A/N: I dunno why I do this to myself, I optimistically ventured back into the world of Arrowverse television shows. Only to be reminded, somewhat painfully sometimes, why I stopped watching them in the first place. Then I have the strongest need to separate myself from all things related to it. As a kind of mental cleansing. So that's why I haven't updated… coz Arrow sucks. (In my opinion)
Canary Cry. Canary Fly
Chapter 12.
She slowed her full-on running pelt a few blocks away from the fight scene, when she finally admitted to herself that she'd lost her target. Her stamina was better than most. Something that had been altered with the appearance of her sonic cry. Coupled with her training, her endurance was almost superhuman its own. But this man had her outstripped in a way that both shocked and frustrated her.
Sighing she reached up swiping at her lip, before grimacing down at the smear of blood on her glove. She'd bitten her lip when she had been sent flying across the room. The small cut on her hairline stung from where she'd connected with the corner of the cabinet.
She might not have gotten the outcome she would have liked, but it was lucky she had been there. The bruising she could feel was a far cry from what could have happened to those police officers. To her father.
The very thought of something happening to him, made her heart stop. But she had been there, she told herself. She had put herself between him and that super strong threat and would do it again in a heartbeat. It didn't hurt that she could take the damage. Another thing that had changed after the appearance of her powers. She was no by means invulnerable, but she could take a hit and kept on fighting.
Apparently so could this guy.
She'd only hit him with a low-level cry. She'd had no intention of killing him. She simply wanted to put him down and out. But he'd stood there and just taken it.
Black Canary ran a hand through her hair and swore slightly. Frustration and disbelief doubled and she swore louder.
"Sooo…." Oracles voice drawled in her ear. "What just happen?"
"I have no idea," Laurel muttered, before shaking her head to clear the negative emotions.
"Can I just say," Oracle commented wirily "Star City is getting as weird as Gotham."
"God, I hope not," Laurel burst out, truly despairing at the mere thought. "There can be only one Gotham. I don't think people could cope if there was anywhere else like it. Anyway…We need to find that guy. He was seriously strong and dangerous."
#SC#
New York
Two Years Ago
The small torch lit up her tightly closed lips over clenched teeth. Ever as she leant away from the figure looming over her.
"Open," Ted ordered again as she stubbornly shook her head, her long brown hair flying. "Seriously! Dinah OPEN!"
She inhaled sharply in exasperation as she opened her mouth to tell him again her name was 'Laurel'. He pounced on her then, grabbing hold of her jaw. She flinched sharply in fright but instantly relaxed when there was no sign of the piercing cry coming from her mouth.
"Okay," Ted said after a moment of shinning the torch around, "Nothing out of the ordinary and no sign of the scream."
"Are you crazy," Laurel demanded as Ted released her, frowning at her mentor even as he smirked back at her.
"Jury's out," He replied simply as he switched his little torch off.
"So…" Laurel's tone was leading. Obviously looking for something, some kind of explanation.
Ted sighed reaching up to run a hand through his salt and pepper hair. "I've heard about things like this happening," Ted admitted sounding apologetic that he couldn't offer more. "People getting…abilities. Something brings them on."
"That's what Zatanna said." Laurel said with a huff, she'd been hoping for something else. "What causes it? Could be developmental? Hereditary maybe? Though Mom didn't say anything…. Maybe environmental?"
"Maybe all of the above," Ted added stopping her before she could list basically everything. Right now, she was grasping at straws. "Look I have a doctor that I trust. We can have some tests run…."
"I'm not looking to be a guinea pig Ted," Laurel said frowning darkly at just the thought, before she slumped seemly resigned. "But I would like to know more about this, other than I scream and things shatter."
"Sounds like your singing voice," Ted quipped, laughing as Laurel slapped at his arm.
#SC#
Laurel had been all but ready to rush off to the doctor just then. But Ted managed to talk her down, stating that things had to be set up first. The whole thing had Laurel twisted up like nothing else, as she cut a moat with her pacing around Ted boxing ring.
"Dinah, your making me dizzy just looking at you," Ted barked leaning against the ropes, he nodded behind himself into the ring, "Come on, this will distract you well enough… And maybe tire you out so you stop pacing."
She sent him a heatless glare, more annoyed at the situation then at him. But she followed his instruction, climbing into the ring with him.
It worked for a while. They punched and kicked. Fighting each other until they were both well and truly distracted.
Until a stray thought slipped into Laurel mind and she blinked. Ted's right cross slipped through Laurel defence to nail her across the face.
It shook her free of what ever thought had taken her.
"Alright you have my attention." She said as she licked to corner of her lip and pressed a hand to her check.
"I told you I was going to keep your mind off things," Ted stated seriously, "You go off into your head again…." He waved his fist at her.
"Well at least you held back," She replied with a laugh, "Barely felt it."
"Dinah…." There was something in Ted expression that she didn't like, a kind of serious that she rarely saw. "I wasn't holding back. I never do while fighting you."
He reached out to grab her jaw moving her face for him to look.
"You barely even have a mark."
#SC#
"How you goin'?" Quentin asked feeling kind of uncomfortable about asking. How exactly did you ask a friend how they were, after almost dying? Let alone when it had been because of him. "You know after that…. thing?"
"Thing?" Lucas echoed throwing down a file onto his desk, Quentin's ex-partner gave a rather unhumourious laugh. "You mean getting thrown around like toys by one super strong guy? That thing?"
"…Yeah." Quentin replied awkwardly, as the uncomfortably feeling within him grow. The fact he'd almost got his friend killed settled like lead in his stomach. "Sorry about that…."
"Don't" Lucas barked out obviously louder than he intended because he paused casting a look around the precinct. Before starting again softer, in more than one way, "Don't. It wasn't your fault. Besides it's in the job description. It was solid lead."
He shook her head leaning back again his desk, "Damn vigilantes," He muttered but it lacked it usually menace. "You know we'd be pretty bad off, if it wasn't for that masked woman. I don't know about the others, but if they're anything like her…I guess they're alright by me."
"Black Canary," Quentin clarified with a nod. "Yeah she saved us. It's just…. How did she know we were there?"
Lucas huffed crossing his arms as a perplexed looked crossed his face. "Good question."
"Better question," Quentin's voice was as flat as his eyes. "How did Cyrus Gold know we were coming in after him? Don'tcha think that's interesting?"
#SC#
Barry's home made blood thinning cure may not have been what brought on his hallucinations. But being told it was psychological and all in his head was a massive shock. It seemed that his own mind had decided to punish him. He had thought that he carried enough of the pain of his failures, without seeing the faces of ones that suffered from it.
It seemed his mind disagreed.
Shado's haunting was painful, without her warnings to he wasn't going to be able to save everyone. Just like he hadn't saved her. That was bad enough on its own without Slade's spirits mocking presence that had led to Oliver tearing his own base apart in an attempt to exorcise him.
He'd been off his game for a while now it felt like. Forcing him to give his lead on the strong man Cyrus Gold, to Quentin instead of following it himself. So, when he got the phone call that the raid had gone sideways, he was sure his heart froze in his chest.
More ghosts to add to his conscious
He found Officer Lance that same place he had been when Oliver had given him the file on Gold. The SCPD building. He paused for a moment in the shadows, as he allowed himself a moment of relief that at least he hadn't gotten this man killed.
"You know these rooftop meets are getting a bit old," Quentin called in lieu of a greeting as Oliver stepped from the shadows. His hood pulled low over his face. He watched as Quentin gave a couple of bounces. His breath misting in the cold night air. "Colder too."
"I heard what happened," His modulated voice came out flat, as if simply stating a fact.
Quentin gave a little grimace and looked away. "Coulda been worse," The older man admitted, "If not for the arrival of our friend blond in a mask. Not Sara."
"Black Canary," Oliver stated, trying to decide if he was relieved that she had stepped in when he couldn't or annoyed because of the same.
"Right," Quentin confirmed moving to take step forward but faltering when Oliver turned his head away. "Hell of a thing. My men are banged up… but alive, because of her. Showed up out of nowhere…. You didn't mention anything to her?"
"I'm no exactly in contact with her Officer Lance," Oliver replied truthfully, despite that fact he wished he was. Just so he could call her up and ask her 'What the hell was she doing?' And 'Who the hell was she.'
"Funny," Quentin said glibly, "I thought all you vigilante types had team ups."
Oliver left the joke unacknowledged.
"I need you're help on something," Quentin said settling into the reason he'd called the archer. "Something is going in the precinct. I'm left with the feeling that I might not be able to trust my own guys."
"You think you might have a mole?" Oliver guess, already disliking the very idea.
"I dunno," Quentin replied shaking his head, before giving a hopeless shrug. "I hope not. Funny times, when right now you're the only person I can seem to trust."
"What do you need?"
Quentin reached into his pocket and pulled out something small. Without pausing he threw it to Oliver. Who held it up to the light.
A key.
"Gold dropped that during the …fight with Black Canary." Quentin explained.
"She fought him?" Oliver asked unable to keep the incredulous out of his voice. He had fought Gold, Diggle had fought Gold. The man seemed beyond anything normal people could throw at him. He knew the masked blond was a skilled fighter, but these mirakuru enhanced were…dangerous.
"You might want to get your computer friend to start checking out hospitals," Quentin admitted, his voice shifting as his concern bleed through.
"Why?"
"Gold threw her around," Lance explained his worry clearly showing on his face. "She'd have broken bones… at the least."
Oliver clenched his teeth to the point of pain, glaring down at the ground. He'd warned her.
"That key!" Quentin nodded to Oliver clenched fist. "I want to know where it leads."
Oliver opened his mouth to object when Quentin continued over him. "Look you brought me into this. Now I wanna finish this."
"…Fine." Oliver allowed through clenched teeth, turning to leap from the roof. "You'll hear from me soon."
#SC#
Gotham
Two Years Ago
Ted's doctor contact was a mature woman called Leslie Thompkins.
Laurel had almost declined to see her when Ted had admitted the woman was based in Gotham City. Wanting to see a doctor as soon as possible. But Ted had strongly recommended she make the trip.
"Doctor Thompkins has worked with a friend of mine in the past Dinah," He had said, "You can trust her."
She hadn't been sure what a doctor's appointment to identify the source of sudden superpowers would be like. It turned out to be pretty standard, all things considered.
"So, your tests have come back," Doctor Thompkins stated turned swiftly in her desk chair, her white bob fluttering slightly in the movement. "Your blood works are all fine. You appear to be in prefect health."
Laurel shoulders relaxed slightly as unseen tension seemed to lift from her. Leslie turned to give you're an understanding smile, before adding. "You do have a rare blood type do you know that?"
"Well…yeah, I remember finding out a few years ago." Laurel blinked a little thrown, she'd never really thought about it.
"Rh-negative," Leslie confirmed with a smile.
She's distracting me, Laurel thought, trying to keep me calm. Why? Is it bad?
"Was there was something on the test….?"
Oh God, Laurel took a deep breath and held it. Am I dying? I'm dying or I'm never going to be able to talk again….
"There has been reports of people such as yourself with these…. abilities," Leslie settled into her explanation, ignoring to way Laurel seemed to almost be visibly willing her to hurry up. "People with these enhancements or powers are rare and very few people know about them. Fewer still believe they exist."
"I exist," Laurel remarked unable to stop herself.
"Yes, you do," Thompkins laughed, "And your case and all the other cases can be linked back to one factor…a gene. Now this is wildly speculative, and no real study has been conducted, so this is so far unproven."
"Pretty sure I'm proof," Laurel huffed leaning back into her chair and crossed her legs.
"You want to walk up to a science board and declare yourself scientist proof?" Leslie questioned wiry.
"…. Not really."
"Right now, all I can recommend is figuring out your abilities," Leslie instructed as she in turn mirrored Laurel posture. "Learning to control it would be wise course of action. It seems to be vocally based. So, breathing exercises might help."
"Like what?" Laurel questioned with a shrug.
"Musical instruments could help. How about learning to play the harmonica?" Leslie asked with an amused smile. "Or something like that…. Anyway…Maybe in a few years someone will find out more information about this. But right now.… there's not enough."
#SC#
She sat on the rooftop edge with the general ease of someone who spent a lot of time up on high. She knew from her casing earlier she was out of sight from below, but she still had a mostly unrestricted view.
She had settled into her little nest earlier that night and hadn't moved since. It was truthfully a boring task, but she wasn't about to stop. On the plus side at least, she had company.
Figuratively speaking.
"You know you don't actually have to be there," Oracles voice sounded in her ear, "I could have hacked the camera's around the precinct… wouldn't be the first time."
Black Canary sighed and leant her head back against the brick wall behind her. A part of her fully agreed that she was being overprotective. But given what had almost happened the night before, adding to the uncertain pain regarding Sara. Laurel wasn't about to let her father out of her sights.
"He could have died last night," She reminded Oracle, hating the words as she said them.
"He's a police officer. It's his job to go into dangerous situations." Oracle pointed out, ever the voice of logic. "Are you going to follow him everywhere?"
"Of course not," Laurel was quick to deny. But she didn't want to admit she hadn't really put that much thought into what she was going to do after tonight.
"When my father goes out, I worry about him." Barbara said softly. "But I trust him, and I respect him to do his job."
"Commissioner Gordon isn't exactly as reckless as Officer Lance," Laurel muttered softly.
"No," Barbara laughed having heard her, "Sometimes he's worse."
#SC#
"Diggle, do you think I'm losing my mind?" Oliver asked after a moment, as he and his friend watched Barry and Felicity work on the base computers.
"No more than the rest of us." Diggle quipped back in an attempt to lighten the conversation. It also was a mostly accurate statement.
"I saw Slade Wilson." Oliver admitted. In my head, he thought, it's all in my head. "Slade was my friend on the island, and like Shado, he is dead because of me. How many more Dig? How many more are dead because of me?"
"When I got home from Afghanistan, I saw a ghost, too." Dig said after a moments silence, his voice soft in remembrance. "Survivor's guilt. Why us, not them."
"I know why." Oliver scoffed darkly looking away
"Then the "why's" not your problem." Dig replied ignoring his friends' tone. "You have to figure out what your ghosts are trying to tell you."
"Guys, we got something here." Felicity called from her computer, as she spun around in her chair to face them. "I scanned the key Lance gave you and traced its serial code back to the manufacturer. This particular key fits a locked gate somewhere on Crescent Circle in the Glades."
"Alright," Oliver pulling over to collect his weapons. "Call Officer Lance. I told him I'd keep him in the loop."
"You sure about that?" Dig asked frowning in concern.
"Wow! Wow! wait?" Felicity called stumbling out of her chair. "Where are you going? You can't go out there in your condition."
"Felicity I don't have a choice." Oliver replied simply.
"Yes, you do," Felicity reply back just as simply. "Get Officer Lance and his team to go after him."
"That didn't work so well for them last time," Diggle pointed out. Before turning to frown at Oliver, "Are you sure you're up for this man?"
"I. Don't. Have. A. Choice." Oliver announced slowly. Before reaching up to rub a finger across his brow. "It's times like these I wish I had Black Canary's number."
"What do you mean?" Dig questioned
"Black Canary fought him." Oliver informed the others.
"What is this a competition now?!" Felicity demanded.
"What? No! It's not…" He hadn't meant it that way. "I could…. Just probably…maybe could have used the help." He shifted slightly ignoring his friends surprised looks. He might have been a loner while fighting, but he wasn't an idiot.
"Doesn't matter anyway… according to Lance. She got pretty beaten up in the fight." Oliver said shaking his head.
"She alright?" Dig asked in concern.
"I don't know." The words hurt more to admit than he thought they would. "I warned her this life was dangerous. He could have killed her. I don't need another ghost haunting me."
"Pretty sure this one wouldn't be on you," Dig called after him, as Oliver moved off the gather his gear.
#SC#
She slammed on her brakes with more force then her motorcycle tires would have liked and all but threw herself from her bike. Her father had come rushing out of the police station and into his car not long ago. Hightailing it across town with obvious plan or backup.
"How's that for reckless?" Black Canary called to Oracle a threw back to their early conversation, as she ran after Quentin's steps.
The sound of gun fire split the night and she looked for her father with her heart in throat. She found him in an alleyway between two old office buildings. He was hunched down behind an alcove returning fire with his service gun. She used an old rusted out car and a near by stairwell to boost herself up enough to get a drop on them.
Literally.
None of them had noticed her arrival, to them it was as if she had suddenly appearing amongst them. She took out one man on her way down, before twisting his body to collide with another man. Before kicking them both into a wall.
The next man turned on her with this rifle, but she was in front of him before he even had it aimed. Grabbing hold of the weapon and holding it down and away before she kicked him in the knee, no doubt shattering the kneecap. He went do with a cry of pain that was quickly silenced with a punch across his face.
She reached out grabbing hold of a metal baton sticking out of his belt and spun sharply using the weapon to hit the man coming up behind her. He stumbled slightly as she continued her spin turning it into a round house kick that sent him flying.
Then it was quiet.
"It's you," Quentin gasped as he came out of his cover. She looked him up and down scanning for injures, only to realise he was doing the same to her.
"Are you alright?" He asked with a such concern she wondered briefly if he knew it was her behind the mask. "I thought… after last night."
"I'm fine," She answered truthfully. "Are you?"
"Yeah," he answered with a short sharp laugh, "Second time you've saved my life in as many days. Let's not make a habit out of it huh?"
"Agreed," She bit back narrowing her eyes at him. Quentin didn't notice as that moment more gunfire sounded into the night.
"He's in there," Quentin called point to the building the unconscious guards had been stationed around.
"Who?" She asked regarding the building, but she knew if she had to guess.
"The Hood with that guy Gold." Both possible answers then in seemed, but Quentin wasn't finished as he went on listing. "Plus a bunch of guys with guns. Look…there's something up with him. Something not right."
"What do you mean?"
"I dunno," He said as he followed her path looking for the best entrance. "I also dunno what you think of him. But he's a good guy. He's a hero and right he needs your help."
#SC#
There were more guards then he had been expecting. He had to take out patrol on the floor above before he could set up the small explosive, he'd brought with him to help his breach. Either something had happened or Gold's encounter with Black Canary last night had made him cautious.
He wondered briefly about what would happen them Lance arrived, but he was determined for this to be over well before then.
The explosive worked just as he hoped, creating a hole large enough for him to drop down through.
He hadn't been expecting to see Roy strapped to a chair. And the man in the skull mask gave him pause. The unknown masked man straightened, tilting his ugly fully masked head. In his hand he held an empty syringe.
"Brother Gold told me he killed you," The skull masked man stated surprisingly calm despite the arrow aimed at him.
"Guess he wasn't as strong as you hoped," Oliver growled between clenched teeth. "Were did you get the mirakuru?"
"It was a gift," The stranger replied, the reverence in his distorted voice made even creepier by the way he cradled the empty syringe. "A gift I will use to save this city."
Roy suddenly yelled out in pain just as Gold came running from the next room. He deflected the arrow not even pausing as slammed into Oliver. Sending him flying across the room. He almost merged with the wall.
The room rumbled and the roof cracked. It seemed to shudder before it gave, concrete breaking away and raining down. A large chunk of building landed on top of Gold before more pieces fell to bury him in. Thankfully nothing landed on Roy, but the skull masked man turned and ran. Oliver wasn't as lucky having to roll out of the way of falling debris. He came to a rest behind a pile of rubble, still dazed and stunned by the hit from before.
He could make out the sounds of shouting and gunfire knew that he was about to have company. Also, who knew how long Gold would stay buried.
"Nice job kid," Slade's mocking laugh.
"I told you," Shado's voice added to the torment. "I warned you."
"You are not a hero." The voices echoed.
The window next to him shattered as something black crashed through. Oliver barely even registered it, even as the figure dropped down beside him.
"Hey!" A female voice called. Even as the pile of rubble he rested on shuddered. "Get up! Arrow! Get up!"
"I'm sorry." He was muttering to himself, is eyes glazing as they stared at something only he could see. "You're right I'm not a hero."
"Damn it, what the hell?" The new voice muttered, and he could vaguely make out blond hair and black mask.
Black Canary.
"Wh…. what?" He managed, was she a ghost to? He continued to mumble, even as his dazed mind started to clear. "You were right about me.
"You have to get up." She instructed, as larger stabs of rubble started shifting. She seemed sigh a drop down to look at him properly. He had enough mind left to shift his face into his hood. "You told me you weren't a killer, and people in this city believe that. They think you're a hero."
"You don't need to prove it to me. But you must believe it about yourself. What ever happened in the past, what every horror that you obviously endured. It made you a survivor, I don't know much about you. Or even what's going on with you now. But even I can tell that much. And for whatever regrets you have well…you can't fix anything if you just lay down and die now!"
Debris exploded upward as Gold rose from his tomb.
More guards appeared at the door with guns and Black Canary rose quickly rushing to meet them. He watched her tear her way threw them for a moment before rolling out of the way of Gold attacks. He flipped to his feet and went after Gold with a force he hadn't before. Slamming into him with unrelenting combo of attacks. Never once letting up.
With one finial kick he spent Gold flying back, barely pausing he had his bow up and aim. The arrow hit the mirikuru storage unit, causing it to explode. The blast knocked a yelling Gold backwards, before he was once again buried under large and heavier rubble.
He turned sharply to the rest of the room, spotting Black Canary leaning over Roy performing CPR. She barely acknowledged him as he dropped down across from her.
"Come on," He muttered, to the younger man, his friend. "I'm not going to lose anyone else. Come on!"
Roy suddenly jolted and gave a gasp before his blood crusted eyes slowly opened.
Oliver slumped slightly in relief, as Black Canary smiled down at him
"Hey there," She said softly, in obvious relief. "Welcome back."
Roy's gaze flicked around before settling on the two of them again. "What happened?"
"That," Black Canary said in a deceptively light tone, turning her attention back to Oliver. "Is a very good question."
A/N
It is a fact that Black Canary has increased durability, while by no means invulnerable or anything close. She can still be hurt and bruised; it just takes more to put her down. Basically, she can take a hit better than most regular people. Hard enough hits, hits on the right angle.. they can still hurt her. So yes, she was hurt from Cyrus Golds attack, just not as much as a 'normal' person would have.
Her reflexes, speed and endurance are also increased. It differs with sources, but some say it's part of her meta power other say it's from her training.
Originally I was just going to have it as a byproduct of her training. To save her from being too powerful. I've always felt that a victory gained through struggle and trail is a better read. Not that there isn't something satisfying about a good old-fashioned stomp fic.
So…. I kinda compromised …. (Hope you don't hate me for it)
Basically, I've combined to two here. Speed and reflexes are from training. Endurance and durability are increase due to her being a meta. I'm trying not to overpower her here, but given she is so far the only meta around …. she is overpowered.
Other Facts:
Dinah Lance can actually sing. She's depicted as being the lead singer in a band in a couple of her incarnations.
Dinah Lance does play the harmonica; she uses it as breathing training for her canary cry.
Dinah Lance does have a rare blood type. One she shares with Oliver.
P.S Black Canary became to first person to call him Arrow.