Dorothy "Dot" Everest was pissed.
She had just narrowly missed driving her car straight into a parking meter—because she was rushing.
She was rushing to catch up with her brother, who was currently admitted to inpatient at the local City public hospital.
She wasn't just pissed because she'd almost crashed her car. No, she was actually even more pissed with Arthur, because she was currently missing an important outing with Overkill—but that wasn't the main priority right now. Right now, all Dot cared about was getting to her brother's side before things got worse. And when Arthur was admitted, things always got worse.
She practically leapt out of the vehicle as she ran through the front door to admissions.
"Dot," she said breathlessly, "Everest! My brother Arthur….Is he in Psyche?"
"No ma'am," the admissions specialist replied brusquely, "he's in the ER at the moment. You'll have to—"
Dot didn't let her finish. She knew the drill, and she was already halfway down the hall.
She halted in her tracks at the sight of Tick in the lobby. He was unmistakable in his big bright blue. "Dot!" he called out, "Right on time! Your brother—"
Dot gasped and her knees buckled beneath her—
—but the Tick caught her just in time.
"My goodness!" exclaimed the Tick, his brow furrowed with a mixture of astonishment and profound concern. "Perhaps you are in need of a doctor too?"
"Please God no," Dot shook her head emphatically, "I just really need to see my brother! Tick…where is he—did he—" Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. She couldn't ask if he was okay because obviously, he wasn't.
"He's doing just fine," the Tick declared affirmatively, "he's just sleeping. Said it was a migraine and he was also dehydrated, which I suppose is why he passed out—"
"What—!" Dot's eyes widened with surprise. "He fainted? Oh dear God." She wondered sometimes if her brother faked illnesses. (He sure seemed to appreciate the Tick's attention.) Without saying another word, she went straight to the window. "I'm here to see my brother Arthur." It was a phrase she'd only said far too many times. "Where is he?"
"Right inside Miss," came the same old reply, "can I please see some I.D.?"
Dot handed over her card then sought out the Tick—-who she realized was actually standing, rather intimidatingly, right behind her. "Are you coming?" she asked, trying to collect herself in spite of her frenzied disposition.
"Waiting for Destiny," was the Tick's reply. "We'll be along shortly."
Dot squinted at the Tick, wondering if this was some strange pun that only people in big blue suits knew about. "Okay," she allowed, "but you might be waiting out here by yourself for quite some time!" With that she pushed her way through the swinging doors, leaving Tick on the other side looking confused and without saying goodbye.
Not long after she'd left, Destiny returned from her short trip to the bathroom. "What's the update?" She noticed the Tick's confused expression. "Hey—" she waved her hand in front of his face. "It's me, Destiny…are you okay in there?"
"That was Dot," the Tick replied, "Arthur's sister." It was all he said as he sank down into one of the tiny seats that somehow he managed to squeeze into.
"She must be tiny," Destiny replied, "because I sure don't see her!"
"She went in there," the Tick nodded at the entrance. "She's with Arthur right now."
"Oh." Destiny wasn't sure how to respond to that. She could only think about her own sister….and hope beyond hopes that wherever she was, she was okay.
Thankfully, Arthur was fully awake when Dot arrived—groggy, to be sure, but awake. They had given him a painkiller, but it was also a heavy sedative. It managed to give him relief, but it also gave him that strange in-between waking and dreaming kind of feeling. "Dot," he managed to sputter, blinking at her like a frog when he managed to put on his glasses.
"Jesus, Arthur." It came out harsher than Dot had intended. Usually, she was more supportive, but she was kind of fed up with bailing Arthur out of his messes. "What happened?" she asked (already dreading the answer).
Arthur rolled over and tried to prop himself up. His head was still aching a bit, but the pain was nowhere near what it had been. "Not sure…really…Migraine I think," he managed weakly, then noticed Dot's soured expression. "Sorry I scared you," he mumbled, covering his hands over his eyes to block out the light. "I…I think I'm OK now," he added because it was the only thing he could think of to say given the circumstances. (He wasn't really, but she didn't need to know that.)
"Good," she said softly, staring down at the floor, and Arthur kicked himself for having caused her suffering.
He wanted to tell Dot what he'd experienced…that once he'd blacked out, images had begun to appear….and suddenly, he was sitting on the ground, even though everything was dark….and the only thing he could see in front of him was
…..Superian.
Superian was there, sitting on the ground, but he couldn't talk. His mouth was covered in duct tape, and his hands were tied behind his back by invisible binds. He was staring back at Arthur with an expression that Arthur could only depict as complete and utter terror—which in itself was terrifying—because nothing scared Superian—after all, he was invincible! He was superhuman to the umpteenth degree. He was AEGIS's sore thumb that they could never pin down. He was more than nigh-invulnerable, he was eternally indestructible and could well likely live forever. Which could only leave to Arthur's horrified imagination what could possibly strike such fear into the heart of Superian so that he would be forced to sit in petrified silence without any means for direct communication. Yet his eyes were pleading with Arthur's, and Arthur wasn't sure how to respond. He couldn't. And then (as it always happened when he had waking nightmares), he abruptly woke up….when it was already too late. And now, Superian was gone, and he was alone—except he wasn't alone, because there was a nurse there, and she was poking and prodding at him—he just wanted to be left alone—
"Arthur!" Dot's voice tore him back to the unexpectedly harsh brightness of his present reality.
"Shit…" Arthur groaned as he held his head. "Sorry," was all he could add in response, unable to look her in the eyes, even as she was watching him with nothing but concern.
"What's going on with you?" she asked, not to scorn but to question.
Arthur wished he had the answer (he was wondering this himself). "I gotta speak to Destiny…." he muttered.
Dot leaned forward; she wasn't sure she'd heard him right. "What did you say….?"
"Destiny…." Arthur said again, at once confirming Dot's worst fears.
"Not you too…" Dot muttered, groaning as she covered her eyes. He was spending far too much time with that big blue man—
—Who, it so happened, was standing right beside her—yet again startling her out of her thoughts.
"ARTHUR!" The Tick greeted him. "How're you feeling, Chum?"
"Destiny!" Arthur sat up in bed, his eyes wide and staring at something over her shoulder.
"He's delirious," Dot groaned. "He keeps going on and on about his Destiny." She glowered at the Tick. "I blame you for that!"
"Rather blame me," a voice interjected before the Tick could respond.
"W-who…." Dot stared back with astonishment at the dark-haired woman with skin the color of burnt umber, who was standing beside the Tick. "Who are you?"
"That, my dear Dot," the Tick announced with a smile, "is—none other than—Lady DESTINY herself!" He added in a conspiratorial whisper, "She's here to say she approves of your path."
Dot's eyebrows arched steadily in indignation. "Excuse me…?" she muttered.
"Destiny," greeted Destiny, holding out her hand, "aka Lady Destiny, otherwise known as Lady Luck, or Fortuna in Greek Mythology—and the biological twin sister of Fate."
Dot shook the woman's hand even as she failed to hide her amusement. "You've got to be kidding…" She turned to Arthur, stifling a grin. "This is a joke," she declared, eyes flashing nervously between them, "...right?"
"...I don't think so," Arthur allowed carefully, looking to Destiny for input. "I'm…actually not sure anymore," he confessed (because that was far closer to the truth than anything else).
"She's an old friend," the Tick beamed at Destiny.
The announcement earned another strange look from Dot; yet, instead of responding, she turned back to Arthur.
"So are they letting you go home tonight?" she asked. "Because if not—I gotta let Mom know."
"No—" Arthur shifted uneasily in the bed. "Don't do that…." He hated to make their mother worry. "They're just doing some tests," he allowed, "standard stuff…y'know…I should be home by sundown," he added for good measure.
"And you're taking all your—"
"Yes, Dot," Arthur snapped, and she fell silent, realizing she was harassing him too much because he was already stressed.
"Sorry," he added when he realized what he'd done. "I didn't mean to snap at you." He smiled weakly at her. "I think I'm just tired," he admitted. "But…I really need to talk to you," he added, looking straight at Destiny. "Maybe…." He glanced nervously at Dot and the Tick, "in…private? For just a moment," he added when Dot's eyes widened with alarm. "It's…urgent," he added quickly. He knew he was being deliberately vague, and that it was hurting his sister—but there wasn't much time—it was now or never. Superian's life could be on the line….
….and it was up to Arthur to save him.