Chapter 6
Thanks for subscribing and leaving comments. I will address the comments I got.
The perfect way for Artemis to find out, a fumble by one of big his friends! (: -Godgirl 4ever Thanky y-ou Godgirl! Shall Artemis talk to Batman about getting her into Gotham Academy in the future?
I want the next chapter, like now. So, you know, now would be great. Thanks. -Ashtree 1165 I'm comin'! I gotta write the story first!
XD Roy's a total idiot. Nice one dude, very smooth. Lol -Sandra Star 66 Um…thanks dude. This will be discussed in later chapters, with some character development for Roy Harper II. Yes I put my own twist on Roy.
And to all those who posted Option b), Artemis is coming to the Manor, here you go! But I am putting Alfred as narrator for this chapter (because he is Alfred, nobody messes with Alfred.)
"Uh oh. Um, Hi Roy!"
-Roy: "What the heck did you put in here? I sound like an idiot!"
"Roy, I'm sorry. It's just for the story. Don't get mad."
-Roy: "Ugh…writers. I'm going back home, where stuff makes sense."
Alfred watched Wallace hang up the phone and return to standing over young Master Richard's sleeping form alongside Bruce. Both men were silent, barley taking their eyes off of the sleeping boy. It wasn't very much a shock to see Bruce like this: dark, brooding and still.
However, it was quite a sight to see Wallace West, a hyper-red haired speedster so still and quiet. The same boy who had come over two days ago to see Master Richard, run across the floor and nearly knocked over a vase from the ancient Chinese Ming Dynasty in the living room, then proceeded to eat a whole tray of ham sandwiches and a cartons worth of pineapple juice (his favourite). This same "Wally" looked as though he'd been body-swapped with a funeral attendee. Come to think of it, he hadn't eaten yet, Alfred realized.
Alfred silently walked up the stairs from the Cave, through the grandfather clock and into the kitchen. He just put his hand on the fridge when the video monitor alarm went off. The alarm had barely enough time to register Wally, so he knew the visitor wouldn't be the Flash or Bartholomew "Barry" walked into the drawing room and gazed at the video camera feed screen.
Two young adolescents were standing at the gate. His stern expression and firm blue eyes matched his female companion, a woman with steely gray eyes and blond hair, hands on her hips. The two of them, it appeared, were in mid-argument.
"-you can do what you want, but I'm checking on Dick."
"Artemis, you should be in school you IDIOT. You're going to call attention to yourself by becoming absent."
"What, like you called attention to something's?"
"I'm not in the mood. You skipping is going to get you in trouble."
"Wally skipped." Artemis glared at the elder archer.
"You don't make this easy, do you? Realize this- we've been in the game longer. Dick doesn't miss school unless he has to. I'm taking college classes twice a week and Wally-"
"-I get it." She paused, looking at the gate. "How do we get in?"
"As soon as Alfred answers the door."
"Alfred?"
"The butler. He practically raised Bruce and is like a grandpa to Dick." Alfred smiled at this.
"I mean the "infamous Bat-Cave". Is it a Cave or-"
Alfred finally decided the two had stopped bickering long enough for him to be heard. "Pardon me, Miss Artemis, but you and Master Roy should probably come inside before we talk about any more of this."
Artemis and Roy just looked at the camera with widened eyes. "You've been here this entire time, haven't you?" Roy asked, trying to hold his 'serious face', but really, Alfred can even make Bruce Wayne feel comfortable and smile. Roy had no chance.
"Indeed Master Roy. I find it's always polite to walk into somebody's home not arguing." He admonished the two in his thick British accent. Artemis lowered her eyes and looked at the ground while Roy clenched his teeth, clearly uncomfortable.
"Sorry Alfred." The two apologized.
"It's quite alright." Alfred pushed the button and as it swung open, invited the two warmly into the gated mansion home.
"How did he know my name?" Artemis asked.
"You think about that for a second." Roy lipped sarcastically. Artemis shoved past him and into the house. One of the best parts of when visitors came to the house was seeing their reaction for the first time, chuckling to himself. Artemis' face looked- beyond stunned. According to the conversations between Dick and Bruce about Artemis and her upbringing, she probably had never seen half the items and finery in one room before. If memory served him correctly, this was the same description Roy had the first time he had visited the manor, all those years ago. The look of awe and wonderment passed as her eyes flashed and she smiled.
"Mr. Alfred, sir?" Alfred smiled back.
"Please, call me Alfred. Or Mast Dick's nickname for me, Agent A. Sandwich?" Artemis and Roy both took a sandwich from the tray Alfred had put on the table. Roy snickered quietly, but choked on the sandwich, coughing. He gained control of himself, and then became solemn.
"What's wrong with Dick? Where is he, Alfred?" This tone was one the boy almost never used. It was tough, disciplined, but still conveying the emotion of a scared man losing his 'brother'.
"He's downstairs." He told the archer pair. Artemis' eyes widened.
"In the Batcave. To believe yesterday, I thought it was a myth."
"No myth, Arty." Artemis would have smack him or reprimanded him to 'not-call-her-Arty', but in the amazement that Bruce Wayne was Batman and that the Batcave wasn't just a "fan-fiction-made-up-place". The worst part was that Dick was there. "Can we see him, Alfred?" Roy asked.
"He's currently asleep right now, but you can take a look." Alfred informed. "But I warn you, he needs his sleep. So, Master Harper, no loud curse words. And Artemis, please keep your voice down." Roy blushed ever so slightly as Artemis smirked. "Come now."
Alfred walked towards the infamous grandfather clock. It had been the first Master Wayne's father's clock. Once Bruce confided the idea of a "secret crime lab" years ago, it was his idea to keep it hidden this way. The clock side to the right on a hinge, revealing a dark staircase.
"Holly s-"
"What your profanities, Miss Artemis." Alfred reminded. He turned around, picked up the tray of sandwiches from the coffee table and walked behind the two children. Walking down the stairs to the Batcave always gave Alfred a sense of grimness. Bruce or Dick or anyone could die or be grievously injured due to the criminals: being "popular-Batman-rouge" to "John-Doe" stature.
"Artemis? Roy!" Wally exclaimed in surprise, turning from Dick. He had been absent mindedly brushing his hair out of his eyes. It was something to see the young boy, the young master of the house, lying on a med bed unconscious. Bruce was now giving a confused semi-angry glare at the three awake teenaged heroes.
Or was Dick out? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the ebony haired teen move shift ever so slightly under the thin blanket placed over him. It could be a muscle spasm, but he had known Master Bruce to do this. Tiny, slow movements when regaining consciousness, controlled in case of being in captivity.
"Master Dick?" "Hey Alfred." Dick breathed, a slightly pained look disappearing from his face.
"Hey Rambo." Roy called, walking over to his friends' side. Wally and Artemis just behind him. Batman walked to the other side of him.
"Wally...Roy? Arty?!" Alfred spied the smirk the blonde haired archer gave his young charge, who's face was mingled with joy and fear.
"Hey Robbie." Dick squeezed his eyes shut in regret.
"So, this isn't another illusion." Bruce scowled. Alfred knew that Bruce felt naked right now without his Bat-guise. All these years of secrecy, anonymity and careful plans…blasted. The young masters would be very angry at this development, but Alfred thought this might be a benefit. So far, only the seven original members of the Justice League and Masters Roy and Wally knew about the double identities- and not even the League knew about them on a truly developed level. Artemis, too, had secrets. It might be a benefit if a girl his age did know about his activities. Alfred walked to the sink in the Cave, but kept his ears open to hear Bruce say:
"No, Dick, it isn't. Artemis found you in school subjected to the gas. Wally came and got you out of there, using a very foolish plan-" Bruce shot them a cold glare, which one could describe as the Bat-glare. "But, nonetheless, got you back here safely before you sustained any critical injuries."
Dick put his head in his hands. "I'm sorry Br-Ba-uhm…" He handed the boy the water. "Thanks Alfred."
Wally zoomed over to Bruce's side. "Hey, not to over-step my bounds here Bats, but give the little guy a break." Dick's and Bruce's eyes narrowed.
"Double Bat attack." Artemis snickered under her breath. Roy smiled, then his usual 'serious' expression took over and he just looked at Wally.
"Hear me out." Wally put his hands in the air. "I'm assuming you two have actually had the Fear Gas before." Alfred saw Artemis face palm herself and Roy give an 'exasperated face'. The last time he had been in England to see his sister Peg, Roy had been in charge of taking care of an ten year old Dick on his second time on the Fear Gas. It hadn't been pretty.
"Shut up Roy, I know." Wally said briskly, before continuing. "Well, none of the rest of us have. You guys have the tough villains. Some of my villains can actually have a heart and don't like it when other heroes come along, Roy's free-lance and Arty and G.A. deal with the S.T.A.R. stuff happening."
"Your point being?" Arty asked.
"I'm saying that this stuff is big. Let's hold back on smashing Dick's confidence until later." Bruce's eyes twitched. It was a small movement, barely noticeable, but Alfred caught it. He had thought of something.
"Well, Dick. Your vitals are normal. I would say rest. You are off duty tonight and tomorrow, but you are still going to the Cave tomorrow for training with Black Canary."
"Can I play video games with Roy, Wally and Arty?" The three young adults looked at Dick, then at Bruce.
"As long as it's upstairs and you don't over-exert yourself. Artemis, make sure that Wallace doesn't partake in an shenanigans. Alfred, lock up all the sweets." With that, Bruce walked away, to the far end of the Batcave and started punching in commands on the surveillance equipment.
"Is he always that-frank?" Artemis asked Wally quietly as Roy helped Dick off the bed and the two grabbed the plate of sandwiches.
"Yeah." Wally sighed. "He loves Dick, but he has to. Otherwise people might accuse Batman of being soft. And what did he mean- shenanigans?" The four giggled as Alfred led the way upstairs. Now, what was Batman up to?
Dun dun duuuuuuuun!
~E. For Endurance