Cracking An Enigma (a YJ fanfic) COMPLETED

Chapter Nine: Escorting

"Keep you in the dark, you know they all pretend."
The Foo Fighters, The Pretender

ON AUGUST THE 16TH, we had one of our interesting training sessions with Black Canary.

At one, most of us were in Mount Justice, except for Superboy who was with Superman in Metropolis. I was trying to get some cocoa from the cupboard, but whoever designed the kitchen, didn't think of short people. Like me.

Damn you, architects...

I kept jumping, whilst I heard the distracting noises of the virtual game the others were playing. The zeta tube announced Superboy who looked thunderous, so I guessed the thing he had been doing hadn't gone well.

"Everyone ready for training?" I heard Black Canary's voice.

No, can't you see I'm trying to get the damn cocoa?

"Black Canary! Uncle Jo'ann!" I heard Meghan say joyfully.

"It's nice to be reunited, but may I ask; what on Earth are you doing Shadow?"

By this point I'd gotten so desperate, that I'd climbed on top of the oven to get to the stupid cupboard. "Getting stuff," I grunted, reaching across to open it. I misjudged the distance and went toppling off the cooker, and fell to the floor with a painful thump. "Oww." I stated from the ground.

"Shady!" Meghan quickly flew over and helped me up. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, fine, fine." I grumbled, shooting a death stare at the cupboard. "And after all that I didn't get what I bloody wanted."

"Shady... You seem a little off. Are you alright?" asked Wally.

"Yes!" I grumbled irritably, giving him another annoyed stare.

I wasn't though. This morning, I'd had a massive argument with Natasha. The worst thing was it had only been about who'd get the last bit of cereal; but it involved some hurtful comments to say the least.

I looked at Superboy, who was trying to go. He stopped and gestured to me to follow, obviously sensing I was in the same mood as he was, so I stalked after him gladly. "Stick around," we heard Black Canary say. "Class is in session."

Training can go fu-

Brookston, there are innocents among us.

She stepped into the training floor, and it lit up. I stood next to Superboy, silent and brooding. "I consider it an honour to be your teacher, although a lot of you, have learnt a lot from my own mentors, and my own bruises."

"What happened?" Asked Meghan, with a gasp.

My mind wandered as Black Canary spoke. I leaned over to Superboy, and asked, "So, what ticked you off?"

"Superman. He doesn't treat me like a real person." He glanced at me. "You?"

"Natasha Romanoff seems to think it's ok to yell at you that you'll never have a family after you finish up the last of the cereal." I replied, gritting my teeth.

Superboy nodded. "I get you. They seem to think they're always right."

"Pisses me off," I grumbled. "They're all a load of wankers."

We were both distracted from our anger when we heard a crash. We looked up to see Wally on the floor. "Hurts so good," he tried to laugh. I sighed, rolling my eyes; for the first time in a while, I was in a right mood.

Black Canary was trying to explain why she'd beaten him when Superboy interrupted. "Oh please," he scoffed. "With my powers the battle is always on my terms. I'm a living weapon, and this is a waste of my time."