Shadow Of The Nightshade

What Happens When A Kryptonain...

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Connor couldn't stop glaring at Shadow. She was currently lying on the bed in front of him.

He was angry that she had defeated Artemis so easy anf found out Superman's identity. That she played Wally like a puppet then discarded him when she was content.

He clenched his fists. He couldn't hurt her but he could glare at her and maybe by some miraculous peradventure he'll get heat vision at that moment and turn her into a pile of ash.

A small smile unconsciously made it's way to his face.

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Shadow

I stared at the ceiling, contemplating my actions as Superboy's gaze burnt through me.

I let out an inaudible sigh. The emotion I was feeling had become unbearable, drowning me in a deep sea of unending guilt and regret.

I never meant to hurt anyone, did I?

Was my aim so selfish, to get her to remember?

Narcissistic.

Egotistical.

Conceited.

Vain.

Maybe I was angry that she acted like she knew me. Maybe I wanted to prove her, no, all of them wrong but instead only twisted their conception of me further.

I could not help but think what Robin's thoughts of me were. Did he agree with the rest of them? Did he see me as nothing but a killer?

To be honest, I didn't know why I cared so muc. Every once in awhile the lid to my ever-so-impenetrable jar of emotions loosens. And now that I am no longer in contact with Ra's Al Ghul, or Deathstroke, my emotions are slowly resurfacing. And now that I am no longer repressing them...

I glanced over at the teen next to me, discreetly taking in his features. Why did he have to be here of all places?

'I'm sorry for hurting Artemis.'

I don't know why I said it. I know he won't believe me, none of them will. They'll think I'm playing games, winning sympathy, maybe saying it because of regret.

'You expect me to believe that!' He growled.

Wow, this guy's got some major anger issues. A snarky voice hissed in my mind.

Don. I thought, sighing. I'm not in the mood.

I could feel him frown, and at that moment I almost laughed. I was a crazy person who talked to the voice in their head.

I agree with you.

My kryptonain friend looked like he was having a hard time keeping his temper at bay, so to buy time I thought about what Don was, to me I mean.

He wasn't my conscience. No, I buried that deep within my subconscious. He was more like the only person I trusted to never leave me, even though he was only a figment of my imagination.

Hey! Who you calling a figment here, who says I'm not as real as the other guy?

I smiled. 'Tell me, what is your favorite celestial body?' I directed the question at the kryptonain not the symbol of my insanity.

He didn't say anything, I knew he wouldn't.

'Let me guess... The moon?' I mused as I was met with the silence I was so familiar with.

'Big, luminous, gives you the illusion of calm in the dead of night. Gives you the impression that you can hold it in your hand though it's so far away. Nothing like the sun you are forced to rely on,' I commented offhandedly, 'you were not made to like it. It was your first conscious decision, the first thing that made you feel less like an object,' I frowned, 'or weapon. More human.'

I sat up with my legs crossed over each other, facing Superboy and watching as his face filled with shock.

'H. . . How do you know that?'

I placed my finger on my chin. 'An ideal mental apprehension of whatever may be known, thought, or imagined, an idea or a concept. You could say that I was the one that imposed such an idea on you, freedom.' I sighed. 'But that is merely speculation.'

The hero said nothing, remaining silent as he processing what I just said.

'What you mean is...' he frowned, 'we've met before.'

I smirked. 'We have, the world's a small place, don't you think?'

'Or you are just well informed.' He snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

Shaking my head, I sighed. 'I don't go around looking into other people's lives. What I know, I get from experience.'

'Cadmus. A couple years back, I was asked to guard a project, a weapon actually. Along the way I crossed paths with one of the experiments that was eventually perfected to make, well...you.

'Let's say we spent quality time together since when it made an escape attempt, I was the one called to stop it. Eventually it stopped running and I asked a simple question. Why did it want to be free? In the end even he didn't know, it was just animal instinct. The reason you have was the same reason I gave him.'

He stared at me blankly. 'That's your basis for how you know me? You never even met me!'

Now it was my turn to snort. 'You are both the same, your predecessor was just more blood thirsty and ferocious, and besides, aren't you both just clones. . .'

Superboy flinched.

'. . .of the original-' she continued, leaning forward, '-who overshadows the ones meant to replace him. You are nothing but an insignificant speck of dust compared to him. He doesn't care about you, or me, or even your brothers still stuck as labrats at Cadmus. The person you look up to-' Now I was poking him on the chest, my mouth next to his ear, '-doesn't even deserve your worship, nor does he even desire any of it.'

I sat back down, watching the emotions flicker onto his features. First disbelief, then confusion, and finally acceptance. I smiled. 'But in terms of father figures, yours is a whole universe better than all the ones I ever got, so cheer up!'

I winced as my sentence came off quite bitter.

'I mean. . . at least he tries.' When I saw the look of incredulity that flashed onto his face, I added. 'In his own special, socially awkward kind of way.'

A small smile made it's way to his face and I couldn't help but smile too.

Day-yamh that boy's hotness level rises by a mile when he smiles. Gaawwd, he should do it more often guuurrrl.

I rolled my eyes. Some things never changed, and one of them was Don. Shut up.

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