Princess Of Gotham

Princess of Gotham

Chapter 18: News in the Woods

The Justice League is an "organization" of "global" heroes and is non-governmental. The government should not tell them when and how to act. These heroes claim to be the ones who bring peace to the world. The ones who end wars and the ones who are going to end crime.

It supports other young hero groups like the Teen Titans or the former Warriors Society. Sure, there are many more but the names were so irrelevant that they faded from my memory.

And at the time, that was the topic of conversation in the living room of the Todd family apartment. The news was misreporting some events that had occurred months before.

"What I don't understand is why Superman hasn't come out to clear all this up, isn't he the public face of the league," my brother said and then stole a handful of popcorn from me.

"If big blue comes out to show his face, now they will say that he is on the side of the bad guys because he is also an extraterrestrial. The one who should come out should be someone from the earth. But I don't think that would be a good thing," he said. There was a certain tension in Jason when he spoke of the Man of Steel, but who wasn't afraid of Superman?

"So, you're saying that the most normal among us would have to come out. What would it be...Batman?" I commented, tossing the bowl to my brother so he could finish his snack.

"You're right, it's weird," Jason agreed, starting to search for the remote to change the channel.

"These acclaimed heroes ruin the lives of so many and then act like saints, asking the government to pay them with our taxes. Don't you think it's suspicious that an alien spacecraft has arrived on our planet out of nowhere?" The commentator on TV was going to make me lose my appetite. Can you hate a person you only know through TV?

I enjoyed being with my father and brother, without any worries, and just talking about whatever was on TV. We rarely got to do that, as we always finished patrol late or someone was absent. Those moments were more important to me than the names of those other hero groups.

"There is an organization that is in charge of overseeing travel to other planets in this universe, isn't there?" asked my father, who was sitting in one of the individual armchairs. My brother and I just looked at each other, trying to read each other's minds or talk telepathically (which we wanted to, but couldn't do), and then just shook our heads.

"It's supposed to be a job that belonged to the previous Shade, don't ask me, I don't get involved in those matters anymore," I answered, lying down on the couch.

"You could ask a Lantern, those guys spend more time in space than on a fixed planet. Ask anyone but the Reds, we should never have trusted those guys," James said, then popped another handful of popcorn into his mouth.

"You'd better go to sleep, Bruce is going to scold me if you don't go to school." Jason and Bruce's relationship was never the best, at least not since my father came back to life. They tried to get along, but with the messes that James and I were bringing it wasn't very easy to make that relationship more bearable.

Olive, Jared, and basically the vast majority of my fellow Warriors Society heroes were in the same school year, but at different schools. And let's just say that being surrounded by rich kids from the cradle was not my thing. Although according to some "friends" of mine, they didn't understand why.

My brother and I got up, took the plates and glasses we used to leave in the kitchen. We each went to our rooms.

I still hadn't forgotten that I had to talk to someone important. The gas idea was very similar to something that had been used in the past. Although honestly the last thing I wanted to do was talk to the person who had helped us back then, but when the Joker's venom problem came up, he was the first person I thought of.

I picked up my phone, wandering through the contacts I didn't even know I had. I clicked on my target's name and the call icon.

"For the last time. I won't help you with your crush Jerni... Oh excuse me, your highness, I didn't read the name right and I thought it was...- The boy on the other side of the line started to say.

"Don't call me your highness, I left the title a long time ago," I interrupted before he said something inappropriate.

"Yes, I remember."

"He spoke to you to ask you a favor, not to discuss politics," I interrupted again, "We will talk about all this on another occasion and with fewer worries," as I knew he would soon ask, I decided to answer him first. I began to walk around my room, picking up the things I had left lying around in the afternoon.

"You know I'm always available. Work is work. Although if you need my help, it must be something important" That guy never shut up?

"The Joker and the Scarecrow, I need something to neutralize the gases they use," I informed him quickly before he brought up another topic of conversation.

"If it is for your team, let me tell you that you already had something like that. I'll send you the formula in the morning, ask someone to read it and do it," he replied.

"Okay, I need it as soon as possible." I was hoping at least one of the guys knew chemistry."

"Of course, boss." He said, laughing at the end, "I don't know what time it is in your city, but good evening.

"It's nighttime, but it's the intentions that count," I laughed too. I liked those moments when I could laugh with the people I considered friends.

"Andrew out," was the last thing I heard.

I got up from my bed where I had sat after throwing my clothes from the floor into the laundry can. I opened my closet to put my suit in.

I stood for a while admiring my suit, holding the fabric between my hands. Lightweight, sturdy, with small details in some areas simulating scales. A three-piece suit, with optional long gloves, when I didn't wear the trench coat and a pair of high-heeled boots, because, according to the person who helped me design it, I needed to look taller.

The blouse was a dark gray, reaching to black, sleeveless, and with a high collar. The pants were the same color, they were tight. The trench coat was black on the outside and wine red on the inside, with lots of little pockets. The fingerless gloves went past my elbows.

The visor was the best part. Although at first glance it was a simple piece of plastic that helped my blindness (myopia) it was actually more than that. It was connected to one of the most advanced computers in the entire universe.

When I finished admiring my suit, I folded it up and put it in one of the locked drawers where I kept other things important to me, and went back to bed. The next day would be a heavy day, and I knew it.

Crazy

I think I'm crazy. Since yesterday I'm hearing things and I don't know where these sounds come from.

Yesterday was a piano, with a lovely melody, but my pc had the earphones plugged and I was in the kitchen, and the radio was playing another kind of song, with another rhythm.

And today, in the middle of my economy class, while everyone was with their microphone off, I hear a whistle through my right ear. My parents were in the same room as me, and neither of them seem to be doing the sound, and the TV didn't have enough volume to be heard so clearly, and in the case it had, wouldn't hear it only through my right ear.

I remember trying to contact Apollo, but instead, I think I contacted Hermes, it's great, but know these sounds are confusing me

Sooooo I drew some quick fanart for Zoeleo’s amazing fic: The Many Deaths of Jason Todd, which is one of my favorites fanfics ever. It makes me laugh just as much as it makes me cry, it’s ongoing and great and I screech everytime i see it’s been updated, 10/10 check it out

I don't know why I always remember those moments... Am I still afraid of having a couple? Am I sacred of telling them I'm demi or asexual? Am I actually sacred of even thinking about having a couple?

I don't know, I only only want to erase those moments. I want to give me a chance or the person that likes me. But im scared that those things can happen again, even with totally different people.

I don't know why I have the luck that every person I get to have genuine interest in ends up being shit at the end.

I'm scared to like someone because they might end like the others.

Why am I scared of someone having a crush on me? What is it impossible for me to believe that something like that can happen?

Why am I scared of even thinking about a kiss? There's nothing wrong with it, but why am I scared?

A little poem, or brain dump poem, that one of my friends wrote and gave me authorization to publish here

Terrors of Gotham

Chapter 2: Pretend and Wait

The Wayne Manor was distinguished from others in Bristol for being the biggest and most luxurious of all, the enormous steel doors, the wide gardens, the garage with dozens of cars, the floral bushes, and the occasional motorcycles were characteristic marks.

Upon entering the mansion, the first to greet me as always was Alfred, although on this occasion his face denoted confusion, and looking me over from head to toe he told me to go upstairs to my room to change if I wanted to have dinner with the rest of the family.

On my way upstairs, exchanging my visor for my glasses, I couldn't help overhearing parts of the conversation in the library and resisting my curiosity, I went straight to my door.

As usual, my room was dark, curtains closed and my mess was on the floor. I turned on the lights and with the help of another switch adjusted their intensity. From the piles of clothes on the floor I grabbed a baggy, closed sweatshirt and jeans. The shadow got rid of the coat, boots, and gloves. Before I went into the bathroom to take a shower and change clothes, my phone rang from somewhere between my desk and my bed. I ignored it, I didn't have the energy to argue with someone on the phone.

I needed to organize all the thoughts in my mind, to start distributing my time among the most important tasks. Organize the three missions leaving available the team that would be dedicated to infiltrating LexCorp, look for a distraction for Angie, and see if I could escape to the forest for half an hour. On top of that, I had to talk to Roy Harper, and ask him to lend me an island.

The mere thought that in the long run, I would have to throw away years of friendship made me sick, I tried to think about it as little as possible, but my mind always betrayed me. At one point I didn't know if what was running down my face was water droplets from the shower or tears.

The idea was to simply take a lukewarm shower, no longer than 15 minutes. However, I was so stressed that the water came out almost boiling and I was under the stream of water for almost an hour, and it would have lasted longer if it wasn't for that person screaming and almost knocking on the door of my room to the floor.

"Pasley, dinner is ready," I couldn't quite identify whose voice it was, but I thanked him for silencing my mind, even for a few seconds.

I didn't answer, I didn't expect him to have been waiting for one either.

When I entered the dining room, it was already full. Grayson, Drake, the two Wayne's, to no one's surprise, Arthur Johnes, my father, and my brother, sitting in their respective chairs. Alfred had already served everything and some were even beginning to serve themselves and eat.

"You're early." And my plans to go unnoticed were ruined at that moment. Bruce looked up from his plate and turned to look at me, Jay mimicked his action.

"The meeting," I said to see if the girl sitting across from me noticed the intentions behind my tone of voice, "took less time than expected due to the, at least to me, surprising absence of everyone. And I didn't feel the need to stay on patrol," Angie and Arthur were still engrossed in their world, talking to each other almost in whispers, as if they knew everyone at that table could read lips, pretending it was just them alone in that room.

"I'm glad you're all here, how about a training session?" asked Dick, not noticing or ignoring the tense atmosphere between me, my cousin, and what I thought was my boyfriend.

"Sorry dad, we have classes tomorrow," Angie replied, taking a bite of food.

"They gave us a day," James contradicted.

"Hm, then I forgot."

The rest of the dinner was harmonized by the Wayne brothers and their harmless bickering and complaining towards Batman. As soon as everyone was satisfied they began to retire one by one to different rooms in the mansion.

Angie and Arthur sat for a while in the dining room, still talking about their things and pretending that neither my brother nor I were there. It was strange, they had never behaved that way before, in all those years I knew them they had never behaved so irresponsibly.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to talk to Drake," I reported before getting up from the table and leaving the dining room.

Any stranger would get lost in the hallway. If my memory served me correctly, which often failed me, I also got lost in so many rooms. Nowadays I knew every hallway like the back of my hand, which made tasks like that easier.

"Tim, can you help me with something?" I said, knocking on the door. I waited for an answer, probably a no, but what I got was the sound of something banging against the door, the floor, and some of the furniture, so that finally someone opened the door.

"Hi, I'm sorry, I was organizing some things and by accident, I knocked everything over. Come in, come in, sorry for the mess," he said quickly, letting me into his personal sanctuary.

"I'm the one who's sorry, this isn't even important it can wait," I said, starting to turn around to leave.

"What do you say we talk about it tomorrow?" he asked scratching the back of his head, his room wasn't really a mess, if we didn't count the clothes on the floor, the pile of wires on his bed, and desk.

"That's fine with me," I told him, once I left his room.

Sleeping with so much on my mind was almost impossible. That's why as soon as my cell phone started to ring, still in my clothes, I deigned to look for it, not in such a hurry because I knew that if it was urgent they would leave a message or communicate directly through Oracle's systems.

To my surprise, it was only Cheis, asking me if I had time to go for a walk in Row Park, walks that I was grateful for and that meant more than just that. Escaping from the mansion at night, when the security systems were activated, was much more difficult than entering, but the shadow was of some use.

Walking the streets of Gotham again, more aware than a few hours ago, made everything feel more real. My problems, my life, everything.

The streets on the East Side were horrendous, the floor was sticky, the air felt humid, maybe it was just my imagination. I had spent my entire childhood going back and forth from alley to alley, stealing from anything that moved and in all those years I had never complained about the environment, surely I had become weaker after living so long in the mansion, surrounded by luxuries with always clean floors and food on the table.

As I turned right at one of the corners, I could finally see the face of my companion, who by the trash on the floor I could tell had started the fun without me.

"You are late," they said, without even turning to look at me.

"Too early, too late, why nowadays people don't settle for anything?" I asked, taking the cigarette and puffing on it.

"Do you want to get philosophical with me or do you want another dose of the toxin?" asked Cheis, rummaging through his suit pockets.

"The last thing I want right now is to think."

Inspiración

La creatividad me pesa.

Despiertan tantas ideas que no puedo plasmar.

Y plasmo ideas a medias que nunca llegaron a mas.

Me siento pesada.

Con tantas ideas y tan poca habilidad.

Necesito tiempo y organización.

En ocasiones siento que tengo todo el tiempo del mundo

Pero otras siento que todo se me viene encima

Tengo tanto en la cabeza y tan poco tiempo.

Quiero hacerlo todo y a la vez no puedo hacer nada

Incluso si la inspiración vaga por mi mente no puedo expresarlo

Las dudas asaltan mi cabeza.

Se responden solas o simplemente mueren ahí.

La inspiración me llega diario.

Y a todas horas.

^-^

Cheis: relax just act mature

Jared/Poison: mature, got it

*Jared on his date*

Rai/Hakan: so what do you do for fun?

Jared *in a deep serious voice*: taxes

*-* Warriors Society on Winter Festivities (?

Rai/Hakan: Here's a fun Christmas idea. We'll hang mistletoe, but instead of kissing, you have to fight whoever else is underneath.

Callan: We are not doing that

Jane/Eclipse: Mistlefoe

Callan: Jane, no...

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James/Blackbird: Last year for Christmas, I asked Santa for the sexiest person alive. I woke up in a box.

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Malowe/Parallel: I wanna get run over

Olive/Pandora: aww come on, it's Christmas! Get in the spirit!

Malowe: I wanna get run over by a reindeer?

--------------------------------------------- Cheis: Dear Santa, I've been good this year...

Cheis: Most of the year...

Cheis: Once in a while...

Cheis: Nevermind, I'll buy my own stuff.

---------------------------------------------

Assana/Shade: What's that Christmas song that is like "the lease knobby dot"

Assana: It's Spanish

Samantha/Black Arrow: Are you serious?

---------------------------------------------

Mike/Sound Road: Christmas gets so much harder as you get older

Mike: "What do you want for Christmas?" I don't know?

Mike: Financial Security? A stable job?

Marcel/Compass: A nap would be nice.

---------------------------------------------

Jim Bullock: Christmas is canceled

Jared/Poison: You can't cancel a holiday

Jim: Keep it up, J and you will lose New Year's

Jared: What does that mean

Jim: Assana, take New Year's away from Jared

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Honorable mention to our diseased partners

Casper/Lightningale: I panic when people compliment me

Casper: what the heck am I supposed to say?

Aria/Blue Lantern: Great job at training, Cas!

Casper: *panicking* Merry Christmas!

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I think that was everyone.

Happy Holidays

^.^

Rai/Hakan: would you slap Jim Bullock for a million dollars

James/Blackbird: i'd roundhouse kick Jim in the face for free

Princess of Gotham

Chapter 8: Warriors Society

Slade Wilson, the man to blame for my death and in some part for my adoption. That man has had something against me since I was a child. If it hadn't been for Jason, I wouldn't be telling my story today.

Finding Slade meant the end of all the problems for the team and the Teen Titans. It meant one less problem for the Wayne brothers. And it meant one less problem for me.

It was an attack on a neighborhood where Oscar Hart's offices have supposedly located that set off Scorpion's alarms. According to his report, he had already been seen in nearby areas, but no one reported it.

For obvious reasons my initial plan was not to meet him, my mind went blank as soon as I was given all the information. We needed to act fast.

"Let's call Sound-Roud and Callan. They might be more useful than we thought." Jared suggested as he stopped on a rooftop near the warehouse we called our base.

"We need the whole team," I stated, "We won't stand a chance if there are only a few of us."

We had already come a long way from where we were standing watch to that rooftop on the outskirts of the city. As soon as Oswald finished telling us everything, I grabbed him by the wrist and we started running towards our base. I didn't even tell Jason where we were going, I would text him later. And after all that running and jumping across the roofs of buildings, we needed a little rest.

"We should call Jim to start tracking his activities, we don't want him to run away again. We don't want him tracking us either," James said, stroking a crow that had perched on his arm, "If anything happens to us they'll send the police and I'm sure Batman will realize we haven't followed his orders."

Olive contacted me, saying she would catch up with us at the base.

I needed emotional support. My mind was in chaos. On one hand, I was listening to what my teammates were saying, on the other I was trying to come up with some plan that didn't involve putting my teammates at risk. And on the other hand, I was thinking about what would happen if for some reason I ran into Oscar Hart, it had been a long time since I had met him, and the last time he threatened me, saying that if we met again, he would make sure to kill me.

"... I say we call Superboy," I heard Oswald say as he got into position to fire one of his arrows.

A few meters ahead we went down to the street to access our base. That semi-abandoned building that Bruce Wayne had remodeled for us. Previously they were apartments but as the area was very far from downtown, no one wanted to buy and decided to close them. Each floor had a different function, from training, tracking, and nursing, although we still had to finish the room's section.

We entered through the back door so we could take the elevator to one of the central computers and check if Scorpion's information was correct.

As we entered we could see Jim Bullock asleep in the chair in front of the computer. He was our best source of information, as his father worked as part of the Gotham police team, so we could know what was going on in the city without the need to spend hours trying to hack into the police computers (as if that was too difficult).

"Jim, wake up. We need information." I said, taking one of the books I had on the table and throwing it at him, once we were in front of the computer.

"Tell Callan. Let me sleep." He replied half asleep, still holding a cup of coffee in his hand. And from what was on the screen, you could tell he was checking the Metropolis security cameras and playing minehunter.

"I don't think you're going to be sleeping here unless you get settled in between the couches," James said, starting to close unnecessary windows on the main screen.

"That was my original plan," Jim replied, rubbing his eyes to shake off the sleep.

"Right now I don't really care if they sleep here, on the street, or in a dumpster. I care about knowing the exact location of Slade Wilson," I said, a little desperately, as it seemed that no one was aware of what it meant to know his whereabouts.

The noise of the elevator made us all turn to see who had gone up.

"I must admit that when I read your message I didn't believe it," Said the girl who was entering the room.

Curly hair, brown, medium complexion. She was wearing her costume and was accompanied by a gray wolf. Callan Morgasson had grown up in a forest, far from civilization, overprotected by her father. I met her soon after I "revived", admitting that she had accidentally killed her father. I offered her a place to stay momentarily. She refused, but she had already secured a room at the base.

That wolf that accompanied her day and night was a spiritual manifestation, guilty of the death of Callan's father, by her own orders. As adorable as he seemed to us, we knew he could tear our legs off because we had already seen him do it.

"Well, you better believe it," Assana told him, making room for him to see the screens as well.

"Are you ready to see your father?" she asked me, watching me play with the shadow in my hands.

"No."