Happy Harbour; August 8th; 21:59 EDT
Outside Happy Harbour High, Miss Martian and Superboy were on the roof with her BioShip camouflaged over their heads. Inside the school, Aqualad looked through a window to the hallway from the Computer lab, "Miss Martian, link us up. We do not want the Shadows intercepting our comm." he told her telepathically.
Miss Martian, with her finger against her ear, did just as Aqualad said and linked them all as she shut her eyes, "Everyone online?"
"Oh." Artemis groaned, who was also in the Computer Lab, along with Robin, Kid Flash, Spider-Man and Aqualad. She sat on the desk where Doctor Roquette was working on a computer, "This is weird."
"And distracting." Dr. Roquette added as she coded quickly. "Coding a distributed algorithm virus on a kiddie computer with less RAM than a wristwatch is hard enough. Now I have to hear teen think in my skull??" she complained as she clenched onto her head from annoyance and a headache from the telepathy.
"Don't underestimate High School computers. I managed to hack into Iron Man's armour and the Batcave from 'em once." Spider-Man commented as he peeked through the blinds on the windows to look outside for any sight of anyone. He noticed the silence and turned around to see everyone looking at him, including the doctor. He shrugged, "Was pretty easy. Neither were very happy though." he added.
The doctor rolled her eyes before she continued typing, "Millennials." she commented. Spider-Man looked at the doctor and noticed Artemis staring at him with a smile, impressed by what he said.
She then looked at Wally as he spoke, "Lady, do you always complain when someone tries to help you?" he replied as he ate a granola bar from a window ledge and Robin was also peeking through the blinds for any sign of activity.
"Pot, kettle. Have you met?" Artemis added sarcastically.
Kid quickly got defensive, "Hey, I do not need attitude from the newbie who drove Red Arrow off the team."
She quickly stood up and pointed directly at him, "That is so not on me." she replied before she crossed her arms and looked away.
Roquette stopped typing and looked up at her in annoyance, "Fate of the world at stake." she told them all.
"She started it." Kid Flash blamed like a child. Unbeknownst to all of them, Spider-Man's eyes wouldn't leave Artemis.
"How about I help Miss Martian and Superboy patrol the perimeter?" she offered as she got up and began to leave the room.
Aqualad eyed her as she walked past him through the exit, "Good idea." he told her. Spider-Man could hear the sass and dislike in his voice, and he wasn't very happy.
Spider-Man decided to follow her close behind. As he walked past Aqualad, he stopped and eyed him, "I know you're our leader and all. But both you and Kid Flash better quit it with the attitude or else we're gonna have problems." he silently told him, not telepathically.
Spider-Man then rushed to Artemis and walked beside her, "Hey." he greeted.
"Hey." she greeted back, not looking at him.
They then heard the group began to speak, "You might cut her some slack. It was her arrow that saved your butt against AMAZO." Robin spoke.
"What? No, that was Speedy's... I mean, Red Arrow's arrow, right?" Wally tried to deny.
"Not so much." Robin replied in a teasing tone.
Kid Flash huffed in his head, "Huh." He huffed before he spoke, "Well, still not giving her the satisfaction."
"You know, I can still hear you." Artemis hopped in as she and Spider-Man were on their way out of the school. Wally groaned aloud. Spider-Man then leaned closer to Artemis, "Ya know, there's this trick M'gann taught me. If you think hard enough, you can shut them out."
Artemis still didn't look up at him, "And now why wouldn't she tell the others that?" she asked.
Spider-Man scoffed, "Well, with these types of missions we always gotta be listening for what the others are thinking and planning. It helps us work in more of a team. So just saying, listen in every now and then." he explained.
She then came to a complete stop with Spider-Man stopping in front of her. She closed her eyes and breathed in. The voice of everyone else beginning to fade away. She opened her eyes again and let out a sigh, "Now I don't have to deal with Wa-Kid Flash's voice in my head anymore." she said.
Spider-Man then continued to walk with a smile before realizing Artemis hadn't followed him. She stood there staring at him curiously. He walked back to her, "You coming?" he asked.
She sighed again and crossed her arms, "So why exactly are you being so nice to me?" she asked.
Spider-Man let out and exhale before leaning against a wall in from of her, "Well, for one, I never met or even know Red Arrow slash Speedy so I won't really have any grudges against you. And secondly..." His voice trailed off when he realized where this was going and what was happening.
Her looking at him. Him looking at her. When he looked into her eyes, even though they were a different eye color, he saw... "You're like me." he said.
She gulped, worried if he might know her secret, " 'Like you' how?" she asked.
He stepped up to her so they were now standing mere centimeters apart, "...You're hurt... and lost a lot. You have tragic past... Just like me."
She gulped again, "How could you tell?" she asked.
As he thought back, memories of all his past tragedies flew in. His Uncle Ben's murder. Him letting the thief go. Gwen's death. Captain Stacy's death. His parents leaving him as a child. it was all too much.
He quickly stepped away to stop himself from thinking about it, "I could just tell. Come on." he said before he walked out to Miss Martian and Superboy in a rush.
Spider-Man turned to walk on the wall up to Miss Martian, who was sitting on the edge of the building he was crawling on. He made up up to her and sat on the side of her, "So how did the 'thinking of other stuff' go?" she asked.
He sighed, "Not very well..." he replied.
She eyed him curiously, "Spidey... If you don't mind me asking... Everyone I've ever spoke to said you've suffered."
He scoffed, "Well the love of my life died so, yeah. I guess I did." he replied with a smile.
She shook her head and faced him, "No. I mean... besides that. What did you lose?" she asked hesitantly.
He froze again. He wouldn't be able to keep this a secret for long, so he might as well. He sighed, "I can't exactly explain it... But I can show you it. We'll talk when this is all over." he replied before dropping to the ground to where Artemis was now standing and guarding behind a gate entrance with her bow strung.
Miss Martian landed beside him and they proceeded to keep watch. Shortly after, Superboy landed gracefully beside them, grabbing all their attention. They turned glanced back at him before he walked away from the trio.
"Mmm... That boy..." Artemis said, grabbing all their attention. Superboy turned back at her, seeing she meant him.
M'gann was infuriated by what she said, "He can hear you. We can all hear you." she scolded.
She didn't care and replied, "Oh, I know." Miss Martian's eyes widened in shock before she looked at Spider-Man, both agreeing that Artemis was nothing like Gwen. But he couldn't help but nonetheless stare at her.
"What happened to if I focused hard enough I could block them out and nobody could hear me?" Artemis questioned as she looked back at Spider-Man.
He crossed his arms, "I said that was to block anyone out. Never that others couldn't hear you. Plus, that's IF Miss Martian allows it." he said, narrowing his eyes at the end. She could tell he wasn't being as kind to her as before due to his angered tone.
"Miss Martian, Dr. Roquette has located The Fog." Aqualad suddenly said, causing Artemis to look at her. "Reconfigure the Bio Ship so that Robin and Superboy can pursue."
Miss Martian raised her right hand to the BioShip and landed in on a small field before the fence, "Ready." she informed them.
Superboy and Robin ran out to it as the hatch to the ship opened up behind it. The ship then flew off with the boys inside quickly.
Miss Martian gave Artemis a small glare as the trio walked back to the fence. Miss Martian had her back facing Artemis, who had her bow drawn. Spider-Man was awkwardly standing between the 2 and M'gann finally spoke, "You embarrassed Superboy." she told her.
She looked at the Martian with a cheeky smile, "Didn't hear him say that."
"I doubt anyone admittedly says they're embarrassed." Spider-Man commented.
Miss Martian looked at the blonde with her fists on her hips, "Must you challenge everyone?" she asked as Spider-Man also turned his head to look at Artemis.
He heard a slight rustle coming from behind and turned back around, but saw nothing there. He then looked back at the archer.
"Where I come from that's how you survive." Artemis replied, causing Miss Martian's frown to lessen.
She then noticed Spider-Man's staring, "What's wrong with you? You keep staring." Artemis told him.
Spider-Man laughed and shook his head, "No, no you just... You look like someone I knew..."