Catgirl: Young Justice BOOK 1 (COMPLETE)

CHAPTER 32

|Gotham City
|August 3 2010, 04:47

Catgirl jumped up into the tree to join the archer that'd positioned herself in it's branches.

Artemis had just fired an arrow into the fight and was ready to fire a second.

"What did I tell you?!", Catgirl snapped.

Artemis jumped. She quickly lowered her bow, "I-"

"I know why you're doing it.", Catgirl grumbled, "You want to prove to your family you're not a villain. They're black, so you become white, blah, blah, blah." She said, "It's not black and white at all though. One extreme instead of another? Trust me, no. Getting involved with the heroes isn't much better than joining the family business." She shook her head and sighed at Artemis, "You've been living a life people like us can only dream of- a life I'd kill for. I'm not letting you throw it away, so get out of this tree or Bastet help me I will make sure you won't be able to put that mask on again, before someone else does."

"I know what I'm doing!" Artemis put her bow on her back and jumped out of the tree, rolling into a stand on the grass. She gestured to herself and what she'd just done, "Dad trained me, remember? And I'm not rusty at all- I have a perfect shot and everything!"

"I know, you're one of the best archers I know, it's just...", Catgirl jumped down to join her, "The bad guys know how to aim too."

"But I'm quick-"

"Not quick enough.", Catgirl cut her off, "You know how to use a bow- even I know how to use a bow, Artemis. You are nowhere near able to do...well, this.", Catgirl gestured her suit then took off her cowl to reveal her face, "Trust me, Artemis, you don't want this."

Artemis' eyes went straight to the scar on Catgirl's forehead where Catwoman shot her. It wasn't a huge scar, but it was hard to miss or ignore.

Catgirl pointed to it, "When I die, I have another life; if you die, it's game over." She put her hand through her messy hair, struggling to calmly make her point to the aspiring hero.

She wanted Artemis away from the life of a villain, but if it meant she had to be a hero instead...

"Look, if you die now, that's on me.", Catgirl told her, "I can't have any more blood on my hands- especially not people I care about." She looked down at the cowl in her hands, "I'm not letting you get yourself-"

"I'm not stopping.", Artemis stood her ground.

Catgirl looked up from the ground. She narrowed her eyes at the stubborn archer, not sure what to continue with.

Artemis stubbornly crossed her arms, "Either you help me, or like you said, I'll end up dead."

"You're not serious."

Artemis hugged herself tighter, "I get you're probably worried, but you don't get to leave me for 6 years then come back into my life and decide what's best for me. This is what I'm supposed to do. Either support me or run off again."

Catgirl went silent for a moment to think of an argument but she had none, and she didn't have any way to actually stop Artemis from being a hero without putting her at greater risk. She was in a tight spot, where the only way out would be to agree and hope that by the time she convinced Artemis to continue living her somewhat normal life she could still have it.

"Fine.", Catgirl reluctantly agreed before the team noticed her absence, "I'll teach you a few things- but not right now." She pointed up at the window, "Right now I've got to get you- us out of here, before someone sees you."

Artemis nodded with a smug grin on her face. "Deal." She shook Catgirl's hand and ran off towards the school gates.

Catgirl would've told her that was the easiest way to get spotted, but she knew she wouldn't listen. Arguing about it would only get them spotted, so she took the risk and followed.