"Is this kid for real?" Desmond asked Shay, completely incredulous at the bold actions of the teenagers in front of him.
They dared call him out on his actions? And they dared judge him, even though they did not know him at all? Just into what world had he gone and how fast could he leave it?
"I think he is, lad." Shrugged the Irishman with his arms crossed. "But don't question them. They are native to this supposed new world we are now in."
Desmond looked at the man in disbelief, "Wait, you don't believe me? Dude, we don't belong to this world!"
Shay only shook his head, though, "I've apparently traveled through time. But there's this small voice in the back of my head telling me I'm probably suffering a concussion, hence these hallucinations."
"Fine!" Desmond yelled out in exasperation, "I don't care if you believe me because I need to stop the end of the world! From now on until we leave, you cannot leave me, got it?"
Shay quirked an eyebrow at the demand, but kept a straight face and restrained from answering. Robin walked towards Desmond then, and motioned for the man to follow him, "You have a type of tracker, right? I'm sure if we can hook it up to the main computer we'll be able to find those supposed people you need to find much faster."
The modern day assassin looked down at the teenager for a moment, then sighed with a shrug. "Sure. Just show me where to go."
"I shall accompany you both." Kaldur informed them, walking up to the two.
Robin nodded at his leader, then turned in the direction to the main computer hub. "Follow me, Desmond."
After this, all three males walked away towards the hub and left Shay with Artemis, Conner, M'gann, Wally, and Zatanna. The teenagers were silent for a moment as they looked at Shay with trepidation and worry, but soon enough Wally groaned in exasperation and took a step towards him, signalling at the man.
"I don't really care what Kaldur and Robin say, guys! We know that Shay has been nothing but kind to us since he got here and we have no reason to not believe in him!"
Shay quirked an eyebrow at the sudden declaration, but didn't ask why the boy had said it. Instead he walked towards the group and stood in front of them, silently telling them with his eyes that he would like to know what was going on.
"I know that's what you feel, Wally, but Kaldur and Robin both have a point." M'gann told her friend in a soft voice. "If what we saw inside Desmond's mind is true, then they both are dangerous people."
"But that doesn't mean they are dangerous for us." Artemis sighed. "Listen, Megs, sometimes people have to make hard choices. The world isn't in black and white."
"It is when it comes to killing." Conner bit out, eyes narrowed at Shay. "Like Kaldur said, no one has the right to take the life of another. That is above our powers and rights."
Honestly, Shay had no idea what was going on right now. He understood that they were talking about his own lifestyle- or, at least, the one they believed was his own- and they had taken sides between their stance on who was right and wrong, but he could not understand just how they had gotten so far into such a conversation without having uttered many words before. They had only stood looking at each other, as if having a silent conversation.
Well, at least he could see that the blonde spitfire known as Artemis was leaning more towards listening to his side of the story before judging, much like Wally. But M'gann and Conner both seemed to be following in Kaldur and Robin's footsteps without weighing in on the more personal and private aspect of having become an assassin. Zatanna, though, seemed to be caught in between and didn't quite know what to do with herself as she saw her four friends fall into a slight argument.
"What do you know about life, Conner? You were grown in a pod." Artemis retorted, rolling her eyes. "You don't know just how hard life can get to drive one to kill."
"Oh, and you do?" Conner growled back, clearly having taken the pod comment much harder than Artemis had anticipated.
Artemis' gray eyes looked down at the floor, then whispered, "Remember who my dad is?"
The soft and somber tone surprised Shay, and it clearly affected her friends for they all looked down at the floor and became silent. Shay could tell the conversation had taken a turn the kids had not anticipated, one that brought much melancholy to each and every one of them, and he could not stand it. He may not understand what was going on or just why he was in such a strange place, but he had never been one to take anything laying down. And he wouldn't start today.
"I don't understand what is going on." He started, managing to garner the kids' attention once more, "I am nowhere near where I last stood and have no idea what is happening. I do not know who any of you are and I don't understand many of these places you are saying-"
"We could teach you, if you'd like." Wally interrupted, smiling at him while gaining a frown from Conner at the same time, "I know the geography of the world in your own time is not the same as what we have now."
The proposition had sounded nice to Shay, but he only shook his head, "If this really is the future of my world, I don't think it is my place to learn too much of it. And if what that Desmond said was true, then this world isn't even my own- bollocks if I know what that means-" He whispered to himself, then turned back to the kids, "But even with all my own confusion, I want you kids to understand one thing: sometimes what seems to be the right thing to do is not the easiest." Then his mood darkened upon thinking of his own experiences, "And at other times, it's not even the right thing to do."
They all listened with rapt attention then clearly digested the words, each one turning the meaning behind them in their minds while trying to find a way to best understand them and make them their own. Shay was proud to see that at least this youth tried to see more than just one side of the story and had listened to him even after knowing only a small bit of his time with the Assassins.
"Are you a killer, Shay?" Zatanna asked, and it hurt to hear the small bit of hope in her voice that spoke of her hoping he was not.
But Shay was not a liar and he was not about to start doing that now. Though he did look away when answering, "Aye."
The answer, though, seemed to have been the one they were expecting because they didn't fully react to it. Zatanna, though nodded softly and looked away from the Irishman.
They all stood around in silence for one more time until Wally broke it once more.
"You know, I know you've most probably had a hard life and whatnot, Shay, but I feel like we've gotten much too serious and given you the awesome hospitality I know Young Justice can give." Wally told the man, a sly smile slowly appearing on his face.
"Really, lad?" Asked Shay, "I don't really mind."
"Nonsense, Shay!" Remarked Artemis, suddenly appearing beside him to wrap her arm around his own. "M'gann, would you allow Shay and I to take a quick ride on the Bio Ship?"
M'gann became flustered at the very prospect, though, "Artemis, I can't let you go with Shay alone! I'm coming with you!"
Conner's eyes widened at this and he took one step towards M'gann, "Well, if you're going, I have to go too. I'm not letting anything happen to you!"
Wally yelled out in annoyance at this, "But it was my idea to have some fun with Shay! Stupid thieves." He muttered to himself as he turned away and crossed his arms, lips pursed.
"How about we all go on a ride in the Bio Ship?" Zatanna asked in an almost diplomatic way, stepping up to stand in between all of her friends. "You shouldn't be fighting over something so childish, guys. How about it, Shay? Wanna come with us on a quick joy ride?"
The fact that the kids had all fought over something so, as Zatanna had said, childish had slightly worried Shay, but by the way Artemis and Wally were looking at him, he knew he couldn't say no. So Shay just smiled at Zatanna and nodded softly.
Before he knew it, the Irishman was being dragged away by a hyperactive Wally and excited Artemis, all the while M'gann, Conner, and Zatanna followed close by.
After they had all left the main room and gotten into the Bio Ship, Robin, Kaldur, and Desmond walked into the room to find it deserted.
"Um..." Blinked Desmond, looking all around the room, "Weren't your teammates right here just a second ago?"
Kaldur breathed out and shook his head, all the while Robin sighed in slight irritation.
"Ten bucks say they went on a joy ride." The young bird bet, which made Kaldur only look up at the ceiling in annoyance, "Couldn't they have stayed put for just a minute longer? We could have begun our mission if they had just waited."
"We could still begin it." Robin shrugged, glancing at Desmond, who was internally freaking out over where Shay had gone. "I mean, we have the coordinates of the first guy and we have Desmond to explain everything. Besides, I'm sure you and I can take on any type of complication that could arise."
Kaldur looked at his young friend for a moment before sighing once more and motioning for Desmond to follow them, "We shall take the Zeta Tubes. Now, where was it that the map said we would find this person?"
Desmond followed after the two kids with much confusion in his mind, but still answered, "A place called Gotham. At..." he looked down at his phone, which had all of the information he needed on it, "Something called Arkham Asylum."
Much to his bewilderment, both kids groaned and Robin cursed their fate. "It just had to be Arkham."
Kaldur nodded, though, and said, "I believe it would be best if we suited up, Robin. I am sure the guards would take us more seriously if we did."
"Yeah, yeah..." Robin waved his friend off, "I just hope B doesn't hear about this."
"So do I."
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