Artemis Tai Crock-Nyugen
Artemis Crock
AKA ARTEMIS

It was only two days after the simulation and Batman had rooms made for all the kids. He wanted them all at the cave so he could observe them. After "therapy" with Black Canary, he was unconvinced that they were "Okay" or "Peachy". All the teens would stay at the cave this week, even from school to Artemis' anger.

She didn't like being told what to do.

After her session with Black Canary, Artemis heard how Wally had reacted when she died. Or at least, seemed to die. She didn't know why he bothered her so much. He so specifically, compared to the others. After all, M'gann put her in a coma then refused to speak to her for days. She should be mad at M'gann, but she wasn't and she let it go rather easily.

The others were left mad, angry and scared at the event. They called out her name every time she left the room more than five minutes. She didn't mind this either. They all had just lost somebody important to them being family members or mentors and then it became reality when she had died. So, in a way, everyone became closer.

She picked up the hair brush from her desk and a thin blue hair tie- formally thick but stretched from over use.

So, why was she bothered by what Wally did?

He screamed that he would kill every last alien because he was- angry she died. He was always the one who had morals of their group. He always incapacitated the villains they caught. He was the person who made the trip to the Injustice League seem like no big deal by telling stupid jokes or acting dumb or just being unaware. Yet, he was uncharacteristically violent (he got mad, but sulky or reluctant) and smashed parts of the Bio-Ship.

Why did he act like this? With her? She was Roy's replacement. The one hiding a secret. The girl always making fun of Wally, picking fights, hitting him in the head.

And why was she continuously thinking about him? He was annoying as HELL. He always had a comment, or a reference. Or hit on a girl. Even Black Canary for cryin' out loud, because Robin had mentioned it and she was at least ten or twelve years older and dating Green Arrow, her Mentor. Open like a book, honest Wally, yet he threw insults back at her all the TIME.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't help him during a mission. Or that they couldn't get along. They did small things for each other, like the time that she gave him a rebreathe-r. Or the time he could have been playing a video game and chose to help her with her math for the big midterm. For four hours straight. And he clearly knew the stuff and didn't mock her more than once.

So, when Black Canary brought up she was most worried about Wally, it bugged her even more. She sighed, pulling her blond hair back, ready to form it into her ponytail.

"Leave it down for one night, Rapunzel."

She turned around. There was the source of her confusion.

The red haired speed demon himself-Wally.

"Gets in my way." She said nonchalant-ly. She then continued to pull it into a ponytail, but it snapped. The same dollar store ponytail holder that she'd used for three months, through missions and school and god else, it was always there. Just like her arrows and her quiver and-. she ripped out with a bunch of hairs attached. She tensed up, took a breath and Wally cringed slightly.

"Give it here." He said gently, holding out a hand for her hair-tie.

She stared at him and passed it to her.

He took it gently, like it might explode. Wally took the broken hair tie and put it in his blue denim jean pockets. He held his hands in front of him in a sign of "peace", taking the top layer of her thick, blond hair and pulled it behind her head, stepping behind her. She then felt light tugging on her scalp from behind.

Artemis hated people being behind her. She hated the feeling of going into something blind, due to her experiences when she was young. Despite every instinct telling her to smack him or to run, she let him finish. He could be really gentle when he wasn't being silly or blundering around.

The hands released and Artemis' hands went to her head. Without her seeing, he had taken the bobby-pins from inside her desk and pinned her hair behind her head, creating a circlet of hair. She went to the mirror and looked critically at herself. She actually liked this look. It made her look like she had spent time on her hair, instead of just throwing it together. She just didn't like wasting her valuable time on something trivial like her hair. It was a distraction. It would get in her way.

"Thank-" She noticed the speedster had left the room. Probably to eat. She smoothed her hair and walked into the hallway.

*I dedicate this story to Karen-Lynne. She helped me to be tough like Artemis. She also liked to do my hair like this. Rest In Peace.*