NO CELESTIAL / dick grayson

twenty-two, histories

"I SUPPOSE IT was rude for me to not have left a way of contact."

Remiel let out a sigh. "I've been waiting here for a whole hour. You took your time getting here."

"I was far away." No other explanation given. She knew what Remiel was, knew that any other tidbit of information was probably enough for Remiel to figure something out about her location. Instead, White Canary stepped into the light. No weapon in hand, but that didn't make her any less dangerous.

It was the same alleyway on Goldfish Street. Nightwing and Robin were less than a block away, far enough that White Canary wouldn't realise immediately, but enough to get over quickly if Remiel was in danger.

Remiel said, "I want to talk. I'm not in the mood for a fight, and I don't think you're here to kill me."

"What if I am?"

"I doubt it, Huang Yan."

If she was surprised, she didn't show it on her face. Merely a tilt of the head. "You figured it out a bit faster than I thought you would."

"I'd take that as a compliment, but really, all it took was a phone call."

White Canary's eyes narrowed. "The League has been keeping tabs on me."

"The League keeps tabs on everyone. I don't like going around in circles. What's your deal? What do you want from me?"

"Tell me, Mei, what else have you figured out in the past twenty-four hours?"

"That your father knew my father."

White Canary paused. "So you did know about your family. I was wondering about that. Tell me, Mei, do you want vengeance?"

"Is that what you're after? Revenge? You want to kill my uncle?"

"Your father was a dear, treasured friend of my father. It has long been his will to avenge his fallen comrade. My father was unable to complete it in his lifetime, so I shall carry on his will."

"You've had years to do that." Little came up under the moniker of White Canary—the earliest mention of her existence under that alias was an encounter with Black Canary a few years prior. But much had come up under Silk Sister. She had a prolific and bloody career in Asia. "Why now?"

"The opportunity has presented itself."

"Me. You're not doing this because it was your father's wish, it's because it never served any kind of purpose to you before." Remiel had spent a few hours dissecting all of her former appearances, trying to figure out a motive. Some were for money. But others? Amusement. She did things on a whim. And now Huang Yan found her interesting.

She wasn't sure what to feel about that.

"You are the opportunity."

How had she even figured out that Remiel was her father's daughter? That she was related to the sect? Qi? But there were people unrelated to the sect who still used qi, like Seraphina. It didn't make much sense.

"Does my family know about my existence?" Remiel demanded.

"They learnt that you were still alive around..." she tilted her head, "a week ago. Should be closing in on who it is now. They'll start piecing things together. I'll give it three days before your uncle starts sending people out to kill you."

"And that's why you're here."

"To carry out my father's wishes, and, well, make sure you remain alive." A pause. "There is much potential in you. Your teacher has taught you some, but not enough. It is wasteful."