Hero's Journey

Introductions Part 2

Summary: Emma meets Avery Yu (Avery belongs to  @audreyshiu @audreyandherocs on Tumblr) for the first time. Wally and Avery notice there might be something special about Emma. Emma notices too but isn't sure what it is. Can you tell what's going on with Emma?

"Ugh! I feel so stupid! Why can't I get this?" Emma said with her head in her hands and a painfully glazed look on her face. "Wally, I'm sorry. Can you explain it again? Slower?"
Wally stopped tapping his pencil on the physics homework like a machine gun. "Right. Right. Sorry, Emma. I just get so excited. About all this science stuff, y'know. It's just fascinating."
"It's ok, Feet. It's hilarious how excited you get. But I already don't understand it, and it doesn't help that I can only understand every other word you're saying. Sometimes I think I should have taken a different science class. I don't know if I'll ever be able to pass this class." She moaned.
Wally looked at her sympathetically. "Every other word, huh? That's impressive. Most people only get about every third or fourth when I get going like that. Ok. Let's look at this again. Don't worry, you'll get it."
They sat in the library going over the problem sheet, with Wally patiently explaining until it finally clicked. A proud grin spread across Emma's face as she dropped her pencil excitedly. "I think I got it! I finally got it, Wally!" She looked at him questioningly. "I did get it, didn't I?"
"Well, let's see." He took her homework and nodded. "Yep! You got it! I knew you would. You're a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for, Ems."
Emma nudged him playfully. "Well, I had a good teacher. You're really good at explaining things, Wallman. Once you slow down enough that is. You make it so much more relevant than Mr. Freeman does."
The bell for the end of the period rang before they were able to get to the American Lit paper so they made plans to get together after school.
Later that day Wally's phone rang while Emma was explaining the symbolism in The Great Gatsby. "Ok, great. Thanks, Uncle Barry. Yeah. I'll see you guys tomorrow night then. How long is she here for? Oh. Hey. Would it be ok to introduce her to Emma? Do you think she'd be comfortable with that?"
Emma stopped her highlighter in midair and looked at Wally questioningly at the mention of her name.
He covered the mouthpiece of the phone and whispered, "My friend Avery is coming to visit for a few days. She's staying with Uncle Barry. Want to meet her?"
Emma smiled and gave a thumbs up. "So. Who's Avery?"
Wally hung up the phone. "She's a family friend from Gotham. She's a few years younger than us, but you'll like her. She's pretty cool. Avery's like a little ball of positive energy. You two will get along great, I can't wait for you to meet her."
She smiled as she listened to Wally talk about his friend. "She sounds great. I can't wait to meet her." That's great, but what if she doesn't... Wally cut her off mid-thought.
"And don't worry, Emma. She'll love you."
"I didn't say anything. I'm not worried," she lied. I thought I kept it off my face. How did he know I was thinking that? She wondered.
Wally squinted and pursed his lips in thought and looked confused for a moment. "You didn't have to say anything, Emma. I know you. And your face isn't as blank as you think. You have no poker face, y'know."
"Haha. I guess not. So, when am I meeting her?"
"Saturday? We can go mini golf or something"
"Sounds good. I can drive," Emma replied.
That Saturday Emma headed to Barry and Iris's house after taekwondo. She had dressed in jean shorts and a pink and white baseball tee with a floral pattern emblazoned in the middle and gold flip-flops. Her hair was held back on either side by a pair of butterfly clips. Wally greeted her at the door with a grin. He was talking about a million miles a minute and his eyes danced with energy. Emma could tell he'd probably already consumed several Monster drinks. A petite girl with a cute button nose, sharp lime green eyes, and pale golden skin stood behind him. Her long black hair was pulled into pigtails adorned with ribbons that matched her eyes.
The girl peered shyly from behind Wally as he stepped aside for her to move forward. "Hi."
"Emma, this is Avery. Avery, Emma." Wally stood watching his two friends closely.
For a moment Emma felt slightly unnerved as the girl stared at her. She seemed to be looking into Emma's soul. She tilted her head, taking in everything about Emma without saying a word. Suddenly Avery grinned and lunged, engulfing Emma in a surprisingly strong hug.
The second they touched, Emma felt a buzz of electricity like a static shock. She didn't know how, but she knew they would be forever linked. Emma also felt a strange sensation she hadn't felt since she had met Wally- the sensation of another mind connecting with hers. Of course, she didn't know that's what she was feeling at the time.
Emma smiled as she returned Avery's hug. "It's good to meet you. I'm sure we're going to be great friends."
After a quick lunch with Barry and Iris, the group piled into Emma's Ford station wagon. "Hey, Avery, you want to sit in the front seat?" Emma asked her new friend.
"Hey! No fair! I already called shotgun!" Wally whined.
"Well, maybe I like Avery better," Emma smirked. "Plus, she's the guest, so she gets first pick."
Avery giggled slightly. "It's ok, Emma. Wally can sit up front this time," she said climbing into the backseat.
The three friends made it to the fun park shortly. It had been redesigned recently to feature a Flash theme after Kid Flash and Flash had stopped a Prankster attack on the same block. "Hey! Look! You think we'll get in for free if we tell them we're friends with the Flash?" Wally joked.
    Emma rolled her eyes. "Wally. You aren't friends with them. Just cause they maybe saved you once. Have you ever even met them?"
Avery gave Wally a warning look. Be careful, Wally. Obviously, she doesn't know, she said telepathically to the young speedster.
Wally stammered indignantly. "Of course I have! Barry was able to meet him through his job at the police station. He introduced me for my birthday a few years ago. And last month, I was visiting Barry at work when Captain Cold attacked the station. Flash and Kid flash burst in and saved the day. Flash was all like 'I'm putting you back on ice, Cold!'  then he waved at me as he ran off! It was so cool!"
Emma nudged her friend. "Haha! Cool! I see what you did there. I didn't know you were such a fanboy!" She paused for a moment and furrowed her brow in thought before turning to Avery. "You're from Gotham, right? What's Batman and Robin like? Do they really have superpowers? Have you ever met them? Isn't Robin supposed to be about our age?" She rambled, barely covering her enthusiasm.
Wally laughed at his friend and smirked. "Emma! I didn't know you were such a fangirl."
Emma stammered. "I-I'm not. I'm just. I'm curious. I've seen the news channels talking about them, and I. I don't know. He seems cool. Like, Robin is just. And they say he's got some pretty awesome martial arts skills and stuff. And Robin..."
Wally cut her off. "Haha, Ems. If I didn't know better, I'd say you have a crush."
She blushed furiously, biting her lip. "I do not. I just think, y'know. He's only our age and he's already so..."
Wally and Avery looked at each other and smiled knowingly. "Yep. Definitely, a crush" Wally confirmed.
"Dang it, Wally! It's not a crush. It's just. Nevermind. You wouldn't understand." She looked at Avery pleadingly. It didn't take long for her to take the hint and come to her new friend's aid.
Avery started slowly, nodding as she spoke. "Well, Batman is a man of the darkness and shadows. Most people only encounter him if they live in the shadows themselves. Criminals and the sort. Not much is actually known about him; he's pretty secretive. He tries really hard not to scare the innocent, especially children. Robin helps with that. He's more, light. And since he's younger, he's not as frightening to victims and children."
"You said he's a man. So he's not a vampire, or a gargoyle, or have superpowers?" Emma prodded.
"Oh. He's definitely mortal." Avery replied. "Now. What do we want to do first? Mini-golf or the arcade?" She said, eager to change the subject before she said too much. Bruce wouldn't like her to give away any more.
"Mini-golf sounds good first," Emma said taking charge of the group.
Ten holes into the round the three gathered around a particularly challenging obstacle. Making the shot would require hitting the ball up an incline with just the right amount of force at just the right angle so it ricocheted off a bumper and around a corner, then through another maze of bumpers into the cup. Emma shot first, rolling the ball up the hill and back down. Wally and Avery tried with the same result.
"Ah man! This is gonna take forever to get past this hole!" Emma threw her hands up in frustration after the fourth try.
Avery calmly looked at the setup, clearly pondering how best to make the shot. Emma had noticed that for all her exuberance and youthful energy, Avery also had a quietly observant quality. She carefully took in everything around her before speaking or acting. At her age, Emma found it impressive. Wally bent low and squinted at the ground, looking back and forth from the tee to the first bumper. He drummed his fingers on his knee the way he did when faced with a difficult science problem.
Emma took a different approach. She picked up her purple ball and held it to her face. "Now. You're going to cooperate with me, you little rascal. Go in the dang cup. Ok?" She set the ball back down, to puzzled looks from Avery and Wally.
"Do you think it will help? Talking to the ball?" Avery asked curiously.
"Haha, maybe. You never know," Emma joked. "Now. Let's try this again." She set up her shot and watched anxiously as the ball rolled up the hill. "Go, go, go! No! Turn!" she muttered under her breath, waving the ball along with her hands. For a second the ball looked like it would roll back down the hill. Instead, it ricocheted off the bumper and around the corner. Emma jogged to follow it, watching in amazement as it kept going, through the remaining bumpers and into the cup. "Oh my gosh! It went in! It really went in!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down.
"No way! Emma, that's physically impossible in one shot. With the angle and the amount of force, you'd need" Wally said skeptically, moving to follow his friend.
"No. Look. She's right. It went in." Avery pointed at the cup. After a thoughtful pause, she looked at Emma. "Do you think you can do it again?"
"Aha, uh. no. No way. I'm not even sure how I made that one. It was a complete fluke."
"Well, maybe you'll get lucky."
Avery glanced at Wally. You're right. There's no way she anyone should have been able to make that in one shot.
    I know. And this isn't the first time I've noticed something like this with her. Wally noted. Let's see if she can do it again.
"Yeah, Ems, maybe you've got the magic touch. Humor me. Try it again. I want to see how you did it."
"Ok, fine," she sighed. "I'll try it again. But I'm telling you guys. I can't make that again. I don't even know how I made it last time. Emma lined up again, this time with Wally's ball. The shot made the corner and made it all the way to the last bumper before stopping briefly. "Ugh! Go in! You're so close," she whispered. The ball went in. Emma stared in disbelief. "Uh... I.. What the heck? It went in!"
"See. You've got the magic touch. Or maybe the magic words," Avery said.
"Haha, yeah. I guess talking to the ball works. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about that," Emma laughed nervously.
Wally looked from Emma to the cup, to Avery. Should we see if she can go three for three? He mentally asked Avery.
Good idea. Do you think she suspects anything? Do we even suspect anything? It could just be a coincidence. Avery replied
Something definitely seems to be going on. Once is luck, twice is a coincidence. Three, well... I'm not sure what I suspect, but...
Did you say you've noticed things like this with her before?
A few times. Things seem to move around her without her touching them. It's subtle and easy to miss, but it's happened a few times. And I think I've heard her talking in my head a couple times. But I don't think she knows it's happening. Wally explained
Ah.. well, then let's at least see if she can do it again, Avery agreed before turning back to Emma. "Hey. Emma. Want to try three for three?" She handed her pink golf ball.
"Sure. Mide as well. Whad are da chances, right?" Emma set up one last time. And one last time, she made a hole in one.
"Emma! That's amazing! How did you do that? Do you have any idea?" Wally asked.
"Maybe the ball listens to you? Or maybe you give off special vibrations?" Avery speculated.
"Yous guys. It's not dat big of of a deal. I don't give off special vibrations or anyding like dat. Id was just dumb luck is all."
"Uh, Ems. Your Chicago is showing," Wally pointed out.
"Let's just finish the course," Avery prompted, noticing her friend's slight agitation.
Emma wondered if Avery and Wally were right about her having some kind of special touch. Wally's right. Dere's no way dat shoulda been a hole in one. But I made dree o' dem. An it's not da first time i've done someding like dat. What's wrong wid me?
Avery sensed her discomfort and patted her shoulder reassuringly. "It's ok, Emma. Don't think too much about it."
"Thanks, Avery. I guess I'm just overthinking it." Emma smiled at her friend.
A while later the three were sitting around a picnic table drying off from the bumper boats. Emma stared off into the distance, lost in thought. She hadn't made any more miraculous holes in one. But she had done much better than she usually did in ski-ball in the arcade. Almost ball she'd thrown had gone in the high scoring slot. A few times she thought she'd seen the ball change course when it was about to go into another slot. And the same thing had happened with the air hockey game. The puck had been stuck in the middle of the table once and had moved forward on its own when she muttered at it under her breath like she had the golf balls.
Wally's hand in front of her face pulled her out of her head. "Emma... Earth to Emma"
"What? Oh. Sorry."
"You ok, Emma? You're kind of off on some other planet there," Wally said.
"It's ok, Ems. Just stop worrying. I can tell you're anxious." Avery said.
"Yeah. Sorry. I'm just... Nevermind."
"No worries. I brought snacks. Want some?" Avery pulled a bag of grapes and some cookies out of her bag.
Wally reached greedily for a handful of cookies and shoved them into his mouth. "Yummy."
"I'll have some grapes, please. Oh. Do you guys want some pop? I can go get us some." Emma offered.
A few minutes later she returned with three drink cups, just in time to see Avery pull out a lemon. "Did you want me to get you a knife for that?" She asked.
"Nope. I'm good." Avery smiled before biting into the lemon, rind and all.
"Oh-oh, ok. So that just happened."
"I know, I'm weird." Avery giggled. 

"No. Not weird. Just quirky. Quirky is good." Emma smiled at her new friend. "After this, do you guys want to try the batting cages?"

"Sure. Sounds good to me." Wally said, gathering up the empty drink cups and trash.
"I'm not sure. I've never really done many sports. But you guys go ahead," Avery said a bit hesitant.
"Oh, come on, Avery. It'll be fun. Please?" Emma gave her puppy dog eyes and clasped her hands together.
"Ok. Fine. For you, I'll try." Avery relented.
After selecting the right size helmets and bats, they lined up to try their hands at the batting cages. Wally went first. He missed the first five pitches. " Oh, man! Why do I keep missing?" Wally turned around, dropping his bat in frustration.
"It's because you're too fast, Speedy," Emma commented from the bench.
"Too fast?" Wally questioned.
Emma moved to stand behind home plate just outside the net. "Yeah. You need to wait for the ball. You're swinging too early. Try swinging about one second later. Keep your eye on the ball and follow all the way through."
It took a few more tries, but with Emma's advice, Wally was able to hit the last few pitches. Avery was up next.
"I'm still not sure about this," Avery said nervously as she stepped up to the plate. She took a few practice swings, with Emma watching carefully.
Noticing her arms drop after each swing, Emma picked up a smaller metal bat and called Avery over. "Here. Try this instead. The aluminum bats are lighter than the wooden ones." She held it out to Avery, showing her how to place her hands. "Choke up on the bat a bit."
Avery raised her eyebrows. "Choke the bat?"
"Oh. Oops, sorry. Move your hands up a little. You'll have better balance with the bat that way, and be able to put more power and control into your swing. There you go." Emma directed Avery's hands to the proper position.
Avery stepped up to the plate and looked back at her friend. "Is this the right way to stand?"
"Hmm...It's more like this" Emma asked, demonstrating the proper stance.
"So, a bit like a tiger stance? Or a fencing stance?" Avery asked, noting the way Emma's knees were slightly bent, with the front foot facing slightly perpendicular, and the weight leaning towards the back a bit.
"Actually, yeah. Sort of. You do martial arts?"
"Yeah, some."Once Avery had the correct stance and hold on the bat, she hit every pitch.
"Wow! Avery! You're amazing! For somebody who never does sports, you're a quick learner!" Emma gushed proudly.
"Well, you're a good teacher, Emma," Avery said stepping out of the cage. "You're up. I bet you'll do great."
"Yeah, coach. Show us how it's done." Wally prompted.
"Uh, I don't know guys. I remember how to bat, in theory. But I was never that good." Emma scuffed her feet in the dirt.
"What are you talking about, Emma? How could you not be great? You coached us. And you forget, I've seen you bat in gym class." Wally encouraged.
"Yeah. It's obvious you know what you're doing. I'm sure you'll do great. Just relax and have fun." Avery handed her a bat.
"Thanks, guys. It's just been a while since I've done this." Emma took the bat from Avery ago and patted her helmet. She took her stance, letting the first few pitches without swinging, watching carefully. On the fourth, she swung and missed. Her frustration clearly showed in the next few swings and she missed again. "Dang it! Ok. Take a deep breath, Emma, you can do this," She coached herself. She managed to hit the next few balls, but she still wasn't satisfied. "I'm sorry, guys. Do you mind if I try again? I know I can do better, and it's going to drive me nuts." Emma looked at her friends apologetically.
"I don't mind. You don't need to do any certain way, and I thought you did well. But if you will feel better to try again, that's what you should do." Avery nodded.
"Yeah. What Aves said. Go for it." Wally agreed. "But, maybe try a different bat. That one looked a bit awkward for you."
"Hmm.. actually, it did feel a bit too light. But this is even a little heavier than the bat I used to use in softball. But you might be right, Wally. I wonder.." She picked up one of the smaller wooden bats and swung. "This feels better." She stepped back up to the plate and took her stance.
Wally hit the auto pitch button as Emma gave him a nod. The ball came flying, and Emma swung. Nobody in ear's shot missed the loud "Crack!" as she made contact. Emma's face turned bright red and her mouth dropped open as she stared at the half of a shattered bat in her hands. The other half lay several feet away on the ground.