confirmed it Pinky. He researched every possibility regarding soulmates. You came back, it would've turned white again if that was the case."
"Can't blame me for hoping."
"I don't."
[Marks]
Alex sat at Reverend Carter's computer, tapping away on the keyboard with vigorous purpose. He heard a knocking before calling out.
"It's open!"
Chokichi stepped in with sandwich on a plate, and yanked the swivel chair back. He placed the plate on Alex's lap and demanded he eat. The brunet grudgingly complied. Chokichi looked over at the screen.
"So, what are you doing Alex?" Chokichi asked.
"Research," the brunet answered.
"On what?"
"My sister."
"You have a sister?"
"Yeah, we were on a walk, and then we were separated. I think I was kidnapped, but Reverend Carter rescued me."
"So why don't you ask him for help?"
"He said that he wants to, but this is something I have to do on my own."
"Well that sucks."
"It does… Where's your brother?"
"Somewhere far away from here, I hope."
"Why'dyou say that?"
"He had a date."
"Right…"