Okay so, as all of you might have noticed my weekend triple update idea went down in flames due to having to do school assignments so the proposed update schedule I mentioned last time is going to be flipped around and shifted to this weekend (my workload'll be significantly less by that point, I underestimated how much studying I needed to do for my exam tomorrow) I thought I could squeeze the updates in, write them in the wee hours of the night but it didn't happen and unfortunately sleep won out.
So as we can see by my lack of updates my plan of writing at night clearly isn't working out and making unkept promises does nothing but disappoint you all and make me feel guilty as all hell. So, to remedy this today I've written myself out a schedule and made sure that I've allotted actual daytime hours for my writing time in my schedule and as a result here are the update dates of Glitch 2 for the end of October.
Ch 8- Tonight October 19/20 -at the rate I'm typing I'm not sure if it'll be before or after midnight but it's definitely going to be Monday or Tuesday when I post it.
Ch 9- Friday October 23rd
Ch 10 and 11- Sunday October 25th
Ch 12- Wednesday October 28th
Ch 13: Saturday October 31st
In the October 31st update of Chapter 13 I'll include an updated schedule for November update dates. I think that's all until we meet again at the chapters end! Happy reading you guys! Enjoy!!
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"Wipe those smiles off your faces boys, we aren't done here yet." Sara sighed lowering her finger from her com as Nate, Ray, Masako, and Clarity returned from the hill they'd been on. Gideon having just delivered her some bad news. Not only were Jax and Stein still working on repairs but there was now an aberration that needed handling.
"What do you mean? We destroyed the shogun-," Nate replied throwing his arms out.
"-and my suit too," Ray added with a wince as he took off the samurai helmet. Clarity placing a hand on his arm in silent apology the guilt gnawing at her. If she had just glitched there faster, maybe if she'd yelled a little louder. If she'd only gotten Nate to listen to her then his suit wouldn't be destroyed.
"And the village is safe now." Nate finished stepping forwards. "Problem solved."
"Wrong," Mick grunted as he fiddled with his gun, though it didn't seem as if he was going to say anymore on the subject.
"Wrong?" Nate asked in confusion. "We beat the Shogun, I saved this whole village! With-with you know assistance from you guys," he gestured to everyone save for Clarity. The Glitch crossing her arms in front of herself hand falling from Ray's shoulder not missing the fact that she'd been excluded. What had he said after he destroyed the suit? 'We didn't even need you.' Yes, that was it. But that didn't mean she wasn't needed at all did it? What did Nate know about her being needed or not? He was the newest person here.
"Mission completed, history is back on track." Nate announced.
"Blondie says we're not done then we're not done, Pretty." Mick glared as he adjusted his glove.
"What my partner means to say is that you forgot about the ninja's." Snart supplied arms crossed as he leaned against a tree. Todd leaning right beside him as their arms touched.
"Ninja's? Seriously?" Ray asked eyebrows raising.
"Seriously," Sara confirmed as she wiped blood from one of her knives. "According to Gideon the ninja faction in this region will lay waste to the village and the rest of the continent if we don't get things back on track."
"I know what you're going to say," Amaya began. "Ninja's aren't real. It surprised me too, but-"
"What? No ninja's are real." Nate cut her off. "There are loads of historical accounts that say ninja fought against Samurai during feudal times if you know where to look for them. But they were relatively dormant during the shoguns rule. Even if news of his death already spread the ninja would be working to defend the village from the samurai's remaining forces. Unless the village did something to wrong the ninja's but what could make them turn their backs on the village so quickly?" Nate wondered. "Mahsako?
"We have had peaceful relations with them for many moons." Mahsako replied, "I cannot think of anything we could have done to anger them."
"Maybe you didn't. Someone else must have and now the village will be blamed for it." Amaya shook her head. "I've seen it happen to other villages before. Outsiders hiding stolen treasures to instigate a slaughter."
"Snart, did you take anything extra from them?" Sara asked looking to the thief. "Diamonds, Jewels, anything that you shouldn't have?"
"No," Snart replied. "Not this time. They didn't have anything that valuable."
"Me. They had me. Snart took me and now they want me back." Clarity realized, speaking up. "They must still be after me-I mean it makes sense. I lead them straight here and I don't think changing their legend helped anything."
"You changed a legend!? Clarity!" Ray's mouth dropped in disbelief.
"I-I didn't mean to," Clarity spluttered in protest. "It just kind of happened." Clarity replied running a hand through her hair shrugging lightly, lightning crackling over her arm as she did so.
"Just kind of happened? How does something like that just kind of happen?" Ray asked her incredulously. "An entire legend was completely altered."
"It just does, okay? And only the ending of it changed. They saw my powers and it's not like I had a translator to explain myself with so they drew their own conclusions."
"Don't you think you should've been a little more careful?" Ray insisted. "Myths and stories like that are precious. What if we landed in Britain instead and you changed the tales of Camelot?"
"I got chained up in some cavern with a hot springs, they weren't exactly giving me any choices." Clarity defended herself.
"Wait, you got beaten by a bunch of lousy chains with your powers?" Nate raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you do that thing you do and just zap crackle pop yourself out of there before they got the wrong idea?"
"It's called glitching, and I was submerged in water. I tried, but I couldn't, it would've hurt too much." Clarity replied.
"Don't you think that's kind of lame? All you had to do was fight through the pain, it might hurt but I'm sure if you tried harder you could've gotten out of there in seconds. You just weren't doing enough."
"What did you just say to me?" Clarity asked her grip on her crossed arms tightening, lightning crackling on her hands. She wasn't doing enough? First he says they don't need her and now he tells her she hadn't done enough? Did he even know what she'd been through the past few days?
""Do or do not there is no try."" Nate quoted Yoda a bit bummed that his quote hadn't even gotten a smile out of her, but then again maybe a girl like her wouldn't get the reference. "Not even a smile for Yoda? At least smile for the Yodster. Mahsako did and she didn't even know who he is either."
Clarity frowned at him no sign of a smile on her face, her lightning cracklings more intensely along her arms.
"Look all I'm saying is that next time you should spend less time thinking and just do it. It worked for me, it will for you too. It's easy to use your powers-"
"Do not even go there." Clarity warned, cutting him off. He was not about to lecture her on using her powers. Not going to happen. He barely understood his own, who was he to criticize her for how she used hers? She knew her limits, and while pushing them was good, getting herself killed once she'd run out of energy from exceeding said limit would not have been a good plan.
"No, I don't know if you realized it but using your powers could be so much easier if-"
"I swear to God, if you don't stop talking in the next three seconds I'm going to shove my lightning so far up your ass that your whole body magnetizes and then all these pointy knives lying around everywhere are going to fly up into the air and stab you all at once." Clarity glared, voice raised, something inside of herself snapping. She'd had it up to here with Nate Heywood. She didn't ask to get thrown out of the waverider into Japan. She didn't ask to train someone else when she had so much training she still had to do for herself. She was only just starting to explore her super strength and refine her lightning constructs. She didn't ask to be incorporated into a Japanese legend or held captive. She didn't ask to get chased through the woods all night long. She didn't ask this guy to constantly hit on her, tell her to smile in almost every conversation they had and she most certainly didn't ask to be lectured by a wanna be hero who barely had their powers for three days. Who was he to lecture her on her powers? He didn't have the right. He didn't even know her.
"You tell him, Sparky." Mick chuckled taking a swig of Sake.
"Woah, that was a little harsh, Clarity." Ray winced.
"I'm not done." Clarity replied lightning crackling over her hands as her arms uncrossed. "I am not interested in you. Period. Okay? I don't want to hear about any fantasies you've had of me when your were a kid. I don't want to know about you playing with some doll of me or if you ever dressed up as some gender-bent version of me for Halloween. It's not flattering, it's creepy, and it has to stop. Out of respect for your grandfather and as a favor to Sara, I'm helping Ray train you, but that does not go the other way around. You don't tell me what I can do with my powers when you barely even know how to use your own."
"Now that was harsh." Snart corrected Ray, not that he blamed Clarity for her out burst. She'd had a rough couple of days.
"She'll come around Huh?" Nate looked to Ray the genius seeming to struggle with a reply.
"Alright, Alright," Sara rushed forwards placing a hand on Claritys shoulder. "Thats enough you three, let's all simmer down. No finger pointing from you boy genius you gift wrapped your suit to the Shogun." Sara reprimanded Ray. "And you got us into this whole mess in the first place so zip it unless it's history related." Sara looked pointedly at Nate finally turning her attention to Clarity. "We're going to fix all of this, Clarity, no one's saying you meant to change anything, I'm sure you did everything you could to get out of there. Just tell us what happened. How'd you change it?"
"I...I don't know." Clarity breathed, shaking her head. "I couldn't understand them very well, but there were these tapestry's in the cave where they were holding me. They were painting over them, rewriting everything. Incorporating me in them. There was some lightning wolf, Raiju, sleeping inside of a person and before he was loyally returning to some Japanese version of Zeus when he called him, but the version with me shows it turning against him and refusing to return. They want me locked up to cage the wolf."
"They think you have a magic wolf living inside of you?" Sara asked in surprise. That wasn't something she'd expected to hear today or even ever.
"According to the Raiju myth people get struck by lightning because the wolf's sleeping inside of them. It could be their way of rationalizing her powers." Nate suggested, as he spoke he made sure not to look Claritys way.
"Okay, so all we have to do is change the tapestry's back to normal and convince the ninja's that this Raiju isn't inside you of you anymore and they'll leave the village alone."
"Sounds easy enough," Ray nodded.
"It always does, I'm sure things'll fall apart soon." Snart replied.
"Bet you a beer things go tits up by noon." Mick suggested.
"Your on." Snart smirked, Todd nudging him a silent message he wanted in. But with Amaya watching he was hesitant to say it allowed lest he get scolded for it.
"Clarity, you work the fabricator best. Go back to the ship, have Gideon make you two tapestry's identical to the originals then Glitch back here and get yourself some shoes while you're at it." Sara ordered Clarity before she turned her attention to the other team members. "The rest of us will stay here while we wait for Clarity and guard the village in case the ninja's come looking."
"Is that really all we can do? Just sit around and wait?" Nate protested. "Why don't we take the fight to them?"
"First rule about Ninja's you don't find them they find you." Mick corrected.
That was the last thing Clarity heard in the teams conversation Clarity glitching herself back to the waverider not about to waste any time after she'd been too late to save Ray's suit.
"Hey Giddy, you can stop worrying now I took a tumble through the time stream but I'm back all in one piece." Clarity greeted the Ai, as she stepped inside the ship. Smiling as the warm electrical current of the ship surrounded her. A hum that felt more like home the more she was on the ship.
"Hello creator, while I wasn't programmed with that capacity I find the fact that you are indeed still alive to be very good news."
"Where are Jax and Stein? If they're done fixing the ship they should come help us with the ninja." Clarity told her, "Oh and I need you to fabricate me some sandals and two tapestries of the original ending of the Raiju
legend. Can you do that for me, please?"
"Of course, I'll get started right away. I believe these will go nicely with your kimono. I'm afraid the repairs to the ship still aren't completed. The Professor and Mr. Jackson have elected to pause that chore and instead investigate the 36th compartment Captain Hunter hid from you all."
Clarity froze. The smile dropped off her face and she dropped the sandals Gideon had just made her. The thud they made nowhere near as loud as the thump of her heart in her ears. No. Not again. Not again, please, please, this wasn't happening again. Not here. Not now. Rip, was clear. He was good. She'd gotten through his lies months ago, he wasn't like Thawne or was he? But what if he was? What if her instincts when she first got on the ship had been right? Time had lowered her guard, but he's a time master isn't he? He'd know how to play the long game. How much did she really know about him? Not much, not enough to be sure she'd known as much about Wells' life hadn't she? She had been friends with Thawne-Wells like she was friends with Rip. Let him teach her, guide her, powers, Gideon, Where was Rip now? Nobody knew, they may never know. What if this has all been some big complicated plan to control their lives? Control them? Just like Thawne did. Just like Thawne was going to- no! No, don't think, stop thinking, stop thinking, he's dead, he's gone, stop thinking, Rip wouldn't-thats insane, it's insane, don't think, why think that? Don't think. Slow down, too fast, stop-no breathe. You need to breathe, breathe, in, out, out, in, in, out, in, in, no wrong, stop, stop, ow, ow, stop breathe, breathe right, not wrong, hearts racing, just stop, stop everything, stop thinking, Breathe or you die, that's no lie.
Her hands shook, trembling really no wonder the shoes had dropped right out of them. Her voice little more than a whisper, coming out of her quickened breaths. "Room? No, n-no room...secrets, aren't no, no secrets again, can't be, not no, not now, not here, not him, not no, it's not really, no."
"Compartment 36 is the secret room that Captain Hunter had me delete from all official maps and systems. This room contains heavy duty weaponry and inter temporal communications with Barry Allen of 2046." Gideon repeated.
Clarity paled, her stomach twisted, and she was suddenly grateful she hadn't eaten anything yet that day as Eobard raced into her mind and she couldn't get him out. This was just like last time, back in Star labs. The secret room, the time vault. Hidden from everyone. No, no, no, no. This wasn't happening. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. A secret room? Here? No, Rip promised no more secrets he-he lied to her. He lied, and Eobard lied, and- Clarity fisted a hand in her hair, her other reaching out to steady herself on a nearby crate feeling the need to sit down. Electricity went surging to Claritys muscles Claritys accidentally channeling her lightning there, and the metal caved underneath her hand. Clarity falling as the metal gave way, her arm sinking inside the crate, Clarity fallen to her knees beside it. The lights flickered, and Clarity leaned her head against the cool metal of the crate shutting her eyes.
Everything was fine, but it wasn't fine. Now that she knew about it, she couldn't stop feeling it. If she closed her eyes she sensed it's hum, if she opened her eyes she could see the open hatch door at the end of the hall. She had to leave. She had to go, they all had to go. She had to go. But she couldn't leave. No escape, her thoughts would go with her.
Clarity had no idea how long she sat there. Pressed against the metal crate, breathing anything but normal, thoughts going round in circles at such an overwhelming speed any mind reader would think she was a speedster. Could've been minutes, or it could've been hours eventually, Clarity got everything back under control. She didn't feel like she had the strength to walk in this new secret room alone, especially not when her fear of Thawne, And Rip secretly being just like him had seized hold of her. A thought she had deemed over and done, clearly not as put to rest as she considered it to be, the comparisons clear as day, and even becoming clearer. She decided to check it out later have Stein and Jax take her in. Clarity grabbed the tapestry's assuring Gideon that whatever freak out she'd been having was over and she was calm now before she walked out even though all she wanted to do was curl up and sleep.
"I thought the plan was for me to Glitch back to you guys." Clarity frowned in confusion as she saw Todd and Amaya standing at the cargobay doors.
"You've been gone for 2 hours." Amaya told her.
"Oh...uh, it took Gideon an hour to make each tapestry. Sorry should've glitched back to relay that."
"It's okay, Ray thought of using Micks gun to make scorch marks in the grass to lead the ninja's away from the village. Nate's making scratch marks in the trees too." Todd told her, "they're going to be coming straight here."
"We'll be taking these." Snart took the tapestries from Clarity. "The Captain and I are going to be redecorating a ninja lair. Back in a bit."
"Be careful!" Obsidian called back to him and Snart waved a hand in reply. "Hey, Flick you okay?" Todd asked as she leant back on the ship.
"Hm? Oh, yeah fine." Her fingers fiddled together looking to the ground. "I just found something upsetting is all."
"I'm sad Rex is dead too." Todd told her, incorrectly assuming that was the knowledge she'd stumbled upon.
"Wait..Rex is dead?" Clarity asked slowly. "He..Amaya, what's he talking about?"
"Rex was killed by a time traveler-" Amaya started.
"No...not Rex. He..can't be.." Clarity denied shaking her head, squashing whatever thought that had just raced through her head that it was Eobard. Now was not the time or place. The ninjas were coming and the last thing she needed to think about was her non existent rapist killing her almost boyfriend, or worse a missing Rip Hunter killing her almost boyfriend. Not after the unnecessary scare she'd forced herself into.
"He is, thats why I'm staying with your team until I find Rex's killer. So that the time traveler can be brought to Justice." Amaya told her.
"We," Clarity corrected wiping at her eyes, stopping the tears before they could fall. "We're going to find his killer. I remember what it felt like, loving him, I want justice for him as much as you. You know I loved him just as much as you did."
"Look alive ladies," Todd straightened as Mick, Nate and Ray came running through the trees Ninja hot on their tails.
"Clarity, we're doing move Alpha 9501. You remember it?" Amaya asked.
"I remember." Clarity nodded her head, with that said the three of them sprung into action.
Clarity passed Todd a lightning bolt which Todd cocooned in his smoke, his entire body transforming into black fog, flying up to mix with the real clouds in the darkening sky. He waited a few seconds. Nate shouting at the Ninja's, "Raijin!" The name of the lightning God, pointing at the cloud Todd had hidden into.
All the ninja's paused and watched in wonder as Todd let the bolt unravel from his smoke and it shot down hitting Clarity in her stomach. Amaya placed her hand on her totem an Ashe of a wolf springing out of her necklace and right through Clarity's stomach. The Glitch focusing her lightning sending some to crackle along the Ashe. Losing just enough power that her legs gave out, she really was drained after the day she'd had. Physically and emotionally. Amaya focused on her wolf sending it running away into the woods the ninja all going to follow it. Expect for one the Ninja leader pulling out his sword intent on cutting Clarity down, but Mick blasted the Ninja leader back into the woods.
"Sayonara suckah." Nate called after him. Mick grunting in reply as he lowered his gun.
-Meanwhile with Snart and Sara-
"Was it just me or did Clarity look off back there?" Sara asked as the two crept into the ninja cave.
"She looked pretty drained, but she hasn't exactly had a spa day in this cave. She'll be fine after a little rest."
"What should I do with these? Take them to your quarters?" Snart asked gesturing to the paintings of Clarity practically completed nude if not for the fact that her lightning was shielding all the fun bits.
"Ice and smash them," Sara replied. "I don't want a picture like that unless Clarity wanted it to be painted."
"Suit youself, such a shame it's all such beautiful artwork."
"Snart."
Snart froze the tapestries and threw them on the ground. The paintings shattering as they hit the cave floor.
"Let's get back to the ship. I've had enough of Japan."
"You said it." Snart agreed.
"Ah, Freak wind." Sara muttered in complaint as a gust blew her hair out of her bun and into her and Leonard's faces. Little did she know but if she had turned around she would have seen the shattered remains of the tapestries were now gone.
"What are you staring at?" Mick demanded as he sat in the kitchen of the waverider. The ship already in flight.
"I've figured you out." Amaya told him, arms crossed. "Clarity helped me see the truth about you."
"Congratulations." Mick replied.
"You act like this selfish meathead, but secretly, you're not so bad." Amaya kept going as if Mick hadn't even spoke. "You try to deny it but I saw you out there. Clarity was down and you had her back in an instant. You saved her. You know, you might even have the makings of a hero."
"Well, that proves one thing. You don't know me." Mick told her. "I'm no hero."
"Perhaps not." Amaya agreed.
"Trying to kill me again?" Mick challenged.
"Trying to give you a present." Amaya replied. "In case you ever need proof you met an actual ninja." Mick stared the shuriken she left in awe.
"So, we're in agreement? No one knows except us three?" Stein asked looking between Jax and Clarity.
"I've already sworn Gideon to secrecy. She won't be accidentally telling anyone else." Clarity told them.
"Good, enough people know already." Jax nodded.
"All right. What's your secret?" Sara asked the trio as she came out of the Kitchen.
"What on earth do you mean?" Stein asked barely recovering.
"Well, you two must be magicians considering how badly damaged the Waverider was before we left." Sara replied. "And Gideon told me her systems are running at optimal levels."
"Oh, that. Well, Jefferson and I went over the ship top to bottom."
"I gave her systems a little update while I was waiting for her to fabricate the tapestries." Clarity lied.
"And safe to say there are no surprises left on the Waverider." Stein finished.
"Great. I'll go prep for takeoff." Sara smiled.
"So are we gonna say something about future-Barry's message or not?" Jax asked.
"We can't. They're going to want to know where it came from and how we got it." Clarity denied. "Besides I want to listen to it before we make a decision to tell anyone."
"Barry was very clear about the team not knowing what he told Captain Hunter." Stein added.
"Except now we know." Jax complained.
"Indeed. You were right, Jefferson. Some things you just can't un-see."
"Even if you wish you could." Clarity frowned.
-meanwhile at the vanishing point-
"Oh look at you, look at you." Eobard having pieced both tapestries of Clarity back together. The speedsters eyes running over her form. "So beautiful my Glitch, My Clarity...we'll be together again soon, I promise."
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And that's chapter 8 peoples!!! I'm so happy I'm finally updating my stories again you have no idea how much joy it fills me with!! I know I was supposed to update this on Friday but as I mentioned in the authors note at the start my homework kicked my ass and far exceeded what I thought I'd have to do in preparation for my school week. But anyways enough about that guys, it's in the past, and it's best not to dwell on something we can't change. Next chapter will be out soon!!
As always here are some questions for you to answer! Please answer them you guys, it'll help inspire me to do better next time.
1. Oh no, Rips giving Clarity Reverse flash vibes again! What do you think about this??
2. What did you think of the combo move Amaya, Todd and Clarity did to trick the ninja's?
3. Was this chapter as good as you thought it was going to be or did you feel it was a let down?
4. Was Claritys outburst at Nate deserved? Why or why not?
5. What would your Clarity ship do on their first date together? Describe what would happen in as much detail as you possibly can
6. Thoughts on Eobards obsession with Clarity? What did you think of him stealing the rewritten tapestry?
7. What do you think Eobard has in store for Clarity?
8. What do you think is something Clarity secretly loves to do that no one knows about?
9. What do you want to happen next chapter?
10. Do you still enjoy it when I do original chapters like this? Or should I stick more to the canon stuff?
11. Do you think I'm a good writer? Why or why not?
12. Finish this sentence, "Eobard Thawne..."
13. How are you holding up with COVID, school and life in general?
14. Anything else you'd like to ask, rant, and or tell me!!