Handcuffed to the cot she was laying on, that's how Avery awoke. It took her a moment to piece back together what happened the previous night. "I was shot by two-bit thugs in a dank alleyway. I met the man who dresses up like a bat in his free time, and his bird themed sidekick. They took me to this cave, which is most likely their base. I ate pasta with chicken, told them of my abilities and other basic information, then fell asleep," Avery whispered this all to what she thought was an empty cave.
"Who are you talking to?" Robin asked from the bottom of the stairs where he was sitting in full costume.
The black haired girl almost jumped a foot in the air. "Goodness," She breathed out and put a hand to her hammering heart. "Do not scare me like that," She hissed and sat up after fumbling for her glasses that were in her bag at the foot of the cot.
Robin mentally added a tally, Robin: 1, Avery: 0. "Who are you talking to?" He asked again.
"Myself, I prefer thinking aloud and always have." She chuckled slightly, "My father used to say that he did not even have to ask what I was thinking, I would just automatically say it, no matter what. Although I picked up the habit from him in the first place."
"Your father?" Robin pondered. As he was sitting there, Avery had turned in her sleep a few times and muttered about her father. It looked like she was having a nightmare.
"Yes, he was a good man, a doctor. He tried to help people up until his last moments." Avery smiled, but it looked like she was fighting a frown.
"Do you miss him?" Immediately after he asked it he wanted to hit himself.
"Every day," She whispered and fiddled with her hair to keep her emotions in check. Her hair had grown just over an inch in the past hours; she decided it would need to be cut again soon.
Robin tripped over his own thoughts trying to think about what to say next. "I'm sorry for your loss," He finally decided on.
"Thank you, Birdy, but it was a long time ago." She composed herself and sat up completely straight, "Just forget I mentioned him."
"Sure, Sunshine," Robin adjusted back to what was becoming their normal polite conversation.
Avery raised an eyebrow in silent question.
"That's your nickname considering you gave me one."
"Why 'Sunshine'?"
"You're such a ray of sunshine already that it seemed to fit," Robin added in his own dose of sarcasm.
Avery shrugged it off and looked at the handcuffs that locked her right wrist to the cot. She had to hold back a scoff.
Robin took note, "What?"
"Just the handcuffs, I could just as easily dislocate my thumb, pop it back into place and be free to explore your cave," She explained levelly.
The Boy Wonder took his turn to scoff, "As if." He stood up and walked over to the cot, stopping six feet from it. "Watch," He grabbed a birdarang out of his utility belt and dropped it straight to the ground. There was an immediate beeping coming from the computer installed in his glove the second the metal projectile hit the ground. With a press of a button the beeping was turned off.
"You people are crazy," Avery deadpanned at the measures they took.
"It's not crazy if it works," Robin learned that lesson from Nightwing.
"That is reassuring," She rolled her eyes in the process. "So where is Batman?" Avery thought the big guy would've learned not to leave the two teens together by now.
"Upstairs," The costumed teen gave the most basic answer.
"Doing what?"
"He's talking to one of our partners." By the way he said partner it made it seem like their relationship branched off from more than just business. Familial maybe?
"Who?"
"His name's Nightwing, you might meet him if he sticks around today."
"You seem to think highly of him," Avery noted aloud.
Batman swooped down the stairs at that moment with an older teenager behind him. "What happened?" He addressed his protégé directly.
"I showed Avery what would happen if she had decided to take a walk around the cave without permission, kinda forgot you would get the message too," Robin explained sheepishly while rubbing the back of his neck.
When Batman stepped forward to unlock Avery's handcuffs he revealed a fuller view of the older teen that was behind him. "Wow Robin, you have good taste," The guy in black with a blue bird on his chest said.
Robin whipped around to the guy, "That's not funny, Nightwing."
Nightwing chuckled, "Seems plenty funny from right here."
Batman cut off both of them, "Avery," He growled to get her attention, "Nightwing is here to make you an offer."
Avery nodded with a gesture that said for Nightwing to go ahead.
"I want to know if you want to join my team. You'd be a good addition. It's your decision though."
"Excuse me?" Avery sputtered on her own breath.
"The team is for super powered teens, you have the potential to be on it."
"I-I am untrained, you do not want me. Besides I attract trouble wherever I go, I would not be helpful," Avery spoke quickly.
"Every person on the team is a trouble magnet, and we were all untrained once."
Batman added in his own two cents, "You came here for protection; we're offering you a chance to learn to protect yourself. At the rate you're living, I won't always be here to offer protection."
"Why are you extending this offer to me? You know almost nothing about me."
"Think of it as a way to build trust," Batman said.
Avery folded her hands in her lap and stared at them, staying completely still. Silence filled the area for a few minutes. The girl finally spoke up and met their eyes once again, "I just have one question."
"Shoot," Nightwing said.
Avery looked confused at the phrase but took it as a yes. "Does this team of yours accept all types of people, no matter what their past may be?"
Nightwing grinned, "We've got a Martian, a clone, a time traveler, a demigod, and much more on the team. You'll fit right in."
"I have a follow up question."
"Sure."
"Do I have to tell of my past?" The girl looked genuinely scared in that moment.
"It's your choice whether or not you want to. We all have things we don't want to say to people after all."
Avery hesitantly spoke, "Then, I accept. Please teach me."
.:Back to Life:.
Recognized: Nightwing B01, Robin B20, Guest
At the mention of a guest Impulse ran to the zeta tubes, leaving Blue Beetle dangling in their conversation. Sighing and mumbling something about a short attention span, Jamie followed after the speedster.
Bart was there before Nightwing, Robin, and the guest finished appearing. Once they did a black haired girl immediately stumbled to the metal wall of the zeta tube to stabilize herself.
"That was not enjoyable," She mumbled to the air.
Impulse, as one to always respect personal space, got as close to the girl as possible to try to see her face that was currently being shielded by her hair. "First time zeta rider?" He asked loudly.
"Is it that easy to tell?" The girl asked as she raised her head.
The second Bart got a clear look at the girl's face he grinned widely, "You're the White Eternal!"
The girl's face scrunched up in thought, "I am sorry, but I do not know anyone of that name."
Nightwing shook his head, "Bart," He cautioned.
"Whoops! Spoilers!" With that Bart speed back a few feet and covered his mouth.
Jamie jogged into the room, "Who's this?" He gestured to Avery who was now leaning against the wall of the zeta tube with her back.
"New team member," Robin pushed back the growl that wanted to accompany the words.
"Okay," Jamie wondered about Robin's current demeanor but brushed it off. He walked up to the girl and offered his right hand for a shake (the Scarab was screaming at him about how the girl was a threat the entire time), "Hola, I'm Jamie."
The girl extended her hand to his and shook, "Hi, my name is Avery," She introduced herself.
This Avery has blood soaked into her clothing, I advise a preemptive attack, the Scarab said. Jamie quickly moved his right arm behind his back as the Scarab tried to morph it into a sonic cannon. "No, no attacking," He whisper-yelled to the bug attached to his spine.
Avery turned her head to the side inquisitively. "Is there a reason to attack?"
"Nope, not one," Jamie forced his arm to go back to normal.
Nightwing spoke into an intercom he pulled up from the computer platform, "Come welcome our new member everyone."
A/N: Lotsa story progression this chapter (even managed to sneak in Avery's hero name). Next chapter will be all the introductions and such. Can I just say how much I love Blue Beetle? He's awesome. I loved the reaction to last chapter. Eight reviews is the highest so far. Let's see if we can beat it this chapter! I'm actually really surprised how popular this is, especially 'cause it's an OC story. I seriously didn't expect it to get this many people on board. So thank you all! Feedback is appreciated.
Read. Review. Enjoy.