Shock To The Eco System

"Expression"

A/N: Check out my fic BLUDHAVEN it's a Batman slash-fic about Robin and an OC but I'm open to considerations of other eligible males – contact me if you want. Anyway I'd like to here from some reviewers about it…just because I feel all my work should be evaluated.

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Richie trudged out of his bedroom after Backpack prodded him awake so he'd not miss First Period History (curse of all curses). He stopped at the door to the bathroom as he heard the water cut off. Nigella sauntered out in a short towel that just barely kept her covered and her hair up in a construct of cotton.

"All yours" she said as she walked into her room and shut the door. "Plenty of hot water left" she closed her door. Richie was a tad shell-shocked but he managed to get to breakfast okay. He found Nigella there eating cereal. She indicated the note for him and then went back to munching on Flash-O's.

Dear Richard,

Your Father and I have gone out to see your Aunt Myrtle, we'll be away for a few hours but we should be here when you get back from school…or I will at least. Your father may have to continue work today but anyway. I made a lunch for Nigella as well they're both in the fridge and clearly marked with $5 for anything else you need. The days nice out so try to find something other then that hoodie to wear. Make sure Nigella's comfortable with the area as well, in case she has to come home alone (which I hope she won't as that is a terrible display of hosting skills). Take care dear and don't forget to brush your teeth.

Love

Mom

Richie nodded slowly, his mom thought Nigella was from school of course. Nigella was actually a vigilante with feline abilities…

But let's not nitpick on what parents don't know, he thought.

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"MR STONE" the teacher snapped. Richie flinched as he console pal jumped a little in his seat. He glared at the woman but she shook him off. "Would you kindly try and stay awake, this assignment goes double for you!"

Richie groaned as Francis flipped her off when she started handing sheets out again. "These are projects you must assemble, they are a standard presentation you must put together on computer properly. Failure will take a nice – 40 our of your end of year marks…oh and you're all working with your Buddies"

Richie felt ice take up residence in his bloodstream. Slowly he turned and looked at Francis. The red head glared back. "Equal work will be expected, if you don't know what you're talking about then its an instant fail for both of you". She walked back to the top of the class. "You may begin planning now it's to be handed in this day next week."

Richie wanted to cry but instead he opened the page out. "Examples of Romantic Tragedy and Loss in Diverse Texts of Literary Note" he read aloud.

"Fuck" Francis swore. "That's just--" he waved a hand over his head. "Whoosh".

"It's about how Love ultimately screws us over" Richie shrugged. He glanced over at Thomas Kim who was paired with Will Richards – their page read: "Drugs in Sports". Easy…damn them! Thomas looked at Richie and shrugged in despair.

Was he upset about the easy one? Oh that's not fair!

"So your house after school?" grunted Francis.

"NO!" Richie yelped. "I mean – No…I can't I have to do some stuff for my parents…"

"Then let's all organize around YOUR timetable" Francis Growled.

"Saturday!" Richie yelped as Francis leaned in…smelling strongly of a not too-unpleasant cologne and faintly of burnt air.

"Fine…I'll be there early" Francis snorted. Richie panicked…boy did he panic!

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Shiv reached for a coffee…his fifth in half and hour. Willows fan slapped across his knuckles and he recoiled. "Ah-ah-ah, no way" she chided. "I'm cutting you off."

"But-"

"No Buts you're cut off" Willow snapped. Shiv materialized a blade on his hand. Before he could act Willow kicked him into a seat and straddled his hips pressing her glowing nails to his cheeks. "Try that – I dear you…you do NOT want to lose face!"

Shiv mumbled and apology and Willow strode away. Larva said nothing he merely shrugged and walked away. Shiv sighed and shut his eyes. The image of Dr Ishtar's eyes fluttered over his head then faded into his mind.

You will work harder! You will not fail me! – The belt punctuated each strike.

Yes mother, I promise mother…I'm sorry mother…

Brats like you are not worth my time yet I give and give! YOU WILL WORK! – whimpering the child tried to crawl away as the belt scored red stripes on his body.

I promise mother I promise…

Isis kneeled by the boy. "Hush little one…you have a true mother now…come with me and rebuild the world" she whispered. Teenage Shiv nodded and walked away from the frozen figure of his mother's memory.

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Nigella was waiting for Richie at the door to his house. She had a bag with her. "Where were you all day?" he asked her as he climbed the steps to her house.

"Around" she shrugged. "I had things to do…how was school?"

"Uh…"

Nigella caught him by the jaw and turned him to face her. "Francis?"

"Yeah" Richie relented. "He…he's my lab partner and he's coming over to work with me here on Saturday…tomorrow…so much for TGIF."

Nigella shook her head as they entered. "Francis is a pussycat at heart but he's very cold despite being flammable".

"MOM?"

"She's probably not back yet…I don't smell her having been through here since this morning" Nigella called from the top of the stairs. Richie hurried up the steps and peeked into the box room. Nigella was rooting through the bag she had brought. Her Wildcat costume was on the bed and she'd evidently begun repairing it as she had a small sewing kit out.

"No offense but your brother is a hateful person" Richie said.

Nigella shook her head. "Sit here" she muttered. Richie did so without thinking. "I'm going to tell you a little something Richie. Francis had to be hateful he thought it gave him power. Our mother died giving birth to us-"

"You're twins?"

"Yeah, now you know how to get my age and birth date…go for it with the celebrations" she sighed. "Anyway, Dad remarried and the woman adopted us…things screwed up and Dad hit the bottle. Social services left Francis with him at the woman's request and let her foster me… it all went bad when I tried to see Francis – we're a pair – you can't keep us apart forever…the result was that I tried to find him that night on the docks and Bang. Dad was pretty bad at being a father – so someone else took over, namely the less then admirable gang leader Red Man. He died a few years ago – but you get the idea…"

"Oh…"

"Francis is a good person deep down – but he's been broken down so many times he hasn't had a chance to let it develop"

"Why can't he read?" Richie asked abruptly. "Is he dyslexic?"

Nigella frowned then realized what he was talking about. "No he can read – or rather…he's not dyslexic but he's illiterate. He never learned to read, I always had to do it for him when we were young. I tried to teach him but…he had an upside down childhood…he just never learned and never wanted to. I tried to convince him but he refused and he used to totally fluke it at school, he screamed and roared if they tried to make him so they gave up eventually".

Richie nodded solemnly. He'd just gotten a tiny bit of a puzzle to the jigsaw that was Francis Stone.

A frightening puzzle…then again most jigsaws don't beat you up… thought Richie.

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Static shot along in the sky. "Richie?" he called into the Shock-box.

"Yeah V?"

"Where are you?"

"At the Gas Station of Solitude, I'll see you in a few. Nigella just had to pick something up from the shops"

"What?"

"Would you believe kitty litter?" purred Nigella. "I had to get some steel wire actually, its for my Bolas…"

"Okay…I'll see you soon" Static said as he shut the connection seconds after Richie offered to refurbish her belts. The disk descended with its rider towards the streets…that's when Static saw Daisy. She looked up at him and waved. Seconds later the shop a few feet in the direction she had been walking exploded open. Magma, Onyx and Puff left it carrying the clothing racks. "Oh honestly" Static groaned. He sped down.

"All right party's over" he said as he blasted Onyx.

"Actually Static, it's just starting" Puff laughed as she jetted up after him. She blew a dart at him. He wired away and shielded himself. Daisy shrieked as Onyx was knocked into a wall by an energy burst. Static winced and turned to look at her.

"Get to safety!" he shouted.

A blast of Magma rock particles hit Static and he collapsed to the sidewalk. Ruff floated over head as Onyx stomped forwards to stamp down on the teen hero. "Splat-ic shock" laughed Puff.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Daisy exclaimed as she swung her satchel at Magma and knocked the girl down. Magma cursed in French and scrambled to her feet. Puff shoved Daisy away and turned back to Static.

"So much for the cavalry" snorted Onyx. Rainbow bubbles and sparks appeared around his head. "Must – Must – Must RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!" He frantically ran down the street as if devils were on his heels.

"Onyx what's up with you?" Puff exclaimed as she swirled up into the air. Suddenly she couldn't focus on her power anymore and collapsed to the ground. Magma swung around as the world began to spin under her feet she shrieked and fell down as she lost her balance. "Retreat!" Magma exclaimed. "Retreat!"

The girls rushed after Onyx. Daisy hurried over to Static and looked over him. She raised her hands and rainbow light encircled Static to show his sparking blue aura. "Phew! He's okay" she breathed. She frowned and moved closer…she touched his face…visions flitted through her mind. "VIRGIL!" she gasped.

Static opened his eyes…he was lying in an alley, alone…his disk was nearby…written on a white wall of the nearby butchers shop was a message: "Static, U-O-ME, Dazzle".

"Who the hell is Dazzle?" groaned Virgil.

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Dr Ishtar looked over her shoulder at Eclipse who was standing with his legs hip distance apart and his hands on his shadow cane. "Well, this was interesting…that girl was easy enough to manipulate after she used her powers – tell me things"

"She's his sometimes girlfriend" Eclipse shrugged. "They met at a school for the gifted and she excels in Biology. She is on the Gymnastics team of the school and the Swim Team too, she has some training in Basic Medicine and after several run-ins with Metahumans has taken to carrying a taser and knowing how to judo flip people…she's no super athlete but she's reasonably athletic. Sadly her martial arts are limited to a dozen, maybe less, classes in judo… she'll not match willow or Hauntress should they meet"

Dr Ishtar nodded. "Good…we may return to the Haven now" Eclipse nodded and opened the shadows around them into a gate.

-----------------TBC

KINDA SHORT! Yeah definitely, sorry but I've got all kinds of things on my mind at the mo, like my current relationship…anyway it's not important, what matters is the fact I'm updating in bulk! Oh and a reminder: Check out my fic BLUDHAVEN, it's in the Batman section, just look in my profile, it's about ROBIN and his coping with his sexuality as he faces the very deadly Whisper (created by FAO-Angelo- but what else is new?)