The Darkest of Knights

"Uhh... yeah that's right. Casey. Though you keep talking about this promise you made. What is that?" Alice asked quietly snipping at Karmy's hair and muttering her to sit still. "I mean you mention it and say I made a promise, I made a promise. If its too much you don't have to answer." She said quietly.

"Believe me." Damian said shaking his hand at Nicole. "You don't want to know."

"Because," Karmy tensed up when she heard the snipping. "He asked me to keep the bag safe, and I said I would." and then she told her the part about a portion of hers and Caseys soul in the bag. "It's what makes the bag so special..." she could only imagine what Slade was doing with it and a shudder went through her body.

"Answer? A question? What are you talking about?" Damian asked. "Over here is the path that leads to the Terra Memorial, the statue that was once Terra's went missing one day when-" Tim was interrupted by Dick. "I know Tim... I was there before you were even called a boy wonder." He sighed. "Oh right... Ha ha, sorry. Moving on."

"Oh I see... Well I promise you we'll get you bag back, I know you've probably heard that a thousand times by various people today, and especially by me; but..." Alice paused from both talking and snipping. "I want you to trust in me. Have a little faith Karmy."

You sure you don't want to talk about it?" Damian asked. "Hey, now, don't wander off too much kids." Tim warned. "Here is the new and improved Wayne building. Dick you have some history with this building, mind telling us what happened that night?" Tim asked intrigued. "I'd rather not Tim.." Dick said. "Oh c'mon! I heard Cyborg and Raven's version of the story!" He smiled, "I always wanted to hear your version!" Dick sternly looked at him. "Another time Tim." He said looking away from the building with a bright neon white set of letters on the top of the building spelling "WAYNE".

"Uhh okay then. Hey.." Damian said now in a low whisper, "You looked surprised when I kissed you the first time. Did you like it?" They silently slipped from the group.

Dick and Barbara were arm in arm, connected to the hip, her head resting on his shoulder. The tour ended up to be more of a conversation now between the three of them. They were catching up. They remembered the times with Bruce. It has been such a long time.

"I do Al, I trust you with my life." Karmy sighed and fiddled with the ring. It gave a small twitch, Slade was on the move again. "It's just hard to be.. Faithful. But, I don't wanna talk about this anymore. Getting more depressed."

Alice sighed, snipping more hair. "What's your favorite food? Music genre? Song? Have any pets? I barely know you personally." She said quietly.

"Cause whether you like it or not." Damian said looking over his shoulder to make sure they weren't following. "I liked it." He said kissing her.

Karmy shrugged, unable to show much of a reaction to her question. "Tofu and bean sprouts. Indie music, thats what the Insomnios play. And, It's a Fubbed Up Life by them." she said dully. "It's the first song they ever wrote."

"Its a fubbed-... Is that the one when you and Killer Croc were singing right before he died?" Alice asked morbidly. "What does fub mean anyway? And what's up with your strange vocabulary? What was it like with the Insomnias or .. Whatever?" She asked determined to know more about her friend.

"I'm playing the we're-both-superheroes-and-you-just-got-dumped-and-I'm-single game." Damian said proudly.

Karmy couldn't help but give a small smirk. "The language is for me to know, and y'all to find out. The InsomniOs, were the ones who found me after I escaped the institute. They nursed me back to health and taught me about life. Seeing as I had spent 8 years in that.. Hell, I didn't really get a chance at life." she held her headband close. "I owe them so much... They were the first people who were nice to me in 8 years and I love them all. They're so important to me."

"Hahaha! I knew it!" Damian leads Nicole into an alley way, "I saw this place in case you were thinking what I was thinking." He winked at Nicole "You want to.. Make out?" He asked nervously, more nervous than than his usual MO.

"One of them saved Barbara when she was on the verge of dying too." Alice said finishing up the snipping. "I have a debt to owe them." She told Karmy taking off the blankey from around her neck and presented a small mirror to her. "Well? What do you think? Did I do a good job?"

"They're amazing." Karmy said. Before looking in the mirror, she tied her headband back on over her scar. "Much better." she looked at herself and saw a pale girl with dark circles under her eyes and a great haircut. "It looks good Al."she blinked just as soon as her eyes changed again, now a dark blue.

"Ha, yeah. I'm glad you like it buddy. I-.. Wait." Alice said walking closer to Karmy. "I never got a good look in your eyes before. I think I did just once, but I was stabbed and I could have been in shock, but.. Did your eyes just change colors?" She asked flabergasted.

"Huh? What? I just wanna kiss you! A lot!" Damian said his voice almost cracking.

"Yeah, they did." Karmy said. "Truth be told, I don't really know why or how they do. But, Casey also had them and whenever Casey made eye contact with me... I can't really explain it but, its like hypnotism. I loose all control of my body and I become very obidiant. I can't explain it really."

"Huh.." Alice said suddenly interested, she unconsciously found herself starring into Karmy's eyes, for a bit too long, half of her fascination from the color shifts, the other half with the obedience. "Oh! Sorry.." She said embarrassed and breaking eye contact.

"There's nothing to see in the city." Damian said bringing Nicole into a hug, then looking into her eyes, beautiful, green. He kissed her lips softly.

Dick and Barbara were being lead to Tim's favorite Ice Cream Parlor. "Hagen Dose?" Dick asked. "Wanna get sued for product placement? I don't think so." Tim snapped back at him. "Just pick a flavor, its on me." Tim smiled. "Huh.. I don't know. So many choices... Babs?" He asked offering her to choose first. "Wow they must have hundreds of flavors. What do you like Nicole?" She asked. "Wait a second." Tim said looking around. "I knew they were awfully quiet."

"It's all good." karmy said awkwardly.. Getting up, she walked over to the sitting area and sat down in a chair. "What time is it?" she asked, curling up in a slump again.

[Still gonna be out a while, control is still to y'all]

"Uh, its-" "11:32" Cyrah said interrupting Alice. "Yeah. 11:32." Alice said a tad bit creeped out, not really knowing why Cyrah interrupted. "Why, what do you wanna do Karmy?" Alice asked sitting down in front of Karmy, leaning back.

In the middle of kissing Nicole, Damian's shirt was yanked back, he squealed like a girl. "I suggest you follow the group then." Dick said to Nicole. "I knew it." Barbara laughed. "Oh, did I forget to mention that these communicators are also like tracking devices?" Tim said as he was rather proud of it.

"Cause... My RP watch was in my bag.." Karmy sunk down further in the chair. "Only thing I have is my communicator to Cass." she took it out and flipped it on. "Hey Cass?" she said, her voice a tad pained. "Where are ya?"

"If you knew we were about to pop out at any second, why did you follow through?" Dick asked. "Cause I love her!" Damian blurted. Dick slapped the back of Damian's head. "I wasn't talking to you."

Crimson's stomach began to drop. by the way the riders were wispering, his chances of joining the riders was getting slimmer by the second. "Oh man, don't tell me i came all this way to be rejected!" Crimson said to himself. He remained quiet, waiting to hear the verdict from one of the riders.

"What?" Barbara asked in disbelief. "You know what he did when I tried to save his ass from Slade?" Barbara said angrily, "He didn't even lift a finger when he was crushing my head under his foot."

Cyrah tapped on Alice's shoulder. "Hey can I talk to you for a second?" She asked drawing Alice away from Karmy. "Yeah sure.. What is it?" She asked out of Karmy's earshot, she was talking to Cassius anyway. "Y'know, I can talk to Karmy in a way that you can't." Cyrah explained.

"Yeah? How so Cy?"
"Well y'see... Though you've known her longer than I have, I've been with her longer. You know what I mean?"
"No.. What do you mean?"
"Well you've only seen Karmy several times in your life right? Only a couple of weeks have you actually been around her. I've been with Karmy for over 730 days. I'm like a sister to her."
"Okay.. I see what you're talking about. But why are you telling me this?"
"Well Al.." Cyrah said leaning an arm over her. "I've gotta tell you the truth."
"What truth?"
"She's only nice to you because she doesn't want to hurt your feelings."
"What?"
"She blames you because of this." She said tapping on the bat insignia on Alice's belt. "She blames you for losing her bag and for throwing her into this depression."
"Karmy wouldn't-"
"You don't know Karmy like I do. She told me herself. She hates the bats. Every one of them."

Alice began to worry. She looked at her belt, she began to sweat and shake. She looked at Karmy. Her head hanging. Alice took a deep breath and walked out holding back her tears.

Karmy looked up when she heard Alice leave and she saw Cyrah watching her leave. "Hey Cyssy.." she called out to her. "Where did Alice go.." she asked, still holding the communicator

"Uhh.. Think she said something about running low on little baby chickens." Cyrah said knowing that would make Alice seem less likeable if she said said that.

Alice stopped in front of Terra's room, her name was engraved on the door. She felt like a Terra, that's for sure. She opened the door and fell in the room. "If that's all she wanted to say she could have at least told me the truth. Getting Cyrah to tell me.." She muttered angrily in the bed. She planted her face in her pillow and screamed. "No courage. No courage." She thought.

"But.." Karmy sat up a litttle and looked in the dirrection Alice had left. "She.. We were talking. I think I'll go.." she started to get up.