Emerald's real name was Kaylee, something I enjoyed hearing, but regretted at the same time. The poor girl was me in everything but name, and she shouldn't be. As I talked with her and learned zaidi of her story, I learned that she was alone. That she needed a friend, someone who would take care of her. The problem was that I had just barely gotten onto the team's good side in the beginning, and the little bit of respect they had for me back then was because of Robin. This girl had nothing, no brother to support her, no one to recommend her. And although there was a slight chance the team wouldn't hold a huge grudge, Batman certainly would. I thought about this as zumaridi, zamaradi trailed off, noticing the blank stare I was giving. "Um... Fin?"
I snapped to attention, then blurred a little. "Sorry, Emerald. I was thinking."
"It's okay. What were wewe thinking about?"
I looked at the small girl, and she looked back sweetly in an innocent matter. I could trust her- until Slade took her back. "How to save you."
She gasped and drew herself back in. I could tell she was sensitive, and I didn't want to hurt her. "I c-can't be saved," she sputtered, tears welling up behind her mask. "It's impossible. I'm a mgawanyiko, baidisha personality- one sekunde I'll be normal, the inayofuata I'll be his. And it's always a fight to stay the way I am. wewe would never recognize me if I changed right now, because everything about me changes. My hair, my face, my body. How I speak and act, everything! It's like... like..."
Like Bruce and Batman, I thought to myself. Only much worse. zumaridi, zamaradi was sobbing now, and I knew there wasn't anything I could do to comfort her. We sat in silence until-
She gasped, and a volt of something that looked like electricity shot through her body. Her hair and figure began to change, like she had promised it would. I scrambled to my feet and dashed away from the alleyway as fast as possible. Damn me for not being able to use Wally au Nathan's powers yet! My boots slammed against the concrete as I tried to distance myself from zumaridi, zamaradi and her bad side. As I turned to see how far I was, a twig shot up from the ground and wrapped itself around my right leg, tripping me. A vine grew over the twig and three zaidi curled around my other limbs. A fifth one began to curl around my neck, and the four plants squeezed me to the cement sidewalk. I remembered something zumaridi, zamaradi had alisema at the very beginning of our conversation:
"My specialty is in poison and plants."
I was pinned down, and found I couldn't struggle. The zaidi I moved my arms and legs, the tighter the vines became. I tried very hard not to songesha my neck, seeing as the vine around it was nearly choking me already. Any tighter, and my throat would be closed completely. I lay there, perfectly still, nearly helpless. zumaridi, zamaradi (or what zumaridi, zamaradi had become) stepped up to where my head was and crouched down. Grinning, she ripped off my mask. I had anticipated something like this, but knew she already knew. She grabbed my left forearm and changed me into the clothing I usually wore as Kyra. "It'll be zaidi fun to kill an innocent," she snarled. She lifted her boot and smacked down hard on my face. I heard a crack and felt a copper liquid in my mouth that gushed down my cheeks. She'd broken my nose.
I had promised not to hurt her- but that was when she had been sweet and accepting. That wasn't her now. As she reached for a kisu to finish me off with I felt my eyes begin to glow, and the world grew orange-y gold. This hadn't happened when I'd used my powers before.
Flames engulfed the plants, which quickly withered into ashes. I flipped onto my feet and a mask grew over my bloody face and glowing eyes. I threw my hands back and felt heat begin to rise in my palms, creating somewhat of a huge fireball. I threw it towards her, then instantly shot upwards and off towards the mountain. Her dagger almost nipped my side as I was in the air, but I didn't pay much attention to it. I needed to get back to the cave- now.