Years.. Many Years it had been since my last time in Starling City. Of course, publically.. I had never been.. It would be another 2 years before David Shuter Razacrazer.. Iron Thunder and soon to be Blue Lightning set foot in Starling along-side the Flash. Thanks to time travel, I got the chance to see Oliver Queen at the beginning. The Hood. I learned something spectacular thanks to this time travel. Not the Assassin training.. Nor the secret war. No.. I was ALWAYS The Blue Lightning. The Man who wore the suit before me was ME. Hell I even learned I influenced Tony Stark's design choices for my Iron Suit when I went toe to toe with him a couple years back. It was amazing how much time travel was woven into the timeline.. How many things became clear... why Oliver was so trusting when I first joined the team, why my Iron Suit had wrist blades.. Everything.

Now had come the time when I needed to earn Olivers trust the hard way. That would take time. I had to take baby steps.

The year is 2012. Oliver Queen was just found alive after presumed dead. I made my way to Starling City immediately. Of course I would only play it safe. I wasn't going to be an active vigilante.. Not yet. After so long in the shadows.. I wasn't sure I knew how.. However I knew working alongside Oliver again would help me get back into it.

Of course first the Hood took on Adam Hunt. I knew I had to wait.. If I acted too early and I could damage the timeline.. I would become the Starling City Vigilante, the leader and Oliver the side kick. I had to wait.. Let him come into his own first. However that didn't mean I couldn't help out along the way.

My first time suiting up was the night The Hood went after Floyd Layton. Deadshot. Oliver told me about this day as it was the reason he had met Felicity. I knew how deadly Deadshot could be.. And even though I knew Oliver would survive.. I needed to be there. I stood uptop a building across the street from Layton's place. My bow in my hand. Ready. Not the bow Oliver gave me when I started of course, I hadn't brought that one with me. This was the Bow the Elf Queen had sung for me oh so many years ago, still in perfect condition.

I watched as The Hood got the drop on Floyd. I had to admit, it was interesting to see him for the first time. His suit wasn't has advanced.. His bow wasn't the one I was used to seeing him with. He even had a new vibe coming from him. I watched him fight. Waiting. Just when I thought he wouldn't need any help I saw Deadshot get Oliver in his sights. I didn't hesitate. I notched one of my blue feather and tipped arrows and fired, it clipping the gun and embedding itself in the wall beside Oliver. I turned and ran, not wanting to be seen.

More weeks passed, and Oliver had been arrested and accused of being the Vigilante. I had not been told that had happened, so it was a genuine shock. However I then learned Oliver was throwing a party.. I figured as a cover up for something. So I decided to pay it a visit.

It was prison themed, so I came dressed as a cop. I stood by myself in a corner for the most part, observing. I noticed a few familiar faces. I saw younger Thea, and had to admit it was hard to imagine her becoming the deadly sorta-assassin-vigilante in just a few short years. I also saw Laurel, the future Black Canary. That was when I saw Oliver himself. I walked up to him, being slightly taller he had to look up a little. I said "Cool party man, theme's a little on the nose but cool nontheless." He smiled a goofy smile (Which I had to admit was very weird to see) and said "Making the best of it! Who are you?" I held out my hand "David. Nice to meet you Ollie-er, I mean Oliver. It's going to be interesting to see how you get out of this one." He raised an eyebrow.. But then Diggle himself walked up behind him and tapped his shoulder. Oliver said "Sorry Davey, my Body Guard needs me.. Probably saw a ghost or something. Listen.. Have fun man, This is a party after all!" he then walked off. I rolled my eyes and waited a minute before secretly following. I then overheard them talking about a gun deal going down.. And Diggle wearing the hood. I then turned and left.. Knowing where Blue Lightning would appear next.

I waited in the shadows watching the deal go down. They were about to finish the deal when the lights went out.. And I knew the Hood substitute was about to make his move. He began fighting the guys. The street gang left leaving just the drug dealers. Dig wasn't using the bow that much, which figured since he wasn't an archer. However that left him open.. He had to fight close quarters, which was a risk. So I moved out of the shadows. Notched an arrow and fired, hitting one guy in the back, I fired a few more, taking out as many as I could. Finally all the men were down. The ones who weren't left. Diggle turned to me and looked at me. He then looked at one of my arrows, then back at me. I nodded, notched a grappling hook arrow and fired it, flying away.

More weeks passed. I was sure Oliver and John were talking about me, wondering who I was.. Wondering if I was a threat.. Probably on the look out.. However I had the advantage of future Oliver's stories.. I knew key events and where they took place.. I didn't have to be active in crime fighting. I waited.. Until reports came in that the Hood was working with a lady with a crossbow... the Huntress. I knew how this would go down. She would try to kill her father. I was going to be there to stop her father killing her.

When the night arrived, I once again suited up. I waited in the woods where the action was going to go down. I waited behind a tree. I heard the confrontation. Oliver stopping her. I knew the father was about to shoot her and notched an arrow. But then a froze. This was something in history Oliver told me happened... If I was around the whole time, I could be changing the timeline. So Instead I waited until the arrow fired, then I notched an arrow and fired it, hitting the cross bow out of Bertanelli's hand. I then notched a special arrow and hit Bertanelli's arm. He cried out in pain, then fell asleep.. Oliver looked at me, then at the Huntress, then at me. I turned on my voice changer and said "You should be smarter with your choices in partner." He yelled "Who are you?" I responded "Helena needs medical attention, that question can wait for another time. Besides.. They can't call both of us the Hood." I then turned and left.

Another month. It had now been 5 since The Hood has shown up. I had run into him 3 times now (Well.. Technically two, Dig didn't count.) Now a new Archer took up home in Starling.. The Dark Archer, who I knew to be Malcom Merlyn, but I could not admit that. Not yet.

Another chance for me to show myself to Oliver presented itself in a challenged from the Archer to the Hood. Hostages who's lives were on the line. I knew Oliver had been beaten by Merlyn every time they fought until the end, and I remembered a brief mention of how he got his ass handed to him, so I figured I would save his ass from getting beat too bad.

I was not as fast as I had hoped. By the time I got to the rood of the near by building, Oliver was already beaten on the floor, with Merlyn standing over top of him, ready to kill him. I pulled a zipline arrow out of my quiver and fired it, zipping down it and crashing through a window. Merlyn turned and said "Ahh.. The Ghost of Starling City. Most people don't even believe you exist, I counted myself amongst them.. Lets see if Ghosts can die" He pulled an arrow out and fired, I ejected a wrist blade and deflected it. He froze. I said with my voice changer on "I am The Ghost, check your history books, you'll find me there. Now how about you pick on someone your own speed" I then pulled an arrow out and fired, he dodge and charged, I charged as well. He attacked with his bow and I blocked. I took a step back and moved forward on the attack. We exchanged blow after blow. Him getting a few good ones in, I got a few in. I knew his fighting style... it was League of Assassins.. While I had fought a few back when I first entered Starling City in 2014, I learned through my time with the Brotherhood that this League used to be a sect of the Brotherhood until they went dark, wanting to take a more active role in shaping history. This meant the core of his fighting style was the same as we taught in the Brotherhood..

We took a step back and he notched an arrow, He said "You.. Are the Ghost.. The Ghost of the Brotherhood of Assassins." I nodded slightly "You know of me then. Good. Know this as well. Starling City is under my watchful eye. Nothing happens without me knowing about it.. And I will stop you.. Al Sah-her" He then shot his arrow, I quickly notched 2 and fired. The first deflecting the Dark Arrow, the second hitting Merlyn in the stomach. I then rushed forward and kicked him hard, sending him crashing through a window. I then turned and ran, as Oliver had taken my distraction as a chance to escape.

I tracked him to an alley when he had passed out from his wounds. I took his radio and said with my voice changer off 'Dig... Oliver is hurt. He needs an evac. No time for questions." I waited until Dig pulled up and got out. He trained a gun on me until he saw Oliver. I then said 'The Dark Archer is gone.. For now, I wounded him. Help Oliver, I'll be in touch soon.. Things are progressing much faster than I anticipated" I then pulled a repel arrow and fired, zooming high to the rooftops where I made my escape. It was all in the open now. People knew I existed.. They had saw glimpes of me.. A new Vigilante was confirmed to be operating in Starling City.. Codename... The Ghost.

6 weeks.. That was how long it took Oliver to put that hood back on. Longer than I expected. In that time I tried my best to pick up the slack.. However I had never planned on being in the shadows this long, it made it harder to operate as a Vigilante. Working woth the assassins.. The whole war was in the shadows, which made it easier to operate in the shadows. The problem with organized crime.. It didn't always take place in the shadows.

Garfield Lynns.. Firefly.. He was Oliver's next target. I watched the news as the events unfolded.. The fire as the nightclub. The return of the Hood.. Being called a hero. I waited outside the foundry for Oliver and Dig to return. And when they did, I followed. I made it to the door to the downstairs.. The Arrow Cave is Cisco had dubbed it. I input the code Oliver had told me he had used before he got the keypad when I complained about THAT code and the door opened.. I walked down the stairs just as Oliver said "We go hunting" they then whipped around as they heard my footsteps. John pulled a gun. I raised my hands in a surrender gesture. "I'm an expert at hunting." I said. Oliver then said "Who are you? How do you know how to get in here." I looked at him and said "You told me. I didn't know why at the time.. But now I do." I then pulled down my hood and removed my mask.

Oliver said "You. Weren't you at the prison party I threw months ago? David?" I nodded " I have to say I loved the chance to see you.. Thea.. John.. Laurel.. At the beginning.. I couldn't resist seeing party Oliver.. A personality only briefly mentioned and so opposite of what I am used to.." John said "He must be crazy." I shook my head. "No.. I'm not.. I have had years.. Centuries in fact to figure out how I was going to do this.. How I was going to win Oliver Queen's trust the hard way. I have some ideas but honesty is always the best policy.. I am from the Future Oliver.. You're future." John then said "He is crazy" Oliver shook his head "Maybe not... I witnessed crazier things than time travel on the island John. Question is who is he.. And why is he here now?" I then said "My name Is David Shuter Razacrazer..I time traveled in the year 2015 back to the 11 hundreds to join an ancient group of protectors known as the Brotherhood of Assassins to rise through the ranks and become their leader.. That was my mission given to me by Rip Hunter.. Saying it would help save Earth in its darkest hour. We did that last year. As for why I am here now. I realized I was destined to become the vigilante I took over for in 2014.. I was destined to become the Ghost. That is how I knew of Deadshot.. The Huntress.. The Dig fake out at the party... and the Dark Archer.. As well as how to get in here.. I am from your future Oliver.. I am part of Team Arrow."

Oliver shook his head "There is no team arrow.. There is me..and Dig. That is it." I then said 'For now. Oliver you also told me things about your past.. Now I know it was so I could earn your trust now.. Things you never told anyone else at this time. Diggle If we could have the room." Dig looked at Oliver, whom nodded "I want to see what he has to say.. And if I find he is lying.. I will kill him myself." I nodded "Fair."

Dig left and Oliver looked at me. I said "I know many things. I know you worked for ARGUS.. You spent a year in Hong Kong when you were supposed to be on the island, I know of Shado's death.. I know that Sara Lance did not die on the Queen's Gambit, she died on the Amazo when you and Slade Wilson and Sara sunk it in your second year on the Island. I know of the Mirakuru." Oliver stared me down "There is still a lot you do not know then.." I nodded "You only had about 6 months to tell me things.. As well as teach me how to be a good archer without using my powers before you uh... nevermind.." I shut up. I almost spilled the beans on him 'dying' but coming back weeks later. I also purposely withheld that Sara survived the island and joined the League of Assassins, later coming back to Star City and becoming the Canary.. Just to die again.. At the hand of Thea.. Oliver then said "You know.. With holding information is not a way to gain my trust.. And what do you mean, powers? Magic?"

I sighed "I can't tell you everything of your future.. It would ruin the timeline, could even lead to the destruction of this city.. Or the world if I never end up time traveling because I never meet you.. Time travel is sensitive like that." I paused then continued "I'm not just... The Grand Mentor of the Assassin's and a Vigilante from the future... I am also a Demigod.. Child of Zeus.. A Dragon Rider... and I'm Iron Thunder.. Or I was.. I haven't donned that suit in nearly 900 years.." I then raised a clawed hand and Electricity arked between my fingers.

He then said "I don't pretend to understand all this.. Nor can I say I can trust you.. However some things do play out here. The arrow with Deadshot... The gun deal with Diggle in the hood... Helena.. The Dark Archer.. Now. There were plenty of other times you could have intervened that I needed a hand which you would have if you had been following me.. Plus what you know about me that no other living soul knows all about.. Some of it checks out.. That doesn't explain excactly why you are here tonight." I stepped forward "You win against the Dark Archer Oliver.. You beat him.. But he still destroys a part of the city... I want to stop that.. I want to try and save this city, just like you Oliver.. Niether of us can fully succeed alone. You need a partner Oliver.. Not just Dig.. Someone who can watch your back, and I can't damage the timeline by working on my own. The stories you told me of Blue Light-The Ghost.. He was your closest ally.. The one person you could trust to watch your back out there.. I always felt weird in his hood.. Like I could not live up to the previous owner. That is the thing Oliver.. I am the ONLY owner of this Hood.. The only one to ever don the Ghost suit.. Many people have failed this City Oliver.. Let us bring them to Justice.. Together.. Lets Save this City." Oliver was silent for a period of time.

Finally he closed the gap between us and said "I don't trust you, I don't know you.. And something tells me I can't dig up anything on a ghost.. Yet I can't deny your skill.. You beat the Dark Archer.. We could use that. Just know I will be keeping an eye on you.. One wrong move.. And I kill you.. No one can no my secret." I nodded and extended my hand "Fair." We shook on it.. And Team Arrow was finally born.