Chapter 32 - 32 Meetings and Reveals (2/2)

”Please, let me. It's the least I can do considering I am the one paying you”.

The smooth, baritone voice escaped the lips of the man beside her, as he smiled at Zatanna while picking up the broken shards of glass in his hand.

The fourteen year old was speechless.

”I-I, uh, was just about to, um, go over-”.

She felt two hands rest on her shoulders and she let out a deep breath.

”Just relax. It's admirable that someone as young as you wants to work, but sometimes you just have to relax and take a moment to gather yourself. Take a deep breath and clean yourself up. You helped set up my event, this couldn't off been possible without you”.

Zatanna had to tilt her head upwards slightly to look up at the deep black eyes of the man in front of her. His face was familiar to her, but not unpleasant. He left her a lasting smile before turning around and heading to the front of the room.

The fourteen year old watched the older man leave before she felt a hand break her out of her daze. She turned around with a frown but her brow rose greatly at the sight of Artemis and the other members of the Team.

”Zatanna? What are you doing here? And where is Robin?”.

The blonde archer looked at the young magician in front of her whose eyes darted back to the figure that ȧssisted her when she dropped those glasses of champagne.

She shook her head ans blushed slightly but looked at the rest of the Team and spoke,

”Robin is in the kitchens. We found traces of magic at the scenes that Lancer intervened in and followed the traces here. We have reason to suspect that the person who lives here is in fact Lancer, and that he may have some connection towards Rider”.

All the present members of the Team raised an eyebrow with the exception of Cassie, Mareena and Kara. They already knew Lancer's identity, and were about to speak up before the lights dimmed and a familiar sounding voice stood in the only beam of light in the room.

”Good evening ladies and gentlemen of New York. Their are many here tonight who do not know me, yet know of my actions and viewpoints in the short time that I've spent in this city. But I am here tonight to introduce myself, and ask for your help”.

Cassie, Mareena and Kara all looked at Gray's figure at the front of the room, whose eyes lingered over their group for a second longer than it should of.

”It is no secret that in the wake of alien invasions and metahuman threats that the world has been left in shambles. Buildings reduced to rubble, homes burned down to the ground and our cities torn up in the wake of their battles. Even the new hero in this City, Lancer has shown that he is no stranger to destroying the roads with his spear, not that his efforts are unappreciated”.

The members of the Team saw a general round of nods from the audience. Gray continued.

”I, myself am an orphan. My parents are no longer with me, and while not a direct result of alien intervention, I still feel for those who have also lost their loved ones, especially those who do not have the capacity to look out for themselves.

”Children, as young as just a few months have lost parents and been dropped off on doorsteps of complete strangers, some with absolutely no dėsɨrė to look after a child.... which is where I come in. With your help, I want to build a place where said children have the chance to grow up with everything that every other child has. A place where they don't have to worry about abuse, malnutrition, or education”.

Gray lifted up a a cloth on a nearby table revealing a diorama of a building. The name, ”Akashic Academy for the Gifted” was written on the front entrance.

Gray smiled, although even with his many lifetimes of experience was a little nervous.

None of his Heroic Spirits where from the modern era. Although to them, it would've been easy to build both a school and orphanage in their era, to do so in this world, the modern era was much more difficult than it sounded.

But their was also one more thing Gray had to tell them, before they even thought about contributing to this.

”In addition, this school would accept all those who consider themselves as ”Earthlings”. They would follow a new trend in social dynamic, where both humans, and other species could attend. Thanagarians, Daxamites, Martians, Atalanteans, Maaldorians, Dryads, Klaramarians. Any species that consider themselves as citizens of Earth would be allowed to attend this Academy, and treated equally without prejudice”.

The looks of shock on the faces of everybody in the room, including the members of the Team were astounding to Gray. And a couple faces in the crowd looked at Gray with a newfound perspective.

Including a certain member of the Team.