Chap 7: Artemis

[Infinity island, August 4]

"What's up Doc? Heard you need some saving" i said after phasing through the floor and turned visible for her to see me.

"Oh thank god where are the rest, finishing outside while you get me out?" I lifted an eyebrow at that, was she expecting to get saved or what? Or is her self-esteem that big.

"It's only me doc, i alone am enough"

"You couldn't bring back up what were their budget cut?" Haha she's really funny to act like that in this situation or that maybe her defence mechanism talking who knows.

"Damn doc you really are greedy aren't you, if i didn't notice you missing no one would have found you, you know" i said while merging the mask back to the suit showing her my face. Organic clothing for the win.

The doc looked at me for a second then widened her eyes" you are that handsome guy we talked at the university"

"Oh it's an honor you still remeber me doc and thanks for the compliment" she's really something.

"You were nice to talk to and we did talk a lot and i don't find anyone smart enough who's interested in what i do" she said while tucking her hair behind her ear. Hoh.. i didn't think i left this impression on her.

"Oh you find me nice too how cute" i smirked at her.

"I meant talking to- i mean with you about nonorobotic" she stuttered in embarrassment.

"Sure sure doc what about we talk somewhere else, somewhere nicer what you think" i told her reminding where we are.

"I would love to, but we have to take this with us." She smiled and said while gesturing to the Fog machine.

"Well doc i believe it's better we destroy it or else they will keep coming after you, you know."

"But it's my life work i am sure we can do something you can protect me right?" She looked at me with her blue puppy eyes and hold my hand, i raised an eyebrow at that, are woman here all like that?

"Well i don't know where this trust from but sure, now if you excuse me" i said then lifted her in a princess ride while she let a cute yelp out then hold the machine in my other hand and fired some laser from my eyes at the computer and files and sent electric schock from my feet to it for extra measures and phased throught the walls and flew over invisible while the doc closed her eyes and hold me tight for dear life.

"Ok we are far enough now ,you can open your eyes slowly doc but don't yell ok" she slowly opened her eyes and looked around her then looked down and held me tighter than before she almost jumped."easy doc it will be fine" she just nodded slightly embarrassed then looked again smiled and awed. After a while she looked at me again with her smile and said "my hero" okayy she's really bold huh "haha you are funny doc"

"Just call me Serling and your not bad yourself" well i was indeed handsome so can't blame her. Did i mention i was blond with slightly long hair reaching my neck, left green eye and blue on the right and had a short beard? Yeah i like beards.

"Bold now are we, didnt expect that from you did they do something to you there, i don't remeber you being like this before, i'm Zane by the way"

"In my field of work you have to, but looks who's talking you sure you don't mind showing your face and identity? Or are you gonna brainwash me and make me forgot about you?" She looked at me sternly, how cute.

"Haha you sure have wild imagination there Sterly, why you gonna miss me then?"

She avoided looking at my eyes and smirking face and said:

"You and your mouth you sure you are not a villain and actually kidnapping me!"

"Hahah, well i am not a hero that's why my identity is not that important but i'm not a villain not worth the chasing and hiding. Unless you want me to kidnap you!" And that how i spent the whole way back flying and teasing her.

I find myself really enjoying teasing and annoying people, maybe because i feel lighter in this life? Stronger too, well duh i am frikkin flying in the air so no wonder there.

I remember being this cheerful back then when i was young about 16-18, after that life took a turn and hard mode turned on and yeah you know. I don't have this problem in this life, money problem is easy to solve, body strong and will get only more powerful with time and i don't have any family or relatives to be worried about them or take care of.

Some might feel lonely and say what the point without having your family around. Well i will have my own in the future that for sure, no one want to stay alone after all.

As for my parents and siblings, i do miss and think about them from time to time but i already got over it the moment i died, i already said i was prepared and that's life for normal people after all and i accepted that and opened a new book for this life, it doesn't mean i will forget them... hah not with this brain anyway but i moved on.

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[Mount Justice, August 8]

The young justice can be seen having a beach day, after they prayed for Wally's soul who's stuck at school the four of them started to enjoy their time swimming and playing around and when it's hot dog time, they sat around and started talking a bit.

"Why didn't Zane come?" asked Megan.

Aqualad: " He said he has a mission but will come by today afternoon."

Robin: " Since when does he do missions."

Superboy: " Maybe he's bored, he only reads books or go to the library all the time when we're not training."

Megan: " Oh that's not all he does he watches tv with me when you are not there, but i think he doesn't like my favorite show and forces himself, oh and he cooks and teaches me too"

"He can cook?" asked Robin slightly surprised.

Megan: " He is very good actually and tries different things from the books he reads, i learned a lot of stuff from him"

Robin: "Well damn, anyway let's enjoy our day shall we"

And so everyone continued to enjoy their time, poor Wally will get his hopes down and won't have the opportunity to join them today.

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"Artemis.. your new teammate"

"Kid Flash.. never heard of you"

Green Arrow decided to interfere and said: " She is my new protégé"

Wally: " but what happened to your old one?"

<Recognize Zane... B-06>

"He's not ready to come back yet, if he ever wants to come back, and it's not up to you kid, she's your teammante from now on just accept it."

"Zane" "hey man" "welcome back"*nods*

"Sup you guys hope you got your nice vacation from me, new teammate means new team bounding exercises" i told them with a smirk and their growling and grumbling is all i need to hear. Ah music to my ear.

"Well i don't mind to exercise that" said Artemis smirking at me. Hooh.. cheeky aren't we now. Hah maybe she'll be fun.

"Nice to meet you too Artemis maybe in couple of years or you'll change your mind after the training " i smirked back and continued walking inside.

"I won't mind the wait and i am used to it" she winked back to my smirk.

"Just who are you" shouted Wally from behind.

I couldn't help rolling my eyes at the obvious lie from Arrow. "Anyway since the introduction are already done, i have a serious mission for you today and i want your head in the game, no messing around you hear me kid"

"Why me tho, you just won't understand he was our friend" he looked around as of wronged well i can understan him but.

"No kid, i won't but you do remember that i was the one who found and brought him back right?" He nodded and i continued.

"Do you remember what i told you the first day here kid, the day you became the young justice? Let me refresh your memory, all of you, you hear me too Artemis. I said i'm interested in seeing why you are doing what you are doing, what drive you all and if you are going to do some changes or you are just wasting your life. Your friend speedy knew the risk but still continued and that the price he had to pay, it's not always fun and sunshine there's pain too some pain is worse than the other. So let me ask you all for the last time are you ready to take the risk and continue or will you quit now?"

I can see their resolve hardening and their eyes gain some extra clarity and they hold their stand indicating they will stay.

But i can still see some annoyance in his eyes, he will make the same mistakes won't he? I really hope not or we'll need to have a serious talk later, and Artemis isn't making it any easy i have to talk to her too.

"Here's the mission, this is doctor Serling Roquette, a brilliant nanorobotic genius and expert in claytronics at Royal University in Star City.

She was captured by the League of Shadows, who forced her to create a powerful weapon: the Fog... We already saved her and retrieved the weaponased invention and with the help of Wayne tech she will be able to secure it and her life and the transportation will occure today, we are suspecting the shadows to send someone to interfere and steal it again, don't ask me how they knew the transportation time and place nothing stay safe in this country" i said while looking at Batman with bored eyes, it really is ridiculous and so i continued. "Robin and Superboy will take the Bioship and keep an eye on the shipment till it arrives while the rest of you have to protect the doctor"

"But you said they are coming for the machine" asked Robin.

"If they can't get the machine they can make the doctor make a new one for them, everything clear?" Everyone nodded.

"The go and prepare" and so they went.

...

"I hope you know what you're doing. "

"Ah come on it's not that bad" said Arrow looking Batman's way and hoping for support "righ? *sigh* well isn't this why we made this test and you will be watching so everything will be alright"

"They will know eventually and it's better if she tells them sooner than later or it will cause serius problems in the future."

"She will do it when when she's ready and the team will have to trust her then" Batman said his bits and pieces and left.

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(Flashback)

"Yo Batman i am at the safehouse with the doc but she insisted on keeping her machine and don't want to destroy it, i will send it information to you, maybe you can secure a deal with some company or find a use for it." I finish my call with Batman and turn back to Serling.

"Alright Serly you will stay here for couple of days till the league find a permanent solution to your Fog"

"So you will stay with me?" she asked with hopeful gaze, what's wrong with this woman like seriously shouldn't she be more concerned about her life.

"Well this-" *TING* *Sigh* " well apparently since i took the mission you are my responsibility now so you can take the bed and i will stay in the living room i don't need to sleep much anyway 'like at all' get some rest for today while we see what happens tomorrow " she just nodded and went to bed.

The next couple of days went by with us just talking and hanging around she's a chill person to spend time with and fun too.

Batman sent me information about the arrow guy which is Artemis which i already knew, and told me about her joining the team which is fine by me but they wanted to hide her family history like in the original which i told them they shouldn't but they ofcourse didn't listen.

" Well Serly it seems your deal with Wayne went well?" Yeah Batman said 'Bruce wayne' is interested in her expertise and willing to secure the Fog for her too. Does he think he can fool anyone with that or does he already know that i know? Doesn't matter anyway.

"Yeah i still can't believe the league got me this i am really grateful for you Zane if it wasn't-"

"Now now Serly no need for all that i didn't do it for you to thank me or anything"

"You know i still don't know if you just don't like praise or just rude sometimes " said Sely cheekly.

" who me? Nah you can praise and compliment me all you want i have no problem with that" and she got a smirk from me in return.

"And shameless. But still i want to thank you, so uhm... do you want to go out for dinner after this over?" She blushed really hard and asked me while avoiding my gaze.

"Damn Serly straightforward asking for a date huh, you sure you're single because of work and not because you're needy" well i didn't expect that, what should i do with her now.

"You bastard, who will go out with you it's no wonder you're single, with that attitude no woman will take you, you should be happy that i asked you out on a date" haha that's basically how we spent the last few days talking and me teasing her in between till she snapped and couldn't help but curse at me.

"Haha, sure i would love to but uhm you see... i need to ask you for a favor and i don't think you'd like to go out with me after hearing it" i said scratching my head thinking about what Arrow and Batman proposed as a new team mission for them to get used to Artemis new addition.

(Flashback end)

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So that's what happened in the last couple of days. Yeah this mission is kinda a test or more like an exercise the shipment is fake it's just copy, a shell and the original is already in Wayne-tech as for Serly, she eventually agreed but now i should be the one who'll take her out while promising to stay close to her during the mission, i swear this women is clingy.

It's funny even when i intervened they still have to do the same mission, and it went almost the same as the original, well there were some differences, like Superboy and Robin came back early as only normal goons and Ojo the one eye Cyclopes attacked the shipment, so the fight went easier and Serly was well protected and Cheshire had to run away but she and Artemis still had their confrontation and eventually let her go.

I had half a mind to just catch her but she's not that bad in the big scheme of things but still if Artemis doesn't come clean with the team it may cause friction and she may be a help to catch sportmaster but thinking about this universe and the way it works i just said fuck it and let it be. I'll make sure the next mission is the one where i change things drastically.

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"Good job kids, i want to say it was an easy mission but you did well so be happy" i told them after they came back from bringing Serly back home and she texted me to meet her after i am done, damn girl we didn't even go on a date yet, chill.

"Yeah dude, and look i got a souvenir" waved Wally with the mask around.

"Mhmm, good to see you back to normal kid.

Anyway you get to have a free day from me tomorrow because i am busy. So use it to get close to each other more but not you kid, try to not get to close" everyone laughed at that " and after tommorow we will do the bonding exercises everyone is excited for." It was my turn to laugh now. "Now go to sleep it's quite late, Artemis can you stay a little"

And so everyone left and only me and her are left" you know they will find out eventually right and even if not you should tell them"

Artemis opened her eyes wide in schock and took a step back" what d... what do you mean?" Hmm i'm not sure if she's denying her background or what happened today. Haha playwords.

"They will eventually know your identity Artemis it's better to come from you than the enemy you know how misunderstanding occur in these kind of situations."

"I... i.." "take a deep breath, and take your time just tell them when you feel it's time, when you're ready, and i will be here to support you." She took a deep breath and exhaled then nodded and thanked me then went back.

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"You better take me someplace really nice after what happened today" told me Serly while acting angry at me, why do i feel like we are couples or something.

"Yeah yeah I'll take you wherever you want and thank you again"

"Hmph, as long as you know" am i in the wrong show or did she really act like a high school tsundere just now?

"Cute"

*red cheeks* "Asshole, i'm going to sleep.

Stay here i am still afraid"

"Women"