Despite all of my extreme training with Bruce, despite all of the life-threatening situations the two of us have faced, I can almost feel my insides trembling as I move forward. I'm cautious, ready to spring backward at any moment if she decides to do something to try and harm me. I can sense the three other teenagers who are randomly assisting me becoming confused, and maybe even a little scared, behind me, wondering why I'm walking toward this obviously hostile, obviously alien being and putting my life on the line. The truth is, I can't really even explain it myself. I just feel compelled, somehow. Some part inside is telling me 'you have to help her'. And so here I am, crazy, reckless Robin, going forward on a stupid hunch like this and risking his own neck in the process. Just like I always do. I never learn.
As I move closer, her hands leap into the air, glowing a bright lime green with some kind of strange, obviously deadly energy. Once again, she shrieks something in that strange, garbled, strangely beautiful alien tongue that I can't for the life of me understand, and as usual, she sounds like she's going to rip my throat out with the nearest sharp object at any second. I can't help but panic slightly, holding up my hands to show that I mean no harm. I mutter something that I hope is comforting, because I'm way too distracted to pay attention to words at the moment. She continues to hold up those glowing hands in an intimidating manner, glaring at me thorough fierce, glowing green eyes. Intense eyes. This is no soft little girl. This is a warrior. I can see it in those eyes. It intrigues me somewhat even though she is, at the moment, making me jumpy beyond all reason. I cautiously fish a small tool out of the utility belt I always wear around my waist and reach forward between the glowing hands that pose such a threat to me, that could probably blow me to bits at any moment, and stick the end of the tool into the keyhole on the strange handcuff-like devices she is wearing. The hands make no move to destroy me, and with a quick twist of my device the bonding mechanisms fall with a metallic clink into the street.
I see that her eyes are no longer glowing that violent glow, and relax just a bit, though still on edge. I have to be ready for anything. Her eyes are now a soft, lime green, with dark lime irises and pale lime whites. Strange eyes, but that's what I should expect. Strange and somewhat beautiful, though I don't allow myself to think of it for more than a second. I can't let myself get distracted.
She runs a hand over each wrist, rubbing them where I know they're probably sore from the harsh metal bondage. I watch her with curiosity. She even moves differently than I do. There is something oddly delicate and graceful about the way her hands move. She hair is long and deep red, and hangs down her back, swishing slightly with ever motion, no matter how minor.
She looks a bit less dangerous now, almost what I could imagine being the invisible ghost of the beginnings of a faraway smile on her face. I give her a 'no problem' smile back. And then suddenly, she's moving. My first thought is to jump into action, to fight back, to protect my own life, but she doesn't hit me. There is no pain. My lighting-fast reflexes aren't needed. She only grabs the back of my neck, not roughly. More impatiently than roughly and…what's she doing?…she pulls me a little toward her…
She kisses me.
I'm not exactly sure what to make of this. It definitely blows what's left of my mind. I met this girl about an hour ago, and I've been locked in fierce combat with her for the better part of that time, and now she…she kisses me? I'm so surprised that I don't even push her away like I normally would. I just stand here, like a moron, staring off into space. The speed of her coming at me when she went to kiss me pushed her mouth open slightly. A fraction of a centimeter. I can feel the slight wetness of her on my lips.
God.
She only kisses me for a moment, I'd say about seven seconds. When she pulls back, her eyes are glowing again, though I don't feel quite as endangered this time. I am still completely dumbfounded.
"You will leave me alone now!" she says, and I'm surprised that she's speaking English. I didn't know she knew how. I wonder why she didn't before. Her words seem to be directed toward all of us, and they seem more defensive than threatening. And then she rockets off into the air, flying, another skill she apparently has. We watch her go. Or at least I do. I don't know about the others.
Why did she kiss me? Is it some strange custom where's from? Is it like a truce? Like a white flag? Like a threat? It certainly…felt the way a kiss is supposed to. Was there something behind it? Some feeling? Was it nothing? Why am I getting so worked up about this? 'It was just a kiss, Robin' I tell myself, pulling myself together and turning to face the others.
They're an odd bunch. But hey, I'm pretty strange myself, so I don't mind. There's a short, very young looking boy with green skin who wears a strange looking wrestling mask. He goes by the name of Beast Boy, and he has a habit of calling me 'sir', no matter how many times I ask him not to. He's apparently left the Doom Patrol recently.
There's a tall, black teenager a bit older than me. He seems relatively normal, but something about him tells me he isn't. Maybe he has supernatural abilities or something of the sort. He's been very mysterious the whole time, keeping the hood of his gray sweatshirt up all the way.
And then there's a girl who I believe calls herself Raven. Strange indeed. Long blue cloak, hood always concealing at least half of her face, very pale skin. Quiet. Somehow, unshakably trustworthy, and I've only said a few words to her. Something about her just makes you want to trust her. She also has incredible abilities from what I've seen. Something along the lines of telekinesis, if I'm not mistaken.
I look at the three for a moment. A strange little makeshift team. I left Bruce not too long ago and came to Jump City from Gotham in hopes of finding some solo work. It turns out I can never do anything without somehow picking up some sort of temporary team along the way. I really don't think I'm cut out for the whole solo thing.
This little group has its weak spots. Every group does. But for the time being, we're all each other's got against this strange, mysterious alien who has been causing destruction all over the city for the past hour or so.
"we've got to go after her," I say, and the others look up as I address them.
"So what do you think you are, the leader or something?" the tall, hooded boy asks me. His voice is very cocky as he says it. I can already tell he resents authority as much as I do. I can't help but like him.
"Somebody has to be. Now, let's go," I say, motioning with my head in the direction the strange red-headed alien went.
"You just hope she'll give you another kiss," he says, this time in more of a sarcastic, joking kind of a voice. I let it pass over me and start moving in my direction. Let them follow if they want. But then I stop. I can't just go off without them. As far as I'm concerned, for the moment, we're all in this together.
Is he right, though? Do I want her to kiss me again?
I can't think of that right now. I need to concentrate on other things. I turn to these three teenagers, who are, for the time being, my team, so we can figure out what we're going to do next. I pull my mind away from thoughts of that strange, intriguing alien girl. I don't need to focus on her.
Because after all, it was just a kiss...right?