⌖━━━⌖

ONCE UPON A TIME life was simple for Juniper Evans. Wake up, go to school, blow something up in the chemistry lab with her best friend, come home and get yelled at for it, promise to never do it again, and finally go to sleep and repeat the next day.

Sure, it wasn't normal, but it sure as hell was more normal than the way her life's been going for the past four years. . .

Wake up, go to school, fall asleep in science class and pretend Wally was there with her, come home—well, to Raven's apartment—, make this and that float with the red magic that she seems to emanate from her body, kick the newest bad guy's ass, go to sleep and repeat the next day. Fun.

She admits, it would be a lot more fun with Wally by her side. The last time she remembers seeing the boy was at her last birthday. . . Which will be exactly a year ago tomorrow.

But good news—! Instead of waiting an entire day to see her best friend, she's seeing him today, when they're getting a tour of Justice League home base and whatnot. She didn't really care for the details.

Living with Raven has transformed her into something of a 'take what you're given with a give-no-fucks attitude.'

She has a feeling that when she sees Wally again, she'll be reverted back into the giddy little eleven year old girl she was when they first parted all those years ago. Just like she has every time she's come into contact with him over four years.

Barry wasn't kidding when he said The Twins were to meet the other Leaguer's sidekicks. Except, when the day came, Juniper had gotten another vision—at least that's was Raven calls them.

She has found out that during these visions her body on the present world begins to have a seizure, while her mind is out in the world searching for the thing it was meant to see.

When she was twelve years old at the time, the vision was the newest one after the one in the hospital. And to say this one was absolutely terrifying to her would be a massive understatement.

Her entire body rattles at the memory.

It was dark. Really dark.

Wait. Oh yeah her eyes are closed. Feeling the soft cushiony texture of what seemed to be a bed underneath her, Juniper opened her eyes to the sight of a ceiling with glow in the dark stick-on stars.

Furrowing her brows, Juniper stared in confusion at the sight before her. Her room didn't have glow in the dark stars?

Juniper moved to get off the bed when the sheet that was covering her body slipped and revealed her very naked body. She screamed. Loudly.

She rolled off the bed, taking the sheet with her and sitting with her back against the wall facing the bed.

"Juni, what—" her head snapped up to see a man whose bare back was previously facing her, now turning around.

Yeah, she screamed again. Can you blame her? In her mind, she's a twelve year old girl. Naked. In bed. With another naked human.

Juniper pulled the sheet over her head, rocking her body gently. "Oh shit. It's happening isn't it—" she heard him stumble, curse again, and the his heavy footsteps approach her.

"Juni, baby, do you know who I am?" The man asked, sitting next to her against the wall.

Reluctantly, she shook her head. "I want to go back home. I'm supposed to see Wally today." She murmured in a sad tone of voice.

The man froze. "How—how old are you, Juniper. . ?"

"Twelve!" She squealed. "Oh god, Raven is gonna kill me!" She pulled the blanket from her head and held it to her shoulders. "And why am I so old? I—" she pulled the blanket back from her body slightly to peer down at herself. "I have boobies," she grimaced.

The man's chuckle was like honey on ice. "Alright, alright. In all seriousness, I need you to tell me why you were going to see Wally."

Her eyes begun to get heavier. "Um. . . I was supposed to meet all the sidekicks today. But I did it again, I'm having a stupid vision and now I won't be able to go." Never once did Juniper look over to the stranger next to her.

The man seemed to notice this and demanded her attention. "Juniper. Look at me. You told me yourself that the visions always want you to see something. Something here is important to your future so you need to look around—look at me."

With slow movements—her head already a fuzz of tiredness—she turned to look at him. He was made of well sculpted muscles, scars, dark hair and eyes, and a lopsided smile that made her twelve year old heart go pitter-patter. "Wow, you're handsome," a breathy sigh escaped her lips.

There was one scar in particular. A nasty jagged scar that started directly below his left eye and travelled diagonally upwards, cutting across the bridge of his nose, nearly missing his right eyelid and making its final stop through his raised eyebrow.

Juniper like-liked that scar.

"Thanks babe—" his eyes widened in panic, remembering this girl was mentally twelve years of age. "Uh, no, I didn't mean—oh god I'm not a creep. Normally when this happens I'm with other people, but now it's just me and you and somehow my wife is twelve years old—Christ, I didn't even meet you until you were fifteen!" He rambled.

Juniper was shocked. This blubbering mess of a man was to be her future husband? She couldn't help but think 'yeah, that seems about right.'

Her body was slowly slipping away from this reality, apparently getting what she came here for, her eyes drooping. "I turn fifteen in three years," she said around a yawn. "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah. . . Can I have my wife back now?" Was the last thing Juniper heard the man say before she slipped into unconsciousness.

Safe to say that was the strangest vision she's ever had and she's only had the two.

"Raven, we're going to be late." Juniper seethed through her teeth while desperately trying to maintain the red bubble of magic containing the supervillain—Endless Winter—that decided to terrorize San Francisco this morning.

"Oh relax," Raven paused for a moment as Juniper's bubble broke and she had to quickly utter the words to open up a portal beneath the villain and then another one above to keep Endless Winter in an endless falling cycle. Hah, what irony.

"That twin of yours always seems to be late." And she was right. Even with the power of super speed, Wally West and Barry Allen are always late.

Juniper's eyes followed Endless Winter's body, up and down as she went from portal to portal. "You have the collar?" Juniper asked her mentor.

Raven gave Juniper a deadpanned look. "Do you think I ever leave home without one?"

Removing the portal beneath the she-villain, Endless Winter smacked against the concrete street, falling into a dazed concussion.

Juniper skipped over to Raven, plucking the collar out of her hands before bending down to click it onto Endless Winter's neck. "Sorry not sorry," The Evans girl genuinely winced.

The local police were quick to rush over to the subdued she-villain, taking her off the two female heroes' hands.

"Now," Juniper gestured toward a plain brick wall. "If you could please Azarath Mentos Zebra us to Washington, I'd be forever grateful."

Raven gave her a sarcastic smile. "You know that it pisses me off when you mock my spells—you're lucky you're not some random person or else I would have given you a worse fate than Endless Winters over there."

"Aha, because I'm not some random person." Juniper smiled brightly at her mentor.

"You're definitely something." Raven groaned, then uttering Azarath Mentrion Zinthos. A purple smoky galaxy spinning before them, Washington DC awaiting them on the other end.

⌖

"Hm." Juniper eyed the group of boys.

The two girls were stood across the pond from the other male heroes and sidekicks. Clearly making their judgments from afar for now.

Today would be the first time Juniper would meet the other sidekicks. Wally kept going on and on about Batman's protégé, Robin—about how cool he is and the fact that Wally is one of the only people to know his secret identity. . . Juniper had to admit, she was jealous. So of course, she took her time to assess the group of them from a distance—to assess him from a distance.

Wally, as usual, had just showed up last in tow with his mentor, the group of males staring broodingly at the Hall of Justice.

Noticing the paparazzi beginning to gather, Raven and Juniper had made the collective decision to sneak into the Hall of Justice without the big fuss. They were not a fan of the media.

The two witches waited in the library, seated and bored as the boys took the sweet time on their tour.

Finally, they entered, being led by Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado. "Make yourselves at home." Barry spread his arms wide to convey the area.

Juniper loudly sighed, drawing everyone's attention. "Well this is boring. I hate books." The comment wasn't just for general declaration—more so to make somewhat of an entrance.

Wally had his back to her when she spoke, but his loud gasp was proof enough he heard her. He spun around jumping up and down and squealing like a little girl.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh. My. God!" Within a blink he was in front of her. "I didn't think you were coming, I thought you were stuck back in San Francisco like the first time,"

She sighed, pushing up onto her tip-toes to ruffle his orange hair and then press a kiss to his cheek. "You'd be so bored here without me, I'm doing you a favour here."

"Uh, Wally got a girlfriend? And what's she doing in the Hall of Justice?" Green Arrow's sidekick, Speedy, questioned. "I guess they're just letting anyone in here."

Without taking her eyes off her other half, Juniper shot her hand out in Speedy's direction and a force of red wisps of magic flung him into one for the bookshelves behind him.

"Wow. Look who's finally getting a hang of their powers," Wally gave her a pointed look. "And you said it could never be done."

People whispering behind her caught her attention, Wally and her turned to face the two boys. "No, that's the other twin." Robin pointed out to mainly Speedy, but the white haired boy was also listening in.

Wally walked up to his other close friend, placing his hand on his shoulder. "You called her my twin," Wally offered Robin a half genuine and half sarcastic smile. "That just makes my heart smile."

The dark skinned boy with white hair then made a move to stand up. With three long strides, he was standing before Juniper. "I'm glad to meet my friend Wally's non-biological twin sister."

Looking down, Juniper took notice of his shoeless feet. "You must be Aqualad, Aquaman's sidekick." In response to Juniper, Aqualad gave a firm nod.

"Please, call me Kaldur. We are friends now, are we not?" Kaldur smiled down at Juniper. The smile seemed slightly forced but it seemed like that smile is the only one he really has.

Wally grasped onto his best friend's shoulders from behind, steering her towards Robin. "This is my second closest friend—second to you of course—and it would mean a whole lot to me of you guys got along."

"Robin." He placed his hand out for a shake.

She reciprocated the gesture. "Myseera."

The boy with dark hair quirked a brow. "That's your real name? It's quite unique." He spoke like a human version of google.

"No. It's not. I don't feel comfortable sharing my name with those who don't share theirs." She tilted her head in a challenging manner.

"How do you know that my name isn't Robin?"

She looked between her best friend and the boy in the red costume with an 'R' on his chest. "Because Wally told me," she shrugged.

Robin gasped. "You told her my name!" His eyes widened beneath his mask.

Wally's eyes widened and his mouth parted. "No, no, I didn't—I swear!" He raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Tell him it's not true, J!" Wally spoke without giving much thought. . . Which was like usual.

"Wally!"

"What?!"

"Don't call me that!"

"Call you what. . ? J?"

"Yes!"

Wally lowered the tone on his voice and began to talk under his breath. "But you said you don't feel comfortable sharing your name with people who don't share theirs. . . Except Kaldur told you his."

She sighed, matching his whisper. "I'm trying to win here."

He paused. ". . . Win what?"

The two of them didn't really care or think about the fact that the others were staring at them and hearing their every word.

"I don't know yet, okay? But right now I think I might be losing thanks to you." She whispered back.

"Yeah everything seems to be my fault lately." Wally quietly sneered.

Juniper stuck her neck out, her auburn hair falling off her shoulders and onto her chest. "What are you even talking about?"

"You know. . . That time I gave us superpowers?" A muscle in Juniper's eye twitched at Wally's words, desperately trying to not yell at him.

Deciding her next best option, she hissed out in a whisper, "You mean that time you blew us up and nearly got us killed!?" She gritted her teeth together. "And I don't know what you mean by 'lately', Wally, because that was four years ago!"

No longer whispering, the outside world completely faded away and now it was just the two of them arguing like no one was watching. Just like old times, and exactly what used to get them kicked out of class.

They took a solid minute or two before making eye contact once more. "Truce?" Wally offered.

"Yeah, truce." She agreed.

Both of them turned back to their crowd of onlookers. "Now, where were we?" She tucked her hair behind her ears and smoothed out her uniform.

"Your name is Juniper Evans, you live at 8034 Bellin street, apartment 4D with Justice League member Raven in San Francisco. However, you previously lived at 4185 Stark avenue in Star City—across from your best friend since childhood, Wally West, AKA Kidflash." Robin never once took his eyes off of his hologram database projecting from his wrist.

Juniper didn't interrupt Robin once. Her mouth too busy catching flies.

"Ugh," Wally dragged out. "I was really hoping you two would get along. . . Now I'm afraid you've made an enemy for life, my dear friend."

Juniper flicked her wrist and Robin was levitating in the air, an aura of red magic surrounding him. "Mark my words, Boy Wonder," she sneered. "I will find out your name and what you look like under that mask of yours,"

"Juniper." The girl paused—having heard the familiar sound of the man who's always been like an uncle to her.

Immediately, Robin was dropped to the ground, and a bright smile spread across her face as she turned to face the man in red. "Hi Barry!" Juniper enthusiastically waved.

It'd been a solid year since she last saw the man. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Maybe let's not hurt the other heroes. How does that sound?" Juniper didn't appreciate the way he was talking to her like a toddler who was having trouble sharing toys, but she agreed nonetheless.

"Fine." Her expression caved as she crossed her arms across her chest.

The teenagers went silent as Batman began to speak to the elder heroes. "Quick debrief to discuss the coincidence of five ice villains attacking on the same day."

Batman spoke up slightly louder now, gathering the teens' attention. "We shouldn't be long."

Juniper, Wally, Kaldur, Robin, and Speedy watching in a mixture of confusion and annoyance. Weren't they supposed to get a look inside the Hall of Justice? Not just access to a library full of useless information and very uncomfortable couches.

"That's it?" Speedy startled everyone. "You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass."

Aquaman, king of Atlantis and valued member of the Justice League severely intimidated everyone in the room. Most likely because he was not only a superhero but king of one of the largest continents in the world.

So when he spoke it was like a law was being laid down. "It's a first step. You've been granted access few others get."

What a load of crap. Juniper had never really been fond of the superhero life and the superheroes that come with it, but at least Raven was always straight with her and didn't really give a damn if Juniper were to break into the White House or start world domination.

Juniper had a problem with authority.

"Oh really." Speedy pointed to the peanut gallery of onlookers in response to Aquaman. "Who cares which side of the glass we're on?"

Clearly sensing the tension emanating from his protégé's being, Green Arrow stepped forwards. "Roy, you just need to be patient."

Juniper loudly scoffed in the background.

"What I need is respect." And that was the truth and nothing but.

It was like telling a child they could have a cookie but then only show them where the jar is so they know what it looks like for when they're older and feel like eating a cookie.

"They're treating us like kids—worse, like sidekicks," truth be told, Juniper never had a problem with being called a sidekick. She thinks it's just Roy's sensitive masculinity taking the blows.

Thank god she's a woman. Juniper felt the sudden urge to wipe her forehead in relief. But she held it back.

"We deserve better than this."

Juniper looked around to see if she was the only one not entirely bothered by this. Making eye contact with the other sidekicks, Juniper had her answer. Looks like poor boy, Roy, is on his own.

"You're playing their game? Why!" Roy continued.

Juniper knew just the rage counselor to recommend Roy to. Very effective for Raven.

"Today was supposed to be the day, step one in becoming full-fledged members of the Justice League." She really hoped he'd stop talking soon.

"Well, sure, but I thought step one was a tour of the HQ?" Like he was sending her thoughts, Wally came to the rescue to save her ear drums from another 'off to war!' speech from Speedy himself.

"Except the hall isn't The League's HQ! I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists, and a pit stop for catching Zeta Beam teleporter tubes to the real thing. An orbiting satellite called The Watchtower."

Juniper peered at her mentor with furrowed brows. Raven told her practically everything. . . How come Juniper didn't know about this?

Green Arrow turned to his fellow Leaguers, getting stern looks from them while he offered his explanation.

"You are not helping your cause here, son. Stand down or—" The king of Atlantis was interrupted by the boy in the yellow cap once more.

"Or what? You'll send me to my room?" Roy Harper had a pair of balls on him, Juniper will give him that. The girl gets scared of talking to her mentor on Monday mornings before the black haired woman has had her coffee. But the king? Geez.

"And I'm not your son!" Roy continued to whine to the much bigger and much more powerful king. "I'm not even his," a pointed look was tossed into Green Arrow's direction.

Still staring down the man in the green hood, Speedy continued. "I thought I was his partner, but not anymore." The yellow cap was removed from his head and tossed onto the floor between the two.

Wide eyes from everyone in the room were pointed at the display from Roy. They've all had their fair share of hardships and breakdowns—but this was another level. Just because Roy wasn't getting to skip the lines and go on the big boy rides.

Roy began to stomp out of the room that the temper tantrum toddler he is, throwing a look over his shoulder at the remaining protégés. "I guess they were right about you four. You're not ready."

The slam of the door was soon followed by an emergency signal on the projector, Superman showing up not even a second later on the big screen.

"Superman to Justice League." The man in blue called out. "There's been an explosion at project Cadmus. It's on fire." If that wasn't the most nonchalant sentence Juniper's ever heard spoken, then she didn't know what was, and she lives with Raven—the queen of discretion.

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus. This may present the perfect opportunity to in—" an alarm stopped Batman in his tracks.

"Zarara to Justice League. The sorcerer, Wotan, is using the amulet of Attan to blot out the sun. Requesting full league response."

Juniper weighed the options in her mind. Small office fire or the destruction of half the solar system? Small office fire. . . Or the destruction of half the solar system. . ? That's a tricky one.

"Superman?" The bat questioned, looking up at Superman.

"It's a small fire." Oh really. "Local authorities have it under control."

"Then Cadmus can wait." Batman concluded.

Batman pressed a button on the large colourful keyboard before him, demanding all available Leaguers to rendezvous at Zatara'z coordinates.

The rest of the elder heroes had started to collect their gear and head out when Batman turned towards the youngest of them. "Stay put." He used the same authoritative tone he had used when ordering his fellow Justice Leaguers.

Robin looked shocked. "What? Why?"

Raven, Flash, and Aquaman appeared next to Batman. "This is a League mission." Juniper grit her teeth together at Aquaman's excuse. Raven and herself had defeated people much worse than Wotan and his amulet all on their own.

"You're not trained." Her uncle Barry reasoned. It was pretty lame if you were to ask her—it was Barry's idea to separate her and Wally for the better part of four years so they could train. It's all she's ever done since.

"Since when!" Wally's voice rose an octave at the obscurity of their excuses.

Barry sighed. "I meant you're not trained to work as part of this team." Juniper wanted to bet money that neither of them trained to join the Justice League before they actually did.

"That's obscene." She mumbled.

"There will be other missions when you're ready." Yeah? And when would that be your highness?

The rough gravelling voice of Batman demanded their attention next. "But for now, stay. Put."

"Come on, Raven—" Juniper desperately attempted to plead with her mentor.

Raven gave her a winced once over. "Sorry, Myssie."

Once the Justice League had exited the doors labelled 'Justice League members only', Wally let out a loud scoff. "When we're ready?"

"When are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like—like sidekicks."

"Great, not you too." It was with great difficulty that Juniper held in the urge to question him what was so wrong with being called a sidekick. How was it any worse than being called kidflash?

Aqualad hesitated slightly before—in his own way—agreeing with Wally. "My mentor, my king. . . I thought he trusted me."

"Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics—they've got a secret HQ in space!" All of them had been by their respective mentors side for four or more years. . . How could they not trust them? Maybe Wally did have a point.

"What else aren't they telling us." Kaldur mumbled from his side of their huddled circle they've formed.

"What more do we have to do to prove ourselves? We do their clean up, we talk to the press for them—are at their beck and call twenty-four-seven. . . If this isn't loyalty, then what is?" Juniper wondered aloud, ripping her mask from her face and taking a dejected seat in one of the copper coloured sofas.

"I have a better question. Why didn't we leave with Speedy?" Juniper didn't even know Roy Harper all that much, but now? She's feeling a silent sense of regret for not hearing his words and mocking him for it.

"What is project Cadmus?" The eldest of the children, Kaldur'Ahm called out in a demanding tone.

Robin smirked at them. "Don't know. But I can find out. . ."

"I like the way you think, Boy Wonder." Juniper and Robin made eye contact, the lop-sided smile on his face oddly reminding her odd something she just couldn't place.

Tapping away at the rainbow keyboard, the computer chimed in warning. "Access denied."

Robin let out a short scoff. "Heh, wanna bet?"

The screen then started to clear and green codes littered the area.

"Woah. . . How are you doing that?" Was Wally's opened mouth reply to his second closest friend's superhuman hacking skills.

A smirk curled at the dark haired boy's lips. "Same system as The Batcave."

With Robin's body hunched over the keyboard and the boy in his natural element, Juniper despised herself for her earlier behaviour towards him. Looking at Robin now, she was reminded that he was only human. He had more incentive to keep his identity a secret.

Robin pressed a singular button and the once 'access denied' sign quickly morphed into a green and flashing 'access granted.'

The cyber-genius was quick to explain to the group of them about the Cadmus genetic lab there in DC. There was nothing special about it, but if Batman had his suspicions, then they thought it'd be better to be safe than sorry.

"Solve their case before they do. It would be poetic justice." Aqualad explained. Sure, this could be a smart way to win over the Justice League—but it could also be a way to get kicked off the sidekick train.

"Hey, they're all about Justice," Robin quirked.

"But they said stay put." Juniper could briefly recall the gazillion times Batman mentioned it.

If Juniper had to guess, she would have taken one look at Robin and had bet that he was Batman's little lap dog. . . But she couldn't be more wrong. Here we was telling them that they were told to stay put for the sun blotting mission. But the loop hole never said to stay put for the Cadmus investigation. . .

Wally then stepped in front of his two best friends. "Wait. Are—are you guys going to Cadmus? Because if you two are going, I'm going." Oh Wally, loyal to the last second.

The three teenagers turned to look at the Atlantian boy who had many inches on their heights. "Just like that, we're a team on a mission?" Kaldur raised his brows.

Robin's face turned stern. "We didn't come for a play date." Alright, Juniper is totally involving herself in the alpha male energy. She feels like she could slap someone's books out of their hands and spit gum in their hair.

The irises of Juniper's blue eyes were engulfed by a red hue. "Oh I'm so ready for this."

⌖

chip speaks !!

Exam season is ass and it's kicking mine too.

But here's a chapter because this is the least writers block I've ever had so enjoy until I post the next one.

P.S. Sicko Mode by Travis Scott is 100% the song Wally listens to when he's beating up bad guys.

(NOT EDITED)