Alright! I have the intergoogles again so here you guys are (I am so sorry it's taken so long)
Roy grumbled to himself as the last trickle of children scampered out of his room. He turned to Artemis with an agitated look plastered his face.
"I hate you." He said bluntly as he began to march himself towards his bed.
"You can't say you didn't have fun." Artemis poked at him as he whirled around and flung himself onto the old blankets.
"Mmm tired." He grumbled ignoring her statement and rolling over so he was face down in the mattress. Artemis planted herself next to him and placed a hand on his back, he didn't give her as much as a grunt of acknowledgement as she sat there with him. He simply took in a long deep breath into the flat pillow.
"Did we make the right choice?" She asked him in such a low voice she was practically asking herself. Roy didn't respond. "It's been so long since we've actually slept in a bed, huh?" She tried again but was only met with the soothing sound of light snores. Smiling slightly she patted his back and stood up. He liked it here, or at least he felt comfortable, otherwise he wouldn't have slept. She noted this looking at how calmly he was able to dream, no tossing and turning, just total unconsciousness. Artemis cracked a smile and walked over to her bed. Looking through a crack in one of her windows she guessed it was nearly one in the morning. How the children were able to stay up so late was beyond her, but she had a sinking feeling that it would be only the larger kids at breakfast the next morning.
She lowered herself down onto her own bed and sighed. The old mattress creaked and groaned under the sudden weight, but she still rest her head against the dirt-stained pillow and attempted to close her eyes.
After nearly ten minutes of simply laying there she couldn't bring herself to as much as doze off. She flung her legs off of the side of the bed and she snuck out of the room, sealing the door silently behind her. Most, if not all, of the children were asleep by this point, which left the hallways entirely empty. Artemis slowly trekked down the tile floors, the sounds of her feet padding against the ground was the only thing that broke the deafening silence. It was so strange for it to be this quiet. Normally the sounds of groans and shrieks rang out all night from Adults outside, but now, in this abandoned hallway she heard nothing.
It was strange to say in the least, being alone for what seemed to be the first time since here arrival at the orphanage. She liked the time to clear her head, but there was something that would make it better. After roaming around the ground floor of the building for a several minutes, Artemis found herself searching for a staircase, or a ladder, something that could possibly lead her up to the roof. A few more minutes and she found what she desired. Hidden in a closet, or what had appeared to be a closet, was a closed off staircase. This most likely led to the attic and the attic most likely led to the roof. Grinning she pulled a lighter out from her pocket, flicked it a few times, and then began to step into the room. Sealing the door behind her, she began to make the ascent up the stairs. The staircase was small and narrow, with old, but seemingly silent steps. She was glad that none of the wood creaked under her weight, although it certainly shuddered and threatened to collapse.
Before she knew it she had reached the top of the staircase. A small, wood door lead upwards into the attic. Smiling once again she pushed against it. The wood didn't budge and the smirk was instantly wiped from her face. She pushed against it once more, to no avail. She held the lighter up to the wood to see if there was anything blocking it. The sight of a hole in the wood instantly met her. She yelped as a blood-shot eye showed itself on the other end of the door. It was soon replaced by mangled and torn fingers scraping to get to the other side of the wood. Artemis swore and fumbled around her pockets for a knife of some sort to fend off the demon. She still wanted up there.
Artemis felt her fingers weave around the slick wood of an old pocket knife and with a smirk of victory she drew the blade up and sliced off the fingers that were pleading to get through the door and then she looked for a way to get the door open. A lock held it shut, along with several boards bolted across the door. Grumbling to herself she began to get to work at the screws holding the door shut.
Part 2
Wally was cold, wet, dirty, bloodied, and wanted a nap. It was past midnight, that much was for sure, and the group had just returned home. The house they had holed up in had become over-run with Adults faster then they could blink, thus they had to make the 10 mile trek back home, in the dark, being chased by Adults. Fun times.
"Get some rest guys. Oh and, Conner, find a new shoe." He instructed the group as they all began to settle down once they had gotten past the fence and into the orphanage. The boys gave muttered responses and went to their rooms, freezing and empty-handed.
"Damn it's cold." Wally grumbled, running a hand through his hair and shaking out as much of the cold water as he could. It was as he began walking through the hallway when he heard it. Small irritated grunts and swears. The voice was familiar, but still, who would be up this late unless they had a watch duty? Frowning he began to search for the source of the noise.
When he finally found what he presumed was the source he was surprised to see that it was the staircase. It was a small closet that they had found in the very beginnings of the event. It had been where the kids decided to keep Adults before they had the stomachs to kill them. They trapped nearly 5 of them in there and had yet to get around to killing them. It was a task he attempted to remember and deal with at some point, but running the entire operation of this orphanage was a very distracting job, and the Adults hadn't even come close to getting out.
Please don't let anyone be in there! He hissed to himself as he walked towards the door. Placing one hand on the doorknob he listened in, there was no need to wake up the Adults in there if he didn't have too.
Still, creaks and grunts and swears flowed out from the other end of the door. Grumbling to himself he pushed the door open and looked in. The first thing he saw was the 4 boards that had held that door shut were now on the staircase. The next thing he saw was the door being pushed open and slender legs being pulled up into the attic.
"Shit!" He shouted and dashed up the stairs as fast as his legs could manage. When he got to the top he groped for his sledgehammer but was met with nothing. He would have to do this hand to hand. Whoever this kid was, he would save them. Then kill them later for endangering everyone in this damn place.
Wally reached the top of the stairs, and without hesitation, hoisted himself up into the attic. The wood creaked under him and he was instantly greeted by a grotesque, gory face. He couldn't recognize the other kid on the defense against the three adults but it didn't matter, he needed to help them.
He turned to the Adult that had met him at the top of the stairwell and slammed his elbow into her chest cavity. The Adult staggered backwards, but was soon joined by another. Seeing as the kid was preoccupying the last of the Adults he turned to the others, Time to be a hero. He grumbled to himself and ran forward attempting to find a weapon. He scavenged in the few, very short, seconds that he had. Settling with a small wooden plank he saw on the ground, he reared up just as the Adult regained her ground.
The wooden handle met with one of the Adult's mouths hitting them and throwing them back against a dresser. Wally thrust out again, striking the other this time straight in the neck. He heard a sickening snap but still the Adult ran forward slamming into him and causing him to tumble over backwards. Soon enough he heard the sound of shattering bone and splitting flesh and looked up to see the other kid standing above him prying an old hunting knife from the neck of one of the Adults. They drew the weapon back and then turned and stabbed downward into the skull of the second Adult. Wally gapped as he saw the blade go straight into the skull, causing it to tumble down, and hopefully stay there for good.
"If we push them out the window do you think they'll land outside the wall?" A rougher female voice asked as a hand was offered down to Wally,
"I umm…er…" was all Wally could managed as he looked up and saw none other than Artemis, Wally scrambled to his feet without the aid and puffed out his chest, I probably look like some feather-ruffled bird, but whatever, chicks dig that hole alpha-male thing. He thought quickly.
"Hello?! Earth to ….ahh what was your name again?"
"Wallace…Wally…WAlly West!" Damn it! No! My voice cracked! Wally internally groaned, now cursing at himself for not allowing the Adults to kill him. Wasn't this just the best day ever?
"Oh yeah, I'm-"
"Artemis!" Wally's voice chipped in, his voice being a little deeper then he thought it should be. But whatever, she probably didn't notice.
"Puberty?" She cackled at him, oh yes, she noticed.
"What?! No!" He scoffed at her brushing off his pants and then moving to the window to see the distance to the wall, which measured about five feet. Can't throw them, but maybe we could…
"Maybe we could build a bridge across using some ply wood or something." Stupid woman, already thinking she knows everything. We'll get along just great! Wally rolled his eyes, regardless of how absolutely smokin' this girl is, she is a total know-it-all.
"Just what I was thinking." Wally grumbled and brushed past her to attempt to find some wood. But, of course, before he could even find a piece that was longer than about two inches, or wasn't attached to something, she had found one. The board wass approximately seven feet long and wide enough so one of them could sit on it and drag the Adult's across while the other held it steady.
"Perfect." She smiled and Wally helped her move it to the window.
"So about the…." He gestured to the knife that had caused permanent damage to the face of several of the Adults laying dead on the floor.
"Oh, that. Well yeah, Roy kinda taught me a little bit of everything once things went to hell and I just happened to bring a knife up here. It was my Dad's before all of this started." She shrugged,
"Alrighty." Wally nodded, not wanting to get his man-card deducted anymore for saying something stupid.
"You're welcome." She finally sighed as they slid the board out the window and struggled to keep it upright as it traveled through the air towards the fence-line that separated them from the ravenous Adults that had followed them back and were now pounding on the outside gate in a vein attempt to get in. Yet, eventually the board was over, but Wally wasn't necessarily sure it was completely stable.
"Who do you want to go across?" Wally asked, Artemis raised an eyebrow and shrugged,
"I have no problems doing it." She got a determined look on her face and then waited while Wally grabbed the first of the bodies.
"They're heavy Art, is it cool if I call you that? Are you sure you want to do it?"
"Yeah sure, but what, you don't think I can handle it?" Artemis put her hands on her hips, but then reached out to accept the corpse as Wally offered it forward.
"I know you can handle it beautiful, I just don't wanna see you hurt yourself doing it is all. There's a lot of splinters on that wood." He lied. Honestly, he knew this girl was strong, but she wasn't the right bulk that he was. She needed to be big to pull these bodies across such a rickety bridge…on the other hand Wally was a good 140 pounds…she was probably only about 120, not that he was calling her fat or something! She was just curvy enough not to be less than that. So he stepped forward, taking the body back. "Just…hold the board, kay?" Artemis raised an eyebrow,
"It'll break under your combined weight." She said flatly. "I'm doing it." Wally puffed out his cheeks in some sort of argument, but decided against it as she held her hand out for the body.
"You better not hurt yourself."
"I can handle myself." Artemis laughed at him, snagging the body from the collar and slinging it onto the wood beam. She had maybe two feet to move around on, and Wally had been right about the splinters. She clambered on alongside the body and began nudging it forward as Wally held it as steady as he could manage. She got halfway across and gulped as she began to hear the sound of splitting wood. This had to move fast.
When she had reached the seventy five percent marker the body was already half way over the fence. She gave it a final shove and then crawled slowly back.
"Next." She said and let Wally slide the body, this time onto her lap. She gagged at the smell coming up from the rotting face just below hers, but she said nothing as she scooted across the beam on more time. She was met once again by the sound of splintering wood and shoved the body over the edge.
"How's the wood holding up?" Wally asked as Artemis came back, huffing and puffing and demanding the next body be handed to her.
"It's not." She told him and accepted the corpse onto her lap. She had to make this one quick. She scrambled as quickly and as carefully as she could. She reached the quarter way point and the wood began to visibly spit. She swore and slid a few more inches, splinters biting into her legs and rear as she did so. She finally heaved the body up over the edge of the fence and the wood gave an audible crack and gave out, sending Artemis tumbling down. She heard Wally swearing after her as she fell through the air, suddenly she felt the ground. It landed thickly on her back causing her to loose all the air in her lungs. Hacking and sputtering she rolled over onto her stomach and swore.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, owww." She choked as she saw Wally leaping down from the window. The drop wasn't as far as it had looked from the board. Two stories, maybe. But still Artemis felt as though she had sent her lungs through a ringer and then broken her back in a twenty elephant stampede. Wally scrambled along the side of the building, going from window ledge to window ledge, trying to find loose bricks in the wall to leap to, each step he got closer, but Artemis never really saw him get to her. The tunnel vision began once he was halfway down, and she wasn't sure she could hold the sights at bay. Blackness began to fly around her eyes and she let them droop close with the final sight of Wally hitting the ground.
"Get up! Come one, please don't be dead. Please don't be dead!" Wally stammered as he pulled Artemis's limp head onto his lap. "Let's go, open your eyes! Come on! You can do it!" He prodded but still the girl lay unconscious in his lap. "Art! Art get up!" He demanded taking her shoulders and shaking them. This must have done something seeing as Artemis began to scrunch her forehead and let her eyes flicker open.
"Wha- ow." She moaned rolling over onto her side and vomiting "That sucked." She sputtered and wiped at her mouth.
"Can I just start off by saying you scarred the living hell out of me?" Wally said and pulled her up into a hug. Artemis stiffened, she had just met this guy, he had nearly killed her, and now he was hugging her? Hey, she didn't complain.
"You nearly killed me!" Artemis said back, halfway into his shoulder. Wally pulled back and let Artemis lay back down.
"You were the one that wanted to go!"
"Don't argue with me right now." She muttered and pressed her eyes closed, "Just kindly escort me to my room and I will kill you tomorrow." Wally nodded and helped Artemis stand up,
"Do you need any water?" He asked, Artemis waved a hand at him,
"'mm fine." She told him as he slung her arm over his shoulder. "Damn it!" She hissed and cringed at the pain. "Back." She told him, Wally nodded and removed the hand from his shoulders.
"I have an idea!" Wally whispered to her and knelt over and motioned for her to get onto his back, Artemis huffed in defiance but allowed the man to carry her as she stepped onto his back and slung her arms over his shoulders.
"So Artemis, how's your brain?" Wally asked,
"Pro'lly have a concussion." Artemis mumbled,
"Okay, what's your name?"
"Artemis." She slurred
"Full name."
"Artemis Lian Harper Crock." She told him irritably, Wally nodded and opened the door with his foot as they entered the building.
"Brother's name?"
"Roy."
"Age?"
"16." She mumbled, Wally shot himself a grin, right on! Same age! He thought to himself.
"Umm…"
"Can't really ask me much else, huh?" Artemis laughed hoarsely,
"I could think of something!" Wally chuckled once the had reached Artemis' room, "here we are ma'am." He beamed at her and set her down.
"Thank you. I'm gonna go…pass out again." She informed him and struggled to get the door open.
"Just make sure you make it to the bed." Wally instructed her,
"Yussah." She mumbled and waved at hand at him as she got the door open and slipped in. Wally waved to her and spun on his heel as she shut the door. She was pretty. Like really pretty. It was time to turn on the magical Wallace West charm.
Part 3
Wally walked back down the hallway and found the closet once again. He opened the door and stepped inside. Climbing up the old rickety stairs he tried to think of something that Artemis might have been trying to get up here to get. Obviously she couldn't have something that belonged to her stored away up there, so what was it?
He reached the top of the stairs and cracked open the door. It was quiet on the inside of the room, an eerie quiet. There was blood stains and parts of the bodies that had been up there, along with the snacks they had scavenged up. Wally was pretty sure that there was a dead cat in the corner. Still, he had a mission, he focused on searching through everything that was in the room and trying to find what Artemis was looking for.
The room was not cluttered to terribly much, and most everything was covered in white sheets, making Wally's job easier. There was spider webs galore, as well as dust and several other bugs and rodents scattering throughout the room. One small flash of fur caught his eye. He blinked, this one was much larger than the ones he had seen so far in the room.
There was another long flash of dirty brown fur and Wally moved closer. It was then that a large rat-looking creature leapt out at him. Wally yelped and tumbled back. When he realized he wasn't being mauled, and that he simply had an angry ferret biting onto the edge of his pant leg, he sat up. He moved his hand over to the ferret and pulled him up. The ferret obliged and seemed to pout as he was lifted into the air.
"Cool." Wally smirked and let the ferret go as he began writhing around in his clutches. But still the furry creature climbed up Wally and planted himself firmly onto Wally's shoulder. Wally pursed his lips and looked over. The ferret was perched on his shoulder, content at the spot, he had laid down and dug his claws into the fabric of Wally's shirt to hold himself on, "Sweet!" He commented, "Souvenir." He grinned and stood up, ferret hardly moved as he stood. "Alright little man, where is whatever Artemis lost?" He questioned and the ferret suddenly got up and slithered down him, "Wait!" Wally hissed quickly after him, but he was too slow as the ferret began running to the window. It was then that he grabbed something in the shadow in his mouth and scurried back. Wally crouched down to see what the ferret had brought him, "What's this?" He demanded and the ferret placed the knife that Artemis had earlier into his hand, "Huh…" Wally murmured and stuffed the item into his pocket before extending a hand for the ferret to climb up, "Wanna come back to the room with me? Or maybe get something to eat?" The ferret tapped the side off Wally's face twice. "Food?" He asked and the ferret bobbed his head, "Damn you're smart." Another bob of the head. Pleased with his new pet, Wally reached up and stroked the ferret's head as he began to make his way out of the room.
Part 4
"Whoa, man! What's that?" Dick demanded and scrambled up off his bed when Wally returned to the room.
"My new friend! I found him in the attic!" Wally beamed and continued holding up a bit of lettuce to the ferret as he nibbled at the edges. Dick froze and gapped up at him,
"What were you doing in the attic? I thought that area was supposed to be blocked off!" Dick demanded holding a hand out to accept the ferret. The animal went willingly, climbing across Wally's extended arm to Dick's.
"It's a long story." Wally shrugged, "Some mega babe was blonde enough to go up there. Had to save her." Dick raised a slender black eyebrow,
"Mega babe?" He questioned as the ferret ran across his back and leapt back onto Wally, "Who's that?" He asked,
"Artemis." Wally shrugged, Dick blinked attempting to remember the name and connect it to someone's face. When he finally managed he pursed his lips,
"As in the new girl?" He stammered, lightly placing a finger on his healing arm, "The one whose brother shot me?!" He frowned at him, "Disastrous choice dude, heavy on the dis." Wally rolled his eyes and plopped down on his bed,
"I know dude, but she's super hot. Plus she fights like a bad ass." Wally placed his hands over his eyes and let his newly acquired ferret scamper over him and lounge on top of his stomach, "Like, she could probably kick my ass." He said simply,
"You're way faster." Dick pointed out, Wally shrugged, and it was true that he was the fastest kid in the entire orphanage, hell he had been the fastest kid in the country at one point, he had earned medals and trophies galore when he was able to compete.
"True." Wally mused and moved one of his hands to lightly stroke the ferret's soft fur,
"Whatever. But dude, what're you gonna name it?" Dick grinned and leapt onto the bed next to Wally,
"What? Oh, the ferret? Dunno." Wally yawned and lifted the animal up to put him on his chest, "What's your name?" He asked it, the ferret bobbed a bit but didn't reply,
"Well, how about George?" Dick suggested, Wally frowned, and the ferret shook its head.
"Nah."
"Tom?"
"Nope."
"Well is it a boy or a girl?" Wally moved his hand away from his face and looked over at his raven haired companion,
"I dunno." Dick raised an eyebrow at him and lifted up the ferret, after examining it he put it back down,
"Boy." He said, "He's a boy." The ferret nodded a t him and went to curl back up on Wally's chest, the runner accepted the gesture and began petting him again, "Hey, what's the first thing you said when you found him?" Wally shrugged,
"Cool, I think." The red head opened one eye to look at his friend, didn't question his tactics,
"How about Cool?" Dick suggested, Wally pondered this for a while and shook his head,
"Whoa! Dude I got it!" He beamed at the ferret, "How's about Souvenir?" The ferret bobbed his head happily and Dick sat back, pleased at his handy work,
"Asterous dude, but just for the record, it was my idea." Wally stuck out his tongue at Dick, as did Souvenir.
"Whatever." He brushed a hand at him and began letting his eyes droop again, "What time is it?" He muttered, Dick frowned and looked down at his watch,
"Well my watch died at 11:52, and I think there's a tooth in it, but the clock…" He looked around for the small, battery-operated clock they kept in the room, "Saaaaays…" He continued as he scavenged. Neither of the boys were extremely tidy, and the combined mess made the room an extreme pig-sty, "3:25!" Dick called once he found the small, now cracked, clock underneath a pile of fabric that he had yet to give to Zatanna to sew up for him.
"Damn. Welp, I'm off to bed." Wally muttered and rolled over, Souvenir clambered onto his pillow next to his head and joined him in finally letting his eyes close and letting sleep overcome him almost instantly.
Part 5
Roy was surrounded. He had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The Adults were staggering towards him, their fleshless hands groping to break skin and tear flesh away from bone. Roy clutched his bow to his chest. The same bow that his father had given his when he was eight. The same bow he accidentally shot the window with. The same bow that he had killed Adult, after Adult with. The same bow that had protected his sister with, the sister that was now dead. Bleeding out beside him, her blonde hair matted with blood and strewn across the ground, with her mouth partially open as if calling out for him as the crimson leaked from between her thin, pale lips. He had heard her scream before she went down. The heart-wrenching, bloodcurdling screech that had brought his utmost attention to her, an adult had latched onto her neck, the woman's teeth biting into her soft skin and ripping. He couldn't force himself to remember any more of the details, other than knowing that three arrows were now implanted into the Adult's skull as she lay dead on the ground, with several of her 'companions' now digging into her skin and shoving the sweet, greasy, dirty flesh into their grimy mouths.
He couldn't take them, the others were too far and the Adults were too close. Without Artemis he was going to die. Poor girl, he knew that she shouldn't have come, but still, somehow they both managed to be pulled into everything. Forced to witness and suffer the 'raid' that the other children had gone out on.
But now, the Adults were so close. He swung his bow, catching one of the men on the jaw and sending him flying back into another smaller Adult causing the both of them to spiral backwards into the ground, but still it wasn't enough. Roy went to swing again and ended up missing, stumbling forward and into the reach of one mutilated woman's arms. He blinked, seeing her dark black hair, and hazy brown eyes. But, he had killed his mother! This couldn't be possible! She scraped and clutched onto him, pulling his shoulder in, into what seemed to be more of an embrace than an attempt at his life. Roy dropped his bow and the metal clattered to the ground. After several futile attempts to struggle he felt them, the teeth digging into his skin, right at the nape of his neck. He let a scream rip through his throat and dropped to the ground, right next to his sister. He crawled forward as the Adults tumbled down to get at him, and slipped his hand into Artemis'. Pulling her forward, he wrapped himself around her cold, motionless figure and waited, clenching his eyes shut and pushing his face into her soft, bloodied hair.
"Roy? Roy, what are you doing?" His sister's rough voice demanded,
"Shut up, you're dead." Roy mumbled, "Stop talking." He couldn't bare to have her be alive to suffer through this,
"What the Hell Roy?" Artemis said again, and he felt jabbing at this shoulder, he cracked his eye open to see a white pillow in front of his face, blinking out the sleep from his eyes a few times, released the pillow he had in a death grip, and rolled over to see Artemis standing over him with a plate of food in her hand. He sat up, utterly confused as to what was going on.
"Why aren't you dead?" He demanded, but accepted the food she offered him,
"Umm, I don't know. Did your assassins fail again or something?" She joked, poking him in the arm and then moving over to her bed, where her food was already finished. She grabbed the platter and began moving to the door, "You have another nightmare or something?" She asked, Roy shrugged and continued to eat the stale cereal in front of him. "What about this time?" Roy glared at her,
"Same thing at last time." He growled and ran a hand through his messy red hair, "Adults."
"Just Adults, or did something else happen? Why was I dead?"
"Fuck off Artemis, I don't want to talk about it, okay? I had a dream. That's it. My God woman, this isn't twenty questions!" Artemis grinned at him and offered to grab his bowl of cereal. Putting up a finger he tipped the lip of the bowl into his mouth and began chugging the milk.
Roy handed the bowl up to Artemis and she accepted it, putting it on her tray and she began walking out. "Hey, thanks!" Roy called after her, Artemis simply flipped him off and walked out of the room.
As she stepped she ran right into the bouncing redhead from the night before, but now, he had some furry little creature perched on top of his head like a little guard dog. It began crawling forward as it saw her,
"H-hey!" Wally said when Artemis rammed into him, Artemis blinked up at him and attempted to recover the plates that were fumbling around in her arms.
"Hi!" She said and curled her arms around the bowls, only to have Wally scoop them up away from her.
"How'd you sleep?" Wally asked and the two began to walk,
"Horribly," She laughed,
"How's the noggin?" He questioned,
"Actually not too terrible. Now, why the hell do you have a ferret on your head?" Artemis asked looking up at the fur-ball that was nesting in Wally's mess of red hair.
"What? Oh! Souvenir?" Wally lifted a hand up and let the creature crawl onto it, then handed it to Artemis. "I found him yesterday, along wiiith." He scrambled in his back pocket for something. Artemis gasped when he drew her pocket knife from the pocket. "Found this baby by the window, I think you dropped it when you set up the board and we just didn't notice it. Souvenir actually found it."
"Wait, you named him Souvenir?" Wally nodded,
"First thing I said when I found him," He puffed out his chest and watched as Souvenir began crawling up Artemis' arm and right down the front of her tank top. The blonde yelped as the ferret made himself comfortable and then poked his head out of the top.
"How charming." Artemis laughed and continued to walk down the hall, getting a few glances from passerby's. "Did you already eat, Wally?" She questioned, the redhead shook his head,
"Neither has Souvenir. Well, I mean he ate last night, but I don't think Dick's hair and a little lettuce counts." Artemis chuckled at his, she could imagine the boy's reaction to this, he looked like the type that liked his hair, a lot.
"You know ferrets are supposed to eat mea-"
"WALLY!" Wally grinned,
"Right on cue." Then, as if summoned by the mention of his name, Dick stormed down the hallways, shoving his way past other kids in a mad attempt to strangle his best friend.
"WALLACE YOU'RE DEAD!" He yelled at him, pointing at the mangled ends of his hair, and chewed up sunglasses.
"Look who's awake! Bye Art!" Wally waved to her, "Keep Souvenir safe!" With that, he was off, booking it down the hall with the fuming Dick, swearing and yelling after him. The ferret looked up at her with confused brown eyes,
"I guess I'm baby sitting." She shrugged, "Wanna go to the kids or to the garden?" Souvenir tapped the side of her face twice with his little paws, "Garden?" Artemis asked, Souvenir bobbed his head. "Alright." Artemis nodded and walked towards the outside, "You aren't going to run are you?" The ferret shook his head and burrowed further down into her shirt,
"Artemis!" M'gann's voice called over the buzz of the hallways. She flipped around to see the ginger running towards her with a pouting black-haired child, who also looked a lot like Dick. Big family. She noted and walked forward.
"Hi M'gann, what's up?" She asked the black haired child saw the ferret and pointed at it,
"M'orzz! I wanna see that." M'gann looked at Artemis. The blonde shrugged and then looked at the ferret,
"Wanna go see the kid?" She asked, the ferret hid in her shirt instantly. Sighing she shook her head. "Sorry kid." The boy pouted some more, but didn't say anything as Artemis turned to M'gann, "Whatcha need?"
"Oh, the guys are trying to put together a long-distance scavenger group and wanted to know if you or Roy wanted to come, I know Roy doesn't really want you going out, so do you mind asking him if he wants to-" Artemis put up a hand,
"I'll go. Just let me get my stuff, and don't tell Roy until I'm at least a mile away." M'gann blinked but nodded, "Who's going?"
"The usual, Conner, Dick, Wally, Tim, and I'm tagging along this time." M'gann smiled at her,
"And lemme guess, this little punk is taking up the front?" She pointed to the kid with a grin. M'gann let out a giggle and shook her head,
"No, he's in trouble. He needs to remember that putting a chicken in the girls sleep quarter is not an okay thing to do."
"I'm kind of glad I don't sleep there."
"I could put a chicken in your room." He grumbled as if he was trying to threaten her,
"My brother would eat it." The boy's face instantly fell,
"NO! Don't kill it!" he yelped at her,
"Damian here really likes animals." M'gann clarified, "he wont even eat any meat. We had to force him to drink milk even." Damian pouted,
"You aren't supposed to steal the cow's milk." He grumbled, "Those are for baby cows."
"Calves, and don't worry Damian, it thinks you are a baby cow so it's giving milk to you." Damian beamed at M'gann as she smiled at him,
"Really?" Artemis nodded to back her up,
"Yessir!" She smiled and patted him on the head,
"Whoa." He said, M'gann put a hand on his shoulder,
"Yup, now let's go see Kaldur, shall we? I think we should inform him of what you've been up to lately." Damian's face went pale,
"Who?" Artemis asked, M'gann looked at her, "Who's Kaldur?" She asked,
"He's kind of like the boss of this place." She smiled at her, "A really nice guy, he's the oldest out of all of us, well, probably the same age as Roy, but he was the one that pretty much founded this place and brought all the kids. He used to go out on raids with us, but he got hurt one time, and he just, can't do it anymore." M'gann sighed, "But he's still in charge." Artemis nodded,
"Mind if I come with, so you can introduce me?" M'gann nodded,
"That's a great idea! Come on!"
Part 6
Kaldur's room was on the far end of the orphanage, M'gann lead Artemis in as well as Damian,
"Kaldur!" M'gann called out into the room, "Kaldur'ahm, it's M'gann! I have Damian, and the new girl Artemis!"
"I'm coming!" A strong, deep voice responded from the other room, "Just take a seat." The three sat down in the few chairs that were scattered around the room before the sounds of rubber squeaking against the hard wood floor began to ring out through the room. Soon enough Kaldur appeared. He had dark skin, light hair, and serious eyes. He was a strongly built man with extremely toned upper arm muscles with tattoos lining them and extremely sculpted calves. Artemis couldn't help but stare though, at his twisted left leg. It appeared to be entirely snapped, and had healed in the position in the way that it had been broken. He was walking with a crutch, which explained the noise prior to his appearance.
"Hello." He nodded to the three of them and then settled down into a chair across from all of them, "I am Kaldur'ahm." He extended a hand out to Artemis with a smile,
"Artemis." She nodded at him accepting the large hand in her own; it was a strong grip, calloused and tight around her much smaller hand. She had expected the leader of this rag-tag group of children to be someone much more, energetic, she supposed, but the calm, put-together man in front of her simply didn't fit that bill, but she'd accept it. Besides, he was attractive too.
"I know." He nodded at her, "I also understand that you have a brother, Roy, wasn't it?" Artemis bobbed her head, and felt the ferret finally poke it's head out from between her cleavage, "and I can see that you have a little friend there as well." He extended a hand towards the creature, "May I?"
"Oh, yeah! Sure!" Artemis scooped the animal out from her shirt and allowed it to climb onto Kaldur's outstretched hand, the ferret instantly hissed and leapt back onto Artemis' lap and then began to climb back into her shirt. "Huh…" She whispered, Kaldur blinked and put his hand down,
"Animals have never been to fond of me." He informed her as if assuring her that it was alright.
"I'm sorry, umm but that was Souvenir, it's Wally's ferret." Kaldur nodded,
"Ah, Wallace. Yes, he seems like to type to take such an animal in." He smiled at the ferret as he popped his head out once again, as if he was the lookout, his eyes never leaving Kaldur.
"Well Kaldur'ahm,"
"You can just call me Kaldur." He informed her and then motioned for her to continue.
"I'd like to thank you for letting us stay here, and umm yes, if there is anything that you'll need us to do, I'm sure you could just ask me and Roy and we'll help you out the best we can!" Kaldur thanked her and then turned to Damian,
"Now, as for you Damian, what did you do this time?" Artemis chuckled at this and stood up, excusing herself, she was going to need to get ready if she was going on this raid. She made her way down the hall again, intent on finding Wally to return his ferret. If Dick hadn't killed him yet.
She entered the dining hall and scanned the room for the redhead in question. Finally she found Conner in the edge of the room, pushing around some eggs around on a plate.
"Hey Conner." Artemis said, walking up and standing next to his table with the ferret now climbing out of her shirt and perching on her shoulder, "Where's your brother and Wally?" She asked, Conner blinked,
"Brother?" He asked,
"Yeah, Dick." Artemis said, he was probably wondering which she was referring to.
"I don't have a brother." Artemis blushed,
"What? Oh! I'm sorry, you guys just look so much a like!" Artemis said now attempting to look around the room to not meet the suddenly cold, grey eyes that were looking up at her.
"It's fine, but if I tell you where they are, will you tell me where M'gann is?" Artemis raised an eyebrow,
"Yeah, that's fine, why do you want to know where M'gann is" She questioned, Conner shrugged and poked at his breakfast again,
"No reason. Just want to be sure she's ready for the trip." Conner said quickly, "But umm, they should be in their room."
"And where's that?" Artemis asked,
"Go to the boy's side, down the second hallway, it's the third door on the right." Conner told her and finally shoved a mouthful of eggs into his mouth,
"Oh and M'gann is in Kaldur's room, dealing with something Damian did." Artemis called over her shoulder as she began walking away, waving a hand towards Conner and leaving the room.
Artemis stepped back into the hallway and looked over towards Souvenir, "Hi." He nodded at her, "You're going to have to help me find Wally." She informed him, Souvenir bobbed up and down again and then scrambled down Artemis' front and onto the ground, leading the way for her, "You are one smart ferret." She commented, Souvenir looked over his shoulder and clicked at her happily, as if thanking her for the compliment. Artemis watched as the little legs kicked out from under him, pushing him forward at a slow walk, it was easy enough to keep up with him, even though Artemis knew Souvenir could easily out run her. The ferret simply marched in front of her, occasionally squeaking and chirping at her. The sight brought a smile to her lips, it seem ridiculous that this could be happening too her and still, there she was, following a ferret down the hallway.
Souvenir suddenly booked it to the right, running down a hallway and out of her sight. Artemis yelped and began sprinting after him, she just saw him bolting into a room, third door on the right. She slowed down, straightened herself out and then followed the ferret into the room, she knocked on the open door as she entered,
"Knock, knock." She called into the room,
"Hey Art!" Wally called from his bed. She came into the room and looked around, the space wasn't too terribly dirty, but what was on the floor and scattered throughout the area was probably all that the two boys that shared the room had. She noticed a couple bags filled with make shift weapons on the ground and rolled out on beds. Dick and Wally were both sitting on their own beds, in front of their own bag of weapons. Wally was investigating a large hammer, while Dick was running a small hunting knife over a metal pole to sharpen it.
"Hey Artemis." Dick waved a quick hand and went back to sharpening.
"M'gann told me I'm coming on a raid with you guys." Wally looked up, his eyes brightening,
"Really?" He demanded happily, "Sweet! I thought Roy wouldn't let you." Artemis shrugged,
"He will if he doesn't know I'm going." She sneered at him and Souvenir began running from between the two of them, "But I do suggest that Souvenir stays behind." She told Wally, Wally frowned,
"What, why?" He demanded,
"Just so something doesn't happen to him while we're out there, you just got him, don't loose him." Souvenir scrambled over to Wally's lap and stayed there quietly growling at Artemis, knowing that Wally wouldn't argue the point any farther.
Part 7:
"Looks like it might rain." Tim commented as the group walked down the paved streets of town. They had set off at around noon and had been walking for approximately two hours now. They only had gotten a few miles underneath their belt and had been hoping to make this an all-day trip, but it seemed that this was not going to happen if they got washed off of the streets. The leader of the group, Wally swore and looked over to where Tim was pointing.
"Alright guys, it looks like this is going to be a short run." Wally called, "let's just try and get to the store down on third and back. That's about two more miles," He instructed them and began to move in front of the diamond they had formed,
"We can't hole up somewhere?" Artemis questioned leaping up so she was right next to Wally. Wally turned to face her,
"Can't go anywhere that isn't secure." He informed her and continued to walk, "But don't worry, these raids usually go seamlessly." He winked, "it probably wont even rain, just being careful." He whispered back to her. She nodded and kept quiet. Seeing as, the louder they were, the more likely any Adults in the area would hear them.
So they walked, silently and in a diamond formation. Wally was in the front, Dick and Artemis on his flank, M'gann and Conner taking the sides and Tim watching the back. Tim liked the back. Now that he thought of it, he found that walking backwards was almost as natural as walking forward, you learned how to take careful steps, look over your shoulder when need be, and you learned to listen to the others in the group. He couldn't imagine any other place in the diamond feeling comfortable, he didn't like leading, making the split second decisions, so he followed, he made sure that where they left was safe, and that no one was following them. He used to hate the job, not being able to see where he was going, and he generally had the least amount of action when it came to fighting Adults,. This wasn't because he was the weakest fighter, not even close, if that were the face, M'gann or Wally or this new girl, Artemis would probably be in back, no it was because he knew the streets, knew the little hiding places that the Adults could come up from, and he could tell them weather patterns and prevent sneak attacks. This had come in extremely handy on a multitude of occasions.
"Tim." Conner hissed at him, "To the left, grey building, white trim, second story, watch that building, I think I saw movement." Tim gave him a grunt to show that he heard him and pulled out his long distance weapons, a small slingshot that was filled with heavy rocks. He loaded it and watched the window that he was directed to. The house seemed quiet for a while, but after he kept his gaze on it for about twenty seconds he saw the movement and swore.
"Animal." He called up to Wally, "and a lot of them." He gave the same directions that Conner had given him and Wally looked over his shoulder at the building. The group stopped and no one moved from their position as the scene was investigated,
"In pursuit or not?" Wally asked,
"They haven't seen us." Tim hissed up the line.
"Can you tell what they are?" Dick asked attempting to strain his neck around so he could see the house in question.
"Not cats or dogs, they're too big." Tim informed them and then scrambled for his binoculars and motioned for them to continue walking forward, he held up the cheap plastic to his eyes and looked through into the window, probably zoo animals again, or deer, there was a lot of those. He saw the rippling shoulder muscles first, then the light yellow fur and then the mane, "Crap, lions." He swore and looked up to the others over his shoulder, "Move, move, move!" He yelped as quietly as he could manage, "Lions!"
I am so sorry I haven't updated but I hope that made up for it and the next chapter just needs to be edited so it shall be up in the next couple days!
SO, there are lions, now before ya'll get all "Why the balls is there lions?" They escaped from the zoo. It says so in there, but it is only briefly mentioned so I just wanted to point that out.
NOW REVIEW! IT MAKES ME A HAPPY CAMPER THAT LIKES TO POST MORE!
(Any questions/comments/concerns just shoot me a comment or a message and I'll be glad to help you out!)
AND FINALLY: Yes, there will be more people introduced, most everyone, if not everyone shall have a bit of a part within this.