//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10: Cracks 
// Story: Young Amazons 
// by Wanderer D 
//------------------------------//










 

Young Amazons
By Ackbarfan5556
Executive Produced By Wanderer D
Chapter 10: Cracks

 
It was almost midnight when Bruce Wayne was sitting at the Batcomputer, currently going through some research. His patrol was cut short by his encounter by the girl he ran into earlier in the evening. Thankfully, it seemed like tonight was a bit of a quiet night for Gotham for once and he headed back home early.
 
“Spying on young girls again, Master Bruce?” Alfred wondered aloud, which caused Bruce to turn around in his chair and give his loyal butler and father figure a look. The older man gave a slight chuckle indicating it was all a joke.
 
“Very funny,” Bruce turned the chair around back to the screen. “I knew there was a reason why Zatanna had a sudden interest in Sunset.”
 
“Miss Lucciola? Why on Earth are we-?”

“Because I just saved her life earlier tonight. She was out in the streets dressed like a crime-fighter and actually fought some members of The Outfit; shortly before Umberto Maroni showed up,” Bruce interrupted.
 
“Are you sure?” Alfred was quite surprised by what his charge had said. Bruce pulled up multiple articles and pictures on the screen. Most of the photos weren’t really good shots as it was clear that the person in the photo was trying to avoid being captured by the lens.
 
“It makes a lot of sense,” Bruce scratched his chin, “It’s obvious that Sunset is clearly under Zatanna’s wing but the two of them tried to throw off the scent. Have her first make appearances in Star City, be seen in close relation with Dinah, and base her outfit off of hers.”
 
“How were you able to figure this out so quickly? If you don’t mind me asking, sir.” Alfred wondered.
 
“Not at all,” Bruce smirked, “She may have changed her hair tonight, but look at these pictures from half a week ago. Not the best photos, I know… but you can still see well enough." He zoomed in on them and sure enough, Sunset’s red and yellow streaks were in clear sight.
 
“Good lord… you’re right. It is her.”
 
“She also was wearing a different eye mask, but that couldn’t change the fact that I recognized her due to her height, build, and voice.” Bruce informed.
 
“Sir, your impeccable attention to detail is truly something I will always be impressed with. Maybe that’s why the reason why the moniker ‘World’s Greatest Detective’ is being said about you.”
 
 Bruce turned around in his chair once more. “Who’s calling the Batman that?”
 
Alfred shrugged. “I’ve mostly heard that being said on the telly. It fits though, wouldn’t you say? Especially after you easily dealt with those two crazed geniuses like Cluemaster and Riddler,” He then looked like he had a shiver come over him. “I shudder to think what would happen if those two decided to join forces.”
 
“I get the feeling those two with their egos wouldn’t make much progress.” Bruce said.
 
“Well, going back to the subject involving Miss Lucciola, what are you going to do about it?” Alfred asked.
 
“I get the feeling that she honestly wants to be a crime-fighter, so there’s probably nothing I could do about it,” He paused, “That and I’m pretty sure that Zatanna would be all over me if I did.”
 
“That certainly sounds like her,” Alfred chuckled before noticing that Bruce continued to glare at the screen. “Sir?”
 
“I told her that she should go back to Star City. I mean, Star City is a lot calmer and a better place for her to operate out of. Less chances for her to get hurt… or worse. Not here though,” Bruce shook his head, “Gotham is a place no one should have to don a cape and mask and protect.”
 
“Perhaps you should take your own advice then,” Alfred interjected. It was no secret that the butler truly hated what Bruce would do. He still supported him, but he truly wished that his young charge would put an end to it all. He already had to bury two of the Wayne family; he didn’t want to have to bury a third one, even younger than his parents when they were tragically taken from Bruce.
 
Bruce said nothing—like he usually did whenever Alfred said something like that—before he closed up everything and got up. “Good night, Alfred.” He said before he grabbed the fire pole and was carried up back into Wayne Manor.
 



 
Sunset didn’t encounter any sort of trouble as she headed back to her apartment. She was careful about not being seen as she climbed onto the fire escape and entered through her bedroom window.
 
“Welcome back,” Zatanna greeted as she leaned against the doorway to the bedroom. Sunset gave her a small smile before she removed her mask and changed her hair back to normal. She then took a deep breath and fell forward right onto her bed.
 
“Boy, I had a close call,” She said, “Though; I know I did some good tonight. I stopped some guys from attacking this guy in an alley. I actually took care of them and helped the guy escape before the thug’s boss showed up. Some guy named Umberto, I heard from them.”
 
“Sounds like you ran into Umberto Maroni. He’s one of three sons to Sal Maroni, the ‘supposed’ head of The Outfit, Gotham’s largest mob group. They had their fingers in everything at one point though the power of the mafia has died down quite a bit in recent decades.” Zatanna explained.
 
“Well, they certainly had power tonight. As soon as I dealt with those guys, he and two of his men showed up with guns and had me right in their sights. I actually would’ve been shot right there if it wasn’t for Batman showing up when he did. I mean, I know we put some spells on the clothes that give them some bullet resistance, but I didn’t want to test that there; especially with all the guns those guys had.”
 
Zatanna’s eyes lit up. “Well, at least you’re safe and sound now,” she paused before she realized the other thing Sunset said, “Wait, you actually were saved by The Bat?”
 
Sunset nodded. “Yeah, he threw what I had to guess was a smoke bomb and got me out of that alley before those guys could fire.” She let out a quick sigh. “Guess I still need a lot more work, huh? I mean, I should’ve been paying more attention to my surroundings and not letting myself nearly get jumped like that.”
 
“I say that we look at this night like the glass being half full, if you’re familiar with that expression,” Zatanna said. “As you said, you did do good tonight by saving that man’s life.”
 
“I don’t know,” Sunset expressed some doubts, “It honestly sounded he was in pretty deep with those Maroni guys. I think all I did was just maybe give him a few extra days to live his life.”
 
Zatanna gave a small smile and sat on the bed with Sunset before putting a hand on her shoulder. “You may be right, but that’s one of the things that comes with being a hero. It might feel like you’re not accomplishing anything, but trust me, you are.”
 
“How so?” Sunset wondered.
 
“You’re giving people hope. You’re giving them the assurance that they don’t need to be afraid to simply walk out of them homes and do anything. You’re providing something that some have honestly forgotten, and trust me, if there’s a city that needs hope, it’s Gotham.”
 
“Yeah, I think I can kinda see it, but… am I really in the right place? Maybe Batman is right, maybe I should just stay more in Star City or somewhere less dangerous than here. I mean, you’re constantly traveling everywhere so there’s no real place for you to stay put and protect like Dinah.”
 
“I can’t say I fully agree with him because of three reasons; The first is that Star City has enough protection as is, and while you could, we both know you want to be able to help here in the maximum way possible.”

Zatanna paused for a moment. “The second reason is that despite what he says, and what he wants, even someone like Batman can’t truly defend this city all by himself. Finally, do you really just want to leave this city and everything that you’ve already done?”

Sunset sat up. “No!” she exclaimed. “I’ve really come to like this city, I mean, I like Gotham High and I like that I have such good friends in Barbara and Pamela and I wouldn’t trade that, but… I just don’t know what to think when it comes to crime fighting.”
 
“It’s early nerves. We’ve all had that issue where we question early on what we’re doing. You’ll get better at dealing with that the more you accomplish and experience.” Zatanna then stood up and left the room.
 
“Wait, where are you going?” Sunset asked.
 
“Just a moment,” Zatanna called out from the living room/kitchen. A moment later, she walked back in with two glass soda bottles. “Here,” she handed her young protégé a glass before getting out a bottle opener.
 
“What’s this about?”
 
Zatanna gave a proud smile. “Well, I thought we should celebrate your first night going solo. You’ve made amazing progress already and I know you can only get better. So I thought we should make a toast.”
 
“Also, this is usually done with alcohol but considering you’re underage and I don’t usually drink, I decided to substitute them with cola.” Sunset started to laugh before Zatanna joined in. The two of them held up there drinks and clanked them together.
 
“Here’s to Gotham City’s newest guardian, the amazing Alicorn!”
 



 
It was almost two in the morning when Zatanna left the apartment. Thankfully it was a Friday so Sunset could sleep in until about eleven when she needed to make Fencing club at the school at one.
 
During that time, Sunset was just about ready to head to bed after taking a shower considering she had been out fighting and it was a humid night. Apparently Gotham summers were quite hot despite how north of the equator the region was.
 
After drying off and getting into her pajamas, Sunset walked over to her bookshelf and pulled out the journal that she wrote in a few weeks ago. A somewhat ridiculous thought crossed her mind as she opened up; hopeful that somehow it still got to Twilight and that there was a response by the Princess of Friendship left in the journal.
 
However, there was no response after the entry she left last time. It was a silly thought, but deep down she wished it was true. She knew that there wasn’t much of a point to do it, but if it helped retain one connection to her true home, then she was going to do it. She sat down and grabbed a pen and once again started to write in it again.
 
“Dear Princess Twilight,” she said aloud as she wrote once more, “It’s been a little bit but things have been picking up. I’m now a super-heroine and defending Gotham City. Well, tonight was my first night but it’s only the start.” 
 
“I received some training from Zatanna and another friend of hers called Black Canary who helped teach me some basics in magic and fighting. The magic was Zatanna by the way; Canary’s only abilities are a supersonic screech she can make. Let me tell you; that will knock you on your flank in a heartbeat.” She chuckled for a second.
 
“It’s honestly surprising how similar this place is to one of Spike’s comic books now that I think about it, like the one you guys ended up in that one time according to you. Anyways, I spent the past few weeks going out and fighting alongside Canary before I finally went solo tonight. It went… okay.”
 
”I actually saved a man from being beaten up by two mob goons who he apparently owed money to, but I found myself ended up biting off more than I could chew and ended up get rescued by Batman. He’s a guy that dresses like a bat as his name suggests and he’s the one who protects Gotham. I bet good bits if he somehow ended up in Equestria, he’d be a Thestral.”
 
“Yeah, so aside from that, Zatanna says I’m doing well, though I know that I need a lot more training before I could truly consider myself ready. You know, it’s funny. Looking back, that’s exactly what I thought at one point. I thought when I was Celestia’s student that I was certainly ready to be a Princess.” 
 
“I now know how wrong I was, but at least I know it now that I was and have greatly learned from it; thanks to you. Speaking of the past, my superhero outfit is actually more or less that outfit I wore the first time we met at Canterlot High. I also have an eye mask and magic dye my hair to keep my identity a secret, though I’m pretty sure I could’ve had something better if Rarity ended up with me.” 

“I think I’ve rambled on quite a bit so I just hope that everything is still going okay without me. I’m honestly a bit concerned about something happening without me, but I’m sure that the girls can handle it without me. After all, they handled me well enough when we first met. Anyways, as always, your faithful friend, Sunset Shimmer.” 
 
Sunset put the pen down and closed the book before putting the journal back in the bookshelf and yawning. She climbed into bed and closed her eyes, needing her sleep for fencing tomorrow afternoon.
 



 
Barbara knew what she was doing was strange. The fact that she was going to a school on a Saturday was strange to those that knew she had nothing that required her normally to show up on this day, as opposed to Sunset who had her fencing club on the same day.
 
Barbara was actually going back to the school because she realized she had left one of her books for an assignment in her locker and she didn’t realize it until it was dark the night before.
 
As she walked into the building, her eye immediately caught glance of someone’s head sticking out from a room and looking down a hallway.
 
“Murphy? You’re here today?” Barbara asked as the boy turned his attention to his fellow classmate.
 
“Oh, hey Barbara. I could ask you the same question; I’m pretty sure you’re like most students and don’t want to be here on a Saturday.”
 
“I left a book in my locker that I needed for an assignment this weekend, that’s my reason. What about you?”
 
The brown hair boy shrugged his shoulders. “Eh, I was bored and was in the area so I thought I would check out what was going on here today.”
 
“Okay then,” Barbara took a step forward before she turned around to look at the glasses wearing student once more. “Wait a second. What were you looking down the hallway for?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, uhm, well, your friend Pamela is here and she just got told some bad news. Now, I’m pretty sure she’s on the warpath.” Barbara’s eyes widen and she started to run down the hall. “Nice seeing you too.” Murphy said as he went back to his own thing.
 
Barbara turned the corner and found Pamela with one of the teachers. Pamela clearly looked very distressed and upset.
 
“Mr. Varga! You can’t do this!” Pamela shouted to the older man.
 
“Pamela, I’m sorry but you know the rules. I can’t continue supporting your club if you don’t have a certain number of members. Three is nowhere close to the eight needed.”
 
“Please! I’ve been trying so hard but I just can’t get many people to care!” Pamela was clearly trying as best as she could to save the club.
 
“I’m sorry. I really am,” he said, “I am fully behind with your group, I am, but it’s out of my hands.” It was clear he too looked disappointed to say this to her.
 
He soon walked away and left Pamela alone before the red-haired girl fell to her knees and started to cry.
 
“Pam?” Barbara spoke up and got her friend’s attention. Pamela tried to wipe her face to hide her tears but it was already too late.
 
“Hey, Red, how much of that did you hear?” Barbara sat down next to Pam on the floor.
 
“Most of it. So I guess the meeting on Monday is canceled then.”

“Yeah, I can’t believe this,” Pamela buried her head in her hands. “I really thought that this year was going to be different. Especially after you and Sunny joined.”
 
“I got the feeling too. Man, Sunny is going to be disappointed to hear this. Think we should tell her during her fencing club? I mean, I know she’s going to be here in a few hours.”
 
Pamela shook her head. “No, we can tell her on Monday when we see her. I just don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. I keep trying to follow my passion and all it ends up is bringing me nothing but misery.”
 
Barbara wrapped an arm over Pamela’s shoulder. “Hey, Pam, listen, you can’t give up just when things look tough. I don't know why the others can't clue in on why the environment and plant life is so important, but just because they don't get it, doesn't mean we should quit. ”
 
“I swear, it just really feels like everyone is out to get me.”
 
“Don’t think that. You’ve got me and Sunny to help you. Besides, it seemed like Mr. Varga did seem like he didn’t want to do this as well; I could see it on his face.”

Pamela nodded. “Me too, that’s why I didn’t really lash out at him, but I really thought I could make some progress this year.”

“And we can!” Barbara stood up, “With you, me and Sunny, we can still have our club even if it’s not an official club.”
 
Pamela looked up and soon perked up fast. “You’re right! We just need to change some things, but we still can be able to spread awareness. Actually I have an idea right now, I just need to go home and get some things.”
 
“Yeah!” Barbara pumped her fist as she was glad to help raise her best friend’s spirit. “And I need to grab my book.”
 
Pamela gave her a look. “Wow, that just took all the enthusiasm out of the air.”
 



 
“Um, when you said you had some new ideas, I wasn’t aware if was going to be something like this.” Barbara muttered as she and Pamela met up once more near the rail station.
 
“Trust me, it’s fine. We just need to spread the word, you know. Simple flyers sometimes don’t cut it as folks will just throw the paper away in a heartbeat, but this-“ she held up two ski masks and some cans of green paint “-this will get people’s attention.”
 
“Or get us arrested,” Barbara pointed out.
 
“Relax, Red. It’s after lunch so things are surprisingly quiet at the moment so we won’t get caught.” Barbara was aware that Pamela had troubles in the past, but she never expected that Pamela would resort to vandalism and graffiti to spread her message. It was always the quiet ones.
 
She was also beginning to think about what would’ve happened if Sunset was with them at the current moment. Would she easily go along with this, or would she have some strong arguments about this?
 
“Here,” Pamela handed Barbara a ski mask and a one of the cans of paint; along with a brush, “You work the signs on this side of the terminal, and I’ll take the other side.” The glasses wearing girl handed her friend the items before Pamela put on her ski mask and started getting to work.
 
Barbara decided to follow suit, though she clearly wasn’t feeling as comfortable about what she was doing. She was the daughter of a cop and yet here she was clearly breaking the law. Pamela was certainly her friend, but was this really something she should follow or should she put her foot down and risk her friendship with her for her morals?
 
She glanced around as she started to spray some words about being more green conscious but her heart wasn’t in it as much as Pamela obviously was. Perhaps all this was more of just her airing out her frustrations about the club being shut down and that this would be a one-time thing.
 
But Barbara had a building concern that might not be the case. After an hour of work, Pamela rejoined Barbara and the two of them removed their masks before walking away.
 
“Well, I think we did some good for plants today.” Pamela looked proud of their accomplishment. It was honestly surprising how they weren’t spotted at all by anyone nor was there a camera in sight in the area.
 
“Uh, yeah, we did.” Barbara rubbed her arm as they walked past some of their signs.
 
“Yeah, this is going to be the first of many things we’re going to do.” Pamela smiled.
 
“We’re going to do more?” Barbara’s worries began to build once again.
 
“Yeah, oh, by the way, could you not tell Sunny what we did today? I’d rather ease her into this my own way, okay?” Barbara gave a slight nod.
 
As the two of them walked past an ad for Chlorogene, which had the words ‘Wanted from crimes against nature’ painted on it, Barbara’s mind began to drift.
 
She promised Pamela she wouldn’t tell Sunset, but the girl was still their friend. Barbara wondered how things would have been if she hadn't met Sunset and ended up in Pamela's club. Would she have had an easier time jumping into doing these kind of things?
 
One thing was sure in her mind, the next time she could be alone with Sunset, she was going to tell her everything. She could only hope that Pamela could see reason before things ended up going too far.