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GOTHAM CITY
FEBRUARY 27 04:48 EST
CITIES. THEY WERE SO DENSELY POPULATED THAT YOU COULDN'T IMAGINE THERE WAS A TIME WHEN A CERTAIN PIECE OF LAND HAD NO CIVILISATION MARKING IT'S SPOT. JUST TREES AND OPEN FIELDS OF GRASS. MAYBE A BIRD OR TWO PERHAPS. ATHENA WAS FOND OF BIRDS. RAVENS AND DOVES IN PARTICULAR. BOTH COMPLEX. BOTH PARADOXES. LIKE NIGHT AND DAY.
Of course all her thoughts were simply to distract her own mind from lingering over several things that were happening at the moment. How she wished it could all stop for just a moment. But the sands of time stopped for no one.
"Thought I'd find you here" She heard footsteps approach her as she stared at the Gotham city skyline "How did you know I was back?"
The former Boy Wonder shrugged with a mischievous smile "Call it a gut feeling" She finally turned to look at him with a blank look and he let out a small chuckle "Ok. Ok. I heard you in the Cave last night."
"I wasn't aware you were awake."
"I wasn't but...Nevermind." He scratched the back of his neck "So how was it?" He questioned as he sat down next to her, prompting her to do the same. She let out a breath "It...was"
She gently placed her head on his shoulder. Contact with him came somewhat easier compared to others. His touch she often craved at times, it was warm and comforting to her. It had become habitual for them to stay closely huddled in the silence together at times. Under the stars, they sat, conversations being made by his heartbeat drumming in her ears and her soft breaths, each exhale making him feel more alive. No words were needed.
Shadow often thought back to a time where she would not have been as comfortable in his presence as she was now. She came up with nothing. Perhaps that is what love did to a person. It made them disgustingly cling onto the one they loved with hopes of forgetting all their misery and finding them a succour.
Dick knew not to ask too many questions when it came to Shadow. She hated questions and liked answers. When he saw her lost for words, which was a rare sight, he'd offer his silence. Something she wouldn't have to be questioned by. She could simply exist with him, and that was all he'd need. Knowing that she was alright; and in the times she wasn't, he'd still be here. Always.
"That bad?" He questioned and she let out a breath "The temple is located on a beautiful mountain" She began "I wanted nothing more than to fling myself off it" Dick let out a laugh and Shadow looked at him with a blank stare. "It is not funny" She rolled her eyes as he cleared his throat; she stood up walking away, him following behind with a grin
"No of course not"
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MOUNT JUSTICE
FEBRUARY 28, 09:07 EST
OFTEN TIMES WHEN THE OBJECT OF OUR GUILT STARES BACK AT US, THINGS BURIED IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND RESURFACE TO REMIND US THAT WE ARE THE SINFUL ONES. Shadow stared at the young boy whose life was ruined the day she allied with Queen Bee for the last time. She had been a bystander in many crimes, and perhaps this one had at times, hurt the most.
"You're back" Robin acknowledged and Shadow looked up to see the two boys in the doorframe of the training room. She simply nodded at him "Where was she gone?" The younger one asked
Tim smirked "China?" His tone, it was awful. He was asking her why, he was telling her they'd speak about it later. After all, she owed him a cup of coffee, two for missing the usual one. Shadow rolled her eyes "Oh! Did you go there to master your ninja moves?"
"She's not a ninja" Robin corrected him and Beast boy shrugged "Could've confused me" He hopped up excitedly and raced to reach Shadow who was practicing targets "Can you teach me how to be just like you?"
Garfield Logan knew Shadow was scary. He knew was dangerous, but he couldn't help his own curiosity when he was near her. His questions piling up. Not knowing that the one thing Shadow hated more than herself, was questions.
Especially ones that could never be answered.
Shadow often found comfort in her silence. Choosing not to speak was her way of escaping the chaos of words. But, in this moment, she wanted nothing more than to speak to this child. To comfort him in every way. To make up for what he had lost.
She cleared her throat "I do not think you wish to be like me, little one."
Beast boy frantically shook his head "No. I do. I swear. You're so cool. I wanna learn how to fight just like you and Batman"
Shadow knelt down in front of him. It was the first time, since his arrival that she had spoken to him properly, looking at him; in his eyes, all she saw were glimpses of Marie Logan. She spoke, gentle as ever"Perhaps. But you may need to grow a bit before jumping into training like us. Alright?" He nodded obediently and ran off "Ok!" Tim ran after the kid to look after him. She watched him leave in amusement and let out a sigh. Sometimes, it was not the worst thing speaking to what you feared would not turn out alright.
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AN HOUR HAD PASSED AND SHADOW HAD NOW OPTED TO MEDITATE RATHER THAN CHANEL HER RAGE ONTO BREAKING TARGETS. It had been quiet. No one had come in or out to disturb her, except at some point Nightwing had offered her to join him in looking over the Krolotean intel.
WARNING: UNKNOWN ENERGY IMPULSE DETECTED
Suddenly there was a violent shake of the ground and Shadow immediately stood up alert "What on Earth was that?" She muttered to herself
INTRUDER ALERT
An annoying laugh followed by a gust of wind rushed past her, blowing off her hood before returning to stand in front of her "One word. Like 'Shadow'—You're my crus—really crash. I'm rambling. Is ramble still a word? Or is it like retro now?" She stared at the speedster blankly. "You're our intruder?" She questioned calmly as she saw a figure at the entrance.
"Pleased to meet you, pretty lady" They heard a growl and the boy smiled "Hate to chat and run but...can't let 'em catch me that easy" Shadow threw unexpected yet expected makibishi in his path and he easily escaped it "Oh come on babe, I thought we were on good—" Nightwing appeared behind him and gripped him, bringing him down to the floor. The speedster fell with a grunt and moaned in pain.
"Now, that was crash." Dick commented. Shadow and Nightwing shared a look, as the latter placed handcuffs on him. The boy groaned "For you maybe. Me, I'm totally feeling the mode."
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SHADOW STOOD ON WATCHING OVER THE SPEEDSTER AS ROBIN AND BEAST BOY QUESTIONED HIM, SUBTLY TRYING TO END THEIR INQUISITIVENESS. "You're a tourist from the future?" Robin questioned
"Why so surprised? Half the meat at Comic-Con are from my era." They shot him disbelieving looks as Shadow observed the boy "Look, look, guys, we should all be friends. I'm really one of you. Part of the heroic legacy, right?" They simply watched him "My name's Bart Allen. You know, grandson of Barry Allen. The Flash."
"Noted. Not believed." Beast boy added "But noted."
"What's not to believe? I've clearly got Flash's speed, his amazing good looks." He winked at Shadow "Frankly, I can't wait to meet him. Uh, you know, back when he was in his prime." He looked at Shadow "How about you? You believe me right, pretty lady? I can see it—By the way are you still single or..."
"Well, Bart, coming all the way from the future... you must have worked up quite a thirst." Nightwing offered him water which he gladly took a sip from "Thanks." He then smiled gleefully "Oh, ah. You're trying to get a DNA sample. You need my spit." He spat into the glass "Ha. That's such a Dick Grayson thing to do."
Tim's eyes widened but the two older ones remained maintaining their poker face "How did...?"
"See? I know stuff only a future boy would know." He began listing their names "Dick Grayson, Athena Pearson, Tim Drake and Garfield Logan"
"Your name's Tim?" The youngest pointed to Robin and then turned to Nightwing "Yours is Dick?"
"Oops, spoilers. This secret identity thing is so retro. I mean, you can call me Impulse or Bart or Bart Allen or Bart Impulse Allen. It's all crash." He rambled on "Is it possible he might actually be telling the truth? Could he really be from the future?" Tim questioned and Shadow let out a breath "He does seem irritatingly familiar"
"Tell us something we don't know yet. When do I become leader of the Team? When do I join the Justice League? When do I get my own reality series?"
"Sorry, BB. Never was the best history student. Besides, can't risk altering the time stream. Do that, we're all feeling the mode."
"...and the mode would be bad?"
"Doesn't get any worse. Always better to crash the mode."
"Uh... Noted?"
RECOGNISED: MALCOM DUNCAN: A-1-0
The speedster or Bart perked up "Ooh. Sounds like a door opening somewhere and that's my cue." He phased out of the handcuffs and stood up "Bye-bye."
"Hi, Mal. Bye, Mal."
Beast boy shifted "Don't worry. The Peregrine Falcon is the world's fastest bird. He won't get away." He flew away with a squawk
"Doesn't stand a chance, does he?" Robin questioned "Nope. Impulse is too fast. But at least we can track him." He handed Tim the glass
"You planted a tracer? It'll fall off at his speed."
"It won't. He drank it." Nightwing pulled up a Holoscreen as Shadow pulled out her phone
"Subcutaneous micro-tracker in the water. Nice." Tim complimented "Thanks." Noghtwing turned to look at Shadow "He's making a beeline for Central City."
The line finally picked up "Hello?"
"We require your assistance, it's urgent"
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MOUNT JUSTICE
FEBRUARY 28, 11:45 EST
"STILL WORKING?" Shadow asked Nightwing who didn't look away from the Holoscreen "Yeah. Too much to do. Tracing the Krolotean intel and Bart's DNA signature"
"I can tell you without the test, he is in some way or form related to Wallace" Dick let out a chuckle and Shadow offered him a cup of coffee "Have I told you, you're the best?"
"Not recently, no" She smirked. She looked at the time box he arrived in with a sigh "It seems to be a sort of international family week" Dick turned off the Holoscreen and looked at her "You never told me what made you leave so suddenly. I know you hate the talking part, but I'm here if you want to do it" She stared at him for a long moment before nodding
"I know"
She pulled up a Holoscreen and began to load in Bart's DNA along with the Flash's "I'll help move things along faster then move onto the gigantic tin can"
"The time machine?" She shrugged "I meant the child, but alright"
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A FEW HOURS LATER, THE ENTIRE FALSH BLOODLINE STOOD IN THE CAVE AS SHADOW AND NIGHTWING INFORMED THEM OF THE SITUATION
"Impulse's DNA matches up with both Iris and you, Barry and this thing is giving off both Zeta and Chronotron radiation"
"Which is, based on pure theory; what you would expect to find radiating off a time machine." Shadow informed
"Which means you're exactly who you say you are." Bart smiled "Ha. Told you. Anyway, it's been crash. But the future awaits. I gotta run. See what I did there? With the run?" He laughed at his own joke as everyone else in the room cringed except the Flash who walked forward with a smile
"That was for you, Gramps."
"Bart, thanks for coming. I look forward to meeting you again for the first time and watching you grow up."
"That will be crash." He hugged his old man
"So long!" He went in with a wave but as soon as the door closed, there was no flash of light, nor did the thing whir up to life. Only a puff of smoke "Maybe he's traveling forward one second at a time." Beast boy offered
Bart kicked the door open "It's not working. The whole thing's fried."
"Can you fix it? The Flash asked
"I'm a tourist, not a chronal expert. Look at me. I'm trapped in the stupid past. Ugh. I'm so moded." Everyone in the room looked at each other as Shadow observed the boy, almost sensing the rehearsed tone. He began to ramble on as usual but Shadow shook her head, looking at Nightwing "Perhaps" She spoke up and he turned to her "The prospect of a new speedster on the Team won't be the worst of things. Just until the situation figures itself out?"
Nightwing nodded in agreement "Could be a temporary solution...I'll have to discuss it with the Flash" As they discussed matters amongst themseles, Malcom turned to Robin "He's totally gonna be our problem right?" He shrugged as Beast Boy jumped up in excitement, at the idea of a new Teammate "He seems ok"
Jay Garrick looked at Shadow and Nightwing from a distance "Reminds me of myself and Joan in our prime" Wally smirked "I'm rooting for them, you know?" They looked at the Flash who seemed to have calmed down Bart as the young speedster took an interest in this conversation instead "Oh come on don't tell me you don't think they're the definition of couple?"
"You didn't hear it from me but...Captain Atom's a huge fan" The Flash smirked
"Well here's a major spoiler...they do—"
"—Butterfly effect, kid"
"Sorry!" He apologised but smiled to himself, as they began to speak with Wally and the Flash. His hopes that while the future may change, some things remain the same.
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GOTHAM CITY
MARCH 3rd 06:48 EST
THE SAME. THE SAME PLACE. THE SAME COMFORT OF THE CITY LIGHTS. Shadow let out a sigh as she stared up at last stars of the night before the morning horizon. Quiet streets. Quiet lives. A nice quiet read.
"I once hated the sight of you on this roof, you know that?" She didn't look away from her book "What changed your mind?"
"Wednesday did"
"That infernal nickname, have I not asked you to stop?" He grinned, leaning on the edge, next to her "Not going to...I'm afraid you're going to have to get used to it"
She shook her head "You drive me to insanity." He gave a charming smile as he inched closer to take her book "Don't blame me for your psychosis."
"You are my psychosis."
He let out a soft laugh, as he sat down and she looked at him "Total honesty? I'm worried. You're reading a book...upside down—"
"I'm fine, Dick" She replied sharply before shaking her head, looking down and sighed "It is not one thing. There are many. I cannot tell you. It is not easy when I myself struggle with its acceptance" She looked up at him, he wasn't wearing a mask in contrast to her in full gear and she saw his eyes. They held so much love it almost suffocated her.
Love. How awful was it? It was nothing but devious lies bred from fairytales. Who could ever love someone like her. Someone who was so unaccepted from the very beginning of her life.
"Try me" She raised a brow, "If I wanted a therapist I'd hire one, thank you very much."
"What do you need then?" She shut her book and kept it to the side, gently laying her head on his shoulder "Just my psychosis" He looked down at her and couldn't help but crumble. What he planned on doing. It would possibly break her. He just hoped he could look her in the eyes after it. He had fallen in love with the stars and the moon and the girl with the most beautiful green eyes in the world yet here he was, sourcing to add to her pain.
Shadow looked up at him, in his eyes she saw how he looked at her, like there was something worth looking at. Poets, she thought, were like her. Simply fools in love. She could write all the verses on the man she knew had blue eyes and a heartbeat. Eyes like the rain and hair like waves. A soul as vast and deep as the ocean, and she supposed, she didn't mind drowning in him.