𝕽EFLECTIONS☄︎𝒗ol i, 𝒄h. ii : incursion zone. ' these are nice dioramas? '
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THE RIDE TO TAOS wasn't as bad as Azalea expected. The atmosphere morphed from the bustling cityscape of El Paso to a more deserted and tranquil-like scene. Suburban houses and downtown buildings were replaced with multi-housing pueblo structures. The land was more barren than El Paso, with the vast wildlife stretching for miles and miles. Now that she was in her aramid suit, the cold weather didn't bother her as much as it did when she wore civvies.
Their trip began with Blue Beetle asking multiple questions: Where were they going? Why were they flying in the opposite direction of Metropolis?
Azalea tuned him out after the Metropolis question, deciding to focus on the scenic view below them instead. She had to admit, the change in scenery was like a breath of fresh air — extremely refreshing. The lonely desert was nothing compared to Gotham. The crime-ridden city is an eerie wasteland of psychopaths, or so the people thought. Except, not all of Gotham was as bad as the people painted it out to be. Within Gotham laid the hidden jewels that showcased its inner beauty. Jason had shown it to her, ( Granted — the two had snuck out because the Boy Wonder wanted to give her a tour around Gotham, back when Azalea had just moved to the city — which not only resulted in a temporary benching from patrol, but also a stern lecture from Alfred ). It took a true Gothamite to understand the city's secrets, its hidden beauty concealed beneath the dangers that roamed the streets of Gotham.
Gotham is filled with criminals lurking through the murky, tainted streets — says everyone. Azalea had seen plenty of those sights on her nightly patrols with Bruce, Tim, and Barbara.
El Paso on the other hand, she left the city in the past and preferred to keep it that way. The memories were kept under lock and key — never to be unlocked ever again. She couldn't deny the city itself wasn't so bad. But of course, she thought that. She was raised under the protection of La Dama — her mother was no saint, but El Paso doesn't face the same issues as Gotham. La Dama kept El Paso under check, at least, that's what the urban legends said. Azalea wasn't sure whether or not to believe them, considering her mother was La Dama.
She rolled her eyes. It was the selfish actions of her mother that led her to Nightwing and Batman. There wasn't much she could do back then, but she learned that she could do much more now. Azalea learned to love being a part of the Bats. She loved being a part of the Team. She enjoyed those late-night fights in Gotham—there was a thrill in fighting criminals beneath the murky, Gotham night sky.
She took a quick glance at Blue Beetle, who continued talking to Nightwing. Turning her head back, she crossed her arms and slumped back in her seat. Her body began to tense up. She shut her eyes and focused on the breeze hitting her face. The last thing she expected was pieces of her old and new life clash together.
