The Animal Inside-Amaya Jiwe

No Country For Old Dads...

"Good morning you two." Sara smiled widely at me and Amaya as she and Ava entered the galley. "Seems like you worked your shit out."

"Wouldn't be here if we didn't." I smiled back at her, taking a sip of my coffee.

"Good morning, Agent Sharpe." Amaya chose to greet the time bureau agent.

"Amaya." Ava nodded back at her.

I shivered lightly. "This feels weird. I feel normal. That doesn't happen."

"Yeah, you're right, with the Dahrks off the radar, it's been so quiet."

The four of us had a normal meal together, deciding to stay gathered around the center of the galley rather than sit down elsewhere.

"You know what, Gideon? I think I'll have some more of your amazing french toast." Ava told the AI.

"I guess you worked up an appetite last night." Sara muttered to the tall blonde, causing her to blush and me to start laughing uncontrollably into Amaya's shoulder.

Zari entered, starting a rant without realizing Ava's presence. "Sara, can we take the waverider to when Mount St. Helen's erupted? I've always wanted-" She turned around, finally seeing Ava stationed at the food fabricator. "Psych. That would not be a cool thing to do. This is, uh, a very important time vehicle. We- we would never use it for recreational or dangerous purposes." As Zari stuttered with her words, Sara, Amaya, and I tried to assure her with our practically violent nods. "Hey, Ava. You look great...in what you were wearing yesterday."

"Right." Ava fiddled with her zipper.

"I'm gonna- I'm gonna stop talking now, yeah."

"This is weird." Amaya pointed to the pile of dirty dishes overflowing from the sink.

"Why are there so many dishes?" I finally realized. "Ray loves doing dirty dishes."

"Oh, yeah. I also don't hear him spurring the neurological benefits of putting butter in his coffee." Zari added.

"Gideon, where's Ray?" The captain finally asked the AI.

"I don't know. But we are being hailed by the time bureau." Ava nearly choked on the food in her mouth.

"Put 'em on."

"Hello, Legends, and, uh, Agent Sharpe." Of course it was Gary.

Ava sighed heavily. "What is it Gary?"

"Uh, this was, uh, just delivered to us." Gary gestured to an artifact on the desk in the video frame. "T-there was a-a Palmer Tech phone hidden inside with a message recorded on it." He pressed a button on his tablet, and a video of Ray appeared.

"Hey guys, if you're finding this, it's me, Ray, obviously. You've probably guessed by now that I have been abducted by the Darhks."

"Hey, when we see him, do we tell him we didn't even notice he was gone?" Zari whispered in my ear.

"Yeah, definitely not."

"The Darhks said that they'd let go of me when they were done with me. He is asking me if I want to see a Grateful Dead concert, which is really kind of weird. But, look, you'll probably try to come after me and find me. If you do, he said that he'd kill me, so...you know, please don't do that. Okay, bye."

XXX

"Are you sure we should be looking for Ray after her specifically told us not to?" Ava questioned Sara and I, both of us who were looking for Ray, against his wishes. Unexpectedly, a portal opened on the bridge, Rip Hunter and Barry's adopted brother, Wally West, stepping through. "What the hell are you doing here?" Ava's words were intentionally harsh towards Rip.