Ignite [Book Three In The "Fire And Lightning" Series]

Chapter Thirty- Prepping To Go

June 2, 2018. 12:04
Gotham City
~~Willow~~

"So this is it?" I asked. Emma nodded, fishing a copy of the key out of her pocket.

"It's due to open next summer, after I graduate from Berklee." She said. 

"It's amazing." I slowly turned around and around taking in how much the building had changed from a frozen yogurt shop to a music school. 

My wings were hidden, folded under

She smiled proudly. "I can't wait until it's open, it's been so long since we started planning all this."

"It's gonna be worth it." I said, walking through the corner outlined for the recording booth. 

"Yes, yes it is." Emma handed me my own copy of the key to the school. 

I couldn't wait. Emma had been learning all about music how to teach, and I'd been learning psychology. This music school was going to be the best in Gotham, if not the world.

A nonprofit business, partnering with Gotham Academy and Wayne Charity Foundations to help get kids off the streets and into school. Not every kid had the ability to suddenly develop superpowers and join a team of Justice League proteges.

"If we make it back..."

I shuddered, pushing away the thought.

"Shut up!" I hissed through gritted teeth.

Emma looked at me curiously, she hadn't said anything. I blushed and mumbled an apology. "It's...Pyro. Sorry."

Emma smiled at me sympathetically, but something was wrong with her eyes. They seemed dark, hollow, even. When was the last time I'd seen her eyes light up with a spark? I watched her carefully as she closed up the shop, getting it ready for the workers to arrive the next day. Her head wasn't held as high as she used to, her face seemed gaunt, paler than the usual Bat-kid. Something was definitely wrong.

"Emma, are you okay?" I asked carefully, walking by her side down the street, towards the hidden zeta-tubes.

"Huh?" She was distracted too, not the Emma I knew. 

"Something's wrong with you." I deduced. I knew the signs all too well, I'd shown them much too often.

"What? No! No, nothing's wrong!" She said quickly. 

"Don't try that with me." I said. "Something happened to you while I was away, and I want to know what."

Emma stared at the ground. We'd stopped on the sidewalk; there weren't very many pedestrians, so we weren't in anyone's way.

"I got kidnapped." She murmured.

My hand automatically clenched into a fist, and I could feel ice in my heart. "Who? Who took you?"

Emma sat on a bench for a bus depot, and I sat next to her. 

"It was just a couple days after you left. I was exhausted, what, you know, with Wally dying, you and Richard leaving, and...I tried to take a nap, but I couldn't fall asleep. So, I went for a quick flight, and..."

She swallowed, choking on her words, and I gripped her hand. I could see her shaking violently, feel the bristle of static from her hair.

"Black Manta knocked me out and captured me. When I woke up, I was on his sub with him a-and the Joker."

I gasped, quickly pulling her in for a hug. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. You're safe now." I promised.

"Th-thank you." Emma gasped, sighing heavily. "I am glad that you're back now Willow. And now that we have a lead on Wally...I'm not going to stop until my family's found."