Fighter...

~Omniscient Pov~

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"Of course, there aren't any cameras here..." Barbara muttered under her breath, her frustration barely contained as she sat down while rubbing her temples. This night was quickly spiraling into something far more complicated than she had anticipated. This place wasn't exactly the most above-board establishment, but not having any cameras was a different kind of problem altogether...

She glanced around the dimly lit room, noting the shadowy corners and the distinct lack of surveillance equipment. It made sense, given the nature of the club—it wasn't the type of place that wanted a record of who came and went. But for Barbara, it was a dead end. Without cameras, tracking Ezra and his mysterious companion had just become infinitely harder.

Zatanna, standing nearby, leaned against the wall with a thoughtful expression. "So, no cameras," she said, more to herself than anyone else. "Makes sense, considering the clientele. But it means we're gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way."

Barbara nodded, though her mind was still racing with some of their next steps. "They could have gone anywhere by now. And without a trail to follow…"

Zatanna straightened up, a determined glint in her eyes. "We can't give up that easily, Babs. Whoever he is, he's important enough to vanish like that. And I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to let this go." Zatana smiled.

Barbara could tell her friend was more than determined to find who this person was... She sighed, leaning back in her chair as she considered their options. Zatanna was right—they couldn't just walk away, not when there were so many unanswered questions. "We need to think like him," Barbara said after a moment. "He probably knew he was being watched. That means he's very careful, and calculated. If I were him, I'd head somewhere I could keep a low profile..."

"Or somewhere he feels safe," Zatanna added, her voice soft but firm. "Which means we're not looking for just any place. We're looking for somewhere he knows well, somewhere familiar."

Barbara looked up at Zatanna, a plan beginning to take shape in her mind. "We'll have to split up. You take the streets and see if anyone noticed anything strange. I'll dig a little deeper into who he might be. If we can figure out where he came from, we might have a lead on where he's going."

Zatanna nodded, pushing off the wall with a determined expression. "Alright. Let's see if we can't get some answers. Because something tells me this guy is more than just another pretty face."

As Zatanna headed for the door, Barbara remained seated for a moment longer, her mind still churning. This wasn't just about tracking down a guy who could fly or disappear into thin air. This was about something a bit deeper, something she couldn't quite put her finger on just yet. But one thing was certain: whoever that person was, he was now firmly on her radar...

Plus, she wasn't just doing this for her friend alone anymore, and Barbara Gordon didn't let go of a lead until she saw it through to the end.

~

"Urgh..." Ezra fidgeted a bit...

Amber caught the weird movement he just made, "Are you ok?" 

"Ah, yeah..." Ezra responded, offering a reassuring smile. "I just felt shivers run down my spine, is all..." He paused for a moment, his thoughts drifting as a strange feeling settled in. 'Why do I get the feeling that someone's talking about me?' he wondered, but he quickly shook off the thought, not wanting to dwell on it.

Glancing at his watch, Ezra noticed the time and felt a twinge of urgency. It was getting late—too late for comfort. "I think it's time we pack this up, Amber. It's 11, almost midnight. Your parents might be worried about you."

Amber looked at him, a bit surprised by the sudden suggestion, but she nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're probably right... We've had enough excitement for one night."

However, she flashed a curious gaze towards him, and asked "What about your parents? Aren't they worried about you too?"

Ezra paused for a moment, the question catching him off guard. He hadn't expected her to ask, and for a split second, he struggled to find the right words... His expression softened ever so slightly, "I… don't have parents, at least that I know of. " he said quietly.

Amber's eyes widened slightly, realizing she'd touched on something sensitive. "Oh… I'm sorry, I didn't know," she said softly, her voice full of empathy.

Ezra shook his head, offering her a small, reassuring smile. "It's okay, really. It's been that way for a long time." He appreciated her concern, but he didn't want to dwell on it. However, he was a bit curious about who his parents were... Still, there were other things to focus on, like getting her home safely.

Amber nodded, sensing he didn't want to go deeper into the subject. "Well, at least someone's keeping an eye on you," she said, trying to lighten the mood.

Ezra chuckled softly, grateful for her care. "Yeah, I guess so." He appreciated the way she was handling it, not pushing for details but still showing she cared. For now, that was enough.

"Alright, girlie, let's get you down from here," Ezra said with a playful grin, trying to ease the tension that had settled between them. He extended his hand toward Amber, his tone light but his eyes filled with warmth.

Amber smiled back, appreciating his attempt to shift the mood. "Lead the way, superhero," she teased, taking his hand. He smiled, sensing the slight verbal jab.

With a steady grip, Ezra gently lifted her off the rooftop, making sure she felt secure in his hold. As they descended, the cool night air brushed against their faces, and for a moment, everything else faded away—just the two of them, suspended between the sky and the ground beneath...

When they finally touched down, Ezra set her gently on her feet. "There you go, safe and sound," he said with a satisfied nod.

Amber looked up at him, her heart still racing from the experience. "You know, I could get used to this," she said, half-joking but with a hint of sincerity.

Ezra chuckled, feeling a bit more at ease now. "Sure, but don't go getting any ideas," he teased back, though~ a part of him wouldn't mind if she did.

As they stood there, a comfortable silence settling between them, Amber hesitated for a moment before speaking again... She was wondering if she should even ask in the first place since she knew how sudden it was, but she couldn't stop herself... "H-Hey, I just wanted to ask... Can I spend the night at your place?"

Ezra froze, the question catching him completely off guard. His mind began to race for a split second, thoughts swirling inside him in fact. He understood why she asked—it made sense after the night they'd had, and he could see she needed the comfort of not being alone...

But the idea of them, a man and a woman, spending the night together under one roof... it wasn't just about propriety, but about the boundaries he'd set for himself. Although he was showing great restraints now, he wasn't sure how long he could maintain it if by chance he was put in a situation where it would compromise him. After all, he was still in fact, a man.

Truly didn't want to blur the lines, didn't want to create a situation where emotions might get tangled in ways neither of them were prepared for. It wasn't just about her; it was about him too. Despite his powers, despite everything he could do, he was still just a guy, vulnerable to the same desires and temptations as anyone else. And he cared about her too much to risk anything that could complicate their relationship, nor would he want to give even more wrong signals...

"Amber..." he began softly, choosing his words carefully, "I... don't think that's a good idea..."

Amber's face fell slightly, confusion and disappointment mingling in her expression. "Why not?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Ezra sighed, feeling the weight of the moment. "It's not that I don't trust you, or that I don't want to... But I just think it's better if we don't put ourselves in that, situation. We've been through a lot tonight, and I just want to make sure we keep things... simple."

He could see she was still trying to process his reasoning, but after a moment, she nodded slowly. "I get it," she said, though her voice was tinged with a trace of sadness.

"I'll make sure you get home safe," Ezra offered, wanting to reassure her that he wasn't abandoning her. "But for tonight, I think it's best if we each go back to our own spaces."

Amber smiled faintly, appreciating his honesty even if it wasn't what she had hoped for. She bit her bottom lip slightly, "Okay, Ezra. Thanks for being honest." She knew that he felt the same way, that he wanted to, but what was he afraid of? She didn't know.

"Always," he replied, leaving it at that.

~

Ezra returned home after dropping Amber off safely... The door clicked shut behind him, and he leaned back against it, letting out a long and weary sigh. The night had taken more out of him than he'd even anticipated, not physically, but mentally.

His thoughts were essentially a tangled mess at the moment, fighting for dominance as he tried to sort through everything that had happened.

He was exhausted, not just from the events of the evening but from the internal battle he'd been waging with himself. Trying to convince himself that he could remain just friends with Amber was proving to be more challenging than he'd ever imagined. The lines between friendship and something more had started to blur, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep them in check.

Just as he was about to collapse onto his bed, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

[You did well, master... But based on tonight's events, you might want to cut all ties with her...]

Ezra froze the words cutting through his thoughts like a blade. It was his AI, Echo, always there with a rational, albeit cold, perspective. He knew ECHO was only looking out for him, analyzing the situation with the detachment that only an AI could, but hearing those words hit him harder than he expected...

"Cut all ties...?" Ezra repeated softly, the words lingering in the air. He couldn't deny the logic behind them. Tonight had shown just how close he was to crossing a line he wasn't ready to cross. But the thought of severing ties with Amber completely felt like ripping out a part of himself. She was more than just a friend; she was someone who understood him, who accepted him despite everything.

But could he really keep things platonic? Could he really walk that tightrope without falling? The exhaustion weighed heavy on him as he grappled with the decision. Cutting ties might protect them both from future heartache, but it would also mean losing something—someone—he wasn't sure he was ready to let go of.

He sank down onto the edge of his bed, burying his face in his hands. "I don't know if I can do that, Echo," he admitted, his voice muffled and heavy with uncertainty. "She means too much to me." 

He could tell, that this girl felt nothing but pure and genuine love for him. Something ridiculously hard to come by, and the kind you could tell was literally radiating off from her. If he told her to jump, she would go to the moon. And, as a man, that was the greatest trait a partner could have...

[That's precisely why it's dangerous, master. Emotions can cloud judgment. If you're not careful, you could lose control...] Echo's response was measured, logical as always.

Ezra knew she was right, but it didn't make the decision any easier. He'd always prided himself on his self-control, on keeping his emotions in check. But Amber was different. She made him feel things he wasn't used to feeling, and that scared him more than he cared to admit.

"I just need time," he whispered, more to himself than to Echo. "I need to figure this out."

A long pause came between their conversation, ECHO then finally responded; [Time might not be on your side.] Echo warned...

~

"Can't you try using any of your spells?" Barbara asked, giving up for the moment, her frustration evident.

Zatanna sighed and nodded, stepping further into the alley. She began chanting softly, her hands moving in intricate gestures as she invoked a tracking spell. The air around them shimmered with energy as she focused on the task.

After a few minutes, Zatanna's expression shifted from concentration to utter confusion. "This... This isn't right," she muttered, her brows furrowing. "The spell should have given us a clear direction, but..."

Barbara's impatience was evident as she interrupted, "But what?"

Zatanna shook her head, still studying the results. "That guy's signature… it's like it's not registering at all. It's as if he doesn't exist, at least in the magical sense. I'm getting absolutely nothing."

Barbara's eyes widened in concern. "What do you mean, he doesn't exist?"

"Wait..." She thinks for a moment, "It's not that he doesn't actually exist, but rather that his magical presence is completely absent. It's almost as if there's a magical block or concealment around him. Whatever it is, it's preventing me from tracking him completely," Zatanna explained, her frustration evident.

Barbara's worry deepened. "That sounds serious. If we can't track him through magic, what do we do no-"

Before she could continue, the ground beneath them suddenly began to tremble. The vibrations intensified, causing both Barbara and Zatanna to stagger, their faces reflecting the shock and confusion of the unexpected disturbance.

"W-What the hell?" Barbara shouted, her voice tinged with alarm as she struggled to maintain her balance. The tremors grew more violent, sending debris falling from the alley walls and rattling nearby trash cans.

Zatanna, equally unsettled, quickly raised her hands, trying to steady herself. "This is no ordinary quake," she shouted over the rumble. "It isn't even magical in nature... Something or someone is causing this."

However, soon they had received the answer they were looking for, in the next instant, a loud booming voice echoed, commanding authority.

"PEOPLE OF EARTH!! WELCOME YOUR NEW RULER!!!" The voice boomed causing even more tremors.

"FOR YOUR LORD, DARKSEID OF APOKOLIPS HAS COME! NOW, KNEEL!!!

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END