A/N: Thanks SpitfireChick and FantasizeDayDreams for your comments! Again I hope these first few chapters aren't too boring, I'm trying to establish all the characters and the world they live in, so if you could bare with me, I would be grateful!
Ch. 2~ Training Partner
Artemis blinked, golden light streaming through the window and into her eyes. She squinted, pulling the moth-eaten blanket over her head as if trying to recapture her dream. After a minute, she tossed the blanket aside and sat up with a sigh, rubbing her eyes and stretching. Artemis grabbed her toolbox out from under the cot and headed for the staircase. Before making her way down, she paused, noting the silence.
Setting the rusty metal box down with a soft clunk, Artemis crept across the hall to the first boy's room. The door was closed, but not well-fitted to the frame. Pressing her face against the wood, Artemis peeked inside. All she saw was an empty bed. She went to the next room and knocked. When there was no answer, she went to the next door and the one after that, but no one answered. Taking her toolbox, Artemis went downstairs, checking the living room, kitchen, and garage, all of which were empty- no rambunctious boys in sight. Shrugging, Artemis left the house, walking into the city of tents and shacks.
The dirt streets that winded through the settlement were completely and utterly deserted. Ignoring the uneasy feeling in her stomach, Artemis kept walking. Suddenly, she heard rapid footsteps behind her, but before she could turn around, a hand covered her mouth.
"Shh, don't scream." A male voice whispered in her ear. Her assailant pushed her into an alley between two lopsided buildings. The second he removed his hand from her mouth, Artemis dropped her toolbox and seized her attacker's arm.
With surprising ease, she flipped him over her shoulder, slamming her assailant back-first into the hard-packed dirt. Artemis's eyes widened. She found herself staring down not at a vicious street thug, but at a young boy, who was gasping for air that had been smashed out of his lungs.
"What are you doing kid?!" Artemis seethed, grabbing the boy's collar and pulling him up off the ground.
"Easy, easy!" The boy winced as he was hauled to his feet.
"Why did you attack me?" She demanded, lifting the kid up off his feet.
"I attacked you?" He wheezed. Artemis released her grip, causing the boy to fall back to the ground.
"Ay, chica loca." He muttered. "You must be new here. Look, you can't be outside right now. Streets open at eight and close at eight," the boy sighed.
Artemis felt her face flush slightly. "Well, I don't see any guards. And if there's a curfew, why are you out here?" She quipped, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I know the risks and my way around this place," the boy grinned proudly. "And trust me, there are guards. Plus, this place may not look so high-tech, but there are cameras everywhere. You just got lucky. Really lucky." He started to push himself off the ground, letting out a hiss of pain. Gently this time, Artemis grabbed his hand and helped him up.
The boy winced, rubbing his back. "Where'd you learn how to do that?" He asked. Artemis opened her mouth to reply when the sound of pounding boots interrupted.
"That's them, c'mon!" The boy grabbed her hand, giving Artemis just enough time to grab her toolbox before they took off at a sprint. The two raced through a labyrinth of shoddy wooden houses until their pursuers couldn't be heard.
"Lost em," Artemis looked over at the boy, who was bent over with his hands resting against his knees. He started tipping to the side, but she grabbed his shoulders, keeping the boy steady.
"Is your house near?" She asked. He nodded, gesturing to a shoddy structure that sat just outside of a forest-like tangle of flora. They started walking, but the boy kept stumbling. Sighing, Artemis bent down, letting him climb onto her and ride piggyback style.
There was no door to knock on, so Artemis just pushed aside the tent flap and entered. Inside, she met a small, wide-eyed girl.
"Caaal," the girl called, keeping her eyes fixed on Artemis. A sheet of canvas was pushed aside, revealing a familiar looking man.
"You're from the bus," Artemis blurted. Cal smiled.
"It is nice to see you again." The teen looked over Artemis's shoulder, a confused look on his face.
"Jaime? What were you doing out?" He asked. Artemis slung him off of her back, passing him off to Cal.
"Actually, I was out before curfew. He came to warn me. Then we had to do a little running," Artemis said, purposefully leaving out the part where she slammed him into the ground.
Cal nodded. "I see. Well, the curfew should be ending soon, but it is probably best if you stay here for a while." With that, he exited into another room.
Artemis ignored his advice and exited the tent, heading into the dense forest. The tangle of bush gradually transformed into an even spread of tall trees. She walked in far enough to make sure no one could see her, then kept walking for a few more minutes- just to be safe. She set her toolbox down on the sun-bleached trunk of a fallen tree. Undoing the clasps, she lifted the rusting lid to reveal not tools for fixing machinery, but a sleek, green bow.
Before pulling the weapon out, she looked around the surrounding forest one more time, unable to shake a feeling of paranoia. Artemis shook her head and started to assemble and string her bow. No one saw her enter the forest, so no one could've followed her. And besides, if they did… Artemis reached into the toolbox, grabbing one of the many razor-sharp arrows.
She loaded the arrow and closed her eyes, inhaling and exhaling once. Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she whipped around, aiming and firing at a tree fifty meters away. She then grabbed three arrows and repeated the process, practicing some dodges and rolls as well. After an hour, all of the arrows were gone, lodged into several dozen trees. She slung the quiver over her shoulder and went to gather her ammo. After dislodging the first few arrows, Artemis realized she was going to waste at least three hours collecting all of her arrows.
"Training is so much easier with a partner, and real targets, and unlimited arrows." The archer muttered to herself.
"Maybe I can help," Artemis heard a voice behind her chime. Without a second thought, she loaded, whipped around, and fired, realizing too late that the voiced belonged to a familiar girl.
"Worra pots!" The girl shouted, the arrow stopping mid-flight inches from her face.
"You… you… what?" Artemis stuttered, her eyes wide.
The girl grabbed the suspended arrow. "Wow, that was close!" She laughed. "I should probably explain shouldn't I?" Artemis nodded, her mouth handing open in shock.
"I'm a magician. We use spells to, well, do stuff. Like this," the girl held the arrow out and said: "worra, nruter ot ruoy reviuq."
The arrow floated out of her hand and back to the quiver on Artemis's back. She stared at the girl with disbelief.
"I thought magic was illegal…" Artemis said.
"Yeah, well having a weapon is also illegal." The girl said, crossing her arms. She laughed and walked towards Artemis. "But hey, I won't tell if you don't," The magician held out her hand. Artemis took it.
"I'm Zatanna." The girl smiled. "Artemis. We met before- on the bus," the archer replied.
"That's right. Now, lets see if I can help you with these arrows." Zatanna turned and raised her hand. "sworra, nruter!" On command, the arrows dislodged themselves out of the trees and turned, pointing themselves directly at Artemis.
"Wait, uh, nrutner ot… look out!" Zatanna tackled Artemis just as the arrows shot towards her like a swarm of dive-bombing birds, lodging themselves into a tree just behind where Artemis had been standing.
"Sorry, sorry I forgot to tell them where! Oh, that was so stupid of me!" Zatanna stuttered.
"Hey, I did almost kill you earlier, so now were even." Artemis helped Zatanna up. "C'mon, looks like we could both use a little training."