All rights to Young Justice goes to DC Entertainment. OC's go to me. Hope this story is doing okay. I was so in the mood to type on this story last night I just wrote another chapter. So here ya go.
"So did you ever find out who this hottie is?" Crystal asked with a smirk. "It's been two weeks now since you first mentioned him."
"Sadly, no." Artemis says with a sigh. "We just call him Angel."
"Angel? Did he seem like an angel?" She teased.
"He did. He always drops out of the sky." Megan said placing her finger on her chin.
"Okay, how about a change of subject. Have you guys heard of this new group of super heroes called Young Justice?" Crystal asked, leaning forward on the grass.
The sun was shining on them, making their surprise less dramatic than it was with the sun covering it.
"Uh, yeah." Dick said, looking at everybody pointedly.
"What do you think about them?" Kaldur asked leaning forward, acting like he was into it.
Crystal sat back, laying back against the tree behind her. "They all seem really strong."
Wally smiled as he placed his arms behind his head, and shifted, lying back on Crystal's lap. "They are! Who do you like the best?"
Crystal looked down at him sitting on her outstretched legs. She began running her fingers through his hair, feeling the soft, feathery feel of it in her hands. "I like all of them. It's funny you know, one of them has the same name as you Artemis!"
Artemis stiffened looking at her as she cracked a smile and a laugh. "Yeah, it's the name of a goddess." She told her.
"Hmm, well that Artemis is pretty bad ass. I think all girls need to look up to her." Crystal said, looking down at Wally as he closed his eyes and relaxed in her feel. "Miss Martian is pretty, and pretty strong. Aqualad seems like a good and strong leader. Superboy….he reminds me of superman…" She said, making Conner look down and clench his fists. "No…that's not it…" He stopped looking at her confused. "He seems stronger….more human than Superman, which makes him stronger. He can be a great hero in the future. Robin….I'd like to see him completely leave Batman one day. I think he's really smart, but no one gives him full credit because of Batman."
"You seem to think highly of them." Dick said with a smile.
Crystal nodded her head, smiling at them. "But I have to say I like Kid Flash best." Wally cracked one eye open, looking at her with anticipation. "He's a superhero, but he doesn't let it get to him too much. He continues to have fun in life. Plus he's cute." Crystal let out a small giggle, hiding her blush that was appearing on her cheeks.
Wally smiled proudly as he closed his eye again, listening to her laugh more before leaning back and relaxing.
"What if you were a superhero?" Kaldur asked her, making the others look at him worriedly.
"I'm not sure what I would do." Crystal breathed, she looked down at Wally again as he cracked his eye open. She smiled down at him and ran her fingers over his forehead, eyes, nose, cheeks, chin, and mouth. "I guess if I was a super hero, I'd want to protect those around me. Those I hold precious to me."
Her finger stopped on his lips as she stared down at him, making him stare at her deeply, his eyes delving into hers as if he could see her soul.
"Crystal Marshall."
She tore her gaze away from Wally and looked up at the adult that walked up.
"Head master!" Dick said, standing up quickly.
"Hello, Richard." The Headmaster said with a nod of his head. "Ms. Crystal, will you please come with me?"
"What is this about?" She asked looking up at him.
He looked around at everyone, giving a skeptical, piercing look. "It's about family matters."
Crystal tensed, making Wally look at her questioningly. "Uh, um, yeah. I'm coming."
She lifted Wally's head gently, making him sitting up as she quickly and hurriedly grabbed her bag and scurried behind the Headmaster towards his office.
"What was that about?" Conner asked, looking at Wally.
"I don't know." Wally asked. "Her family has always been pretty normal that I know of." He stopped think about it carefully. "Now that I think about it. I've never been to her house."
"How can you never have been to her house?" Dick asked looking at him. "You've known each other since you were five."
"I know, I know." Wally said, rubbing his head. "But every time I asked to go to her house, she had some problem or other plans going on."
"Do you know where she lives?" Kaldur asked, standing up.
Wally shook his head, looking at them with a sigh. "Dick, can you find her address?"
"Leave it to me." Dick answered, nodding his head.
Wally began to worry when Crystal didn't get to their last class, and even more so when she didn't come to school the next day.
"I think it's time we go to her house." Dick said. "I got her address, let's go check up on her."
"I agree, she may be in trouble." Kaldur said nodding his head.
They snuck out of lunch, skipping their last class and follow the GPS on Dick's handheld, telling them where to go to find Crystal's house. Dick stopped looking at his handheld and back up, staring at the spot of land.
"This is where it's supposed to be." He told them, looking back at them.
They were staring at a blank piece of land that used to look like a house used to belong there. The land was well kept, but where the house was supposed to be, there was a square of burnt, dirt covered land, with sprouts of grass popping up randomly.
"This can't be it." Wally said shaking his head.
Megan looked around, spotting a woman walking on the other side of the street. She caught her attention and waved her over, hoping to find help. "Excuse me, do you know what happened to the house that was here?"
"Oh dear, that house was burnt down years ago." The woman told her. "Sad story it was. A whole family was murdered in there, leaving only one survivor, a five year old little girl. None of her family members would take her in so she ended up being taken care of by a friend of the family." The woman shook her head in sorrow. "Poor girl never smiled after her family was murdered. She started smiling a bit after a year, but then the only thing she had left of her family was the house, and someone burnt it down. She lost her smile all over again, with the last remnants she had of her past." The woman looked at the land forlornly. "She was a sweet girl, with the looks of an angel. Head full of golden blonde locks, and light blue eyes." The woman smiled at them. "You know I've seen her lately though. Always taking care of the land here still. She smiles and laughs now, she talks to everyone, and is always caring for others." The woman smiled looking forlornly again at the spot of land.
"Do you know the girl's name?" Artemis asked worriedly.
The woman rubbed her ear, thinking hard. "Oh dear, what was her name?" The woman thought about it. "Her family's name was Marshall. Such a kind family. Her name reminded me of something pretty and sparkling. Rainbow? No. Jewel? No." She thought about it hard, squinting her eyes as she rubbed her ears in concentration.
"Crystal," Wally breathed out.
The woman snapped her eyes open as she snapped her fingers and pointed at Wally. "That's it! Her name was Crystal Marshall!"
"Who's taking care of her?" Kaldur asked the woman.
"Oh, I don't know. I'm sorry." She apologized.
"No, you've helped us a lot." Conner told her with a smile.
They're phones went off the next second, making them flip it open and view the new location for their new mission.
"Let's go," Dick said with a sigh, walking off with heavy feet.
They were all worried about Crystal now. And Wally was more confused than he ever felt in his life, he never knew this part about her, and never really asked about it either.
"Who is it?" Conner asked, following Robin after they got dressed.
"A guy calling himself Dark Minion." Robin said with a laugh at the end. "That sounds ridiculous."
"Like Robin isn't a ridiculous name? All some has to say is aw little Robin." A guy said standing on the limbs of a tree. "Who feels threatened when they think of a small bird."
"And you are?" Kaldur asked, looking up at the teen.
"Your target." He smirked. "But I won't go so easily."
He snapped his fingers, shadows gathering around there feet into a ball and exploding, sending them flying away. Minion jumped out of the tree and smirked at them groaning on the floor.
"Hold it!" Artemis said, appearing behind him and notching her arrow back. "Move and I'll shoot."
"Go ahead and try." He said, turning towards her.
She glared at him, letting her arrow go. A black void appeared in front of him, making the arrow disappear. The arrow shot back out of the void and at Artemis, making her jump to the side.
"Too slow." Minion said, flashing in front of her. His hand shot up and opened, shooting a black void at her and sending her into the tree behind her hard enough to knock the breathe out of her and sending her body into shock.
Conner shouted out, racing forward towards Minion. His fist skidded past Minion's cheek, making the guy frown in displeasure and glare at Conner.
"Bad mistake Superboy." Minion growled out at him.
Minion stomped his foot on the ground and slid it, before slamming his elbow into Conner, then kicking his leg up into his jaw, sending the strong boy into the air with his head knocked backwards. Minion looked up and jumped, flipping in the air and kicking Superboy down towards the ground, making a crater where he hit.
Minion looked at the others and smirk, flashing forward and appearing in front of them with his arm pulled back. Megan thought quickly and put up a barrier, blocking his attack as it slammed into the barrier instead of them.
"You strong enough girly?" He asked, pushing his black orb harder into her barrier.
She gasped as the barrier started to crack and spider-web out around the hit, spreading around the whole barrier, before shattering into tiny pieces like a mirror. She dropped to the ground, her body in shock from the sudden break in power and trauma psychologically.
Wally rushed forward, blocking out his worry for now. He blocked Minions attack and flashed around him, kicking out at his legs and knocking him forward. Wally locked his arm around Minions neck and held him in a head lock, breaking off the pathway for his air and locking his legs down with his feet.
"You think that'll stop me?" Minion laughed, making Wally cringe.
Power exploded out of Minion, sending Wally skidded back across the ground and ramming into a tree, knocking his breath out. Robin looked at Minion and threw batarangs, rushing forward at the same moment as they exploded around the villain. He pushed his fist up and tried hitting Minion in the jaw, but his wrist was caught and tugged upwards, making Robin dangle in the air like a doll.
"Too bad squirt." He teased, a feral glint flashing in his eyes.
Minion flung Robin away, before sending a black orb at him, and sending the explosion off, making Robin cry out in pain. Minion dusted his hands off, looking around at all of them.
"This all you guys got?" He asked looking at all of them.
"Not done yet," Artemis grunted out, standing up shakily.
Minion watched as they all got up shakily and stood up, looking at him with narrowed eyes. He smirked at the new game that was about to start.
"This is going to be fun. Don't worry, I don't hit women, just stun them." He smirked, as if it was some inside joke he only knew.
"Stop!" A voice shouted as a figure dropped from the sky and kicked Minion in the head. "You will not harm them any further."
Angel stood there as he cracked his knuckles and stared down Minion. The team stared at him in amazement.
"Angel! You came!" Megan said thankfully.
Angel nodded, keeping his eyes on Minion angrily. "I'm your opponent now."
"Fun," Minion said, rubbing his head where he was kicked.
He flashed towards Angel, thrusting his hand out towards his chest. Angel dodged by jumping out of the way. Disappearing and reappearing behind Minion and thrusting his hand between Minion's shoulder blades. Pain exploded through Minion as he bent backwards and flew forward, rolling on the ground.
"You're pissing me off." Minion told Angel, wiping the dirt from his mouth.
Minion spread his legs apart and clapped his hands, energy building up around him as darkness swirled around his body threateningly. He tore his hands apart as the darkness moved to where his hands were as if gathering there by a magnet. It formed into a ball, swirling around itself precariously, ready to be sent out and explode.
He threw the ball at Angel, the explosion setting off right in front of him before he could dodged. Minion started laughing maniacally as he stared at his work. Angel groaned as he stood up, his jacket tore completely off of him, but dangling just barely by his shoulders.
"Careful, I don't want to hit the ladies." Minion laughed at Angel, watching him struggle to his feet.
"Such a gentlemen," Angel seethed, his voice sounding softer, and not so deep. "Too bad."
Angel snapped his fingers, as energy exploded around Minion and sent him flying back against the tree. Angel rushed forward and kicked Minion in the chin, knocking him into the air, and Angel spun on his heel as Minion dropped, kicking him in the side of the ribs and sending him flying yards away.
"You're a tough opponent! I don't think I've ever fought someone this strong!" Minion laughed, wheezing and coughing as he got up on his feet again. "Too bad I don't fight fair."
Angel tensed looking at Minion as he brought his right hand forward and showed Angel the growing dark orb in his hand. He threw it, but not at Angel. The orb flew through the air towards Wally who was leaning against a tree with his whole weight, still stunned by the hit he took.
"Wally! NO!" Angel screamed in a woman's voice, surprising them all.
Angel ran forward quickly, standing in front of the hit, letting it hit him full. Angel flew through the air as his pants tore up to his thighs, his jacket disappeared completely, and his tank-top ripped above his stomach. The group watched in horror as the hat slipped off showing long golden hair, and the mask slipped off to show light blue eyes with delicate features.
Crystal soared through the air as the attack sent her flying and smashing into the ground, rolling till she stopped and landed on her side. Wally stared in horror as he stared at the girl lying on the ground with scrapes and cuts all over her; the one who just took the hit for him.
"A girl? My opponent was a girl?" Minion asked incredulously with a smile and laugh. "Come on, you can't be done yet!" He laughed.
Crystal sat up with shaky arms as she looked over at Minion with heavy breaths. She glared at him and stood up shakily, stumbling a bit before catching herself.
"Bad mistake." She growled glaring at him.
He smirked before he saw her hair start to float and fly around her, and her body lift off the ground. Wind circled around her, making it so she was just barely off the ground as she concentrated on the energy gathering in her hands, swirling around quickly as if raging a war with itself.
"You know dark's worst enemy? The one thing that defeats darkness?" She asked, watching as his smirk left and his eyes widened. "You made a bad enemy for yourself."
She threw the ball of energy at him, watching as it grew and surrounded him inside the ball before exploding, sending light everywhere inside of it before completely delving inside of him and sending all the darkness out, leaving him without energy and power. The ball disappeared and he dropped to the ground, his eyes white and his mouth open in a scream.
Crystal groaned in pain as her legs shook and she fell to the floor, bracing herself with her hands and clenching her hands into the dirt.
"Angel!" Batman said, appearing out of the tree's. "Hey! Look at me!"
Batman grabbed her jaw and made her look at him as her eyes focused in and out and turned glassy, her body losing all of it's energy. She collapsed backwards, making the other's start forward.
"You pushed yourself too far!" He yelled at her.
"You knew about her?" Robin asked angrily. "You knew she was out here fighting villains?"
"Not right now Robin." Batman said sternly. "Right now is not the time. I'll see you at headquarters."
"Bat!" Canary said coming through the tree's with Red Tornado.
"Make sure they get to headquarters. And take him…" Bat nudged his head at Minion. "To lock up."
"But what about Cr…Angel?" Kaldur asked watching as Crystal lay there immobile.
"I'll take her to see a doctor for the league." Batman said, reaching down to take her up.
"No!" Wally yelled, surprising Batman slightly as he looked up at the kid. "I'll take her. I don't want you touch her." He growled at them.
Wally pushed off the tree and walked over to Crystal, using all the rest of his energy to pick her up and carry her towards headquarters, feeling her head loll onto his shoulder dully. He looked down at her worriedly as he clenched his jaw and held back the guilty that was eating away at him.
They all made it to headquarters, and got bandaged up and healed as they sat in the main room ready to hear all about what happened. Crystal was in a room not far, so Wally could get to her fast if he needed.
"I want to know how she got into this business." Wally said as Batman, Superman, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Canary, and Red Tornado sat down and looked at them.
"That information is not accessible to you." Red Tornado told him.
Superman held up a hand to Wally as said teen was about to get up and storm off away from them. "Her family was in this business, long before she was."
"Is that the reason they were murdered?" Megan asked, shocking her uncle.
"How do you know about that?" Her uncle asked her.
"We went to go check up on her today before the mission, and we found her house, well, where her house would have been. A woman told us about her and her family." Artemis explained for Miss Martian.
Flash nodded, understanding. "Crystal knew about her family all along, and when they were killed, we were the ones who took her in. We couldn't let her suffer out there alone."
"You were the ones who took her in?" Conner asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes," Flash answered, looking at them all. "We had to keep a close on Crystal. We knew she had great power thanks to information from her mother. But because of a man named Nightmare, she was on the borderline of good and evil."
"What do you mean?" Dick asked looking confused. "Good and evil?"
"She had a chance of changing from our side to the other side. Because of the torture Nightmare put her through and the things he made her watch and other things, she could have turned evil at any moment." Batman continued.
"Nightmare decided to test on Crystal, to slowly add darkness to one who controlled light." Canary told them.
"But why?" Kaldur asked.
"Because one who control's light, can control anything in the world. Speed – the speed of light. Fire, water – reflection on water, earth – the light that seeps down into it, air, sun, moon, weather, energy, healing, mind control. All of this can be controlled by light, and so much more. Everything can be controlled by light." Red Tornado explained to them.
"Nightmare thought that if he had a girl that controlled light and everything, why not give her ultimate power and make her control darkness too?" Superman told them.
"Why would he do that?" Megan squeaked out. "Why Crystal?"
"He wanted to gain power through her. And for why her…well…" Batman stopped looking at the others. "Crystal and Nightmare were close in a way."
"What do you mean by that? DO you mean she wanted to have that done to her?" Wally asked growing angry.
"No, that's not what we're saying. Calm down kid." Flash told him, putting up his hands and pushing them down, trying to show him to calm down.
"What do you mean they were 'close in a way'?" Wally asked again, sitting down.
"He was my father."
Everyone's head whipped around, spotting Crystal standing there at the door, with her arms crossed over her chest and eyes piercing into them. Bandages covered her body, sending worry throughout Wally as his eyes roamed over all the bandages around her.
"Nightmare was my father, and he wanted his daughter to rule over darkness, not light." She told them calmly.
Wally stood up, walking around the couch and over to her. "Hey, should you be standing? Are you okay?"
Crystal let out a choking laugh as she let out a sad smile. "How can you still treat me the same when you've seen what I can do? When you know about my past? When you know what my father put inside of me and how easily I can change to someone against you?"
Wally looked at her with a hard stare, before pulling her into him, making her eyes widen in surprise. "Because none of that matters. You are still the Crystal I grew up with. Nothing will change that."
She clenched her jaw, letting out a sob as she gripped his t-shirt and pushed her face into his chest. Wally couldn't stand the thought of her crying, so he held her tighter, giving her no room to do so.
"Come on, where's my smile?" He asked her as he pulled her back. She laughed, as she looked up at him and gave him a smile. "There it is." He said with a smile. His thumb brushed the little bit of water at her eyes that he knew she wouldn't let fall. She never cried, she was too strong to do that. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, cupping her cheeks and making her look at him. "You okay?"
She nodded, making him smile and tug her along to the couch. He sat down, then noticed there were no seats left. She squeaked as he pulled her down between his legs and put his arms around her and his chin on her head.
"She's not leaving my side right now." Wally told them, daring them to take her from him right then.
"Crystal, can we keep explaining?" Canary asked her gently.
Crystal breathed in nodding her head to them. "Go ahead."
"Crystal willingly went into the business of being a superhero so she could fight against her father who is still alive out there somewhere. He's after her and wants her power." Canary told them softly.
"I thought all of Crystal's family was killed." Artemis asked, glancing at Crystal.
Crystal sat there, moving her fingers as they traced Wally's hand, keeping her occupied. Wally's other hand gripped one of hers, helping her relax as they talked about all of this.
"My father was the one who killed my family." Crystal said finally as the silence was dragging on. "He wanted to make me turn dark, so he made me watch as he killed my family."
Wally's hand tightened on hers as his anger increased, and he pulled her against him protectively. She smiled, feeling his heartbeat and breathing behind her, and feeling his warmth sink into her, making her sigh out and lean back. Her head rested in the hollow of his shoulder, and her fingers still traced over his hand.
"That's horrible." Megan gasped, looking at her pityingly.
Crystal held up the hand she was tracing with and put her palm out to Megan and the others staring at her. "I'm not opening my eyes or looking at you until you take those pitying and worrying and sad eyes away. I've had enough of those looks growing up to last a lifetime."
Megan wiped at her eyes, nodding her head as she smack her cheeks harshly. Crystal opened her eyes and laughed as Megan's cheeks turned pink from the harsh treatment.
"I didn't mean to hurt yourself." She laughed.
"How can you be so calm about this?" Dick asked with worry and pity in his eyes.
Crystal grabbed her shoes and threw it at his head, hitting the middle of his forehead. "I told you no more of those eyes. I'm fine, really. It's not so much I'm calm." Her fingers began tracing again aimlessly. "It makes me sad and scared, yes, but if it didn't happen, I wouldn't have met Wally. I wouldn't have had such a good life with him. I wouldn't have met the league, or Wally's family, or even you guys. I wouldn't have any of this. And I wouldn't have known how to control my powers."
"Did you know who we were all this time?" Kaldur asked.
Crystal smiled. "Not at first, but then it made sense when Flash and Batman let your names slip. I'm surprised they didn't let me slip from their mouths." She said wiggling her eyebrows. "You have to admit, it was pretty funny playing with you guys. You're faces every time I brought it up or anything about the league."
"What about Wally?" Artemis asked.
"It's kind of hard to miss it when the new kid who you just met, suddenly has something he didn't have before, or was suddenly on the other side of you." Crystal teased, looking up at Wally. "Plus I've known him for so long, his parents slipped up when I was little and confirmed what I thought."
Wally slapped himself on the forehead as he groaned. "I should have known."
"They meant well." Crystal said, grabbing his hand again and tracing on it.
"Why do you do that?" Conner asked, directing his eyes to my fingers tracing on Wally.
Crystal looked down and stopped, giving Conner a smile. "I guess it's a calming thing. It's helps me relax and think clearly when Wally's around and I can feel he's there. Tracing his hand, his features, playing with his hair, all of these are things that I do to clam myself down."
"That's why you let Wally pull you close!" Artemis said as if it was an 'ah ha!' moment.
Crystal shook her head, dropping Wally's hand and hopping out of his lap as she stood and stretched her muscles, the bandages on her straining. "I told you. Wally is my most important guy. I like Wally, more so than anyone else." She smiled.
"Yeah, yeah, we know." Robin said waving his hand. "Like a good friend or brother."
Crystal pulled her head back, quirking her eyebrow at the few league members. "Are they that dense?" She laughed at them. She looked back at the group. "When did I ever say I saw Wally as a brother, or just a friend? When I say I like Wally, I mean…I'm falling for him."
Wally's jaw dropped as he looked at her in complete shock with the others. Megan squealing in delight as she clapped her hands.
"So it wasn't like a friend or brother! I knew it!" Megan said with a smile.
"Hold on! Before we get onto that subject. Does that mean you knew we were talking about you when we were talking about the hottie?" Artemis said, finally realizing something.
"Yeah, sorry about that." She said, scratching her cheek. She looked at Conner. "Sorry, at least you have no worries now."
Artemis groaned as she put her face in her hands. Crystal looked at Wally and saw him frozen staring at her, making her smile disappear for worry. She waved her hand in front of his face.
"You in there Wally?" She asked him with worry. "I've been telling you this for years. What did you think I was saying? I like you, mean's just that."
"Too close!" A red blur went by, tackling Crystal to the floor as she groaned in pain, snapping Wally out of his trance.
"RED! LET ME GO!" Crystal yelled, kicking the boy off of her as she stood up and glared at him.
"Sorry Wally, you had your chance years ago," Red Arrow said smirking at him. "I'm going to make her fall for me now!"
"I'm not going to fall for you!" Crystal yelled, dodging as he reached for her. She kicked his shin and grinned as he groaned.
She took off running as he chased after her determinedly. "Artemis!" She screamed as she ran around.
Artemis smirked as she shot a trick arrow at him, sending a plume of smoke around him, stopping him in his tracks.
"Come on! Angel! Why can't you just come to me?" Red asked, wiping the smoke away. "I'm better than him!"
Crystal crossed her arms. "Really? Cuz I don't think you are. Beside's you're too arrogant. And you're mean to Artemis. Yes, I've heard about that." She said, watching his face drop in surprise. "I don't like people who are mean to my friends." She smirk, wrapping her arms around Wally's neck as she draped over his back. "Beside's, Wally's the only one for me."