A Hollow in DC

Funny enough, Black Canary's idea of a relaxed place to talk was on the nice, padded leather chairs in the library or maybe she just thought that the leather chairs would substitute for the typical leather chairs used in an actual therapist's office.

"So how do feel about the hero work you and the rest of the team been doing?" She asked as she was sitting on the couch aside from me while I jokingly laid across my own leather couch with my feet propped up on the couch's arm in a parody of the loveseats used in therapists' offices.

Admittedly not having to look at my 'therapist' made talking easier as I was able to just stare at the rocky ceiling above me and speak whatever came to my mind without having to worry about her trying to learn more from my body language than I was comfortable with.

"Well, honestly it can be a bit stifling doing entirely black ops missions. I mean not that I don't understand their necessity both in accomplishing the mission itself and the need for discretion as the missions are entangled with sensitive issues like the people involved or the mission itself taking place in a country that isn't all too keen on the League poking around."

Black Canary hummed in thought and wrote something on her notepad before she spoke. "And the violence of being a hero? Is that giving you any issues? Bad dreams maybe?"

I firmly shook my head and took a moment where she allowed me to gather my thoughts before I spoke. "No... I have survived more violence than most if not all of the League's heroes at this point. I didn't become a Vasto Lorde in Hell by hiding and being subservient to the demons within that blasted hellscape."

Sure, the League has dealt with a couple alien invasions at this point but those were few and far between. Not to mention those invaders were very much a sentient army and when they saw their capital ship get cut in half by some dude flying out in the vacuum of space, they brightly decided that such a world was far too much trouble than it was worth and would leave.

"Hell was a terrible place to put it most bluntly. I was lucky to be thrown into a new hell plane without well-established demon lords that could warp reality with their mere presence, no I was thrown into a still-forming cold hellscape filled with endless dregs of slathering mindless demons that hadn't had the time to develop sentience and only had the sin of Wrath to propel themselves further." I continued.

"Do you know how you got sent to hell?" She asked softly and I snorted.

"No. I wasn't some outrageous sinner in my other life before I was made into what I am. Sure I had some interesting fetishes, but I never acted upon them, nor had I harmed anyone, so I certainly did nothing to deserve being chucked into Hell."

"Well, it's good, you aren't holding onto some kind of guilt then." Black Canary congratulated me, and I realized she probably was wondering if I became a hero as some sort of penance like a few other heroes had done.

Then she asked me another question. "Do you have any particular goals or a hobby to work on?"

Frowning I couldn't help but realize that no, I didn't really do much other than be a gym rat with Superboy or watch tv with other team members nor had I planned on doing anything until the magical community of the League helped me get something so I could rejoin the living world in its entirety.

"Well, I had a plan to go on a bit of a training trip after the League's magic group hooked me up with something so every time, I grab something people don't scream 'ghost' or something," I said making her chuckle at the thought.

"Yes, such a thing reminds me of when Martian Manhunter had... an episode where he went around invisibly destroying a whole city's light bulbs due to the fear of the fire within each bulb."

Ok admittedly the thought of the cool as a cucumber Martian Manhunter acting like a ninja to break each light bulb and the citizen of the city's reaction the next night when large chunks of the city were pitch dark was hilarious.

"You do plan on rejoining the team when your training is over right? And more than that how long will you be training?" She questioned as she quickly made notes obviously about my plans to do some training which wasn't unexpected as I had no mentor like the other team members did.

I couldn't help but shrug as planning how my training could go was a bad idea to begin with as I might not even survive it. "Well considering I was planning on going to another dimension maybe even Hell so I could truly train without limits and how time passes differently between realms... I cannot say when I could be back. I could spend a couple decades in Hell and less than a few days would pass here on Earth after all."

Hearing my words Black Canary sighed and wrote more on her notepad before she spoke softly. "What's the time dilation between Hell and Earth."

I chuckled and shook my head as I responded. "Yeah, it's about one minute here on Earth to each day in Hell. Of course, keeping track of the days in Hell is impossible as at least the part I was in only had a sliver of light on the horizon that never changed to show how no matter how long you waited in Hell the sun would never rise on your situation."

Black Canary dryly responded. "Yes, I am quite sure that's good for your morale... Why go to Hell for high-intensity training? Do you believe the League doesn't have such facilities or do you have another reason?"

Hearing her question, I knew I couldn't just say 'Oh yeah I want to go to Hell and devour the nascent evil beastly souls of monsters I slayed...' So, I simply answered with a partial truth. "The time dilation effect is a big part as even if I am gone for a couple hours, I would have months to train in some secluded part of Hell or another dimension." Honestly, I may just skip going to Hell and instead go to the Fae realms as I had images of it in my head from the comics that I instinctively felt my Garganta could connect to.

And in such a realm I could instead just get my own enchanted stuff and frankly, there is plenty of scum of the world things that the League wouldn't bat an eye at me ripping their head off if they even learn of my actions.

Like the Baba Yaga that regularly jumps out of the Fae Realms to kidnap children that decide to go off the path in a forest and the fate of those children... Yeah, even Batman would snap that monster's neck without a second thought.

"I see..." She muttered trailing off as she finished writing some notes and then she slapped the notebook closed after she checked a small wristwatch that blended into her gloves. "Well, I am out of time for now Jake. If you need to talk, I will happily make some time. And most importantly before you leave this dimension or even this planet, please let the League know."

I nodded honestly glad for her care in wanting to watch out for me. "Not a problem at all."

"Alright, I am heading out. Have a nice day, Jake. "Black Canary said as she strode from the library and I couldn't help but realize with how nice and supportive the lady was that I hated to see her leave, but I certainly loved her to go in those stockings."

Next 15 chapters are on Patron and Ko-fi
Hey if you like this and want daily uploads and to read early chapters please drop a tip in my Ko-Fi https://ko-fi.com/azazyel22926 or https://www.patreon.com/Azazyel and your precious energy stones, it keeps me working on it.
My commission rate is 15$ per thousand words.