Victor's fingers moved faster than a speeding bullet, his cybernetic arm whirring as if it had a mind of its own. There was a quiet hum in the air, then—wham—a holographic map of Gotham exploded into life in front of us. It was like watching an IMAX movie unfold, only with more red dots flashing like Joker's way-too-literal version of a 'kick me' sign.
"Got 'em," Victor said, smug as a cat who'd just eaten the last slice of pizza. "Bombs are everywhere. Joker's playing chess while Gotham's about to be his personal fireworks show."
"Great," I said, rolling my eyes. "We're all going to die in a glorious explosion, and you're over here enjoying your techie victory."
Batgirl leaned in, her brow furrowed as she scanned the map. "We don't have much time. Joker's got the whole city on a string."
I stretched my wings, popping them out like I was about to make the most dramatic exit in history. "Yeah, well, no offense, but I'm not about to let some clown win that easily."
I shot a look at Deedee, who was doing her usual thing back at Mount Justice. You know, looking like she was born with a headset glued to her skull.
"Deedee, this is your cue!" I shouted into my comms. "Tell the squad it's time to go! Send in Firebolt, Arcana, Diamond, and Spitfire!"
Deedee's voice crackled through. "You sure you want them to show up like this, Shadowflame? I mean, the whole 'dramatic entrance' thing... a little much?"
"Of course, I'm sure," I snapped back. "Gotham's in trouble and I'm ready for a spectacular show. Now do it."
A few seconds passed, then pop—the unmistakable sound of four people apparating into Gotham's grimy streets. Firebolt, Arcana, Diamond, and Spitfire. And man, did they know how to make an entrance.
Firebolt, her red and gold armored robes practically glowing like they were dipped in fire, grinned. "Is this the part where I get a 'you're late' comment?"
"Uh, no," I said, raising an eyebrow. "You're right on time. I was about to go full action hero without you."
Arcana, wearing deep blue robes that shimmered with starlight, grinned and flicked her wand like she was about to cast a spell that would turn the city into an ice rink. "Ready to make things interesting?"
Diamond, in her icy white and blue armor that looked like she stepped out of a glacier, simply nodded. "Let's freeze the fun." She was always the no-nonsense one.
And then there was Spitfire—her fiery yellow and orange armor practically radiating like a mini sun. "Joker's about to regret giving us this much power," she said, cracking her knuckles. "Let's make Gotham heat up."
Deedee's voice chimed in again, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. "Coordinates coming through. Firebolt's already burned down half the Gotham Harbor, Arcana's casting spells at random street vendors, Diamond's freezing the Bat-Signal—don't ask, I have no idea why—and Spitfire's trying to melt a park bench. So, yeah. You're welcome."
I snorted. "I don't know, sounds like they're getting the job done in style."
"Of course they are," Deedee said with a sigh. "That's all you care about, isn't it? The style."
"Well, it's not every day you get to save Gotham with a squad that looks like a superhero fashion show," I shot back.
"Right," Deedee replied. "Don't forget to keep the explosions under control, okay? Just because it's Joker doesn't mean you can blow everything up."
"Got it," I said, grinning like an idiot. "Let's save Gotham and look good doing it. Nothing like a little fashion with your superheroism."
"Sure. Nothing like being a superhero and looking like you came straight off a runway," Deedee quipped back.
As I turned to face Gotham's chaos, my squad was already tearing it up. Firebolt was zipping around the harbor, lighting up the water like it was her personal fireworks show. Arcana had cursed every hot dog stand in a five-block radius, which... honestly, I had no complaints about. Diamond was freezing the Bat-Signal, which probably wasn't a great idea, but hey, who was I to argue with her logic? And Spitfire? She was destroying that park bench like it had personally offended her.
"Okay, okay," I said, flicking my wings. "Firebolt, head to the harbor. Arcana, take out the hot dog stands—those things are abominations. Diamond, you know what to do with that Bat-Signal. And Spitfire, keep melting that park bench. Just don't start a war with the local squirrels, okay?"
As they all nodded and disappeared with barely a sound, I turned to Batgirl, who was trying really hard not to laugh.
"So," I asked with a grin, "do we just wait for the fireworks to start, or...?"
Batgirl let out a sigh but couldn't hide the small smile on her lips. "You're insufferable. But fine. Let's wait. You might even save Gotham in the process."
Victor, still glued to his tech, raised an eyebrow. "You people always talk like this when there's a city to save?"
I smirked. "We're just making the world look cooler while we save it."
Victor gave us a look that could've curdled milk, then went back to his work. "Yeah. Because saving the world is definitely about looking cool."
Deedee piped up again. "Firebolt's pretty much burned half the harbor down. Arcana's been cursing hot dog vendors. Diamond's still working on the Bat-Signal, and Spitfire's already half-melted a park bench. You guys still keeping it cool?"
I snickered. "Did you forget the part where we look awesome while saving the city? Because that's clearly the most important thing."
"Well, if by 'awesome' you mean a hot mess, then yeah, you're totally right," Deedee replied. "But whatever. Gotham's still standing for now. Keep up the fashionable chaos."
I looked over at my team, who were dishing out Joker's worst nightmare, one explosion at a time. "Gotham's in good hands. Let's just hope the Joker's not a fashion critic too."
—
Firebolt (Ginny), Arcana (Hermione), Diamond (Daphne), and Spitfire (Susan) stood in a tight circle, ready to face the chaotic nightmare that was Gotham's city-wide bomb threat. They had no time to waste. And honestly, this was starting to feel like one of those days where the odds were stacked against them, and they'd probably be dead before lunch. But hey, no one said saving the world was supposed to be easy. Or sane. Definitely not sane.
Ginny pulled the sleek black box from the expandable pouch at her belt. She waved it around dramatically. "So, this little thing is supposed to save us all, huh?"
Daphne, aka Diamond, shot her a look that could freeze lava. "Well, considering that Hermione designed it, I'm assuming it's something really complicated. Like, mind-meltingly complicated."
"I mean, I'm not wrong, am I?" Ginny said, looking at the box with some genuine suspicion. She wasn't entirely sure this thing would work. Or if it was even safe. "It's a box, and we're supposed to throw it at a bunch of bombs and—voila? Save the day?"
Hermione, aka Arcana, rolled her eyes so hard they practically rattled. "It's not just a box. It's an advanced multi-dimensional stabilization device." She looked at the others with that mix of enthusiasm and definite superiority. "It's theoretically perfect. I mean, obviously. I designed it."
Daphne looked at her with a smirk. "So, what you're saying is, it's the exact kind of thing that'll blow up in our faces, and I get to be the one to tell the rest of the world how it all went wrong?"
"Wait, it's going to blow up in our faces?" Susan (Spitfire) asked, looking genuinely alarmed. "I didn't sign up for this whole self-destruct feature. I'm more of a 'saving the city in style' kind of gal, you know?"
Ginny snorted. "Just another Tuesday for us. What's new?"
"Look," Hermione interrupted, brushing off their banter like a minor inconvenience. "It's a device that pulls in chaotic energy—like, super chaotic. The idea is that it neutralizes everything—bombs, explosions, mayhem—by pulling it into a contained pocket dimension. Think of it like a really, really small black hole, only... without the whole 'destroy everything' thing."
"A black hole? With no doom attached?" Daphne raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a grin. "Sure, Hermione. Just your standard 'pocket dimension with zero consequences.' What could possibly go wrong?"
Ginny held up the box with a casual shrug. "So we're all in agreement that we have absolutely no idea if this works?"
"That's the spirit," Susan said with an exaggerated thumbs-up. "But hey, if it does explode, just remember I was not the one who suggested this."
"Oh, please," Hermione muttered under her breath. "This is a brilliant solution." She looked at the box like it was her precious baby. "It'll work. Trust me."
"Okay, okay," Daphne said, taking the box from Ginny. "Let's get this over with." She inspected the box like it was a ticking time bomb—because it probably was, just a very complicated and potentially dangerous one. "If this blows up, Hermione, I'm blaming you. Just so we're clear."
"No pressure, right?" Ginny muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she stepped back, ready to escape the imminent disaster.
Susan snickered. "Ah, the usual. One minute we're saving Gotham, the next we're all blown to smithereens. Classic."
"Focus, everyone," Arcana said with an edge of steel in her voice. "We're wasting time." She murmured an incantation under her breath, her wand flicking gracefully in the air. The runes on the box began to glow, soft at first, then pulsing with energy. Then, a faint hum started, filling the space around them. And then—bam—a tiny swirling vortex opened at the center of the box, glowing black as it stretched into something far too ominous to be comforting.
Susan's eyes went wide. "Okay, that's... that's not a black hole, right? Because that's a definitely not a black hole vibe."
"Oh, it's totally a black hole," Daphne said, deadpan, her arms crossed as she watched the vortex expand. "But don't worry, it's a good one. A happy black hole. Totally different."
"I'm just glad we're not inside it," Firebolt said, her tone a bit too cheerful for the situation. "That's how we're going to be saving Gotham, huh? A fancy little portal?"
"I designed it for this!" Hermione said, sounding somewhat exasperated but also proud. "It's got a precise system for maintaining balance. That means—"
"Hold up!" came a voice crackling through the comms. "Deedee here. Just a friendly reminder that you've got about fifteen minutes before the real fireworks start. So don't get all cozy in your 'hero moment' and actually, you know, neutralize the bombs."
"We know, we know," Ginny grumbled, even as she tossed a glance at the others. "Let's make sure this thing doesn't end up eating us."
Hermione, a little red in the face, gave a sharp nod. "Just stand back." She adjusted her grip on the box, murmuring an incantation that seemed to make the vortex grow even more intense. It stretched wider, and the hum became a low rumble.
And then, like magic—literally—a loud pop echoed, and the nearest bomb—sitting innocently on a rooftop a block away—vanished, sucked into the vortex. Gone. Just... gone.
"Did it just... disappear?" Susan asked, her eyes wide in genuine disbelief.
"Yes," Hermione said, sounding like she'd just solved the biggest puzzle in the world. "That's the idea."
Firebolt let out a low whistle. "I think we just found the ultimate cheat code."
Daphne raised a brow. "Well, I'll be. Maybe this thing is worth the questionable 'portal to another dimension' pitch."
Spitfire gave a quick fist pump. "See? I told you it'd work. This is way cooler than the last time I had to save the city."
"Well, let's not count our bombs before they're neutralized," Arcana said, snapping the box shut with a satisfied grin. "There's still more work to do."
With that, they got to work. The bombs didn't stand a chance.
—
The static in my earpiece crackled, followed by Deedee's voice—far too upbeat for someone who just spent the last hour disarming ticking time bombs.
"Hey, Shadowflame! Good news! The bombs are all neutralized. Gotham's not going to explode, implode, or get swallowed by some weird alternate dimension. You're welcome, by the way."
I shook my head and let out a relieved sigh. "Thanks, Deedee. You're a real ray of sunshine in this apocalypse. I'll believe it, but let's not jinx it, okay? This whole thing's far from over."
Her laugh came through the comms, full of energy. "Relax, H! Everything's all good. You've got this. Now, go pat yourself on the back—later."
"Sure," I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes. "After the bruises and the scorched cape."
With a final glance around the wrecked building, I tapped my earpiece. "Alright, team. Listen up!"
There was a brief silence—then the usual chaos of my overenthusiastic crew came flooding through the comms.
"Did we win?" Robin's voice came first, casual as ever, like he hadn't just been waiting for the whole city to go up in flames. His voice oozed that patented Robin sass, which, let's be honest, I didn't think could be topped. But then again, I hadn't heard Batgirl's response yet.
"Of course we won," Batgirl quipped, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Haven't you noticed? Gotham's still standing, and no one's burning to a crisp."
"Or being sucked into another pocket dimension," Supergirl added. There was something unnervingly cheery about her voice considering how close we were to turning Gotham into a fireball.
"Hey, I had faith in you all along," Starfire's voice rang in with her usual bubbly energy. If sunshine had a voice, it would be hers. "You are truly magnificent, Shadowflame!"
"Thanks, Starfire. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. I didn't do it alone."
A voice I didn't expect to hear but was mildly relieved to hear anyway, chimed in. "Are we sure it's all over?" Mareena asked, her tone far more serious than the rest. "No sneaky triggers, no Joker-style tricks waiting for us?"
"Ugh, I wish that psycho would just retire," I muttered. "We're sure, Mareena. We got all of them."
There was a brief pause before Cyborg's voice cut through like a chainsaw. "No more bombs. All signals tracked and neutralized. You guys got 'em all."
"Nice work, Cyborg," I said, genuinely impressed. "Seriously. I've got the whole fire-and-flame thing going, but you're the one who actually found the bombs. Wouldn't have made it through without you."
There was a beat of silence, followed by Cyborg's slightly self-deprecating tone. "Eh, no biggie. Just another day for the walking, talking robot brain."
"You say that, but you're the one who tracked the last one down while I was over here battling actual fire," I pointed out. "You deserve a medal. Or at least, a high-five."
"Yup, all in a day's work for Cyborg," he said. Then, after a beat, his voice turned more serious. "Wait, you actually offering me a spot on your team?"
I didn't even hesitate. "Absolutely. You tracked those bombs down like they were nothing, and honestly? We could use a guy like you around here. You're a lot more useful than you look. So what do you say? You in?"
"Yeah?" Cyborg sounded genuinely surprised. "You sure about that? 'Cause this might just be the weirdest team I've ever joined."
"Believe me, you won't find a weirder one," I replied with a laugh. "So, welcome aboard. You're officially part of the Shadowflame Squad now. Chaos, mayhem, and all the weirdness come with the package."
"Alright, alright. I'm in. But I gotta warn you: I'm not so keen on exploding buildings every other day."
"I can promise you the explosions are optional," I teased, then added with a grin I'm sure Cyborg couldn't see, "...Well, almost optional."
"Sounds good to me," he laughed, a hint of amusement in his voice. "This should be... interesting."
I tapped my earpiece twice. "Alright, everybody—time to head back to the Batcave. Let's call it a day... or, well, a sigh-of-relief hour."
Supergirl's voice was the first to chime in, her tone light and full of relief. "I think 'celebrate' might be a strong word, but definitely ready for a breather."
"Right? I'm down for whatever as long as it doesn't involve running from a giant thing," Robin said with that dry humor of his. "Also, I need pizza. Or, you know, whatever food you guys eat that doesn't involve me questioning my life choices."
Batgirl's voice came back with an exaggerated sigh, a hint of mockery in it. "Robin, you literally live off of pizza. You don't get to complain about it."
"Pizza is fine," Robin argued. "But remember the last time you made me eat that... weird thing?"
"Oh, that?" Batgirl responded. "C'mon, it wasn't that bad."
"It was awful, Babs. I'm still recovering. So, yeah—pizza, please."
"Fine, fine," I said, holding up my hands in mock surrender. "Pizza it is. But—no complaints, Robin. After saving Gotham, you can eat whatever weird pizza I throw at you."
Zatanna's voice cut in next, a little more upbeat than usual. "Yeah, yeah, we can debate food after we make sure nothing else is trying to blow us up. I really don't want another surprise party like that one."
"Agreed," I said, before giving Cyborg a little mental fist-bump. "And I mean it. Thanks, Cyborg. For the backup, for the help. It's good to have you with us."
He chuckled, low and content. "No problem, man. Glad to be here."
As we made our way back to the Batcave, I felt that odd mix of exhaustion and exhilaration creeping in. We'd won this one. Gotham was safe... for now. It wasn't perfect—hell, it was a mess—but it wasn't on fire. And that counted as a win in my book.
"So," I said aloud to no one in particular, as I glanced over at my team, "Now we get to figure out what to do with a robot on the team. This should be fun."
Everyone laughed over the comms, and I couldn't help but grin. Yeah, this was going to be interesting—but it was also going to be ours.
—
You ever wake up in the morning, drink your coffee, and think, Wow, I hope a psychotic clown doesn't blow up my building today?
Yeah, me neither.
But apparently, that was too much to ask because here I was, standing in front of the Gotham Centre of the Lily Potter Foundation, which looked like it had been personally hated by the Joker.
The place was a wreck—half-collapsed entrance, upper floors charred, windows shattered, and a tilt that suggested the building had been drinking heavily before showing up to work.
Robin—yes, that Robin, aka Gotham's resident angsty bird—stood beside me, surveying the damage with his hands on his hips like he was grading a science fair project.
"Well," he said, far too casually, "at least it's not on fire anymore."
I turned my head so slowly it could've been a horror movie shot. "Wow. Thanks, Boy Wonder. That's really helping my stress levels."
Batgirl, standing on my other side, smirked. "I mean, he's not wrong. You should've seen it before."
"I did see it before. I was inside when Joker decided to redecorate."
Supergirl, floating above us with her arms crossed, her golden hair whipping in the wind, let out a dramatic sigh. "So are we just gonna stand here admiring the wreckage, or is this the part where you do the whole wave-your-hands-and-make-it-better thing?"
M'gann (aka Miss Martian, aka the human embodiment of enthusiasm as played by Ariel Winter) beamed. "Ooooh, is this where you do the magic thing? I love the magic thing."
Mareena, who had been inspecting a particularly cracked bit of foundation, straightened and shot me a questioning look. "Shadowflame, you sure you've got enough juice for this? Or should we call in some Atlantean engineers?"
I snorted. "If I ever need Aquaman to fix a building for me, someone punch me in the face."
Galatea (who could best be described as Supergirl's buffer, meaner twin) crossed her arms. "You do look kind of wrecked, though. You sure you can handle it?"
Zatanna smirked, flipping her hair. "You are looking a little rough around the edges, Shadowflame. If you pass out dramatically after this, I get to call dibs on making fun of you first."
M'gann gasped. "Oh, wait, do people call dibs on that? Because if so, I want in—"
Supergirl groaned. "Can we please get to the part where he fixes the building before we start betting on how hard he faceplants?"
I rolled my eyes, tapping the crimson gemstone embedded in my chest. It flared to life, casting a soft red glow over my suit. "Relax. It's me."
Galatea raised a brow. "That doesn't answer the question."
"Oh, I know."
With that, I lifted my hands, and the air around me crackled with magic.
The damage began to rewind itself—shattered glass pieced back together, scorched walls unburned themselves, metal beams straightened, and that leaning tilt? Gone. A huge chunk of concrete lifted itself from the street and floated into place like a puzzle piece snapping back in.
The team watched in stunned silence as the entire building rebuilt itself in under a minute.
Then Deedee's voice crackled through my earpiece. "You do realize most people hire construction crews for this, right?"
"Yeah, but I'm not most people, am I?" I shot back, smirking.
Sarah leaned against her motorcycle, watching the magic swirl around me. "You ever think about how unfair it is that you get to be rich, powerful, and magic?"
I turned to her, dead serious. "Every day, Ms. Simms. Every single day."
Victor (aka Cyborg, aka the only adult in the room even though we were technically all adults) let out a low whistle. "Damn, Shadowflame. Remind me to never play Jenga with you."
Zatanna clapped her hands, grinning. "Alright, ten points for style, another ten for efficiency, and a bonus five for making it look way easier than it actually is."
I gave her a mock bow. "Oh, stop, you're making me blush."
Robin crossed his arms. "I dunno, I feel like he's just showing off at this point."
I put a hand to my chest, gasping. "Me? Showing off? Robin, I am offended. This is serious magic work."
"Uh-huh."
Supergirl floated down next to me, nudging my shoulder. "You do realize you're setting completely unrealistic expectations for future repairs, right?"
I shrugged. "Yeah, well, next time, maybe we don't let the Joker blow up the place in the first place?"
Mareena gave me a flat look. "You're saying that like it's avoidable."
I gave her an even flatter look. "It's Gotham."
That got a collective groan from the entire team.
Because, yeah. It's Gotham.
And that meant this definitely wouldn't be the last time.
—
Robin adjusted his cape with a sigh, giving the newly restored Gotham Centre one last glance before turning to Batgirl. "Alright, we should head back. Someone's gotta give Batman the report."
Batgirl groaned, crossing her arms. "Translation: We get to stand there while he stares at us in complete silence until we feel bad about whatever we did wrong."
"Exactly," Robin said grimly.
"Sounds fun," I drawled, hands on my hips. "Tell him I said hi. Oh, and let him know I totally know he was here, lurking in some dark corner, watching the whole thing unfold like some Gotham-flavored cryptid."
Robin and Batgirl exchanged looks.
"I mean…" Robin said slowly, glancing around. "That does sound like something he'd do."
Batgirl smirked. "There's at least a 60% chance he was perched on a gargoyle somewhere, silently judging us."
"60%?" I raised an eyebrow. "Come on. This is Batman. If you check the security footage, you'll probably see a shadow move in the background, like a disappointed specter of justice."
Robin shook his head. "Weirdly enough, that makes me feel less bad about leaving."
"Oh, yeah. If he wanted to get involved, he would've. But we handled Joker before things got really messy, so he let you two do your thing. Bet he was even proud of you."
Robin narrowed his eyes. "You say that, but I know when I get back, I'm still getting the 'what could you have done better' talk."
Batgirl sighed. "And the 'Joker is never truly predictable' speech."
Robin nodded. "And the 'your enemy will never pull their punches, so you can't afford to hold back' speech."
"Can't forget the classic 'Gotham is a proving ground for the strong' lecture," Batgirl added.
"Followed by the 'you need to anticipate the unthinkable' talk."
"Oh, and the 'one day, I won't be here' guilt trip."
They both sighed in unison, perfectly in sync.
I snorted. "You two have that memorized way too well."
Robin gave me a deadpan look. "Gee, I wonder why."
Batgirl clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, Bird Boy. Let's go get our stern talking-to over with."
He exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Yeah, yeah. Later, guys."
With that, they both fired off their grappling hooks, disappearing into the Gotham skyline.
That should have been the end of it. But nope.
Supergirl crossed her arms, floating a few inches above the ground like she was too good for physics. "You know, if Batman really was here, lurking in the shadows, that means he saw you fix the whole building in under a minute. Think he's gonna have a problem with that?"
I shrugged. "Oh, I hope so. That means next time I see him, I get to absolutely ruin his brooding with my existence."
M'gann gasped in delight, her green eyes practically sparkling. "Ooooh! Do you think he hates that you exist? Like, just a little?"
"Oh, definitely," I said. "I single-handedly destroy his whole mysterious, terrifying thing just by standing next to him. I bet he can feel the chaotic energy radiating off me, and it bothers him."
"Like when you get a notification but can't find your phone?" M'gann offered.
"Exactly."
Galatea crossed her arms, giving me an unimpressed look. "And yet, he hasn't decked you in the face for it?"
I smirked. "Give him time."
Mareena leaned in. "Or maybe he's just trying to figure out what species you are."
Starfire giggled. "Perhaps he is simply trying to decipher if Shadowflame is a creature of darkness or a force of pure chaos!"
Deedee waggled her fingers. "Oooooooh, spooky."
Victor scoffed. "Man, if Batman actually has a problem with you, that means he's spent at least some time thinking about you. That's a win in my book."
Zatanna smirked. "Just be careful, Shadowflame. If Batman ever does decide to throw hands, I will be selling tickets."
Sarah nudged me. "Same. But, like, front-row seats."
Supergirl cracked her knuckles. "Honestly? I'd pay to see that."
"Glad to know my suffering is a commodity," I deadpanned.
Mareena smirked. "So, are we just gonna stand around dissing Batman, or do we actually have a next move?"
I cracked my neck. "Oh, we definitely have a next move."
And, with that, I turned my attention to the real problem at hand.
—
I took a deep breath and cracked my neck. Yeah, I was ready to face the crowd of young metahumans who had come looking for help.
You know, the reason we were actually here.
It wasn't just about kicking Joker's creepy, psychotic butt—which, let's be real, was fun, but we had more important things to do.
The crowd was still gathered near the edge of the square, an interesting mix of nervous kids and teens, some looking like they had no clue what they were getting into. Others were a bit on edge, probably wondering if Gotham was going to explode again any second.
I didn't blame them. If I were in their shoes, I'd be thinking, So, I signed up for help, but instead, I got a front-row seat to the clown apocalypse. Maybe I should've Googled this place first.
But nope, time to fix this.
I rolled my shoulders and took a step forward, making sure my voice was loud enough to carry over the scattered murmurs of the crowd. I gave them a cocky grin, because why not? If you're going to give a motivational speech, you might as well look really good doing it.
"Alright, listen up, all of you! I know Joker—yup, the psycho clown—crashed our little party. But guess what? He's gone. Outta here. And the whole reason you came here today? It's still on."
There was a beat of silence, and I could practically feel the collective sigh of relief. People's shoulders started to relax, but I wasn't done. I had more to say, and by the looks on their faces, they were so ready to hear it.
I gestured to the now perfectly restored Gotham Centre because—surprise!—I fixed it. (Of course, I fixed it. Who else would?)
"The Lily Potter Foundation is here for you. Not just some fancy name or some overly dramatic speeches—though I'll admit, I'm fantastic at those. Nah, this is about making sure you—every single one of you who needs help—actually gets it."
I let that sink in, watching a few of them exchange looks.
"Yeah, I know you've probably been told a lot of things about yourselves," I continued. "Like you're dangerous. Or that you're freaks. Or worse, that the world doesn't want you. Well, guess what? That's all a load of garbage." I raised my chin, letting my eyes flash for emphasis. "You belong here. You belong anywhere you want. You're not a freak. And as long as I'm breathing, as long as my friends are breathing, you will never be alone. We'll protect you. Always."
I gave them a moment. That one was personal. It wasn't just some speech I'd rehearsed in the mirror; I meant every word.
The silence was intense for a second. And then, the first brave soul stepped forward. A kid with glowing yellow eyes, looking like they were half-waiting for me to burst into flames or turn into some kind of mutant dragon.
"S-So... we can still, uh, register?" the kid stammered, voice quivering.
I flashed a grin. "Hell yeah, you can. The Foundation's doors are wide open. You want in? You sign up. Need a safe place, medical care, legal aid, or maybe just a friend? You've come to the right spot. And hey, we've got some seriously good food."
A few snickers rippled through the crowd, and I had to thank my naturally charming self for that.
A couple of the younger ones exchanged a look, and then, like dominoes, they started to shuffle toward the building. They weren't running anymore; they were walking. Some looked a little hesitant, but most of them were smiling. And I could see that relief on their faces—the kind of relief that only comes when you've been given a place to belong.
Behind me, Supergirl crossed her arms and gave me an approving look. "Not bad, Shadowflame. Maybe you are cut out for this."
I shot her a wink. "What can I say? I'm a natural."
Miss Martian, hovering next to Supergirl, shot me a look. "Oh no, don't tell him that. His ego's big enough as it is."
I put a hand over my heart, feigning offense. "Me? Big ego? I'm just a humble guy doing the people's work, okay?"
Deedee rolled her eyes. "Yeah, 'humble.' You know, that's the third time you've said that today."
"I'm just very aware of my own brilliance. It's a curse, really." I sighed dramatically, but it was all for effect.
Victor slapped me on the back, grinning. "Nah, man. You did great. You've got this whole 'talking to people' thing down."
Zatanna, ever the cool one, gave a casual nod. "Yeah. You didn't just talk to them. You got them. That's what matters."
I shrugged, watching the last of the kids step inside, a lot less scared and a lot more hopeful. "It's personal, you know? I know what it's like to feel unwanted, to feel like nobody gives a damn about you. And I'm not letting anyone go through that again if I can help it."
Galatea, who had been silently watching the whole thing, tilted her head as she mulled over my words. "You know Batman definitely saw that whole speech, right?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Good. Maybe it'll annoy him. I live for annoying Batman."
Sarah, who had been hanging back, snorted with laughter. "I think you might be the first person in Gotham to genuinely annoy him. Congratulations."
I grinned, feeling the adrenaline from the speech finally fading as the crowd dispersed. "I'll take it. It's probably the highlight of my day, honestly."
As I turned back to my team, I gave them a small nod. "Alright, team, we've still got a lot of work to do. This is just the beginning. Let's get back to the grind."
Starfire, who had been quietly observing, spoke up in her usual serene but firm voice. "Indeed, Shadowflame. I sense great potential in this place, and it must be nurtured."
I nodded. "You're right, Starfire. Big things are coming. And we're going to make them happen."
And with that, the team and I went back to work. Because, let's face it, the Foundation was just getting started—and I definitely had a lot more speeches to make.
---
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