Shadow Monarch in DC

Chapter 507 507: Hidden in Plain Sight

Gotham City - A Small Cafe in the East EndThe cafe was unremarkable in every way that mattered, it sat on a corner where the streetlights flickered, where the paint on the walls had faded from whatever color it had once been, where the coffee was strong and the pastries were stale and the clientele consisted mostly of people who had nowhere better to be. The windows were streaked with the residue of a thousand rainy days. The tables wobbled if you leaned on them wrong.

Yet it was perfect to both of them.

Arthur Blackwynd sat in the corner booth, his back to the wall, he wore a simple jacket, dark and unremarkable, and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. His face was partially obscured by a carefully cultivated mustache that had taken him approximately three seconds to grow with shadow magic and approximately thirty seconds to regret.

Across from him, Raven sipped her drink, she had perfected the art of looking completely ordinary while being anything but. Her hair was pulled back under a dark scarf, her usual cloak replaced by a simple coat. Her violet eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.

She set down her cup.

"I told you this would work," she said, her voice filled with amusment. "That mustache looks good on you."

Arthur's arms were crossed and his expression was flat.

"Stop it."

"I'm very serious." She wasn't. Her smile gave her away, a small, teasing curve of her lips that she didn't even try to hide.

Arthur's expression didn't change.

"Earlier," Raven continued, "when you hit the street without any disguise, you had to teleport away because people swarmed you, afterall you are pretty famous or infamous, it really depends on the mood of the common people." She took another sip of her drink. "Now look at you. Just another Gothamite enjoying a mediocre coffee in a mediocre cafe."

"It's not mediocre," Arthur said. "It's terrible."

"Exactly. Mediocre would be an improvement."

He almost smiled.

Raven set down her cup and leaned forward, her teasing expression shifting into something more curious.

"Speaking of being hard to find," she said, "I tried to locate you earlier," She paused, searching for the right words. "I wanted to make sure you were all right."

Arthur's eyes met hers.

"I couldn't find you," Raven continued. "First time in a long time that's happened, and I'm stronger now, my magic is much more potent." She tilted her head. "How did you do it?"

Arthur uncrossed his arms. He reached for his own cup, coffee, black, so bitter that it could strip paint and took a sip.

"Then this means it's working," he said. "If you of all people can't detect me."

Raven's eyebrow rose. "What's working?"

"I'm intentionally making myself invisible to people who wield magic like you do." Arthur set down his cup. "Those who can sense me should be very few out there. The ones who could find me without my permission.." He paused. "They exist. But I'd rather they had to work for it."

Raven studied him for a moment. Then her smile returned.

"You praise me too much," she said. "I kind of like it."

She reached across the table, her fingers found his and squeezed gently.

Arthur's hand turned, his fingers interlacing with hers.

Raven leaned forward and kissed him.

It was brief, a brush of lips, a moment of warmth, and Arthur's eyes closed for just a fraction of a second. When he opened them, something in his expression had shifted like a weight have been lifted.

Raven pulled back, her smile still in place, her eyes searching his face.

"What's on your mind?" she asked. "You seem here but not here at the same time." She tilted her head, her tone teasing. "Are you sure I'm not standing with a mere clone of you instead of the real you?"

Arthur's brow furrowed. "It is the real me."

"I know."

"I'm not like Didi," he continued. "She likes to do that, send afterimages of herself across the universe, appear in a dozen places at once." He shook his head. "I don't like using that. I can simply use my shadows if I need to be in multiple places, or teleport."

Raven's smile widened. "I was kidding, I know you wouldn't dare use a clone for me." She gave him a teasing look. "You'd never hear the end of it."

Arthur's lips twitched. "Probably not."

Then his expression shifted, becoming more serious, more focused.

"Speaking of the things I've been doing behind your back." He said. "I killed Steppenwolf, and I managed to gain some intel about Apokolips."

"Oh," Raven said softly. "No wonder you look grim, another shadow?"

Arthur was silent for a moment.

"Yeah," he finally said. "Killing a New God didn't exactly feel good, knowing that Darkseid used him, sent him to die so he could see what I'm capable of." He shook his head. "Steppenwolf wasn't a victim or anything. He was a conqueror, a murderer, a monster. But he was also a tool, and I hate being used as a whetstone for someone else's plans."

Raven's hand tightened on his.

"You have an urge," she said. "To go directly to Apokolips and unleash hell on Darkseid, I know that look."

Arthur met her eyes.

"Yes."

"And you're not going to do it."

"I'm not going to do it." He sighed. "I want to, but I know he's smarter than that, his planet is a fortress. And Darkseid is simply an avatar. My goal is the real him, and he is on a different level entirely."

Raven nodded slowly.

"I think it's better to continue this weird and awkward stalemate between you two," she said. "We have plenty of problems at home already."

Arthur's mouth curved slightly. "I know. Even my Marshals advised against an attack and some of them are reckless, Beru would have led the charge himself if I'd let him, but they were smart enough to suggest waiting."

"Let us deal with the problem of the Monarchs first," Raven said. "Then we will deal with Darkseid."

Arthur nodded. "That's the plan. But I know he'll still try to do something else, we need to be extra careful, especially you guys, he knows my weaknesses."

"Ouch.. but I get it, we will be." Raven picked up her cup again, took a sip, and then set it down. Her expression shifted, a redirection of the conversation.

"Speaking of home," she said, "about Kara, She's still in the Fortress of Solitude?" Her voice carried a hint of amusement. "She's taking the name of the fortress very seriously now."

Arthur looked at her. "I think I know what's wrong with her."

Raven's eyes widened slightly, then she nodded, the pieces clicking into place in her mind.

"Oh," she said softly. "I see now."

Arthur nodded. "Yeah."

Raven's hand moved to her own belly, a small, unconscious gesture.

"She's embarrassed," Raven said. "About her... well, you know."

Arthur's voice was gentle. "Yeah. She'll probably say something like 'I'm fat and ugly.' You know her."

Raven's eyes softened. "That blonde idiot."

"She's not the only one who would react that way." Arthur's gaze met Raven's. "If you were pregnant, you would probably do the same."

Raven's eyes widened. Her mouth opened, closed then opened again.

"I would never!" she said.

Arthur's lips curved into a genuine smile. "Sure thing, Demon Princess."

Raven opened her mouth to respond, then Arthur's phone buzzed.

He glanced down at the screen. Unknown number. No caller ID. No identifying information of any kind.

"hmm?" Raven leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse. "Who is this?"

Arthur's brow furrowed. "I don't know."

He answered.

"Hello."

The voice on the other end was familiar and unmistakable.

"Arthur. I have a task for you."

Arthur was almost irritated by his voice. "Bruce... What kind of task?"

"There is a suspiciously dangerous Gate that appeared in Greece. It is classified as S-Rank. But in reality, it should not be classified as S-Rank." Batman's voice was clipped, precise. "To say the least, it is very dangerous. We are expecting something similar to the one you dealt with alongside the Titans here in Gotham."

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Why would I go there myself? I should just send a Marshal, if it is serious."

"You can do that," Batman said. "But I suggest otherwise. My guild member, Ethan, is there. I sent him as part of an international Hunter collaboration. He's helping with the raid."

Arthur was silent for a moment.

"You want me to babysit your new Robin?"

"I want you to witness a Ruler vessel in action, he can also learn a thing or two from you." Batman replied. "Besides, I am positive this specific raid holds some sort of surprises."

Raven had been listening. She met Arthur's eyes and nodded once, a small gesture, encouraging him to accept.

Arthur sighed. "Very well," he said. "You've got me interested. I'll go have a look."

Batman's voice carried something that might have been satisfaction. "You have my thanks. And my apologies for interrupting your time with Raven. Give her my regards."

The call ended.

Arthur stared at his phone for a moment. Then he looked around the cafe at the walls, at the windows, at the ceiling, at the spaces between shadows.

"How shameless," he muttered. "No sense of privacy." He shook his head. "I have shadows everywhere, I could be watching anyone at any time and yet I don't do what he does..."

Raven sighed. "Batman."

"Batman."

She picked up her cup, drained the last of her drink, and set it down with a decisive click.

"So," she said. "We're heading to Greece?"

Arthur pocketed his phone, "Yeah," he said. "We're heading to Greece."

He reached for her hand.

She took it, and the world dissolved into shadow around them.

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