Of street fights, banter or how they all became best friends pt 2
"What? Leaving? The party just started." The voice belonged to a tall man with blonde hair. The only man Artemis would recognize just by his stupid snarky voice. "And I thought you wanted to see me baby girl."
Megan looked at her with confused hazel eyes. Artemis really didn't know why the three of them got into this situation but she knew this man would be relentless.
He got what he wanted and Artemis had no idea how to explain to Conner this guy was her dad. Then in the silence an obnoxious song rang. She recognized Dick's ringtone, the sound of 'a thousand miles' disturbing the quiet.
"Well why are you ignoring me Artemis?" Dick asked standing behind her father with a cheeky grin and his phone on his hand. Artemis barely registered when her dad swung back and raised the spear he kept at his side barely missing Dick's temple. Her eyes widened because none had ever avoided that move besides Jade. Artemis sighed in relief not knowing how she would have explained Barbara of her dead boyfriend.
"I'm impressed. You worm know kung fu." she laughed at him. That was the last they did of laughter because the rest of the goons had taken that as a cue to attack.
Conner roared somewhere on the sidelines shielding Megan to the side. She on the other hand was trying to pick a pipe to defend herself. She smacked a few on the head crushing skulls with precision and aim. Artemis gave her that.
"Richard John Grayson, why didn't you invite us to the party?"
Artemis saw two guys approaching the fight. These kids nowadays where insane. This wasn't normal playdate, knuckles were broken here yet two boys looked happy to be there risking their skin.
The ginger one raised a fist easily knocking the bow staff from one of Dick's attackers. "Wall-man, about time you showed up!" Richard answered raising his hand to hi five the boy.
Another dark skinned boy approached kicking jaws on his way. Artemis noticed his inked biceps. She gave him another appreciative stare before she felt her ponytail harshly tugged.
"Game over doll" She heard Cameron spit near her ear.
She hissed painfully. Her dad was nowhere in sight. Through the corner of her eyes she watched Megan drop the pipe and lift her hands in surrender. Conner was on the floor pinned by Mammoth (aka genetically altered brute that worked for her dad).
The other three were looking at her dumbfounded. The other goons had been taken care of thankfully. She wanted to punch Dick for being stupid and bringing his friends to this.
"Hey, drop her!" The ginger one yelled half brave, half exhilarated by the fight.
"Learn to pick a fight bitch." Cameron ignored the boy and pressed his cold nose to her neck. Smug bastard. Thankfully he was a fool thinking he could handle her on hand to hand combat.
She easily twisted his hold and slammed his core to the ground. When she finished him with a quick elbow to the neck the others were gaping, (Megan) or smirking. (Dick, ginger dude). Conner lifted mammoth and dumped him against a wall. Then all that was left where heavy pants from everyone.
"Oh almost forgot Arty." Richard said breathing fast. "Introductions: This hyperactive idiot is Wally West, and this is my man Kaldur Ahm." He pointed to the ginger and then the tattoo dude.
Artemis gave them a once over through her lashes. It still wasn't safe in the alley and they were all heaving. "Okay maybe we should find a new location to meet." She said eyeing the passed out bloody bodies on the cement.
They ended up at a local pizza place two blocks away from the gym.
Conner kept silent through the entire exchange of looks. Artemis was as uncomfortable as a rabbit in a snake pit. He almost wanted to pat her shoulders to ease the tenseness.
Megan was sitting beside him fiddling with her ripped skirt. He wasn't particularly looking at that but her fidgeting was hard to not notice.
The smallest boy with dark hair spoke again. "So basically we just punch random people together because we can? How cool are we?" He said smirking as if he knew everything. Conner doubted it.
"They are not random people!" Artemis hissed irritated. "Those were seniors, the ones that earn money by handling funny business, and we don't punch them on a regular basis!"
"Then what where you doing messing with them?" The boy, Wally, interjected. Conner looked at Artemis flushing scarlet. He wasn't sure why but decided to answer for her.
"We work for Professor Desmond, he was supposed to pay us today but instead we received those guys."
The silence that followed was awkward. Then the white haired boy spoke calmly "How did you come to that sort of arrangement?" Conner was about to answer when Artemis recovered and spoke "He chose a group of students to lead an experiment and we ended up selected for the job." Even for Conner that sounded 'fishy' but before it got awkward again Wally scoffed only to be elbowed by the smallest kid.
"But Arty that last kick though…" He pinched her elbow and Conner looked affronted. Artemis could maim for less. "…blew my mind."
Artemis rolled her eyes and sighed tired. She turned to Conner and smiled knowingly. "We didn't expect those athletics from Megan though."
Megan who was quietly listening suddenly turned pink all the way to her ears.
"I'm a cheerleader; it's kind of a must." She shrugged with one shoulder. Wally extended his hand all the way to her "Wall-man at your service." He said smirking.
"What a dumb nickname." Artemis scoffed
"Better than Arty." Wally retorted glaring at her.
Dick was between them helplessly using his hand to contain his laughter. When the waiter came by he offered Artemis a beer. She eyed it curiously until the waiter pointed to a table with a single boy dressed in black leather jacket and boots. He looked like one of those motorcycle dangerous mob sons.
Artemis smiled to herself tipping the glass drinking half. "See you later people, pointers on next meeting."
When she left Kaldur looked at everyone and asked "Does this mean we are supposed to meet from now on?"