Artemis sighed as she tried once again to tug the hem of the skirt of her school uniform. She had just come from a very interesting winter break to return to another semester at Gotham Academy. Just her luck that the team spent the break fighting a mind controlled Justice League.
Sighing, she decided to take a shortcut through the physical education building to the computer lab to print her numerous writing assignments.
Artemis was passing the gymnastics gym when she heard the creak of equipment coming from inside. Odd, not many people would be here this early. She was because they didn't have a printer in their little apartment and didn't want to fight for it. And all team practices were held after school.
Peeking inside, she found a boy of slim build with messy black hair. He was working on the high bar, doing what she figured was a rather complicated routine.
As she watched, Dick did a triple backflip before landing squarely on his feet.
She was already gaping before he muttered, "Feeling the aster." It echoed through the empty gym.
If Richard Grayson had turned around, he would have seen Artemis' jaw practically on the floor. She had only seen one person pull of a triple backflip under twenty feet, and that was Robin, during their mission to Haley's Circus. He was also the only one that would use "aster" instead of some other expression.
But, Dick couldn't be Robin could he? He always seemed to be this skinny geeky kid. Then there was the other question. If Dick was Robin, then who was Batman? Bruce Wayne? That didn't seem likely. That man always seemed to be a bit of an hair head.
But then again,it was Batman along with Green Arrow that had shown up at the apartment to give her the opportunity to join the team. And was technically Bruce Wayne who had given her the scholarship to attend Gotham Academy, not Ollie. Although she was sure if she had lived in Star City, he would have done that and more.
To say she was unattractive in class was a vast understatement, she barely remembers taking notes. Not that it mattered, she could always use Bette's. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she missed over the last several months. Walking to the bus stop, Artemis cursed. It was so glaringly obvious, looking back. She grumbled about getting Robin, or Dick or whoever the next training practice.
Recognize Artemis B07
Everyone gave her distracted hellos as she walked over to watched Walley try and spare with Robin. Everyone, including her, were in their civvies. Artemis was wearing her usual tight jeans, tank top with a brown leather jacket and boots with kitten heels.
Joining the group at the side of the sparring ring, she asked, "House rules?"
Kaldur shook his head. "The winner of what Robin called ro-sham-bo decides the terms," he said. "Robin won so no speed, no gadgets."
"Loser gives?" She asked.
Kaldur nodded as the two turned back to the match just in time to see Robin deliver a hard blow to Wally's face. While Kid Flash was dazed, Robin swept his feet out from underneath him so the speedster landed flat on his face. "Fail, Kid Flash," the computer announced as Robin cackled.
Wally got up with a groan. " Dude, I thought we were pulling back," he complained.
Robin smirked. "I said no powers and no gadgets. I never said anything about holding back."
Wally groaned again as he headed to the kitchen to grab a snack. Robin grinned as he looked at the rest of the team, asking, "who's next?"
No said anything no one moved. "I'll have a go," Artemis said, causing Robin's grin to becomes more mischievous.
A throw of ro sham bo, Artemis beat Robin's rock with a paper. Artemis smirked, "No weapons, no gadgets and no holding back," she said. When Robin gave a smug grin, she matched it. Ever since joining the team, Artemis held back to make it seem she had only been training for months rather than years. But deciding that now the team knew who her family was, she might as well show them her whole skill set.
For several moments, the pair just looked at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Then they both moved at once. Artemis, however, was just a split second faster and landed a kick to Robin's side. He stumbled back, a little surprised.
"I thought I said no holding back," she said.
Robin's face switched from surprise to his signature grin. "Well, I thought that since you have been since joining the team, I would even the playing field," he told her, ignoring the surprised looks everyone else had. "But since you're not." He said letting the rest trail off as his leaped toward her.
The rest of the team watched as Artemis matched Robin blow for blow. Kaldur realized that Artemis wasn't the only one holding back while sparring with team mates. Both had almost inhuman speed and they were going to be bruised and bloody when this was over.
"Hey guys, it been rather quiet out here. What's goin-" Walley stopped mid sentence when he saw that Artemis was sparring with the bat's protege and holding her own. He stood there and watched with everyone else for several more minutes.
The match ended when Artemis fainted a sweep kick to Robin's legs. He was half way through a backflip when he received Artemis' boot to his abdomen, sending him crashing to the floor. " Fail, Robin," the computer announced while the bird layer there, stunned.
So was everyone else. None of them had ever landed a hard blow on the boy wonder, much less floored him. But Artemis had. She had given blows so hard, bruises were starting to show. She had ended the match with him flat on his back.
They watched as she pulled out her phone. She smiled through a split and bleeding lip. "We'll laugh about this one day," she said as she leaned over him and snapped a selfie. Much like he had done on her first day at Gotham Academy.
Robin smiled as he took the hand offered him. "Figured it out, I see," he said as the archer hauled him up, then the pair winced in pain.
She smiled. "I've been kicking myself for the last few days for not figuring it out sooner." Artemis looked over Robin, noting the many bruises and small cut he had and figured she wasn't any better off.
"Come on," he said. "Let's go patch each other up." The two then stumbled off to the med bay.
The rest of the team stood in stunned silence for a few minutes before Superboy asked, "Did anyone else just see that?"
Before an answer could be given, the computer announced the arrival of the dark knight himself.
Batman looked and the looks on the team's faces minus Robin and Artemis. The missing pair sent a small alarm through his head. He knew Robin had been at the cave for some time. "Where are Robin and Artemis?" He asked no in particular.
"I believe they are in the med bay," Aqualad told him.
Batman turned to leave without further explanation but called Green Arrow in case his protégé was injured.
Various reasons for the two being in the med bay ran through his head. Bay man had always been a glass half empty kind of person and always expected the worse.
A patting Green Arrow caught up with him just as Batman reached the med bay. "What,huff, happened?" He asked.
"I don't know," he said as they heard peals of laughter come from inside.
They entered the room just in time to see the two wince. In Batman's opinion, Robin and Artemis looked like they went a round with the Joker and barely came out on top.
Robin had an ankle wrapped, a small cut on his chin, bruises up and down both his arms and was holding an ice pack to the left eye without his mask. Artemis had her left wrist wrapped, a bruise on her right rib cage, her bottom lip was split on the right side and a still bleeding cut along her hairline. She also had her mask off and bruises up and down her arms.
Neither had noticed their mentors enter the room until, "Robin," Batman let out sharply. "Why is your mask off?"
"Relax, Bruce," the kid said. "She figured it out earlier this week."
Batman relax some, but not totally. "What happened?" He asked.
The two looked at each other. "It might be easier to show you," Robin said, bring up security footage from earlier on his wrist computer.
Green Arrow and Batman watched in astonishment. Artemis fought with a grace that few besides Batman and Robin had. Both men recognized moves from those of the League of Shadows, which with her background was t surprising. They saw moves used by Sportsmaster, a beside and Catwoman?
"Hey, uh, Artemis? Why do you fight like Catwoman?" Robin asked seeing it now on the video feed.
The young archer shrugged. "She's was a friend of my mother's," she told them. "Last I checked she was still my godmother."
Green Arrow sighed. "Of course she is."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "Friends? How'd that happen?" He asked.
Again the blonde shrugged. "Never got a straight answer," she told him.
Robin opened his mouth to ask another question when, " Any more questions can be saved for later," Batman said. "For now, the two of you will report to the batcave. Dr. Thompson will be there to give you a full medical evaluation."
Artemis opened her mouth to argue, but before she could say anything, Robin covered it with his hand. "He's gone all overprotective on us," he hissed into her ear. "Don't argue unless you want to be suspended from missions for month." To that she nodded suddlely in acknowledgement.
Batman sighed as the two started to argue again over who knows what as they headed to the zeta tubes. "You know, it could have been worse," Oliver said.
Bruce glared at him. "How exactly, could it have been worse?"
"Well, remember when you and Superman first met?"
Had it been anyone else, they would have face-palmed.