Gotham City, Tuesday, Jan 8th, 23:00.

She was running. Her golden curls flashed every few panting dashes when she ran under the orange street lights. Daring to look back every few steps, the girl gasped as more figures approached.

She shouldn't have, way over her head, someone, God, what an idiot for trying...

She made a turn.

And got herself cornered.

"This way!"

She heard shouts, and feet, getting closer. She was running out of time. Thankfully, Time was something she could handle.

"There!" Figures slid to a halt in the alley opening, cutting her off from the street. She'd been on many, many missions over the past few years, but even Jerra was in for it when she fell into the cult session. Now, the entire group was after her, and probably were waiting for her to attempt to get around them.

"You've got nowhere to run, kid," the leader, clad in an odd outfit and holding a very long dagger sneered.

"Try me," she grinned, bobbing on her feet. She looked around, tangled curls smacking her cheeks with dirt and sweat. She'd been running for a very long time.

Time.

There it was again. Could she do anything without that being the key player?

No.

She supposed not.

Jerra sighed.

"Get her, she can be the first one tonight." Many goons charged.

Jerralin breathed in, then out. Her pale eyes closed.

The world got quiet.

Upon opening her eyes, she found men, stuck in mid-lunge, mouths open in yells that were no longer sounding. The only thing that changed were their eyes. They look confused.

Jerra smiled. "Time's up."

Se sprinted through the mass, unarming and pinning them to the walls and lights with their own belts, robes, sashes. Anything.

She grinned after a few minutes, when her work was done.

Technically, after a few seconds. Jerra wasn't a speedster like those guys in Central City. She was a Time Warper. Which meant she could slow down time as much as she wanted.

She snapped her fingers.

The world went fast again.

"Hello." She said happily to the priest-leader-whatever. "You're going to jail." Cop cars sounded in the distance. Jerra looked up, curls yet again bouncing with the motion.

She flicked them behind her ears. "Bye." She dashed down the street, in the opposite direction of the coppers.

A young man and his mentor watched from the rooftop above.

"Well, that wasn't the most graceful escape I've seen, but-"

"Robin, you broke the board she was standing on with a birdarang," Batman hissed. "Be more careful next time." He looked in the direction of the girl. "I do believe we've found the one behind the random tie-ups."

"No kidding, and what a boring costume. Really? Black catsuit? Could've been more original."

Batman glared. "Sorry, Bats."

"Follow her," Batman ordered.

The Boy Wonder nodded. After all, this girl had been stealing the limelight-or, rather, darkness from them since she showed up. He wanted to know who was taking down his prizes.

Twenty minutes later, Jerra had to stop running.

She curled up in an alleyway, and held her aching lungs. She was going to pass out. How far away from home was she...?

"Who are you?"

Jerra jumped to her feet. "What?"

"And why don't you use a mask? It bothers me. Everyone can tell who you are."

"Then why'd you just ask, Bird Brain?" Jerra spat at the spandex-clad boy. "You're Robin, aren't you?"

"You haven't answered my question," he said. They glared, nose to, well, chest. Sadly, Jerra was not as tall as the older boy.

"It's none of your business!" She yelled back.

"It is too my business!" He began pacing in front of her. "You've been interrupting all my well thought-out plans by barging into situations and taking matters into your own hands."

"Is that a bad thing? I can get the problem fixed, can't I?"

"That's not the point!"

"Then what is?"

"Who. Are. You?"

She gave him a really irritated look, which bothered him even further.

"You don't recognize me? I recognized you right away. Try using a fake voice instead, like Batman. Might give you a fighting chance at staying secret."

"Who are you?" Robin reached out to grab her arm.

Suddenly, the girls eyes widened. She stepped back quickly, and as he lunged for her, her eyes snapped shut.

Robin's world stopped.

Five seconds later, or was it just one?, he landed on his feet gracefully and grabbed empty air.

He whirled behind him, and raced out of the alley.

Looking down the street, he saw a figure flickering.

One second, she was sprinting like any normal human being, if not a little faster than average.

But, at random, she disappeared from his vision, and reappeared father down the street.

Teleportation?

He ran after her. "Wait up!"

Jerra wasn't prepared for this.

Not now, not now, God, he's going to recognize me, I shouldn't have smarted off, now he'll be looking for me-

"Wait up!"

She turned mid-beam to see the boy racing after her. She couldn't handle another chase. She stopped running. She looked at his freeze-frame form.

She caught him mid-run, so he was off the ground completely. His cape was defying gravity as well, straight out behind him though there was no wind or movement.

He wasn't scowling like before.

He looked a bit...desperate.

She walked back to him. Walking in circles, she contemplated her next motions.

"I bet you're after me because Batman's tired of me ruining the fun, huh?" She asked, knowing he wouldn't hear her words.

She spoke too fast, in his time. In fact, in his time, he was still sprinting, and nothing had happened.

She noticed him get an inch lower in his jump, and his eyes were slowly turning to her. "Clever birdie, aren't we?" She let go of the time flow. Robin ran straight into her.

"Ack! Dude!" She spluttered, landing in a heap. "Watch it!"

"How? Why? Who-?"

"Will you stop asking stupid questions?" Jerra snapped.

"Will you tell me why you feel the need to get into trouble?"

"I have a knack for it, don't ya think?" Robin growled. Jerra scurried to her feet. "Anywho, My name's Time."

"Time?" Robin asked, unimpressed.

"Sure."

"You just made that up."

"Duh," she rolled her eyes.

"Do you even have a hero name?" He asked, crossing his arms.

She grinned. "Call me Tempus."

"Tempest?"

"Tempus!" She called over her shoulder, running. She needed to work on buying an escape care. Or escape bicycle. "Tempus! Time!"

She was gone.

Jerra examined the bruises in her mirror, gingerly prodding them. The alarm clock chimed somewhere in her room. She yanked off the suit, which was getting old, and tight, and useless, and grabbed her prep school uniform. She pulled her hair back, and put a headband on, and found the spray that would turn it brunette, or at least, dull the golden locks. No sense in not taking any precautions now that Grayson knew her identity.

Or, had a chance of figuring it out. He was clever.

And she as his biology partner.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" she spat, clawing at the door knob. Treading on the soft carpet, she knew he'd recognize her if she was spotted. She ought to wear a mask next time. Now she'd been caught. And she was walking right to him, to school.

"Doomed," she moaned. "I'm doomed."