EIGHT YEARS AGO,

THEY FIRST MET under a peach blossom tree, amidst a sea of pink petals. It was a fantastical sight, straight out of a story book, more myth than reality. He was dressed in black, in the clothes she saw those who travelled out of the mountains regularly wear, a prudent choice to fit in anywhere else, but not her forest. No, it only made him stand out more. In her young mind, he didn't seem real. He didn't seem like he was from her world, her dimension.

In a way, he wasn't.

"Who are you?"

She tried to make herself sound as scary as possible, which was difficult because she was a small eleven year old. But she was angry, even though she was also curious and deathly bored. She didn't like it when people came into her peach blossom tree uninvited. The sect members always made a mess every time they ventured into her territory, and these days, Yu Lan was used to being by herself. When she needed supplies, she'd go to them, not the other way around.

He turned to her, eyes narrowed, returning her question. "Who are you?"

"I'm Yu Lan, heir to the Eyu Sect, owner of this forest you are trespassing upon!" Her blade formed in her hand, glowing pink, a construct of her magic, her fa li. "Leave before I make you!"

He looked a bit surprised, perhaps at the fact that she actually answered his question. Or perhaps he was impressed at her credentials? But she would not let her ego be appeased by that. She studied him, the way Mistress Shan Ling had taught her. The only weapon he seemed to have was the stick strapped to his belt. That would likely turn into some form of a staff. Or perhaps he was like her? Perhaps he had his own powers, and would make a weapon.

He had fast reflexes. He'd already dodged the bolts she'd thrown at him earlier.

"You don't need to know who I am." He stopped for a moment. "Eyu Sect? Why are you on the Yuannan Mountain, then?"

"You don't need to know that!"

He wasn't going to answer her question. Fine. Then she would do this the hard way. Baring her teeth, Yu Lan launched herself into the air, using her own magic to propel herself towards where he stood, hoping to crush him immediately. He rolled out of the way as she landed on her feet, kicking out a circle around herself, the petals sent flying.

He took the stick off his belt and clicked a button. Immediately, it turned into a full-size staff. Ha! She'd guessed right.

She formed a blade in her other hand as well. She liked wielding them together. She wasn't dressed all correctly for a fight—she was in her usual wear, rather than the clothes she wore for martial arts. Her sleeves were a bit too long, and her dress a bit too clunky. But she would be fine.

She'd fought all the children in the sect before, and she'd beat all of them. Only the adults could beat her. This boy... he could only be a tiny bit older than her.

She was not scared of him.

No other words needed to be said. She ran in his direction, lashing out with one arm, her blade an extension of her limbs, headed straight towards his chest. She didn't want to kill him—she wanted answers first, but a bit of maiming might be necessary. He twirled out of the way again, as she spun past him.

She forced herself to a halt a few metres away. Her eyes narrowed, and then she threw himself towards him again.

She'd never fought anyone like him before either. He was not graceful in the way she was. He did not treat the fight like a dance like she was taught to. He knew some martial arts, but there were other things mixed into it that she did not know how to identify. He did not seem to have magic—he did not even seem to control qi, the way most of the sect members could, but he was matching her blow for blow. Wherever her blades were, his staff met them. Blocked them, again and again.

Her first mistake was overextending her right arm. That let him grab onto her arm with one hand, slamming his staff into her waist. She let out a yelp. Her second mistake was not quickly getting herself out of his hold. Instead, she tried to play into it, but he overpowered her. Her magic, unfortunately, did not give her super strength.

Instead, he was able to push her around in a circle, finally releasing her and flinging her into a nearby tree.

Her blades vanished for a moment as her concentration broke. She pushed herself off the tree, growling. He was watching her from a distance, with this look of utter calmness. She did not like it.

Instead of blades, she formed more bolts in her hand. And then she flung them all at him.

He was so fast. Hopping, spinning, flipping and cartwheeling, dodging bolt after bolt that she threw at him. He was small too—not tiny by any means, but just around her height. So incredibly nimble.

But finally, one of her bolts found him right in the chest, and he was sent flying back. Yu Lan grinned. Much better. That was more like it.

By the time he'd gotten back on her feet, she was already flying towards him. Well, not exactly flying, she couldn't actually stay in the air for too long, but it was close enough. It was like... gliding. She glided through the air, but eventually she'd have to hit the ground. And her control over where she landed was... limited. She couldn't easily change directions mid-air, unless she had something to propel herself off of.

He held up his bo staff just in time for her newly-summoned sword to slam against it.

"You're not stronger than me!" he gritted out.

"I don't have to be stronger than you!"

She kicked at his knees, causing him to buckle before slamming a blast towards him. He was sent a few feet back, but this time he stabbed his staff into the ground to prevent himself from going further. His eyes narrowed, and then he was the one on the offence, and she was trying to match his blows, blocking the movement of his staff with her magically constructed sword.

But he was right, though. He was stronger than her, and soon enough she had to let herself glide backwards to dodge his never-ending assault, heaving as she stopped. She turned her sword back into her twin blades. She knew she should have practised more with the sword.

He was a bit out of breath too, but he hid it well. And he decided to be annoying as well. "Psionic constructs? Energy blasts as well. Limited flight, enhanced gliding. Some air manipulation?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about your powers."

"It's my magic."

"I'm looking for a slightly more detailed explanation than that!'

And then he was running towards her again. She sidestepped, but he whipped around just in time, slamming his staff into her arm. She winced. That really hurt. But then she raised one of her blades just in time to block the next blow, pushing the staff out of the way as she leaned backwards, pushing her other blade at his exposed stomach. He reacted just in time, knocking her blade out of the way. She ended up stabbing air instead.

This was kind of fun, actually. She couldn't remember the last time she had a properly close fight with someone her age. Fighting adults was no fun. They were too big. They completely overpowered her. It was annoying.

This wasn't. Even though he'd hurt her a few times. But she'd hurt him too, so it was fair. And everyone got hurt when sparring.

His staff came sweeping in a large arc. She leapt up to dodge, gliding backwards to land a small distance away, blasting bolts of magic at him as she did so. He deflected one bolt with his staff, but the other caught him on the shoulder. His eyes narrowed. But before she could be proud of herself, he threw some... bird-shaped boomerang at him. One sliced right through the ribbon she had to hold up her hair.

Her hair came cascading down from its bun. Her mouth dropped in outrage. "That is so incredibly rude—"

Even ruder was the fact that he didn't let her finish her sentence, slamming down with his staff at where she stood. She narrowly dodged, but the other end of his staff met her there as well, slamming against her shoulders. This time, she didn't flinch, using an opening to slam her fists right into his chest—she'd already gotten rid of her blade.

She could have killed him if she'd wanted to. But then again, he could have killed her too if he hadn't been using a staff.

But she had a good feeling that neither of them were trying to kill each other.

He was sent flying back. She stumbled forward, trying to catch her breath.

All was silent for a moment. All the action came to a stop. From motion came stillness.

She spoke first. "Okay. I'm tired now, can we stop?"

He stared at her like she was an idiot.

She waved. "Hi. I'm Yu Lan, but I already told you that. What's your name?"

—

NOW,

ODILE YU SAT on the plane and decided to be stoic and pensive.

Remiel had gotten them both first class tickets, so now she sipped on wine as she stared out of the window, watching the clouds float by. She was no stranger to flying. This wasn't her first trip to America either—she'd gone plenty of times before. But this time it was more... permanent. As permanent as anything in her life could be anyways.

Truthfully, she wasn't all that sad about leaving Hong Kong. Remiel thought that she hated Gotham City, likely because she'd weaselled her way out of the annual trip the last two years, but that wasn't quite true. There was a unique charm about the dark, gritty city. Odile spent years of her life in what practically was paradise, but it was lonely. Miles of beautiful peach blossoms hadn't disguised the fact that she was always alone. Her grandmother died, and the members of the Yuannan Mountain Sect wanted nothing to do with her. Even after she'd been brought to Hong Kong, she'd spent a whole year of her life just trying to adjust. To realise that there was in fact a world outside of her little realm, and that she had to get used to it.

Sometimes, the loneliness got the better of her.

So she ran away. Multiple times.

The first time was when she was fourteen. Remiel had put her into an international school in the city and she'd hated it. So she'd gotten herself a ticket to Guilin, and less than a day later she found herself staring at the face of a bewildered Seraphina al Ghul. And thus, her short stay with the League of Assassins before Remiel finally whisked her away again.

There were a few more times after that. But nothing too long. A few days, and she'd return to Remiel's apartment, weary and exhausted. She always gave in in the end.

But it had finally struck something in Remiel. Odile Yu did not want normal. There was no point sticking her into fancy schools and expecting her to do well. She had been raised wild. There was no taming her.

Odile was allowed a lot more freedom after that.

But home was always with Remiel Shan. Again and again, no matter where she went, she'd go back to that same apartment and that same city. But now Remiel was moving, so Odile was moving too.

Gotham City. There were yearly visits there throughout the past eight years of her life. Living in the big Wayne Manor with all types of vigilantes coming in and out. She watched their ranks grow in number as people came and went. There were the Robins, of course, and then came Stephanie Brown. And then came Cassandra Cain. And at one point there was Bette Kane too, and Duke Thomas and Luke Fox, but they all sort of went off to do their own things and she rarely saw them again.

This time it wasn't the big Wayne Manor Remiel was moving back into. In fact, Remiel technically wasn't even going to settle in Gotham City. It was the neighbouring Bludhaven, because that was where Dick Grayson spent his time, and if there was one other constant in Odile's life all these years it was that Remiel and Dick loved each other, and they'd always find their way back to each other. It was a fairytale romance. She used to wake up in the middle of the night and hear Remiel whispering on the phone to Dick, and she'd seen Remiel staring longingly out into the darkened Hong Kong skyscrape, and Odile would think to herself, this is what I want. To love someone that much, and for someone to love me that much.

Despite all her admiration, however, Odile had no interest in moving in with Dick and Remiel. It would be awkward and embarrassing for all of them. She had, instead, decided to acquire a nice place for herself. She was nineteen. That was an age where one was allowed to live alone. Odile was, shockingly, rich. While the Eyu Sect had been utterly destroyed physically, all of its riches had gone to her. Not to mention that Remiel was financed by both the Yuannan Mountain Sect and Bruce Wayne. The latter had promised her living quarters as a gift.

Odile had asked for a nice, small, one-bedroom apartment. She had been informed, about ten minutes before boarding the flight, that she'd been given a penthouse in one of the nicest areas in town instead.

Really, they were spoiling her. But she wasn't about to complain.

And besides, a penthouse would offer her much more privacy.

Odile was born into a world of martial arts, but then she'd been introduced to vigilantism. Heroism. Being good, helping the people, saving those in need. Odile Yu was a romantic in all senses of it, and this was included too. She loved being a hero. She loved helping. And that was what she would continue doing in Gotham City.

Besides, Gotham might just need someone like her. She'd heard Remiel and Dick talking. Bruce Wayne was getting older. He was fifty now, and sometime within the next decade or so he had to retire.

They said Damian would be his replacement. Damian would be inheriting the mantle of Batman. At least, that was what they all assumed was going to happen. Odile wasn't even sure if Damian himself knew that yet.

But it made sense.

Dick was already Nightwing. Jason was Red Hood. Tim didn't seem particularly interested. Of the Robins, Damian seemed like the best option. He was also Bruce's son in blood. And he had Bruce's dedication, all his strengths. She'd watched him care more about people the longer she knew him. She saw the way he made friends, made connections.

But at the same time, she hadn't seen him in three years. He might have changed into a completely different person.

Probably not. People didn't change that quickly.

He was twenty-one now. Not the thirteen year old she'd first laid eyes on.

Odile rubbed her temple.

She could be normal around him. They could be friends. He didn't have to know anything that she was thinking. She'd been able to act normal around him for eight years, she could do it for the rest of her life. Or maybe she'd fall out of love, the way normal people did.

Or maybe she wouldn't.

Swans mate for life, after all. Albeit, she wasn't sure if her situation could even be considered mating. It was more just an... infatuation. A one-sided, secret infatuation that he could and would never know.

Better keep it that way.

Easier for everyone involved. It would also make family gatherings really awkward.

She didn't want to be responsible for ruining anything.

Of course she craved for her own Prince Charming, her own happily ever after, her own fairytale ending. But as much as she'd dream for it, Odile knew that was all it was: a fantasy. It wasn't reality. People didn't always get what Dick and Remiel had.

Look at Bruce, for example. There was Damian's mother, but Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul would never have ended up together in the end. Odile had met Talia once, and recognised immediately that the two of them were never meant to be.

And then there was Selina Kyle. Catwoman. And her disaster of a marriage with Bruce that had ended in a speedy divorce some years prior. As far as she'd heard, the two of them were still in... contact.

Those two had more than thirty years of history. They knew each other so well. And yet, they still hadn't gotten their happily ever after. Odile would be delusional if she thought she'd get one so easily.

Odile let out a quiet sigh.

Maybe someday she'll find someone else. Or perhaps she'd spend the rest of her life pining. There was something artistically tragic about that too. Tragedies were also good stories. Shakespeare's best works were his tragedies. Perhaps that was what her life was gearing towards. Certainly, her past already fit the trajectory.

Someday someone might write a book about her. The Biography of Odile Yu Lan. And perhaps people would see her one-sided infatuation and shake their heads in pity. Oh, poor girl. Oh, if only she knew how to move on.

Oh, if only she hadn't met so unforgettable so early on in life.

She wondered if Remiel knew. She probably suspected. But Remiel wouldn't have a clue how long Odile had been in love with Damian. Maybe she thought that Odile was already over it.

How was Odile going to act around Damian? It seemed strange to be cold. But then again, he might not want to talk to her in the first place, considering what had occurred in their last meeting. Though at the same time, he'd kept his mouth shut for the past three years. He hadn't seemed to tell anyone about what had occurred in Shanghai three years ago, when they'd last met.

She was a bit surprised by that.

But then again... she hadn't told anyone about what happened then either.

But that was three years ago. She was sixteen and he was eighteen. They were both adults now. And they'd both seemed to reach some silent understanding that it was better to let some things lay in rest. There was no need to dig up those cans of worms and unleash it upon the world.

Some things were better off unsaid.

The price to pay was their friendship. Because how on earth were they meant to act normally around each other when they had... that between them?

And it wasn't as if Odile didn't have anyone else to be around. There was Cassandra, who was going to take their place in protecting Hong Kong in a few month's time. There was Cecily and Barbara and Stephanie as well. And Tim liked her. Dick did too. Jason seemed more amused by her than anything.

Perhaps they could act normally around each other, actually. Jason and Bruce had gone through... all that, and they were working together well now. And Stephanie was Tim's ex. They both got along quite well these days.

Yeah, she could do this.

Odile let out a quiet sigh.

HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO