Chapter Text
Okay, so, imagine this. Just imagine, for a second, that you're me. Walking down the street, minding your own business, when the store front in front of you explodes; glass flying everywhere, heat drying your skin, the scream lost in the noise. You'd feel fear, right? Horror, confusion, all that jazz, right? Yeah, that's me right now.
I flew backwards, tumbling head-over-heels into a wall. I wheezed, crumpling into a ball. More screams filled the air around me, forcing me to my feet. Two people stepped out of the smoking rubble. I groaned. Not again. Really?
"Come on guys, it's Saturday!" I shouted, running at them. Cheetah grinned. She leaped at me, forcing me to twist. I grabbed her arm and used her momentum to send her crashing into the ground. Weather Wizard pelted me with shards of ice. I snarled and jumped, delivering a powerful hit to his jaw. He stumbled back- Cheetah's claws dug into my shoulders and hips. I screamed, wrenching her free with a handful of hair.
"That's playing dirty!" Cheetah sneered. I laughed.
"Since when do you care about that?" I swung my leg out, continuing forward as she dodged. Lighting cackled at my feet. I grabbed Cheetah, swinging her around and planting my knee in her back just as Weather Wizard let loose his bolt. Pain exploded down my spine, the energy running through me into the woman under me. Cheetah screeched, back arching. Just barely holding in my own scream, I left the unconscious woman and ran at Weather. He stumbled back, shock contorting his features.
"There's no way! You shouldn't be able-" My foot sent him to the ground, lights out.
"Yeah, well, 'shouldn't be able' is my motto," I told his body.
"Well, hell. Seems I've got competition," I whipped around, leg arching into a roundhouse kick. "Whoa! It's alright!" I froze, looking at The Flash. My leg hit the ground hard.
"Sorry! Sir! I didn't mean- I thought you-" I stammered out, horrified. His laugh shut me up.
"It's okay, I should've known better than to sneak up on someone fresh out of a fight," The Flash smiled winningly at me. I shifted, looking at him warily. Anyone who smiled that much was crazy. But he was a hero! "You did well, took these two out in minuets!" He praised. I flushed.
"They're not- I just- surprised them. That's all," Flash raised an eyebrow.
"You took-" A shadow fell over me.
"Flash." I almost swallowed my tongue. The Dark Knight stood behind me. Gotham's Knight. Awe froze me to the cement, or I would have fallen on my butt. "Debreif. I need to drop this one off." The fear pattering in my chest skyrocketed into terror. But one does not say no to The Batman. Not even Flash. He sighed dejectedly and sped off.
"Um, sir.." His scowl killed any protest I might have tried.
"Come along, we need to talk," He swept away, cape billowing behind him. I did the smart thing. I followed. He didn't speak until we neared the Batmobile, and then it was just 'Problem?'. I had stopped a couple feet away.
"N-no, sir, but, uh, it's just...that's the Batmobile. Is it really okay...?" Batman smiled. Or maybe it was a smirk, because I wasn't sure that Batman knew how to smile.
"Get in," No other orders needed, I hopped into the passenger seat. The vehicle's acceleration shoved me into the seat and made me gasp. I grinned. "Dawn Fulmata, sixteen, both parents work at United Way. You've been at or around several epicenters of crime for three years." I just nodded. He was Batman, he knew everything. "You've gotten lucky so far, but you've come as far as you can without proper training and a safe place."
"Wait, what? I'm sorry, are you suggesting I be trained? Like, under you or someone? Ha! No. Sir." I hurriedly added, "I can't be a sidekick: I have a family who needs me, I have school, I have- well not a life, but something like one." I wrung my hands, shaking my head.
"You're going to get hurt. Then what would happen to your family? You can't keep going like this. You're alone and untrained. I'm taking you somewhere you will be safe and be able to tap into your full potential," I paled. He said that like he...he knew. My breathing got shaky.
"Sir, Batman, please. Don't. My mom will worry- who will explain to them?" He just pointed to the glove-box. Hesitantly, I opened it and at his nod, I pulled out a few papers. They looked like...Gotham Academy entrance letters? "Are you suggesting that I join GA, sir?"
"No, I'm suggesting you let your parents believe you're going there and take classes at the tower," I gave him a confused look.
"What tower? Where are we going?" Batman just kept driving, "I'm not getting out of this, am I?" He could smile, I discovered, and it was as dark as he was. I sighed and slumped against the window, hands clasped together tightly.