Two Sides of the Same Coin (Fem. Percy x YJ)

Chapter 6

The streets of Gotham could be safe at the right time of day, if you knew the right kinds of people. Some streets were off limits--Penguin didn't like me trespassing on his territory most of the time--and sometimes the half-lit neon signs and busted streetlights would make me loosen the cap on my water bottle, but not many people were stupid enough to target a person when everyone who had mysteriously vanished.

Mom killing five people who tried to kidnap me in broad daylight certainly helped get the message across.

"So, when were you going to tell me you got back?" Artemis asked.

She was the other part of what made things safer. Hero or not, Sportsmaster and Chesire would go for the throat when it came to her. Beating her, that was fine, but Uncle Lawrence made it very, very clear what would happen if I killed her.

Wrong person to have be telling that to, and a bad person to threaten because I knew he'd never be able to kill me in return. Took the impact away.

"It's not my fault you decided to play dress up with heroes." I popped my sucker out of my mouth. "Can't see your father being too happy about that."

"Trust me, I'm done doing what my father wants." She flipped her hand."I haven't had to kill someone in months. I'd ask you if you want to do the same, but. . ."

"I'm the only thing keeping my dad from murderous rampages?"

"Yeah."

Who knew having a half-god toddler forced on him would be enough to tame the Joker? Well, tame was putting it a bit better than it was. He still liked stabbing people, still made poisonous gases, but those things were toned down. Gods or Mom threatening to shove a knife through his dick? Either is a possible explanation, but I stuck to my position that I was a really cute baby.

"I don't suppose you can tell me why you were stealing that artifact from a bank?" Artemis asked after a moment.

Is that what it was? I didn't get to see it afterwards; it had already been passed off to whoever wanted it."Who the hell keeps an artifact in a bank in the first place?" 

"Rich assholes with way too much money to spend."

"It's Lex Luthor, Missy, we both know that guy's got his hands in scummy shit. Probably wanted some insurance money or just wanted to make the Justice League look bad or something. Dad's planning on sabotaging his next campaign if you want to do some slightly less legal things in a few months."

"I might have a friend willing to help you with that."

"Robin?"

"Nope."

"Too bad, I'd love to have a camera on Bats if he saw his son spray painting billboards."

She almost stopped. "I did not think less legal things meant vandalism." 

"What did you think it meant?"

"I don't know. I used to murder people, remember?" She pushed me down an alley before I stepped into the wrong territory and continued, "There are a lot of crimes your dad does, and I can't get involved with the serious ones if I want to keep my job." 

I opened my mouth, a response on my tongue, as well as a complaint about the trash piled at the mouth of the street--when an arm wrapped around my shoulders. My elbow drove into their gut, and I flipped them onto the cracked concrete before leveling a knife at them.

A wide-eyed ginger stared up at me. "Uh, hi?" he said. No sign of lingering pain. No being winded the way he should be. A half-empty bag of chips was in his yellow hoodie pocket and what looked like a red strap was under it.

"Nice going, Baywatch." Artemis kicked him.

"Missy, why are you being nice to this stranger?" I folded the switchblade. "I don't get kicked nearly that gently."

Kid Flash got to his feet, shuffled closer to Artemis, and stared at me like I grew two extra torsos. She, meanwhile, stared at my hand.

"Wait, your dad gave you one of those?" Her hand wrapped my wrist.

I tossed the knife to my other hand and slipped it away. "Define gave, please."

"You're so grounded."

"Not if he never finds out."

"Dude!" A familiar voice echoed off the walls, followed by the slap of shoes against the pavement. A boy--a familiar boy, came skidding to a stop, panting. "That's not cool. Do you have any idea how it feels to be left on a street corner? It's not cool at all."

Robin.

"I found one of your friends from school," Kid Flash said. He bounced on his feet. I wondered if he had ADHD or if whatever gives speedsters their powers gives ADHD too. Could I ask it to take mine away when I was in class? I huffed a laugh. Hermes was likely the origin of speedsters, and he probably wouldn't take away something ostensibly keeping me useful.

Luckily, Mom's medical license was never revoked.

"Uh, speaking of which, who is your friend, and please don't let her stab me."

"Oh, I wouldn't stab you. I'd castrate you." I grinned. Just unsettling enough to rattle him, not crazy enough to make them really suspicious. "One is a much better threat here. We went to summer camp together."

"Summer camp," Kid Flash deadpanned.

"Yes. Summer camp. Very summery, wasn't it, Missy?"

"And very much a camp." She laughed softly. Tension slowly left her body, and she let out a long sigh. She wasn't expecting to run into anyone here, and if they overheard us talking--well, if Kid Flash overheard us because there was no way Robin doesn't know who Artemis was--she could be in trouble. "This is Wally, and that's-- How do you know Dick Grayson, exactly?"

That nearly makes me choke. Dick Grayson.

Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne's ward, is Robin. That means-- I'm breaking into the Wayne Manor and stealing all their chicken nuggets. All of them. Maybe the peanut butter and jelly too. I had unofficial friend privileges, and Batman can finally help feed my ever growing appetite.

"His aunt interviews Bruce a lot. He gets dragged along to make me 'less lonely.'" Dick tilted his head. "Summer camp. I thought you said you didn't have a lot of money to do the 'schmancy rich kid stuff.'"

"My dad was a camp counselor." Artemis bit out. "Why do you think I can use a bow? Don't let her use one." She pointed at me the second the words were off her tongue.

"I only shot you one time."

"Three times."

"And your dad gave me a sucker." There were a few things that her dad did better than Chiron; that was one of them. Probably one of the perks of being the niece instead of the daughter. 

A sharp chime cut the air. We winced.

I grimaced. "And my dad noticed I stole one of his knives. Nice meeting you. Artemis, please make sure my calling hours are sufficiently memorable." 

Remember when i used to update consistently? Neither do I, but please enjoy this chapter im going to play minecraft

see yah