The Silhouette and The Forge

Interlude 2

Running along the rooftops with no one noticing the figure in a form-fitting suit covering their entire body in black. Jumping across buildings with the suit helping get across the gaps while giving efficient routes to get to the destination. Or what it believed was the most efficient when at times it was far from it. Smirking to myself I jump down to a small space between two apartments instead of the route that was given to me.

Grabbing the bottom rung of a ladder hanging down from a fire escape and used my momentum to swing off of it with several flips in the air with the feeling of freedom and exhilaration in my chest making my heart leap in joy. This was something I would never give up. This freedom.

Crossing the gap and landing on an air conditioner hanging out of a window and leaping off of it using others as stepping stones before making a final jump to the top of the building and seeing several seconds shaved off of what would have been the longer way. The hud adjusts accordingly giving me options better suited for me after it learns from what was shown.

Quickly jumping from building to building making the hud spaz out trying to adjust while learning my shortcuts before finally reaching my destination. A rundown apartment building no different than the countless others in this city. Taking a look down and seeing the way down and ignoring the indicators showing where to jump is still not nearly what it could be but it's learning.

Moving from window to window silently before stopping at my destination. An old and dirty window but one I am quite familiar with, adjusting the straps of the backpack before raising my hand and knocking out a particular pattern. After several seconds knocks can be heard from inside before a young blond-haired girl with asian features peers through the window.

Artemis. A pain in my chest forms, but it fades when knowing that I will make this right. She looked rough. She hesitates with wide eyes seeing my form in the suit. Raising a hand for her to wait with me removing the mask. My hair obscures my sight for a moment before brushing it aside to show her it's me. Her worry fades as she smiles at me which I return with a smile of my own before she unlocks the window.

"Jade!" She quietly says to me, hugging me as I climb into her room. I hesitate at first but hug her back. We stay like this for some time before separating from each other. Taking the backpack off and unzipping it before lowering it to Artemis. Her eyes widened seeing the contents. All kinds of food, especially things with protein among other things she would need.

"Are you sure?" She says to me hesitantly.

"Artemis go on. I owe you this much and more for helping me when you did." At this, her hesitation goes to the wind when she quickly reaches in pulls out the contents, and starts eating.

"Slow down Artemis or you will choke…" I tell her watching her scarf it down. A pang of guilt worms its way into my heart yet again, but I tell myself I am making this right. Not much longer. Just a little more and I can leave this god-forsaken city behind with Artemis right beside me. This time I won't abandon her. We will be free of this horrible place and live a life free of suffering. The guilt in me is satisfied as it fades slowly away.

Noting all the bruises that are on her face and arms when looking her over. "I…" Artemis stops to look up at me, "I'm so sorry Artemis for what I did. I tried to get the money to pay-" My confession is cut off as she slams into me with a hug and buries her head in my chest. Without hesitation, this time returning the hug. Refusing to let go of her like she would vanish in front of me if I didn't hold onto her.

Artemis mumbles something into my chest but I can't hear her. "Artemis, it's alright. I'm here now." Making her look up at me while tears pour out of her eyes as she hugs me tighter.

"Thank you, Jade. Thank you for coming back…" She said it like I was never going to. Like she was clinging onto a lie that would never happen to just keep going. My vision gets blurry as tears begin to form in my eyes before they are quickly wiped away.

"Artemis, here." Holding my hand out to her with a clip of money held in it. Her eyes widen at the sight of so much money. "This is for the food you gave me last time. I can't tell you how sorry I am for the trouble it brought you with him nor me leaving you longer than I intended to." The refusal to say his name like it's poison on my tongue is clear in my tone. Artemis gingerly takes the money from my hand. Mom at least didn't abuse us. She can be given that, even if she lets him have his way on how to raise us.

A cold fury courses through my veins as my hands balled into fists hearing the creaking of the suit from the sheer pressure of all the memories of me and Artemis suffering at his hands. Artemis takes notice of my anger before bringing her hands to the sides of my face and making me look at her. "Promise you will come back again. Please…" She begs me, pleading for me to not abandon her. Like I had done last time.

This time fighting off the tears and guilt with a determination burning inside me. A determination to make sure when this city is left behind me she is coming with me. Daniel… He helped me when no one else would at no small risk for himself. I didn't doubt for a second that He would find out he defied his orders to the criminal elements in the city to not help me.

Having intended on using him just as I had assumed he would use me in turn. But… he didn't. He helped me far more than I could currently hope to repay him and he didn't even seem remotely bothered by me paying him back. Just as the guilt had been eating away at me for leaving Artemis to such a fate, that same feeling is gnawing away at me for the idea of abandoning one of the only people that can be called a friend…

He would understand. He has never once talked down on me, nor dismissed me like Lawrence has with me and Artemis. If there was anyone out there who would understand and maybe just maybe would not hold it against me, it would be him. "I promise Artemis. I won't ever do that again. We always stick together, Mouse. Right?" Feeling the tightness in my chest but the burning resolution in my voice made her smile up at me with a smile so bright it could melt Mr. Freeze's cold heart with her tears fading away at me using her nickname.

"Right, Cat."

As much as it pains me to not be capable of giving Artemis an exact amount of time until enough was saved up to get us both away from here and have enough to live off of. She won't hold it against me, especially once we are out of this place together.

"Artemis," Getting her attention as she looks up to me. "I am going to leave now." Placing my finger near her lips in a shushing gesture before continuing, "I will come back. I promise. But eventually, we will leave this city together in the future. Just give me some time and I will return and when I do this all will just be a distant memory. Alright?"

Her response was to run up and hug me tightly and it was returned. Turning around to leave the front door can be heard opening to the apartment. Quickly dawning my mask again and leaving as Artemis gets the money ready to give to Lawrence.

Swearing to myself if he does anything because of me helping her… letting that thought trail off for now. A dark part of me would desire extreme retribution. Another part that no matter how badly I try to kill it hopes that he will finally show love to us. To me. Ignoring those thoughts and moving on to my current train of thought.

I am not skilled enough to take him in a fight. I don't know if Daniel is for that matter. He never really gets a workout when sparring with me but neither did Lawrence when training me and Artemis. So as things stand there is no hope to fight him just yet and expect to win. Not mentioning any expectation of Daniel to either.

I'm not weak by any means as my steps can be heard sprinting across the rooftops noting the lack of criminals doing anything noteworthy on the streets. The Court did a number on them and the city. And if Daniel is right about his sources, Batman had fought and lost to them. Daniel said nothing about him being dead. So either he and his sources don't know or he is keeping that to himself. Knowing next to nothing about him, which may as well be nothing.

My focus is centered now on the Court and what it means, them coming out of the dark and slaughtering all in their path. The criminals are running scared in this city, and they haven't gone to ground this badly since Batman first appeared. It could be argued it's even worse. Everyone knows the stories about the Court that have been told for a long time. Long enough to be over a century if not longer in Gotham.

Batman caused a scene according to the older criminals who had been around at the time he first started to appear. And as iconic as he is for being seen as the city's protector, his legend and legacy has nothing on the Court. The Court's legend runs in the veins of the very city he attempts to protect. If Batman had struggled against them, then this city was in trouble. All the more reason to get stronger and hurry to get myself and Artemis out of this place.

Not having nearly enough money that would be needed yet, and it would be preferred to not have Daniel know about it. As much as he can be called the closest thing to a friend in my life, I know so little about him that I don't know how he would react to me trying to leave with Artemis. The mistake of abandoning Artemis had been made once already. It won't happen again.

Shorter interlude but felt it was needed to show how much Daniel has had an impact on Jade and her life. Enough so she went to make things right with Artemis and try to save her. We will see how that works out for both of them in the future…