Author's Notes: Hi everyone! I'm very sorry for not updating. I'm not on hiatus, just busy with school. Fellow writers I'm sure can understand. Hopefully, this will help satisfy you guys! ;) I will continue the story and I promise to finish it. I just don't know how long it will take me. As always please read and review! I'm always open to suggestions! I also started a Tumblr account under the same name, JHWLGH. I will be posting this story on there as well and I will try a participate in BBRae Week Fall 2015. So look for some new stories there! Thank you and again, I apologize for the late update! Enjoy! :)
Nightstar VS Sparrow Ch. 13
Sparrow's POV:
After my journey through the woods, I found myself standing in front of a large building that appeared to have a roman-like architecture. Engraved on the top of the building was the word "LIBRARY." Assuming Knowledge and Wisdom were inside, I climbed to the top of the mighty marble staircase. When I entered, I realized the inside resembled more of a giant Barnes and Nobles than an ancient roman library. There were countless amounts of bookshelves, all of which were filled with different kinds of books. Although the library was very wide, it was taller, with at least three stories to explore. All connected with escalators, of course because I hate walking. With a place so grand, it should be no surprise that I very quickly became side-tracked. As I wondered around, I noticed the strange and unique titles of the various books. "Maria's First Toy? Words Maria knows? How to Make Tofu? What kind of books are these?" I wondered. I kept going, passing some very bizarre titles along the way, until a certain title caught my eye. "Maria's First Friends?" I read out loud. "Humm… this could be interesting." I said as I cautiously slid the book off the shelf.
The book its self was pink, with black lettering and white pages. I opened the book and began to read the first page out loud. "January 1st, 2012 – "as soon as I muttered the date I felt as if I were falling. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I was no longer in the library, but rather a living room and not just any living room, but the Jump City Tower living room. Only this living room looked a bit different. For starters, the technology was a bit outdated and some of the furniture was moved around. Then I noticed that I wasn't alone either. Sitting on the floor in front of the wall-sized window were a group of toddlers happily playing with their various baby toys. Two of the toddlers had light green skin with pointed ears, tiny fangs, and purple hair and eyes. The only difference was the way they were dressed. The girl had slightly longer hair which allowed for a large, pink, flower-like bow. The bow matched her black shirt that read "Happy New Year" in silver letters, and a pink, fluffy skirt. The boy wore a shirt that looked that a tux and a dipper without pants. Also on the floor was a little girl, only about a year older than the twins. She had long black hair and orange skin. She wore a black dress shirt with white pokka-dots and a silver ribbon tided loosely around her neck. She also wore skinny, black pants with little black bows tided at the ends. Next to her sat another boy, just a month older than the twins, also sporting a tux-like shirt and no pants.
"No. Way." I whispered, hoping no one would hear me. Since the toddlers didn't react to my presence in the room, I assumed that meant I couldn't be seen. Once I realized who the babies were, I concluded I was somehow in the past. The one and two year olds continued to play with each other, but because of what little English they knew, it was impossible to understand what they were saying. As I observed my past self and friends, a teenaged girl holding a baby wrapped in a big yellow blanket, came into the room. After giving the toddlers a quick glance she sat down on the couch, baby in one arm and used the other arm to grab the remote and turn on the T.V. A reporter showed up on the screen with an extremely large and rowdy crowd behind her. The teenager was wearing Indian style, yellow clothing with a long flowing yellow cape. She had long, brown hair and brown eyes. Suddenly, a buzzing sound was heard, and the girls' posture quickly changed from lounging on the couch to sitting straight up. She muted the T.V. before digging a Titan Communicator out of her belt using her free hand. She was too far away for me to see who it was calling, but my animal hearing allowed me to clearing make out the new voices.
"Solstice, where are the kids? Are they ok?" I would know that voice anywhere. The girl, Solstice, gave the voice a fake smile. I didn't need to be an empath to see the slight annoyance in her eyes.
"Yes Mrs. Logan. The kids are still fine. Still playing by the window, just like they were an hour ago, and the hour before that." Solstice replied.
"Don't get smart with me! Where is the rest of your team? I tried calling Wonder Girl first, but she failed to answer." Mom answered, her voice dripping with irritation.
"Wonder Girl and the others had to answer a distress call, so I volunteered to stay with the kids." Solstice replied innocently.
"Well I – "
"Rae! Don't tell me you called them again?!" Now that had to be my Dad. He's the only person I know that can get away with that nick-name, or with any of Mom's many nick-names for that matter. Most of which he came up with anyway.
"I had to! Wonder Girl wouldn't pick up and I feared the worst, ok." Mom retorted, voice filled with worry and guilt.
"I know, Mama, but you've got to relax. It's New Year's Eve! We're on Vacation!"
"A night on the town is not a vacation, Gar." Mom deadpanned.
"Oh come on! You know what I mean! Hey Solstice, why don't you put the kids on the phone so we can say good night?"
"Sure, Sir." Solstice replied before walking over to the group of toddlers.
"Maria! Mark! Say good night to your Mommy and Daddy!" Solstice cooed. I watched as the baby version of Mark and I stared at the little screen on the communicator Solstice was now holding in front of us.
"Mama! Dada!" Little me yelled while pointing at the screen.
"Hey there Sweetie! How are my little pups doing?" I heard Dad ask. I started to feel nostalgic at the use of "little pups," since the last time I heard him refer to us as that was a very long time ago.
"Good." Mark muttered staring curiously at the screen that most likely showed both our parents at some party or fancy restaurant.
"See Rae! They're doing good!" Dad said.
"Well sorry for worrying about our children's safety!" Mom retorted. "Mark, Maria, Mommy and Daddy love you! We'll see you in the morning, ok?" Of course she never got an answer.
"Good night, Pups!"
"Yes, good night my dears!"
"Night, Night." Both Mark and younger me answered, waving our tiny hands to say good bye. And with that, my parents signed off, leaving the room with an uncomfortable silence. That silence was soon ended by the sound of a crying baby girl, still wrapped up in Solstice's arms.
"Oh, no! Hush, Eleanor. It's ok, shush…" Solstice instantly began to try and calm the baby. As she continued to rock the baby in her arms, she exited the room. Once she left, I felt like I was falling again, and shut my eyes. This time when I opened them I was back in the library, book in hand. I quickly slid the book back into place.
"Few! That was intense!" I said, rubbing my temples.
"Did you enjoy the trip down memory lane?"
I jumped at the sound of a mysterious voice. I spun around and found another emoticlone with brown on her uniform instead of purple or pink.
"Ugh! Why do you guys insist on sneaking up on me?" I accused her.
"I did not sneak up on you. You merely were not paying attention." The emotion stated calmly. I rolled my eyes at her comment.
"Whatever. Are you Knowledge?" I asked.
"No, I am Wisdom. Similar, and yet, very different."
"Yeah, whatever. Can you tell me what the deal is with these books?" I motioned to the many books on the shelves behind me. Wisdom gave a small nod before answering.
"These books contain your memories. Everything you have ever learned or done is recorded here. To access these memories, one simply has to open a book and read the date out loud. Just as you have already done." Wisdom motioned to the book I had just moments ago. "Interesting how you picked this particular book out of all of the others." I just shrugged my shoulders in response.
"I don't know. It just stuck out, I guess."
"Hum, well did you see anything… interesting?"
"Yeah actually! That was the first time I met my team! I mean, I don't remember it because I was only like, a year and a half old, but I've heard the story a lot from my parents. Dad wanted to take Mom out for New Year's Eve, but Mom didn't feel comfortable leaving Mark and I. Apparently, that was the first time Mom allowed some else to watch us. The team Dad and her were training at the time lived in the Jump City Tower, so they volunteered to watch us. I guess the other original Titans caught wind of this news, because they brought their kids to be babysat too, while they joined my parents to celebrate the New Year." It was the first time we were all together." I recalled. Wisdom simply nodded.
"So do you still wish to speak with Knowledge?" Wisdom asked.
"Oh, um yes please."
"Very well, right this way." And with that Wisdom began walking away from the book shelves and towards the escalator that lead to the second story. "She's at the top, third floor." Stated Wisdom as she and I stepped on to the moving stairs.
"Why are there so many floors? Do I really have that many memories?" I asked.
"Actually, yes you do. First floor is birth to five, second is six to ten, and lastly the third floor is 11 through 16 years old. Soon we'll have to add a fourth floor." Wisdom answered as we stepped off the first escalator and boarded the next one. I gave her a nod, indicating I understood her answer. When we stepped off the last escalator, I saw sitting at a large table in the middle of the room, was another emoticlone. This one had on yellow and wore glasses.
"Why is she wearing glasses? I have great vision! And the smartest people I know, don't wear glasses." I whispered to Wisdom.
"It's symbolic." She whispered back. On the table Knowledge was sitting at were piles of books. Knowledge seemed to be reading one of them when we came to join her. Wisdom motioned for me to take a seat in front of Knowledge and when I did Knowledge finally decided to recognize our presence. Looking up from her book Knowledge looked me square in the eyes.
"Welcome, Maria. Are you aware of where you are?" Knowledge asked.
"Um, I think so. I'm in Nevermore, right?"
"Correct. To be more specific though, you are in Wisdom and I's realm. You already went through two of your emoticlones realms, Happy and Love. You were lucky to avoid some of your more aggressive emotions."
"Right, well can you help me or what?" I asked getting slightly inpatient.
"Help you with what?" Knowledge questioned, a smirk on her face.
"You're Knowledge! I'm pretty sure you know what!"
"Very well. I supposed I can assist you in exiting Nevermore. If you wish to leave, simply imagine your exit." Knowledge stated matter-a-factly.
"Wait! What?" I asked in shock.
"You heard me, simply imagine your exit. It's your mind, Maria, you are the only one that can control it. If you wish to leave, then use your mind to imagine yourself leaving, well your mind."
"Are you freakin' kidding me?! That's all I had to do the entire time! Why couldn't Happy tell me that at the very beginning?!" I screamed.
"Happy only knows and feels what is happy. Love only knows and feels what is loving. I am Knowledge and therefore I only know information, but I can know any area."
I let out a loud growl and stood up out of my chair. Stepping to the side, I shut my eyes and imagined myself being sucked up through the mirror and landing back on Mark's bed. I landed on his bed with a jolt. I fell flat on my butt with the mirror landing in my lap. I scanned my surroundings, trying to make sense of where I was. When I realized that I was still in Marks room, with Mom silently meditating beside me, I began to relax. Mom took in a deep breathe before gently floating down to the bed and opening her eyes. She turned to me and asked, "So did you have a good trip?" I didn't know how to respond at first, so she just continued speaking. "Now that you know how to enter and leave your mind, I hope you will use this tool to help control your powers better."
Finally finding my voice I replied, "How is this supposed to help me control my powers? I've always been able to talk with my emotions."
"Yes, but this way you can better organize your thoughts and feelings."
"Great. More responsibilities." I muttered. Mom put her hand on my shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze. She also gave me a sympathetic smile.
"I know this is hard for you, but being a super hero is all about responsibilities. I know you can handle it, though. You might have your father's lack of control and attention-span, but you also have his strength and endurance. And most importantly, his passion."
Sharing in my Mom's smile, I gave her a small nod. "Thanks, Mom."
"Anytime, my dear. And I mean that." Her stare suddenly went from loving to stern. Almost like she was giving me an order.
"Ok, Mom. I understand." I told her, and her expression went back to its normal monotone. She gave me a nod and began to stand up and make her way to the door.
"We better go check on everyone. Who knows how much trouble was caused by leaving your father without supervision." Mom joked as I followed her out of Mark's room.
"Haha good one Mom!" I laughed, which made Mom show her signature smile.