Vol. #1 - Entering Free Fall

Five - Let's Change the Subject

Trigger warnings: Bad Writing, Cannon-typical Violence & Swearing

Earth 168

Location: Gotham

Date: December 6, 2023

Time: 7:55 P.M.

Riley climbed the stairs, breathing heavily as she went. On most days, the walk to the top floor would cause no problems at all, but today was different. The vigilante was hiking towards a meeting with an unknown visitor. And what's even worse, she had accidentally revealed her identity to none other than John Constantine only a few minutes before. Her palms felt clammy as she fumbled for the apartment key.

The door closed with a resounding slam. The girl winced at the loud noise.

"Hey, Kenze," Riley called, "Nunc sum domi!"

She shrugged her bag onto the ground. "Who was the person you wanted me to meet?"

The Vigilante stopped in her tracks when she saw who was sitting on the couch next to her aunt.

Flashback 2008 - A School in Gotham

Riley rammed herself into the boy's stomach. She didn't know his name, and she didn't care. He was one of the ones who hurt Stephanie, and that was enough.

The young girl knocked the larger boy into the ground. She punched, and punched, over and over again until she was pulled off of the boy by a teacher.

This was the same day that her aunt introduced her to her new boyfriend, John Constantine.

Now - Gotham City

"Riley, you're home," her aunt said stiffly, "I'd like you to meet my new boyfriend, Dick."

"Hi, Riley. Isn't your aunt super?" the man, Dick, said.

Riley knew that smile. She had seen it every morning when she woke up. It was on the poster on the wall across from her bed. The one that Zatanna got her right after her house was blown to smithereens.

She knew that voice, too. It was the voice that had interrogated her that first night.

Nightwing was dating her aunt.

And sitting on their new blue fuex leather couch.

Because of course he was.

Flashback - Outside the James' Apartment

Riley was sitting in the living room when she heard a knock at the door. Curious, she went to open the door. She squinted against the darkness of the city. Gotham was always dark. Even on the nicest days, when the sun managed to brake through the ever-present clouds, the city was covered in a thick layer of car exhaust.

Standing before her was a boy. He had light brown hair that might have been blonde a few months before. His face was covered in a scattering of freckles that reminded Riley of a painting she saw ounce when her aunt had brought her to the art museum in Metropolis. Speaking of Metropolis, that was likely where this boy was from. Not very many Gothamites wear superman t-shirts out and about. Unless they have a death wish, of course.

"Hi, I just moved in next door and-" he said sheepishly.

"If you're here to ask about how to survive this city, I can't help you." Riley interrupted.

"What? No! I wanted to give you this!" He held up the covered tray in his hands that Riley hadn't noticed before.

She sighed. "Rule number one of Gotham, never take or give a stranger baked goods."