Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rahne hurt.

Rahne hadn't been sure how it happened. 

Normally, the mess ups with Illyana’s powers were easy fixes. In the moment, they never felt like it, (and frankly she'd mostly heard of how it went down from Dani after the fact…) But they were always back, and from what she heard it didn't seem as if it were too difficult. 

Though, now, Rahne lay under beautiful, warm weather. The sound of voices murmuring surrounded her, pavement beneath her back. 

She hurt . Lord almighty she hurt. She could feel bruising along her entire backside as she rested in the sun.

She sat up slowly, careful not to test anything too much, and stared around. The yellow and black of the New Mutants lay scattered around her, everyone seeming as dazed as she, if not worse. 

She hated it, but the couldn’t contain the resentment that bubbled under her skin at sight of the witch that caused all this, unconscious next to Sam.  Of course her powers went awry again.

Rahne tried to recall what caused this. They'd been in a fight. A new face. Yes, it was coming back clearer now. Sphinx had been his name, a terrifying monster...

They'd been forced to run. 

Her stomach dropped as everything started coming back..

Illyana had summoned her teleportation discs.

Now they’re here. 

Engines blared, sirens rang. She guessed it made sense... Mutants or not, a bunch of kids falling out of the sky or whatever way they got here must’ve frightened some poor soul. 

And then a man appeared before her. 

Not any type of a vision; t’was no second coming. No, he was very real. Rahne felt the wind buffet her when he stopped. He moved, fast as blazes. He was in all red, lightening motifs across his body and a cowl that stopped before his nose. 

He was smiling... Not like a hunter, no. His smile made Rahne feel safer. He seems nice…

"Heyya kiddos... What's uh... What's happening kiddos? Hmm?"

He was safe. That much was sure. 

"I uh... I'm Flash. The Flash." He smiled at them, again, but Rahne could tell; she was supposed to know who he was. Not an ego thing, more just... He hadn't been in a situation where he was unrecognized in quite some time. Rahne didn't need to be a psychic to know that. He was famous, and he didn’t seem used to introducing himself. 

"... Ah’m Rahne Sinclair... Or .... Wolfsbane." Rahne eeped out. She hadn’t the faintest clue of what was going on, please don't ask her . Find Dani. Or Sam. Or even Illyana. Literally anyone but her. 

They'd know what to say, Dani would know what to do. She always seemed to. Her, Sam, and ... and the Witch. 

"Wolfsbane huh? Cool nickname. What is it, a code name? Looks like you kiddos got some tactical gear on... Not some... Hit squad or something, right? Nobody's making you do stuff? Right? Do you recognize the name Amanda Waller, sweetheart?"

Rahne stared at him, her eyes wide, he talked so fast and her brain was running so terribly slow. She wished Dani would take charge...

"Y-yeah... Codename we're..."

Sam cut in, walking over and cutting into the conversation, taking over for Rahne who felt right ready to faint once more. 

Rahne thanked God she didn't have to deal with this anymore. She didn't even listen, really. She just looked around. 

The city was beautiful. Tall buildings, clean streets, she could see public parks and green space a plenty. It was nothing like New York. 

She looked over to find the rest of her friends... Sam was talking to the red man... Amara and Berto were matching her slow acceptance of their current reality, illyana was out from the effort of what she did, and Dani...

Dani, her most precious connection, her soul mate, was missing. 

Rahne's eyes widened, surely she made a mistake, passed her over somehow. 

Surely, Dani had started moving already? 

No... She'd be on the ground still. Her back would have slowed her. Rahne prayed that she was wrong as her search became more and more frantic, and she forced her senses further and further, the prickle of fur tickling just below her skin, trying to go as far as possible without revealing herself

She looked again and again. 

No, no, no. Dani. Where was Dani? She half noticed all the extras filling in... New masks here to help out. Some Robin Hood knock off, guy with a T-shaped mask, a very pretty lady in a leather jacket and fishnets, but where was Dani?

She couldn't find her... and she knew all too well she couldn’t push her senses more.

God Almighty, who art in heaven, just this once could she? Could she try? Push her senses as far as she could…

No . She knew they had to keep their mutations secret. They had no clue what these people would do if they found out. 

Rahne stood slowly and scurried her way to Amara. The Nova Romani... And really everyone else, was looking for their de facto leader alongside Rahne. 

"... Amara...." Rahne stared up at her friend with big, scared eyes. 

The blond shook her head, speaking in wavering confidence, "I saw her fall through with us, Rahne. She... Must be here." 

Robin Hood came over. Rahne wasn't quite sure of his name yet. She half remembered him introducing himself earlier to someone else. Lord knew she should’ve listened.

He seemed nice though. 

His eyes were blue but soft... So often she found that colour so striking, so hard to find the emotions in, Illyana always scared her with hers. She much preferred brown. She didn't know how so many found it in them to like blue more. But for the man in green approaching her, she could appreciate his. 

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, kiddos." The man knelt down next to Rahne, smiling warmly. "... Don't tell anyone, but my name's Ollie — Green Arrow if you're talking out loud — noticed the little lass over here “wasn't doing too hot. I mean — For the awake ones at least. Thought I’d come say hi…"

Rayne felt Amara's arms wrap around her as the man waited for a response, and she leant into the familiar blond, staring warily at the unfamiliar one. 

"Hey, It's all good. I got a kid your age at home, sweetie. I'm not gonna hurt you. You just look…” Ollie paused, brows creased with concern, “...like you saw a ghost."

Rahne nodded, staring at the man, trying to form the words. Trying not to admit the reality she saw. She didn't want to say it, to make it real.

Amara, always so perceptive, ended up doing it for her.

"Our friend. Dani. She's missing."

Ollie nodded his brows pushing together. "Chance she got up and left? Played scout a bit too much? Got lost?"

"Tis nae possible Mr. Ollie!” Rahne jumped in. “She's a right clever navigator... 'sides, her back’s not healed... She cannae."

"... Kid's got a back injury?"

"Yes.” Amara said cooly, closing her eyes. “She insists on going on missions but... By Hera,. If she had suffered the same fall, she's probably reinjured somewhere..."

Rahne's mind began to disassociate from the whole conversation as Amara continued talking, describing Dani. All Rahne could think of was if Dani had been left behind, or if Dani was stuck with... With that villain still. What if Amara was wrong?

Ollie pressed her finger to his ear, speaking as if to someone

"Yeah, you heard most of that, Oracle? Cheyenne kid, about Speedy's height, black hair, brown eyes… Bad back? Kid goes by Dani."

"Who're ye talkin' to, sir?" Rahne asked, it was like something out of a movie.

"Please kid,” Ollie took his finger off the ear piece. “Sir was my dad. And, to answer your question, I'm talking to the big wig who's gonna find your friend. The All Seeing Oracle herself. Basically a miracle worker.” He winced. “Okay, she said I couldn’t tell you she works miracles. But, you'll meet her soon enough. She's here in Star. Your friend Dani is in good hands."

Rahne stared at him with wide, overwhelmed eyes, nodding. 

“Great! Now come along kids.” Ollie said, pushing himself up before turning, waving for them to follow. The rest of the team was being rounded up, Flash held Illyana’s unconscious body as he followed Ollie and the Mutants. T-Mask man seemed to be staying around, he was pulling all sorts of science fiction stuff out of a bag impossibly small for all the stuff that seemed to fit inside it.

Her attention snapped back to Ollie as he cheered. “We’re going on a field trip!”

Chapter Text

Barbara loved Star City.

To be honest, part of the reason was because it was everything Gotham wasn't.

Warm, sunny, protected properly... She loved it here. It didn’t hurt that it meant she could visit Dinah and the Arrows basically whenever now, though, she wasn't getting any of the sun, warmth, or Dinah — basically anything she'd been looking forward to on the flight here.

The Batgirls undeniably were. Last she'd checked, Cass had rented a car and they'd hit the beach with Stephanie and Charlie in tow.

But Barbara?

Barbara was stuck in the computer lab of the Justice Society of America's Hall of Justice, finalizing everything, ensuring that the team had access to her Oracle network.

She did get some tea, and cookies. A benefit of visiting the Justice Society, they always had at least two heroes who had decided that there was a criminal lack of treats laying around the Hall, and tea to spare.

The computing system seemed to be running smoothly. It all interfaced well with the technology Mr. Terrific had asked her to integrate. She still didn't fully understand the stuff he'd shown her, even with his explanations, but she made sure it worked, which was good enough for her.

There was a knock behind her. She spun her wheelchair, smiling at the man who stepped through the door.

Indeed, this wasn't Gotham. Yes, there was a buff man in a black animal suit with little ears on the top who stood in front of her, but this wasn't Bruce.

It wasn't the man she'd fought with three days prior over her daughter.

No, It was the original, Wildcat. Ted. One of the best of the best.

"Hey Ted. Thanks for the tea again.” she said, running her free hand through her hair, “Needed it."

"Thought so, kiddo. How's it cracking along?" Ted’s eyes crinkled in the corners as he entered.

"Pretty much done,” Barbara responded, turning back to the screens, “Thank god. Think I managed to lose what little colour my skin gained so far in Star this time... Gonna have to hit the beach after this for a few days before I head home."

Ted laughed, patting her shoulder. He squinted, staring at all the screens. "Awful lotta stuff going on here, sure my old brain can handle all this?"

"You guys'll figure it out in no time. You need help, you just call my line." Barbara said, bumping her head into Ted's arm gently. She saved that kind of play for family, but what else could she call Ted? He was Dinah’s family, after all, and that made him part of hers as well.

"Fair enough,” Ted tilted his head, still peering disbelieving at the screens. “And when shit’s hitting the fan? What'll that sound like?"

Barbara, sometimes, swore there was a god.

Not a benevolent one — of course, because nothing could ever be that easy — but one that just existed to cause shit to hit the fan exactly the moment after Barbara thought it wouldn’t. Like life was one giant game of Sims, and she was an NPC.

So, of course that would be the exact moment when the system started blaring.

Barbara spun to the computer, mind whirring. It was probably a misfire... Had I scheduled a test? No, I would've remembered that...

"Okay kid, good demonstration. Now, how do you turn this thing off?"

"It's no demo, Ted. There's... What the fuck?"

"Which villain is it this week?"

Barbara didn’t respond, turning her full focus to the screens before her as she turned off the alarms, opening up some communication lines, Mr.Terrific, Flash, Green Arrow. She knew who to call.

"What's happening, Babs?"

"Best I can tell?” Her fingers clacked furiously on the keyboard. “Five or six kids just… fell out of the sky."

"Ah, fuck." Ted pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm getting Barry to pick up Terrific and Ollie…” She explained to nobody in particular, “Three dads, two geniuses…” Yeah. I think..." Barbara cut her muttering off as the contacts came on, her face set despite the video set to off.

"I'll let you handle this, Oracle. Tell me if you need anything." He whispered to her, slipping out before he disturbed the call.

•••••

"Yeah, you heard most of that, Oracle? Cheyenne kid, about Speedy's height, black hair, brown eyes… Bad back?"

The voice came through Barbara's headphones.

Oliver Queen, The Green Arrow.

She liked him, funny, focused, and a damn good cook. She couldn’t blame Dinah for spending most of her time with him. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t sometimes hope Cass would decide a bow and arrow could be salvation the way her kid currently saw the Bat.

Six kids had come through. They weren't sure from where. Their suits looked well made according to Mr.Terrific. Professional.

It made Barbara sick. Teen teams didn't have uniform attire. Teen teams didn’t all have well-made suits. Not unless one of them was secretly some incredible seamstress, which she seriously doubted.

The more likely, and sickening option; they were a funded team — maybe some twisted government project. But, if they were, Barbara knew she should recognize them. Andshe didn't. The X was so simple, it had to be branding. Something to be recognized.

Her stress ball had seen much, much nicer days.

"Do we have a name? Codename? Anything?"

"Yeah, yeah…” Ollie paused, “Goes by Dani."

"Dani.” Barbara leaned back in her chair, running a hand through her hair. “Cool. Okay. I can work with that."

He kept talking, but she had already started tuning him out as she began her search.

Lord, she'd have to flip through so much data manually. ‘black hair and brown eyes’, oh joy. How unique. ‘Cheyenne’ was helpful, but ‘bad back’ was iffy. She noted it down, but if she didn’t have a brace or mobility aids, it was practically useless. Hopefully, Cheyenne was a detail that would help her search. No matter what, combing a city would take a while.

But still, she set her computer to search for any reference to a ‘Dani’ — any faces new to Star, anything really.

She turned her attention back to her cameras, zoning back into whatever Oliver was saying while watching the readings from Terrific’s sensors.

"Sir was my dad. And, to answer your question, I'm talking to the big wig who's gonna find your friend. The All Seeing Oracle herself. Basically a miracle worker."

Barbara pinched the bridge of her nose, she appreciated the faith, but it was unfounded today. She had no clue where to start looking.

"Ollie, we're not promising them miracles." It came out sharper than she'd meant it to. She bit her tongue, less a stopping measure and more a punishment; he was just trying to make the kids feel better.

Barbara was glad they'd managed to land in Star; at least here she could assume the Dani kid was alive still. In Gotham, she might have told Ollie off with a much harsher reality than just her not working miracles.

She leaned her head back, closing her eyes to try and shut out reality to think. But her thoughts spun all too fast for her to keep track.

Mystery kids, mystery teams, mystery disappearance. What else did she need?

Her phone buzzed, Bruce's vibration pattern. They'd had another fight before she left. Cass couldn't come on this trip, he'd told her. She could take Stephanie, but not Cassandra.

She, in turn, had told him to go suck a dick.

She knew it was some pathetic attempt to continue the fight. She wasn't surprised, but she didn't want to deal with it right now. She knew she had made the right decision. Cassandra needed a break, plus Stephanie and Charlie were already coming anyway.

To hell with whatever Bruce was texting her now. They'd talk tonight over comms, assuming he wanted to use them. She pinched the bridge of her nose, preemptively massaging the headache she knew she would have tonight.

She shook her head.

“Oracle,” Barry’s voice came through, a bit of effort clear in his voice, “We’re on our way. Terrific’s setting up spacial-temporal—”

“Barry, I’m smart. Not like that. He’s doing his thing and you’re bringing the kids with Ollie?”

“He’s got most of the kids. One of them’s out cold, so I got her.”

“I’ll meet you all in the Hall.”

The mystery kids would be here soon. She had to get ready, but she hadn’t thought to bring a change of clothes. Wife beater and cargo pants were what they were getting from her she supposed... Way to go Barbara, great first impression.

•••••

Barbara's eyes scanned the kids before her as they walked in.

Three blondes — one boy, two girls — a black boy with curly hair, and a tiny redhead. Five kids in total, a sixth that had gone missing.

Oliver had gotten to fixing them all up some refreshments, while Barry held the one unconscious girl in his arms.

The eldest of them, the blond boy, seemed to be trying to stand as a leader.

He couldn't have been much older than her youngest... Probably sixteen at most. He had his shoulders squared, head held high. The black boy stood next to him, his muscles flexed and chin out.The blonde girl — the conscious one — was holding the redhead tight. The redhead, whose fingers hadn’t stopped moving since they entered.

They were trying to act strong, but it was clear they were scared. Barbara held the burn of tears back. How old even are they?

Why wouldn’t they be scared? Barbara removed her glasses, wiping them before putting them back. In a strange place with strange people. It’s a miracle no one’s booked it yet.

She smiled at them. It felt... Odd, taking charge in the middle of the Hall of Justice itself. Certainly, she'd done similar up in the Watchtower. But this? This was different. There was history here. She should’ve asked Ted's permission. She still could. Or maybe she could still ask Ollie —

"And welcome to the Hall of Justice!" Oliver announced with a sweeping gesture, excitedly spinning and walking backwards. "The halls in which the first superhero team formed... Not too shabby, huh? Pretty amazing what can be done with only a team of superheroes and a construction crew."

Ollie’s energy was infectious. Barbara could see everyone relax as he started talking again. Hell, even she relaxed slightly, a smile playing at her lips.

"And here — whatever your group's name is — is the lady of the hour, The Oracle herself!"

Barbara smiled at Ollie's hyping up of her name. Bruce’s message weighing in her pocket lightened as Ollie grinned. The kids all peering at her with a mix of wariness and curiosity.

"Hey, so…” Barbara wheeled forward. “As Green Arrow said, I'm Oracle. I'm looking for your friend. I'm afraid, despite what you’ve told us, she's going to take a bit. But, with that said, I will do everything in my power to find her." She set each word down with confidence she didn’t know she had, but the kids were spooked enough as it was.

"While we wait," she continued, "how's some introductions? You all know who Green Arrow and I are, but we don’t know anything about you. I need your names.” Barbara smiled teasingly. “ I can't keep trying to refer to you all in my head by identifiable features. Three of you are blond. At least two with blue eyes."

"F-four ma'am." The red head piped in, awkwardly holding up her hand, the other tightly grasped onto the arm wrapped around her.

The blond boy stepped forward, shoulders squared and chest puffed out with false bravado. "Well, first off, pleasure to meet you, ma'am. Name’s Samuel Guthrie, miss. The rest here,” He made a wide, sweeping gesture, “ —are mah team."

"Roberto Da Costa." The boy next to Sam chimed in. He did a flourishing bow and winked. “Lovely to meet you, All-Seeing Oracle.”

"I'm Amara Aquilla." The girl holding the littlest one said, Barbara could see her grip tightening as she spoke, an odd accent coming from her lips. "And this is Rahne Sinclair." She said, gesturing at the girl being squeezed.

Sam continued again, looking to the last blonde, currently being placed on a stretcher by Barry with the help of a couple other Justice Society heroes. "And that there is Illyana Rasputin. And, o’ course, Dani as well. She’s the co-leader with me.”

Barbara nodded, brain already whirring, sorting through everything she’d just been told. "Okay. It's good to meet you all..." She said, jotting a couple notes into a book. “Sooner rather than later, hopefully, I'll meet this Dani. Till then, I'm booking you all into a hotel, rooms each."

She smiled back at Oliver. "And thanks for everything, Ollie. Mind keeping them entertained while I set up lodgings?"

Oliver's face glowed in response, and he whirled himself back towards the kids. "WHO WANTS ICE CREAM?!”

Chapter Text

Dani hurt.

It wasn't a surprise, really. She knew she would if she went out into the field again. Honestly,she wasn't even supposed to be walking.

After escaping from The Sphinx, she wasn't sure if she would be walking again. Not after that fall. By whatever beings were up there that could hear her though, she hoped she could.

After all, she had landed in an open dumpster. So, maybe they could be nice and make sure her legs kept working. That was how it worked, right?

At least it seemed to have cushioned her fall somewhat, she supposed.

She opened her eyes, the blue sky framed by towering buildings to her left and right. She didn’t have time to admire, though. A sharp feeling traveled down her spine as she tried to move her head.

She stayed as she was, not daring to move, terrified of what this meant.

Would someone find her? Who?

She couldn't hear anyone. Couldn’t feel Rahne through their rapport. Either she was the first to awake or nobody was near her.

She lay there, drowning in the stench of the trash. It was dry trash, at least. Nothing had started leaking on to her yet, a small blessing she supposed, but God, it stunk.

Just my luck. Dani thought miserably. She could cry, honestly. She'd had mishaps with Illyana like this before... But those were always with her friend. She always knew they'd be able to figure out how to get back. But not here. Not now if Illyana was missing, and she was alone.

She laid there a few minutes, just doing her best to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. She was Cheyenne! She was strong! But, everything burned. Like a fire down her spine and jabbing into her legs.

Before long, footsteps began to approach. Dani supposed one way or another, she wouldn't have to deal with this stupid trash heap much longer.

Oh, Rahney, I miss you.

The figure came into view. An East Asian woman.

The figure’s eyes focused on Dani as she approached, the young Cheyenne watched the woman's gaze flicker about as she studied the scene before her.

Dani coughed, wincing at the pain it caused to shoot through her.

The woman's eyes narrowed in response. "Who did this?"

Dani coughed again. The stench in the air had hit the back of her throat any time her mouth opened, her entire body trying to reject it. Made it damn hard to speak.

The woman shook her head, "Where are you hurt? That should come first."

Dani stared at the strange woman, her brain slowly trying to piece together through the pain if she trusted her or not.

The woman, for her part, made a very convincing argument, her eyes . "It's clear you cannot move. If hurting you was my goal believe me anyone could have done it by now. What's wrong?"

Dani sighed, her face scrunching up as she pieced together her words, "I re-injured my back. I don't —" she exhaled sharply, wincing, "I don't know if I can —or should move."

"Let me see." The woman said, moving as she spoke to investigate, hands reaching for Dani.

Dani's hands moved on their own, slapping her away. "What are you doing?! Who even are you?!" She snapped, before becoming woozy at the pain it caused.

The woman took her hands back, pausing for a moment before responding: "I am Shiva. I want to check what's wrong with your back."

Who the hell spoke like that?

"What're you,” Dani’s words were beginning to slur. That wasn’t good.” a doctor?"

Shiva spoke without hesitation this time, "Yes."

Dani sighed, resting her head back fully. She supposed there was little else she could do but trust this strange woman. It wasn't as though she had much of a choice.

The woman's hands moved underneath Dani, feeling the girl's back, eyes closing as she worked. Dani, on the other hand, eyed her warily.

"Well... What's the news, Doc?"

The woman shushed her, pressing on points on Dani's back and opening her eyes every so often, scrutinizing Dani. Testing and understanding.

Dani just quieted in response, whatever the woman was doing was working. Her back wasn't screaming anymore; maybe she'd walk again after all.

After a while, the woman eventually took Dani up in her arms, "Come. This is no place for you. Let's see if you can stand." She said, carefully lifting Dani from her bed of rubbage, "Can you move your feet? Rotate them for me? Good." She continued, watching as Dani's shoes made little circles.

"What did you do?" Dani stared in awe, she had supposed she'd need another miracle to walk ever again... Again.

"Ancient healing technique."

"Really?" She asked, staring at the woman, mouth agape.

"No. I just hoped you'd take that explanation. I don't feel like getting into the gritty details." The older woman replied, setting Dani carefully on her feet, and catching her when her knees buckled.

"Fuck..." Dani muttered, clinging to— "Hey, what's your name?"

"Shiva." The lady responded, holding Dani carefully, a flash of concern in her eyes.

— Clinging to Shiva.

"Can you walk if I'm holding you?" Shiva asked, and Dani couldn't help but notice how she studied her. Like she could see more than what Dani could. Could she be a mutant? Perhaps.

"I think so..." Dani paused, also watching the woman, still wary, but less so. Grudgingly, she added: "... Thanks for the help by the way."

"I had to, before a man showed with worse intents than I."

Dani nodded, glumly. Her mind wandered, the pain subsiding and giving, as giving room for her thoughts to move.

It seemed... Quiet. Oddly so. She couldn't hear Rahne. She couldn’t feel Rahne. She should be able to hear Rahne. Dani had been awake long enough by now... Surely Rahne would be awake, she'd be trying to find her.

Unless.

Unless...

No, Illyana wouldn't have missed someone. Least of all Rahne. She'd been in the middle of everyone. There was no way to have missed her.

Unless Illyana only could save one person.

Would Illyana have saved only her?

The Sphinx's terrible grin came back to her mind, and Dani scowled. The bastard had been a reality warper... Here from the future to kill some "Richard Rider." He had been a bizarre one, full Egyptian motifs but a purple and green colour scheme. She hadn't understood it.

But he'd understood them. All too well. They'd retreated, she thought.

But Illyana always was next to her after they ran.

Always.

Where was she?

Where was Illyana, where was Rahne, where was anyone? Sam? Berto? Amara? Was she alone? Where even was she?

She felt a numbness descend upon her. Did she even care where she was if the New Mutants were no more? Her friends, the people she knew best, her family in all but blood. Gone.

No, they couldn't be.

But why was Illyana not at her side? Where were Rahne's deepest thoughts, tangling with her own?

"You seem distressed, child."

"It's... Nothing." Dani said, pressing her lips tight.

"Very well.” Shiva spoke softly. “Tell me, do you have a place to stay?"

She shook her head.

Dani knew she shouldn't, but what did it matter. She might be killing herself anyway if she couldn't find any of the New Mutants. And she was hungry. What did it matter if she admitted she didn't. That she was alone and lost in a strange place with strange people.

"I have a spare room. I promise you no harm. It is yours as long as you need, now come.” She looped her arm under Dani’s, helping the teen stay upright. “We will get shawarma along the way, and then you may bathe. You need it."

Chapter Text

"Load’a good she did. Suppose we lived nearby!"

The Green Arrow had led all the New Mutants to some beautiful hotel the Oracle had booked out for them. True to her word, every kid got their own rooms.

Even Ollie, apparently. None of them were rather thrilled about that development. Berto, in particular, was vocal about how they didn’t need a babysitter. Rahne thought he was nice enough, if a bit airheaded, but she didn’t know if they really trusted him enough to let him anywhere near her, nor her friends.

"They call her the Oracle though, Sam. That Green Arrow… he called her all-knowing…” Rahne interjected. “Ye S'pose she might be?"

She, along with the rest of the New Mutants, were in Sam's room. Amara and her were sitting on the bed together, while Sam took the chair in the corner, and poor Roberto near paced a hole in the floor.

"Then way I see it, Rahne. She'd know where Dani was! She can't not know where she is and be all knowing!" Sam said, standing up and running his hands through his hair in frustration. "And now they've taken Yana off too!"

Rahen sighed and looked to the floor. It was true.

Ollie had said they could visit Illyana the moment the doctors had taken care of her, no matter the time. But none of them knew where she was. Suppose they wanted to do something to her. Suppose they were doing something now?

Oh Lord, forgive me. How cruelly she'd thought of Yana earlier. Suppose that was the last time she saw her? Perhaps Reverend Craig was right about me being nothing more than a monster… Rahne looked down at her hands, a wad of guilt clogging her throat.

"Well what do we do about it, Sam? They're bound to figure out we're mutants now with ‘Yana under their microscopes." Roberto spat, punching a pillow. "I don't suppose we'll be much loved shortly."

Everyone was quiet after that. Rahne felt a familiar burn behind her eyes. If Dani was here... She'd know what to do.

But Dani wasn't. And Rahne was too frightened to face reality, to shift and see where her dearest friend was. If she was even near them.

Or… no, she couldn’t say it. Didn’t even want to think it. Dani was alive. She must be.

"Who’re these folks anyway?" Sam continued, "I'd thought we'd heard of all the teams. But… the Justice Society of America? Green Arrow? Who’re these people?"

"What if we're in a different time… or even realm, Sam?" Amara put in, Rahne feeling the Nova Romani pull her in for a hug, giving in to the pull and leaning into her friend. The young Scot "It seems pretty likely. Like those,” She paused, brows pinched. “sci-fi movies you all showed me. What if we're in one of them?"

"Some plot this is, then." Roberto huffed, hands flying as he spoke, "Here's Robin Hood in California helping a bunch of random kids, guess starring the Prof as a hot chick, huh?"

"Do we know she's psychic?" Sam asked, rubbing his chin. Rahne could practically see him running all the information through his head.

"She claimed to be a seer..." Rahne said, her mind on Dani once again. She knew their friend was the elephant in the room. But they were figuring out what they knew first, as a team. Then they would figure out what they didn't know.

Och, Dani would have a field day with this. Rahne thought, pressing a hand to suddenly-burning cheeks. The one time we’re not bickering tah high heaven and she’s not even here to see it!

Rahne knew she could find out now. Right now. She could find the absolute truth. All it would take would be one use of her powers and she could find Dani, know where she was, know if she was okay.

Or… know if she was even alive.

Rahne felt tears, hot and wet, begin to run down her cheeks. What if she wasn’t? What then? Should she morph? Or should she keep the glimmer of hope? Everyone else was in that street together. Why wasn't Dani?

Amara began drying Rahne's tears, pulling the kid in for a hug again. And once again Rahne didn’t argue with the princess. "I don't think she is a proper one of the Lord Apollo. What Oracle is she? Delphi? I think not."

"Suppose it's a new-fangled Oracle, Amara?" Roberto said, now leaning against the wall next to Sam. He seemed the picture of confidence, if not for the way he fidgeted with the neckline of his suit.

"My gods have not been active like that in many eras, ‘Berto..." A whist of longing in Amara's voice.

"And our world has no —" Roberto was cut off by a knock on the door. It would be funny, the way that all their chatter suddenly ground to a halt, if not for how terribly awful this situation was.

"I can hear you all chatting away in there! I'm not here for curfew call or any of that silly jazz Oracle wanted." A jovial voice called through the door, same as it had been back when he had knelt down to Rahne's eye level hours ago. "Your blonde friend's doing okay. I got the signal to take you to her. If you want of course. Kinda assuming you're worried though."

Rahne knew the voice already, it was Ollie. A faint relief in the matter; they were being allowed to see her again. Rahne's heart leaped, at least Yana was safe, and Ollie was happy. If they had figured out the bunch were mutants, he at least seemed to not care.

Sam looked around, expression determined. "Ah don't think we need to say we're all in agreement, right? We're going with him?"

Rahne nodded with the rest, an extra vigor added at the chance to apologize for her sinful thoughts. Lord, thank you.

"Great!” Ollie cheered, “Let's go then!"

•••••

Rahne had been impressed the first time she came to the "Hall of Justice".

She had been a wee bit confused too. Always she'd been told that the Fantastic Four were the first superhero team, not this “Justice Society.”

The building itself was a monument. A fountain in the courtyard, with two large pillars supporting a glinting glass semi-circle shaped design in the front... It had to have been at least five stories tall.

It was still impressive, but the anxiety over their friend tempered any remaining awe. Now instead of taking in all the new sights, the New Mutants had set their sights for Illyana.

Ollie led them in a small side door, then down a flight of stairs, around a few bends, and through some scanners.

By the end, they exited into some sort of medical bay. It was a blindingly bright space, every surface scrubbed white.

Tis truly, one of those medical places. And hostile ta any living thing inside. Rahne thought, wrinkling her nose. She hated it.

There was a girl with black-lensed goggles on. ark enough Rahne wondered how the poor lady could even see out of them. But she seemed to have no issues working with them on, monitoring and checking complex-looking machines as she went. Though, Rahne had to admit, even if she was having trouble, she probably wouldn’t be able to tell.

In the bed beside the lady lay a conscious Illyana, smiling at her friends, black rings under her eyes. Thank you for sparing her, Lord. Rahne thought, relieved.

She knelt next to Illyana’s bed, threading her fingers together and bowing her head. Illyana looked at her funny, but Rahne didn’t much care. She was just glad her sinful thoughts hadn’t come true.

"You look exhausted, ‘Yana." Sam said, leading the other four Mutants over.

"You're kidding?" Illyans joked,Russian accent spilling over her words, attempting to sit up before the goggles lady stopped her. Illyana rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah... Meet Dr. Sleepytime here."

"Dr. Midnight." The woman corrected dryly.

Illyana yawned. "Yeah. That." She rubbed her eyes. "Thank fuck all of you are okay..." She trailed off, brows beginning to furrow. “Where’s Dani?”

The New Mutants all shifted, looking between each other guiltily. Illyanaand Dani were friends. Good friends. Rahne had heard Sam say something about them being more than that one night, when he was joking with Berto. Rahne didn't really know what they'd meant, but she knew Illyana was almost as close to Dani as she herself was.

Illyana wasn’t well, that was clear. She was still deathly-pale, and her arms shook when she lifted them. But she was nearly as headstrong as Dani… She would try to go find her. And likely get even more hurt in the process.

Sam spoke first, seemingly having figured out what to say. "Dani's uh... We aren't sure." His fingers were running over calluses on his hands. Rahne could see he wasn't looking directly at Illyana.

But Rahne could also see Illyana instantly react, trying to climb out of her cot, only for Dr. Midnight to pull her back down, "You need to rest! We have our finest searching for your friend. You can help once you’re well, but right now you need to recover."

"The fuck do you mean Dani's missing and we aren't on the streets? What happened to ‘we look out for each other’ huh?" Illyana barked at Sam, eyes blazing. Sam stood still in the face of her fury, hands outstretched and palms facing her in a placating motion.

"Yana. Please. We don't know what happened, they have their people searching... We don't even know where we are, really."

"What do you mean? You're in Star City, kiddo." Ollie interrupted, his eyebrows scrunched as he studied them. "It's like... pretty well-known... Where're you lot from?"

"New York, sir." Rahne replied, after a nervous glance to Amara. "Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters."

Ollie's eyes narrowed as he pulled his phone out and fired off a text. "We were going to ask you all some questions once you lot recovered but... I think this tells us most of what we need, doesn't it, Midnight?"

Rahne didn't watch for the woman's response, instead keeping her gaze transfixed on Ollie. "What do you mean, sir?" She asked, head quirked to the side.

"I'm gonna talk about it with some peeps first I–" Ollie paused, looking at his phone, mumbling as he read, presumably to himself " — don't use modern slang..." He grumbled, putting the phone back in his pocket. "I want to confirm some things with people much smarter than me. Then we'll chat later."

"Can Illyana come back to the Hotel with us, Mr. Ollie?" Rahne pleaded, clutching her hands together as she spoke.

"That's up to the good doctor, not me, Rahne. What are you thinking, Doc?"

Dr. Midnight adjusted her goggles, flipping through print outs and looking at the screens around her. She shook her head. "I want to keep her till tomorrow. Make sure she's doing okay, she really overexerted herself before you came here, and that fall didn’t help. But, you're all welcome to stay overnight. It won't be comfy but... It's an option."

Rahne looked at the rest of the crew. They were in agreement. The floor would be bed enough for them tonight.

"We'll stay, Doctor." Sam answered for the group.

"Very well.” She adjusted her goggles, turning towards Ollie. Oliver, could you bring them some sleeping bags?"

•••••

Later, the kids were all bundled up into the sleeping bags. Rahne lay between Illyana and Sam, a small comfort. Guilt and nervousness tumbled in her gut in equal measure.

Rahne sighed quietly, nestling into the fabric.

It wasn't late, she knew that from the clock that ticked incessantly on the wall — Dani tended to stay up a bit past Rahne. Maybe, just maybe, she'd try to shift.

She felt the prickling under her skin begin as she morphed more and more, until Rahne Sinclair was no longer was a small girl, but a wolf, oddly tangled in a place where it didn’t belong.

Rahne laid there, closing her eyes and taking in all she could not as a human. New scents, smells, sounds... All so wonderfully overwhelming.

But none of them Dani's.

She waited a minute before morphing back with a sigh. Hopefully, she was had fallen asleep early like Illyana did.

Rahne wasn't sure what she would do if that silence meant anything else.

Chapter Text

The center of the universe, that's where Barbara sat right then.

She was positioned at the Justice Society's round table in the center of the Hall of Justice, and everyone’s eyes felt like they were on her.

It was weird, frankly.

It wasn't that she was unused to people listening to her. Far from it. She was all too used to being heard, the proverbial ‘spine’ of the superhero community — an irony she was all too aware of given her broken back — Oracle could tell even Superman himself what to do.

But the Justice Society was different. They weren't just heroes.

They were the originals, the greats, and now she sat at their table, briefing them.

She looked around, Wildcat, Alan Scott — the original Green Lantern —, Dr. Midnight, Mr. Terrific, Green Arrow, and the two eldest Flashes.

A council had gathered to discuss what to do with the kids.

Was it entirely core Justice Society members? No, but Barry Allen was a legacy of a JSA member, and Ollie was technically a founding member.

That left Barbara, the woman everyone was looking at. Who was she, in comparison to all these great heroes?

She was just some kid from Gotham. Sure, Oracle was more, but Oracle was the new guard. She was untested modernity facing the traditional ways’ triumph.

Perhaps more unnerving than judgement though, was the trust on their faces. She'd faced Bruce, and the US government, all of them doubting her. She knew how to work under doubt. She would even say she flourished under it.

But here, she wasn't being doubted, she was being believed in.

Perhaps too much.

Barbara put her glasses down before her, massaging the bridge of her nose, and taking a deep breath. She shouldn't be nervous.

But God, this table had been the center of too many meetings that saved the world.

It was everyone else's idea to use it, Barbara reminded herself, rolling her shoulders back. She belonged here.

It still just didn't feel real.

She needed to be here though. She would speed the process up. She’d been the one calling everyone together, she had been the one who at least somewhat saw what happened. She had Barry and Terrific's data, she had Ollie's accounts of the kids, she had the Oracle Network looking for the missing kid, Dani. She had heard what everyone else had. She was the information person.

She felt her phone buzz again, and she picked it up, turning it to silent. Her three Batgirls would ring through if they called. So would her dad. Dinah would use the ear pieces they always had, as would any other Bird.

She didn't have to check if it was Bruce. She knew.

"Alright." She said, putting her glasses back on. "Six kids, one of them being MIA, fell out of the sky. Not too hurt by it, thankfully. Their limp fall seemed to have saved them there. Holt," she nodded towards Mr. Terrific and Flash, "What do the readings tell us?"

Micheal Holt, the self proclaimed third smartest man in the world — a title Barbara suspected was humility — nodded. His T-Spheres, the floating orbs accompanying him, opened their cameras; and a projection of data Barbara couldn't hope to understand without hours of pouring over it, beamed into the air.

"As we can see," Holt spoke, pointing at peaks and valleys of various graphs. "These kids are presenting a conundrum. Best we can tell, there's no artifacts of boom tubes, no evidence of Speedster interference, no evidence of much of, anything we know of, in fact."

Barry next to him continued, "We contacted people who know about less ah—" he waved his hand as if mimicking a wizard, "hocus pocus. But Zatana hasn't gotten back to us yet. Orrcums Razor here would say that they're not interdimensional."

Barbara nodded, looking at Green Arrow as he raised his hand, speaking "Do we at all know of a Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters in New York?” Ollie scratched his beard. “Is it some kind of cult?"

Doctor Midnight furrowed her brows looking at the archer. "Where did this idea come from?"

Ollie fidgeted with an arrow tip as he spoke, a twang sounding every time he released it. "They’ve got no idea who the Justice Society or the Hall of Justice is. You want my bet, I don't think they know who Big Blue himself is. It's like they're from a different world. They're missing some cultural touchstones of having lived in the West for any time at all, yet they got other norms just fine."

“Do we know if they come from some other part of the world?” Barbara asked, turning her full attention to Ollie.

“They got that whole jumbled mess of accents going on.” Ollie responded, tapping the arrow on the table.

“They aren’t all from the same spot, I know that. One’s Scottish, another is Brazilian. It sounds like… No clue where the awake blond girl is from.”

"I wanted to bring up something similar, Arrow." Midnight responded, pulling out some print outs and pushing them to the center. "Ran DNA testing. Look at the results."

Holt pulled one of the copies towards himself, lips thinning as his eyes went over the paper. , "Seems similar to Homo Magi... Like Zatanna's biomake-up. But off slightly."

Barbara took in all the information from where she was sitting, watching just a part of the greatest team on Earth. She adjusted her glasses, leaning forward. "Is it possible someone in New York is training Homo Magi?"

"If you don't know, Oracle,” He said, leaning forward with her and smiling at her, “we sure don't either."

Barbara sighed. New York was probably the most monitored place on Earth. She made a note to scan for the kids in the entire state, but there was plenty enough off-her-grid, in the wilderness, to hide them.

"And I'm guessing this Charles Xavier name was a dead end too?" Alan Scott asked with a hint of frustration, fingers drumming against the table

Barbara nodded, "Plenty of people with that name, even in New York. None of them with anything suspicious going on that's related to this. Two separate ones were cheating on their wives but... Bar that? Nothing."

All those gathered looked amongst each other, waiting for someone to have a eureka moment.

None came.

"So..." Barbara broke the silence, still pulling her thoughts together. "Best we can tell they're from a place that doesn't exist, probably ran by a guy that doesn't exist, and they had no clue any of you exist.” She ticked off each thing with her fingers, and then sighed. “Got it.”

She wheeled her chair back. “My vote is we wait till they're awake, we run some tests... See what they tell us. Occam’s razor — the simplest answer, I think, they aren’t from our New York. Or our world, even. Still, though. Can’t rule out any other possibilities. We'll ask them some questions, see what we can find out qualitatively."

•••••

Later, Barbara just sat in a hallway, head against the wall. The meeting went smoothly, everyone was on board with her plan, but she still couldn't believe she'd been included. It was like a dream.

But then reality had to slug her square in the jaw. Her phone flashed as another notification came through. No buzz, no noise, and therefore nobody she wanted to talk to.

She unlocked her phone, staring at the red dot at the top corner of her messages app. Four notifications. All from Bruce, that she was certain.

She sighed, opening it up and texting Stephanie first to check how the girls were doing. Hopefully better than she was now..

She opened Bruce's messages, staring at the messages of the Bat's rage.

Today, 10:52: from: Bruce :( : You can't be acting like this Barbara.

Today, 11:43: from: Bruce :( : Barbara I swear to god you will fly my daughter back to me now.

Today, 14:00: from: Bruce :( : Don't make me call your father.

Today, 22:52: from: Bruce :( : You're fired.

Barbara sighed, trying not to slam her head against the wall behind her. Oh no, the second time he had tried to fire her, the first time was as Batgirl, now he was trying again.

Her eye lids were heavy. She didn't want to deal with this. She just wanted him to shut up. She had more important things to deal with. And obviously neither her child, Steph, nor her father were paying the Bat much heed. And Bruce couldn’t reach Charlie if he tried. Why should she?

She knew it was immature, downright disrespectful even, what she did next, but she didn't care.

She summoned up the OracleNetwork on her phone and went into a folder she kept titled "[BM]Against_Batman."

She selected one of the top photos, a frame from CCTV of Stephanie bleeding out in his arms after he fired her. She sent it to her messages with Bruce. She'd regret reminding him of his failures later, for now she just wanted to scream.

Maybe she would now.

She didn't think anyone was here. No Cassandra or Steph or Charlie to be the Strong Barbara for, no heroes she didn't know around, she was pretty sure the whole Hall was empty.

So, fuck it. She closed her eyes and let out a scream. The kind she used to let out in the freezer when she worked as a server in university. The no holds barred, let it all out kind.

A scream of knowing she'd dedicated part of her life, part of her identity, part of what she had loved doing, to this man. She had been Batgirl for so long. Now her mantle, her name and legacy was tied to this man. He thought he could demand Cassandra back, as if he did any of the work for the child. As if he deserved to be any kind of father to her. As if she was his legacy.

Cassandra had never even said Bruce was her father. Batman was. At best.

And Barbara had found a deleted video of Cass calling her mom in her computer’s trash files one night.

She wished now she had been something more, or that she could be it once again, just go, separate her title from the man who she had taken inspiration from.

She sat there, face in her hands, in a wheelchair that was his damn fault, for never fixing the obvious issue in his city.

She heard footsteps approaching. A familiar rhythm, one she knew from many years of experience both in Star and in Gotham. A strong arm wrapped around Barbara, while a familiar perfume wafted into her nose.

"Hey Dinah..." Barbara said, opening her eyes.

Dinah pulled her into more of a hug. Her best friend, shared girlfriend — something far less complicated than it sounded —, one of the best heroes in the world. Black Canary, the second in command of the Birds of Prey, and probably Barbara's favorite person besides her dad.

Dinah pressed a small peck to her head. "Sounded like a Bruce scream."

"God forbid I bring Cassandra on vacation." Barbara sighed, holding onto Dinah, feeling the frustration melt away in her warmth.

"Truly. I mean, he only has a small army of vigilantes stuck listening to him." Dinah mumbled teasingly, rubbing Barbara's back. "And the Superfamily are all probably more than willing to help out for a night."

"I'm so... Done, Dinah." Barbara mumbled, removing her face from the woman and looking up at her. Their faces illuminated as Barbara’s phone lit up with its latest silent notification.

"What did you tell him?"

"He told me I was fired. I reminded him that him firing people has a terrible history." Barbara said, eyes slipping shut as she leaned back against Dinah.

"... Did... Did you send Batman unsolicited gore? Of your daughter's best friend, Barbara?" Dinah said, her tone some unholy mix of disapproval, laughter, and quiet acceptance.

Barbara shushed her. "He's an idiot, Dinah." Though she couldn’t deny a well of guilt pooling in response to using Stephanie’s worst moment, simply because she wanted ammunition.

"One not worth pissing off." Dinah said, eyebrow quirked up. "You're putting too much time into him, even if you're just pissing him off."

"He has to be good for something." Barbara retorted.

Dinah laughed. "Ollie wanted to know if your lot wanted to come over for supper. Maybe that'll relax us."

"Yeah. I think I could manage that." Barbara smiled, letting go of her hug and pressing a light kiss to Dinah's cheek.

"Awesome.” She smiled, eyes crinkling in the corners. “He promised he'll have plenty, besides just chilli."

Chapter Text

Dani woke to the morning sun caressing her face.

She smiled, something small, and private, as the warmth sunk into her skin and gently pushed her out of the sandman’s realm.

As the remaining dredges of sleep began to fade , she felt her bed, so unusually soft beneath her. The pillows felt so plump under her head, the silk of the bedding feeling wonderful on the skin that touched it.

She buried herself deeper int the bed’s hold, it had all been a bad dream. She was back at Xavier's.

But her bed wasn’t this soft.

And her sheets weren’t this smooth.

And her back shouldn’t be this sore.

"What the fuck...?"

Dani squinted against the light that suddenly blared into her eyes. She tried to sit up, but her disobedient back denied her, sending sharp, white-hot spikes of pain up her spine.

She involuntarily felt herself let out a cry, falling back to whatever position her back demanded. The pain made the fuzzy edges of her memory sharpen, and the reality of yesterday all came flooding back.

Dani swallowed back the despair that threatened to consume her. She had no clue where she was, nor where her friends were. Just that some strange lady had taken pity on her.

The door to her room cracked open, and in walked the odd Asian lady. Her face held in an oddly neutral expression, her posture strong. Dani had no idea what to make of her.

"You're awake." Shiva spoke, and Dani felt the woman's gaze cut through her like a scalpel. It felt far too reminiscent of Xavier’s knowing gaze, and Dani faintly wondered if Shiva also had psychic abilities.

"Tend to do that in the morning. Yes." Dani snipped, rubbing at her eyes, trying to rid them of the dust of her sleep. She wasn’t really sure what to make of Shiva.

Shiva stood there, and Dani had the vague sense she didn’t know what to make of her, either. Though Dani still couldn't exactly read her expression, and her empathetic powers were iffy at the best of times.

"Good morning." She said. Dani squinted at her. "Did you sleep well?"

"Good." Dani responded. Good enough I thought I still had my friends.

"You're bothered, though."

"I'm fine." Dani said, sharp as a whip. No woman, you have me weak enough already, you will not take my secrets too, not without a fight.

Shiva's eyebrows hopped briefly — disbelief? — and Dani shifted, hiding a wince as she stated: , "My friends will be looking for me."

"Should I have taken them to you yesterday? You did not mention them much." Shiva responded, still as infuriatingly unreadable as she had been since she entered.

Dani was slowly realizing, through the pain, that she couldn't well hide what was happening from this woman. If she was planning to have done something to her , she'd have done it by now. And she hadn’t.

But what would she even say? She'd explain that she fell through a portal of her friend's own creation only to end up stranded alone in a dumpster?

"I don't know where they are." Dani admitted., "It's..." She shook her head, trailing off as she attempted to figure out what to say..

"It's what, child? Don't tell me, you’re an Amazonian warrior who fell from the sky after fighting the Kryptonian." Shiva said, some baffling mix of dry sarcasm and full genuinity, moving closer with her arms crossed. "How is your back?"

"Good. But what was any of that you just said." Dani said, preparing for if Shiva decided to inspect her again. It wasn’t intrusive, like she had feared when Shiva had first approached her, but that didn’t mean she was at all comfortable with it.

That got an expression out of Shiva. Her eyes narrowed, and head shifted to the side. Her hands went in front of Dani’s face. "How does your head feel?"

"Fine!” She snapped, smacking Shiva’s hand out of the way. “I'm not concussed, tell me what you just said." Dani immediately regretted her actions as her back spasmed in response to the sudden, choppy force she’d used.

Shiva sighed, repeating her words to an utterly baffled Dani..

"What the hell are Amazonians and Kryptonians? I'm fucking Cheyenne."

Shiva nodded. "That makes sense. Do you really not know of Amazonians though, child? Of Superman?" She began to reach out check Dani's body once again. "May I?"

"My friend's a Helenist.” Dani nodded, allowing Shiva to grasp her face, turning it from side to side. You mean the mythological Amazonians of Greece?"

Shiva huffed, now pressing her fingers along Dani's back, "I suppose. An odd way of saying it. What of Superman?"

"No clue who he is." Dani responded, even as her brain whirred with possibilities. Was this Illyana taking them to the wrong time again? Everything looked so... Like her regular life. It couldn't be, could it?

Shiva squinted. "What is it like where you come from, little one?"

"New York! Plain and simple." Dani replied, indignant.

"Details, child.” Shiva said, prodding a finger into Dani's back. “What is your name, while we are at it." The girl was still surprised at how the pain began to give way to a blissful numbness.

"It's New York.” Dani deadpanned. “Empire State building, Statue of Liberty, Avengers-and-the-Fantastic-Four New York." Dani listed the self-evident. Sue her if the hero teams came to mind this fast, they seemed relevant here.

Shiva shook her head, mumbling something about how ‘Flashes don’t deserve rights,’ before responding to Dani. "I'm guessing you came here because of a speedster?"

"A what?” Dani turned to ask Shiva the actually important question; “ Why can't I feel my back?"

"Can you feel your legs?"

"Yes."

Shiva nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Good. I numbed your nerves. And you know speedsters. The cheats that move faster than light and reset universes by accident."

Dani could almost laugh, the relief from the woman's work clearing her mind somewhat. Maybe she had some sort of healing ability, like the mutant Ororo had tasked to save her life. "Yeah no. I have no idea."

Shiva huffed, eyes narrowing more as she thought for a while before letting it go. "Stand, Cheyenne. Hopefully stand proud."

Dani blinked. "I still haven't told you my name, have I?" She said, lips twitching as she attempted to suppress a smile. She slowly began to push herself up and moved her legs to stand.

"You have not. I'm getting tired of figuring out things to call you other than it." Shiva said, and, yes, Dani was beginning to be able to sense her mood. Sunset yellow amusement burst in the corners of her eyes as a smirk broke through to Shiva’s lips.

Dani watched Shiva ready herself as Dani pushed off the bed onto unsteady, but ready, feet.

She hesitated, debating if she should give a fake name while her legs decided if they'd hold her. "Danielle Moonstar. But don’t call me that. It’s Dani."

"Very well, Dani.’ Shiva said. Take a few steps. I'll catch you as needed." This woman confounded her. Did she not work? Was this her day off? It was early, yes, but shouldn't she be getting ready or something?

Dani took a few steps, surprised to make such progress already.

Shiva’s eyes crinkled in the corners. "You hadn't rebroken anything, but your entire body was protecting it. I'm sure you undid progress on your back, but you'll walk again." Shiva then gestured for Dani to follow her. "Come. I have toaster waffles."

•••••

Dani hadn't really appreciated Shiva's apartment when she first entered the night before, the exhaustion from the fight against Sphinx, followed by the suffering of her back in the trashcan had left her all to docile and uninterested in the house she found herself in.

Now she was resting on the couch, Shiva insisting she take the time off her feet while Shiva prepared the waffles.

It was a beautiful place, if oddly designed. It obviously was a penthouse, its open concept taking up the entire top floor of whatever building they were in. Much of the space was dedicated to a sand pit with training equipment. The appliances in the living parts of the apartment were modern, the floors good hardwood. She was duly tempted to try stomping on it, just to check.

Clearly she’s not hurting when it comes to cash. Dani mused.

There was an odd vibe to the place, probably created in part by the multiple different cultures all put together. Dani recognized a bit of Vietnamese in one spot, some Chinese in another; a lot more she didn't recognize too. It felt like those behind-the-scenes sets for movies she’d sometimes see on TV.

The other thing that might add to it was the sand filled training area in the center of the open concept apartment.

Dani didn't question either, turning her focus to the toaster waffles and, shockingly, real maple syrup Shiva provided.

"My best guess, Danielle, is that you are an Isekai victim."

Dani rolled her eyes at the full name, looking up from her waffles to look at Shiva. The use of anime terminology just added to all the incongruities of this place. So many other ways of saying that were available, Shiva. She thought, Why bring weeb stuff into it?

Shiva continued, the confusion on Dani's face evidently coming through strong.

"You came from a different reality. What do you remember before the dumpster? I don't care how insane." Shiva asked, taking a bite of her own food.

Dani took a deep breath, staring at her Eggos, absently breaking the food into bites, "I'm part of a team — The New Mutants. We weren't supposed to, but we ended up fighting this new guy."

She pushed some waffle around, soaking up the syrup. "The Sphinx, he called himself. He was there to kill some kid. Should have been easy but — " No, Dani. Don't cry. Not now. You are Cheyenne. Warrior-born. You must be strong. "We had to escape. He was a reality warper, but my friend, Magik, she can make portals through ‘timespace’.”

The corners of Dani’s lips twitched as she remembered Berto eagerly explaining the concept. God, he could be such a nerd sometimes. The little joy the memory caused quickly plummeted as she remembered she might never see him again. “I thought... I thought she saved all of us."

Dani just tried to focus on the toaster waffles on her lap, breaking them apart with a fork and slowly chewing on each piece. Each action soaked in thoughts, trying desperately not to think about her friends. Her team.

She was supposed to have been protecting them. They were her responsibility, she was their leader. Now here she was, possibly the last one standing.

Oh Illyana, how could you save me like this. How could I have failed you all so?

Shiva's voice broke through Dani’s internal spiral. "I have people I can call on. But do you have any way to find them? Cellphone? Pictures I can provide?"

"Our teachers never gave us cellphones and most of us just didn't have one to begin with I guess." An oversight of Xavier's, now that Dani thought about it.

Shiva sighed. "I will ask my people to look for anyone in similar situations as yours."

Dani's eyebrows peaked in interest. She couldn’t help the question that tumbled from her lips. "Your people?"

"I am revered as a God, here, Danielle. I have followers that shall listen."

Oh. Oh fuck. Dani had found a cult leader.

That made… a lot of things make sense.

“You are?” Dani arched an eyebrow, shaking her head. “How?”

She meant no offense. To be fair, she’d seen Thor on TV, fighting with the Avengers. Ororo said she had been worshipped as one, too. Maybe this lady was a really powerful mutant or something. It would make just as much sense as anything else that’d happened to her since her powers manifested. Hopefully that was all.

"Apparently.” Shiva shrugged. “They just started doing it one day. I haven't argued. It's useful. Annoying at times, but useful. They deemed me their god." Shiva spoke, as if it was some random funny happenence, "I don't know if I am to be worshipped, but I am Shiva."

"Are you a God?" And if she was, what type of God was she?

"Of sorts." Shiva responded after a moment. The woman not seeming to care the weight of her words in spite of Dani’s questions. As if it were nothing. "I will... Get into it another time.”

She tilted her chin up, raising her eyebrows. “What you need to know, Danielle, is that I am no man looking to abuse this power, to take many wives or kill his followers. My followers see parts of me they take as reasons to do good into others, I don't interfere. I have more interesting things to do than disrupt people helping people."

"What are you the god of, then?" Dani challenged, unsure if she believed a word she said.

"I am mortal in nature now, but…” Shiva leaned forward. “ To them, I am the deity of death and life. Fighting and healing. I spend my time training heroes, great heroes, and time not spent there, I wander the Earth, see its sights. Challenge myself by fighting greater and greater foes." Shiva arched a brow. She paused, before adding, almost as an afterthought: "And I do some amount of good, I suppose."

Dani nodded, a little intimidated, though she’d never admit it. "You'll look for my friends then?"

"Yes. Do you believe they survived?" Shiva asked.

"I..." Dani chewed nervously on her bottom lip. She thought of her link to Rahne, of how she should have heard her soul-mate by now. But there was silence. But that didn't mean she wasn't here — perhaps she was seriously hurt. "We need to check. I'm not sure. But…”

Dani bowed her head, squeezing her eyes shut. She hoped she hid the waiver in her voice. “Please. I need them back."

"It is done, child." Shiva spoke, pulling out her phone and beginning to text. "The Order of Shiva's will begin looking for anyone mentioning what you have mentioned.”

“Now,” Shiva suddenly became much more intense. Dark brown eyes bore into Dani’s own. “Give me details."

Dani described her friends to the woman, slowly feeling her back's feelings come back to life with the fear. Part of her felt it was pointless; she should have seen them. She wouldn’t have been separated that greatly. If they had survived, her friends should have been near her.

By the end, the pain ushered the fog back to her mind. Shiva seemed to have noticed, the perceptiveness of this woman almost beginning to annoy Dani. Once she had gotten the details of the rest of the New Mutants, she stood. "You need more rest. And some aids.” She paused, suddenly softening her hard tone. “I am going to lift you to your bed, ok?."

Dani felt a flicker of uncertainty — she still did not know this woman, and to allow her to lift her was to give a tremendous amount of trust. Again though, she was exposed, if Shiva craved abuse, she would have done it by now.

She fidgeted with her now-empty plate. It wasn’t like she had much of a choice. God, Dani hated how useless she was right now. She did not know if it was deserved, and yet, still, Dani nodded.

She felt the woman carefully lift her once again, carrying her to her room in strong, safe arms. Shiva reminded her a bit of Stevie, in this way, which is perhaps why she allowed her to help Dani settle on the bed.

Once settled, Shiva looked her over, as intense as always but still a little unnerving. "... I will bring you aids for your movement. Leg braces and crutches. So you may move, without me, once your body heals more.”

“For now,” She said, turning to leave. “Rest. Sleep if you can. If not –" she passed Dani a remote to the television in front of her bed, " – watch whatever you would like. I will be back."

Dani thanked Shiva. Quietly, and reluctantly, as Dani often did. Guilt and shame welled up in equal measure as the door clicked shut. The silence filled Dani's ears, and her mind replaced it with the sounds, the memories, of her dear friends.

And all Dani could get her body to do was cry.

Chapter Text

"I'm going to need you to squeeze your fist real tight for me, okay? Then you're just going to feel a little prick."

It was the next day, and the New Mutants were still in the med-bay.

Ollie and a few other archery themed heroes had walked in with a veritable feast, which was apparently their breakfast. After a few tense moments, they had all dug in. Then, Illyana had been offered a tour of the building the rest of the kids got. Sam had offered to go with her, but Illyana had waved him off with a grin and a “if they try to do anything funny, I can sic one of my critters on ‘em”.

Now, Rahne sat in a chair, the Oracle trying to take her blood. The young girl trembled like a newborn pup. She stared at the needle, a long, evil thing, now in the Oracle's hands as she swabbed Rahne’s arm.

Her and Dr. Midnight had taken to poking and prodding the kids in what they said were a series of medical tests. Rahne did not trust it one bit, and from Roberto’s scowl and Amara’s tight fists, she wasn’t the only one.

And now, these strange folk were out for blood.

"Hold still, kiddo…” The Oracle spoke softly. “It'll all be over shortly." Her accent was roughly American, but her tone reminded Rahne of her mother. Not her biological mother, her living one.

Lord, please, give mummy a sign. Tell her I’m okay. She prayed silently, not daring to even move her hands.

Rahne squeezed her eyes shut, turning away. Then, her mind sprung back to her, and she jerked her arm away from the needle.

"Nae! Tis nae allowed!" She cried, clutching her arm.

Roberto, Sam, and Amara all jumped to their feet at the sound. Sam nearly blasting himself off his own cot. Forcing Dr. Midnight to need to yank Sam back to stop the boy from taking off with a needle still in his arm. The free two came rushing over, glaring at Barbara.

The Oracle sighed. "I promise, sweetheart..." She said, putting the needle down on the table beside her and moving aside for Roberto and Amara.

Amara clutched Rahne’s face between her palms, seeming much cooler than the frenzied and hot-headed Berto — who was frantically looking over her with terrified eyes — but Rahne could feel her hands shaking. "It's not that bad."

"Is she hurt?!" Roberto scowled at the older woman. Rahne could see his Sunspot energy beginning to burn at the tips of his curls. "Madonna be! If you hurt her, seer..."

"Roberto, calm down. Please." Barbara responded firmly, plucking a Werther's candy from a pocket of her seat and handing it to Rahne, the girl accepting it tentatively, tucking it into her pocket. "She's scared of needles. Perfectly normal. But, Rahne, dear, we need the bloodwork... We just need to check you're all healthy and to see if we can find any evidence of your families."

“Mah mother is dead.” Rahne said plainly. “I dinnae care who mae Father is, my mum’s a doctor, and tis nae related by blood so ye dinnae need mine.”

Amara had moved beside her at some point, and interlaced their fingers together. “Rahne,” She murmured into her ear. “We must be cautious. I do not wish for you to be harmed for disobedience.”

“I cannae.” Rahne whispered back, turning to hide her face in Amara’s hair. “Please ‘Mara.”

Roberto stood in front of her protectively. “She doesn’t want to. Don’t you all have enough on us already?!” He wasn’t using his powers, but he was dangerously close.

Rahne peeked around Amara to see Sam gave Roberto a warning look, tilting his head towards Dr. Midnight, who was watching the hullabaloo with an unreadable gaze. Roberto reluctantly lowered his hands, backing off.

"You can do this, Rahne." Amara said, squeezing the little one's hand. Rahne could feel her nervous glance towards Oracle.

"Nae!” She pulled away from Amara. “Ah will not! Tis nae proper!" Rahne shrieked, shaking her head furiously. Amara's arms plucking her from where she sat, moving her away from the older lady and her needle.

"You have our blood, Seer. Perhaps you should consult Lord Apollo for more information, since you so supposedly serve him." Amara said coldly. Rahne swore she could practically feel the poison dripping onto her skin from Amara's words.

"Amara, Rahne, all of you. I promise, I have two kids I look after, and basically a third most of the time. Ollie has god knows how many, and Dr. Midnight is our friend. I don't care to do anything but get you lot home." Barbara stated, a sense of weariness weighting on her voice.

"And I suppose you're just dandy that you have access to all these mutants to poke and prod in this lab, huh?"

Rahne had to cover her ears as Roberto shouted.

Lord, she hated this, she hated all of this. If Dani was here, it wouldn't need to be like this. But that was why everyone was like this, wasn't it?

A silence fell on the room, and Rahne looked up, first at Roberto's red face, then at The Oracle's expression of confusion.

Rahne’s eyes widened as she processed what Berto had revealed, and she could see Amara and Sam react similarly as it hit them, too. Had the Society known already of their secret already? They must have, but suppose they had not?

The older redhead wheeled closer, the corners of her mouth pinched. "Roberto, I think you're going to need to back up. What did you just call yourselves?"

"Don't play dumb, woman!” Roberto scoffed. Sam was frantically making ‘cut it out’ motions from where he was sitting, but Roberto either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “You know what I said!"

Rahne watched as her friend’s skin darkened further, drawing on what reserves of solar energy he had left. The temperature in the room increased, and Rahne could feel heat beginning to radiate from Amara, too.

Oh Lord. Rahne shrunk. Will we have to fight? Where is Illyana? I had never wanted her demon-powers beside us till now…

Dr. Midnight started, rushing – either to stop or to start — the conflict, but The Oracle raised her hands at both of them.

"No, enough." She said, looking each of them in the eyes. "We're not fighting."

"Like hell we aren't!” Roberto snapped, fists burning black. “I know this trick, you're all some —-" Roberto was cut off by Barbara pulling her phone out, as if completely disinterested in the conflict before her, leaving the Brazilian to try and hold back a gape.

Rahne peeked over the woman's hands, staring as Oracle opened up an app, scrolling to a file. It prompted her to input a passcode before a video appeared.

A video of a girl… teleporting.

"This is what my shared daughter can do." The woman spoke, flipping the phone for all to see a young child, obviously hers by the hair alone, disappearing and reappearing in puffs of purple smoke.

"Madonna... The girl's practically Nightcrawler." Roberto spoke in awe.

"She was born this way, and has those powers simply because luck came out that way. I'm guessing you lot are similar?" She said in a soft, calm voice. Rahne could imagine hearing her talk to the kid in the video as she spoke to them.

Sam came over at this point, finally done with whatever Dr. Midnight had wanted to do, and whacked Roberto on the back of the head. “We ain’t meant to be startin’ fights, Bobby.” Sam chided. “We’re here so they can find Dani. How’s hitting them in the head gonna get her any faster?”

Roberto huffed, but didn’t argue. Rahne thought it was likely because he knew Sam was right, he just didn’t want to admit it. Him and Dani are like two peas in a pod in that way.

He then shifted his gaze to look at the rest of them. "What's all this then?" He said, moving so he could squint at the video. His eyebrows raised."Well ah'll be damned."

"We ran the tests on Illyana's genes. They came back similar enough to my child's here." Barbara explained gently. "I'm no enemy of yours."

"Your child is a mutant like us?" Amara asked, glancing from the phone to its holder.

"We call people like you all 'homo magi' here not..." Barbara waved her hands at Amara and Roberto. "That."

Dr. Midnight nodded, brows furrowing. "Do you... Like that word?"

The New Mutants looked at each other and all shrugged, nearly in sync. "Never really thought that much about the specifics of the word. Just’s been what everyone used." Roberto said grudgingly, rubbing his neck. "I don't mind it. Certain pride in it, really."

Barbara nodded. "Fair enough.” She drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair, staring at “Now how about this, I need to know every detail of where you came from, ok?"

•••••

Rahne hadn't paid attention for much of the explanation. She knew it was mostly Sam telling Oracle about everything, with a few chime-ins from Amara explaining her home in Nova Roma.

But beyond that, Rahne didn’t care.

It was an odd feeling, to feel so empty. Hollow, even. She so badly wanted to care about what was happening around her. But she couldn't.

She cared when Illyana returned from her tour of the Hall of Justice, of course. But even that was dampened. Her legs were tired though she'd barely moved. She had slept and ate well, but her brain didn't care to work the way she wished, instead fogged over like the inside of a warm house on a cold day.

She wanted so badly to cry, but nothing came.

And besides, she didn't know if Dani was dead. She shouldn't mourn yet.

She could know.

Dani should be awake by now.

If Rahne morphed, here and now, she'd know.

But could she live with the worst?

No, it was better to go on with some vague hope, to embrace the cold that was beginning to soak into her bones. They would find Dani.

They had to.

*****

The Oracle had set the New Mutants loose amongst the city. Illyana had been deemed "fit so long as she takes it easy". Which apparently included a trip to the mall.

Because those never went wrong.

Oh Dani, if only you were here.

Rahne flicked through the cash she'd been given.

Seven hundred dollars for each New Mutant. A total of three thousand and five hundred dollars; Rahne had never seen such money in one place before.

The Oracle had handed it to them as if it was nothing; she'd called it a "gift from Wayne Industries".

Rahne wished she could be excited.

She longed to be fantasizing about the pretty princess dresses she could buy, the jewelry she could now wear.

But where was the joy if her dear soul-mate could not see it?

She remembered how the two of them dressed up in Brazil, the beautiful yellow dress Rahne had worn, and the indecent — but all too fitting — outfit Dani had chosen.

Lord, how lovely she’d looked…

It brought Rahne back to the same feeling. A small spark of joy. Nothing that broke the fog in her mind, but it opened the door a crack, enough for her to press through.

How Dani might smile at this one. Rahne thought, plucking a pleated rust and emerald dress to try on. Because she’ll be back. And when she is, I will show her all the lovely things I have bought.

Around her, the mall bustled. Amara and her had separated from the group into a posh dress store, of the likes Rahne would wonder when she was home, lost in awe, with no hope of buying the beauties she saw.

Off to one side, Amara called out to her. Rahne scampered over, holding the dress for dear life.

“Look at this one, ‘Mara!” Rahne said, trying to force out the act. Smile, Rahne. Stand straight, if you don’t believe she’s dead, then she’s not. “When Dani gets back… I think she’ll love it.”

Rahne tried not to notice how Amara’s bottom lip pushed up, she tried not to notice how Amara looked the other way for just a moment, how Amara’s tone shifted ever so slightly to sound more like their missing friend.

“I’m sure she’ll love that, Rahney.” Amara called Rahne by Dani’s nickname. She refused to meet Rahne’s eyes. “How about… We can go try on this one, and if you like it, we get it. If you don’t, we don’t. But after that, then let's get some ice cream and find everyone. Okay?” Amara said, wrapping an arm around Rahne.

Rahne tried to not notice how part of her agreed with the princess’s hesitation when talking about their friend. She learned into the touch. She pretended she could feel Dani’s callouses against her shoulder, instead of Amara’s soft fingertips.

She simply nodded, looking up, “Aye, Amara. Lets.” Before following the blonde.

She hoped she’d feel again soon.

Chapter Text

The sound of keyboard clacking echoed down the halls. 

The Oracle sat in her position, eyes trained on the many screens before her. 

The computer room of the Hall of Justice was her little lair now. A collection of various empty mugs surrounding her. The entire room smelled of her favourite tea, soothing and familiar. Small comforts.

The setup in the Hall of Justice was laid out exactly the same as she had it in her Clocktower, Barbara had made sure of it. 

She preferred not having to adjust to a different set up each time. She supposed it was a hindrance of her memory, she remembered everything, even the tiny, dumb details, all too well.

Barbarahad gotten out of the meeting with the mystery kids not long ago. Everything they had told her echoed through her mind. The kids had spilled everything, and, best she could tell? 

Ollie was right. 

Another dimension. One Mr. Terrific nor the Flash had ever heard of. 

X-Men and Wolverine’s, Professor X’s and Schools for ‘gifted’ youth. 

She was uploading the last minutes of their talk to the Oracle Network. As she did, she played with her ear piece. She ran her finger over the smooth surface absently. 

It was on, set to be open to whoever would contact her. 

The vague sounds of Dinah's line passively came through. Her earrings were special, connected to Barbara as ear pieces. 

Dinah knew how to turn them off, but sometime during Ollie's last death — she'd stopped. Rather, letting Barbara listen in, letting them talk as if next to eachother. 

As if most times they weren’t at least a country apart.

There were times Dinah turned them off, obviously, private times with Ollie that Barbara was glad she didn't hear. 

It wasn't that she minded, though it had been an awkward deal when Ollie had been resurrected. It had ended with an agreement, Dinah and Babs spent the same amount of time together as always, and now Dinah wasn't as lonely in Star as she had been. 

It also meant that Barbara and Ollie were now good friends. 

Barbara largely was the same with her earpiece. In Gotham the small headset often took its place, charging on the other pillow in Barbara’s queen. Moving only if Dinah was visiting. 

She clicked around on one of the screens, opening some files and scanning through them. The money she'd been using so far was all stolen from Bruce's various accounts. A bit more and she'd have to switch to wiring LexCorp money soon. Barbara rolled her eyes. God forbid Bruce realize he's actually helping kids.

An idea struck Barbara, glancing at the finances again and running some numbers on her head. A smile began to tug at the corners of her lips.

She picked up her phone, ignored the latest from Bruce — with a couple messages from Dick now joining it— and pressed on her messages with Ollie. 

The Queen name was old money — Blood money, Ollie would call it. Money he didn't really even like to have. But right now, she hoped he hadn't given it all away, again. 

The kids weren't a proper super team. Not in the way the Titans or Young Justice were. They weren't meant to be soldiers, they just often got into situations where soldiers were needed. 

No, their costumes were for training, for learning how to safely use their powers, to defend themselves in the world they came from. A world that seemingly hated people with powers like theirs.

That part, Barbara could understand somewhat. The defense, at least. 

Charlie, and Homo Magis in general, were treated as normal superpowered people. People might groan when they saw Constantine, but that was a uniquely him problem.

She stared at her messages with Ollie for a few moments, before choosing to just talk to her ear piece instead. She shook her head, leaning back and pressing two fingers to her ear piece. "Dinah? Can you hear me?"

A brief pause. Barbara had started drumming her fingers on the desk, before Dinah's beautiful voice came through. "Hey beautiful, what's up?"

"I want you and Ollie's advice if you're both free." She responded, cutting straight to the chase, as she often did. She hesitated, before softening her tone "Plus, I miss you. Thought I'd be spending the last few days here with you... You know?"

"I miss you too, but I swear to god you better not say meet in the basement of the Hall on as beautiful a day as today."

Barbara sighed, chuckling. Dinah knew her too well. She had been about to ask them to meet her there, so sue her. 

She sighed, leaning back in her wheelchair. Dinah was right, she probably needed to see the sun. She was beginning to look like Bruce. She shuddered at the mental comparison.

"You got a better spot, Dinah?"

"I sure do. We'll get Roy to watch the new kids, then Ollie's?"

• ••••

Ollie's apartment. Of course, it made sense. He had a nice patio, an elevator to his three bedroom, and, apparently, a new coffee machine Dinah had bought him. 

Knowing Ollie, he probably still made coffee like he was camping in the woods. She wouldn't be surprised if he created little wood fires in his sink to brew it, either. Disappointed, humoured, definitely, but not surprised.

For now, Barbara sat on the balcony with Dinah and Ollie. She was out of her wheelchair, she tended to do that at Ollie's or Dinah's. It was like home, she didn't need to worry. Besides, Ollie had comfy patio furniture. Muffled music came through from Mia’s room. True to Barbara's suspicions, there they sat; though Dinah and Barbara had freshly pulled espressos, Ollie had opted for camp coffee. 

God, it smelt  damn near acidic . She had no clue how he could stand it.

"So!" Ollie grinned, his civvies matching Barbara’s own home favourites. Comfy cargo pants with a wife beater. Though Barbara was still dressed more respectfully from the Hall of Justice, Ollie and Barbara had teased Dinah a few times for her taste in how partners dressed. "You needed to talk about the kids?"

Barbara cleared her throat, pushing aside her distracted thoughts. "So... From what we've gathered, in their universe, the kids lived at a mansion that had been transformed into a boarding school. That also covered for training them how to control their powers." Barbara explained, sipping her espresso. 

"Damn. The mansion life?" Ollie said, scratching a this goatee. "Let me guess..."

"I'm about to hit the point where I can't hide the money I'm stealing from Wayne Industries. " Barbara said bluntly, not waiting for Ollie’s guess. She gestured at her phone. "State Bruce and I are in, I don't suspect he'll be particularly forgiving. Other funds exist to wire it from. Lord knows Luthor isn't particularly good at catching money wiring. But…" She said, somewhat trailing off. 

"But..." Dinah continued for Barbara, raising an eyebrow to prompt the Gothamite to finish. 

"I was wondering… is your mansion still empty and unused?" Barbara finished, gently tapping her mug as she looked at Ollie. 

She knew he hated his wealth and all the benefits that came with it, but believe her, he could be making life ever so much easier if he'd just kept it. Loosen his morals just a bit. 

"I'm guessing,” Ollie said, slurping his sludge. “I know where this is going, Babs." 

"They're far from home, and we don't know when they'll be back. " The Oracle said, looking pointedly between Ollieand Dinah, before looking back at Ollie, "If you aren't using the mansion, I think we’ve found a pretty good use of it."

Dinah nodded, her legs crossed as she lay on her pool lounge. Ollie had once explained it as too comfy to need a pool to go with it. Neither of the girls complained. "Who's teaching them, Barbara? Who's running this school? I'm guessing you got this part figured out?"

"No." Barbara confided, adjusting herself in her seat. "I had the idea and called. I have some other ideas for potential staff, obviously." 

"Like?" Dinah said. 

"Guy Gardener... But he'd be too inconsistent to be the academics teacher. You and I could probably ask Ted to help with teaching them some basic combat training. You've always been good at training people with powers, Dinah. Beyond that, I mean..." Barbara waved her hands in a vague gesture. "I have a few others but… It doesn’t seem too difficult"

"Who's running the school, Babs?" Ollie said, looking at her with the hunter stare all the Arrow family had by this point. 

Babs shifted under it, unsure. 

"What do you mean?"

"You got faculty, great. We can ask them all. I'll talk to Roy about the mansion. I know he hasn’t used it since I've given it to him. But what about Admin? Who'll be taking care of everything, the headmaster? Or did my ramblings about anarchist theory come through to you?” 

Barbara heard the joke in his voice, but knew what he was hinting at. She knew she couldn't just set up a school and leave. 

But it wouldn’t just be her. Sure, she'd barely seen Cassandra, Stephanie, and Charlie since arriving; the sun and the sea were too strong a call for her daughters and Steph. But they were expecting to go home.  

After a moment, she sighed. 

"I'll..." She shook her head. "I'll figure that out. At least for now, we should get them settled into something more comfortable than a hotel." 

• ••••

Later that day, Barbara returned to her hotel room. Stephanie had texted — the girls were in their rooms, too. Barbara fired off a message letting them know where she was, and moved herself onto the bed. 

Her Batgirls would knock soon enough. She'd left the door unlocked for them. 

Her mind wandered towards Ollie’s words from earlier. She knew what he had meant. 

To an extent, she'd basically taken charge of this whole situation. Setting up some mock-version of these kids old school, to keep them trained and safe, to give them some familiarity, that was fine enough. 

But the issue was, it was her idea, her plan. 

And, as Ollie hinted, it was also her responsibility. 

Which meant staying in Star City until this was over. It meant not going home, and leaving the Clocktower for the Queen Mansion. 

Leaving Bruce and Dick for Ollie and Dinah. That, she wasn’t too upset about. She’d choose them over Bruce and Dick any day.

A smile unconsciously played on her features before a knock sounded. Barbara called for them to come in, relaxing further into the plush fabric of her mattress. 

Charlie bounced in first, teleporting in a puff of purple-black smoke before the door could even open. Behind her, Stephanie was holding open  the door while Cassandra walked in. 

Cass was entirely Barbara's. She was her legacy, her heir, her daughter. Stephanie, Cassandra's... Barbara wasn't exactly quite sure what Stephanie was to Cass, so she would  go with ‘best friend’ for now. And, of course, Charlie. The youngest of the Birds of Prey, a shared responsibility that currently fell happily on Barbara. 

Barbara was jealous, she'd admit, of the girls' currently warm, sun-kissed skin. Something about Star City seemed to just be so healthy . 

A contrast to Gotham, whose smog weighed heavy and thick on the streets at the best of times.

"How'd the day go so far?" Barbara smiled, looking over each of them. No injuries, mysterious relics, no sign of mad science gone wrong. A good start. 

"Cass stopped a robbery, Charlie helped, Cass and Conner sparred on the beach for a while, and I think I got a good tan." Stephanie rolled her eyes, but the effect was ruined by the smile tugging at her lips.

Cass grinned proudly, pulling a paper bag with holes punched out from it and waving it for Barbara to see "I wore a mask this time!" 

Thank god. Barbara knew this was probably Cass poking fun at her, what with the paper bag and emphasis and all, but at least her identity was still marginally protected. 

"Yeah!” Charlie chipped in, practically vibrating. Somehow the time outside seemed to have only given her more energy. Where she got it from, Barbara had no idea.  “And! And! Cass beat Conner to snot on the beach! It was awesome !!!" 

Steph smiled, flaking out on the chair in the corner of Barbara's room. Her entire body flopped onto the cushions like a ragdoll. "God, I'm gonna miss this place. When do we head back?"

Barbara sighed internally. She hadn't told them about all the chaos that had unfolded while they were out. It hadn't been something she expected at first to deal with much more the first day, but now she was on day two, and, despite having no idea what was really going on, she knew it was going to take more time than she had. 

“Stuff’s come up.” Barbara lifted herself up from the mattress to look at the girls apologetically. “We — I — might be here longer than expected.” Barbara said, thumbing the fabric beneath her body. “I can always get you a ticket home if you need to go back to your mom, Steph.”

Stephanie shook her head. “I’ll let you know if I change my mind, Babs.” She grinned, shrugging one shoulder. “I think I can survive a few more days in Cali.”

Days? Weeks? Months? Barbara didn’t know. There was a chance she might never go back, that this was her new home, Cassandra’s new home. 

Could she even stay, though?  She could find someone she trusted to manage the school in her stead, after all. 

Black Lightening actually knows how to run a school. She thought.

“I’m glad to hear. Stuff’s come up with the Justice Society that I’m helping out with…” Barbara trailed off as her mind chaotically swirled, with all the things she needed to figure out. She shook her head. “...I’ll tell you all about it when I figure it out.” When she actually knew what she —and Cass, too — would be doing.

The Batgirls whispered amongst themselves. Barbara avoided the issue for now, and after a while their voices began to fade. Charlie was tired, finally , and Cass had begun to itch topatrol. 

Slowly, the other girls began to filter out, and before long it was just Barbara and Stephanie left. The blonde had told Cass she'd catch up with her, she was going to relax a little bit longer. 

After Cass was gone, Stephanie waited a minute, before turning to focus fully on Barbara. Her eyes thinning as she studied Barbara, picking absently at her nails. 

Sheloved Stephanie, she was the two-way tie for best Robin. (Besides Duke, who had somehow managed to garner Lady Shiva's favor. A tough feat, as Barbara could attest.)

Stephanie was also the one that understood Barbara best. Cass might be her daughter, but the blonde and the ginger shared far more experiences than either did with Cass. 

Neither could truly understand what it meant to be a killing machine, but they each knew the worst lows Bruce could reach… or the assault of a man. Things Cass, thankfully, never faced.

"I'm guessing you and Bruce are having a fight?" She said, leaning forward till her elbows touched her knees, her fingers clasped. Always so perceptive. Sometimes it even surprised Barbara, though she knew it shouldn’t. 

"He wants Cass ‘back’." Barbara said, taking her glasses off the bridge of her nose and sighing up at the ceiling. 

She remembered her last message to Bruce, and that creeping guilt came back full-force now that Stephanie next to her. Barbara put her glasses back on, but avoided Stephanie’s curious gaze. 

She had used her. Not exactly as Bruce had , she told herself. But still, Barbara had used the girl to her own ends, without telling, and for her own gain. 

"Explains the texts he sent me." Steph said, pulling up her phone. "He's flipping out. Maybe he should ask Ivy or Bane for help, they've turned good leaves, right?"

Barbara smirked at the pun. She arched an eyebrow, smile now teasing. "I'm apparently fired. Did you know I worked for him?"

"Wow! I didn't. That's crazy." Stephanie laughed, shaking her head. 

"Second time he's tried this, actually." Barbara chuckled, remembering how she met the Huntress all those years ago. 

Stephanie stared at her incredulously. "He’s tried this with you before ?" 

Barbara's brows furrowed. She'd been so sure she had told Stephanie this story, but, from the wide-eyed look she was getting, she seemed to be wrong. 

"He tried to fire me as Batgirl, actually." Barbara started, softly. "He thought I worked for him then, too. Back then, I was just a lazy plagiarist." Barbara shook her head, moving her gaze back to Stephanie’s gaze, a new familiarity in the blonde’s eyes. "I thought I told you this story. It was how I met Helena. We fought, and when I lost, I was apparently fired from the job I invented."

"Damn,” Steph ribbed bitterly. “Does he know Cass is a girl, too? Nobody tell him, he might freak out..."  She slumped further into the chair, looking away.

Barbara understood her all too well. She'd been the first. Sometimes, she wondered if she should have been the last, if only to spare her Batgirls from the burden of their jobs . 

"You know he sees Cass as basically his..." Barbara paused, snapping her fingers in thought as she searched for the correct word. After a minute, she gave up with a shake of her head., "I don't even know what. His idealized self? His golden child? His weapon?" Barbara sighed. "I don't always know if he sees her as human."

"He's been getting better..." Steph responded half-heartedly, eyes darting around. Her tell. Stephanie was always looking to see if anyone had caught her in lies and half-truths. Barbara never said she knew that tell. If Stephanie wanted to lie, she’d let her. 

"You shouldn't lay down for him so much, Stephanie." Barbara said, choosing her words carefully as she watched the younger woman's face. "You let him walk over you."

Stephanie shook her head. "I love this, Babs. Not... Him. But Batgirl." Shes smiled, Cassandra and Stephanie shared Barbara's legacy, and Steph was always so damn proud of that. 

Barbara had heard another of her girlfriends, Zinda, describe it as like sharing a hoodie. Barbara wondered if perhaps it was closer to sharing a last name for the girls.

"I like hero-ing, I like going out every night... Helping people." Stephanie’s hands were unclasped now, moving with her as she spoke. "I like doing this stuff... But he's the head honcho. I'm not Oracle, I'm not... Cassandra. I'm Stephanie Brown. I gotta toe the line, not stir any shit. I’m just a replaceable kid with a dream for him. If that."

"You were trained by Cass and me, Steph." Barbara said, shifting herself to Stephanie to better look her in the eye. "Little bit of Shiva, too. You're plenty competent." 

"Tim trained under Shiva, too.” Steph pointed out with an eye roll. “So did Bruce. Big whoop. I'm still on borrowed time under him anyway. We both know that."

"Tim was given a weapon by the woman that believes weapons are for children, and Bruce can't beat Dick.” Barbara disputed. “I don't think Shiva particularly trained either, Steph.”

Barbara wanted to see Stephanie believe in herself, be proud of her accomplishments and her abilities, but the girl just… couldn't. 

It hurt. Barbara had never had a great time next to Bruce, but, she supposed, she never had it as bad as Steph, did she?

"It still stands, you need his permission to do anything in his city..." Stephanie mumbled, pulling her legs up to her chest. Her hair fell forward, obscuring her face. "And no matter what, you gotta hear everyone go on and on about how great the Bat is."

Barbara sighed. "I know, Steph. I know. It's... One day you'll be something beyond him. I promise." 

Stephanie didn't respond instantly, when she did, she stood, starting towards the door. Her knuckles were white against the door handle, Barbara could see the girl press all the ugly thoughts  . "I'm going to go catch up with Cass. Do you need anything?"

Barbara just shook her head. "I’m always here if you need anything."

"Thanks, Babs." Steph peeked over her shoulder, smiling softly at her.

" Anything. " Barbara stressed, meeting the girl's eyes. "I promise."

Stephanie nodded, turning away. "Thank you." Before walking out, closing the door shut behind her. 

Now, Barbara just lay there. Soon enough, she'd have to go back to the Hall, face the community of heroes as Oracle — the hidden hero running backstage.

She’d soon face Bruce and Dick.

For now, she thought. Dreams of building this ‘school’, of Star City, floating through her mind. 

She'd live in the mansion, a place that'd at least keep a responsible adult in the building. Give Steph and Cass room to grow. Charlie would be fine here, she could control her bouncing pretty well, all things considered. Charlie could return to Gotham and stay with Helena anytime she wanted. She did that anyway, in between staying with Dinah or Zinda and staying with Helena or Barbara. Nothing would change there. 

Barbara let her eyes trail over the smooth ceiling of the bedroom, pausing at a water stain that kind of looked like a three-legged beetle. She sighed, shaking her head. She would think more later. 

Now, she needed to head back, find Dani Moonstar, and keep heroes alive. 

For now, she just had to get through it.

Chapter Text

"That's it. Careful now, as you move through it... STRIKE!"

It was a new dawn, and Dani wasn't sure what to make of anything anymore.

Her friends were gone, her connection with Rahne lost, and now?

Now, she was in Shiva's apartment, the woman guiding her in what Dani interpreted as the most violent physical therapy she'd ever seen.

Not that she'd had a lot of experience with physical therapy before… everything. All she knew was what Stevie had done.

Still, she suspected normal physical therapy did not include combat training.

But, what did Dani really know in comparison to this so-called ‘God’?

After all, she was moving, albeit with braces and crutches, and Shiva's methods somehow seemed to soothe the pain that had constantly flared up back home. She, of all people, couldn't judge non-traditional methods.

And that, certainly, was what all this was. Shiva had developed an entire system of combat for one to use with the limitations Dani currently had.

Part of Dani was amused — the woman had equipped herself the same as Dani to begin training — but the difference between their skills was as wide as the Grand Canyon. The way Shiva spun and swung off the sticks that Dani still stumbled on was amazing to watch. The clumsy, blocky movements Dani could manage had left her feeling like she was using completely different tools than what Shiva used. The older woman’s muscles spinning and swinging her body in continuous violence in motion.

For now, Shiva was out of the equipment, guiding Dani's motions, adjusting the details of how she held her posture or rested her weight such that Dani could move more freely.

"Typically, the weapon is a crutch." Shiva spoke, carefully pushing Dani’s body back into the new posture the girl was to hold, talking as she worked. "Only those who are weak use a weapon. But here, I shall teach you your combat with them — the crutches — as your weapons. The crutches are your weapons, the weapons are and aren't your crutches." Shiva said, a smirk playing at her lips, eyeing Dani as if to see if she got a joke.

Dani didn't quite, but she smiled back anyway. She'd practiced moving in the crutches earlier on the hardwood, but now she had to contend with the sand slipping from below her new aids.

Still, she had to admit, part of this was fun. She'd seen Kung Fu movies once or twice, and it had captured her imagination as a kid. She never thought she'd have a real-life sensei, though.

She drilled, moving slowly through simple kicks and strikes, trying desperately to move as Shiva had shown her earlier. She'd never felt so wobbly, so clumsy.

But, boy was she having more fun here than in the Danger Room. A frown immediately curled on her lips at the memory of Xavier’s cold voice telling them their every mistake. It made hot pockets of guilt and rage bubble up in the pit of her stomach.

No, Shiva was not like Xavier. She was a true teacher, though she wanted Dani to do better, much like Xavier. But unlike him, it seemed like she knew how to get Dani there well.

Helped she wasn’t trying to change every facet of Dani too.

After a bit, Shiva nodded, leaving Dani to drill what she'd been shown. Dani rolled her shoulders back, almost expecting a jolt of pain to travel up her spine. When it didn’t, she found herself letting out a breath she hadn’t even realized she had been holding.

So she focused her mind back in on the exercise. If this was her only thought, there would be no room for anything else. Just the movement of her crutches, the sweat that dripped down her face, the way her shirt clung to her armpits. She stayed in the moment. She couldn’t — wouldn’t — let her mind drift away.

Eventually, a knock sounded at the door. Dani paused, curiosity getting the better of her. Dani could hear voices. Before long, Shiva came back.

For a moment, Dani was worried she was going to get scolded for stopping, but Shiva held out two boxes. "I got pizza." She said simply. "take a break."

Dani nodded, shoulders drooping in unnecessary relief, swinging herself off her crutches towards the living room, and slowly setting herself on the couch. Shiva setting the boxes on the table in the middle of her living room.

She had to resist letting out a relieved groan as her exhausted muscles sunk into the plush fabric. She was tired enough that she missed Shiva leaning over to open the pizza box, only being brought back into the present as the delicious smell multiplied tenfold.

Her stomach grumbled, making Dani realize just how hungry she was.

"You're getting the handle of those quite well." Shiva noted, picking up a piece, standing on the other side of the table. Dani lolled her head over, brows suddenly creasing at the sight of the pizza.

Dani had never seen pizza like this before. The round, thin crust was instead thick and rectangular, though it was topped with cheese and pepperoni, it was still decidedly different than what she was used to. It was more bread than crust on the underside, really.

Dani leaned forward, ignoring her complaining muscles, and opened the other pizza box. Inside was the exact same type of pizza, but topped with various vegetables rather than pepperoni.

"It's local style.” Shiva commented from beside her. “You said you were from New York, yes?" Dani realized, much to her embarrassment, that her face had inadvertently scrunched up in response to the odd pizza.

"Yeah." Dani nodded, screwing her face back into a neutral expression as she grabbed a slice of her own. "Born in Colorado. I live in upstate New York now."

"A downgrade." Shiva said through a bite of pizza. "Detroit's pizza is much better.”

Dani nodded, taking a bite of her pizza, the thick crust crispy outside and chewy in. The cheese and sauce was good though. And it was still warm, that definitely felt good on her empty stomach.

"Upstate New York, why there?" Shiva asked, her tone completely neutral as she took another bite of her pepperoni. Her gaze, by contrast, was curious, analyzing. Dani shifted under the scrutiny.

"I went to a school there." Dani said, attempted to sidestep the matter. She took another bite, letting her mouth fill with the taste of vegetables and marinara sauce. "Private school."

"Far distance to travel." Shiva commented. Like always, it was completely devoid of any emotions Dani could attempt to decipher.

Her hands trembled with anger as she shoved several more bites into her mouth in quick succession, making Shiva wait for a response. Dani did not owe her anything, and she was half-tempted to just permanently shut her mouth. Dani would not have her life judged by this woman she met barely a few days ago.

"The headmaster was an army friend of my father's.” She said, holding herself back from snapping. Yes, Dani did owe Shiva. She owed her for the clothes on her back, the roof over her head, and the crutches that let her walk. But something in her was “After my family died, Xavier took me in."

"Ah." Shiva said, "And how was that?"

Would it kill this woman to express herself more? All the rage suddenly rushed out of Dani all at once, leaving her staring at the ground. She thought she could see some hints of care, floating in the air in faint pastel-purple hues, but how much of that was Shiva and how much of it was her reaching, she did not know.

She finished her slice, holding up a sole pointer finger to indicate to give her a second, before she answered. "Why do you want to know?" Dani sounded tired, she thought. Tired, and defensive.

"It must have been an adjustment, that's all." Shiva shrugged. "I'm sure he understood so much." There was some expression, a healthy soaking of sarcasm dripping from her tongue.

Dani snorted, a smile quirking up on the corners of her lips. "I forced him to let me keep my belt." She ran her hand's over it as she spoke, pride curling through her words. She wiggled her toes, “My boots, too.Don't think he liked that much."

"Perhaps he should grow up, then." Shiva remarked, rolling her eyes. Dani didn’t openly agree, but her smile wasn’t exactly subtle.

"What about you, Shiva? Where're you from?" Dani asked, eyebrows raised. She jerked her chin to an area behind her. "Your decor can’t seem to make up its mind."

A mischievous light entered Shiva's eyes, the type was typically reserved for when ‘Berto or ‘Yana had a ‘great’ idea, and she composed herself for the story. "You see, Danielle.” She began slowly, “I was raised in a warrior monastery in the South of Thailand... A warm place, but not joyful, was my time there. I was raised there as a god-weapon to face-"

"Most of this stuff is Vietnamese or Japanese though?" Dani interrupted, suspecting she knew exactly what Shiva’s game was. "I don't really know what Thai stuff looks like but... I don't think I see any."

"You're a smart girl, Danielle." Shiva said, a new emotion on her face; she’d impressed Shiva. "Most believe the most wild things about the monolithic "Asia" they believe in."

"I know that feeling." Dani smiled ruefully, watching as the warrior in front of her laughed in understanding. “They act as if the Cheyenne are the same as the Inuit, as if we’re not in two different entire countries. It’s crazy.”

"I'm sure you could have told this 'Xavier' just about anything and he'd have believed it." Shiva said dryly, standing and beginning to take down the decorations. Dani couldn’t see it, but she knew Shiva was rolling her eyes. "I told one of my worse students that his non-lethal morals were evidence of his Christianity and whiteness."

"Did he believe it?" Dani asked, watching as the lady quickly began deconstruction of the facade her home had taken.

"He did. And I am told by some that they regard him as a great detective." Shiva said with a laugh."He was also, simply, rather bad at fighting. Wasn’t in his soul. Something more..." Shiva tapped the handle of a katana as she seemed to contemplate something, "...him would have suited him. Like churning butter, or perhaps as a priest in the exotic temples of the Mormons." Shiva peered back at her with a wink and a smirk.

Dani couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up from her chest.

"Tell me, though," Shiva spoke, before Dani could respond. It was kind of eerie how she knew exactly when Dani was about to say something. "Your friends, your team, were they from this Xavier's school, too?"

Dani nodded, plucking another slice of pizza from the box. She chewed, then swallowed. "All of them."

"So,” Shiva seemed to be choosing her words deliberately, now. Even with her back turned, Dani could feel the disdain radiating from her. “This man went about, taking children with powers and putting them into ‘teams’?"

Dani looked away. A bitter taste welled up in the back of her throat. "We..." She spoke slowly. She was no fan of Professor X, but she felt duty-bound to defend his honor. "We weren't supposed to be superheroes."

"Or so he said, I'm guessing." Shiva retorted, picking up and handing Dani one of the katanas she had on the wall. “That suit of yours tells a different story.”

Dani held the sword, looking it over. She had never held anything like this before, rarely seen swords outside of movies. Illyana’s too, but that didn’t count, since Dani couldn’t touch it.

"I believe him. We were just bad at not getting into trouble." She looked back up at Shiva who was suddenly looming above her. Her heart leapt into her throat, but she was determined to not let it show. She arranged her expression into a disinterested neutral, arching an eyebrow. "What do I do with this?"

"Nothing. I thought you might be interested. Good fighters do not use weapons, but weapons can be fun" She said, back to that detached tone as she took it back. "Not unless they want to be lazy. You will not be lazy."

"I'm not a good fighter, though!" Dani protested, gesturing to her sofa-bound self. Frustrated tears pricked in the corners of her eyes. And it’s all my fault, too. "I can feel my back again, but I might not be able to walk ever again."

"I know a good fighter who sits in a wheelchair, Danielle." Shiva said, back to her mighty passiveness, frustratingly aloof. She stared down at her, hands clasped behind her back. "You have something of your legs still, and two metal poles with which to move and attack with. You shall be fine even if your legs never recover."

"What about my friends, Shiva?" Dani said, changing the topic.

She'd stilled for too long, let her thoughts wander, circling back like a dog chasing its tail, back once again to what was always on her mind. To them. Her team. To the silence in her brain.

"My people are looking.” Shiva turned, moving towards a window and opening the curtains to further let the sunset’s light in. “There were reports of people falling from the sky, I saw them. It was when I was satiating my curiosity that I found you."

"You think they're okay?" Dani pleaded, hating how her voice broke. She was supposed to be strong, but she had never felt more weak.

Shiva gave no indication she had even heard the last question, simply replying: , "We're still looking, Danielle. I promise I will keep you updated." Her lips were pressed thin as she turned, taking the last of the decorations off the walls.

"And…” Dani hesitated. “...What if you don't find them?"

"Then, Dani Moonstar?" The last dredges of sunlight illuminated Shiva from behind, giving her an almost ethereal glow. Shiva looked at her, and it suddenly struck Dani why exactly some people would see her as a God. "Then you will be reborn into something far beyond mortal. I will make you into something that should be feared.”

Chapter Text

It was funny, being in Star City.

Steph had been here before. Barbara tended to take her along on trips. She wasn't sure if that was for ease, for her own safety, or because of something from the bond they had grown when Steph had taken over from Cass.

She wasn't sure, but she sure wasn't complaining, either. If Barbara wanted to foot the bill for vacations, Steph was more than happy to let her. It wasn’t like she could afford them on her own. Besides, it was basically like a little family trip. Barbara had mentioned a few times about bringing Crystal with them, but work always kept her home.

Still, though, Star was... Odd.

Bats had reputations. Everyone knew at least of Bruce, many people, even outside of Gotham, held a deep respect for the man.

It was always painful to hear someone say how great it must’ve been for the four Robins to train under him.

Except here. Except with the Arrows.

No, best she could tell? It seemed the people of Star City had a one sided beef with Gotham over whose vigilantes were better.

Not that Steph could hear any of that with Cass. She wasn't sure quite what Cass thought of Star. She was always a bit tough to tell what was going on in that head of hers, and now was no exception.

Everyone knew, at this point, just not to bring up the Bat around her. If they did; call him Bruce. Steph had noticed that Cass distinguished between the two enough you could critique the man, but not the mask.

Steph leaned back, tilting her head as she let the wind blow against her face. She removed her mask, and let her hair splay out behind her. The rooftop they had decided to settle on was spacious, and decently clean. Some gravel dug into the heel-palms of her gloves, but it didn’t bother her much.

They were taking a break.

Cass was leaning into her left side, her head on her shoulder and eyes softly shut. On her other side, Mia Dearden was checking over her bow.

For a little bit, it was quiet as the three of them just enjoyed the night.

"So," Mia finally said, setting her weapon to the ground and flaking back. "How are we feeling?"

Another odd thing about Star, Steph found. Yes, the Arrows all knew what they were doing, but there was a difference in their group patrols. Gotham, she'd have been paired with Grayson and it would have been a night of tactical call outs and underhanded remarks about Barbara taking in Cass or Steph's relationship with Cass.

It wasn't that she didn't know where it came from, the second half, at least. It just...

Well she wasn't sure if it was true or not. Dick seemed under the impression Steph had broken up with Tim and gone straight into whatever she was with Cass.

She wasn't sure what she had, what the two of them really were, beyond Cass's entire body weight lying against her. And their shared room at the hotel. And the Clocktower. With one bed.

Fuck, yeah. Steph had to stop herself from rubbing her hand across her face in frustration. She knew, somewhat, that Cass... Surely, Cass had to know how this looked.

But Cass struggled to sleep alone. And Steph cared so very deeply for her. That's why the two of them had shared a bed the first time.

Now, she all but lived with Cass. Most of her stuff was at the Clocktower.

No, Steph understood all too well where the comments came from. Some part of her wished they were right.

Still, Ollie would never. From what she knew of him, at least.

She liked it here, and the people here liked her.

They’d visited together a few times. The Arrows were easier to get along with than even Barbara made them sound. Fast friends, all around. Support.

Dinah, The Black Canary herself, believed in her. That had to mean something.

"Hello? Earth to Stephanie?"

Steph was startled out of her thoughts as Mia's hand waved in front of her, enough to cause Cass to jerk up, looking around like she expected them to get jumped. Stephanie stole a quick glance over to her before looking towards Mia.

"Sorry?” She shook her head “What?"

"What's the plan?" Mia arched an eyebrow. “We done for tonight or…?”

Steph looked at the other girls, before shrugging. Frankly, Star City days didn't really have ‘plans’. It was basically a girl’s night, just with a few more bruises and a little blood being spilled.

"I'm heading back..." Cass rasped after a second of silence. She tugged on her Batgirl mask. "Mom... Was off. The city is quiet."

Steph nodded, leaning back on one arm, "I'll be back soon, ok? You got the key?"

Cass smiled beneath her mask, flashing the card at Steph.

"I'm gonna stay out a bit longer... I'll be back soon." Steph said, watching as Cass stood up. She cupped her hands around her mouth as Cass moved to the edge of the roof. , "Don't lock me out and fall asleep again!"

Steph couldn’t see Cass’s reaction, but she was pretty sure she smiled. She waited until her “shadow disappeared into the night’, a joke Tim came up with. She was pretty sure he was being sour when he said it, but she still thought it was pretty funny.

"So..." Mia said, stretching her arms back. She grinned teasingly. "You two are sharing a room now? Damn."

"It's..." Stephanie started, not really sure where she was going. She bit her bottom lip, looking away.

Mia hummed in acknowledgement, nudging her to continue. "It's ...?"

Stephanie sighed, digging her fingers into her arm. "It's not what you think."

"Seems pretty cut and dry to me." Mia commented, tucking her quiver beneath her head and resting on it. "I mean, she was fully leaning against you, basically cuddling. Never knew Cass could be that sweet on anyone."

"We're just like that." Stephanie responded, still refusing to meet Mia’s eyes as she picked at a callous on her thumb. "Have been for quite a while now."

"So you live with her, sleep with her, cuddle with her..."

Stephanie sighed, waving her hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Look, I already get it enough from the boys back home."

"God.” Mia laughed with a shake of her head. “Must be your favorite part of Star; the lack of them, huh? None of those fascists."

Steph snorted, caught off guard., "I dunno if they're all like that." She laid back with Mia, staring up at the stars. It was gorgeous. She could never see this much of the sky in Gotham, with all the smog clogging up everything. "Bunch of..." She shrugged. "Damian's sweet. Of course. Wants t’be a doctor... We joke that we'll work in the same E.R. one day."

"That's cute." Mia hummed.

"It is. Lot nicer than..." She sighed, aimlessly gesturing in the air. "A lot of whatever else that I have to put up with there."

Mia moved, reaching to her quiver and pulling out an arrow. Her lips were pursed. "The stories I hear are insane. Like, damn." Mia said, playing with the arrow tip. "Ollie would never."

"I hear Barbara mumble that all the time." Steph sat up, feeling something vibrate against her hip. .

"At least he's not here bothering y'all now." Mia offered as Steph pulled out her phone.

Steph groaned as she saw the name attached to it. "Au contraire." Steph tossed her phone at Mia, not even bothering to check the contents of the notification herself.

"Damn.” Mia’s eyebrows crawled up her forehead, eyes narrowing. “I think he needs less money." Mia spat, glaring down at the offending device. "Plane tickets, two. Back to Gotham tonight."

"Private jet?" Steph asked rhetorically

"He's rich,” Mia deadpanned. “What do you think?"

"No?"

"It's first class, at least." Mia said, with an eye roll, chucking the phone back and sitting up to face Steph. She grasped her shoulders, staring intensely into her eyes. "Don't you dare go back. He's asking for Batgirl. I'm guessing Cass?"

"Yup. He's throwing a whole... I dunno. He wants his kid back." Steph rolled her own eyes, this time. "Babs and I haven't told her how he's acting. It was supposed to be a nice vacation."

"Why not?"

Steph sighed. "She loves him. After everything, she's still so... I don't even know. It's not like he ever did anything. Babs gave her the costume, Babs gave her the symbol, Babs gave her her legacy. Cass loves ‘em both but..."

Steph wasn't sure about any of it. Bruce — Bruce who had been yet another adult who only cares about the parts of her he can use — Bruce who Barbara had to fight with, day in and day out, to let Cass have a life outside her mask. Bruce, who encouraged the weapon in Cass, who tried to shape her into his ‘weapon of justice.’

"I remember…” Mia started, softly, brows creasing. “Ollie saying Bruce killed you, basically..."

Mia tilted her head, questioning, and concerned. Steph didn't talk to Mia nearly enough. It still felt so foreign to have someone other than her mom care about her like this. Bruce always acted weird when he heard that someone was talking to the Arrows. Stephanie suspected it was because they were the only ones that called his bull.
.
Steph and Mia, though, weren't friends that deteriorated. It had been months since Stephanie was in Star, and it felt like nothing had changed. They just understood each other. Life happens. They'd reconnect.

Steph exhaled heavily, tilting her head to look backup at the sky. The back of her eyes began to burn. "I was reckless..."

"Were you?" Mia asked, not unkindly, shifting closer.

"I—"

Before Stephanie could answer, Mia's hand moved to rest on her shoulder. The corners of her mouth curled up, softly. Stephanie didn't need to respond. She didn't need to try and defend the man that never defended her.

They rested there for a while, noise risjing from the streets below,, Steph keeping her gaze stubbornly on the moon. Mia moved and leant back still watching her.

"I'm not a kicked puppy, Mia." She said, patting Mia's hand. "I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

Stephanie sighed, eyes scanning from side to side. Still not looking at Mia. "Yeah." Before she shifted, beginning to get up. "I should probably go back to the hotel... Cass doesn't sleep well without me..."

"See you tomorrow, Steph?" Mia took her hand back, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Steph.

"Yeah." She said. She met the girl's clear blue eyes with a smile."See you tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

The next day came, and Barbara found herself subject to Dinah-mandated sun time. She was set up out on the other woman's patio like she was Poison Ivy photosynthesizing.

It wasn't bad, if she was being honest. Unlike Ollie’s, Dinah's condo matched her status far more. Granite countertops, a spacious patio, large floor plan, and more. Though, the place was traditionally much nicer than Ollie's; but to be fair, Ollie’s did have a certain charm to it.

It helped, being at Dinah's, meant that being there that Barbara’s rockstar came part and parcel.

Dinah dropped her off a glass of water, leaning over to drop a kiss on the top of her head, Barbara definitely appreciated her insistence that Barbara come do the school’s legal stuff in the comfort of the other woman’s house.

"How's the work coming?" Dinah asked, wrapping her arms around the redhead as she rested her head on Barbara's. "Gonna be finished before you leave Star? I know this great Indian restaurant…I know how much you can’t resist butter chicken."

Barbara smiled a little, before her expression turned serious once more. "I'm... Beginning to suspect the visit's going long." Barbara said, leaning into Dinah behind her with a playful sigh. "Whatever will I do?"

"Maybe take some breaks?" Dinah teased, poking her arm.

"I gotta get all this legal bullshit done Dinah..." Barbara rolled her eyes, squirming as Dinah continued to playfully poke her until she laughed. Barbara shook her head, finally swatting Dinah’s hand away.. " I have to get those kids out of the hotel, get them settled somewhere."

“M-hmm.” Dinah hummed, and though Barbara couldn’t exactly see it, she knew the blonde had just arched an eyebrow. "And when was the last time you ate?" Dinah completely ignored her statement, arms back to being wrapped around Barbara and chin tucked over her shoulder.

"Dinah, I love you, but I'm not a child."

"That means you haven’t. " Dinah chuckled, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “You can’t pull that with me, Babs.”

"Like you know how to cook..." Barbara muttered in response, embarrassed at being called out.

"Oh shush.” Dinah swatted her arm, standing up. “What do you want? I'll get us take out."

•••••

"How's the paperwork going?" Dinah asked, sitting down next to her with a box of Chinese food. She had stolen her laptop once the butter chicken had arrived, insisting that she have it before it got cold. .

Barbara shrugged, already eagerly opening the container. "Hopefully, given my time in Congress, what I've submitted so far will clear fast." Barbara said, taking in the delicious smell of the curry. "If not, I'll be placing some strategic bribes. I'm not dealing with bureaucracy."

Dinah smiled, opening her take-out as well. "So…” She asked. “Who's the team?"

"I got Ted and you for training…” She said through a mouthful of butter chicken.

She swallowed. “You know that part. I tried to get Helena out here to teach but …” She shoveled several more spoonfuls of chicken and rice into her mouth. “Sounds like she's staying in Gotham. Talked to Roy, he's in…” She raised her hand and ticked off three fingers. “That gives us a teacher-teacher. I'll get him curriculums…” She chewed.”And I'll handle the other teaching duties he can't..."

Barbara was rattling it off, walking through the list in her mind as she took the opportunity to try and think about everything some more. "Ollie said he'd help with food, we can all do chores around the building…” She paused, slurping a spoonful of sauce. “I think that's most of it. We can find more, later, if we need."

Dinah nodded.. "And when it’s over?"

"All goes back to Roy."

"And you?" Dinah probed.

Barbara hesitated. "... I'll be in Gotham... Before that anyway." Barbara said, looking down at her food. "I don't know how long I can stay."

They both fell silent, the sounds of chewing and plastic utensils filling the uncomfortable silence.

"So you're setting this up and going back to the other side of America... Only to work here as well as on all your other stuff?" Dinah asked, innocently enough, but Barbara knew her well enough to tell that she'd been thinking about this.

"Cassandra's home is Gotham." Barbara replied, scraping at the sides of the container with her spoon. "Steph's got university in the Fall. Second year. I can't just pluck them out."

"We have a better med school here, you know." Dinah's response came fast. She knew the arguments Barbara was going to use; it'd be endearing if it wasn't being leveraged against her. "And, frankly, Cass's lived elsewhere. She's not going to shut down because she isn't choking on smog for once."

Barbara sighed, looking away. "I... I don't know."

"Think about it, Babs." Dinah said quietly, looking at her softly. "Just... Think about it."

•••••

Later that night, Barbara was — surprisingly — actually taking a break.

It was a few minutes before she'd start running operations. Her laptop was attached to some monitors, the monitors cleared of all the dust that had gathered since her last visit. All systems were at full operations. No capes flying blind tonight

Still, nobody was on early, thank god.

Barbara was lying in Dinah's bed, resting her eyes before the inevitably grueling night. Earbuds were tucked into her ears, a podcast on in the background.

The topic wasn't anything she cared deeply about. She just liked hearing the two guys talk. It was nice, just hearing men goofing like the hosts did. It reset her faith after dealing with Gotham bullshit.

As Barbara felt her muscles relax into the plush mattress, her mind whirled. Normally having something to listen to would help her stop thinking.

Apparently, today was not going to be a ‘normal’ day.

Dinah wanted her to stay, Ollie wanted her to stay...

Her fingers touched the cool, smooth surface of the back of her phone, she’d let it out of its case. For all her paranoia, something about an exposed phone was just nice to her.

She let out a breath. She wasn't going to get the answer from her brain, and she already knew her subconscious mind had decided to ignore everyone else around her.

She unlocked her phone, pausing her podcast mid guaff. Barbara listened to nobody, really. She gave some people more or less value when they talked... Not that she didn't value Dinah and Ollie's opinions just...

Dad.

Her hands had moved from just memory, she'd punched in his number as she thought. She hit the call button.

She was supposed to call tonight anyway, Barbara rationalized. It was a night at home for him. Hopefully he was getting it.

"Hey sweetie." His voice came through after three rings. She could hear the years of whiskey and cigarettes in his voice. It was the comforting sound of home.

"Hey, Dad..." She smiled, playing with the hems of Dinah's pillows. "Miss you."

"Miss you too sweetie, how's Star right now?"

Barbara's fingers drummed on the pillow beside her, eyes closed picturing her Dad. His peppered mustache and beard, the small smile that she shared with him.

"It's been amazing. The weather, seeing everyone again... The girls are loving it. I wish you'd be able to join us of these times."

"When I retire. Then I'll come with. Won't be long now, hopefully." His voice came back, warm and gravelly.

"That'd be nice..." Barbara murmured, trying to figure out what to even tell him. How could she say that she might just... Not go home. That he'd have to visit her thousands of miles away.

That his little girl was, maybe, moving away.

She knew her dad, he'd be happy. But he was still in Gotham. Barbara worried, all the time. If she was in Gotham, she would be on the ground. She could be there for him. Here… she couldn’t.

But would that be worth it if Cass, Steph, Charlie, and even these other kids, could have a better life? Wouldn’t it be selfish not to stay, to not see through what she started?

"I don't know if it even hit Gotham news, but did you hear what happened here in Star?" Lead him in slowly. Give the context.

"Ah,” She could hear the smile in his voice. “Let me guess. Starro?"

"No." Barbara shook her head. The corners of her lips quirked up. “Guess again.”

"Green Arrow died again again again and you got Dinah to yourself for the next —” Her Dad paused, probably gesturing with his other hand.” —till whenever he comes back?"

Barbara huffed out a laugh. "He doesn't do it that often, Dad."

"Oh!” He snapped his fingers. “Invasion from another dimension!"

She knew her Dad was joking, but...

"Yeah, kinda.” Barbara admitted wryly. “Not actually, but close enough."

"Oh! I actually got it right?"

Barbara chuckled. She knew just the way Dad's eyebrows would have perked up, how his mustache would have twitched.

"Six kids fell out of the sky from another dimension.” She explained, the remnants of her good mood fading, “We have five, the sixth is missing..."

She didn't hide anything now. She'd so been confident talking about finding Dani before, but it had been a few days. Likely, Dani had been found by someone. That Barbara didn't know who, or where bothered her... Barbara was realistic. She knew the city streets weren’t a good place for any girl. Let alone Native girls from another dimension, like Dani. The police had a spotty track record when it came to finding missing Native girls from this world.

And all that didn’t even account for Dani’s disability. From what the other kids told her, Dani seemed to have a severe spinal injury. And yet she hadn’t been checked into any hospital in the city.

It didn’t just bother her, it scared her. She had grown to care for these other-dimensional kids. She didn’t want to bring their friend back in a casket.

Or… not bring her back at all.

"And, how's finding the kid going?"

Barbara lay there silently for a second, squeezing her eyes shut. She hated this. She hated not knowing so, so deeply. She breathed in, trying to keep her voice even.

“I’ve got nothing… absolutely nothing. She has a back injury, but hasn’t appeared in any hospital in the city, nor on any cameras, anywhere. And, she’s Cheyenne.” Barbara’s voice cracked. “I don’t want to accuse anyone of anything but… it’s not like Cheyenne people have ever had a good relationship with the police. I don't know what to tell the rest of the kids... They all seem to look up to her... They're all super close dad I- I promised them...."

"Barbara..." He was trying to be strong, but Barbara knew he understood what she feared. “You’re doing everything you can. That’s all you can do.”

"I... I'm really worried about her, Dad..."

"I know sweetheart…” He said comfortingly. “You'll find her."

Barbara swallowed. "What if I don't?"

"Well, that's not the all-knowing Oracle's way, now is it?" her Dad said, and Barbara couldn't not smile. He paused, before asking oh-so-softly, "When are you coming home?"

The question. There it was. She had been expecting it, and she had been dreading answering it. Because she knew what she would have to tell him. Barbara just took a deep breath, she knew it was coming. She should know what to say.

"I…” Her voice wavered with uncertainty. “Don't know, Dad..."

Her Dad just chuckled on the other side, and a weight lifted off of Barbara’s shoulders. Just one small weight, many others lingered, but it was a little relief, and it was welcome. This camel could take a few more straws yet.

"Enjoying time with your girlfriend, hmm?" Her Dad teased, catching Barbara a little off-guard.

Her face flushed. He wasn’t exactly wrong but…"I'm... Yes. Of course. I'm at her place now." Barbara chuckled. "But no... It's the kids.”

She paused, before admitting: “I... I don't know what to do. I was setting up a mimicry of the school for metas they had on their Earth and..." She sighed. "I thought I'd be able to run the school stuff from Gotham but..."

"But that's not the best idea?" Her dad finished.

"Ollie and Dinah think I should stay." Barbara lay her forearm across her eyes. "I don't know what to do."

Barbara could picture her father rubbing his beard in thought. After a few minutes of silence, another question popped out of his mouth;

"How're your girls, by the way? I should’ve asked sooner."

"They're..." Barbara sighed again, trying to switch topics. "They're good. Steph and Cass have been hanging out with Mia as usual. Charlie's, of course, loving having both me and Dinah in the same room as she always does... You'd think the Birds never got together."

Barbara laughed, before sobering back up. "But, they're part of why I'm worried. They're expecting to go home."

"You should talk to them, Barbara. I don't think the Star weather would kill you. I also don't think swapping tall-dark-and-brooding for Mr. Nineteen Ninety-Three Mel Brooks would hurt, either."

"What?" Barbara laughed.

"Have I never shown you that movie? Robin Hood Men in Tights?"

Barbara shook her head, smiling faintly. "Nope. I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Well when I come visit you we'll watch it with everyone. Steph would probably love it."

"Steph probably has to go home, Dad. Believe it or not, she's not actually mine." Barbara dreaded that conversation. Cass would probably follow Steph back to Gotham — back to Bruce. "Her mom's in Gotham. So's her school."

"Would be awfully convenient if she got a scholarship offer from Star University... I hear they-"

"-have a good pre-med and med school program?” Barbara finished, rolling her eyes. “Yeah... Did Dinah tell you that?" Barbara smiled, "Still, Crystal..."

"Talk. To. Them.” He said forcefully. “This is a decision about them too, Barbara."

Barbara nodded. "I will... I'm just..."

"Bruce has seemed off the entire time you've been gone.”Her Dad commented. “Not in a "he misses you" way, either..."

She could hear him take a deep breath before continuing, "I'm looking out for him. But, you have your chance to get out of this city, Babs. I know you love it here but... You've told me how you feel about Bruce being near your girls..."

"I'll miss you, Dad..." She half whispered, fear crawling into her chest. The back of her eyes burned.

"Maybe this is what I need to finally get Montoya slowly taking over from me, kiddo. Maybe I’ll finally take a vacation now that I have an excuse to go to Cali."

"You think?"

Her Dad took a deep breath. "I think you and your little family are a lot better served out there, and you got a bunch’a new kids looking to you for help.”

“You get out now or you end up a whiskey drinking chain smoker... And you're too good, too smart, for all that." Barbara felt tears rolling down her face, she missed her dad. She needed a hug. She needed to smell the mix of his cologne and cigarettes as she pressed her face into him, feel the prickle of his beard as he kissed her head.

"I miss you Dad...." She felt awfully childish saying it.

"I'll miss you too.” He said softly. “Call. Or I'll call you, whenever. I know you'll keep an eye on me from there."

Barbara laughed, a little wetly, though she’d never admit it. "I love you."

"I love you too.” Her Dad said “Now, why don’t you tell me everything that's happening in Star with everyone…”

Chapter Text

Something to be feared.

The words echoed in Dani's ears over the next few days. 

Shiva's training continued; more than just combat and agility, the woman also seemed well-versed in other subjects. Science and philosophy were present, but Shiva had put a pointed focus on healing as she knew it. 

Vague things that Dani — admittedly — mostly didn’t understand the inner workings of. She’d asked if it was magic, to which Shiva had said simply no and not elaborated. 

Dani would’ve suspected the woman was also a mutant, had the techniques not worked when she tried. Still, Dani wasn’t completely convinced she didn’t hold some type of superhuman ability. 

For now, her thoughts were stuck on her studies. 

That was her life now, between reading mystery novels Shiva had pilfered from somewhere, occasionally sunning on the deck in between, or watching television during her downtime.

They had Magnum PI here, already-watched episodes rerunning still, and Dani was always torn between feeling comforted and wanting to cry whenever it came on. 

She constantly felt this gaping hole in her chest. She missed her friends, she mourned them in what little spare time she had. Shiva tried to keep her distracted, but that could only work so well. 

Dani always had to have time to think. No matter how tired she was, sleep could always wait. 

She needed time to mourn. 

Her friends, yes, but also her family. 

The Demon Bear... Her parents had been released, alive, at its defeat. Finally free from its clutches. But here, now, she was alone. Far from her friends, her home, and her family. 

Just her and Shiva. 

Dani sighed. She stared up at the flat ceiling, looking numbly at nothing. She was in her room, debating getting up for the day. 

Some days it was easy. Other days, like today, were not. 

But, inevitably, rise she did. Her arms shook when she pressed the heel of her palms against the mattress to sit up. She was a fighter, a proud warrior. Her blood had seen worse. 

Even if she had not. 

There was a special pain in this, in truly losing everything. A strange world with no connections, no net to cushion her fall. Not even a culture to cling to and fall back on, in this odd city she still hadn't asked the name of. 

When her parents died, she had her grandfather. When he died, she had new friends to fall back on. Now, who did Dani have? A woman who had been bestowed with divinity and yet none of the hubris that she expected to come with it.

Shiva was alien, an unknown. Shiva cared, but not in the ways Dani recognized. Not like her family, not like her friends. 

Shiva was something different, and she wanted Dani to be like her. 

Dani didn't know if she could, but — at this point? She didn't really care to look for another option — and doubted she could find it even if she wanted to. 

She was to be feared? Not for her birth, not for her powers, but for whatever else she could do? To become some type of…. traveller, like Shiva? Someone beyond this world?

She couldn't say it was the worst thing that could happen to her. 

Shiva, at least, was simply interested in improving what was there, not taking every bit of her. Moulding her to a vision she didn’t see. Scott Summers was a good man, but she would never be him — didn’t want to be him — in the way that the Professor wanted. She'd miss that if she ever went back to Xavier's. 

If. What was the point now? 

If she somehow got back — which she couldn't see how — why would she go back there? She'd return home. Actually spend time with her Mom and Dad. 

She refused to waste away in an empty school for children he insisted wouldn’t become soldiers. Sure, he claimed it was not his intent, yet here she lay. The last of his troops. 

She'd given up hope at this point. Rahne would have changed by this point, she would know  her soul-mate was alive. 

Dani didn’t even have it in herself to cry. She just felt cold and empty.  

She exhaled, tired brown eyes raising as she shifted,  stepping out of her bed onto unsteady — but stable — legs.  She could walk a bit now, through whatever it was Shiva had done. Not much, and certainly not for long, but she was making progress, she supposed. 

She helped herself into her braces, grabbing her crutches before shuffling to her closet. The clothes were a hodge-podge of styles and sizes, and Dani quietly chose something simple, a flannel and leggings (even if she struggled to button up the shirt, it was something familiar, and Dani desperately needed that right now). She returned to her bed to dress before moving to the door, lost in her mind. 

Shiva's penthouse was quiet, the city below not breaching into the woman's sanctum. The only sound was of Dani’s crutches hitting the hardwood floor. 

She was at least comfortable here, even if she was alone. 

Alone was perhaps a comfort in itself, in a way. Dani had spent years hidden away in the Medicine Bow mountains in Colorado, utterly cut off from the rest of humanity — sans her Grandfather, of course. She knew what it was like to be alone. 

Dani had grown familiar with the layout of this place, enough to be able meander her way to the kitchen half asleep without bumping into anything.

She shook off the remainder of her musings as she reached the countertop; coffee was in order, first. Then, probably she'd study the books Shiva had given her to study, then drill what Shiva had given her to practice for fighting. If Shiva was still gone by the time she called it quits… well, Dani wasn't quite sure what she'd do then. But she'd figure that out later, with caffeination. 

She set the coffee machine to run, resting heavily onto a chair and leaning against the counter and hoisting herself on top to sit and rest a second. She rubbed her eyes, temporarily setting her braces to the side.  The smell of coffee wafted into the air. She let out a breath, keeping her mind on her plan.

Study… Drills… maybe some TV…

Eventually the machine finished its job, and Dani sighed. She didn’t love using her crutches for every little thing, but she had no other choice. Next, after she had her coffee, she'd turn the TV on, some background noise to help her with her studies. 

Maybe watch the news, too... perhaps someone else survived. Illyana, or Roberto. Probably Ilyana... Please let it be Illyana. Then they could fix all of this. If it was Illyana... Surely she would know to save herself. 

Surely, though, she would have found her by now. 

Dani didn't even take the time to be disappointed. She turned, leaning to grab her crutches and get her coffee. 

Then, a voice. 

"Dani."

The girl’s head snapped to the location of the voice, her eyes flying wide open

On instinct, her powers flared, the intruder the target of her fear. 

It took her a beat too long to recognize the person she had unknowingly used her powers on was not an enemy. Before her was Shiva. Shiva, the powerful, the unshakable, facing a phantasm of a man. 

The man was built strong, with a military crew cut and a cold face. He wore a simple black tactical suit adorned with patches, straps, guns, and other weapons along him. 

And Shiva… was terrified. 

Dani gasped in horror, recalling her powers as quickly as she could, but the damage had already been done. Shiva shook. The mighty, mysterious God gone for the image of a woman destroyed. 

Dani stood, understanding, and horrified of what she had done. Her powers, to show a greatest fear or greatest desire. She'd panicked, and blasted her mentor with the full power of her abilities. 

She'd revealed herself as a mutant. And, in the worst way imaginable.

She hadn't been thinking of that, of her powers. She'd not told Shiva, she hadn’t thought to test the waters on the subject... See where Shiva stood. To be honest, she hadn’t wanted to. Her powers were cruelty incarnate, ripping out someone’s most personal, private parts for the world to see. 

Telekinesis or telepathy… those, perhaps, had a use. Dani’s was a weapon.

She rushed over to Shiva on her crutches, face screwed up with  worry and anxiety in equal measure.

"Shiva? Are you okay?" She reached out as much as she could, trying to comfort the woman. 

Shiva twinged back, glancing at the hand that touched her — Dani’s hand, which retracted back towards the girl as if it had been burned — backing away with a glare. 

"Shiva..?" Dani’s voice was much quieter now, brown eyes round and full of regret. 

"Stay back." Shiva's voice came out biting.  Dani flinched away. The woman's glare radiated as she turned, making towards her room with long, heavy strides. 

"Shiva!" Dani cried, scouring her brain, trying to know what to do. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. She swallowed back her pleas for forgiveness. It would do nothing, if Shiva did not wish to forgive her.  

The woman closed her bedroom door behind her with a slam. 

Dani stood there, still shaking. Processing everything she had just seen, that she had just done. 

At first, she had expected Shiva to rage, the mutant hatred to come out full-force. It was no less than what had happened with the Roberts. 

This, though, Dani thought, was worse. It was no less than she deserved, and yet it still left a sickening pit of guilt stewing in her gut.

Dani stood there until her forearms began to shudder from overexertion. The click of her crutches against the ground had never felt as echoing as it did now. Her coffee had become cold. Still, Dani sat on the barstool and raised the mug to her trembling lips. 

She couldn't hear Shiva in her room... She hadn't seen her around earlier. She must have missed Shiva coming back. 

A foul taste in the back of her throat was covered by the cold, unsweetened coffee as she swallowed, trying to think of what to do. 

She could leave, go to the streets and pray that she could survive there. If she found some wilderness, she might be able to live until wintertime, but she didn’t know this place, wouldn’t be able to identify the plants that grew here like she could at home. She was betting with a bad hand. No matter what she chose, she would lose.

If she stayed, and it turned out Shiva hated mutants, she would have no issue killing her. 

But she would have already if she wanted to... No?

Her thought turned to the illusion she had created. Who was that man? How had that been this woman's fear? Shiva, who seemed so powerful. Shiva, who was apparently revered. Shiva, who healed in illogical and impossible ways. 

One, simple, single, man?

Dani shook her head. She drained the last dredges of the foul beverage.

She, of all people, should know not to underestimate one man. It was one man who had taken her away from her Grandfather after her parents had died, and it was one man who had killed Black Eagle, too.

She simply slumped, grabbing her crutches and swinging herself over to the sandpit. She wouldn't focus now on science — wouldn’t be able to.  Internally, she still debated leaving while she could. 

But where? To die a worse death in an unknown place on strange streets? She'd rather stay, face the consequences like a warrior-woman should. 

Hope Shiva was swift in reconnecting her with Xavier’s other dead soldiers. 

• ••••

A few hours passed, both too slow and too long.

The door to Shiva’s room cracked open. Dani froze, practicing what she could in the sandpit. She'd kept the television off so she didn't miss the woman again, her anxiety fueling her training now.

Shiva walked out of her room her old self. Her gaze strong, her posture proud. What Dani had done was gone. Shakily, Dani turned to face Shiva, bracing for what was to come.

Much to Dani's relief, Shiva did not seem angry. She looked calmly at Dani, her analytical gaze slicing through whatever stood between Shiva's eyes and Dani's soul like a scalpel. 

"You have powers." Shiva commented evenly as she stopped at the edge of the pit, next to Dani. Dani tucked her toes into the sand, tilting her head up to peer up at Shiva. 

"Ye-yes ma'am." Dani uttered in response, still scared of what was to come. 

"You did not tell me that fact." Shiva stood still, expression unchanging, her body unmoving but for breath. "Why?"

It was already too late to pretend. She might as well speak the truth. 

Dani shifted, straightening. She moved, grasping her forearm crutches as restlessness itched under her skin. If she was going to be kicked out, she would do it on her feet, proudly. "I'm a mutant."

Shiva stared Dani down, her eyes narrowed. "Don't call yourself that. What are you?"

Dani stood, baffled. Had this woman really not heard of the so-called ‘greatest menace to American life?’. 

"A mutant, ma'am.” Dani repeated, more confident this time. If Shiva had never heard of them, she must not hate them.  “That's... That's what I am."

"Stop calling yourself that and stop calling me ma'am." Shiva responded, lips pursed. She stepped down to go into the training pit as Dani began to move away from her subconsciously. "What do you mean?"

She didn't seem angry. Dani realized, relieved. She simply seeked understanding. That, Dani could help with. A blessing, the anxieties Dani had conjured in her mind slowly dissipating. Death was still a possibility, Dani supposed, but it felt less likely by the moment. 

"Where I come from, there are people like me born with powers…” Dani moved through the training pit, kicking one bag.  “A lot of people hate us for it. Same way they hate me for being Cheyenne or being a woman. All nonsense, but a lotta powerful folks believe it, so we have to lay low. Hide it if we can. "

Shiva nodded, silently fixing the girl’s form when Dani went to hit the bag again. "And your… powers. What are they exactly?" 

Shiva had gathered herself remarkably quickly, Dani mused. Xuân refused to be around her for days after she accidentally had shown her greatest fear. How the woman had gone from shattered, to this cold mask, in just a few hours, was beyond Dani. 

"I…” Dani hesitated. She hated telling people her powers, hated to see the fear and revulsion on their faces. After a few beats, she forced it past her lips.  “I'm a limited telepath... I can bring forward someone’s greatest fears or greatest desires. Can kinda sense people’s moods too, but I’m not too good with that. I’m better with animals, any critter, really. It connects—” 

Dani stuttered, quieting. “... Connected me with my soul-mate, Rahne... She... She could morph into a wolf at will..."

Shiva nodded slowly. "So what I saw when I surprised you... That was all in my head?" Shiva’s voice was terse, it was important she knew. 

"I could see it too... The man... I mean." Dani nodded, looking at the ground. "But he wasn't real."

Shiva nodded sharply, still maintaining that form Dani was so used to seeing in her. "You are not to repeat any of what you have seen today. Do you understand?"

Dani gulped, nodding rapidly.

"How good is your control of your powers?" Shiva asked, softer now. "I surprised you, I assume you used them in your reflex. Do you control them well, beyond that?"

"I was being trained…” Dani shrugged, feeling her muscles begin to loosen with relief as Shiva softened, “Pro’ly not very well by your standards... To control them." Dani said, soothed by the fact that she had not become the target of Shiva’s fury."It was the team I was leading... It was supposed to just be him teaching us to control our powers."

"How convenient,” Shiva remarked coolly. “And, yet you just happened to end up here after fighting a threat?" 

Dani shook her head, a signal. Not now.  There was a burn in the back of her eyes. "Yeah..."

Shiva shook her head. "Do you control which side of your powers affects people?" A glint of hope catching a ride of her voice. 

Dani nodded, looking back up at Shiva, a look of bafflement filling her face

"The other side, demonstrate. On me." Shiva commanded, not in any cruel way, but Dani knew to do it.

She concentrated a bit this time, and before her a woman appeared. The woman was twenty, like a younger Shiva in many ways, but not exactly. She was smiling, offering a hand to Shiva with a certain amount of familiarity. A softness, too. Shiva might have softened from her normal state, but the girl between them seemed like cotton to Shiva’s hard 

Dani looked towards Shiva, tilting her head to the side. Somehow, she knew this wasn’t like Selene. It was no desire for youth, but a desire for someone else. 

"Enough." Shiva said, the softest Dani had heard her speak. A pain hid poorly behind Shiva's eyes. Dani understood, forcing the illusion away. 

Silence hung in the air for a moment before Shiva nodded, turning away. 

"Finish your break. We'll continue your training later." Waving her hand gently at Dani. "I'm... I'm going to my room. Knock if you require anything from me."

• ••••

Later that night, and Dani lay in bed, craving sleep but body refusing her. 

The day had run late with training, Shiva coming out of her room hours later after retiring once again. 

Now, though, Dani lay in her darkened room with her thoughts all too free. Her thoughts back circling back on her friends — on poor, little Rahne who never loved her powers... Powers that got her killed, now. 

Had Rahne feared damnation in her last moments? She'd died afraid, failed by someone supposed to protect her, afraid because of another failure of someone meant to take care of her... Hadn't she? Afraid her god would damn her for what Xavier had done.

What about the others, too? Dani tossed and turned, squeezing her eyes shut to try to keep the tears from dripping down her cheeks.

What of them? She hoped, she prayed that Illyana had at least thought to save herself... Her friends were gone, or they had died, whether Dani and Yana changed the past or not. 

If Yana was even alive. 

Dani spiralled, the burn at the back of her eyes hadn't left all day. She just lay there, her thoughts of her friends sending her deeper and deeper into a rabbit hole.

At some point, Dani groaned, rolling to her other side for what felt like the millionth time. 

Maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was just her own judgement, but slowly, her powers began to flicker on around her. She'd never tried them on herself before. 

The room grew a bit, and suddenly, most of her friends lay around her in sleeping bags. Yana, Berto, Sam, Amara... The only one to not have a bag was Rahne, sweet dear Rahne, who lay nestled in Dani's embrace. The Scot was fast asleep, and Dani smiled, closing her eyes and feeling the way Rahne breathed against her skin as Dani drifted off with her. 

Chapter Text

Babs: We need to talk.

Barbara's message had come through a few seconds ago. Ominous, but Stephanie figured it was either her being ‘efficient’ or lazy.

She was with Cass and Mia once again, at the mall this time. They were watching over Charlie while also doing a bit of shopping.

This? This text was probably a sign to stop that.

Steph excused herself away from the others before hitting the call button by Barbara's name, not even bothering to text.

"Hey,” Steph asked, leaning against the nearest wall. “What's up?"

"When are you three coming back?" Barbara’s words didn’t sound urgent. A good sign. Still, it worried her.

"Uh—" Stephanie looked over at Cassandra and Mia, hopefully they had their eyes on Charlie, because she sure couldn't see the kid. "I guess we could at any time? Is it important?"

Barbara paused, and Steph could almost see her massaging the bridge of her nose. "Don't rush just... When you get home, we all need to chat."

"Okay Babs... I'll see you when we get back?" Stephanie said, voice becoming soft as she tried not to think too hard about what it could mean.

"I'll see you when you all get back.” Barbara’s voice already sounded a bit more distant, the clicking of her keyboard becoming more audible. “Stay safe."

"Love you."

"Love you too,” A smile was threaded through Barbara’s words. “Say hi to Cass and Charlie for me."

Steph smiled a bit, anxiety rolling in her gut. "Will do." She waited until the click that signaled Barbara had hung up. She tucked her phone in her pocket, moving back over to the others.

Steph walked back over to the others where they sat. Her mind running through everything that Barbara could possibly want to talk about. The need, the lack of urgency, it made no sense.

"All good?" Mia checked in, shooting a smile at Steph as she rejoined the group.

Steph nodded. She knew nobody died... Barbara would’ve told her if they did. Unless it was someone in Cass's life that had died? Was it Cain? She hoped it was Cain.

Or maybe it was good news? But then why act so oddly about it?

"Babs was just checking in, wanted to talk with us three when we got back." Steph said, gesturing between herself and Cass, scanning for Charlie in the crowd.

"Bad news?" Mia replied, pointing at the girl's red hair off by the Cinnabon.

"I don't know. Just said she wanted to talk." Stephanie mumbled, not bothering to act tough while Charlie was gone. No point, couldn't hide from Cass, and Mia could read her almost as well. She just sat between the other girls. "I don't think it's bad..."

"She's seemed bothered..." Cassandra murmured, resting her head upon Stephanie’s shoulder.

Steph exhales heavily, running a hand through her hair. "By what, though? I mean there's those kids..." Steph trailed off, resting her head on Cassandra’s in turn, "I doubt it's them, she's probably worried sick about the missing girl."

"She's opening a school for them, like the one they came from before this." Mia commented passively. She shrugged once Steph and Cass turned to her with matching curious looks. "Heard Ollie and Dinah talking about it."

Stephanie nodded. "What's that gotta do with us, though?" Stephanie said thoughtfully, before sighing with a shake of her head. "I just hope everything is okay."

"I'm sure it's fine.” Mia waved her hand dismissively. “It's Babs, she probably didn't realize how creepy she was being." Mia laughed, her eyes darting down... Not for long, but just enough for Stephanie to catch.

It was probably nothing, Steph could almost guarantee that. Likely just Mia catching a shadow move.

"You Gothamites are good at that, and nobody's better than her."

"You sure about that?" Stephanie teased. "You don't live there."

Mia smiled knowingly. "She bought Dinah's apartment in Gotham. The entire building. Just because. She's pretty creepy.”

Steph chuckled. She knew Barbara would be able to hear them if she wanted to, but she knew Babs was too busy to be bored enough to spy on them.

Especially in Star. Why waste time watching them when she could spend that time with Dinah?

The girls got up after a few more minutes of chatter. They stuck together, trailing Charlie to ensure the little girl didn’t cause any of the chaos she was capable of. The girl's red hair was blissfully distinct in the sea of fake Cali blondes.

•••••

A while later, and the girls were finally out of the mall with some loot in hand while Charlie ran ahead to the bus stop.

The warm weather washed over them as they followed the bouncing ball of a girl. Cass was telling a story — with a bit of Steph prompting for details here and there — about her time in Hong Kong.

Steph was listening, she knew the story so it didn't take much effort.

She was half looking at her phone, interjecting as needed to help Cass along. Despite everything she had been through, she was here. A spite to her father’s plans.

Cass was doing good.

Her mind wandered as Cass became less reliant on her prompting. Steph was mostly checking messages. More from Bruce, one from Tim she almost read, one from Jason claiming that he understood her because of their shared backgrounds… blah blah blah blah blah

And then, an email.

From Star City University.

In her Gotham U email account's inbox.

'Offer of Acceptance + Scholarship.'

She hadn't applied to Star. She hadn't even bothered, it was far, it was expensive, it was wildly competitive. Steph didn’t even realized she had stopped breathing until she began to get lightheaded.

She knew Barbara would never have left a vulnerability to scammers in her systems... And that included Steph's personal tech.

It was legit.

Steph opened the email, hands shaking so badly that she almost dropped her phone, mind whirling in new direction from earlier.

The conversation behind her had stopped. Steph hadn’t even noticed that she had stopped, too.

Her eyes skimmed over the email. She saw the words she was looking for. They were offering admission to the pre-med and whatever post-grad she chose. Full ride.

It wasn't like she was struggling right now. She lived rent-free with Babs, and sure, she had student loans but... well, Barbara gave the Batgirls a "salary", too, so they didn't stretch themselves thin.

Still, this?

This was the miracle email.

But was it hers? Did she deserve it?

"Steph?"

Steph hadn't noticed they were calling her name. Sloppy.

"Good news?" Cassandra asked, voice rasping. She peered up at her, lips pursing. “Or… Bad?”

"I... Good? Maybe…? " Stephanie said, still disbelievingly staring down at her phone, then at Cass, then Mia, trying to think past her racing thoughts, all the words she could ever say becoming lodged in her throat.

But she couldn't leave Cass in Gotham, could she? Babs and her had meetings to make sure they both knew what was going on with her. She loved Cass. More than anything.

And besides, her mom was in Gotham. She never knew how much time she would have left, especially in Gotham. Especially in Gotham’s hospital.

But Steph knew the reputation of this school.

How had they guaranteed everything?

"It's..." 'Nothing,' Stephanie Brown? You're going to try to lie to Cass. Cassandra Cain. Who knows you better than anyone. Who can read body language better than most people spoke their own language. She could probably even read this internal dialogue.

Stephanie flipped her phone for them to see, looking at the ground as Mia slowly read it aloud to the other girls.

"Holy shit!" Mia cheered, tackling her in a hug. "Hell yeah, Steph!"

Stephanie, for her part, just gave a quick hug back before letting go, and went back to staring at it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cass’s shoulders curl inwards, proud gaze lowered to the floor.

"How long do you think I have to reply? To... Decide?" She looked at Mia, then Cass. Barbara would know but... Actually, she probably already knew. Couldn't hide anything from that woman. At times, it was scary. But Barbara gave her more privacy than others. A little bit of trust was a lot if you knew the Oracle.

Was it still creepy? Maybe. Probably would be if it were anyone else.

Steph noticed Cass shifting her body language. A moment ago it had been small, but now she seemed to be building herself back up before they could noticed she had faltered at all. Steph knew enough of Cass's mother tongue to know how she talked, most of the time.

Cass… She was like those old rubber hose cartoons. You could tell what she was feeling by just watching her, in down time, at least. Cassandra tended to have a solid presentation while patrolling, but not here. Here, Cassandra had almost exaggerated physical shows.

As she feared, and as she deserved, really. She couldn't leave Cass and everything in Gotham.

But could she throw away what this could mean — the incredible opportunity this was?

"Few... Days?" Cass suggested after a pause, brows furrowing as she spoke.

"Yeah, a few days but... Geez, Steph." Mia was grinning wildly, even more excited than Steph was. "That's, I mean, you could even probably stay with us for a bit."

Steph felt the corners of her lips curl up at the idea, as she stuffed her phone in her pocket. "Bus is almost here... I might... Talk to Babs. After our talk about whatever she needs to talk about.”

"Guuuuys, the bus is coming!" Charlie's voice snapped them out of their discussion. “Can you guys move any faster?!”

•••••

Steph rapped her knuckles against the wood panelling on the door.

The three Batgirls were now waiting, standing nervously outside Barbara's hotel room.

Steph heard Barbara call out. "Doors unlocked."

The three of them stepped inside, all glancing unsuredly at one another.

Barbara wasn't laying on her bed this time, but set up at the desk in her room. Barbara spun herself to face them as they all entered.

Quietly, Steph wondered what Cass could read off Barbara in the evening light, the dusk sun flooding through the window behind Barbara. It hadn't quite yet gotten dark enough to warrant turning the actual lights on, but it was just dark enough that it made expressions hard to read.

Maybe for Cass it was different. Maybe she already knew what was about to go down.

Steph sure didn't, and she'd been guessing all day since the call.

Charlie, for her part, didn't seem to have a care in the world. Mind you, nor did Cass. Steph was really the only one with nervous energy, it seemed. A good sign, probably. Maybe. Hopefully.

Charlie jumped onto the bed, her red hair flying behind her as she flew into the mattress, before righting herself with a grin. "What's up?!"

Steph slowly took the chair in the corner, Cassandra leaned against it, next to her, all eyes on Babs.

"So," She began, taking off her glasses and giving them a wipe on her Black Canary t-shirt. "Remember how I've been dealing with the dimension hopping kids? And their missing friend?" Barbara slid her glasses back on. Now that she wasn't back lit, she could be seen a bit more easily.

A smile was on her lips, it hadn't met her eyes. Steph knew the Gordon smile, Jim, Babs, Cass, they all smiled the same way. Small curl in the lips, but it always crinkled by the eyes when they meant it. Despite everything he'd been through, when she saw him, Steph always could see the smile lines on Barbara's dad.

Barbara was too young for smile lines, but even now the creases in the corners of her eyes, they weren't there. A pit began to build in Steph’s stomach.

"Still no luck?" Cassandra questioned, eyebrows arching., "We should start patrols."

Barbara sighed, looking away. "Maybe, Cass. But nothing's come up from my searches, facial recognition,” She started ticking things off with her fingers. “Hospital records, hell, even just bodies found in the area." Barbara’s voice had grown more and more quiet, until her last word was practically a whisper. "Nothing."

A heavy silence blanketed the room. It had been a few days by now, and Oracle didn't miss much.

Stephanie knew it could, and had, happened... though, on the other hand, she also knew basic statistics. Barbara was the backbone of capes, she knew Oliver Queen was back from the dead 'ten minutes before he did.'

Barbara’s voice broke into the room as she took a deep breath. "That's not what I wanted to talk to you three about, though. It's... Looking like these kids are going to be staying a while.”

“Best we can tell, their Earth doesn't exist. Full stop." The Oracle explained, lips pursing as she shook her head. "No discrepancies in vibrational patterns to figure out what Earth they're from, so they can't be from the multiverse. Ted and Micheal can't find evidence of time travel or timeline hopping, so that's out. It's like the kids just spawned into existence, but none of their genetics match anyone on our Earth, either. Only detail we’ve got is a faint bit of magic... But apparently that one’s some type of witch, so of course it would be there."

Charlie's hand shot up, head tilted. Questions shot out of her lips like bullets. "Is it Aliens, then? Are they from another planet? You mentioned how a lot of aliens tend to… like… basically carcinisatize into human-like looks? Is this another Krypton?"

Barbara shook her head. "There's genetic differences..." She looked thoughtfully, and pointedly at Charlie."But they're closer to humans and homo magi like you, Char. Though, there's not that much difference between all three groups. They're firmly human."

Charlie huffed, slumping back onto the bed. "What're we thinking is up with them, then?"

"Best we can do?” Barbara shrugged one shoulder. “Believe them. No signs of psychosis or delusions. They aren't lying. Until we can figure more out about them, we're just... Gonna have to transition them to living here best we can." There was a trail off on Barbara's end. There was more she needed to say, but she wasn't yet saying it.

Cass was the one to pull her finger from the dam.

"Then who's handling that?" Casandra piped up from above Stephanie, the blonde's head slowly leaning into her best friend.

Barbara nodded, visibly preparing herself for what she was about to say. "A few people. But I'm the one who's been overseeing this so far. I'm the only person that knows every detail of what's happened with these kids." Barbara spoke slowly. Not like she doubted their ability, but as if she was leading up to something. Stephwas beginning to have suspicions.

"What I'm saying is — I started the efforts to look after what these kids need. I started the project to get an approximation of their school running. But that means they need someone in charge of that."

Steph slowly nodded, understanding what Barbara was saying. "So you're staying here."

Charlie cheered from the bed, disappearing in a puff of smoke before reappearing several feet up and falling back onto the bed with a wide, kind of manic, grin.Steph turned to observe Cass, but she wasn't sure exactly how the other girl felt.

Stephanie wasn't sure what she even felt. If Barbara was here, Charlie would be too. Maybe even Cass. She wouldn’t need to go back to Gotham, ever talk to Batman again.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Barbara said quietly, glancing between all of them, leaning forward onto her arms, hands clasped. "I don't know. Because it's not just me staying. It would be you two too, Charlie and Cass... And Steph..."

"... I got an email from… Star U, offering a full ride..." Steph half responded, staring at Barbara as the older woman seemed to perk up.

"That's amazing, Steph. Are you taking it?" Barbara congratulated her, a hint of hope catching on the tip of her tongue.

Steph was already scanning around, seeing how everyone was staring at her. She was trying desperately to figure out what the correct answer was.

"I don't know. I don't... Want to leave mom, and you guys..." She trailed off, thinking about the opportunities the school could give, what it meant for her.

"But..?" Cassandra rasped from above her, prompting her along.

"... If I knew you three were staying..." Steph was testing the waters. See where this would go.

"I wanna!" Charlie called out, beaming at the idea of spending time in the sun, with the Arrows and Barbara's group. The sparkle in her eye sparked a smile in Steph, too. Charlie looked elated.

Cass seemed to see it too, and Steph saw her soften. Maybe this would be enough to get her to stay.

Barbara continued: "These kids need help. If we stay, I'd probably get you two to meet them, too, just to have..." Barbara gestured vaguely as she seemed to search for the right word. "Some people here."

Steph schooled her expression, even though her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She knew that Barbara had worded that specifically to appeal to Cass. The kids needed help, Cass. How can you not help?

It wasn't lying. Hell, was it even manipulation?

Kinda, Steph supposed. Still, that just would leave her mom to worry about.

"What do you think, Cass?" Barbara’s voice broke Steph out of her musings.

Cass was quiet for a few moments, before she slowly nodded. Cass opened her mouth, before closing it a few times. Stress, change. Her words were failing her.

"We will stay. Help." Cass stated after a bit. "It's what we do."

Barbara sat back with a broad smile. "I'll figure out where we'll be staying.” She looked to Steph, gaze softening. “Stephanie... Congratulations. We'll celebrate soon. Okay?"

Steph’s mind was spiralling as everything began to dawn at her all at once.

"I'll have to tell my mom."

Barbara grinned. "She's going to be so proud.”

Chapter Text

Rahne felt dead. 

No, not quite. But as she woke, there was a part of her that truly wished she was. 

Days . It had been days since they had landed in this world. Days without knowing if Dani was dead or alive. 

Rahne… didn't know what to do. She knew what she should’ve done, days ago.  That one, simple thing. She didn't know why she didn't when they landed. It should’ve been her first thought. She was a coward, for waiting so long to check. 

And now, Dani was gone. 

And now, Dani was probably never going to be seen again.

And now, Rahne was alone. 

Well, not alone. Not really. She still had the rest of her friends, yes. 

Except Dani... Dani was something different. What she and Dani had, it wasn’t like any of her other friends. Dani and her were connected in ways nobody could understand. 

Dani didn't just die, a bit of Rahne had, too. 

She rolled out of bed, her hair a mess from sleep. She spied the clock on her bedside, the time 8:54 staring back at her in blinking red text. Rahne rubbed her eyes. 

The witch; she should at least go talk to her, no matter how devilish she may be. Illyana was the other person closest to Dani, and Dani was always a good judge of character. She might be able to understand, too. Maybe she could help. 

Wasn't that what Illyana and Dani always did? They'd survive and come back to save everyone?

If nothing more, Illyana would understand her mourning well. 

Rahne stepped out of her room — what did she care if she was still in her pyjamas? Her bare feet padded against the hotel’s carpet flooring as she made her way to Illyana’s room. 

The door was soon in front of her. Rahne hesitated a moment, muttering a prayer before she faced the girl within, and lifted her hand to knock. 

A muffled "Come in," sounded, followed by Sam's voice echoing it. Rahne paused, she hadn’t known Sam would be here as well, but what did it really matter. She pushed the door open and slipped inside.

Illyana had a similar room to Rahne’s. The layout all but identical to the young Scot. The same rainbow of shades of beige colouring everything, the bed was a queen too, with the odd odd strip that ran across just before the bed. Even the same chair put baffling in the corner, its existence a bafflement to Rahne; why would one not just rest in bed? 

On the bed, Illyana lay, face down, head buried in her pillow. Sam sat cross-legged on the bed beside her, gently rubbing her back. He glanced up at Rahne when she entered, smiling softly. 

"Hey Rahne." He said comfortingly. "You doin’ okay?"

She wasn’t. He wasn't, either. Rahne didn't have to be a telepath to see the exhaustion weighing down on his lanky frame, the crumpled curl to his shoulders. Nobody was ‘okay’ right now. That was the fact of it all. 

Rahne trodded over to them, hoisting herself up onto the mattress next to Sam. Illyana had turned her head at some point, and dully watched Rahne’s approach. 

A feeble sound came from Illyana's throat before she buried her face back in the pillow, shoulders shaking. Rahne just sat at the edge of the bed, trying to ignore the crushing weight of Dani's absence. 

Sam looked at her, then to Illyana, before patting the empty space next to him. Rahne took that as permission to scooch closer, silently getting pulled into a hug by the older boy. 

Rahne curled up into Sam’s side, burying her face into his coarse sleepshirt. He smelled like aftershave and boy’s deodorant. She didn’t like it normally, but now it was comforting. He was here. He was real. He wasn’t leaving. 

Illyana’s muffled sniffles broke the silence in the air, but a small voice rang out, choked, but clear as day: "I'm sorry."

At first Rahne didn't know where they came from, or who would be apologizing. A few seconds passed, and Illyana lifted her head,  turning to Rahne and Sam with puffy and red-rimmed eyes. "I- I'm sorry Rahne... I'm sorry Sam..."

Rahne’s mind stuttered to a halt, trying to understand what Illyana meant. Surely, she knew it wasn’t her fault… even if it was her powers that caused this situation, but Illyana was just doing her best. It was not her fault her abilities were works of the Devil. 

Sam, always a mite quicker than Rahne, jumped in first. "It's not your fault, Illyana —"

"Like hell it's not!" Illyana exploded, accent thickening as she slammed her fist into the bed. "I'm the one that got us in this mess Sam! I'm the one that was supposed to rescue all of us. Dani es-.. included." 

Rahne stomach dropped, reeled back at the sight of her grief-fueled anger. She'd figured Illyana would be hurting like her, but seeing it now... It made everything worse. 

"Illyana. She made it through." Sam said, sounding so sure that Rahne yearned to believe him. “Our Chief is tough as nails. No way she didn’t. She’s probably raising hell in another part of the city, trying to find us right now.”

How he could be so strong at a time like this, Rahne hadn’t the foggiest clue. But they — she — needed it now. They needed his stability. 

Sam’s words continued, but a flicker of uncertainty began to reveal itself.  "They know she fell through with us. They just..."

"They just don't know where, huh?!" Illyana snapped, throwing her hands up with a mad laugh. "Great! So we know our friend is somewhere in this city, alone, and barely able to walk at best , and nobody can find her?! Rahne can't?! I'm so glad we might have a body to bury when they find her, Sam. That makes it so much better." Her chest was heaving, and Illyana let out a choked sob, covering her mouth as she turned away. 

Rahne buried her face into Sam at Illyana's outburst. She was right. Lord, she hated that Illyana was right. What matter did any of it make? It was Xuan all over again. They'd search and search, but it was all for naught. 

A second friend, dead and gone. 

Sam held Rahne close, squeezing gently. "Ah don't think Rahne's... Checked, yet... ‘Yana." He turned to peer at her. “Have you?”

Rahne shook her head. "Ah did, Sam. Ah did it the night we spent in th' med bay..."

Illyana nodded, suddenly dull once more as all the rage suddenly seemed to leave the girl. She pulled her knees up to her chest, throat bobbing as she swallowed heavily. 

Lord, Rahne had never seen her look so small before. She barely resembled the witch she had met all those months ago.

"Can... Can we check?" Illyana's voice was soft, desperate. “One more time. Please?” 

Rahne had been avoiding it, not wanting to check one last time. The idea of finally facing the truth overwhelming and paralyzing her.

She looked between the two blondes and, despite her fear, despite her reservations, knew that it was time. She had to be brave, like her dear soul-mate was. She had to face reality.

Dani was dead — unless by some miracle, they found her through this. It was no longer that ignorance kept Dani possibly alive. It was now the one hope at her being alive.. 

It would be closure, if nothing else. 

Rahne nodded, reluctantly shifting from Sam's arm and standing. "Ah... Ah'm gonna do it in the bathroom..." I don’t want you to see me when I find out, went unsaid.

Rahne dragged her feet to the bathroom of Illyana’s hotel room. It was a cold, cramped space, and Rahne caught a glance of her own, pale reflection in the mirror hung over the sink. The Scottish girl closed the door behind her, turning on the light and taking a deep breath before kneeling to th marble. 

A prayer; a fervent prayer to the Lord, begging for his mercy to be cast unto Dani — Dani, who had always been so kind and good, who did not deserve to leave, who Rahne didn’t know if she could live without — before the end of any hope. 

Standing once more, she watched with a mix of revulsion and admiration as she watched herself shift. Her skin prickled as fur began to bristle, fingers shortening and teeth growing sharp in her jaw. She turned her back on the mirror, clothes falling from her body.

Rahne expected to feel nothing.

Perhaps that would’ve been better than what she did find.

A horrible anguish, doubling the one she felt. Rahne felt her wolf body collapse onto itself, and she hit the floor with a distressed howl. Nails scraped against tile as she felt her .

Dani —

 — Dani, alive and mourning —

 — A Dani who noticed her, a Dani who didn't believe her —

— a Dani in pain —

 — A Dani that felt all the worse now.

Rayne shifted back with a gasp, her heart pounding between her ribs. Relief and terror flooded through her.  She touched her suddenly-wet cheeks. Dani was alive. Dani was safe enough to mourn. 

"Rahne?! Rahne, are you ok?!" Sam's voice came from the other side of the door, panicked. He sounded about two seconds away from bashing the door down himself. "Rahne?!"

"Ah-ah'm ok!" Rahne shouted, shaking her head in disbelief, in joy, and… in sorrow. What had Dani gone through, to hurt her so? Her voice quieted. "It's Dani... She- she's alive."

• ••••

Minutes later, and the rest of the New Mutants had all converged into Illyana's room. The tone had shifted, mourning was over, and rage had taken center stage. 

Rahne hadn't a clue where Dani was. Just that Dani was.

Amara had reassured her that not knowing wasn’t Rahne’s fault, despite it very clearly being so. She had held back the extent of what she felt on the other side of her bond, simply saying that Dani was alive. She could ask, if she wanted. But, did Dani even know?

"So, the ‘all-knowing’ Oracle missed her?" Roberto said, pacing the room, shoulders burning with his Sunspot energy. "How do we know they don't have her? Huh? Suppose they're lying?"

"You think, Roberto?" Amara asked. 

She seemed level headed, but her words were layered over what Rahne knew was a terrifyingly cool rage. She'd positioned herself on Rahne's opposite side, the Scot sandwiched between her and Sam, and as such, she could feel the heat radiating off of her. 

Across from all three of them was Illyana, knees still pulled up to her chest, but, ironically, with a fire burning in her eyes.

"For what, though, ’Berto?” Sam butted in, running a hand through his hair. “Why only her? Why tuck her away from us?" Sam crossed his arms, leaning against the backboard. "Why only Dani? Amara can level a city. You're a human energy cell. She's just... Her powers aren't what make her what she is. And, how would they know her powers anyway?"

"They might’ve grabbed her to control us." Illyana butted in, unfolding her limbs until she, too, was leaning with her arms crossed. "We need them, if she's missing. Dani might’ve seemed the weakest, with her injuries, and so they think she’s least likely to fight back. ‘Course, they don’t know her like we do, she probably put up one heckuva fight, but still… Take her, tuck her away, then position themselves as the only option..."

"I dinnae think that Oliver fella is bad..." Rahne mumbled, staring down at her lap as she picked at the fabric of her pants. "Nor any o'them. Do we really think them to be this cruel?"

Illyana arched an eyebrow, pointing out, a little softer. “Don’t you think it’s awfully convenient how they already had everything set up for us? The doctors, the hotel, this ‘league’? A video of a woman’s mutant daughter, to tug at our heartstrings?”

Rahne shifted, unsure. “I dinnae… They were nae mad about us being mutants.”

“A lot of bad people seem nice at first.” Illyana said. “They’re giving us an awful lot for awfully little. They have to have ulterior motives.” 

Sam shook his head, before saying firmly. "Ah think it’s a possibility. Ah still stand by the thought that it's awfully odd the way they're doing it, if they are malicious."

"We could break in, search their Hall for Dani." Amara proposed, gently pulling Rahne closer, wrapping the smaller girl in a hug. "See that they aren't holding her. If they are good, we will find nothing. If they are not…"

“We’ll find Dani.” Roberto finished. “I think it’s the best idea we’ve got. Better than sitting here, twiddling our thumbs while Dani’s out there. We’ve got a duty to our teammates, like you’ve said, Amara.”

The team looked around at each other in a silent agreement. They needed to break into this ‘Hall of Justice’ and figure out exactly what was going on. 

"Not tonight." Sam said after a moment. “We need time to organize it, figure out where they could be hiding her.”

“We need to get her now!” Illyana protested. “Who knows what they could be doing to her!” Roberto nodded in agreement, oddly silent throughout this whole discussion. Rahne could see conflict in his eyes. She wondered if he, too, was blaming himself for this predicament.

“I second Sam, Illyana.” Amara said, running her fingers through Rahne’s stubby hair. “What use to her will we be if we run in blind? No, a plan would be best.” 

Illyana reluctantly agreed. “I suppose you’re… not wrong.” She pressed her lips together. “For this plan, I have to let you know. I don’t know the status of my powers here. I haven’t tested in case we’re being watched… But my connection to Limbo…” she trailed off, searching for words.

“It’s gone?” Sam replied, clearly trying to hide his alarm. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the fabric of his pants. 

Illyana shook her head, speaking slowly. “No, but it’s… different. Something has changed. I haven’t tested anything yet, lest something terrible happen.”

The revelation had barely even a moment to settle before there was a knock at the door. Rahne’s heart jumped into her throat, and from the looks on her teammates faces, she wasn’t alone. 

"You goofs in here?" 

Oliver. The Green Arrow. The man that was tasked with keeping an eye on them all. He'd mostly been acting as the nearest responsible adult, but left them to their own devices, mostly. That was nice, at least. 

But from the expressions on everyone’s faces, they weren’t comforted by the sound of his voice. It was too soon, too convenient. She could see the thoughts whirring in their minds. Had we been caught? Was someone listening in?

"Yeah! We're all in here, sir!" Sam called back, a catch in his voice as he glanced around. 

Amara's arms loosened from around Rahne as the Nova Romani's body slowly began to burn. Illyana was sitting ramrod straight, and her fingers twitched in the air. Rahne just knew she wanted to summon that demon-sword of hers. Roberto’s arms were covered in black energy. 

"Perfect!” He said, much too cheerfully to Rahne. “You worried me a sec when nobody was answering the door knocks. The Oracle was wondering if you all wanted to come for a chat about what the living situation would be." 

Everyone looked between one another, suddenly confused. Most of them looked towards Sam, but even he seemed caught off guard. 

The man’s shadow shifted from beneath the crack at the bottom of the door. "You lot decent to go out, or do we need to change out of our PJ’s still?"

"Give us ten, sir.” Sam said tactfully. “We'll knock on your door when we're ready." 

The New Mutants all began to shift, and stand up. Meeting was over. Rahne knew the dress she wanted to put on. A pretty pastel-green one. Dani told her once that she thought that Rahne looked pretty in green. Then, they were going to the Hall. 

• ••••

Oliver led the kids into a new part of the Hall's basement that they hadn't seen before. Sam was head of the group, Illyana hanging back with a sour look on her face while Roberto and Amara exchanged meaningful looks. 

It was... Odd. 

Not in a bad way, but in that it wasn't like the rest of the grand hall they had seen so far.  It was a warm coloured, like a cozy gentleman’s club or a lodge; a stark contrast to the rest of the building. The room was connected to a kitchenette, from which the smell of baking wafted. 

The furniture was older, like the stuff Rahne had seen growing up with in Scotland. Comfy sofas and chairs you could fall asleep on.

The Oracle smiled as they all walked in, sitting in her wheelchair. Her gaze was trained on them, Rahne would like to have thought the emotions in her eyes were care, but it unnerved her all the same.

"Welcome back. Wildcat's making cookies." The woman said, brows furrowing as she looked over them. She paused. "How... Are you all managing? I understand that it must be quite an… adjustment."

The New Mutants all exchanged looks, unsure, uncomfortable, upset. After a few moments, there was a cacophony of shrugs and dull nods.

Amara and Rahne took the love seat by the door. Rahne was sitting almost on Amara’s lap, leaning her side against the thin, muscular blonde. 

The rest of the team cluttered among the other seats scattered around, with Ollie pulling up a chair next to the Oracle. 

Amara responded for the team, a slight hint of spite on her tongue. "As well as I suppose we could be." 

The woman nodded, gaze momentarily flickering away.  "I can only imagine. I'm still searching for Danielle. So far, still nothing." 

To Rahne, it sounded like worry weighed on her voice. But was she projecting? Seeing only what she wanted to see? She reminded her so much of her mummy, Rahne naively wanted to trust this woman, but her teammates' distrust had wormed into the pit of her stomach.

And, Rahne hated to even think such a thought, but their doubts were not misplaced. As she knew firsthand, many people who were actually terribly cruel could seem very kind. So, why did such a large part of her think she was good?

"That said, Illyana. If you would, after this I'd like to speak with you. To know how…” There was a hesitation. “Your powers work.It... Might help in the search, to know where she may have landed."

Illyana nodded curtly. "That's fine."

Barbara smiled, nodding."Thank you. Now, the reason you're all here. You can't stay in a hotel forever – " She began, but stopped herself as an older gentleman with a soft smile carried out a full plate of cookies. "Thank you, Ted."

"Of course." He said, passing the treats about. 

Rahne thought it was rather kind of him, but Amara seemed on edge. She could feel the tension radiating off her as Rahne accepted one.

“Wait.” Amara whispered. Rahne looked at her oddly as she took a chunk of the cookie and popped it into her mouth. Amara chewed, tilting her head, before her expression crumpled in — was that relief? “It’s okay.”

Rahne opened her mouth to question Amara’s confusing behaviour, but Barbara spoke first, cutting off whatever Rahne wanted to say. 

"As I was saying," Barbara continued, pulling some papers from a briefcase that Rahne hadn’t noticed before, "I can't let your life go on full pause. The hotel isn't a sustainable option... But we, conveniently, have a mansion on the outskirts of the city, a few qualified teachers, and..." 

Barbara waved her hands. "Basically... Listen, it’s not your boarding school, but it's something. What do you think? Something to make the transition here easier."

"You just happened to have a spare mansion, staffed with qualified teachers just... Laying around?" Roberto questioned, staring intently at the woman and arching an eyebrow. "Pretty convenient."

“It’s my old place.” Ollie said, his domino mask off as he leant forward, smiling his seemingly default kindly smile. “Old money, its my family’s home up a bit to the north.. I sure as hell don’t need all that. Me and my kid only need an apartment and that’s what we’re in now. My oldest had been trying to figure out what the blazes to do with the darn thing. Here you all are. Perfect.”

"Are we being asked or informed?" Amara popped in, now also staring the woman down. Her fingers wrapped around Rahne’s arm, fingers digging into the Scot’s skin. 

“Amy,” Sam warned, before turning to Barbara. “I think the team’s a little on edge. It’s a lot to consider. D’you have somewhere we can talk on our own?”

“Go discuss.” Barbara nodded, “My computer room is just down the hall there. No cameras, the only microphone in there needs to be plugged in to be usable. It doesn't have a door yet so keep that in mind, but it's out of earshot.”

The kids filtered out, glancing at each other as they went, a silence among them till they found their way down to the computer room. Amara looked around the hall, hovering by the empty doorframe. 

“So. Now they have a mansion.” Illyana said in a false neutrality. “How kind. Oliver is old money and he’s conveniently not guarding his family home life from limb. He must be so generous.”

“Ah cannae imagine a mansion if it was jus’ me and me kid…” Rahne said, looking up at her friends. “If he is really old money… He could well just leave it layin’ about. I heard Tony Stark has many properties.”

“Still, a buncha kids in there, even if it's with him? Now we’re off to a mansion in the middle of nowhere? With built-in babysitters to be watching us at all times.” Illyana shrugged, looking down at her nails in mock nonchalance. “I don’t know about you guys, but that sounds like something that’s pretty useful for them. Or sketchy.

Roberto pulled himself onto one of the tables not covered with blackened monitors. His white shoes swung back and forth in the air. ”I mean, sure, my family got houses and apartments everywhere. We don’t drag kids to mansions, that's for sure. Let alone mansions with a bunch of ‘teachers’” His air quotes, and suspicion, were heavy, “already ready. ”

Amara arched an eyebrow from where she was leaning. “I’d like to know why they want us out of the city. Why are we being funneled off to somewhere more private?”

“Nae, y’dinnae think them such miserable types?” Rahne gasped in horror at the idea her teammates put forward, the idea of Ollie and this woman as that type horrifying her.

“I’m saying we’re mutants and kids in distress.” Roberto retorted, looking away and at the monitors, fingers wrapped tightly around the edge of the table. “I’m saying if you are taken to a secondary location, your odds of coming back alive are slim to none.” 

“They don’t know our powers.” Amara said, “Not unless they got that from Dani.”

“Dani would never rat us out.” Illyana replied a little too fast, a little too defensively. “Never.”

‘"What choice do we have, gang." Sam cut in, sighing with a resigned slump to his shoulders. "It'll be better than the hotel, at least. And even if they have Dani, she’d have told them lies about our powers.”

Illyana opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but then closed it with a shake of her head. Sam continued.

 “I still think they’re all a tad too nice to be terrible. Why would they have told us where the mansion was, instead of just making us find out when we got there?” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “But that’s a gut hunch, not proof."

“‘Sides, they don’t know what we are capable of together.” Roberto said with a grin, his confidence back with such force it almost gave Rahne whiplash. “Even without Dani, they can’t make us do anything we don’t want to.”

Sam rolled his eyes fondly, running his hair through his hair, glancing about. “I say we go live the luxury life and, worst case, Amara levels the whole damn thing and we make a break for it.”

Rahne took a nibble of her cookie as the older kids made their choices. The melted chocolate inside spreading in her mouth. She trusted them. She'd follow them. Her thoughts were busy, stuck on Dani and what their connection had felt like earlier. The pain, the loss, the disbelief that Rahne had found her. 

Oh, Dani. If you only knew.

The older kids nodded slowly, Rahne followed suit, her heart suddenly racing at the ideas of what might happen at this mansion. 

“We don’t separate. I’m doing nightly checks on each of you.” Sam said firmly, wringing his hands.  “We’re making sure nobody goes missing. First sign of trouble? Amy levels the place and Yana gets us out.” 

“Wake me up and I’ll buddy you, Sam.” Illyana said strongly, “You aren’t wandering their halls alone at night.” A grin played on her lips. “Who else is gonna protect you from the ghosts that are definitely there?”

“It's decided then?” Sam said, letting out a small huff of laughter at Illyana’s statement. 

The team agreed, and Sam nodded, gesturing for them all to follow him back to the lounge area. Rahne peeked back over her shoulder as they left, a worried frown on her lips. She hoped that no one was listening in but she was scared. She almost swore she heard a gust of wind… Her nerves were getting to her.

The Oracle turned her head from Ollie as they entered, the conversation they were having giving way to the decision the group had made.

“And?” She prompted with  a soft smile, inviting them to answer.

“We accept.” Sam said, calmly surveying the adults.

"I’m glad,” She stretched her arms above her head. “Makes my life a whole lot easier, and…” 

She paused, meeting each of their eyes. For the record, I am Barbara Gordon. I will be looking after part of your studies and running the school. As I mentioned before, I’ll have others to help me as well, but I will be heading the school and taking after you lot, let Ollie here get back to living his life.”

It almost made Rahne chuckle. Another wheelchair bound professor running their school. It was some familiarity, she supposed. 

"I will stay at the mansion, along with my lot. You'll meet my three Batgirls soon. They'll also be helping a bit around the school." Barbara finished. She rolled forward. "Now, if there's nothing else, Illyana, if you wouldn't mind joining me in the computer room, the rest of you are free to do as you please.”

Chapter Text

Barbara sat in the computer room. She twirled her pen between her fingers as her notebook rested on the arm of her chair. 

Illyana half sat, half leant on the desk in front of Barbara. The blonde’s bangs were long, enough so that they cast a shadow that covered her eyes. Honestly, Barbara didn’t know how she even saw through the damned things. Next to her was Sam, the proclaimed ‘leader’ of the team, stood next to Illyana, and was watching Barbara with a wary, conflicted gaze. 

The prevalence of blondes that would be associated with this school made Barbara begin to wonder if she'd ever been too harsh on mocking Bruce for the ‘Robin look.’

"Okay, Illyana. Thank you for agreeing to help." Barbara smiled at the girl, forcing her frame to relax, seem open. Not hold her usual rigidity as Oracle, not stress over the subject at hand. It wouldn't get her far with the kids. 

So, relaxed it was. Like she was at the hotel with her girls. 

The blonde girl nodded, snorting to herself as she eyed Barbara. There was something odd about Illyana, odd and familiar in the way she held herself, in the tension in her shoulder. Barbara wasn't sure exactly what it was. Certainly, she looked like Stephanie or Mia, but not enough for that odd familiarity, let alone for Barbara to see some of them reflected in her in other ways. It was something about how the girl's eyes moved. They were Stephanie's blue, but it felt almost as cutting as Cassandra's. 

"I'm going to need basic…” She drummed the pen against her thigh.  “Information on how your powers work. I need to know the scatter radius, the spread... Basically, I know where you teleported in. I need you to tell me where Dani could have landed from there." 

"Okay, but I do have psychic guards." Illyana replied tetchily, shifting away from her. 

Barbara buffered for a moment, her brain all but bluescreening. "What does that mean, you can't remember?" Barbara questioned, starting to write. 

"No,” Illyana tilted her head.  “Just that you can't read my mind."

Barbara stared blankly at the girl, and the girl stared back. Sam shifted in the background, his eyes eagling over both of them. 

"... You can't read minds, anyway, can you?" Illyana said slowly.

Barbara had to restrain herself from staring owlishly at the teen. She shook her head, jotting a small note down. "How could I?" She said jokingly, raising an eyebrow as she looked back up at the teens. 

Illyana and Sam looked at each other for a second before turning back to Barbara. "Uh," Illyana said, pressing her lips together. "Nevermind."

Barbara’s brows furrowed, and she gave Sam a questioning look. 

"Our professor was a psychic... He had a wheelchair too." Sam explained after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "I guess, with due respect, we're still trying to get used to all this, ma'am."

"I promise, no mind reading. As useful as it'd be." Barbara tapped her pen on her chair, watching the kids. "So please, tell me how your powers work Illyana."

"Well..." The blonde started. She bit her bottom lip. "Is it bad if I say I don't know right now? I'm —" She looked at Sam, cutting herself off. "She's going to think I'm fucking insane, Sam." 

Sam sighed, shaking his head. "If they have superheroes, and she's who she claims, I reckon she's probably used to the type of nonsense our universe has ‘Yana. Or least somethin’ similar."

"My daughter's mother is revered as a goddess and brought our daughter back to life. The city I grew up in is cursed by at least three separate devils, and I've met Santa Claus and ran his comms." Barbara said slowly. She rubbed her hand across her face. "I have Santa's comms saved on my computer because that was one of the best days of my life. I'm going to assume you are telling the truth because you miss your friend."

"I'm the demon queen of Limbo, the realm of demons. I both am and hold back a terrible evil called the Darkchylde, a vile force for nothing but evil." The girl drew a breath, fingers digging into her bare arms. "My powers normally come from the magik of the realm, and I normally can step into Limbo and out to another time and space."

Illyana stopped, a sudden silence weighing heavily in the room as she eyed the older woman, waiting for her to react. 

Barbara took a deep breath, shaking out her writing hand. Barbara was processing all this — 'demon queens' and 'darkchylde.' 

She'd unfortunately have to talk to Constantine. 

"What do ya mean by 'normally,' Yana...?" Sam asked, saving Barbara having to ask the same thing.

Illyana paused, pursing her lips. Her fingers drummed against her skin. "My connection feels... Wrong here, Sam. I'm not connected to Limbo as I know it." Illyana explained hesitantly. "That's why I haven't tried using them to go home. That and Dani. Duh."

"How do they work at a base level?" Barbara questioned, leaning back in her wheelchair, "Generally, . do you just disappear and appear elsewhere? Portals? Something else?"

"Portals start here —” She pointed at the ground, tapping one black boot. Her hand then moved into a wide, sweeping gesture,  “ — then, they take me to Limbo. From Limbo, I can go to anywhere, at any time."

Illyana had been responding cordially and evenly, but now her voice gained a waver to it. She turned to look steadily at the wall.. "I thought it was just our world and Limbo I could ‘port between. I guess either the reality warper we were fighting messed up something," Illyana quieted, “Or I did.”

Barbara nodded as if she understood, not taking the time to process the idea that the girl aimed for hell, missed, and ended up here in front of her. 

"Great.” She clapped her hands with a smile, hoping it came off less lost than she felt. “Now, I just need parameters." 

• ••••

Barbara soon had the information she needed. The computer systems hummed as she worked them, eyes darting between all the different monitors as she waited for answers.

She'd overlayed all the areas Dani could have fallen with a map of where the cameras saw. Star was painfully under-monitored in Barbara's opinion. Probably an artifact of having some of the highest superheroes per capita in the world, but still it drove her mad.

Just because you have a million heroes doesn't mean cracks won't form. Oracle groused, internally rolling her eyes. and this is the perfect example of that.

A few seconds later, and the computer spat out the overlays and links to the camera footage from around the time Danielle would’ve landed. 

Barbara almost growled in frustration. Multiple dead zones in the cameras, exactly where she suspected the teen to have fallen. Wonderful . This city was too secure in its insecurity. Or, something something 'safe from technofascism' as Ollie would likely put it. 

Both Barbara and multiple countries with newly elected leaders had no idea what he was talking about. 

She pulled a laser pointer from a drawer as she felt the other teens eyes on her. Barbara gestured to the screen after only a quick glance to ensure their eyes were on her.

"These —” Barbara indicated to the six highlighted spots on the map with her pointer,  “ —are the places your friend likely would have landed." Barbara said. There were six dead spots Dani could have fallen in. Too many for Barbara's taste, but logic, and knowledge that Illyana had only a certain ‘drop’ radius, helped narrow it down. 

"These two here," she said, pointing at two that seemingly connected to a steady string of dead zones, are why Star City has regular Joe serial killers still she thought to herself. 

"They're long paths of dead zones.” She explained instead. “Someone could walk these to hide, intentionally or not, from cameras." She chewed on the inside of her cheek, fingers squeezed tight around the pointer. She let out a breath. "I'm going to keep looking. This narrows things down a lot... I'm no longer combing a city fully."

"What are the chances you'll find her now?" Sam asked, studying the screens with squinted, keen eyes. 

"I don't know.” Barbara said honestly. “This isn't the movies, I don't have an equation for that. I wish I did. I wish I could tell you." 

The Oracle turned off her laser pointer and stuffed it away, trying to do the same with the lump forming in her throat. "I'm putting this as highest priority on top of other cases. I—" she paused, looking at the blonde girl. Her voice softened.  "Illyana, can you step out... So I may speak to Sam alone?"

“Excuse me?” Illyana scoffed, glaring. “Dani is as much my teammate as Sam’s, lady! I won’t leave, and you can’t make me!”

Barbara put her hands out in a placating motion. “Look. No offense. I just think this conversation would be best had between Sam, as he is the leader of your group.”

Illyana narrowed her eyes, already bristling and ready with a rebuttal, but Sam put a hand up, and she fell silent.

Sam shook his head, "She stays. Her and Dani saved us alone more times than they should have had to." He said firmly. , "She's been through a lot. She can handle this."

Barbara took a shaky breath, nodding. "You're the leader, Sam, I trust that you know what you’re doing.”

She took off her glasses, cleaning them on the fabric of her shirt. ”You’re a smart kid, and so you probably know as well as I do that, sometimes our position means we have to think of the awful inevitability."

"You mean Dani not coming home." Sam tilted his head, voice void of emotion. Not for the first, or last time, Barbara wished she had her daughter's skills of reading people. 

"Or even that something else terrible has happened to her, and she’s not coming back the same, Sam." Barbara said, exhaling heavily as she ran a tired hand through her red hair. "I just... I'm doing all I can. It's been a few days, though. The moment I know where she is, I'm calling my personal team to go get her. Some of the best in the business."

Illyana turned, walking away with heavy, loud steps out of the room and closing the door with a slam. Barbara's heart felt despair begin to claw at her throat. she wished they had listened, she'd would've the Russian not heard any of this. 

"I should…" Sam began, already leaning towards the door. His eyes darted between the two, clearly unsure if he should stay or not. 

"Go," Barbara made a shooing motion. "You're needed elsewhere. If you need anything, tell me. Time nonwithstanding, I'll figure out how to make things work."

The boy nodded, turning on his heel and quickly exiting after his teammate.

Barbara left out a deep breath, sinking into her seat and squeezing her eyes shut. She put her head in her hands. 

They're kids, dammit. 

Why does it have to be like this?

Chapter Text

Dani had forgotten what it felt like. 

She lay in her bed, her routine morning depression giving way to something more. Something scarier. 

She could swear she felt Rahne back, emotions tangled with hers. 

She could swear she felt Rahne's connection to her. It felt so real. 

She squeezed her eyes shut, before opening them again, slowly. The world around her blurred for a moment, and then she was back at the scene from the night before. Illyana and Roberto were playfully whisper-debating over video games, Rahne was curled into her side, sound asleep. Sam was snoring on the floor beside her bed. 

Dani shifted deeper into her bed, pulling Rahne closer. She felt the smaller girl nuzzle her nose into her shoulder, and Dani couldn’t help the way a small sob escaped from her lips. 

Slowly, she felt more bodies join her, piling on top of one another. Illyana's arm wrapped around her hip comfortingly, then Roberto's hand gently squeezed her shoulder, Sam ruffled her hair, Amara lay on top of them, Xuan whispered good night ...

She was woken up sometime later by the sound of someone knocking at the door. Dani stared blankly into the empty air. Her friends were gone already. 

"Danielle. Are you awake?" 

Shiva. 

Dani buried her face deep into her pillow a moment before another knock sounded. "Danielle, it's eleven. Are you awake?"

"Yeah..." She groaned, rolling over. "Gimme a second. I'll be up soon."

Dani was feeling better, slowly, and as a byproduct had gotten better with the crutches. She was getting faster moving around, and dressing was far less a struggle compared to the first day. Showering was still a deeply, deeply frustrating experience, she still had trouble standing up or washing herself even with the bars installed on the walls, and she had been avoiding doing it since that first day. 

She grabbed a plain red shirt and some jeans baggy enough to not restrict movement in. She was sure they’d be, anyway, were her legs not bound in braces for both how she presently fought and moved. 

She made her way to the door, opening it and looking for her... Mentor? Dani frowned to herself. That felt like the wrong type of dynamic. Sensei, she didn't know if that was accurate... Teacher, she supposed, was the closest, but still not right. 

She was there, by the food waiting for her at the kitchen island. Dani peered at it curiously, putting her crutches to the side as she grabbed what seemed to be her plate. There was corn porridge, some fruit, and bacon — nope, not normal bacon — Weird bacon, on the side. 

Dani looked back up at her… well, Shiva. She speared a piece of banana on her fork, still frowning in thought. She wasn't sure what to call Shiva, and that bothered her. 

It felt odd, knowing this woman had taken the time to cook for her. Something about it felt wrong. That was something her parents did. At Xavier’s, everyone took turns cooking. Sam made some killer omelettes. Beto was banned for his atrocities. 

Dani was glad she didn't have to fend for herself, but still. Even after multiple days here, it only got odder. Every time she thought she had constructed the schema of the woman in her mind, it got broken. 

No help, no servant, just this apparent ’God’ in her apartment, cooking for  Dani, who was only now once again feeling on par with mortality.

"Eat quick." Shiva's voice pulled her out of her musings. She passed her some coffee as the teen took a spoonful of the porridge. "We have a meeting to go to."

"A meeting?" Dani arched an eyebrow, the words flowing in one ear and just about making it to the other as she took a sip of her coffee, wincing as the bitter liquid went down. 

"Yes." Shiva said simply, taking a piece of the not-bacon from a tray still on the stovetop, taking a bite with a completely neutral expression. "You're coming with me to a temple."

"One of your temples?" Dani asked, perplexed. She then poked at the not-bacon strip with her fork. "And what is this fake bacon?"

"Turkey. It's... A habit of mine. Tastier." Shiva responded haltingly. She then shook her head. "And no. We're obviously going to the Mormon Temple to learn the art of Rock and Roll." Her face did not change save for the chewing of the fake-bacon. 

Dani wasn't quite sure how to respond to the latter, or really the former, either. The idea of turkey bacon was overshadowed by her trying to figure out if they were actually visiting the Latter Day Saints of all groups, or if this was humour. 

Shiva, for her part, began to smirk a mischievous smirk. 

"Oh, thank god." Dani replied, shoulders slumping in relief as she shovelled the last few bites of porridge into her mouth. She then hesitantly tasted the turkey bacon. She tilted her head as she chewed. It wasn't bad. She was still confused by it. 

"I have official business to attend to." Shiva explained, grabbing the bowls from Dani and loading them into the dishwasher. The Cheyenne watched, hating she couldn't at least help. "You're coming with me today."

Dani nodded, taking her aids and shifting from her chair. She followed Shiva, slipping her feet into sandals the woman had gotten her.

Thank god for her cult, Dani thought dryly, they’ve certainly kept me fed and clothed.

Downstairs, an unfamiliar car awaited them, with an equally unfamiliar man in the driver seat that Shiva nodded at. 

The woman silently helped Dani into the car, the playfulness from earlier making way for a far more serious tone. 

Dani thought perhaps to protest, before realizing she couldn’t, really. Xavier could say whatever he wanted, but Dani knew what battles were worth fighting, and this wasn’t one of them.

Dani followed her example once they sat down, stealing glances at her teacher to mimic her as best she could without the driver noticing. 

She wasn't sure why, she just knew, subconsciously, something big was happening.

Eventually the car pulled up to a temple, it was designed in the style Dani would have expected a group that knew little of Shiva to have built it in.  The concave roofs, the thin pillars, red and black were the colour of everything they could be; Shiva’s colours. No door, just a doorway to get in to the building through, though Dani did notice empty hinges on either side, they’d shutter the place in the winter. 

She was interested in it, though. Interested in the choices, interested in why Shiva has chosen to not leave her home to train. 

Was this about her powers?

Her heart dropped, thinking through everything. Dani’s gaze darted around, heart leaping into her throat. Surely not, right?   But why was she dragged to this? What purpose did she hold to Shiva's religion she herself obviously barely cared about?

Dani got herself out of the car, swinging herself after Shiva as they entered the building. The inside was large and open, a sandpit similar to the one at the apartment was on one side, while a myriad of book filled shelves pressed against the other wall. The smell of food cooking wafted into Dani's nose as she gazed forward, a tapestry of Shiva pulling a girl from green liquid hung before them. 

Shiva stopped to remove her shoes, and Dani followed, kicking the sandals off to where they'd be hopefully easy to put back on later. 

All eyes turned to Shiva as they entered properly. All types were here. Rich, homeless, men, women, and kids. All different demographics, all looking at Shiva. 

No.  

Now they all looked at Dani. 

Dani focused as best she could, calmly following behind the Goddess that led her as best she could. What did she care about the eyes on her? It wasn't as though she'd see these people again. 

Shiva made her way under the banner at the back wall, gesturing for Dani to stand beside her. It was shockingly silent, and the clink of her crutches echoed through the room as she moved. Shiva cleared her throat as soon as Dani had situated herself next to the taller woman, facing the crowd that had congregated. 

"Good day."

Dani swallowed, looking around as Shiva began from beside the woman. Best she could tell, this place seemed to be some sort of communal gathering area, a community center of sorts. Nothing hidden away, no doors, bar the one to what she assumed was the bathroom. The only real dividers were just the posts holding the ceiling up. Even where Shiva stood had no marker, the divide only created by reverence.

Shiva’s arms crossed. "I come to you today, for an announcement."

Shiva continued, Dani didn't pay close attention. It didn't matter much, probably. She still didn't know why she was here, perhaps as simply a way to see what it was Shiva's cult did? They seemed the good sort. Not that she had much experience with cults outside of Selene’s. But the room was laid bare to anyone that looked. 

No objects of obvious malice, Shiva’s words indifference to stopping the cult made sense, nobody was being harmed, some good was being done.

"As of recently…” She paused, perhaps for dramatic effect.  “I have chosen an heir." 

A silence hung in the air, and slowly, all eyes turned to Dani. The girl blinked owlishly,  almost unable to compute the words that had left Shiva’s lips. Then, what she had heard suddenly hit her at once. 

Shiva’s heir. 

There was only one person that could be. 

And it seemed like Dani was the last to figure that out. 

She stood, stunned, leaning against her crutches. Shiva's voice continued, but she did not hear her through the buzzing in her own ears. Shiva’s words — from only a few days ago — echoed in her mind. 

“Something to be feared.”

Shiva had given up on finding her friends.

"That is all." And with that, Shiva gestured for Dani to follow, no explanations, clarification left out to rot like it was last year's styles. The entire announcement had been barely a paragraph of speech on Shiva’s part.

Dani followed, keeping up with the woman's pace as they left. The moment they passed through the door, Dani suddenly felt her anxiety, which had been itching at her skin, begin to overwhelm her. 

"Shiva?! Slow down!” Dani shouted as she nearly tripped over an uneven patch of the sidewalk. “What—" The car from earlier was gone, so Shiva turned and continued walking, Dani could only assume back home. 

"Yes, Danielle?" She replied calmly, scanning the surroundings. 

"What was any of that? Who's your heir? What's going on?" Dani felt downright frantic at this point, chest heaving. It was taking most of her willpower to keep her powers in check, so her emotions were clear in her face. 

Shiva turned down another street, looking back at Dani now as she answered, "You, Danielle." She made some vague effort to humanize her voice as she said it, but a solid haughtiness weighed over it still. 

"What the hell–” Dani muttered to herself, almost falling flat on her face again in an attempt to keep up with Shiva. 

“Shiva, STOP!" Dani finally snapped, righting herself. 

Her insides felt like they wanted to burst out of her. So many words flew through her brain, but all too fast, gone before she could figure out how to move her mouth to match them. 

Shiva, for her part, listened. Dani wasn't sure if she would or not. The street they were on was pretty empty at this hour, which was good. Fewer people around meant fewer people she could harm if her powers went awry. Mostly just some quiet storefronts, a few people beginning to trickle out of their jobs for lunch breaks.

Shiva looked at her with a dead calm. "Danielle Moonstar.” She approached her, and Dani flinched back despite herself. Her voice was quiet, purposeful, hands clasped behind her back.  “I don't know if we will ever find your friends. But I can make sure your life here is as good as mine." 

Dani opened her mouth, then closed it. She shook her head, crutches hitting the pavement when she moved back.  "I'm not- I can't."

"Can't what, Danielle?” Shiva arched an eyebrow. “Fight? A few days in and you've become better than many, despite your back."

"What if I don't want to be you?!" Dani challenged, glare heavy in her eyes. Her arms shook, a vague fear dripping in. "What does being your heir fucking mean? "

Shiva paused, looking down at her for a few moments. Dani’s knuckles were white against the handles of her crutches.

Shiva nodded, seemingly seeing something in her that Dani couldn’t fathom, a quiet falling on her voice, the humanity Shiva had been trying to muster finally hitting her voice. "Have you seen me work, Dani?”

Dani shifted unsuredly, before she shook her head.

“Have you seen me do more than what I desire?” Shiva questioned again. 

Dani avoided her gaze, but also shook her head once again. Shiva made a wide, sweeping motion.

“Do you want to grow up and have a boss? A man —” Her voice was laced with venom, “standing over you, telling you not to wear that belt, that it's unprofessional, that you must talk in certain ways? To behave in certain ways?" 

Shiva crossed her arms, eyes eating away into Dani’s soul. She knew the answer Dani wanted to give. Dani pressed her lips together and contemplated how easy it would be, to book it now. Run as far and as fast as she could. She also contemplated how much it scared her that she didn’t want to. 

Shiva paused, clearly considering her words. There was a glint of something in her eyes. She ran a hand through her hair. 

"Many try to create a replacement of I, Shiva. Instead, I have chosen you. Not as a weapon, as some groups want out of my heir, but as someone to be free. Just as my godfather did. Your friends…” Dani thought she might’ve caught a flicker of regret there, of guilt, but was she projecting? “I do not know if you'll ever see them again. So here is your freedom instead."

Dani took a moment to process it, then another. The weight of Shiva confirming what she had feared hit like a runaway train. 

Shiva stood, unmoving, unspeaking, waiting for Dani to reply. The woman's eyes held an intensity Dani wanted to shy away from, but she was used to them, enough that the thought was a simple nag at the back of her mind. 

"I'm... Not any of that." Dani eventually replied, words failing her. "I'm learning, but I can't even walk right right now."

"I fought the Masters of the Armless One and the Legless One. They were respectable opponents. You shall walk again, maybe, but we will continue your training irregardless. I was not always Shiva, you will not always just be Danielle." 

It was the first time Dani had heard the woman speak of her past. The tapestry from the temple ran through her head, and the realization she fundamentally had no clue who this woman was only solidified further in her mind. 

And heir? To what? Leading this cult that even Shiva took little interest in? 

Shiva gestured for them to keep moving, and Dani reluctantly followed.

Her mind whirled, trying to collect her thoughts  on what had transpired. She was pissed, yes, that she'd not been informed about this, not even asked her opinion. But… Shiva's point? Did she want a job? To have some Xavier type over her all her life? Or to live like Shiva? Shiva who, best she could tell, lived a good life?

"Is there anything you need before we return?" Shiva asked, turning down another winding street, the conversation over.

Dani didn't recognize the path they were taking, part of her thought it was different from what they'd taken in the car, but she wasn't sure. She hadn’t been here long, after all,the car ride here

She tried to focus, looking around the street. Whatever the city she was in, it was nice. Warm sun, blue skies, clean streets. Probably somewhere in the west coast of America.

California, if she had to hazard a guess. But the streets they were in were normal city streets.  Convenience stores, cafes, a thrift shop...

Dani paused at the thrift shop, almost unconsciously, peeking through one of the windows at the black and red flannel hung on a rack. She jumped when she realized Shiva had also stopped. 

"Clothes you actually like and weren't just whatever was found that fit you?" Shiva said, a smirk forming as Dani blushed. "Shocking."

• ••••

A while later, Dani had a cart. The surrounding area must have been decently well off, as the thrift shop actually had interesting stuff to wear. They weren't her clothes back home, but a few things closer to her personal style. Shiva had supplied her with very basic, athletic focused, wears, but she missed her jackets, cowboy hats, and shoes. 

She was looking for the last few things as Shiva followed her around, the other customers occasionally glancing at the distinct woman. And probably, her disabled teenager, too. 

She’d nearly bit one lady’s head off when she started talking about Dani in front of Dani. 

To be fair to them, it was probably mostly Shiva they were looking at. It was kinda hard not to notice a six-foot tall woman whose eyes perpetually looked like she was trying to blast Cyclops' lasers herself. 

The last aisle, Dani was only half paying attention. Coats. It was less a journey to see what was in the aisle and more to get back to the counter.

Dani had found some tees already — For some reason they didn’t have Dazzler or Lila Cheney here? That was crazy to her.  But she did get two with white pegasi on them, some  plus some pants, including a  pair of bell bottoms and some other pants for if she ever left the house. 

She'd be able to dress more how she wanted. She ran her fingers over her belt, thankful she'd continued to spite Xavier and insisted she wore it  and her boots onto the field. It gave her something, now that she was here. 

On the bright side, Shiva had gone for loose and flowy, androgynous stuff, when getting Dani the stuff that was in her closet. No dresses or skirts. She wasn’t opposed to wearing a pretty skirt now or then, she supposed, but if she had to wear it all the time, she might’ve actually torn her hair out. Now she was just getting something more specialized to her. A thrift store had seemed to be the best spot.  

Then, it caught her eye. It hung lower than the rest of the coats along the rack, a beautiful brown. She took a large swing, hurrying as if some invisible hand along the aisle would steal the coat from her. 

She pulled it off the rack, the smell of real leather obvious to her. None of that hippie  ‘pleather’. Real, good, leather. She checked the inside, heart thumping in her throat, running a thumb over the stitching. It was amazing. 

That wasn’t even to mention, it was a full trenchcoat and had tassels emblazoned it, just like her leather jacket back home. 

She looked back to Shiva, a gleam in the older woman's eye as she met Dani's gaze. "We'd match." Shiva said, lifting part of her own, black leather trenchcoat.

"We'd match." Dani laughed.

• ••••

Later that night, Dani fell into bed, the day had soon returned to normal after the revelation at the Temple. Training, studying, watching a bit of television — Dani always insisted on Magnum PI, whenever they could catch it. 

Now, Dani retired to her room, the clothes Shiva had bought her put away, her new coat hung proudly on the back of the door. 

Dani couldn't stop staring at it. It was gorgeous, made of soft, worn-in leather. Though wear showed from the last owner, it was still in beautiful condition. 

Slowly, Dani stood, testing her legs to see how they fared solo. Shiva had been trying to get her to try it more, to regain what she could, so fuck it. Why not? 

She slowly made her way over to the door. Her legs felt like dry pasta one moment away from snapping in half. Slowly, she lifted the coat from the hook and put it on. 

The weight, the smell, it felt so familiar. A faint hint of cigar hung in the coat now that she hadn't noticed originally, and she loved it all the more. 

"Och, Dani, it looks lovely on ye." Rahne's voice. Big green eyes peered around her shoulder, sharp teeth bared in a wide grin. 

Dani smiled, moving to spin in a circle, before realizing that wouldn’t be the best idea. Instead she just twisted in place, admiring how it fell on her figure .

"Doesn't it just?" Dani said, quietly. The Scot stared in awe. 

"Tis rugged!" The smaller girl replied, hugging Dani. "You look strong in it." 

Dani smiled with wet eyes, wrapping her arms around Rahne, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She ran her fingers through the girl’s stubby red hair. 

She did. 

She was. 

And boy would she be. 

Chapter Text

Stephanie had been inside mansions before, obviously. 

Yes, Wayne Manor. She'd been with Cass many times. 

But others, too. Always a little — and by a little she meant ‘most of the time’ — it would be on the illegitimate side. Stephanie always felt that pang of jealousy in her chest when she would stare at all those luxuries she could never dream to afford. She was no stranger to mansions, despite being a middle-class girl from the suburbs. 

Still, a mansion with no monsters to take down, and no deeply weird dynamics with the people inside? A mansion Barbara said they'd be living in for the foreseeable future? 

It was practically a childhood fantasy come true. Steph couldn’t stop the giant, giddy grin from growing on her face. A mansion to live in with her best friend and Babs, near Mia and the Star heroes.

A fresh start. Who knew what it all meant, really? 

She had dreams, heck, who wouldn’t? Steph imagined training under Dinah or Ted now that she was here. Maybe even meet some of the other heroes her age.  Enjoy her time on the rooftops, now that she was here.

Just the four girls in the city with a whole new future. 

She grinned, spinning around to face Cass. 

"Isn't this amazing?! It's all ours. And... About five random kids. Until they go home. Then..." She didn't know what then. But God, the railing to the entrance staircase was like those in movies, the type the main characters would use as slides. It was well and truly a mansion. 

They'd been wandering the halls most of that morning. The hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, the chandeliers dripping in excess; soft, rolled out carpets spread across the floors like dozens of tapestries,   it all felt too good to be true.

She wondered what the plan for going up and down the multiple floors would be, what with Barbara in her chair, plus apparently that missing kid had a broken back. Though that was probably an issue Barbara had undoubtedly already run in her mind.

Cassandra nodded, a small smile — like Barbara's — coming out in the curl of the corners of her lips. 

Stephanie grinned, walking backwards now to face her friend, gesturing wildly. "This is going to be amazing, Cass! We're going to help keep the new kids safe, we get to go to the beach more, there's *sun* to bask in..."

Steph stepped forward and hugged Cass tight, spinning the girl in her embrace and grinning at the sheer thought of it all. "Dinah and Wildcat, Cass! Babs wants me to head over to Ted's gym to train more! Can you believe it? Wildcat. Apparently I remind him of Dinah!"

Cass nodded, her frame smaller than usual. Shrunk into herself. 

Steph paused. She couldn't pretend she didn't, or hadn't, noticed... One could only spend so much time near someone that spoke another language without picking up a bit. 

Still, Stephanie couldn't *read* her. Just notice that Cass, confident, sure Cass, who always took up a bit more room than you'd expect from someone so short, wasn't walking with quite her usual gate. 

Stephanie didn't mention it, taking Cass's hand as they meandered the halls a bit more, pulling each other into rooms that caught their eyes as they went. 

Eventually, they got to the part Steph was all but shaking to see. 

The Ballroom.

She'd been to balls before. Obviously. The Wayne Gala ran every year, she'd always had an in, bar her time... Away. 

But now she had a ballroom. Well, Barbara did. But at this point that meant she too had a ballroom. 

Her shoes hit the dance floor as she pulled Cass inside, spinning the other girl under her arm. Her cheeks hurt, her heart raced. The huge room was painted white and a shockingly tasteful parsley, with brown carpet surrounding the mahogany wood that panelled the ground. There was even a small stage for a band to play on. 

She felt like a little kid again, but in the best ways.  

Cass was smiling more now, and Steph felt her heart jump at it. 

Fuck whatever people said questioning them. It wasn't like she could date anyway with how they were, and as Mia said, it seemed cut and dry. 

Stephanie didn't really think as she moved, swapping the hand she was holding Cassandra's with, and gently placed the now free one in the other girl's back. 

She began softly humming a waltz, remembering what she could of the lessons she'd taken years ago in preparation for a Wayne Gala. 

Tim had missed them for Robin things. She didn't blame him for that, but she was certainly glad Cass took as well to dance as she did to combat. 

Did Steph end up feeling a bit clumsy, leading Cass around the floor? 

Did it matter? 

She could feel Cass relax into her, following. Steph was good enough that Cass trusted her. 

That had to count for something. To her, it did.

They spun around the room, Stephanie humming as Cass occasionally back-led her back onto beat. Stephanie savoured the warmth of where they met, half way down the belly, just below the belly button, in dance hold. Cassandra's eyes closed as they moved. 

It was serene. 

But eventually her inexperience caught the best of them. Stephanie wasn't sure what exactly it was she did wrong, but her foot eventually caught on Cass's, sending them tumbling down together into a messy heap on the ground. 

Stephanie lay there a second, taking a breath after her fall, internally cursing herself out for ruining the moment. 

Not for long, though, she heard the soft rasp of Cassandra's giggle. Steph turned to see Cass pulling her into a hug, and she just smiled, burying her face into Cass's side. 

"You okay?" Cass squeezed her gently as the two of them lay on the floor. 

"Yeah, better now though." Steph mumbled into the soft fabric of Cass's shirt, shifting a bit closer. Cass smelled like strawberries from. "You?"

"Duh." Cass grinned toothily, a bit of her swagger back. 

The girls lay there a bit, the hardwood suddenly the softest place as the afternoon sun baked in from the open windows and blessed their resting bodies. 

After a while passed, a voice woke them each from the half slumber they'd fallen into on the floor. The sound of a shutter, followed by a soft voice, obviously holding back laughter. 

"Well I was going to ask if you two wanted to pick out your bedrooms but..." Barbara chuckled, the sound of her wheels rumbling over the floor. 

Stephanie opened her eyes slowly. Her hands too trapped by Cass to rub the sleep out of her eyes, so she awkwardly tried to rub as much as she could off with her shoulder. 

Stephanie blinked a bit at Barbara as the woman stopped before them. 

"We fell and didn't feel like getting up..." She said, a blush spreading across her face. "Sun's nice."

"It is." Barbara said, still clearly trying to hold back laughter. "But most of the stuff's moved in and the new kids are going to be here tomorrow. Let's pick out our rooms, okay?"

• ••••

Later, and it had all been decided. 

There was a flatly ludicrous amount of bedrooms in this mansion. 

She knew the Wayne Manor was similar, but still. 

Despite the absurd room count, it didn't mean she had her own room, of course. That would be ridiculous at this point. 

The four of them had found a stretch of three bedrooms to claim on the first floor, and Charlie had taken center. Cass and Steph had agreed on the one to Charlie's left, Barbara was on the right. 

A little Charlie sandwich of sorts.  

Steph spun into her and Cassandra's bedroom, it wasn't decorated or furnished much, one queen with bedding was the grand sum, really. 

Barbara had mentioned IKEA trips at a minimum, but for now... All Steph had to look at was Cass scuffing around the edge of the bed, poking at it. 

"Will our stuff be sent here?" She said, poking the bed with her fist. "Bed's funny." 

"I don't know Cass... I'm sure Babs is still figuring that out." She fell into the mattress, curling her lip as she felt it beneath her. She made a mental note to tell Babs to please bring their mattress from home. She assumed there would be something or someone bringing everything over. 

Cass fell beside her, rolling closer to her until they touched. It certainly made the bed comfier. 

"Everything okay?" Steph asked, brushing a bit of Cass's hair out of her eyes.

Cass was silent a moment before shifting more, meeting Steph's eyes. Her face was on the sad side of neutral. Forlorn , Steph settled upon. Hopefully that was right. 

"When do we go back?" Cass asked, her pupils big, eyes bigger, pleading.

"Back…” Steph avoided Cass’s gaze, playing with a loose string on her shirt. “To Gotham?" The idea of returning made her stomach feel like it was full of curdled milk. After running away to Star... Not sending Cass back...

She pulled Cass in tighter to the hug. She felt the small nod, her chest tightening as Cass began to cling to her.

“I don't know Cass... I'm…” She paused, trying to gather her thoughts, even as words still spilled from her lips. “Doing university here now. I... Won't be back for... I mean..."

She trailed off, defeated. She didn't know what to tell Cass, she could feel the girl's fingers digging into her back as they lay. 

"It depends on how long the kids are here I guess." She finished half heartedly. Glancing to try to look at Cass’s face, now buried in her side.

"We'll still be Batgirls, right?" Steph had never heard Cass sound quite like she did that moment. Low, quiet, desperate . Her throat was tight. 

"Yes, Cass.” She murmured. “Batgirls forever.” 

Chapter Text

The team had reconvened in Sam's room. The plan was simple. Late at night, while Ollie was snoring away, they'd test Illyana's powers. Then, they’d step through, and step out into the Hall of Justice. 

Assuming it was all safe, of course. 

That's why they'd do it outside under Ollie's window, Sam had said. Portal shouldn't wake him up, but any monster that came through sure would. 

Rahne wasn't too certain what a man with a bow and arrow would do to demons, but considering the array of arrows she'd seen from him before during the tour of the Hall, she thought it couldn’t hurt.

Hopefully he had a holy water one, or even just a cross arrow. Rahne felt the corners of her lips twitch up at the idea of a cross arrow being put into a crossbow. What an angry weapon.  

Roberto had arrived last, and was staring at all of them incredulously. 

"You know,” He started, rubbing a hand across his face. “Maybe, just maybe, we don’t wear our bright yellow suits to break into what we can only assume is to be a well guarded building?"

Unlike the rest of them, who were all in their uniforms, Roberto was dressed head to toe in what Rahne assumed to be the best approximation of an all black outfit he could muster from the clothes provided by the Oracle. 

There was a collective snap of their gazes to him, followed by a collective drag of the head to look down at their suits. 

Rahne looked down at her outfit, a flush suddenly spreading across her cheeks. She hadn’t thought about the color of their uniforms before, but now that Roberto pointed it out… it did seem rather silly. 

"He has a point." Amara said slowly, sitting next to Rahne. Her hand gently rubbing Rahne's. 

Sam rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at his suit again. The ridiculousness of it all slowly dawned on the group. 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Illyana waved her hand dismissively, sitting on the edge of her chair. “Do we care? Let's go."

"Yeah and get caught?" Roberto shot back. "Come on, we at least can wear blue or something that'll blend in. Jesus, it's like none of you’ve ever snuck out late at night!"

The responding silence was palpable. 

"You guys ... Did... Sneak out late at night, right?" Roberto spoke slowly, looking between them all. He shook his head in disbelief. "Come on, Amara at least. I know one of you was too busy in hell and two of you are goodie two shoes—" he said with a wink at Rahne and Sam. "But come on Amy, you have to have."

Amara's hand went still as she stared back. Rahne didn't really know what to make of Roberto's comment. She'd always just been a right little girl. What did he mean?

"I was the Senator’s daughter, it wasn’t proper for a woman of my station to do such things. Plus… I couldn't risk my father’s position over such nonsense, Roberto. Besides, I had my handmaid's to keep me company." Amara arched an eyebrow, a slight flush Rahne didn't understand on her face. 

"Okay.” He clapped his hands, before jerking his thumb towards himself. “Well I'm taking charge, then." He  ran his hand through his hair, muttering: "Because God forbid you all had a little fun in life." 

Rahne thought she heard Amara mumble in disagreement, but when she looked at her questioningly, Amara just shook her head.

Roberto gestured them all back to their rooms as they heard footsteps approaching. After an hour or two, when they all had been assured that nothing was amiss, they returned. Rahne had, after a bit of deliberation, slipped black pants and a dark blue sweater over her suit. She'd be roasting like a Christmas ham, but by Jove she wasn't about to wear stuff that would rip as she changed form without the suit beneath to keep her decent, in case she was needed. 

Dear Lord, who art in heaven, please don't let this turn to anything. She uttered a quick prayer, taking a deep breath. She wanted to trust these people that had taken to looking after the team... Ollie, Barbara... She wanted them to be good. 

But to have Dani back? 

Tonight? 

Rahne didn't want to think the worst of all these people that had taken them in... But were the devil to come knocking for souls...

She shook her head, no. They'd do it themselves. Mayhaps with whatever up above could spare in help. 

She would not be picky. 

• ••••

Before long, they were all huddled outside in the alley beneath Ollie's room. 

All eyes were on Roberto. It felt nice to have someone feel in charge. Sam was second in command, but he was running low. Even Rahne could see him a bit thankful for the other boy stepping in. 

"Okay, ‘Yana, let's test." He said, nodding curtly. 

Rahne always squeezed her eyes tight as she went through Limbo with Illyana. Lest she be tempted by the evil of the woman's realm. Now, she squeezed them all the same. The sound of reality tearing reminded her all too well the Devil would never come knocking. He had the key. 

"It looks different, but it's clear." Illyana's voice came back after a few minutes. "I don't think I'm Queen of this Limbo though. It's weird. But it seems fine." A slight hint worry in her voice, trying it's hardest to be hidden. 

Rahne felt Amara's soft hand take hers as Illyana tore through to Limbo, then back. 

A tap on her shoulder, the still faint smell of cookies, and she opened her eyes. They were once again in the lounge area of the Hall of Justice. 

The lights were half on, nobody seemed to be in. Amara gently flipped Rahne's hood over her head, ruffling the top of her head. 

"Don't want to give us away with that shock of hair of yours, do we?" Amara whispered to Rahne. The girl smiled, holding back the bubble of laughter in her chest. 

"Alright team." Roberto said, his voice more definite than normal. Rahne couldn't help but hear a hint of Dani in Roberto's words. Maybe a touch of his father too.

She couldn't help but notice a bit of Dani in everyone. It had started with how Amara had shifted her voice to sound a bit more like their missing leader, but it continued to the way Roberto now held himself, the suspicion in Illyana’s gaze. Everyone wanted to try and hide her missing presence as best as possible, but all the cover-up just made her absence all the more obvious. 

"We're going to not split up, capiche?” Roberto looked around the corner. “Anything goes wrong, it's the same contingency. Amara levels the place, Yana gets us the fuck out. Can't do that if someone's playing Rambo. Okay?" Just like Dani, to the point, no room for misunderstanding, and a way out. 

"Who's Rambo?" Amara asked to no one in particular.

Roberto shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Focus on the plan. We all stay together, we all get out safe." He said. "No solo stuff."

Rahne could see Illyana mutter something under her breath, but the Russian nodded. Rahne knew she didn’t mean it, though — she crossed fingers behind her back. 

Sam had been quiet before, but now he posed a question: "And if we run into someone?" 

Roberto answered by punching his open palm. 

"If it's just one soul, I pity the poor fool." He smirked. "Not as cool when I say it, huh." 

The team chuckled, Roberto smiled. "Alright. We good, everyone? We're going to try and find our way as low as possible. My guess is that they’re probably holding Dani further underground."

"And if we dinnae find her?" Rahne asked, playing with the aglet of her hoodie, nibbling it a bit as she listened to Roberto's reply. 

"We search till we find her or have exhausted all other hope." Roberto replied seriously. "At that point, we get out, we get in bed, we pretend like nothing ever happened." 

Roberto gestured them all to follow, walking to the hall down to where they had gone for their meeting the last time they were here. 

They all snuck despite the quiet of the Hall. Roberto at the head, Illyana had taken the back. They wanted nobody to know they were there, just in case. 

After a bit of scouring the basement as best they could. Rahne froze, her enhanced hearing catching a sound. 

"Stop. All of yae." She hissed. 

"What?" Roberto asked, far too loudly. His eyes were wide with panic. 

"I heard something. Something nae us." Rahne whispered, skin prickling with fur as she shifted what she could without wrecking her civilian clothes. 

Rahne could smell burning ozone from Amara, and the was a hiss-crack when Illyana's sword materialized. 

They all waited, holding their breath. Sam was crouch, worn leather boots pressed harshly against the tile.  Rahne felt her face begin to transform further; someone was coming. 

Irregular steps, an odd pattern... Like... Skipping?

Roberto looked panickedly at everyone, gesturing at a room. Even without words, the message was clear. Hide here. Now.

The team funneled inside, Roberto moving to the edge, opening the door a crack to peek out. The rest of the team huddled around Illyana, making sure she'd get them all in case they needed to go quick. Rahne wasn't sure if she was dizzy from stress, or if the ground had begun to move under Amara’s . 

Rahne shimmied from her place, moving towards the door too, opting to not hear the dissent of Sam or Amara. 

Roberto shifted his position, letting Rahne peep out the crack, too. She could hear the footsteps more plainly now, they'd evened out. Oh Lord, please, just don't check.

But what Rahne and Roberto saw? It wasn't some super in costume hunting them down — thank the Lord. It was the same shock of red hair as the Oracle, but as a kid walking in normal clothes. 

Roberto and Rahne looked at each other. The figure seemed about their age approximately by height.

"What is it?" Illyana whispered from behind, the glow of her sword worrying Rahne into gently closing the door even more. 

Roberto waited until Rahne had gently clicked the door latch shut before he spoke. "It's some kid." His lips pressed together grimly as he returned to the group. 

"Tis nae just some kid!" Rahne cut in, scurrying back over. "Tis th’ Oracle's kid! The mutant!"

Amara's eyes narrowed in the dark of the room, her face souring with the news. "This is no time or place for children with parents to be out at. What is she doing here?"

"... Suppose the worst." Sam said, his conflicted expression and crossed arms dimly illuminated by the blue flames. "She's stuck here, like Dani."

"Or they caught us snooping and are using her." Roberto retorted. "An innocent bait to their trap."

"She's a mutant like us though..." Rahne said wistfully, Amara's hand resting on the girl's shoulder. "We cannae just... Abandon her."

"She's right." Amara said. "If she's here to find us, they know we're gone. We can get anywhere, any time. If the kid's in danger..."

"Who's in danger?" A cheery voice sounded as the room was lit by the door getting flung open. 

All eyes turned to the door, the girl from the hallway was standing, grinning at them. Not some dark, evil smile. No 'gotcha!' Just the look of a girl who seemed... Happy?

Nobody moved first amongst the mutants. Like as if they didn't move, nobody would see them. 

Girls like Rahne, and Oracle's kid, didn't work like the dinosaurs from Jurassic park. 

"I can see you all, you know." The mini Oracle said, all but bouncing towards them. Rahne blinked at the girl, her eyes latching onto Rahne as she grew nearer.

 "You're all the kids mom's taking after! Not like... Taking after taking after... Right? Is this why we're getting a mansion? Is other mom... And Mom—" Rahne blinked as the girl counted. Three moms? "—And Mom…”

Four

“... Coming to help? I hope so. Oracle really can't complain about Batman if she's pulling this stunt. Unless she's really just opening a school for people like you. And me? Maybe me. She said we were alike like ... Genetically. Which means you all have powers right? I'm Charlie! Charlie Gage-Radcliffe-Blake-Bertenelli-Gordon-Lance! Or Charlie— I said that. Misfit is my hero name! I'm a bird of prey, it's like.... MMM... Forget I said anything."

The team took a second to process the verbal onslaught they had just experienced. Roberto stepped forward, looking the girl over. Here, in person, she couldn't have been much older than Rahne. Rahne almost felt a familiarity tug at her with how the girl looked. 

Maybe a twinge of jealousy at the gorgeous mane of the lass's hair. 

"Uh—" Roberto cleared his voice, stepping forward to the girl. "What are you doing here?"

"You're looking for your friend, right?" Charlie asked, grinning brightly still. "I thought I'd come help. I doubt she's here, but you would have caused a major incident if someone hadn't turned off all the security!" 

Roberto stood there, staring at the girl, then Sam, then the team. 

"I was wondering why everything was so easy." He nodded, biting his lip. "Here I was thinking they'd over estimated the exterior security." 

Charlie laughed. "Nah. Mom's got issues. Oracle I mean. The moment she set up a link to— You don't care. Anyway! We should find your friend if she is here! I doubt it. But maybe Oracle's going crazy, I dunno." She waved for them to follow as she walked out into the Hall. 

"Why are you here, child?" Amara said, standing in place and holding Rahne from following. The Scot was beginning to be accustomed to how unusually warm Amara had been running this entire time here. 

Charlie spun around, vibrating, "I heard y'all talking about your distrust for everyone, and that you think they have your! Would make sense you'd check first the place that you know about that already has a secret basement!" She was grinning widely at this point, chest puffed out a bit. "I just teleported in, said I was doing a quick fix on the system, everyone believed me because why would I lie? And here we are! I guess that makes me a detective!"

"YUIR AH  SPY!" Rahne snarled, breaking free of Amara's now loosened grip and lunging forward. "Ah knew ah heard something! Yer dishonest an’ nasty!"

The girl in front of her disappeared in a puff of pink smoke before Rahne could tackle her, appearing a few feet back, in the hallway once more. Rahne growled, teeth sharpening in her jaw.

"Whoa, kiddo!" The girl who couldn't be much older than Rahne said, her hands up defensively. "I don't want a fight. I'm here to help! I didn't tell anyone about your plans. Not even mom."

Rahne could feel everyone’s eyes on her. A humiliated blush colored her cheeks when she stood up. I acted more like a beast than a girl. I should be ashamed of m’self.

"Everyone calm down." Sam said, standing next to Roberto. "She's heard the plans. Nobody's here to snatch us. There's no reason they'd have let us just break in." 

Roberto nodded. "Thank you Sam. If the kid's like us, she has every reason to help us." Roberto said to the group. 

Illyana pointedly coughed. Sam shot her a disappointed look. Illyana rolled her eyes, soulsword disappearing in her hands. “Whatever you say, ‘Berto.”

Charlie beamed. "Yeah! Though we don't get called 'mutants' here... That must suuuck. Like, big time. I'm just a kid with powers! But I can't use them." Charlie grumbled at the end. "Oracle says I'd give away our identities... Now come on! Let's go looking for trouble!"

• ••••

The group wandered after the girl, down multiple flights and searching every crevice of the basement till Amara was certain there was no more left to search.

Their guide didn't shut up the entire time. 

Charlie — the new girl's name — blabbered about everything. 

Growing up rich, the tragedy that struck her family, being the lone survivor, her new family and 'basically two sisters' — whatever that meant. Even adventures with the girl's four mothers — the amounts of divorce or remarriage the girl must go through Rahne couldn't comprehend. The poor lass.

But as they searched, Rahne paid less and less attention. Her heart hurt as they descended more and more, her eyes hated that they saw her teammates also lose hope the further down they went. 

There was only so far down the complex could go. And, according to Amara, it wasn't huge. 

They were running out of places Dani could be. 

Charlie tried to keep up a chipper demeanor. But Rahne could tell the team's mood was slowly spreading to her too. The other girl's pace was less cartoonishly bouncy. The brightness had begun to leave her eyes.

Rahne flipped down her hood. It was getting hot, and all the security was supposedly down anyway. What did it matter? 

"Hey!" Charlie grinned, a forced bounce interrupting her now flat stride. "We're like, twinning with the hair!"

Rahne just nodded glumly. "How much more is there tah explore?" She asked, looking up at Amara. 

The royal pressed her lips together, meeting, then avoiding Rahne's eyes. 

"There's still... A bit." She replied, no regal tone, just... Desperation. 

" *A* room." Sam muttered, almost to himself. Rahne always knew him to stand tall, good posture. Now he stood slumped, hands on pocket, eyes staring some thousand yards below the floor. 

Rayne nodded. They all did. They all understood, this was their dead end. The door to the last room looked like it was to a closet. Knowing how benign the rest of what they'd hoped to be an evil lair was, Rahne already knew it would be the closet they feared. 

Rahne opened the door, swinging it out towards them, revealing nothing but a few random pieces of science things for the laboratory they had seen just moments ago. 

" Nothing. " Roberto whispered, the usually proud boy not even hiding how the brooms in the closet broke him. 

Rahne stifled a sob. Amara pulled her in close instantly, wrapping her arms tight. 

Roberto stared at the open, his jaw set, lips thin. Black spots began to whiz around his form. Rahne thought, for a moment, she perhaps heard him sniffle.

"Nothing." Illyana whispered next to him. “There’s nothing.”

Charlie began to speak, but Roberto just shook his head. He looked dully back at their Russian teammate. "Yana. Get us back." He said. Hands curling to fists in his pocket. "Get us out of here."

Rahne watched Charlie slump in defeat too, the girl's eyes also being infected with their despair. 

Illyana swallowed. "Fuck this stupid ‘mission’. I knew it was worthless anyway." She turned away, wiping the sleeve of her top across her face as her magic began to work. 

"You're— Good bye mutants." Charlie said quietly, looking at all of them, then at Rahne specifically, wiggling her fingers. "Bye twin."

Then, the girl poofed away, and Rahne squeezed her eyes shut as Illyana took them back. 

• •••• 

Five in the morning. 

That's when they got back. 

And Rahne wasn't sure if anyone would be able to sleep. 

Nobody moved after the portal faded away. They all just stood there, staring at each other. 

Sam opened his mouth first. The temporary role of team leader going to Roberto seemed to snap him out of whatever had been weighing on him. 

"Rahne, morning, we try an’ contact Dani again. Push until she tells us this time. For now, everyone get to bed." He said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Roberto’s hands were balled into fists, and he shouldered past Sam."I'm going outside. I need air."

Illyana took a shaky breath before disappearing back to Limbo. Rahne just stood there, feeling so, so deeply alone. Even with Amara's arms still holding her like she too might be taken. 

"I'm turning in for what's left of the night you two..." Sam said, his voice so, so hollow. "Best you two do the same."

Amara nodded, not letting go of Rahne. "You're right, Sam. We'll see you come morning."

Finally the Nova Romani let go, taking Rahne's hand as they walked out the door. 

They stopped at Rahne's door, "I'll see you in the morning, okay? Sleep well."

But Rahne didn't let go of her hand, squeezing instead. Like Amara would vanish if she went back.

Amara looked down at the shorter girl. Rahne met her gaze with big eyes. Amara had always felt safe, she probably still was the only one besides Dani to know some of her more deeper thoughts — breaking down to the girl before she knew she could speak English did something to that. 

And right now, Rahne was scared, she was alone. With no Dani to call out to. 

She didn't want to be alone right now, knowing Dani wasn't here. 

Illyana was the witch, and the boys were… boys. Amara...

Amara understood Rahne’s silent plea and nodded. Opening Rahne's door for her and gesturing quietly that she'd be back. 

Rahne slipped into her flannel onesie she'd bought at the store. She had never thought she’d wear flannel before, but Dani wore it all the time. It was so scratchy before, but now it was comforting. She sat on the edge of the bed in a ball, rocking slightly as she waited until Amara returned. 

Amara walked in after a few minutes, her night gown flowing like she was the princess Rahne always wished she could be. 

She supposed Amara was just that, in all truth. 

Amara didn't try and lie, or say that it would all be okay. It was far too gone for that. Instead, she just lay down on the opposite side of the bed and tugged at the back of the girl's pyjamas. 

"Come. We need what sleep we can for tomorrow, Rahney."

The Scot just nodded, falling into the bed with a sigh, Amara pulled the girl closer, pressing her lips to Rahne’s crown.

"I'll be here. Don't worry."

Rahne closed her eyes, shifting closer to the other girl, letting some tears run down her face. Dreading the day to come. 

Chapter Text

Amara didn't really fall asleep that night. She couldn’t, really. She just lay there, feeling Rahne’s small figure pressed into hers, the girl's worried breathing eventually giving way to the steady pattern of sleep. 

Amara didn't follow, though her body desperately wanted to. She just lay, mentally running over everything since coming to both these new worlds. 

She really couldn't say she felt all that different or lost in this world than in what was supposedly her own. Between Dazzler or Black Canary, she was equally clueless. If anything, she felt more sure of   her place, her duty, here than 'home.'

Their leader was gone, the one person that understood really what it meant to go be forced into a new set of rules, be forced into a different world, in some ways. Sure, Illyana had grown in hell but...Amara and Dani came from proud cultures, they had had their normals, and then they were forced to disregard them. Sam didn't understand that, nor did Illyana. This new normal was a godsend to the Russian. It was all too baffling for the Nova Romani

Dani knew better than Amara herself what Amara felt. Xavier hadn't been as harsh on the Nova Romani in Amara as he'd been on Dani. To Xavier, Dani was disrespectful, disobedient, and disquieting. She knew that. 

She respected her all the more for it. 

For Amara, this ‘Star City’ was as odd as New York. She was about as lost in this reality as the  reality her father had sent her into. 

At least now she knew what she was supposed to do. 

Their head was gone. Nobody knew what to do. 

She did. 

Rahne had lost half of herself. She knew Rahne, and respected Dani enough, to know that she must step in. Try and do what she could to protect the girl. 

She wasn't Dani. She truly could never be. She might be the daughter of a powerful senator, but Danielle... Danielle was special, powerful… everything. The Professor may say she was rebellious as if it was a blight, but to Amara, Dani’s seditious nature was her acting as the leader she was. 

Everyone felt her absence. It was as much a gaping wound as any one could acquire on the battlefield. Sam or Roberto leading... It all felt so wrong. The so-called leaders knew it just as much as the people following did. The self awareness only made it more obvious.

Eventually, Rahne began to stir as the first vestiges of sunlight began to stain the sky and peek through the windowpane, the girl's breathing returning to the irregularities of the conscious world. 

"Amara?" Her voice was small, still partially asleep. 

The blonde pulled the other girl closer, squeezing her tight. "Did you sleep okay, little one?"

Rahne didn't respond, laying there instead, staring emptily up at the ceiling. Amara frowned, worried. 

She nudged her, slowly sitting up.

"Rahne?"

"I miss her, Mara..." The Scot's small voice whimpered. Oh.

Amara looked away guiltily as Rahne pressed her face into her chest, shoulders shaking. Amara gently rubbed her back as the sound of muffled sobs reached her ears.

"I know... But she's alive, Rahne. Shift again today, we'll work to find her.” She hesitated, but Rahne’s cries had tapered off, and she peered up at her with watery, red eyes. She knew she needed to say something.  “Even... Even if the others give up." Amara knew they wouldn't give up, but she also meant her words. 

She wasn't giving up on Rahne, nor Danielle. 

They laid there a while, Rahne still shaking while Amara struggled to figure out how to comfort the clearly-struggling girl. She didn't dare move, instead burying her face into Rahne's rough hair, holding her as close as possible. The smell of the hotel shampoo creeping into her nose. 

Eventually, Amara let go, turning to look at the clock. Nine in the morning. Ollie would probably be checking in soon. 

She felt both Mors and Somnus clawing at her back as she went back to holding Rahne. The girl's shaking had only intensified with Amara leaving her, even momentarily. 

She heard the smaller girl mumble something as she cuddled in close. 

"What's that, Rahney?" She cursed herself, that was Dani's name for Rahne. What claim had she to use it? 

But… it seemed to calm Rahne. A good sign. 

"She used t’do this..." Rahne's voice whispered, almost inaudibly. "She'd know without me telling... She'd come to my room... Fall asleep with me when I was scared."

"I'll stay here every night if you want." Amara whispered back, ignoring the pull in her gut. She didn’t want to replace Danielle, but she could not sit idle while Dani’s soul-mate suffered so. 

"Ah'd…” She paused, swallowing. I'd like that..." 

Amara nodded, running her fingers through her hair. "It shall be done, then."

They lay, silently, a few more minutes before Amara began to move. She pulled down the hem of her sleepshirt, which had rode up sometime during the night.  "We should dress for the day, Rahne…” she squeezed the girl tight before letting go slowly. 

Rahne's small form held to her a second longer, the girl taking a breath before speaking. “Can… Can we contact Dani..? Now?” The girl’s big eyes broke Amara’s heart as she looked down, and she nodded. 

“I’ll wait for you—” Amara started, assuming the girl was to hide once more in the marble bathroom as Sam had said the girl had done before. 

Rahne shook her head. “If she believes me, ah’ll go an; transform more.”

Amara could feel Rahne’s hair, ‘fur,’ according to Charles— though she thought that typically cruel of him— bristle. She instinctively let go, jerking back a bit before returning to holding Rahne tight. 

She felt Rahne’s hold tighten; Dani was awake, able to hear Rahne. 

Rahne didn’t seem to like it. Her chest was rising and falling fast in Amara’s arms. All the blonde could do was lay there in horrible ages as she waited.

Slowly, Rahne’s form began to shift. Her prickly fur receding from Amara’s skin and back into wherever they came.

“How was it?” She asked, stroking the girl’s hair, glad she could do anything finally.

“I —” the girl choked. “She’s alive. She’s safe. I think.”

Amara nodded. Rahne was being vague, so Amara let her be. She would share in due time if she wanted. Amara settled for simply holding her, “I’m not surprised, she’s Dani. Our leader wouldn’t die just like that.”

“I dinnae think she knows I’m alive Amara…” she replied, burying her face into Amara.

The blond did not know what to say to that. Rahne knew that as well as Amara did. 

So she held tight. Tight enough she was afraid the girl might gasp for air; but she was all too afraid to let go.

Eventually, Rahne mumbled into Amara’s side. “You said we need to get up.”

“Are you ready, Rahne?” Amara asked, pressing a small kiss to the girl’s hair to comfort her.

Rahney nodded weakly, and for the millionth time since they had crashed to this world, Amara's heart broke. She'd thought she had met Rahne at the girl's lowest, but here she was now, seeing there was still plenty farther for the once-joyful girl to fall. 

Amara let go of Rahne, watching her rise and turn on a light in the room. 

"I'll leave you to dress, okay? I shall go to my quarters."

"Aye." Rahne nodded, rubbing her eyes. "Tis only proper."

Amara soon slipped into the hallway, closing the door behind her gently, turning and walking to her room, her mind focused on holding herself high, trying to not give in to exhaustion.

"Amy?"

A man's voice. It caused Amara to tense before she recognized it. Roberto. Looking as equally as sleep deprived he sounded, a touch lost, and a touch of something else Amara wasn't quite awake enough to understand. 

"Yes?" She said, turning to him. Roberto was still in his all-black attire from the night before, bags under his eyes pronounced. 

"The fuck you doing coming out of Rahne's room?" He grumbled, rubbing his eyes. "You sleeping with her now?"

Amara swatted at him, and though he attempted to avoid it, he very much failed, causing Roberto to let out a noise that was a mix of an indigent squawk and a squeak. 

Amara shot a glare at him. 

"Stultus" she muttered, shaking her head. She straightened, smoothing down her unruly curls.  "No. Of course not. Rahne was frightened, she required company, and I obliged."

"I was bugging ya, Amy…” Roberto grinned, nudging her with his elbow. “Sides— someone's gotta like boys in this group, right?" 

Amara rolled her eyes, but the boy’s grin was infectious, and the corners of her lips twitched up into a smirk. . "Better hope it's not Sam then, Berto."

"Damn." He retorted, "I thought you Nova Romani  were open ‘bout everything? Not this?" 

Amara sighed loudly, and exaggeratedly. "Why does your society care so deeply about this? In Nova Roma, we just had our ways." She asked, half exasperated, half searching for the reason why everyone outside of her home cared so deeply about such proclivities. Nova Roma did not care, why did this supposed future?

"So you and your handmaids…” He paused, before waving the question away.  Ah forget about it." He raised his eyebrows "What were you doing actually?" 

"With Rahne?" 

"Maddona!" Roberto cursed, arms crossing. "Yes, 'with Rahne!' What do you take me for?" 

"A boy."

"I thought the great Nova Roma didn't care about gender shit." He wiggled his eyebrows. 

Amara sighed again, equally as exasperated and amused. "Just that they would only care that I got 'more bitches' as you all would say."

"Okayyyy." A new voice, Ollie was awake and had opened the door, staring at the kids now. "Let's cool down in here. Pun absolutely intended, Magma and Sunspot."

The two kids looked at each other, then back at the man standing, dressed and ready for the day in a Black Canary tee, shorts, and flip flops, smirking quite proudly at his own joke. 

"Yes sir." They hurriedly said in sync, giving each other nervous glances as they split up. 

Ollie kept his eyes locked on the ceiling, an appreciated gesture from the still pyjama clad Amara. "Amazing, now how's about we go get dressed for the day. Moving day. You all get to pick out some rooms."

• ••••

The mansion was huge. 

Of course it was, that's what mansions were.

But still. 

Rahne was pressed into Amara's side the entire drive, and Amara wouldn't have it another way. Even with the occasional odd glance from the rest of the team, or even Ollie. She didn't care. 

Soon everyone was standing on the mansion grounds, taking in their new so-called ‘home’. 

The building was made of a stones, but not like the beautiful marble of Nova Roma. The Queen mansion was dark, the stones used for their convenience, not their beauty. 

It was not the first nor last time Amara missed her home, her father, her world. Everything was so strange, she found. Why have so much and not show it with at least a little opulence?

Rahne seemed blown away by it, though. She stared at the building with huge eyes. She stepped away from Amara for a moment, and the light caught the childlike gleam in her blue eyes. 

"Tis beautiful..." She gasped, even as Sam pulled her forward to follow. 

They met the Oracle inside. Charlie — from the night before — grinned toothily at the group. Beside her, a short Asian girl leant into a blonde with a polite smile that softened whenever she looked away from the group. 

"You all look tired." The woman commented. Amara's heart dropped. Was she a true Oracle? Did she know what they had done? 

The woman continued, gazing over all of them, a warm expression on her face: "Hopefully now that we're a bit more settled, we can get better rested."

The blonde by the Oracle snorted, eyeing the older woman, who promptly shot her an unamused look. 

"As I was saying —" Barbara began, before cutting herself off to look at the blonde who was silently giggling behind her. "I get enough sleep, Stephanie."

The blonde stifled her laughs best she could, while Barbara rolled her eyes. "As I was saying, again, you lot are going to go free, pick out your rooms. We already have our three on the ground floor picked. I'd think the second floor would be best, gives you all space from where we'll be."

The team nodded slowly, looking among themselves.

Barbara continued, pointing at the girls surrounding her, "you already know of Charlie from the video I showed you." She said, gesturing at Charlie who gave them a knowing wink Barbara couldn't see. "This is Cassandra." She gestured at the girl leaning into the blonde, who stared back at the mutants from under short, slightly unkempt, black hair. "She's the world's best fighter. My other daughter. Next to her is Stephanie, she lives with me, she'll be helping with everything as you get adjusted." She said, pointing at the taller girl. Stephanie waved at them, smiling. 

Amara could see Rahne's face wrinkle with confusion as she looked between the four women in front of them, counting them in her head. None of the new girls nor the Oracle commented, though Cassandra's eyes certainly locked in on Rahne after a few moments. Rahne immediately shrunk behind Amara, who instinctively stepped in front of her. 

Barbara's eyes flickered about before nodding to herself. The New Mutants had stayed silent so far, mostly nodding between their anxiety and sleep deprivation; nobody felt like talking. 

"How about you all explore a bit? Find what rooms you want and all that?"

"That sounds good, ma'am." Sam finally was the first to speak, nodding cordially. 

• ••••

The rooms were picked at last. 

The group has found a hallway with six bedrooms all next to each other, three on each side of the hall. Rahne had taken the north-facing middle room, with everyone else filling in, surrounding her. 

Amara had "chosen" a room, too. It was mostly to be a place to put her stuff, she felt, at least until Dani returned. The morning with Rahne played back in her mind.

They'd all reconvened before lunch, the smell of food had begun wafting, and the curly haired blonde Stephanie had come to collect them. 

Barbara had ordered the cheesy flat breads — pizzas. Amara still wasn't all together sold on them, supposedly they were Italian — ergo Roman — food. But she knew her people's history, tomatoes were of Nova Roma and it's Incan population's history. It was not of Rome. And not of Nova Roma either.

She did, however, get curious to the idea of pineapple on it. She'd had the fruit before in her world, she'd liked it. Hopefully here too it was good. 

Barbara talked a bit, Amara didn't really listen. Everyone else was paying attention, she just sat, stealing the occasional glance at Rahne beside her until the Oracle and her family said something about leaving. 

The team was alone now, just the five of them sitting around the massive dining room table that looked older than anyone who had stepped in this mansion today. 

Everyone began reaching for slices. A few flavors were there, veggie, one with a bunch of meat, the one with pineapple, and one with just the cheese on-top. 

Amara sat, listening to Rahne begin to say grace as everyone else started on the meal. She still wasn't sure what to think of the idea of Rahne’s Lord, but stranger gods most certainly existed. 

After Rahne finished, Amara silently, questioningly, gestured to try a bite of the pizza flavour Rahne had grabbed that Amara, definitely coincidentally, did not. 

The Scot nodded, smiling, letting Amara take the first bite. 

It was something one of Amara's handmaids had done, back home. Security, to test for anything added to the food that shouldn't have been. 

Amara didn't ponder on the position that put her in with Rahne, and she'd never tell the girl. It'd upset her as it upset Amara when she learnt why her friend was sharing her food as a child. 

The food was fine, in safety and quality. Nothing would harm the girl bar the grease that soaked every inch of the slice Amara was unsure how Americans managed to add to their flatbread. 

She nodded, smiling at the girl, who grinned back. 

"It's very good." She lied before offering her some of the Hawaiian that Rahne hadn't taken. A cover for her actions. There was confusion in Rahne’s eyes, still, but she accepted Amara’s actions.

Not everyone did, though. She could feel eyes on her, and as Rahne shook her head, Amara looked and saw Illyana glaring daggers at her. 

Amara averted her gaze, turning to answer the question Roberto had asked. She let the rest of lunch go by in just a half awake daze. 

• ••••

Amara couldn't wait for night to fall. The entire day had been spent hoping it was before she herself died from exhaustion. 

Rahne had retired to her room already, and Amara was fighting the urge to fall into her own bed, to just not follow through on her promise. 

But she dragged her feet out of her room once she was changed, pictures of Rahne in bed that morning driving each step, running almost straight into an Illyana who was all too awake for how long everyone had been up. 

"Where're you going, princess?" The girl's Russian accent thickened with suspicion . 

"Rahne's. She's scared. Move." Amara groaned, holding back a yawn all too improper. 

Illyana narrowed her eyes, standing firm in front of her. She pushed a palm against Amara’s chest. "And you're all of a sudden the one taking after her? Is that it?" The witch must have snuck into Limbo to rest before this. The cheater. 

"Illyana, what is this about? Yes! Yes I'm looking after Rahne.” Amara snapped.” Jupiter’s beard! Dani's gone, the boys are the boys. I'm— why are you even acting like this?" Amara snapped back, she just wanted to crawl into bed. Not defend her caring after Rahne for Dani to this woman, even if it was to someone very close to their leader. 

"So you think that gives you the right to do this?" Illyana snarled, glaring at her with a fire rivalling her own . 

"Do what ?!" Amara shouted back, her powers flickering on for a moment in her rage, the floor shaking ever so, the witch staring at her with some mix of fury and fear. 

"You know what." Illyana muttered back, "Dani's not even gone a week. Hell, not even dead, and here comes Miss Princess waltzing in trying to scoop up Rahne." She spoke louder now, nostrils flared and eyes burning as she stared up at Amara. 

"Illyana!” Amara’s jaw was on the floor. “What in Olympus's name do you take this for?!"

"You always liked Rahne!” She stepped forward, shouting loud enough that it echoed. “Didn't you?! And the moment Dani is out of the picture you're already crawling into the girl's bed?!" 

Amara burned with fury at the accusation, at the idea she'd disrespect their leader so. Amara had always been close to Rahne, but that was hardly a feat with how sweet and dear the girl was. 

Illyana continued, accusing: "She's lost her soulmate, Amara. You couldn't even wait?! Wait till we at least know she's not coming back?"

"You think so little of me, witch?!" She could feel herself, or perhaps the ground, shake. Her skin began to smoke. "Rahne is young! She is lost and all-too trusting, Illyana!” Amara finally screamed. “And she has not Danielle to hold her hand. She's the way she is, trusting and dear, someone must look out for her, be suspicious for her, stand near her while Dani is gone. Or shall we let her off on her own, to be taken by whatever evil took Dani?”

Illyana laughed. “And that has to be you? Newsflash, princess , you’re not the only person on this damn team.” She bared her teeth. Amara got the distinct sense she wanted to summon her sword.

“Should we let them be reunited, Illyana?” All the anger that had been buzzing in her veins suddenly left Amara, leaving her voice quiet, angry still, but quiet. “She doesn't trust you. She needs things she can't get from the boys. That leaves me, Illyana, it leaves me guarding over her as the Chief would want." 

Illyana stared at her, and Amara met her eyes with a defiant glare. 

Without a word, Illyana turned on her heel, glyphs Amara hadn't noticed before fading into the ground. By the way nobody had come to check on them, she suspected them to have been something to keep their voices down. 

She didn't care. If she was drained before Illyana's words, she was practically dead on her feet now. She wished she could have just fallen into bed in her room and ignored this whole incident. 

She sighed, running her fingers through her curls. Danielle wouldn't have ever let this happen. Their leader had never had something like this on her watch.

Chapter Text

The night before, Dani had had dreams. 

Dreams of being home. Not at Xavier's, of Colorado. Sundance. 

Home with her parents, her friends too. How they had gotten there, she couldn’t have told you.

It hurt, when she crashed back into reality. Dani had been trying to not think about it, about how her parents were back and yet she had someone had lost them again. 

And now, she was the one who was gone. How long has she been missing? Obviously, over a week here, but did time move the same there? Even if she could go back, would it be home?

Had Charles even told her parents?

I miss Grandfather. She sighed, stirring the soup Shiva had made for breakfast. I could always talk to him.

It was good. Apparently a "recipe from someone she'd known." Infuriatingly vague, as it always was.

Dani still had no clue who the woman was. She was as ineffably unknowable as any type of God she could think up. Though, pale yellow streaked through the air like a sunburst when Shiva took a sip of her broth. Her posture, typically strong and defined, relaxed. Dani felt herself soften at the sight.

It seemed like Shiva had history with this soup. Good history.

She found herself comfounded. Shiva and Xavier were not the same, but they were not dissimilar, either. Though, she was probably the only reason Dani hadn't lost it yet. All this mystery around her, and yet, she cared. 

Cared enough to have taken her in, to have respected her, hell... Cook for her, teach her. Xavier had done so, too. He was kind, in his own way. 

Shiva cared enough to have chosen Dani as an heir. 

Dani didn't understand it. Shiva was adamant to the idea. The idea of a girl she barely knew carrying her legacy.

But Shiva cared deeper than that, didn't she? Xavier wanted Dani to carry on legacy too, he wanted her to be a certain way. To be the next Cyclops. 

Shiva said she wanted Dani to be free. 

And Dani was. 

She missed her friends, but pushing through her time spent grieving, she could feel a different feeling, for once. 

She could relax. 

She wasn't leading, she wasn't responsible, she didn't have lives on her shoulders and a white man telling her some lie of how he never wanted child soldiers. 

She had a home and someone who was looking after her. If she had an issue, Shiva helped her. Somehow the god had less expectations of perfection. 

It was all, deeply, bizarre. Shiva remained distant, unknowable, and yet closer to what Dani had before Xavier took her than after. 

Her relief flooded her with guilt, too. Maybe she had lied to herself, maybe she had been losing it. The guilt ate away at her, with the grief of everything that had happened. 

Why had she survived?  

She heard voices. Hell she was seeing things, she knew that. She’d heard Rahne’s voice that morning, pleading in her mind. Maybe it was real.  

Part of her wanted to believe it, part of her wanted to tell Rahne it was all okay. That she was alive, she was safe. Tell Rahne, have her tell what other survivors there were, and then be reunited.

Part of her knew that her hallucinations — or powers, what was even the difference anymore? — were playing tricks on her. Part of her knew the Rahne she saw these days was not real, and did not want to admit to herself that she had been seeing things. Didn’t want to admit that she heard Rahne’s desperate pleas in her head more often than not, as she had this morning. She didn’t give into the delusions.

Shiva looked over at her, and Dani picked up her bowl to take a sip of broth. When she put the bowl down, Shiva was still watching. 

Dani pretended not to notice. Shiva had begun to train her in reading others. She was shocked by this point that Shiva wasn't a mutant, between her combat and her abilities. Reading people from just how they held themselves, moving with impossible speed and precision. 

But she was human. Or divine. 

All Dani had was what she was. 

"What is the matter, Danielle." Shiva said, turning back to her soup. "Your friends, I imagine?"

Shiva spoke in an unsure tone, though it was clear she knew she was wrong, Dani knew that. Dani also knew she couldn't exactly hide much from the woman. 

Dani took another sip of the soup before responding slowly, averting her gaze. 

"Before I—" Her voice wavered. "We were sent here, we'd just rescued my parents. I hadn't seen them in... Years." She swirled her soup a bit. "I was hoping to spend some time with them. I'd thought they were dead for so long." 

She heard Shiva shift. Dani just stared down into the half-empty bowl, watching the pieces of egg wash around. 

"You are handling the loss of family very well, Danielle." Shiva said, softer. 

Dani hated that type of sympathy. She wasn't strong, she was jammed. She couldn't get out the emotions welled up inside. How she wished sometimes to be Rahne who could cry and feel better. 

But she couldn't hate it now, she could hear how Shiva spoke, a failed attempt to distance herself, it wasn't much, but it was one of the few bits of Shiva that Dani now knew. 

The woman understood some of what Dani felt, and the woman didn't want that known.  

Dani didn't press, she just nodded, staring at her soup more, wondering if this was what Shiva had grown up eating for breakfast. 

Was this their family tradition? She wondered, staring at her reflection. Who had sat at this spot next to Shiva before her?

Dani shook her head, part of her feared that Shiva could understand more than she let on. That the understanding she was teaching Dani went far, far deeper than simple cues from the body. 

Shiva slurped the last of her soup, standing. Dani hadn't even gotten half way through the bowl. 

"We'll start training soon," she said, giving Dani the space to push her dreams of her friends back to where they'd be forgotten — like how all good dreams are. "I have something different I want to start with today." And with that she went to wash her bowl. 

Dani downed the rest of her soup, pushing every other emotion out of the way. Training; she wouldn't be Dani for a while, just an heir. 

And definitely not a soldier. Did she believe that? She had to. 

She stood, retesting her legs. The braces were off for the time being. Shiva wanted her to try walking without them a bit. To regain what mobility she could. 

She started towards the sink, stopping when Shiva took the bowl from her, beginning to wash it herself. She almost snapped, stop treating me like an invalid! She held her tongue. "Go to the living room. If your legs can handle it, don't bother with your supports. You won't need them yet."

Dani nodded, confused. She moved slowly to the living room, Shiva joining her moments later with a flash drive.

She stuck it into something connected to the old CRT TV, and turned the beast on. 

The screen flickered to life. Dani couldn't help but smile at it. It was one of those giant TVs, a box, really. Shiva said she preferred how the screen looked, Dani couldn't disagree. It reminded her of home, in a way. 

Right now though, the screen was white. She looked at her mentor questioningly. The God nodded to herself, checking the remote was working before she met Dani's gaze with a passive expression. 

"You're new to this world. No matter how long you are here, there are certain people you must recognize if you are staying with me." Shiva said, her voice cold and serious. “A target is on your back, as there is on mine. But one of us is still learning."

Dani gulped, she hadn't considered that part of being the heir to Shiva. Bad actors, no matter how nice Shiva seemed, might come to hurt her, to hurt Shiva. 

Dani was the easiest path. She hated that.

*I matter enough for Shiva to expect these things?* Dani realized, only to get interrupted by Shiva's words as a figure came to the screen. 

He was an odd looking fellow. He had a strong jaw, concerningly white skin, wearing an outfit that had little horns or something on his cowl, and a bat on his chest. His entire suit was all greys and blacks — bar a bright yellow utility belt around his waist.

"This is Batman." Shiva began, an exasperated tone to her voice. "He is a former student of mine. He's a known vigilante of this Earth."

"Does he know how stupid he looks?" Dani questioned dryly, squinting at the horns on his head. "Has he seen a bat?"

Shiva smirked. "He's a hero, I suppose. Not a good one. He's paranoid, delusional, and highly intelligent. Not as smart as some will claim, but still smart." The slide switched, revealing a man with the same jaw, dressed in designer suits. Something about him just made Dani sneer. 

"Good reaction." Shiva smiled a little. It dropped as a picture of that man, and a gaggle of boys that looked like him, appeared on the screen. "Batman's real name is Bruce Wayne. He is also the student of a deeply, deeply evil man. Bruce as Batman — you might recognize this — takes in orphans and trains them to fight his holy war against crime in his city." 

"And?" Dani asked, she wasn't quite sure why she was being shown a rich white guy vigilante who sucked. 

"He will return here eventually, he will convince you I am evil." Shiva said, clasping her hands behind her back. Her gaze bored into Dani, and pale red hues of fury lapped around her. "I am not the one with the death of three children on my hands. Two girls, a boy."

Dani stared at her, lips pressed tightly together. She knew Shiva killed. She didn’t hide it. Her Grandfather taught her to put life before death, always. Empathy before cruelty. Dani wanted to ask; Don’t you have the death of many more?

Shiva gripped the remote tightly. "The boy once believed me to be his mother." She said, pointing to the second oldest of the children, "Jason. It was before I knew much of the Batman. Back when Green Arrow had Speedy and child sidekicks were a good way to stop super nuisances. I thought —” She shook her head.

“You thought?” Dani prompted after a moment of silence. Shiva turned away. Crimson curled around her tensed shoulders.

He was the second to die, it turns out. I found that out when I trained him." Shiva sneered. "Bruce was near the end. I should have done him in.”

She quieted, mumbling to herself, clearly not meant for Dani’s ears. “Jason, I could have relocated, the last one I could have saved from him." 

Dani shifted, seeing the anger in Shiva's eyes. The rule to not kill had been something instilled into her by her Grandfather. He always told her to put life before death. When he died, she had been so blinded by grief that she had pushed it aside. In the end, she had followed Xavier, as her Grandfather wanted, saving Rahne rather than getting revenge on Pierce,  but seeing Shiva so regretful… It reminded her of her own loss. 

"My point stands, he does not view people, especially women, as human. He will use you and discard you without hesitation. He's a skilled fighter, but I retrained him." Shiva said firmly. “I did not give him, though, the attention I give you.”

She began to describe how to fight him, along with his proteges. Dani heard it all, but she was thinking too. Staring at the face of the man, so generically charismatic, and how he got away with so much. 

She was thinking of Shiva's regret in not stopping more suffering. 

Of Shiva as a killer. 

Things popped into place about Shiva. Things she'd said, taught, to Dani. They made more sense. 

But the idea of the woman as a killer?

She knew people who killed. Logan, back home, he took lives. He made no secret about it. Was she to kill, if she were to be Shiva? Could she?

Shiva went through more images, each of the boys Bruce had taken in, their weaknesses, the ways they might try and get to her. The only one Shiva spoke at all positively on being the last, the youngest. She knew the child's mother, respected her even. It made Dani wonder how Wayne had the kid. 

More slides came and went, a myriad of faces Dani tried to remember. The rest were villains of various types who'd have interest in power over Shiva. The pattern repeated. Name, abilities, anything of note to know about them, how to fight them. Shiva spat varying levels of venom for each. 

Dani zoned back in fully when one last slide came up. It was someone dressed in a pornhub coloured Deadpool costume. She quite nearly choked on air.

"Oh god. Who's this?" Dani groaned, bracing for a run down on what she fully was expecting to be a Deadpool of this Earth. Annoying, immortal, and weird. 

"Deathstroke." Shiva said, possibly with the most hatred yet. Dani blinked in surprise. "A man who's blood you may one day see on me, Danielle. He is someone normally below my notice to challenge, but I will make exception to men like him."

Those that had been shown so far had been scum and villains abound. For Shiva called this ‘Deathstroke’ out specifically... It concerned Dani. 

"A showman that claims to be the greatest killer. It is simply that I and my peers do not care to lower ourselves to his level.”  Shiva snarled. “His dignity is purchasable, he will bark if you pay. But he is a pedophile, a rapist, a man sorely, sorely deserving of death for what he has done.".

Shiva’s anger was quiet, methodical, as if she was piecing together a delicate image of his death in her mind. Red painted her skin like blood and singed into the air like the largest wildfires.

It should have scared her, Dani felt, but she understood all too well what she meant. Looking at the man, listening as Shiva continued to list his crimes. She didn't agree, but she silently understood. 

"If he approaches you, Danielle. Kill him. Do not hold back. You're trained by me, you'll be able to." Shiva said coldly. "Don't fret on feeling sorry. He is petty, he will make it him or you. He will come back. You're in his interest range. Don't let him get lucky. Kill."

A refutation bubbled up on her lips. “But –”

Shiva’s shoulders curled inwards. “There are many scars that are made that I can heal, Danielle. The type this man creates are everlasting. I would not wish his cruelty on my worst enemy.” Dani watched her throat bob as she swallowed. “Kill him.”

Dani stared at the CRT, into the hollow eyes of the monster. She nodded. She would not kill. With luck, she would never meet this man. 

Shiva paused, tilting her head.  She probably could see the lie, but she didn't push. "Do you have questions?"

Dani looked at Shiva, her face not neutral but slightly caring. 

"Yes." Dani said, half whispering as she tried to get the words out. It was a question meant for Xavier to be said in front of her friends. Not to the person healing her, feeding her. "What do I do if I'm taken?"

Shiva stared at her, the silence between them heavy as the seconds ticked by. Dani worried she had said the wrong thing. Was it obvious to Shiva and not her? Was she expected to not be taken? To fight to the end?

"You wait." Shiva said, at last. Her words were hard. "If they can put you in somewhere, I can get you out. If I need help, I know where to get it."

Dani wasn't quite sure how to react. It was what she hoped for, and yet it also surprised her. That she was worth saving, according to this woman. That if she was taken to get at Shiva, hell would be paid. 

She wondered what that would look like to see Shiva on a war path. 

Shiva’s gaze lingered on Dani a moment before turning to unplug the stick from the TV. "You're my heir, Danielle. Nothing will happen to you. I will not allow it."

• ••••

Training went as it always did, and her lessons too. Her education ran later than normal because of the special start to the day, but Dani didn't care. What else did she even have to do? 

Fighting was getting more fun anyway. As her movements smoothed out, her strikes became more fluid. She'd have never thought it’d be this easy to learn, she suspected it wasn't, but something about how Shiva imbued knowledge unto Dani faster than it should. 

After her lessons were finished, Dani crashed on the couch. After a few seconds of sighing at the relief of finally allowing her aching body a respite, she looked for the remote.

She groaned, patting the ground next to the couch as her eyelids felt like they were being weighed down by ten-pound sandbags.

Finally, she found it. After a few minutes of struggling, she managed to get the correct channel on. Dani turned on her side and rested her eyes, listening to the commercials that came on, too tired to think. 

She heard Shiva moving about. It kept her awake. She both did and didn’t trust Shiva. It was hard to explain, harder to even think about it. It gave her a headache on a normal day. It seemed like she was still putting back up decorations from her Hollywood Asia stunt, taking her time to re-decorate her home. 

She opened her eyes as she heard Shiva's footsteps draw near. She wasn't sure if Shiva was walking louder now that Dani was here, or if her hearing had adjusted. She just knew that now she wasn't getting surprised by the woman as much.  

Shiva stood in place for a few moments, before awkwardly bringing over a strange black object, wires dangling from it. 

Shiva set it on-top of the TV, plugging wires in and fiddling around. Eventually she stood silently, walking back to where she came, coming back with more wired things: controllers. 

Dani shifted, flinching at a small jolt of pain as she did. The black box was an older gaming console. The word Genesis was printed on it, black and sleek like the Night Rider car. 

"I thought you might need something further to unwind." Shiva said simply, her teaching tone replaced once more by the voice Dani heard this morning at breakfast, pulling three old cartridges from her pocket. "Sonic Three, Fatal Fury, Street Fighter Two." She said, showing them each to Dani as she did. 

"Where'd you get it?" Dani quirked her head to the side as the woman plugged the controllers in, looking through the cartridges. 

"Had it for a while." Shiva said, fingers curling around the Sonic cartridge. Every answer, Dani found, often just raised more questions. "Do you want to play?"

Dani paused. She rubbed her heel-palms against the sofa, contemplating which once sounded the most interesting. She’d always been too competitive for her own good. 

"Street Fighter?" Dani finally answered, taking a controller from Shiva. 

Shiva smiled — Dani had chosen right — slotting the game in and turning on the system. Shiva sat next to Dani as the game booted up.. 

Shiva took Ryu, Dani took Ken. The matches began. 

The rounds passed, Shiva was obviously used to the game, her experience showing as they played. She showed Dani tricks, gave advice. Dani found that she didn't even care that she was losing. She was having fun. 

"Shiva..." Dani asked as one round came to an end. Ryu, victorious once more. 

"Yes, child?" Shiva replied, already setting up the next fight. 

Dani set her controller down, running her words around in her mind, choosing them carefully. "What... What if something happens to you?" She hoped it wouldn't be an insult to the woman, but after the lesson that morning... 

She was silent for a moment, Dani stole a glance at her face, no anger rested, but a strange look. One Dani couldn't place. Her colors around her, soft purples and blues, read melancholy. 

"If something were to happen to me, Danielle. You are to find the Black Canary. She will help you from there. She is a student of mine, one I trust — respect." Shiva began. 

Dani nodded, watching as Shiva stared down at the controller in her hand. 

"She will either protect you, or send you to Paradise Island... Wonder Woman will protect you."

"Who?" Shiva had never mentioned this name before. 

"Diana of Themyscira. Wonder Woman. The greatest hero." Shiva explained. "If I die, she likely is the only person that could protect you. Dinah has an easy connection to her." Shiva explained softly. “She and her people would look after you. She is the greatest hero of all.”

Dani nodded, and after a moment's silence, Shiva responded in kind, picking her controller up and selecting Ryu once more. 

Slowly, throughout the games that followed, the girl found herself leaning into the woman, feeling, for just a moment, the warmth of connection, filling a cold she hadn’t noticed before. That was, before the woman tensed stiff. Dani shot straight again, chancing a glance at Shiva as Dani desperately mashed her controller. 

Shiva glanced at Dani with emotions she couldn't quite decode. Angry, apologetic, tense, caring. A dizzying array of emotions that she couldn’t pick out.

Dani didn't push, once again. She whispered an apology before turning her attention back to the game. 

She could feel the way Shiva jerked from her touch for forever after, it felt like. She hated it. Another fuck up. More attacks on Shiva she didn't mean. 

First her powers, now this. She couldn’t stop fucking up. She could feel the air grow colder as Shiva shifted to sit farther away from her. Dani  slumped forward, cursing herself mentally.

After a few more games, Shiva put her controller down. Looking at Dani from where she now sat. 

"I think I'm going to go to my room for a bit." Dani was relieved to see no hate in her eyes, but still, she hated how the quick movement away from her, rejection prickling in her chest. 

She stayed quiet, averting her gaze. Shiva rose, leaving the game on for Dani, the other cartridges still stacked on top of the TV. 

Dani watched her walk away, a burn building behind her eyes. Only when the door closed did she feel a chin tucking itself over her shoulder.

"Tis ok..." Rahne's voice murmured as she wrapped her arms around the Cheyenne. "She needs space."

"I feel like I've fucked up, Rahney..." Dani said, holding her arm against her chest. "She's doing so much. And here I am, hurting her."

"Aye, but how could ye know?" Dani could feel the prickles of Rahne's furry hair rubbing up against the side of her face. 

Dani sighed, ruffling the Scots hair, closing her eyes. "I know, I just..."

Rahne hushed her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Dani flushed, squeezing Rahne in the best hug she could manage. 

"It'll all be okay." Rahne said, climbing over the back of the sofa to straddle, then lay against her. She pressed another feather-light kiss to the edge of Dani’s jaw. 

"Okay Rahne..." Dani whispered, laying herself down on the sofa, the touch of the girl relaxing her. "I believe you."

Chapter Text

Steph had to admit. Maybe she loved the mansion life a bit too much. 

Fuck it — she loved the beautiful architecture, she loved feeling like some Disney character. it was weird, though, living in a home where she wasn't perpetually two steps from Charlie or Barbara… or her mom. 

Cass stuck close, closer than normal. 

Despite common complaints from Bruce, they did tend to actually spend time apart. They weren't (that) unhealthy.

They weren't unhealthy now, either. That's not what she meant. She loved this. She adored being able to spend more time with Cass. Doing more fun things. Seeing the city, taking breaks, bumping into other heroes doing their beats. 

Cass and Steph didn't always patrol together. Occasionally, they would do separate patrols — When Bruce pressured Barbara enough. It always seemed to end with Cass getting into some — and excuse the pun — batshit situation. Stephanie had the self preservation instincts for the both of them. 

But now? 

Cass had spent the entire day glued to her as they helped set up the place. 

Mr. Terrific was helping Barbara set up her new computer lab in the basement — god he was cool — while Steph and Cass waited for Mia to show. 

Barbara came up from the basement, Holt having already installed working elevators... Somehow. Stephanie didn't understand him, but she suspected nobody in most rooms he walked into understood how his mind or technology worked. 

Did she mention that he was cool?

They — as in, the Batgirls, Ollie, Mr. Terrific, and Flash — all gathered in one of the many sitting rooms secluded away from the core area of the mansion. 

Somewhere just far enough from where those kids, the ‘New Mutants’, were that they'd be able to not be overheard. Steph figured it was a privacy thing. Bad news they'd have to figure out how to break to the kids, maybe. 

All Steph knew was she was being included in the discussion, sat between Cass on one side, and Ollie on the other. It wasn't an official circle, just using the seating as best they could. 

"Great. So," Barbara began, pulling out her notebook and clicking her pen. "Micheal, Barry, care to start us off?"

Mr. Terrific was in his full hero suit, as was Barry Allen, the Flash. Ollie was matching the girls and just had civilian clothes on. 

Mr. Terrific started, his T-spheres projecting data and graphs into the air. 

Good to know even the smartest man in the world couldn't make it all simple enough for them to understand. Steph though dryly

"Basically," Terrific started. "I'm finding more proof that they're from another reality, but we're not closer to getting them home." He said, pointing at parts of the projectors. "The good news is, if we can figure out how to send them home, we'll have made breakthroughs not thought possible by modern models. The bad news is, I said 'if.'"

Barbara sighed, scratching her notes down, muttering: "Lovely." 

"It is like, really exciting though." The Flash said, Terrific nodding. "Holt said it but I don't think you all understand!" He was grinning like a kid in a candy shop now. "I get the kids need to go home, but on our end, this is something we didn't think was possible! Worlds beyond the multiverse!"

Barbara nodded, looking over to Ollie. "And how are they settling in?"

Ollie ran his hand through his hair, thinking. Steph had to smile at how much he and Mia shared in mannerisms, she'd seen Mia do the same thing, the same way, many times. 

"Honestly, Babs? Great question. Caught Amara sneaking from Rahne's room back to her own early this morning, Roberto didn't sleep last night, Illyana is glaring at everything that moves, they're all messes." Ollie said grimly. 

Barbara sighed, "Do you know... Why she was doing that? Amara, I mean."

"Spent the night with her." Ollie said simply. "Not... Weirdly. That's pretty much the gist I got from everything I heard." He said. Barbara nodded. 

Cass raised her hand, "Steph and I do that. It's not weird."

Ok, Cass. Steph thought. You certainly aren't the one going to school and getting questions from friends.

Barbara moved on quickly, not giving anyone time to react to Cassandra's statement. "Great. I'll keep that part in mind. The rest?"

"Pretty normal scared kid things. They're keeping close together, spending most downtime together in Sam's room." Ollie waved his hand in a circle. "Nothing troublesome." 

Steph could see Charlie shift slightly from next to Barbara while the woman continued scribbling notes. "We'll keep an eye out on Amara and Rahne... As for our end, the current plan is to get them settled tonight, tomorrow they get to go to IKEA and a few other places. Let them outfit their rooms." She sat back, not looking at her notes finally. 

"I don't think they trust us. Are we sure transporting them around more is the best idea?" Mr. Terrific said, rubbing his chin. "Though I suppose it is good for building trust once they get through it all."

"I'm thinking Steph will take them." Barbara said. "Someone their age. She'll have a credit card with plenty of funds. Let them get to know her and Cass."

That was news to Stephanie. 

Barbara turned to her, face soft but still strongly in the Oracle mood. "If that's okay, Stephanie. I just think they should meet you more."

Stephanie shrugged. It was no big deal, really. Still, being trusted with five teens to look after. She hoped it would turn out fine. It probably would.

Ollie probably could sense the stress radiating from Steph, he clapped her in the back, his voice filled with folly. "I know Mia's been bugging me to go for a while. Maybe she stays over and you take her too!"

Steph looked at Barbara, who nodded. "Great idea."

Stephanie grinned, leaning into Cass. "You'll come with too, right?"

Cass nodded, and Steph smiled, staying leant into the girl, enjoying the connection. 

• ••••

Later, Stephanie trailed Barbara and Charlie out of the impromptu meeting room. Cass walked all but attached to her, not letting the space 

"You sure about this, Babs?" Steph asked, poking her head down to Barbara's level. 

"You can handle taking kids shopping, Steph. What's gotten into you?" Barbara bumped into her playfully, but glanced up after, studying the girl with concern. 

Steph shook her head. "You're right Babs. Just my mind playing with me I guess."

• ••••

"Have you seen sis?"

Stephanie turned her head to Charlie, blinking. The younger girl looked perturbed, sitting on the ground pulling on her suit's boots. 

Stephanie looked around. She'd known Cass had left. She just assumed she was back by now. That she hadn't noticed her best friend return. It happened often, that girl was as quiet as a mouse.

Stephanie pressed her lips tightly together. Cass was always one to disappear. To fly solo. Even now that they were Batgirls. Barbara preferred them patrolling together, but she supposed Cass had other plans tonight. 

"Guess it's you, me, and Mia tonight, Care-Bear." She said lightly, shrugging, trying not to worry about Cassandra's disappearance. She knew the city was full of danger, danger Cass wasn't expecting.

Danger like her mother. 

Not Barbara. Shiva. 

Barbara had seen the woman once in cameras recently around the city. Steph questioned Barbara in not telling Cassandra, but all the same she wasn't keen on losing Cass again. Stephanie wasn't sure how the girl would react to knowing Shiva was in the city again. 

Steph shook her head. 

"Come on. Mia's waiting for us."

• •••• 

The next day Cass was still nowhere to be seen. 

Steph knew she'd come home, her 'side' of the bed was disturbed, and Stephanie could still feel the weight of the girl on her chest as she awoke. 

Mia was already in the kitchen, eating some cereal Ollie had included in the grocery run he'd done for Barbara the day before. A simple baggy blue shirt and jeans on, her hair kept back in a bun.

"Sleep well?" Mia managed out between bites. 

Steph nodded, rubbing her eyes as she poured herself some coffee. "You seen Cass?"

Mia glanced behind Steph, and the girl followed, half expecting a jumpscare of her best friend. 

Just her own, two dimensional, shadow, cast by the light, stood behind her. 

"Why, what's up?" Mia asked. 

"She disappeared last night before patrol and hasn't shown back up yet..." Steph mumbled. 

Part of her felt like it was silly to expect Cass next to her right now. Clingy, in a way. It wasn't like this was the only time this happened. Cass was her own person. 

But still. 

Mia shrugged sympathetically. "I dunno, Steph... She'll be back."

She nodded, sipping her coffee plain before wincing at the taste.

"Yeah it's Ollie's favorite." Mia laughed. Steph glared at her.

"It's motor oil." Steph said, spitting into the sink. "Please tell me we have sugar." 

"He got ya sugar. Sorry, I should have warned you." Mia was barely holding back a laugh as Steph dug for the sugar like a woman starved. Barbara always had this really nice coffee, it didn't need much to taste good. 

Ollie, apparently, just liked to suffer. 

"You still coming with to IKEA today?" Steph asked, pouring nearly a pound of sugar into her cup like a little blizzard. 

"Hell yeah. Trouble coming too?" Mia replied, her nickname for Charlie coming out.

"Yeah. She wants to too. At least that's three of us to watch the new kids." Steph said, stirring her coffee, it was beginning to look syrupy. Dear god, she hoped it was drinkable. 

She sat down next to Mia, closing her eyes and taking a sip of the coffee again, her face screwing up before another sip. 

"Pretty bad, huh?" 

"Tastes like some shit Batman would drink." Steph muttered. "With some bullshit about optimization."

"Might be the only thing you could tell Ollie to get him to stop drinking it." Mia laughed. "The cereal's just Lucky Charms, thank god."

"Hell yeah. Gimme some. Those other kids will be up soon.”

Chapter Text

Barbara had proposed going to some place called ‘IKEA’ yesterday. The team had a meeting. It was the usual suspicions and distrust, and the usual concession that there wasn't much they could do about it.

How often had this happened that I could call it ‘usual?’ Rahne wondered, peering around in wonderment. Since this place tis so verra unusual

Rahne, personally, was excited to decorate her room... Maybe Amara would help. She was all but a princess, after all.

She smiled up at the blonde, suppressing the urge to wiggle her hips, or let a tail pop out from the base of her spine and wag wildly. The blonde was lost in her thoughts. Amara had kept true to her promise the night before once again. It wasn't Dani, but Rahne still felt safer for it.

She looked ahead. The two girls — ‘Steph’ and ‘Mia’ were taking them to this new place. Charlie came too, though Rahne suspected she was to be watched as much as they were.

Rahne could imagine Dani next to her. She knew exactly what she’d do. She would grin, cup a hand ‘round her mouth as she whispered; The blonde count is up to five now.

She felt a pang of loneliness hit her. Rahne missed Dani's dark hair. The lack of contrast tugged at her. Sure, Roberto was here but...

Who was she kidding? She just missed Dani. It wasn't anything else. ‘Contrast’ nothing. She was alone without her soulmate.

Amara squeezed her shoulder, and Rahne leaned into her a bit, allowing her to lead as they walked.

"Alright, kiddos!" Stephanie called from ahead. "Dunno if you all got the modern Western miracle of IKEA in your universe. We go through, we pick out what we like, we note it all down, we scam a billionaire, then get Ollie to put everything together." She grinned, clapping her hands. "Sound good?"

The team nodded glumly.

"Great, cause y'all look like how I feel after calling this place a miracle." Steph said, earning a laugh from the blonde beside her. ‘Mia’. She seemed nice. Mia was Ollie's kid; he was nice, she was nice, right?

Bad people didn't have kids this happy, right?

Rahne bit her bottom lip. My mother had me, and Revered Craig said she was verra sinful.

She glanced around the team. Looking at everyone's individual faces. Her heart hurt. Roberto's charismatic smile was off. Sam's shoulders slumped, crumpled inwards like a used tissue. Illyana's face was fouled up with heavier-than-usual eyeliner and whatever stuff that made her face so pale. Amara, of the group, seemed the most unaffected. She held her head up high, but her curls almost seemed to become white in the sun, and she smelled of wood-smoke.

Rahne stopped as they got to the front of the store. The entrance was a bright, school bus yellow that went with the deep blue of the rest of the building. It was huge, far bigger than the mansion, Rahne knew that for sure.

Roberto turned to her, pointing as they walked. "They have revolving doors!" He pointed at the entrance, grinning. "Always loved these at the airport as a kid..."

Amara's head quirked to the side, staring daggers at the doors as they approached.

Rahne could feel the girl slow, tension building in Amara's hand around her shoulder as Amara stalled. Rahne looked up at the taller girl, scrunching her eyebrows in response to Amara's.

"Roberto, what on Viracocha's Earth is that?" Amara asked, pointing at the revolving door. It seemed pretty obvious in just the name, but Rahne supposed Amara was still adjusting.

Roberto buffered, looking at the door, then her, then the door once more. "Uh... I mean. Kind of just what it says on the tin, Amy." Roberto said, gesturing at it. "It's spinny."

"Why not just have an normal entrance? Why bother with a door that does not stay closed?” Amara said, baffled. Her tone then turned teasing. “I thought we were keeping things out with doors, or is that a silly archaic idea I will be mocked for?"

Rahne couldn't help but notice Illyana's eyes rolling in response. She wasn't quite sure why, maybe she'd imagined it.

"Look, Amy. I dunno. They're just popular, okay?" Roberto shrugged, running his hand through his hair. "And kinda fun to waddle around in."

Rahne giggled as she thought of waddling like a penguin inside the revolving door, and Roberto grinned.

The gang filtered in through the door, Roberto dragging Rahne and Amara through the rotation a few times before letting them continue with the group.

The place was huge, Rahne wasn't sure what to make of any of it. Fake rooms decorated the walkway they followed.

They were pretty, Rahne supposed. Somehow it made her miss Dani even more. Eyeing the kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms… Something just made her want to be in them with the missing girl.

She'd like that one. The girl thought, looking at a more rustic room. Browns and greens and natural colours all about, a cozy carpet over the plush sofa. The image of laying there with Dani once it was all over…

Dani had talked about home. Visiting her parents, maybe bringing everyone — or maybe just Rahne — along.

She'd always talked about how beautiful the nature was there.

Rahne remembered what little she'd seen when she first met Dani. Though, the terrible things she'd seen owned more of the memory than the land itself.

How she'd love to go see it again with Dani. To go camping perhaps. The two of them curled up next to a fire underneath the stars. And once Rahne got tired, they could curl up in a tent, together. It sounded perhaps like heaven.

Amara must have felt something was off, she squeezed the girl's shoulder, pulling Rahne out of her daydreams. She pointed at a daybed. "Isn't that beautiful, Rahney?"

It was white, with a vertical lattice surrounding the head side of the bed. Drawers underneath the end for storage.

Rahney nodded, trying to focus on what was before her. She wanted to shift, she wanted to check on Dani. She felt so small here. With Dani, it never felt that way.

She could feel her skin prickle. Temptation whispered to give in. The Devil in her ears.

Illyana's hand placed itself on Rahne's shoulder. A slight tug pulled the girl away.

"What about this one?" Illyana said, pointing at another white bed that had more ornate edges to it, slats bending from the base.

"Minnen." Illyana read aloud , grinning as she pointed to the sign. "Funny name."

"They're all named funny." Amara bit back, pulling Rahne back towards her, Illyana's hand lingered just a moment before letting go.

A moment of silence stood between the blondes as Rahne stared down at one of the ornamental blankets. Both beds were so pretty, she could even picture weaving flowers through the frames, living like a princess inside the mansion.

She heard Roberto in the background, it sounded like he was laughing at some prop used in the sets with Sam.

She looked between the two girls with her, shifting unconsciously into Amara's hold. She didn’t understand what was going on, but it made the pit of her stomach twist uncomfortably.

"It's really pretty, dinnae ye think so Amara?" Rahne murmured up at the Roman.

Amara nodded, stealing a glance at Illyana, who spoke: "It is. A good size for one. You'll have plenty of space for the rest of your room." Her accent was thicker than normal. She didn't think much of it.

The redhead climbed onto the bed. Illyana was right, it was a good size for her.

She looked at the daybed from where she lay, then to Amara. She could see Amara's lips pressed together. The bed was just a single, the other a queen.

She sat, pushing off the bed and to her feet. "I think I like the other more." She murmured, standing between the blondes. She could feel them glaring at one another over her head.

She shrunk a bit, feeling pressure build, pressing in from the girls before her. Someone would be mad.

Dani wouldn't.

Rahne took a shaky breath, Amara's arm reaching out. Rahne flinched, stepping back. Sam's voice came through between them.

"Hey, all good you three?"

Rahne took a deep breath, trying to process. To think. To even just calm down. There was a buzzing in her ears.

She could feel her skin prickle, temptation taking its course. Guilt would eat her alive after, but now she just wanted to run. She looked around at Amara, Illyana, and turned to Sam. Rahne slipped through behind Amara.

It was all too much. The noise, the people, whatever had happened with her friends.

She wanted — no, needed Dani.

Rahne ran as hard and as fast as she could, her short legs carrying her away from her friends. She'd find them later.

Steph and Mia were busy talking.

Rahne wasn't going far, she saw a fake little room that had sliding doors to close. She'd hide in there, close the doors, and breathe.

Within a few seconds, she was in her little fortress of solitude. The display bed was comfy to lay on when she tested it. She was shaking, she realized dimly, as her eyes slipped closed.

She just needed Dani.

What would a quick change hurt? She justified to herself, curling up on the bed. Skin prickling, fur slowly poking through.

She knew she'd worn her training suit under her clothes; she could change. Hear Dani's voice. Maybe this time she'll believe me.

She threw her dress to the side, watching as her suit gave way to the fur that sprouted from her body, trying not to think of how horrible a beast she slowly became. Fangs sprouted from her jaw, a fuzzy tail bursting from the base of her spine as it cracked and twisted to become a wolf.

She lay now, head pressed against her paws. New smells seeping into her consciousness as she lay.

She felt Dani. Normally these days, Dani reacted fast. Suffering, disbelief. It was normally all too much to bear. She had to stop herself from letting out a mournful howl.

Maybe Dani felt how scared Rahne was. Maybe she knew, finally.

Rahney?

It didn't matter, not for now. For now, Dani was talking to her, their soul bond bringing them back.

The girls stayed silent, each other's presence enough for a few moments. It felt like heaven, feeling Dani fully giving in to the connection as she always had at home.

Oh Rahney... How I miss you. Dani's shaky voice came through. It's so bizzare... I'm safe. Maybe safer than I was before, this Lady took me in. She's been healing my back. Training me to fight.

Rahne's heart jumped, information. Confirmation.

Where are you? What's happening?

I don't know, Rahney. I really don't. Dani's thoughts were so ill, Rahne felt almost dizzy from how Dani's mind spiralled. A whimper escaped her lips, ears tucking back to her skull.

I wish you were here, Rahney... I think you'd like it. It's quiet. It's peaceful... The woman I'm living with found me after— Dani's thoughts dissolved into an impossible to understand despair. She's... She's different. I think she's nicer though... I wish you were here...

Nicer than who?

The professor.

The door to the display opened. Rahne's furry head snapped, eyes wide in fear at the woman that stood in equal horror.

Rahne could feel Dani recognize what happened. She could feel her soulmate's mind run, as she, for a moment, saw through her eyes.

Rahne's lupine form rolled and leapt past the woman, a shriek sounding behind her as she ran. She didn't know where, she just knew to run. To not reveal herself.

So she ran.

And ran.

And ran.

Chapter Text

Sam was the first to realize it. 

"Guys. Where's Rahne?"

Amara's heart felt like it might hit the ground beneath her feet. She'd looked away. How could Rahne have disappeared, why had Rahne disappeared?

*It had just been a second.*

She spun, hands instinctively reaching for where Rahne had been. Nothing met her hand. "Merda!" She cursed. 

The girl was gone. 

Illyana met her eye as they both were glancing frantically,  her nose flaring in rage. "Where the hell is she?"

*Oh* so this was *her fault* now. 

"Viracocha! How am I to know, witch?!" She tried, she really did, to not let her power get the best of her, but she could see the people around her stumble. "Go, cast a spell, find her. Or are you so out of control—"

"Hey! Relax, relax you two." Roberto pushed his way in-between, a plastic, trained smile plastered on to him. "We'll find her, she probably just saw something that caught her eye." 

Behind him, Steph was obviously trying to say something, Amara didn't care. 

"Where the hell is she, witch?! If you can accuse me so, why don't I? Didn't you pull her away?!"

Sam stepped in, his voice raised, pulling Illyana away, Roberto following same. 

"Enough. Both of you. We're all stressed." The blond said as calmly as he could. 

"Stressed and standing on the sidelines, Sam?" Amara bit. She knew it wasn't fair. Nobody was doing well right now. But Sam had been silent for so long. What did she care? Sam had all but disappeared too, maybe somehow this would bring him back. 

"What does that mean, Amara?" Sam's glare shot back. 

Amara blinked, building a comeback. But as she opened her eyes, Mia now stood in between the two groups. 

And something about Mia told Amara to stop. 

Stephanie and Charlie walked over, the mutants all quiet now as the blonde girl between them stared at each of them, glancing back and forth. 

"Enough." Mia's voice came, stern and commanding. Nobody moved bar Steph and Charlie. 

Steph too a deep breath, her eyes closed, a hand massaging a headache. "Mia is right. Enough. Right now, we need to find Rahne. Then we deal with the drama. Ok?"

Roberto nodded for Amara, and she bit her tongue. Rahne took precedence, god knows what happened to her. Stephanie and Mia were right. 

Mia spoke next, "We split up. Meet up back at the van. Three teams of two, I'll go watch by the car incase she ends up there, ok?" She stole a glance at Steph at the end, the other blonde nodding after a second. 

Roberto replied first, "Alright gang, let's split up!"

•••••

Amara was still biting back comments twenty minutes after the team split as her and Roberto scoured the top layer of IKEA. Scot nor snout to be seen. 

The speakers had spoken earlier on a possible incident in the store. Other shoppers had already left, it made the search both easier and more eerie. Something about the empty structure weirded Amara out. The building was ugly, a sin to Amara's eyes. It was the same as her earth, how the supposed modern world looked so ugly in its architecture dropped her stomach. Civilization truely had peaked with Rome and the Incans. Both knew how to build beauty. 

Amara scowled around, her maxi stretching as she walked fast, Roberto awkwardly trying to match pace. 

"Sooooo..." He dragged his word out, gesturing for Amara to slow down. "Want to talk about it?"

"She's a atlikauitl..." Amara muttered under her breath, storming still, but slower. 

"Mmhmm." Roberto hummed, "And this is where I pretend to know what that means, I suppose."  

Amara rolled her eyes, trying to think of the word in this blasted tongue. "Stultissime... Idiot. Fool." Amara spat, Latin this time. Her fingers itched for a spear in her rage. Senator's daughter she was, yes. But she missed the training, she wished desperately to hold a weapon, to attack a dummy, let her anger out. 

She missed the Legion she'd been in. 

But no, here she was, marching through the uncanny halls of this ridiculous building. Sam was supposed to be the leader, supposed it figured he couldn't do that. When had he before? Dani always had. 

"I'm guessing you mean—" 

"Both of them! The girl said, turning in anger. "First she accuse me of such things, now this?!" 

Roberto stumbled a bit, catching himself on some stupid table with a stupid name as Amara's emotions continued to spike. 

"Amy... Look... What's going on?" 

Roberto was scared, Amara could see that. She wasn't helping either. She squeezed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. 

"I don't know what getting into Illyana, Roberto." The girl said, sharpness still tinting her words. 

"Let me guess, it's whatever is going on with you and Rahne?" Roberto said, peaking under another table, stealing a glance at Amara. 

"Let me guess, she had her words with the entire team." Amara said, accidentally slamming a cupboard close, cursing herself in her mind. 

Roberto took a moment to respond, slowly choosing his words. "What... *Is* going on with you and Rahne, 'Mara?"

The Nova Roman pressed her lips together, glaring at the underside of the desk. "What do you mean, Roberto."

"You know just..." He waved his hands casually, before making peace signs with his fingers and pushing them together. "Like, you two aren't... You didn't somehow get through the religious stuff Dani..."

Roberto was cut off by the flicker of Amara's magma form. A burn mark remained, seared into the wood she'd had her hands had been. 

Roberto's hands shot up in the air, "hey, look, you know what Dani and Rahne were. You gotta know what the hell was going on there."

Amara bit her lip, shaking her head. She didn't, by Minerva she didn't. "What did I miss, Roberto."

The boy took a deep breath, letting it slowly escape. "I'm not really... Sure how to put it. But come on, you've heard them talk about eachother. 'soulmates,' 'Mara." He said pointedly. "They're a whole thing, package deal. The only thing that kept me thinking Dani was alive was me being hand convinced Rahne would keel over if something actually happened."

Amara sighed, nodding. "I know they're important to eachother, Roberto. More than anyone else here is to them. I'm not trying to replace Dani..."

"And the fact you smell like campfire all of a sudden?"

Amara swallowed, squeezing her eyes shut. She'd finally put on some cologne she'd bought at the mall when they had went. Rahne had said it reminded her of Dani. Wood smoke was the main scent, and Amara couldn't disagree. Dani and Sam both frequently smelt like that after setting the campfire together. She'd bought it, tried it. Was certainly not for how she dressed, she knew that. 

"Look, 'Mara, I'm not judging. I get it, you come from Nova Roma, it's different. Its—" but Roberto was cut off. Amara shook her head, opening her eyes once again. 

"I know she's Danielle's, Roberto. I have a duty to the leader, though, Roberto." She chewed her lip. "Dani's been... Everything since I got here. She's understood, she's helped, she's answered my questions... She's understood." Amara pushed her face deep into a cabinet so Roberto couldn't possibly read it. "She was my best friend here, even if I wasn't to her. I— I have to protect Rahne for the chief... Loyalty to the leader."

She could hear Roberto open and close doors, humming in thought. He'd always been... Nice too. Though she knew all to well how Sam and he thought about her. She didn't say anything though, she wouldn't till they tried something.

"That's... Good of you, Amara."

"Thank you Beto..." She mumbled back. "I miss her, I miss the stability, the direction. I miss the leader she was, so great and awesome. Like a Caeser of home..."

"What?" The boy cried out in jest, "You mean Sam and I haven't flawlessly filled the gap? Insane."

"You know what I mean Beto. Nobody could ever be Dani. We can all see that. We're fighting, we're scared, we need... We need our Caeser." She bit her tongue. In Dani's absence she'd slowly started remembering the girl in how she knew to remember leaders. Images of great paintings or statues, like that of the rulers of Nova Roma had flirted through her thoughts. 

Roberto sighed, "I know. I think she was everyone's 
favorite here honestly... I..." Roberto broke his sentence, the air heavy as the distant sound of the few other shoppers still in the IKEA with the supposed wolf came through. No howls, no hints, just accursed silence. 

They say in that silence for a long time. Eventually Roberto spoke again, weaker than she'd ever heard him. 

"You... Probably don't know this. We don't talk about it much. There was another girl with us before... Before we met you." 

Amara turned to look at Roberto. The boy now sat atop a dresser unit, legs swinging from its height, his hands clasped and head downtrodden. "Xuân. Amazing person... Really... Died. No ifs, died. Died when we all plunged into the ocean after fighting a villain..." Roberto choked. "She was the leader first. Supposed to be, at least. Psychic like Dani. Now... Dani is gone like her." Black spots flicked about the young Sunspot as he sat, anger, pain flickering on his face. 

Amara swallowed a gulp. "I've never seen her grave..." 

"There was never a body, Amara. She disappeared when we fell into the ocean." *Like how we now fell out of the sky.* Amara thought, the realization dawning on her; Roberto, Rahne, Sam? They'd been here before. 

*They were all to scared of how this was rhyming.*

"Look, that doesn't explain Yana but..." Roberto threw his hands up. Not in mock, playful defeat, but for real defeat this time. "I- when the chief... The Caeser..." He forced a grin, "returns, it's... It's gonna be weird, seeing her soulmate with another girl."

"You know she's 'that way' so to speak?" Amara replied, miming the intercourse with her hands as Roberto had earlier. 

"Yeah. I mean I don't think I even needed to be told." Roberyo laughed, "they can only call eachother soulmate so often before you catch on."

Amara nodded, "Rahne's a lucky girl then."

"Geez, you almost..." Roberto trailed off, buffering. "Amara, what do you... *Think* of Dani."

Amara blinked at him, quirking her head at the odf question. She knew what she thought of Dani, it was what anyone would think. 

"What do you mean?"

"Like ... How would you describe her?" Roberto said, gesturing vaguely. "Pretty? Strong? Gullible..."

"Certainly not the last one!" Amara all but shouted, "how dare you?"

"Easy! Easy! I'm just giving examples." Roberto said, leaning forward, propping his body up with his elbows on his knees.

"Royal, powerful, wise, beautiful, and strong, obviously!" Amara replied. "An amazing friend, a leader sent by her gods..."

"Mmhmm." Roberto hummed, jumping off the impromptu seat. Amara couldn't help but wonder why he didn't sit on a shorter option, wasn't as though he needed hight.

"So what I'm guessing is, you feel about the same as everyone here has felt or does feel about Dani." Roberto said. "Do you realize it, though." 

Amara flushed hard, she knew Roberto's game, she knew what he meant. 

"Realize what?" She replied. 

"You like her, it's not Rahne, it's her. And you're protecting Rahne because of some weird affect of devotion."

"I never took you to be good with these kinds of things, Roberto...'

The boy pumped his fists in victory, grinning. "Sam owes me ten bucks." He said, 

Amara rolled her eyes,face flushing, shaking her head, fighting a smile against the boy's buffoonery. 

"Nah but seriously, I'm pretty sure that makes everyone having had their feelings at some point." Roberto ran his hand through his hair. "I mean I dunno if Rahne *knows* yet but..."

"Yana?" 

"I mean... She has the whole thing with Kitty but..." Roberto shrugged, "Yeah."

"So that's why Illyana..." 

"Why both of you are acting all like this." Roberto said, starting I to the next section looking for Rahne, "I gotta say though, for trying to comfort Rahne, the cologne was a good idea. We might have to share it now that I know about it." He winked. "Suppose this is a bad time to say Sam and I had or have massive crushes, isn't it?"

Amara shook her head, a smirk filling her face despite the worry for Rahne as she followed Roberto. "Gee golly, Beto. I had no idea."

"Yeah. I'm subtle like that."