Shadow Monarch in DC

JUMP CITY - BLACKWYND TOWER

Jump City stretched wide beyond the glass walls of Blackwynd Tower, its skyline lit with the sharp glow of a world that had changed recently. From this height, everything looked orderly, almost peaceful.

Inside the top-floor office, there was nothing peaceful about the atmosphere.

Adam Blackwynd stood behind his desk, one hand pressed against the polished surface, the other holding his phone tight against his ear. He was frustrated, it was barely contained as he paced a short line behind the chair.

"No, that’s exactly my point!" he said, voice sharp, "We’ve submitted everything you asked for. Documentation, operational structure, projected compliance with World Hunter Organization regulations, everything!"

He paused, listening, his expression darkening.

"Then what exactly is the delay?"

His grip tightened slightly on the phone.

"You’re telling me we need more time?! For what?!" A short, humorless breath escaped him. "We’re not asking for permission to experiment, we’re asking to formalize something we’re already more than capable of handling!"

Silence on the other end.

Adam’s eyes flicked briefly toward the city outside, then back to the desk as he leaned forward slightly.

"Blackwynd Enterprises has a history of producing specialized tech and weapons long before Gates became a problem," he continued, his tone cooling into something more controlled, more dangerous. "Our science division is among the best in the world. We adapt faster than most governments. If we establish a guild, our own guild.. we don’t just participate in this new system... we will lead it!"

He listened again, then let out a quiet exhale through his nose.

"...No. I won’t accept that as an answer."

He paused for a moment.

"Then I’ll be expecting an update soon."

He didn’t wait for a reply before ending the call.

Adam lowered the phone slowly, his fingers tapping it once against the desk before setting it aside. For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze drifting toward the skyline again.

"The profit margin alone is unprecedented..." he muttered, almost to himself. "And they’re hesitating.. Idiots!"

He shook his head, a faint scoff escaping him as he turned away from the window.

"If we establish a guild, Blackwynd Guild, do you have any idea how many top-tier Hunters would line up to join?" he continued, more openly now. "Resources, technology, funding, we’d dominate the field within weeks."

A quiet voice cut through the room.

"Guilds... really?"

Adam stopped, he hadn’t heard her enter.

Raven stood near the far side of the office, just beside one of the pillars, her presence almost blending into the shadows cast by the dim lighting. Arms crossed, expression flat, she watched him with a mixed look between mild annoyance and judgment.

Adam blinked once, then let out a short breath.

"...Oh Raven, hi.. Didn’t see you entering.."

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze unwavering.

"I understand now why Bruce asked me to deliver a message to you," she said calmly.

Adam straightened slightly, interest flickering across his face.

"Bruce Wayne?" he asked. "What did he say?"

Raven didn’t move,

"He said to lay low. Not to rush into this."

"He didn’t provide me with context," she added, her eyes narrowing just slightly. "But now I don’t think he needed to."

Adam let out a quiet chuckle,

"Of course he didn’t..." he said. "So this was his doing..."

He stepped around the desk, resting his hip lightly against its edge as he folded his arms.

"And what do you think?" he asked. "You came all this way just to repeat his words, or do you actually have an opinion about this now?"

Raven’s gaze didn’t waver.

"I think you’re trying to insert yourself into something you don’t fully understand," she replied. Blunt and direct.

Adam smirked faintly.

"Why not?" he shot back. "The world’s changing. We either adapt or get left behind." He gestured vaguely toward the city beyond the glass. "This isn’t just chaos, it’s opportunity. We protect people, we contribute... and yes, it’s good business as well."

He pushed off the desk slightly, pacing a step.

"The World Hunter Organization made it clear. Anyone can establish a guild, as long as they follow regulations, and they have the means and assets to do so. We’re more than qualified."

Raven’s expression shifted, just slightly, her arms tightening across her chest.

"I don’t think Arthur would appreciate this Adam," she said.

That made him pause.

Adam glanced at her, one brow lifting.

"You.. Think so?" he asked,

Raven didn’t answer, she simply shook her head once, slowly.

The silence stretched for a second before Adam exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

"Well," he said, shrugging lightly, "this isn’t about Arthur."

He gestured toward the desk, toward the world beyond.

"And let’s not pretend Bruce is sitting this out. He already set up his own guild under Wayne Enterprises."

Raven’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Bruce knows what he’s doing," she replied.

There was no hesitation in her voice.

"Like I said... Arthur wouldn’t want you anywhere near this."

Her gaze sharpened, her tone lowering just a fraction.

"If anything, he’d want his family as far away from this as possible."

That made Adam think for a moment.

Then he let out a quiet breath, the tension easing just slightly from his shoulders.

"...Yeah," he admitted, almost reluctantly. "That does sound like him."

He glanced away, toward the window again, his expression shifting into something more thoughtful.

"Speaking of him," he added after a moment, "where the hell is he?"

Raven didn’t respond right away.

"It’s been over a month," Adam continued. "Since that dinner. Haven’t seen him. No calls, no updates... nothing."

He looked back at her.

"You don’t know either?"

Raven’s gaze softened just a fraction, though her expression remained controlled.

"He’s... on a trip," she said.

Adam stared at her for a second, then huffed quietly.

"Right," he said. "So you don’t know."

"I do," Raven replied calmly. "I just don’t know when he’ll return."

Adam studied her for a moment, then sighed,

"Fine," he said at last, raising a hand slightly in surrender. "Out of respect for you... and for my brother, I’ll ease off this for now."

He pointed a finger at her, "For now," he repeated. "I’m not letting Bruce get even richer off this while I sit around doing nothing."

For the first time since she’d arrived, Raven smiled, just a little.

"Fair enough," she said.

She uncrossed her arms, taking a step back as shadows began to gather faintly around her.

"Take care, Adam."

Before he could respond, the darkness rose up, folding around her body.

And then she was gone.

Adam stood there for a moment, staring at the spot where she had been,

Then his gaze shifted back to the city..

"...For now," he muttered again under his breath.

****

GOTHAM – ARTHUR’S ESTATE

Kara was sprawled across the couch in the living room of Arthur’s estate like she owned it.

One leg draped over the armrest, the other tucked beneath her, a bowl of ice cream balanced casually in one hand while the spoon in the other moved with lazy motion. Her suit had been abandoned somewhere, her boots kicked off without care.

On top of her head,

Dexter was asleep, completely.

Curled up like it was the most natural place in the world to be, his tail hanging lazily off the side, occasionally twitching as Kara shifted beneath him. Somehow, she didn’t seem bothered by it in the slightest.

The television flickered in front of them,

"...and as you can see," the man on screen was saying, standing far too confidently in front of a gathered crowd, armor polished, weapon resting on his shoulder like a prop more than anything else, "this was a high-risk Gate. Not something just anyone could handle."

"We took down multiple targets," he continued, puffing his chest slightly. "And the boss itself, was a massive creature. It took everything we had, but in the end..." He smirked. "We handled it."

Kara paused mid-bite.

Her eyes narrowed just slightly as she stared at the screen.

Then she scoffed.

"Dimwit."

The word slipped out with disdain as she took another spoonful of ice cream, shaking her head faintly.

"They always sound like that once they’re outside," she added, "Safe, clean, no monsters trying to rip their heads off..."

She gestured vaguely at the screen with her spoon.

"Most of the ones I’ve gone in with? Exactly like him. Loud, confident... right up until something actually hits back."

Dexter shifted slightly on her head, unimpressed but unwilling to move.

Not far from the couch, George stood with his hands neatly folded behind his back, his gaze rested on the television, though his expression remained composed,

"Confidence," he said calmly, his voice smooth, "is often easiest to maintain once the danger has passed."

Kara snorted quietly.

"That’s one way to put it,"

George tilted his head slightly, eyes still on the screen.

"Though I would advise against expecting to find the likes of your cousin among these individuals, many are blinded by power." he added.

Kara didn’t look at him, but a faint smirk tugged at her lips.

"Oh, I don’t," she said. "Trust me."

She leaned back further into the couch, shifting just enough that Dexter adjusted with a sleepy huff, resettling himself without opening his eyes.

"I expect nothing from them," she continued, her gaze drifting back to the screen as the Hunter continued his self-congratulatory speech.

She took another scoop of ice cream and shook her head.

"...Makes it easier that way."

The room fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, filled only by the low murmur of the television and the soft clink of her spoon against the bowl.

Then Kara let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

"Agh... Damn it all!"

She tipped her head back slightly, staring up at the ceiling, careful not to disturb the cat that had claimed her as furniture.

"When is he coming back..." she muttered.

"He’d say the same thing about these idiots too," she added, glancing back at the screen. "One sentence in and he’d already be done listening."

A faint smile flickered across her face before fading just as quickly.

"...He’d call them wannabe idiots too."

George’s expression softened ever so slightly, though his posture remained as composed as ever.

"I imagine he would," he said. "I do miss Master Arthur as well even if it’s just been a bit more than a month." he added.

Kara’s gaze stayed fixed on the television, but she wasn’t really watching it anymore.

"...Thirty-eight days." The words slipped out so quietly.

George’s brow furrowed just a fraction.

"I beg your pardon, Miss Kara," he said, tilting his head slightly in her direction. "I’m afraid I didn’t quite catch that."

Kara didn’t answer, she just took another slow bite of her ice cream.

George kept looking at her for a brief moment, but he didn’t press any further.

/-\

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