EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT IS THOUGHT TO INCREASE THE BRAIN'S RELEASE OF SEROTONIN. Maybe that's why Cordelia Rigby decided to head all the way out to San Diego. She was chasing the thing that she was deprived of for spending so much time in Gotham, or maybe that was just what she told herself so she could get to sleep at night.

For three years now Rise had been missing, and for three years the woman behind the mask was living a lie. For three years she was Colby Remington. (Something about keeping the initials the same and thus keeping part of her real identity.)

Despite the dishonesty in it, she lived a good life. It was simple, peaceful. She wasn't fighting for her life anymore. She had friends, she had her own apartment that overlooked the beach, she had a job, for anyone else it would seem like this was exactly where she belonged.

But for three years she'd look in the mirror and see a stranger. "Colby Remington", who was she? She'd lied about her past to so many people over the years, 'what made you come to San Diego?' 'why California?' How was she supposed to answer? Most normal people would likely laugh if she told the truth, so she found herself giving everyone a different answer.

It had taken some getting used to, but eventually she grew to call San Diego, California her home. She could be someone else. She could have a normal life.

Yeah, right.

No matter how much she lied to herself that this was better for her, she could never escape the guilt that came when she saw an article about Black Canary or Green Arrow or she saw someone wearing their memorabilia. They'd done so much for her, and yet she just left without the slightest warning. She never had the decency to leave a note.

There was one person who knew she was leaving. Roy Harper. He'd caught her as she was leaving, and she begged him not to tell anyone. He just couldn't say no to the girl who was like his little sister, especially when he'd seen her fall apart so many times.

So she started going out at night. Every night at the same time she dawned one of her domino masks that she'd kept for old times sake and gone on patrols like she did in Star City. The only difference was she was more inclined to stay out of sight. No one needed to know that Rise was back in action since, technically, she wasn't. She was just restless.

It wasn't very soon after she began patrolling that she met a group of teens, not much younger than she'd been when she left. She recognized the girl immediately, since she'd been a student in the self-defense class Cori taught- her name was Evelyn Grant. She and her brothers been doing the hero thing since before Cori arrived in San Diego, so there was no way she'd be able to talk them out of it. She opted instead to survey them- make sure they didn't get themselves killed.

Her life continued on as it had for three years until she stumbled upon a kid wearing all black and a domino mask- one that looked strikingly similar to the one missing from a go-bag she'd stashed for emergency purposes- with a knife sticking out of their abdomen. A million emotions washed over her at once, but she remained stone-faced.

She got them to the hospital after doing her best to clean the would around the weapon, having no choice but to remove her domino mask to see better- the low light did no favors for that. Even without looking up she could feel the shocked look in their eyes. She would've sworn she heard them go 'woah' under their breath.

It was a simple mistake. A simple mistake that lead to headlines from coast to coast reading 'MISSING STAR CITY HERO, RISE, SPOTTED IN SAN DIEGO, CA' and blurry picture from the security camera footage. You couldn't see her face, but it was undeniable.

Rise was back.

SPENCER SPEAKS !! | the prologue is done! I rewrote the end of it like seven times, but I really like it! I hope you guys are as excited for this as I am, and for the applicants, try not to forget to get your opinions in! ^^