A/N
Sort of after writing Trapeze Boots, I randomly thought 'what if Batman had to shut the team down? How would they react?' And, as they say, the rest was history! I hope you enjoy reading this story! (Which is quite a bit different than the usual YJ story). Aaaaaaand, it's been sitting in my docs for a while collecting dust...I figured, what the heck! I haven't published anything lately, so I hope this will whip me into shape (if anyone has any sort of way to break writers block, I would love the advice!)
Also, if you have not watched the Youtube video Nightwing watches Teen Titans Go, you have to! It's hilarious!
And please, keep the people of France in your thoughts in this time of hardship. Pray for all those affected by the attacks, and those still suffering.
Summary: When the League cuts the Team's funding, they need a way to get cash. Oddly enough, Conner is the one with the idea. It helps that Robin's famous and the Team knows how to sew. Plus, their great physical shape makes them the perfect models.
Song(s):
Finally Moving- Pretty Lights
Disclaimer: Ownership? Ha! I would be publishing my own comic books if I did! (That is like my life goal- to publish my own comic book, which obviously, would be about superheroes...I'll let you guys know if that ever happens!)
The Fashion Magazine
Chapter 1
Batman's a downer and Conner's Big Brain
Robin stared at the spot Batman had been occupying long after he left. He felt his heart sinking, lower and lower until it went right through the floor. He could already see it; the Cave lights slowly flickering off, Zeta shutting down-slowly drowning his second home in darkness. The empty pit in his soul where his friends company used to be; he didn't think he could handle it.
He took in a deep shuddering breath, because someone had to tell the rest of them, and it sure as heck wouldn't be Batman. So with a blank face and stiff walk, Robin made his way from the hanger to the kitchen where the Team sat enjoying M'gann's first batch of unburnt cookies.
M'gann immediately noticed his silence and stopped talking, waiting for him to tell them what was wrong. One by one, the rest of the Team noticed and stopped talking, turning to look at him, until only Wally was left chattering and shoveling down food. He paused when Artemis glared at him.
"What?" Wally looked at himself worriedly, then back at the irritated archer. Artemis rolled her eyes, pointing at Robin, who smirked despite the situation. "Duh, Boy Wonder wants to tell us something, Baywatch."
Robin nodded in confirmation, hands tucked behind his back, clenching his cape. "Batman, uh, informed me that, as of now, due to the little League funding and less need of covert operations-urgh!" Robin angrily paced, swearing internally.
He decided to drop the bomb. "They've cut our funding."
"WHAT!" Wally shouted, jumping out of his seat, soon followed by Artemis. Kaldur merely raised a questioning eyebrow, while Conner yelled and punched a hole in the floor. Megan slowly drifted into her seat, clutching the worn edges tightly as her eyes closed sadly. "Why would they cut our funding? Haven't we already proven ourselves enough?" Artemis raged, knuckles turning white as she glared a hole in the ceiling.
Kaldur silently agreed with her, but still did his best to act as the mediator. "It is not that we haven't proven ourselves, but rather that we have. The League feels we have outgrown this operation; they also find it unnecessary for our Team to continue as they have been given full permission by the government to capture and question villains on sight and go undercover in military operations."
Artemis growled, arms crossing angrily. This feeling of rejection was too closely familiarized with her father. "I don't care what the League thinks, they still need us!"
"There is no way I'm going back to just being a sidekick," Wally added while furiously munching on the extra cookies. "We've done too much good for them to just shut us down! If they don't want us, I say forget them!"
"But, maybe they're right," Megan whispered, hugging herself. "What if we have outgrown the Team? What if-what if we're just a distraction?"
"No." Robin furiously shook his head, a sort of burning anger pulsing in his core. He flipped onto the counter, a burst of determination taking over. "I refuse to believe that all we've been is a distraction. Look at all the good we've done! We can't just stop here and think it'll be okay! What about the other teenage heroes that pop up? What if they don't have mentors, someone to guide them down the right path? They might not be able to control their powers, and the League will just take them down because they're 'too dangerous'.
They don't understand teenagers because they're adult hero's; many of them didn't get their powers or start the career until they were fully grown! They don't understand the dilemma, the difficulty of fitting in when in civvies. Don't you all remember what this Team was created for? Conner," the boy jumped, not expecting Robin's sudden change in direction, leaping from the counter to the table to stare him in the eyes. "You were just created and already fighting for your life! When you were freed from Cadmus, what was the first thing Superman did?"
"He rejected me." The boy of steel angrily glared at his shirt symbol, a familiar anger filling him. "And they're still trying to control me, to control all of us!"
"Exactly!" Robin was pacing on the table, an idea forming in his mind. "Wally, Kal, what did the League do to us and Roy when they promised to make us real heros?"
Wally sneered at his half eaten cookie as Kaldur answered. "They promised to show us headquarters, but-"
"-it was a lie!" Wally interrupted, foot tapping on the ground at super speed. "They treated us like children, as if we wouldn't understand the importance of keeping the Watchtower secret. As if our many years as League member partners meant absolutely nothing!"
"Artemis-"
"-I know what they did," she said, cutting him off. Her face was downright murderous as she clenched her fists. "They threatened me, with my mother, that if I didn't join, they'd take her, take me away from her."
"My Uncle J'onn promised to train me, spend time with me on Earth to make up for his absence on Mars, but-" the martian girl wiped her eyes discreetly. "He never really did, always saying he was busy with the League. And because of that, I lost control of my powers during the failsafe exercise, and-and put everyone into so much pain."
All around the table Robin now stood on, the Team was realizing something, something important. Robin decided to speed up the process. "Despite what they've said they'd do, what they've promised time after time, it's never been the League who's made this Team-it's us. We're the one's that have worked hard time after time, pushing past our limits, missing school and losing friends for this Life we've chosen, been chosen for.
If the League says they won't fund us, then who cares? We can fund ourselves. We don't need the League-we've been independent all this time without realizing it!
Sure, Black Canary's been training us, but we can get our own trainers, ones who won't mess around. We're the Team, we're Young Justice, and like heck we're going to depend on anyone else!"
Wally pumped his fist up, shouting "YOUNG JUSTICE!" The rest of the Team echoed, spirits raising high as a new spark entered their souls.
"Uh, guys?" It was Megan who brought them all back down to Earth. "Where are we going to get this funding?"
Wally groaned and slammed his head on the table overrun by books, fingers aching and eyes throbbing from flipping through said books at super speed. Artemis had dark circles under her eyes, fingers tapping on the keyboard as she searched the internet alongside Megan. Kaldur diligently took notes from an old textbook, and Robin was perched on Conner's head, eyes scanning the holographic screen as the boy of steel snoozed with his face buried in a magazine.
It had been a week since they had proudly made their declaration, but the search process so far was proving frivolous. Kaldur had no idea how money in the surface world worked, and neither did Megan. Conner was proving to be one of the most knowledgeable on the subject (behind Robin, of course), and Wally was sick at staring at words that swam in his vision (Artemis seconded that). Batman had given them a months notice, and Robin could feel the stress dragging the whole Team down.
"Dude," Wally moaned, leaning back in his chair to prop his feet up on the table, slipping, and falling backwards as the chair tipped over. Wally groaned, covering his freckled face with his hands, "I am so not feeling the aster."
Robin smirked widely, snickering as his friend pulled himself up and put his words to good use. "Then get traught, Wally; we need to be whelmed to find this answer."
"Could you both shut up?" Artemis dug the heels of her palm into her eyes, green tank top snagging on the desk. Megan sighed, trying to block out all the negative emotions.
Conner suddenly shot up in his seat, forcing Robin to flip off. "Megan, your timer just rang."
"I'll go get the cookies," Megan rose out of her seat, floating through the wall.
Robin sighed, going down into the splits to research some more (because why not?). Wally disappeared for a second and then was back in his seat, munching on a ham and lettuce sandwich. He flipped through another three books in five seconds before whining again. "Rooooob, this is pointless!"
"No KF," Robin glanced up at the redhead before narrowing his eyes at the screen again. "We're just not looking hard enough-the answer has to be here somewhere!"
Conner yawned, popping his back while flipping through his magazine. Silently, Robin glared at him with a smoldering gaze. It took Conner a moment to realize, and another to identify the eyes. He then proceeded to glare back.
"What?" he growled, defiantly flipping another page. Robin's eyes narrowed. "We need to focus on research, Kon, not-whatever it is you're looking at."
Conner glared at him, glancing back at the magazine with crossed arms. Megan entered the room and dodged Wally's initial grab for the sweets, giggling at the pouting boy, managing to evade his further attempts for the cookies to present some to the rest of the Team.
"Conner!"
The Super clone ignored him, staring at one of the pages wide eyed. Wally snickered, sharing a glance with Robin. "I think the magazine broke him. Oh, what horrendous image has ruined our innocent Connie?"
Artemis rolled here eyes, comping on one of the warm, gooey treats. "It's not like Cadmus finished teaching him regular teenager stuff, you know."
Robin grinned, cartwheeling to his feet and patting said boy on the shoulder. "It's okay Supey, lil Robin's here to teach you!"
Wally snickered, discreetly high fiving his friend.
For once, Conner ignored the taunt, raising his eyes to meet theirs. "I think I found that solution, Robin."
A/N
Soooo, what did you think? Hopefully chapter 2 will be up soon? Questions, comments, concerns? Click the pretty box at the bottom, it loves you too!
Kisses!
Alyss