A/N: Yo! Here is the second chapter of the New Titans, trying to update this one pretty quickly as I have gotten very positive feedback overall and it has got a very good reception from readers.
This chapter Red Arrow joins the team and changes his name to Arsenal. Also, they discuss their plans more, and the team go to get their stuff from their mentors as they are moving out, leading to some confrontations between the families and friends.
Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: Still don't own all except what I create
Chapter 2: Of Walking Arsenals and Strategies
Red Arrow was pinned down by one guy. He couldn't believe it, ever since he had walked out on the Team idea that the league was throwing together, things had gone from bad to worse. His temper had estranged him to the very few friends that he had, he had kicked himself out from Ollie's penthouse, and he had accidently insulted Dinah.
These all made him feel pretty crummy and even angrier, leading him to charge into the fold without making any plans and he had started having more and more trouble with what used to be easy opponents.
This led to the current predicament of him being pinned down by one very strong guy throwing everything in his reach at Red Arrow. The few arrows that he was able to get off didn't have much effect as they all bounced off of him thanks to them not being very sharp because of the 'No Kill' rule he followed along with the other heroes.
Red Arrow made a note to himself that if he got out of this, he would make sure to plan before jumping in and also have more trick arrows on hand so that he could avoid situations like these coming up again.
Red Arrow didn't realize that he had spoken out loud until he heard a voice coming from beside him say, "Good plan."
He looked over and recognized Wally in a different outfit than the one that he usually wore. It was all black with a bit of red in it, and had a red lightning bolt in the middle of it. The material was obviously strong and flexible, but he couldn't tell what exactly it was made of.
"Kid Flash," Roy questioned.
Wally shook his head and sighed, "I know how you could get confused, but we basically quit the league and the heroes that we were working with in order to work as an independent team."
"What do I call you then?" Roy asked Wally, searching for some answers at least.
"Call me Blitz," Wally shouted over the next boom caused by a crate impacting the building they were hiding behind.
"Wait, did you say 'we'," Roy questioned, realizing something just then.
"Took you long enough, and also, unlike you, we made a plan." Wally said with a grin as he looked over at Roy.
With that, a wave swept up the man and tripped him and then, before he could get up, a bird-arang impacted the ground by his feet and spread a foam around the feet, trapping him for a few more seconds.
"You do know that only bought us time, right?" Roy asked as he started to move to get another arrow ready, only to stall as he saw a teenager come out of an alley with a scream and punch the man in the face before slamming him into the ground over and over again until the man was unconscious.
"No, it only bought him some time to get in position." Wally corrected him with a grin.
A teenager in an all-black costume with a red bird in the middle of it came off of the roof, and to the left came out Kaldur, now wearing a black armor over the main part of his body and a water-breather on his face like the ones scuba divers wear. The teenager that looked almost identical to superman, only having his hair in a buzz cut and wearing rugged jeans and a black muscle shirt, also walked over after bending a light-post around the criminal. Wally then walked over to the others, completing the new team with his new black and red costume.
"Roy, I'd like you to meet Dick Grayson, AKA Beyonder, Kaldur'ahm, AKA Titanic, and Conner Nanashi [1], AKA Olympian. New Titans, I'd like to reintroduce you to Roy." Wally said with a grin on his face.
Roy quirked an eyebrow, "I'd heard that you quit the league, but I didn't think you were creating your own team, I thought you were just rebelling."
"We are, is the best part." Wally said with a grin, "We quit because we weren't being respected and they weren't taking us seriously. Plus, we did good work as a team and they completely overlooked that without a care for what we wanted to do, even more, we were ordered to quit being heroes. So, now, we've formed a team that will prove that we are better than the league, and that we ARE the new generation of heroes, or, the New Titans, our team name."
"You seem to have it figured out, why come to me?" Roy questioned, having a bit of a clue.
"We want you to join the team," Conner said bluntly, not even bothering to hide the complete lack of care in his voice.
Roy was about to say no when he reviewed what had happened to him since he had gone solo. He had been beaten up several times, getting angrier and starting to drown in his sorrow and anger, and had completely alienated everyone but these four. He couldn't bring himself to alienate himself from these four two. Roy just sighed and nodded his acceptance while Wally and Dick both high fived each other.
They were about to walk away after giving Roy their number and telling him to get his stuff and meet him at the state border, when Wally remembered something. "There's just one thing we need in order for you to join up with us."
Roy quirked an eyebrow at that.
"Lose the Red Arrow name, it's dumb and really doesn't separate you that much from the green arrow posers." Wally deadpanned.
Roy chuckled before chucking an arrow at Wally's head and laughing as he got on his bike and rode off.
With the remaining four the only ones left there, they were free to talk a bit about what they were going to do.
"Okay, Dick and I both have to grab our stuff from our homes and then we'll meet you guys and Roy at the State Border. So, why doesn't Conner go with me and Kaldur go with Dick, allow you two to get more adjusted to this world. Kaldur hasn't been on the surface for long other than for hero work, while Conner hasn't gotten any experience in the real world, meaning this would do both of you some good to have a quick sight see and check out the world and note the way it works." Wally suggested, coming up with an on the spot plan.
Wally saw nods all around at his plans as they all agreed to it.
With that, Wally sped off with Conner following behind on a motorcycle.
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Thirty Minutes later, central city
Wally snuck into his house, wondering if his aunt had head what had happened with the league and how he blew up at them. He winced, thinking of how bad it would sound to her.
Conner, on the other hand, slammed the door open, not even thinking about the noise.
A light flicked on in the corner revealed his aunt sitting there reading a newspaper.
"So, I heard something interesting from the Flash today." Iris remarked, taking a sip of coffee.
Wally winced at the lecture that he was sure was coming.
"And all I can say is this," Iris said, taking a breath that caused Wally to shrink into himself at the lecture he felt coming. "Good job."
"Aunt Iris, I'm sorry, I know you've said to control-wait what?" Wally started and interrupted himself in shock.
"Good job," Iris repeated with a smile, "you've done what we have been teaching you to do and stood up to an injustice that you saw and realized, even if it was from your own uncle. You did what you had to, and I'm proud of you for standing up for it, and you better believe that Barry will have a talking to coming here tonight. Can you believe he tried to talk about this over the phone, and didn't even bother telling me in person? He also tried to paint it as your fault."
"How'd you know it was him at fault though, Aunt Iris?" Wally questioned.
Iris snorted, "Easy, ever since I've met him, he's tried to tell me bad news that he was at fault for over the phone. He's way too predictable, especially as every time something bad happens that is his fault, his remarkable Flash speed seems to fail him, and he doesn't come home for several hours."
Conner coughed in the corner, feeling uncomfortable with what was going on, and realizing that he didn't think either one of the two registered his presence anymore.
Wally and Iris jumped at his presence, realizing that they had forgotten about him. Wally was even more abashed as he forgot to introduce his friend.
"Sorry, Aunt Iris, this is Conner Nanashi, AKA Olympian. He's a new hero on the new team that I put together in Denver." Wally said, knowing she would realize the implications.
Iris sobered up as she realized what that meant. "I knew you were moving out the second Barry told me what happened. There would be no situation other than it that would allow you to keep your pride, and male pride is something that drives every man to some degree." She said as a joke.
Wally sighed, "I'm sorry, Aunt Iris, and I wish that you would have been able to come with us or me stay with you, but I just can't this time."
Iris smiled and nodded before getting up out of her chair and hugging him. "I'm gonna miss you but I understand why you have to do this." She said sadly.
She then turned her attention to Conner, "Take care of him for me, lord knows he can't look after himself." Iris joked with a tear in her eye.
Conner, feeling out of place, only nodded and allowed her to shake his hand before she went upstairs.
"Wally, you better have your things packed and be gone by the time I get up, because if your still here, I can't guarantee that I'll let you go without a fuss." She said as she walked up the steps.
Conner, after a few seconds, just said in a quiet tone to Wally, "Your aunt is a nice woman."
Wally nodded, barely stopping himself from crying at the goodbye he and his aunt had just had.
He took a second to compose himself before saying, "Let's get my things and go."
Conner nodded and followed him to his bedroom.
They left 30 minutes later with Conner carrying a trailer filled with Wally's personal possessions.
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At the same time in Gotham…
Dick finally got back to the mansion in Gotham and saw Alfred waiting at the door in his usual attire of a black shirt and tie.
"Master Dick, I am unsurprised to see you here." Alfred said in his monotone that he used to show how disapproving he was about something.
"Sorry, Alfred, but Bruce has gone too far this time." Dick replied, unwavering but weary.
Alfred just nodded, "Not to worry, master. I agree with you in this. Bruce has pushed it too far this time. He has allowed his issues to overtake his common sense and forced you into the position where the only thing that you could do is what you did. You handled the situation remarkably well, it is Bruce who was out of line, and it has, yet again, cost him another son."
Dick cracked a sad half-smile at Alfred. "Thanks, and I hate to have to do this, I'm gonna miss you, but Bruce was just unreasonable."
Alfred nodded firmly. "I have already packed all of your things and gadgets that were in the cave. I also packed two fridges of food, one for your team and the other for Master Wallace."
Dick smiled and said, "You're the best, Alf."
Alfred just gave a self-assured smile and said, "Quite."
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A few hours later, they were all together. Roy had come on his motorcycle that he used to get around when he wasn't in his hero uniform, Wally and Superboy came in a truck that they had bought with money they had procured from a drug bust along the way to the meeting point (along with a trailer), and Kaldur and Dick came in an SUV with a trailer on it.
"So, we ready?" Wally asked, looking around and seeing if they would all still agree.
Roy just sighed, "Wally, we've come this far and got all our stuff, no one is backing out at this point."
Wally nodded in relief, but Roy speaking up reminded him of an issue they had talked about earlier. "Roy, what's your new hero name?"
Roy smirked as the other four looked on curiously as to his answer, "Call me Arsenal, the living armory."
"…Damn that's cool." Conner muttered in grudging respect, wishing that he had thought of something cooler than Olympian at that point.
They talked for a few minutes to solidify their plans before they got in their respective vehicles and started the long journey to becoming their own heroes…
Done!
I hope that you all enjoy this. I am very pleased with the performance of this story, and I hope that the readers of it continue to enjoy it in the same way that they have been.
As always, please read and review!
