Slop.

Artemis cringed at the sound of yet another scoop of soggy potatoes sliding onto yet another plate she was to bring to yet another hungry superhero.
It was 7:30. The early crowd had come and gone, the ones who were somehow able to train after eating a huge meal. She was now in the midst of serving the worst batch- the ones who came right after training but were too hungry too shower. Either that, or they just never showered.

Tonight's menu consisted of chicken noodle soup, mashed potatoes, and green beans. The smells wafting from the countless plates she had distributed among the affiliates were not appetizing, though she hadn't eaten dinner yet. It didn't help that various persons sprinkled around the cafeteria smelled from their training. She was glad she didn't have to converse with any of them, or they may have noticed the breath she was holding as she brought a plate to each table.

So she felt frustrated when she approached a group of four with several plates, did her best to set them down quickly and quietly, and was addressed by a teenage boy with grayish skin and hair. "Hey, you look tired. Why don't you pop a squat with the four of us and relax a little?"

"Um, thanks, but no. I'm just fine," she turned to go before he could say anything else, but he tugged on her arm. His touch felt icy cold.

"Oh, come on, loosen up a little! You've worked hard- we've worked hard; we deserve a little fun," he smiled and tried pulling her back towards the table. She yanked her arm out of his grasp and repeated, "No, it's fine. I really should go." She hurried back to the kitchen, hoping she wouldn't have any more trouble with him. "Maybe some other time then!" He called as she dodged in and out of the other members.

She remembered her dad's warning not to talk to anyone. This was one instance were she understood.
She picked up a few empty plates on her way to the kitchen and handed them over to the dish scrubbers in exchange for fresh meals from the cooks. Her arms were starting to shake from so many hours of balancing the trays. The sweaty patrons were starting to file out, and there was a break in the traffic for a few brief moments. Artemis sat at a lone table and picked at her soup. She didn't bother with the potatoes; they weren't smooth enough. The green beans were chewy and squeaked as she ground them with her teeth.

She noticed a few groups of trainees, the ones who showered before they ate, entering the cafeteria, and was about to get up when a plate was set across from her and the chair suddenly occupied. Nightwing smiled as he picked up a fork. "Do you mind?"

Artemis was a little flustered, but the warning from her dad vanished in milliseconds. "Oh, no. How did you get your food already?"

"I just went through the kitchen and got one from the cook," he shrugged. "It's much faster than waiting for the waitresses to bring them. They're usually pretty slow."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "And what if I were a waitress?"

He smiled. "Is that what your dad wanted you for? If I had known, I wouldn't have gotten my own plate."

"But you get the pleasure of sharing my company anyway," Artemis gave him a teasing smile.

"Count yourself lucky," he laughed. "You're the first face I haven't had to karate chop for the past three hours."

"I thought you didn't train here," Artemis stirred her cold soup for lack of something better to fidget with.

"I do a couple of times a week, depending on how late I'm here. It's good to have a variety of people to train with," he looked up from his potatoes and eyed her for a moment. "I've never seen you there. Do you train?"

The startled look on her face surprised him. "No- no I never do. I'm no hero. And my dad doesn't want me to."

"Hm." He looked back down at his soup. "And what else does your father not want you to do?"

"Well," she chewed her lip for a moment. "He doesn't want me talking to anyone."

A hint of a smile appeared on Nightwing's lips, but he didn't look up. "That's probably a good idea. I'm sure he doesn't trust everyone here."

"Tell me about it," she laughed. "I think he needs to loosen up."

Nightwing pressed his lips into a thin line and didn't reply. Instead he took a bite of the squeaky green beans and pretended to enjoy them.

"So, putting aside what your dad wants and doesn't want, do you want to learn hand to hand combat?

Artemis was somewhat surprised by the question. She hadn't ever thought of it before. Something about even toying with the idea seemed dangerous, but she couldn't tell if it was her own instinct or her father's.
Nightwing noticed her reflective pause and added, "I'm not asking you to disobey your dad. I just wondered what you thought about simple self defense training, since you live with the League of Shadows and all. It could come in handy, you know, if I'm not there to stop you the next time someone breaks in." He grinned with his last statement, and Artemis had to smile too.

"I guess it would make sense. My dad keeps telling me how dangerous it is around here, giving me all these warnings, but I have no real way of protecting myself." Still, she felt uncomfortable with the subject. Or maybe it was Nightwing that made her feel uncomfortable. Or that she wasn't supposed to be talking to anyone. Or a combination of the three. Either way, she found herself standing and reaching for her dishes to leave as soon as possible. Before her fingers could reach her bowl, it was swept away.
"I'll take those," Nightwing smiled. "You've done enough work for tonight."

"I haven't done anything," Artemis raised her eyebrow skeptically, but she found her throat had tightened, making it harder to speak. "You're the one who's been working all day."

"Wouldn't want to ruin those pretty fingers, would we?" He called back as he made his way towards the kitchen, arms laden with dishes. Artemis blushed as she remembered her fearful grip on his fingers earlier that evening. Her mind raced for something to say before he reached the kitchen, but she couldn't come up with anything. She wouldn't have trusted her voice to stay steady long enough for a full sentence, anyway. So she just stood in the near- empty cafeteria, running the conversation over in her mind to make sure she didn't say anything too stupid.

oOo

Artemis returned to her room by a different route than usual. She had only been passed the training facility a couple of times in her entire life, but it wasn't hard to find, and she casually observed the exercise equipment and their users as she passed. Most of the apparatus was new to her, and she had a hard time even guessing what their purpose might be. She saw trainees of all ages practicing every kind of martial arts, and was surprised when she saw two girls who looked to be her own age participating in one on one combat. She stopped and watched for a moment. She had no idea that girls her age were participating in the Shadows. Her dad had always made it sound like it was only for adults. Or maybe since she had been here since she was young, she had always looked to the Shadows as being older and wiser.

Her gaze was suddenly diverted by a someone else. The teen from the cafeteria had been trying to catch her eye, and when he did, he gave her a subtle wink and smirk. Artemis was so surprised, she stood there a moment and just stared, trying to figure out if he was looking at her. When she realized he was, she immediately turned on her heel and quickly went to her room.

She needed to stop being around all these people, or she might form connections, and she knew her father would hate her for it. The boy from the cafeteria already recognized her, and if any one else did, she could be the target of a rebel. She needed to stay secluded in the family quarters. No more contact with the other Shadows.

Her heart ached for a moment. What about Nightwing? As terrifying as witnessing a break in was, she had been thrilled by the suspense. It was almost as if the rush that came with adventure was addicting. She had the smallest inkling of hope that she could experience it again, but now she knew she couldn't. Nightwing was right- it probably was a good idea to keep from talking to anyone. After tonight, she had seen there were enemies of the Shadows who weren't afraid to intrude and to kill. At any given moment, she could be their next victim.

Then she thought of the training Nightwing had mentioned. It would certainly come in handy if she ever needed to defend herself from an enemy. And there actually were girls her age who were doing the exact same thing! If they could handle it, surely she could. Somehow she had to get a hold of Nightwing and find out how to start training.

oOo

Thanks for taking the time to read! If you could do me a favor and take TEN seconds out of your day to leave a review, I would be eternally grateful! And that's it until next time!

Justice League fact: Black Canary likes sports, wants to learn to swim, has a father who is a chef, and thinks Hawkman has bad breath. Hm.