Kladur, M'gann, Robin, and Superboy all made their way out of the cave and to the beach. Amber was dressed in her bikini, brown wig, and of course her shaded sunglasses.
"Hello, Megan. We should hit the beach every day."
"First, a moment for silence for our...absent comrade." Robin goes on to say.
"Poor Wally."
As poor Wally started his first day back to school, the others, M'gann, Aqualad, Robin, and Superboy took to playing in the ocean's water splashing one another.
Amber had taken to lounging on a beach chair enjoying the sun. Amber watched as her teammates have fun. A smile worked its way onto her face, before turning into a frown.
'No, no. Don't get too close Amber.'
Ever since her return from the Amazo mission. Amber had begun to distance herself from the others. More nightmares worse than the last had taken over her sleep. All she could do was watch.
A snort left her mouth at the thought.
It seemed watching was all she was ever capable of.
With more and more nightmares arising Amber lost much-needed sleep. She often found herself in the training room to take her mind off everything.
At this point, she was sure the team was starting to notice the change in her especially M'gann.
She had caught Amber late in the night punching a punching bag. To say she was worried was an understatement.
M'gann found eyebags even under the sunglasses. Amber looked like a disaster.
Amber was almost too afraid to fall asleep not wanting the nightmares to come back.
Amber cleared her mind to try and enjoy the moment with her friends.
*Meanwhile*
Robin and M'gann were splashing each other in the water.
M'gann noticed Amber lounging around in her chair. A frown appeared on her face.
"Hey, have you noticed anything off with Amber lately?" Everyone stopped the splashing to take a look at Amber.
"You know, now that you mention it she does seem to be distancing herself."
"Did something happen?" Aqualad directed the question at Superboy and M'gann as the two basically lived with Amber as she spent most of her time here.
"Well, recently I did find Amber up late training. She looked like she hasn't gotten any sleep in a long time. She had eyebags, and looked completely exhausted," M'gann voiced, worrying for her female friend.
"Is that who it is? I've been hearing footsteps all through the night." Superboy said.
The group looked at Amber again worry showing on their faces.
"For now we should wait, see what happens. Just keep an eye on her for any changes. I'm sure if Amber wanted to talk to us she would." Aqualad instructed.
And so the nice relaxing, beach day continued on without any interruption.
___________________________________________
The group's beloved beach day had come to an end.
Now they were all in the main room, with a few League members.
And apparently a new member to the team, Green Arrows protege.
Before much could really happen though a robotic voice rang out.
Recognize
Kid Flash: B-03
Wally in all his glory showed up dressed and ready to go for their already over-with beach day.
"The Wall-man is here!" He called out. "Let's get this party star-uhn!" Wally trips over all of the junk he brought to falling flat on the floor.
Amber could only shake her head at his shenanigans.
Wally lifts his head noticing them all in their uniforms.
"Wall-man, huh?" Amber and Aqualad step aside for their new teammate. "I love the uniform. What exactly are your powers?"
Wally ignores her question. "Uh, who's this?"
"Artemis, your new teammate," she says almost mockingly.
"Kid Flash. Never heard of you," giving back the same mocking tone.
Green Arrow steps up, "Um, she's my new protege."
"Wha-what happen to your old one?"
As if on cue the Zeta tube went off.
Recognize
Speedy: Speedy B-06
"Well, for starters, he doesn't go by Speedy Anymore," Roy states walking out of the Zeta tube.
"Call me Red Arrow."
'Original,' Amber took a glance at Green Arrow then back to Roy.
"Roy. You look-" Red arrow cuts his former partner off.
"Replaceable," taking notice of Artemis.
"It's not that like that. You told me you were going solo."
"So why waste time finding a sub? Can she even use that bow?" Red Arrow questions angrily.
Artemis steps up to defend herself, "Yes, she can."
"Who are you?" Wally finally questions.
"I'm his niece."
"She's my niece."
Green Arrow and Artemis say at the same time.
Amber raised a brow at that. Last she recalled he didn't have one, well not whoever this is.
'Hmm, more secrets, more trouble.'
A smirk appears on Roy's face, "Another niece?"
"But she is not your replacement. We have always wanted you on the Team, and we have no quota on archers."
Wally pipes up," And if we did, you know who we'd pick."
Artemis steps up once more, "Whatever, baywatch. I'm here to stay."
Roy walks away, as Kaldur comes up to speak to him.
"You came to us for a reason."
"Yeah, a reason named Dr. Serling Roquette." Robin immediately pulls up his HoloGlove.
"Nanorobotics genius and claytronics experts at Royal University in Stay City vanished two weeks ago."
"Abducted two weeks ago by the League of Shadows." Red corrects.
"Whoa. You want us to rescue her from the Shadows?" Robins joy showing.
"Hard-core."
"I already rescued her. Only one problem The Shadows had already coerced her into making a weapon."
The HoloScreen shows the weapon.
"Doc calls it the Fog, comprised of millions of microscopic robots, nanotech infiltrators, capable of disintegrating anything in their path-concrete, steel, flesh, bone-but its true purpose isn't mere destruction. It's theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen data to the Shadows."
Allowing the information to fully sink in, Red continued.
"Providing them access to weapons, strategic defense, cutting edge science and tech."
Amber has had her share of nanotech. After all her entire suit and mask were made out of it along with a bit of Wakanda technology. Amber knew of it because Tony had such an interest in it and decided that she would be the perfect guinea pig. It was funny when Pepper found out what he was doing, before giving him a good scolding.
"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, and power broking. Yeah sounds like the Shadows."
"Like you know anything about the Shadows." Wally scoffed at Artemis. Artemis gave him a smug look. Wally's smirk fell.
"Who are you?!"
"Roquette's working on a virus to render the Fog inert."
"But if the Shadow knows she can do that..." Robin begins.
"They'll target her. Right now, she's off the grid. I stashed her at the local high school's computer lab."
"You left her alone?" Green Arrow questioned.
"She's safe enough for now."
"Then let's, you and I, keep her that way."
"You and I? Don't you want to take your new protege?"
Batman places a hand on his shoulder in a silent you know what to do.
"You brought this to the Team. It's their mission, which means it's hers now, too."
Roy scoff, "Then my job is done." He then walks away through the Zeta-Tube.
Recognize
Speedy-
"That's Red Arrow, B-06, update." He corrects walking away.
Amber takes a look at her team and new member, letting out a sigh.
'Troublesome.'
____________________________________________
The Team was now at the High School. M'gann and Superboy were outside keeping watch.
Everyone else was inside keeping an eye out on the Doc.
"Miss Martian, link us up. We do not want the Shadows interception our comms." (fix in Wattpad)
"Everyone online?"
"Ohh." Artemis half groans at the unfamiliarity.
"This is weird."
"And distracting," Doc's voice cut in as she continues to code quickly. "Code a distributive algorithm virus on a kiddle computer with less RAM than a wristwatch is hard enough. Now I have to hear teen-thing in my skull?"
"Lady, do you always complain when someone tries to help you?"
"Pot, kettle. Have you met?"
"Hey. hey, I do not need attitude from the newbie who drove Red Arrow off the Team."
Amber watches as the two squabbled a headache beginning to form in her head.
"This is so not on me."
"Fate of the word at stake," Doc tries to remind the teens.
"She started it."
"Enough!" Amber had become fed up with the headache that they were giving her.
"Drop it. Red Arrow leaving was his choice the blame is on no one. Now stop this childish squabbling and focus."
Surprise showed a bit at her sudden outburst.
"How about if I just help Superboy and Miss Martain patrol the perimeter?" Artemis then walked away heading out the door and passing Aqualad.
"Good idea." After that comment from Aqualad, Amber got up to leave as well not wanting to be in the same room as the teens.
"I'll join you." Amber walked up to Artmeis the two walking side by side in silence.
Amber could still hear the three talk about Artmeis seeming to have forgotten that they can all hear them. She heard KF's voice say her name with a bit of frustration, saying that she was siding with Artemis.
Amber sighed at Kid's childishness. Artemis quickly shut them up with her next words.
"You know, I can still hear you!"
"I couldn't get the Justice League."
Amber zoned out of the mind-linked conversation focusing on sending a message to M'gann.
"Miss Martain, anything yet?"
"Nothing yet."
"Alright."
Amber listened back into the conversation hearing the boys and Doc talk about going online and revealing their location to the enemy.
Artemis and Amber split up. Artemis joined Miss Martian, and Amber went further from the school scouting further ahead for any signs of trouble.
She heard jumping from behind her seeing Superboy joining Artemis and M'gann.
"Mmm...that boy," Artemis's voice rang throughout her head.
'Here we go again.'
"He can hear you. We can all hear you."
"Oh, I know."
Aqulads voice came in before anything could escalate.
"Miss Martian, Dr. Roquette has located the Fog. Reconfigure the BioShip so that Robin and Superboy can pursue."
The ship then comes to the front of the school. Superboy and Robin, who appears out of nowhere, run into the ship taking off.
Amber hears a rustling in the bushes before it all went dead silent. Amber approched the area, finding nothing but a black cat.
Amber looks on at the cat as it disappears into the trees.
Noticing a change in the air. Amber's senses went on high alert.
Like lightning, Amber turned around pulling out her two swords, blocking an incoming attack from a masked woman, with a Cheshire smile on it. Recognition of who this woman was passed through Amber's mind.
Cheshire.
"Mmm...looks like one of you actually has some skills. It was quite impressive the move you just pulled."
She then let out a Cheshire-like laugh.
Amber ignored her comment going to mind-link the others that they had company.
"Eh, eh, eh. Not so fast kid, your friends don't need to know I'm here just yet."
The two exchange hits analyzing each other's moves, trying to figure each other out.
Swords clashed together, the two moved as if dancing. It looked beautiful to the eye, but deadly if someone were to get too close.
'This fight is dragging on too long. I need to check up on the others.'
Cheshire must have noticed the bit of distress showing as she took a few steps back, halting the fight to a stop.
"Well this was fun, but I have business elsewhere."
Cheshire left disappearing into the shadows.
Amber immediately gave chase, while also trying to warn the others.
"Everyone the League of Shadows is here."
When Amber never got a response she tried again. Still, there was no response. Amber realized that the mind link had been broken somehow.
'Troublesome.' Amber clicked her tongue in annoyance.
Amber continued her chase arriving inside the school. Amber slowed her pace as she searched for signs of Chesire.
She then hears a splash sound coming from where the pool area was.
In the pool room, she saw a shadow leave out through one of the doors. Just as she was about to give chase she saw Kid Flash sinking in the pool.
Without hesitation, Amber dived into the pool grabbing Kid and pulling him up to the surface tossing him onto the side of the pool.
Amber quickly got out, going to check for Kid's pulse and breathing.
'Pulse, but no breathing.' Amber looked at Kid for a little before sighing.
Amber then began to give Kid CPR, just the compression part. After completing all thirty compressions Amber checked for any breathing finding none. Amber once again looked at him letting out another sigh.
'Haah, you're really gonna make me do this aren't you?' Amber took off her mask her red eyes glowing and brown wig hair flowing down beside her face.
Amber leaned down towards Kid's face, tilting his head backward, and began giving him mouth-to-mouth.
As soon as Amber was done Kid Flash rolled to his side allowing all of the water to leave his system.
"Kid," Miss Martian shouted. Amber turned her head away from the two as Miss Martian landed beside Kid checking up on him, Kid becoming conscious.
M'gann took a quick look at Amber seeing her put her mask on and not letting anyone get a look at her face.
Realization flashed onto Miss Martian's face as she looked between the pool, the now awake coughing Kid Flash, and Amber.
"Oh, oh, oh my," a smile settled onto her friend's face as she did so.
'She's thinking of something weird.'
"Get any weird thoughts out of the heads up, and you get up we got a cat to catch."
Amber stood up giving a small kick to Kid Flash regretting having saved him.
After Kid recovered the three quickly made their way to the computer lab.
The three enter the computer lab, seeing Chesire slicing away at Artemis's arrows.
Before anyone could do anything Chesire took out a small orb throwing it to the ground, smoke coming out of it.
Kid Flashed leaped forwards in an attempt to stop her but ended up landing onto Artemis.
"Gone," he grunts.
The Doc then yells at Aqualad.
"She's getting away! You're letting her get away!"
'Ah and so begins the yelling.'
"This was all your fault. You were on the perimeter! How'd that Shadow get in?" Kid accuses Artemis.
"Stop. It is my fault. I intercepted the enemy but was unable to capture her allowing her to get away. And my lack of ability to communicate with you all through the mind link had been broken."
"That's not really fair." Miss Martian addressed both KF and Amber. "I was outside too."
"Outside being distracted by her," he retaliates. "Besides, I can't be mad at you."
"You gave me mouth-to-mouth."
"We heard that!"
Everyone beside Amber yelled inside the mind link. Amber wasn't exactly sure how to respond.
Along the way to the lab, Amber had asked Miss Martian to restore her mind link to everyone else. She was almost regretting it now.
Whether it was to be glad that he thought it was M'gann who gave him mouth-to-mouth or sorry for her that he thinks it was her causing him to be flirtatious about it.
Now don't get her wrong Amber could care less about the whole giving mouth-to-mouth thing. It was just she had to do it to Wally the guy who would use just about any moment to flirt with a girl.
Amber had no interest in becoming his next target. It sounded far too bothersome to deal with.
Out of the corner of her eye, Amber noticed Miss Martian giving some words of comfort to Artemis.
Aqualad cuts in bringing back everyone's undivided attention.
"Focus, everyone. The Shadows will be back."
"Robin to Aqualad," Robin's voice came over the comms.
"We're over Philadelphia. We've located the Shadows' next target, STAR labs."
"We're too late. It's destroyed, totally destroyed."
"The Fog decimated it."
"This is bad. STAR labs is cutting-edge science, and now their secrets are in the hand of the enemy."
"What's our next move?" The question was directed towards Aqulad all attention on him.
Aqulad looks to the Docotro Roquette, "Rescan for that Fog. Find it."
"We're moving the doctor."
______________________________________________________
'Haah,' Amber let out a sigh. She seemed to be doing that a lot today.
At the moment nothing was wrong. Amber was with the Doc at the moment protecting her.
It was nice actually she still had to hear the other nitpicking in her head, but at least she wasn't actually there to have to listen to all of it.
Though it was still annoying to have to listen to all of Doc's own nitpicking and complaining.
Amber wandered around the little computer cafe they were in watching for any signs of trouble.
As Amber looked around she heard footsteps. Amber moved closer to the shadows.
Roquette notices this, Amber motions her to keep silent and to keep working. It was imperative that they get that virus uploaded.
Amber moved to the windows out of view listening for the sound of footsteps she heard.
By the sounds of it, the person had no shoes on and was most likely a male by the way the person ran.
Amber lowered her guard a bit realizing that those footsteps belonged to Aqualad.
She waited for him to come into view spotting him just a few minutes later.
Aqulad entered the cafe giving a nod to Amber, signifying to her that the plan was working.
'If that's the case then that means it won't be long before they figure out they've been tricked and come for Doc.'
And indeed Amber was right.
Moments later Chesire arrived and Aqualad was knocked out from some Jelly poison.
"Well looks like we'll get to dance yet again kid."
Amber didn't bother responding, pushing the Doc behind her.
"Stay behind me and don't move." Amber's cold and icy voice rang out ordering the Doctor to not get in her way. Roquette only gave a shaky nod in response.
The two circled each other.
It was like two apex predators fighting over prey. Each of them watched any sort of movement to give them the upper hand in the battle.
A twitch in Chesire's arm told her that she was making a move. Immediately Amber blocked her Sai's with her own forearm blades bringing her arms up to form an X.
Cheshire flipped backward avoiding the oncoming high kick from Amber.
"Don't tell me you're gonna stay like that the whole time, that's no fun," Chesire chuckled, but Amber made no move to change to the offensive.
"Hmm, well I guess this will have to do," a sigh leaving Chesire's mouth.
Cheshire charged again using the same move as before, Amber once again blocking. Though, unlike the last time, Chesire pulled something out from her utility belt, throwing it into Amber's face and releasing a bright light blinding her.
Amber was quick to regain her senses focusing on using her other senses to sense the sneaky cat.
The smallest sound of a footstep had Amber had her taking a few steps back to catch the leg of Chesire.
With a tight grip on her leg, Amber threw her what Amber assumed to be across the room.
Though from what Amber heard Chesire landed on her feet.
Amber couldn't help but groan inside, 'I hate cats.'
A beeping sound was suddenly heard just as Chesire had gotten past Amber closer to Doc.
'It finished.' Amber relying on her hearing still have yet to get her vision back and approached closer to the Doc and Chesire.
Cheshire must have noticed that the virus was completed as well as she suddenly spoke up.
"So, you've finished the virus, eliminating the reason for your elimination, though not the entertainment of your value." Cheshire's sai got closer and closer to Doc's neck.
Amber seems to have detected the distress pulled out one of her swords and raised it to the back of Chesire's neck.
Cheshire only let out a small huff of disappointment before continuing to speak.
"Lucky for you, my orders are clear. You live to program another day. After all, doctor, Shadows may find another use for you."
Chesire turned to Amber as best she could without bleeding to death from Amber's sword being pointed right at her neck.
"Well it was fun while it lasted kid, but I must be going now. Till next time."
As soon as those words left Chesire's mouth she disappeared allowing the room to become dead silent.
But it wasn't until she heard Artemis's voice just outside and heard their conversation was the cat truly gone.
Amber continued to listen, just in case the cat was still lurking around.
After nothing Amber deemed the cat gone.
Amber's vision had finally begun to return to her allowing her to assist Aqualad in walking out of the cafe to meet up with Artemis.
"Artemis, where's the assassin?"
"She, uh-she got away."
"Oh, from you? Oh, big surprise. Notice we got ours."
After a bit of squinting Amber could see two people roped together floating in the air.
KF then squats down picking up Chesire's dropped mask. "Cool. Souvenir."
Amber noticed his enjoyment having found something to keep.
'I hope if the time ever comes for them to find out what my identity is he doesn't ask for my mask.' Amber thought of the possible day of them finding out her real identity.
Aqualad must have also recognized the mask as he asks Artemis if he saw who was under that mask.
"It was dark," Artemis says looking away.
'Liar.' Amber having heard the conversation earlier knew that she had seen Chesire's face and that by the sound of the conversation, the two of them had some sort of history together.
"It is fine. Robin and Superboy neutralized the Fog, and Dr. Roquette is safe thanks in no small part to you."
Artemis turns to look at all of them.
"Welcome to the Team."
Artemis gives a small smile in return. Aqualad, Miss Martian, and Kid Flash take a few steps closer to her.
"Now I have another sister." Miss Martian cheered in excitement. "Here on Earth, I mean. I have twelve back on Mars but trust me, it's not the same."
"I wouldn't know. But thanks." Amber could relate to that she wasn't too lucky either in that department.
From behind Amber gives Kid a small kick from the back.
"Ow." Kid looks over his shoulder at Amber in disbelief. Amber simply nods her head at Artemis.
He grumbles, "Yeah. Welcome."
Artemis looks at Amber in expectation.
Amber gives a small nod to her, "Welcome," her voice calm and quiet.
_________________________________________
Darkness surrounded Amber once again.
'Ah, here we go again.'
It was gonna be another night with no real sleep for her.
Amber looked around at the dark wonderful abyss she stood in. There was not a drop of light to be seen. It was like her dreams and her own mind mocked her, telling her that she had no place in such a beautiful thing.
Though Amber couldn't really blame her way of thinking. She really did have no place in such a beautiful spot, not after all of the things she's done.
Amber let out a sigh as she waited for her dreadful night to begin.