November 25th: Two weeks and Six Days Later, at Watchtower...
'That Barry, he just has to open his big mouth and bring up Doctor Fate into the meeting!' Wonder Woman thought to herself, glaring at the speedster after they had all voted on who would be joining the Justice League. Not only was the Amazon glaring at him, but Superman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Aquaman, Hawkwoman, Zatara and even Captain Marvel were giving the Speedster cold glares. The rest of the heroes, which were Captain Atom, Hawkman and both Green Lanterns, simply walked right by, giving Flash disappointed looks on their faces before leaving the Meeting Room to either head back to their homes or be in their quarters to rest. The only one who didn't give Flash a glance was the Dark Knight himself, Batman. Flash looked rather ashamed on bringing Doctor Fate into the meeting, knowing that his big mouth really screwed things up for the rest of the Justice League, especially when they were all trying to bring some happy moods by celebrating Thanksgiving with their protégés at Mount Justice after the meeting over.
It has been proximately two weeks, six days, nine hours, forty-two minutes, and seventeen-seconds since Robin had put on the Helmet of Fate. A short, yet long time had passed since some of the Justice League and Young Justice Team had seen their Little Bird before he vanished without a trace. The moment Zatara, Captain Marvel and Red Tornado told the news to the rest of the Justice League, they were all devastated from hearing the child, who they all thought of as their own nephew or son, had sacrificed his body and own life to a magical helmet to bring their dimensions back together. The moment they were told the news, darkness seemed to have appeared to the both Mount Justice and Watchtower, and the sunshine seems to have also vanished with Robin. Because of that, many of the League have been mourning over his absence and some of them are still mourning after days that had passed.
Today seemed to pull on everyone's heart chords, since they were discussing on who they should have as part of the Justice League, and when Flash brought up Doctor Fate... Well, nobody was sure how to respond. Especially Batman. And speaking of the Dark Knight, the whole League and the Team were completely startled at his new attitude and appearance. Well, on the outside, he seemed more darker and angry than before. But if they look very carefully through the cowl and lenses, they can perfectly see a pained and depressed man who just lost another family member who was very important to him. The words from Doctor Fate on how he had treated Dick and how much the boy still loved him, it seemed to had hit him directly at the heart and had made him realize how much he wish to have the child back and tell him about his plan on adopting him. But now, with that chance completely gone and the boy to forever be the host of Doctor Fate, he was now facing the consequences of his actions and decisions.
As the Dark Knight heads towards one of the Zeta-Beams, Wonder Woman decided to talk about the issue.
"This has got to stop," she said. The other heroes gave her confused looks on their faces. "This has gone long enough."
"What has, Diana?" Superman asked.
"This, Clark!" She yelled, right after the Watchtower announced Batman's departure. "Ever since our Dimensions had been brought back together, we have all been a wreck after hearing the news about Dr. Fate taking over Robin! And since then, Bruce has been more distanced lately and much colder!" The other heroes turned to stare at one another, knowing that the Amazon was right. "We just got to do something and fix it."
"You mean try to get Dr. Fate to release Robin?" Captain Marvel asked, looking a bit uneasy about her words. "We tried to get him to release Dick, but Dr. Fate was really stubborn and picky when some of us tried to offer ourselves to be a new host and replace Robin."
"I'm afraid Billy's right, Diana." Giovanni said, looking rather sad. "Nabu can be very difficult to convince, especially since he has been waiting for someone to put on the helmet after years of not being used."
"Even if the world may need Dr. Fate, Giovanni, we need that boy more than Athena could offer." Tears were already forming in her eyes, so she had to turn her back to League to try and wipe away the tears from her eyes. She then felt a hand being placed on her left-shoulder, which got her to turn and see it was Dinah.
"Diana," she said. "We all know how much Richard is to you, because we have all bonded with the boy ever since he was first introduced as Robin at the age of eight." The Amazon simply shook her head.
"I don't just think of him as a nephew, Dinah... He's like a son to me, my own child, whose also an angel created by the Gods, themselves."
"And maybe that is why the Helmet of Fate chose Robin as his host." J'onn said, now gaining the League's attention. "Not only is Robin gifted in fighting, but also bonding with others around him."
"Not only that, it's because of him that they were able to rescue Conner and have him as one of the Team." Aquaman reminded.
"Heck, he's the main reason why the Team had been made... Let alone, the main reason why we have our own sidekicks." Flash added, his eyes widening from underneath his suit and having a sad smile on his face. "Boy, for a kid, he sure made a big difference to all of us."
"Yeah, he sure did." Superman said, turning his gaze towards the Zeta-Beam that Batman just went through. "But I think out of all the people he had changed, I think there's one person he had changed the most of all."
Wayne Manor, in the Batcave...
Bats flying and screeching could be heard throughout the whole cave, as the night flyers took off to different areas of the cave. Even though the bats had always flew around the cave as a routine they follow, they seemed to be flying much longer and moving to different locations much more often than usual. And to Alfred, as he slowly came down the steps with a tray held in both hands, he could tell from down below that the bats seems to be... Well, searching for something since it doesn't seem they're looking for food or finding a better place to hang around, besides staying away from the dark presence that dared to take comfort in their home. The butler knew very well what the bats are looking for... Or better yet, who the bats are looking for. The elder shook his head sadly, watching the bats kept flying in the air and screeching to help guide them while they continued their search.
'They won't be able to find what they're looking for,' he thought to himself. 'For Master Bruce is also having the same problem they're having.'
Though it may not seem possible but ever since Dick had joined the crime-fighting business and while spending some time in the Batcave, the boy had very much bonded with the bats in the cave and helped take care of them, like he did with the circus animals when still living at the Haly's Circus, and they seem to see him as one of them, just as they did with Bruce. Ever since Bruce had came into the Batcave without Robin and when a few weeks had passed, that was when the bats started flapping and seemed to be searching for their Little Bird within the cave or would venture out their home when night would befall to them.
And speaking of the billionaire playboy, Alfred finished the last steps of the staircase of the cave and made his way towards the Batcomputer where Batman, with his cowl down to show his face as Bruce Wayne, was searching through security cameras of the Arkham Asylum and/or Gotham City Police Department for any signs of villains that could be hatching up a plan to escape and attack the city at any moment. However, just behind the numbers of security cameras, was an image of the Earth from the Watchtower, with a red-dot scanning through the image.
'He's still looking for him...' Alfred then set the tray down on the counter to the right of Bruce. "How did the meeting go at the Watchtower, Master Bruce?"
"...Fine." That was the butler's only answer, while the billionaire kept his eye on the screen and still typing onto the keyboard.
"Making files for the new members, Sir?"
"Searching, Alfred. Already have the information of the new members."
The butler slowly shook his head, letting loose a deep sigh from within. He then placed a hand on Bruce's left-shoulder, right when the computer on the screen said UNKNOWN.
"Master Bruce..." He said, gaining his charge's attention when the screen told them it couldn't find who the billionaire is looking for.
"I have to keep looking, Alfred." Was all Bruce said, as he pressed the 'CONTINUE' button on the screen and has the red-dot scanning through the image of Earth once more, which was probably the seventy-sixth times for the last four nights straight.
"Master Bruce, he wouldn't want you to push yourself anymore than you already are by looking for him, when he's obviously in hiding." Bruce ceased his typing from the butler's words, but kept his eyes on the screen.
"No, Alfred, he would want me to keep looking for him and I'm not going to give up on my search." He told the elder. Already one-third of the image of Earth was covered in red and the red-dot kept on going, with not much of the image showing the slightest hint of changing or even catching the slightest hint of the one who the Dark Knight's looking for.
The butler knew that the young-adult was wasting his time continuing on his search, for he knew that the Ancient Sorcerer is staying hidden to prevent his own arch rivals and enemies from locating him, and will only come out whenever evil strikes to disrupt the balance and order of Earth. He then pulled the tray towards Bruce, sat it on the counter and pulled the lid off of the tray, which had shielded a part of the Thanksgiving dinner he had made for the both of them.
"I've brought you your dinner, sir. I thought you would like something to eat, since I cannot recall the last time you ate."
The billionaire turned his gaze to his dish, staring at the turkey leg, bread roll and mash potato with gravy in wonder, but then cast it aside and turned back to the computer screen.
"A human can last for days without food, Alfred." He explained to the butler, as two-third of the Earth's image already covered in red and was nearing to the bottom. "With a broken heart and a damaged soul, however, makes it harder for the human to move on and keep living." When the world was covered in red, the screen once again showed UNKNOWN and the option 'CONTINUE' if he wanted to continue the search. Bruce pressed 'CONTINUED' again, and the red-dot did the search all over again.
Alfred seemed a bit upset on how his oldest charge has rejected the food he had made for him, but he also seemed hurt and mad at the same time at him doing the whole search on the image of Earth from the Batcomputer for the last seventy-seventh times in the row. The butler pushed on to get Bruce out of the cave, even if it may seem hopeless and may end up getting one of the League members to get him out of the Manor, like how the meeting for new members of the Justice League was able to get him out of the house earlier today.
"You should stop and get some rest, Master Bruce, it's been a while since you last got any decent sleep." He placed a hand on his older-charge's right-shoulder, giving it a couple of short shakes as if to snap him out of his trance on the screen. Bruce neither noticed or felt Alfred's presence that time, for he continued on staring at the image of the Earth being covered in red by the red-dot circling the image of the planet. The butler tried again. "Sir, you should try and get some sleep for another day to come." Again, the billionaire didn't respond or acknowledged his word or presence. Alfred felt anger building up inside, and was growing impatient from his eldest-charge not responding. "Master Bruce, I insist that you get out of that chair and head right to bed, this instant."
When Bruce didn't reply for the third time, Alfred suddenly had enough and did something that he had never thought he would do for a long time: He pulled Bruce's chair around to have the billionaire face him, grabbed for the cape and Kevlar-shirt to pull him out of his seat and, clenching his right-hand into a fist, gave him a punch in the face, which caused Bruce to lean away from the butler's grasp and fall to the floor when Alfred released him from his grasp.
Bruce didn't know what to say; he was completely speechless to what his butler, his father who had raised him from the age of eight when both his parents were killed, had struck him. He knew that it wasn't a disciplining slap in the face, for he had grown out of being disciplined by his father-figure when he was fourteen and would fix the mistakes he would make. Having to be punched for after many years was a huge shocker to the billionaire and all he could do is place a hand to where Alfred had struck him and still at the elder, not knowing what to say, until he would explain to why he had struck him.
Alfred's blue-eyes held anger when he made eye-contact with Bruce, but the blue-iris' held more than just anger: They held pain, sorrow, regret... But most of all, grief and hope. The moment he caught his breath, he lowered the hand he had used to bring the Dark Knight down.
"This has got to stop," he said. "I cannot stand to see you like this any longer. Ever since you returned from having to fight Klarion and some of the other dark sorcerers and had announced that Master Richard would be taken the role of Doctor Fate to spare Master Zatara and Mistress Zatanna from the dreadful fate of being separated, you changed back to the cold hearted man who only fight for vengeance before the Young Master came to our lives: You mostly appear as Batman, hardly as Bruce Wayne, you work with very little sleep and food, always up at the Watchtower for Monitor Duty and had even injured criminals much harder than you usually do, which includes having most of the Villains of Gotham in body casts for six months!" He then came over to Bruce and grabbed for his shirt again, only to pull him back to his feet. "If I know Master Richard, he wouldn't want you to be doing this to yourself, to overexert yourselves until you would eventually drop dead and have his sacrifice go in vain." His words had been heard loud and clear, but Bruce still held the gaze of lost and loneliness when he turned his gaze away from the butler to the ground underneath them. Alfred didn't bother to move his elder charge's face to face him again, knowing that he was listening. "Do you want his effort to go to waste, if you were to get yourself killed on trying to find him as an Ancient Sorcerer?" It took Bruce ten-seconds to answer by shaking his head.
"No," he whispered. The billionaire then lifted his gaze to the computer-screen behind Alfred, where it said the same for now the last seventy-eighth times: UNKNOWN. When he had regained his footing, he gently but firmly removed Alfred's hands off of his shirt and slowly made his way towards the Batcomputer. He then placed both hands on the counter of the keyboard and stared down at the buttons that were labeled in numbers, letters, or whatever symbols that should to control the computer. He simply stood there for a few minutes, his back hunched and his arms at times shaking from having to put a lot of weight on his upper-body. When he had finally lifted his head to stare at the screen that held the same 'CONTINUE' option on the screen, he let out a deep sigh and then lifted his right-arm.
At first, Alfred thought he was going to grab the mouse and then have the computer scan the Earth all over again, but he found himself wrong when he watch Bruce's hand moving over the mouse and pressing the power button of the computer, turning the Batcomputer off and one of the biggest lights in the cave. The only lights remained left on are the ones hanging over the ceiling, but not high enough to reach the bats' sleeping spots.
The light hanging above Bruce allowed Alfred to watch him turn away from the monitor and slowly make his way towards the elevator to lead him back to the Manor through the grandfather clock. The butler stayed where he stood for a few minutes, watching his eldest charge heading towards the elevator without giving him a single word about his action on turning off the Batcomputer. Right when he was about to take his first step after the billionaire, Bruce ceased his walking and then did something that startled the butler and some of the bats from above: He lifted his right-hand and after forming it into a fist, he punched the door of the elevator and caused a dent to form on the left-door. His knees then buckled and caused him to fall to the floor, having him sitting on the floor on his knees and his fist to glide down from the dent he had formed. Alfred immediately went to his side.
"Master Bruce, are yo-" Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by the man he had raised as his own son and was met by a sight he had rarely seen in all of Bruce's life: Tears. Tears of sadness, of sorrow, of pain and hopelessness.
"I need him, Alfred." Bruce stated, not bothering to get himself off the floor and staring up at his father-figure, as if he were eight years old again. "Besides you, he's all I have left on this Earth. He may not be my son by blood, but he is still my son in every other way possible... I was so scared and worried that something bad had happened to him when he and the rest of the Team had vanished, right in front of my eyes."
He then used his left-hand to reach for something underneath his Kevlar-shirt and pulled out what looks to be a necklace connected around his neck, which the small silver-chain had a small-pendant of a robin with its wings spread out to show it was soaring through the air. On the other side of the bird was an inscription, which said 'Ready to Fly, Born to Soar'. While on the front of the bird said, 'R.G.', which were Dick's first and last name initials. He clench his fingers around the pendant and held it to his chest, right at the center of the bat-symbol of his Batman-costume.
"Blood or not, Alfred, he is a part of me... Just as I'm a part of him." The butler stared sadly at his elder charge on the floor, pouring out the emotions he had kept inside of him for so long, and then made his way towards Bruce like he was about to do before he gave the elevator door a punch. "That's why I have to keep searching, Alfred. I need him; Batman needs his Robin to stay sane and Bruce Wayne needs his Dick Grayson to bring life back to our home, and to bring hope for both the Team and the League."
Alfred bent down to Bruce's side and had both of his arms to rest on his shoulders, with his left-arm going around the billionaire's back, giving him a comforting hug that he would give to Bruce whenever he needed to be reminded on what purpose he has in life with his parents gone.
"I understand, Master Bruce." The butler replied and, with his arms still around the billionaire, he helped the young man to his feet and pressed the up button on the right-side of the elevator. "I know how much that boy means to you, along with the rest of the friends you had made and the hero group you had formed with. But you must also realize that you are not the only one mourning of him gone."
The two doors then slide open, which was sort of a surprise that the left-door was still able to open from the dent with no problem whatsoever. Alfred then guided Bruce into the elevator, bat-suit and all, and the doors closed behind the two, taking them up to the Manor.
"Everyday on the news, whether it shows the Justice League or the Young Justice Team, I could see them struggling to keep their faces calm or happy, when they're still mourning over the lost of Master Richard." The elevator then reached its destination and the doors part from each other, revealing to show the two men now inside Bruce's Study. "I am very certain that this is not what the Young Master wants you all to do, especially you." He then pulled Bruce out of the elevator, which allowed the grandfather clock to come back down from hanging over its spot when someone pulled on one of its chains or are coming up from the Batcave, and then Alfred walked him out of the study. He then lead them both down the hall. "He would want us to care of one other, watch each others' back... Sort of like how his family would do, back when he used to live at the Haly's Circus." Without warning, Bruce ceased his walking and had the butler stumble from the sudden halt of his eldest charge. "Master Bruce?"
Alfred noticed that the billionaire's gaze was to their left and when the butler turned his gaze to whatever Bruce was staring at, his heart sank when he saw that it was a door that caught the billionaire's attention... The exact door that leads to Dick's Bedroom, which used to be Bruce's room when he was a child. In slow movements, Bruce lifted his left-hand and laid it against the door.
"Five years, Alfred. For five years, he came into our lives and made us to the people we are today." He turned his gaze towards his father-figure and, for the first time since he came back from the mission and told Alfred the tragic news, Bruce gave him a smile. "He changed Batman from being a cold hearted vigilante, to a crime fighter who fights to protect others. He also changed the Justice League from being just an organization, into a group that rely on one another and to be closer than teammates. He was even the reason to why we have partners to this day and having them form their own hero organization... He changed so many people in very little time, even at a very young age, and I doubt nobody would want to have an exact day of him not being here and to not have entered our lives."
He then turned his head back to the door and bowed in shame, the smile now gone and had been replaced with a frown. The hand on the door into curled around the wood and slowly glided down the smooth surface, leaving a small trail of nail-markings when his nails dug into the wood. Alfred would had scolded him for ruining the door, but he knew that the billionaire is suffering and it would actually be wrong to punish him for actually showing signs that he's grieving instead of holding it in and taking it out of others.
"I should've put on the helmet before we left. If I had known that they brought the Helmet of Fate with them, I would've put on the helmet to prevent any of them to become Doctor Fate's host... Now I see why Zatara was having doubts on letting Zatanna to join the Team: He was afraid on losing his daughter, his only child, from a mission..."
He recalled the conversation they had together, right before the team vanished from their sight and how they were getting very close to being desperate on bringing the Helmet of Fate from the Adult Dimension.
Flashback: November Fifth; Mount Justice...
Batman, Red Tornado and Zatara stood a couple feet away from the Bio-Ship, watching the team unloading creates and boxes of items that Batman had told them to get.
"Did you get everything?" The Dark Knight asked M'gann, watching her levitating two boxes above her head that looks to be holding food and grocery bags after Conner came out of the Bio-Ship with a large-crate on his back, for he knew that the Martian had most likely made a mental note on the stuff he had asked the team to get.
"Everything on your list, Batman. Plus, groceries." She replied, placing the box from her left to the ground, where Wally ran in front of when she mentioned about the groceries.
"Cookie Fixins?" Wally asked, leaning over the box and looking for what he had asked, since they all had to get different stuff from different stores.
"Snicker Doodles." M'gann answered, smiling and watching how Wally was acting like a kid, like he always do.
"Babe, you rock my world." Dick, who was watching the whole scene while helping Kaldur with some of the boxes, shook his head from his friend acting like a kid when he is a fifteen year-old teenager, whose soon-to-be a sixteen year-old on the eleventh of November. While he and the Atlantean went back to moving the boxes or the items within the boxes Batman had told them to get, the elevator doors slid apart and both Artemis and Zatanna came walking into the garage of the mountain.
"Glad you're back, Zatanna." Artemis told the fourteen year-old magician, as they made their way towards one of the boxes that needed to be unloaded, after having to change into normal clothes instead of having Zatanna to do so. "Does this mean you're officially joining the team?" Before Zatanna could reply, her father's voice caught both her and Artemis' hearing.
"Tup hcae meti ni sti reporp ecalp (Put each item in its proper place)," the older-magician said. With a wave of his wand, he levitated two small-crates towards their storage-area. While he did that, Red Tornado created a... Well, 'red tornado', underneath the third box towards the direction of the other boxes.
"I don't know. Zatara's so overprotective. I mean, just getting him to let me visit takes a full day's wheedling. I wish he'd just give me a little space!"
As the two girls talked and with the help of his cowl to listening in on their conversation from a far distance, Batman made his way towards one of his mentors that had helped him in his training when he was at the age of fifteen, who had noticed that his daughter and friend were having a conversation.
"I'm glad you brought Zatanna, old friend." Batman stated, thinking and hoping that Zatara had agreed to what they discussed about before Red Tornado left with Torpedo and Inferno. "Does this mean you'll allow her to join the team?" The magician turned his head to face the Dark Knight he had helped trained to become 'the Night' itself to this very day.
"I do not know," he replied. "Zatanna's so!…" He then let out a deep sigh and looked down. "My only child. I wish I could get used to the idea that she's, uh, growing up." He then had his green-eyes seek for the eldest and youngest of the team, who were helping on putting away groceries and keeping an eye on Wally, knowing that he would sneak a bite or two if he were to put away the food by himself. He then turned back to Batman. "What about you and Robin? Have you talked to him about the... You know?" It was the Dark Knight's turn to turn his gaze to the floor and have him look uncertain underneath the cowl.
"Not yet," he replied. "We've been busy lately; with Bruce Wayne and Richard Grayson going to Charity Nights and having to work at Wayne Enterprises and Gotham Academy, along with Robin and I taking care of Gotham and with League Missions, I never brought up about-... I haven't even asked him on how he would feel if I were to make it official." He also lifted his gaze to stare at his protégé, his partner... His son, helping their temporarily leader with the remaining food in one of the largest boxes, smiling brightly and having a friendly conversation with Kaldur. Batman then felt a hand being placed on his right-shoulder, getting him to see it was Zatara to gain his attention from watching over his Little Bird.
"You should go and tell him," he said. "I have a feeling that he will say accept your offer and would want to be part of your family." The Dark Knight let out a deep sigh and shook his head, having the ground to gain his attention again.
"I don't know, Zatara. I'm just nervous and scared that he would refuse my offer or would be hurt if he were to think I'm trying to replace his actual father and family. Besides, I'm not the kind of guy who deserves 'the Father of the Year Award'... I feel like I just don't deserve him, period." The magician gave the Dark Knight a sad smile at his words and patted his shoulder with the hand that was still on him.
"You'll never truly what he really wants unless you ask him, Bruce." He then turned back to the teens, to the girls still having their own conversation and the boys and M'gann putting the items away. "Trust me, it would be best to do it sooner than later. The next thing you'll know, he'll be all grown up and will probably head out into the real world." Zatara's words actually scared and haunted Batman, which had him thinking of Dick as an adult and having all his stuff gathered in a suitcase to leave the Manor and to head out into the world of danger. The magician could sense something was wrong with his young pupil when he received no reply of his explanation. "I see that you don't want him to walk out of your life, don't you?"
That time, the Dark Knight gave a small short shook of the head, which Zatara felt from his hand on his shoulder.
"It's always hard for a parent or for parents to watch their children grow up and leave them, even if that child is not really that parent's child by blood, but that's sort of what life is to many people... However, there are children who have decided to remain with their parents and family, and all had worked together to continue a better life for them all." Batman lifted his gaze from the floor to meet with Zatara, giving him a surprised and puzzling look. "Perhaps, it's most likely, that Richard and Zatanna, along with the rest of the team, will be one of those children who will remain with their families and never part away."
The Dark Knight then gazed at his Little Bird for the moment, which got him to smile at the thought on having Richard to remained in his life for many years to come, and then turned back to face Zatara, who also had a happy look on his face. However, it soon changed to a serious look.
"However, Bruce, you mustn't waste any more time on asking him because if you don't tell him soon, something will most likely happen and he may be gone in a split second."
The Dark Knight thought about what his mentor has told him, making up a decision if he should listen to Zatara and ask Dick or simply ignore the magician's suggestion and wait a while longer to ask the boy.
For somebody to be the World's Greatest Detective, he sure have a problem on accepting suggestions from friends or allies of the family when it involves with family problems or anything that has to do with his life-style as Bruce Wayne. He knew that Zatara was right and that he should ask the thirteen year-old about the paper he's been waiting for Dick to right his signature if he agrees to his suggestion, but he was still worried that he could be going a bit too fast on asking something that could crush the boy and possibly destroy their bond they've created the moment the boy came into his life at the age of eight.
On the other hand, Bruce didn't think that having the boy to come live with him at the age of eight after being at the Juvenile Detention Center for three weeks wasn't that fast and Dick didn't seem to mind to be living in a stranger's home, though Bruce and Alfred had to help bring the boy out of his shell and get him to be sociable again within a month or two before he grew even more withdrawn and became antisocial from having to be beaten by the guards or older kids/teens from the Detention Center.
Even though that it had taken a long time for Dick to be the boy he became to this day, it took a very short time for him to have a special place inside of Bruce's heart when he came into the billionaire's life. In fact, more than half the Citizens of Gotham claimed that Bruce became a better man ever since he brought the boy to live with him and when he would visit any of Wayne Enterprises' buildings and Wayne Tower, he actually brought a happy atmosphere and the workers were more friendly and getting the job done much quicker than usual... However, the rest of the citizens believe that the playboy was simply using the boy and a couple of rumors stated that Dick was nothing more than a plaything to the billionaire and a few other things that nobody, especially a child or a preteen, should ever have to hear or say at all.
Batman knew that Zatara was right and knowing that he has to ask Richard before that time comes, he decided to give Zatara's suggestion a chance. So, he turned his gaze back to the Magician from underneath the cowl and gave a couple of nods to him.
"Alright, I'll tr-" Before he could finish his sentence, he noticed that something wasn't right. He wasn't sure why, but he felt something odd in his heart and his soul felt like somebody or something was trying to break or pull him in half. Not only him, but Zatara could also feel something bad was about to happen. Thanks to his parental instinct, he Zatara could tell that whatever is coming, it was most likely going to involve Zatanna and the team to its scheme.
The Magician then heard a faint chant, like a whisper, replaying itself over and over again.
Wir sind die Pfeifer von Hameln!... Wir sind die Pfeifer von Hameln!... Wir sind die Pfeifer von Hameln!... Wir sind die Pfeifer von Hameln!...
'"We are the Pipers of Hameln"?' He wondered, understanding and remembering his German translation that the chant was in German and recognized that the chant has been used from a German Folktale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, which was about a ratcatcher who lured away town's children out of spit of not being paid, though he was called "Rattenfänger" instead of "Pfeifer" in German. And in that chant, he recognized one of the voices belonged to... Zatara's eyes widen in horror when he realized that it was Klarion, the Witch Boy and four other sorcerers casting a spell, most likely.
Before he could say a word to the Dark Knight of his senses or the voices, his worst fear and realization had already started to happen.
It started off with Wally, M'gann and Conner. Wally and M'gann were standing at the box that still had groceries in it, while Conner was carrying the last crate from the Bio-Ship with his right-arm. Before any of the mentors could see it coming, the three suddenly vanished within a quick flicker of light, a lot like when somebody were to teleport, with the crate Conner was holding to land roughly onto the latch of the Bio-Ship.
The next horrible moment was Dick and Kaldur, who both were carrying a smaller box of food towards the direction of the elevator to head for the kitchen by both sides of the box. Since he was the oldest and is the closest on being nearly as strong as Superboy, Kaldur lifted most part of the box. While Dick, who was the youngest but had more potential, lifted as much weight as he could with both of his skinny arms.
When he had watched three of the teens vanished, Batman turned his gaze towards the boy and the Atlantean, hoping that the teen and preteen wouldn't fall for the same fate the other teens. Sadly, the Dark Knight's prayer hadn't been answered and the two had vanished the same way the others did, leaving behind the box they'd set down when they were about to lift it up and get a better grip on it.
The third and most horrifying sight to Zatara, was when the last two females of the group had vanished when the Magician tried to turn and see his daughter and her friend before they would vanish like the rest. Unfortunately, he was a second too late to see his daughter and was only able to see two lights to flicker from his sight and to disappear from the two spots Zatanna and Artemis were just at.
"Zatanna!" Zatara cried, fear and worry coursing through his body when he found his only flesh and blood gone from his sight. Red Tornado, who was putting away some more crates with his tornados, ceased his working when he had felt something odd going on with his circuits and the sound of one of the crates falling to the ground.
When the Team had rescued him and had helped him and his siblings, Red Inferno and Red Torpedo, defeat Red Volcano, he had told Robin and Wally to installed a small device within his circuits when they went to rebuilding his body, so that it would act like a tracer in case when any of them or all of them goes off missing while on a mission and if none of the League's technologies could find them, then he would be able to use that device in his systems to track the team down, as long as they still have their tracers installed on them or their suits, that is.
When Zatara cried out his daughter's name, that's when the android grew worried and when he didn't hear any of the team's voices or any sound that indicated they had also stopped working, he turned his head and found that the team were gone. The only ones in the room are Zatara and Batman, which one was in a panic on what happened and the other who seemed to be calmed but also seems to be having trouble to stay calm. Zatara turned to Batman, fear held within his green-eyes.
"We have to find them, Batman! I fear something bad will come to us all when I had heard that chant inside my head." Underneath the cowl, the Dark Knight narrowed his eyes and raised an eyebrow but to Zatara, he could only see him narrowing his eyes in confusion.
"Chant? What chant?" It was no surprise that Batman hadn't heard the chant and Zatara could tell that Red Tornado was also confused when he had mentioned about the chanting, because only Magicians and Sorcerers could hear another Magician or Sorcerer's chanting anywhere on Earth, no matter how far that Magician or Sorcerer may be.
"It's a chant that had been used in a Germany Folktale, but that's not what worries me. It's the ones who had chanted the spell... And I'm afraid that one of those chanters, is Klarion the Witch Boy."
Hearing of the Witch Boy sent anger to flow through Batman's blood, knowing on how the Witch Boy could cause so much trouble with his childish games. Knowing that there wasn't anymore time to waste and that they had to find out where the team was taken to, the Dark Knight walked around the Magician and quickly stride his way towards the Briefing Room to start searching. While making his way towards the room and knowing that Zatara and Red Tornado would be joining him soon, he pressed the Communicator on his left-ear to contact to the Batcave.
"Alfred? This is Bruce. We got a problem: Dick and the Team had been taken away and Zatara believes that Klarion is behind to all this. I need you to trace for the Tracking Device I installed into his Utility Belt and let me know you finished tracking for him, I'll be tracking for the team with Zatara and will alert the League about the Team."
"Right away, Master Bruce. I shall alert Barbara Gordan about the news and have her help us search for the young Master and the Team... I do hope that we find him unharmed and soon."Batman let out a deep sigh he held within his lungs, hoping to calm down and to not panic while looking for his Boy Wonder.
"Yeah, I do too, Alfred." After giving the butler the orders and once he was in the Briefing Room, he pulled up an image of the Earth and had the Epicenter pulled up. Just as he predicted, Zatara came running in. "You ready?" The Magician nodded his head and held up both of his hands, with his left-hand holding up his wand, towards the holographic globe of the Earth.
"Etacol Retnecipe rof ym rethguad!(Locate the Epicenter for my daughter!)" The red-dot quickly scanned through the holographic Earth at a fast pace, at times stopping at the many places to where the homes of the heroes are at or to where the Zeta-Beam are located in. However, after fifteen-seconds on waiting, it just stopped. Then, the Epicenter then popped up an image of Zatanna in her own Magician-uniform and held up '?' beside her image.
"ERROR: UNDETECTED! ZATANNA ZATARA, NOT FOUND!"
The computer's words of choice and sudden information startled the two heroes, not believing what the computer just said.
"How can that be possible?" Zatara wondered, as he tried to do another spell. "Etacol retnecipe rof Simetra!(Locate Epicenter for Artemis!)" Like it did for Zatanna, the red-dot quickly scanned through the holographic Earth for Green Arrow's second protégé. However, just like the same results, Artemis' image came up and had the Question Mark next to her.
"ERROR: UNDETECTED! ARTEMIS CROCK, NOT FOUND!"
The two heroes were beginning to worry and Zatara tried again. Only, he was going to do the rest of the team, not caring if their results would be the same.
"Etacol Retnecipe rof Dik Hsalf! (Locate Epicenter for Kid Flash!)" Fifteen-seconds, the same results.
"ERROR: UNDETECTED! WALLY WEST, NOT FOUND!"
"Etacol Retnecipe rof Ssim Naitram!(Locate Epicenter for Miss Martian!)"
"ERROR: UNDETECTED! M'GANN M'ORZZ, NOT FOUND!"
"Etacol Retnecipe rof Yobrepus!(Locate Epicenter for Superboy!)"
"ERROR: UNDETECTED! CONNER KENT, NOT FOUND!"
"Etacol Retnecipe rof Dalauqa!(Locate Epicenter for Aqualad!)"
"ERROR: UNDETECTED! KALDUR'AHM, NOT FOUND!"
A mixture of rage and fear coursed through Zatara's body when they all ended up in the same results.
"One last time," he said. "Etacol Retnecipe rof Ni-!" Before the Magician could call for the last name of the Team's member, Batman's voiced stopped him.
"That's enough, Zatara." He said, who seems to know what the results are going to be if Zatara did call out for the spell to look for his protégé. He mostly didn't want to see the image of the boy in his Robin-suit with the Question Mark next to the image and have to hear the computer announced him unable to be found, just like the rest of the team. "If not one of the team have been located, then it's obvious that he won't be found as well." He then heard a small beep coming from his right-ear, which meant that Alfred had finished scanning for the said Boy Wonder. He then pressed on his communicator. "What do you got, Alfred?"
"I'm afraid that I can't find the tracking device for Master Richard anywhere on the planet, Master Bruce."
"We know, Alfred. Zatara and I can't find anything for the team, which possibly means that Dick isn't on the planet, as well." He then turned to Zatara, who looks to be ready to do the spell and ignore his orders to look for Robin, anyway. However, he respected the Dark Knight's request to stop and stayed quiet, his gaze staring at the image of those he asked the mountain's computer to locate with hurtful eyes, mostly staring at the picture of his own daughter.
Batman then turned his attention back to the communicator, which still had the butler on.
"I do hate to bring up more bad news, sir, but I'm afraid that Barbara Gordan isn't picking up and I also did a scan for her... She is also missing and nowhere located on the planet."
"What?" Batman said, gaining Zatara's attention and confusion. "What do you mean she's gone, too?" Before Alfred could reply back, Superman's image on the holographic computer-screen popped up.
"Bruce, Zatara, we have a big problem on our hands." The Full-Kryptonian replied, looking rather worried and scared.
"Yeah, Clark, we know: The Team has disappeared and we can't track them anywhere on the planet."
"Uh, actually, I wasn't referring to the Team." The Kryptonian replied, sounding a bit confused but more worried from hearing the team have gone missing. It was pretty clear that Batman and Zatara couldn't handle anymore bad news, especially when it doesn't involve the Team that has their kids in it, but must be given information of a problem that's most likely connected to the Team's disappearance and could give them some sort of edge to push forward.
"Well, then, what are you referring to, Clark?" Both Zatara and Clark could hear and feel the anger coming out of the Dark Knight, knowing that he wanted to know where they've taken Dick and wanted him back or something bad will happen.
"Well... You both may want to look what's on the news right now," was all the Kryptonian said and his image was then gone before either Zatara or Batman could ask him why.
Knowing there was only one way to find their answer, Batman brought up the news, which showed Cat Grant sitting at her desk, with a small image that showed two images of two children: One was most likely a boy with short-hair, and the other was a girl with ponytails. Above the figure said, 'WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN?'. Cat Grant looked very worried and also terrified, but she was able to keep her voice to speak normally while given the heartbreaking news.
"World Wide Reports are all the same: Every child, under the age of eighteen, has disappeared. Parents are desperate for answers. From secular and religious leaders, from the heroes of the Justice League, and from scientists at facilities like S.T.A.R. Labs."
After Cate gave the news, both Magician and Dark Knight turned their gazes to each other, knowing that they have a big problem on their hands.
"It seems that the Team aren't the only ones that have gone missing." Zatara stated, now completely positive that the situation is being caused by some of their Sorcery Villains.
"Think you can find the location to where the sorcery is coming from, like you did for the Injustice League?" The Magician nodded his head and held up both hands towards the holographic Earth.
"I'll get right on it." Zatara then concentrated his magic and spoke the exact words he spoken when he was locating the Injustice League for the Team. "Etacol Retnecipe fo Yrecros! (Locate epicenter of Sorcery!)" Instead of having the epicenter declaring the sorcery to not exist, the small red-dot turned the holographic Earth and landed to where it detected the sorcery. "There, Roanoke Island."
The Dark Knight nodded his head when Zatara had given him the location and went back onto the holographic computer to contact the rest of the League at the Watchtower, leaving Zatara to head for the one room that has an item that may help them for a fight that would soon come once they reach Roanoke Island.
He was able to make contact with the rest of the Justice League, especially sending a connection to Roy's communicator at Star City, and told them about the sorcery being found at Roanoke Island. However and unfortunately, they all had to take care of their hometowns and other cities on the Earth to calm the adults, with their children gone and their emotions preventing them from listening to reason until their children are returned to them.
The only one who seemed available was Red Tornado, who wanted to search for the Team more than helping the citizens to calm down, along with him having to care and understanding the Team from being their den mother. The other available hero was Captain Marvel, but there was a problem: Nobody had seen the Greek God hero ever since the children had vanished and weren't sure where he was at the moment.
It seems that it was going to be one of those difficult missions Batman was going to face, even with Zatara and Red Tornado to fight at his side, for the sorcery had to be done by more than one or two sorcerers to be able to accomplish on his or her own.
When he had finished his conversation with Superman and some of the League, the Dark Knight made his way towards the direction to the Trophy Room, which Wally had dubbed it and had placed some of their own 'souvenirs' from their previews missions. He knew that he would find Zatara there, because on the shelf held what was actually a temporarily souvenir until Wally finds the perfect candidate to become the new Doctor Fate. Just as he suspected, the Magician was standing in front of the shelf and staring at the Helmet of Fate. Not afraid or startled to have the Dark Knight come walking in from behind, Zatara turned his gaze towards the Vigilante.
"So… How desperate are we?" He could tell that whatever news that the Dark Knight has at the moment wasn't good news at all.
"I informed the Watchtower you located the focal point at Roanoke. But the rest of the League is deployed to avert the chaos. Tornado, you and I are on our own."
Yep, definitely not good news to be listening to, especially when it's coming from the Dark Knight, himself.
"I would do anything to get my daughter back." They both turned their gazes towards the golden-helmet, which was staring back at them through its empty slit-eyes, both knowing the consequences if either one of them were to put on the Helmet of Fate but would gladly do so if it would have them defeat the sorcery and bring all the children back to the Earth, especially their own children.
"Yes. But we both know there are many ways for you to lose her." He knew that those words were not what Zatara wanted to hear and he knows that he would do whatever takes to get Dick back, but Batman knows that he was right and that Zatara shouldn't be thinking about using the helmet.
"So… Not that desperate. Not yet." Batman nodded his head, knowing that it wouldn't be wise to bring the Helmet of Fate with them and even if they did, there would be a possible chance that they shouldn't had brought the helmet in the first place. "The entire League is unavailable?"
They made their way out of the room, heading back to the Briefing Room.
"Except, perhaps, for Captain Marvel. He's missing."
That was a major problem, especially when they needed all the help they could get to stop the spell and bring their children back, with the rest of the Justice League taking care of the problems on Earth to calm the citizens down until they get the children back. Nevertheless, they'll figure something else to defeat whoever was the cause of this sort of sorcery. For now, they had to call in Red Tornado to come to the mountain and to get ready to leave for Roanoke Island.
"RECOGNIZED: CAPTAIN MARVEL, 1-5!"
From hearing the announcement of the missing League Member, both Zatara and Batman turned their attention to the Greek God hero, who just flew his way in and had just landed in front of them.
"All right, guys! I'm here to-!" When Captain Marvel realized that it wasn't the Team and are actually Batman and Zatara, the first two adults he had finally found ever since Uncle Dudley and the rest of the adults at Fawcett City had vanished, he launched himself forward and pulled the two adults into a bear-hug. "You're back! Is it over? Where's the team?"
He was too excited to have found them, that he didn't noticed the anxious and worried look they both held until he placed them back to the floor and Zatara spoke to him.
"Haven't you heard?! Every child in the world has-!" A realization sudden hit the Bat.
"Zatara, wait." He said, stopping Zatara from finishing his sentence. "Captain, where have you been?"
"On a world without grown-ups!" It then hit the Greek God hero in the head. "Holy Molly! There are two worlds!"
"Two dimensions." Batman stated. "One for adults…"
"And one for kids!"
"And you can travel between them?!" Zatara asked, feeling a new sudden relief spreading throughout his soul and refined hope building up in his heart. If that were true and that were the case, then Zatara would be more than satisfied and gratified to Captain Marvel if he were to head back to the Children's Dimension and let Zatanna know that he was alright and to know that she was okay.
"I think I can… I know I can! Shazam!"
At the ending of his word, a bolt of light-blue lightning struck down and just like that, he was gone. With their fingers crossed, Batman and Zatara hopped that he was with the Team at their Dimension. Within a few minutes, a bolt of lightning came back down and Captain Marvel was back, with a big smile on his face and definitely good news to tell.
Even though they wish they could just bring the Team back at the moment to fight along side against the sorcerers, they knew that defeating the sorcerers is far more important than to waste time bringing the Team back that would eventually end up with epic failing. The moment Red Tornado finally came in, Batman and Aqualad what they were up against and how they should take care of it, with Captain Marvel popping back and fourth to both Dimension as a messenger.
"There will be threats in both dimensions, and we may not be familiar with our opponents-" Batman stated in the Adult Dimension.
"But the key to this mission is a coordinated simultaneous attack." Aqualad finished from their Dimension.
"Agreed. Our best chance against sorcery is to strike fast, disrupt their efforts-"
"And hope the two dimensions merge naturally back into one." With their plan and objective made and create, both adults and young heroes ended their discussion and left to head for the Roanoke Island of their own Dimension.
Batman wanted Captain Marvel to tell Robin 'to be careful' and 'to not do anything stupid', but they had no time for another instant messaging and the sooner they get it over with, the faster he can be reunited with his son and have everything back to normal... Unknown to him that it was going to be last time he was going to give the boy with his team an order.
End of Flashback...
Remembering the past brought no comfort to the Billionaire. It simply brought the unbearable pain back into his heart and filled his mind to the one thing that may haunt him for the rest of his life and had given him such terrible nightmares: He never gotten the chance to tell Dick that he loves him and that was the last time he seen his son.
"I've lost my own child on that mission and I'll never see his bright smiling-face ever again." Just like in the Batcave, Bruce fell to his knees and then released the tears he had tried to hold in. Alfred, who fell to his knees with his eldest charge, allowed the Billionaire to cry on his shoulder and grieve over the lost of their Little Bird. "Alfred, I lost my son! My child is gone! I failed him as his father!... I'm a terrible father!"
It was a devastating moment and the whole scene going on in front of Alfred also brought the butler to tears, allowing himself to cry with his son over the loss of his grandson-figure.
"It's not your fault, Master Bruce." He said, knowing that the preteen wouldn't want Bruce to blame himself for what happens. "Master Richard gave himself up, willingly, to bring families back together, just as he want it to be before Klarion and the other sorcerers had used a spell to separate parents from their chil-"
"What about us, Alfred?!" Bruce didn't mean to yell at his father-figure but the butler's words didn't bring any comfort in the least, only reminder to one of the main reason he became Robin. "What about this family? Our family has been broken! Dick is the main source to how we became an actual family in the first place! Without him, we're no longer a family! We're just a playboy Billionaire, who owns one of the greatest companies in the world, and a butler, who used to work for the government before he went into cleaning an empty Manor!" Bruce then lowered his Navy-Blue eyes to the ground underneath him, with the pendant of the robin hanging off the chain of his necklace and dangling in the air. He then lifted his left-hand towards the small metal-bird and clenched his hand around it like he did down at the cave. "We can't go back to who we were before he came into our lives... We need him back home... I want him back home, Alfred!"
His demand for his child to be return was simply overwhelming both he and the butler, with one of them in denial and the other nearing his end on keeping his cool.
"Master Bruce, you know that it isn't possible for us to-"
"I want my son back, Alfred! I want my child to come home!"
Bruce was definitely losing it and in the state that he's in at the moment, Alfred had to go through extra measure in case the Billionaire would do something foolish. With his elder-charge still in moaning for wanting his Little Bird back, the butler quickly pulled out a needle full of sedatives that he secretly kept in his right-pocket ever since Bruce started looking for Doctor Fate on the Batcomputer and then inserted the needle into the Billionaire's left-arm that he curled against his chest. The sudden stinging in his arm caught his attention and his eyes then caught sight of Alfred's right-arm wound in front of his chest, with his right-hand in a fist and clenching onto a needle with light-grey liquid inside.
"Alfred?"
"It's alright, Master Bruce." Was all the butler told his elder-charge, watching as Navy-Blue eyes began to grow heavy from the sedatives taking effect. "Everything is going to be alright, I promise. For now, you must sleep."
Bruce didn't fight back the sudden drowsiness. In fact, he embraced it and allowed its strength to pull him into a sleep that he desperately needed after having no sleep for many nights. Right before he went to his land of dreams, he spoke his last word that was still on his mind.
"Dick..."
December Thirtieth: five Weeks Later, at the Tower of Fate...
He was somewhere dark and cold, yet he was warm and he could see perfectly well, even with his eyes closed and his body in Lotus Position, while he was in deep meditation. Within his mind, was darkness as well, but he could also see something within that darkness. While in meditation, the preteen sensed the only presence in front of him reacting to something it sensed, when he felt something odd.
"Nabu?" The boy asked, silently getting out of his Lotus Position and into standing, staring up at the Helmet of Fate in confusion.
"I sense trouble to befall upon the Justice League, boy." The helmet replied, as the slits of the eyes began to glow with white-yellow light. "I sense chaos approaching, restrains preparing to consume their hosts... And an unknown traitor that will enter the Watchtower."
Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes widen in horror from the news, knowing that whatever danger Nabu sensed has got to involve with Klarion, for he is chaos personified... And, 'the Mole' that's been going on with the Team before Dick put on the Helmet of Fate, has got to be someone who he never thought would be the traitor but should've been so obvious.
And so, the boy took a deep breathe and closed his eyes again into his meditation state, only he remained standing within the spotlight shining down over him instead of his Lotus Position. He then set his mind through the list of his teammates to find out who could be 'the Mole' Roy was speaking of:
First one to come into mind was Wally. Though he and the Ginger had been friends nearly five years, Dick had to go through the 'whole' Team, no matter how innocent they would be. Wally was only Barry's nephew from him being married to his aunt, Iris. He constantly asked him to become his partner, but Barry kept on refusing and told him that he would never make him his partner. However, after waking up from a coma while performing the chemical-experiment that gave Barry his Flash Powers, did Barry finally made him his partner. Five years later, when they both, along with Kaldur and Roy, found out that the League were keeping secrets from them and not trusting them to help out, did it trigger the same rejection the redhead gotten from his uncle four years ago and have him go behind Flash's back to do the investigation of Cadmus when it was caught on fire, along with ignoring his mentor's orders whenever they fight crime in Central City. However, despite the rejection he had to go through in order to become his hero's partner and having to hear everyone mix up his name, he would never betray his friends or family, especially hero-family, to simply get respect. Besides, Wally isn't really ready to become a Justice League Member and he the one to be quick to forgive ones action or decision. So, that ruled Wally out.
The next one is Kaldur. Long before the incident with Clayface five months and two days ago happened, the Atlantean had been acting strange lately and because of him being distracted, it nearly gotten the whole Team killed a few times from their previous missions and Clayface would've succeeded on getting rid of them once and for all, if Batman hadn't came in and defeated Clayface before he was given the chance to kill the Team. It turns out Kaldur misses Atlantis, but is mostly thinking about his crush, Tula. Because his head hadn't been in the game lately and since he hadn't been to Atlantis in over two months, Batman told him to make a decision: Either to stay at Mount Justice, or return home and leave the Team. At first, when he returned home, it seemed that he was going to choose to stay in Atlantis, until Tula told him that she and Garth, his best friend, were now a couple when he had admitted his reason to stay in their home. But then, when the attack in Atlantis came, that was when Kaldur to understand Batman's method: Get Your Head in the Game. And so, after saving Atlantis, Kaldur had decided to remain with the Team as leader and return to the Surface World, though he will still come by and visit his friends. His loyalty to his friends, who are also like his own siblings, was what made him their older-brother figure and to no possible chance he was the Mole. Even if 'the Light' were to convince him that they could have Tula love him, he would never turn his back against his family. So, that made him safe.
Then, it was Conner's turn. On the Fourth of July and back when it was just Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad, they found the secrets about Cadmus and about 'Project Kr', Superman's Clone. Having to be made in case something were to happen to Superman if he dies or if he goes against 'the Light', that was all Conner knew about himself until the three young heroes convinced him that they could introduced him to the Man of Steel and could show him more than Cadmus and the G-Gnomes could present to him. Though the G-Gnomes brainwashed him and controlled him into leaving them, Aqualad's words and Conner's Super hearing broke through the G-Gnome's control and with his help, the four of them broke out of Cadmus and even defeated Dr. Desmond when he drank some of the chemicals that was for 'Project Blockbuster'. It seemed that it was because of Conner that they were able to form the Young Justice Team, along with each of the boys' words that tells the Justice League that they're not going to abandon each other and will be doing it again. Though Conner has chosen freedom, there would still be a chance that he's still under Dr. Desmond's control. But, still, that doesn't make him 'the Mole' if he's still under control by Dr. Desmond, for the Team would be able to find a way to free him from his control. So, he was off the hook.
Fourth one to come to mind is M'gann. She may be Martian Manhunter's niece, but according to Roy, J'onn has many other nieces and nephews and he never really knew her until he found out she snuck onto his ship before he went down to Earth. She also told the Team about the Green Martians and the White Martians on Mars are at war with each other and how she wish for the two Martians to get over their difference and simply live in peace amongst each other. Though she appears sweet and kind, along with wanting to be part of the Team to help out, she seems to be hiding something from them and it seems to be something to do with her appearances whenever she would morph her skin in her human white-skin without noticing until someone would bring it up and startle her that she's now white. There may be something she's keeping from the Team, but like Kaldur, she's loyal to the Team and thinks of them as her own family, which also results her to not be the traitor or the Mole.
The last one is Artemis. She became Roy's replacement and Green Arrow's new protégé, pretending to be Ollie's niece to keep her identity cover. However, Bruce had already told Dick that her family are criminals: Her mother's an ex-con, who used to be 'Huntress' until an accident from a mission caused her to lose her legs and sent her to prison. Her father's 'Sportsmaster' and her sister's 'Cheshire', who are also known as 'Lawrence "Crusher" Crock' and 'Jade Nguyen'. Unlike her family, Artemis didn't want to be a criminal like the rest of her family and with her mother also wanting her to not follow the same path she had followed, the young-archer wants to join the Team to protect her mother and stop her father from having to take over the world with 'the Light'. Because of that, there was no way that Artemis would be 'the Mole', even if her father or sister were to convince her to join the family business.
With all of his Teams and friends ruled out, with not counting Zatanna in for the incident had been made before she came and joined the team, Dick was completely stuck in a pickle and wasn't sure if he truly ruled out all of his friends.
'I know that I've ruled out everyone, but why do I feel like I'm missing something?' He wondered, trying to think very hard to find out 'who' he forgot to check out. As if he heard his question, the Helmet chose to answer.
"You went through the list of your team mates, but you did not go through the list of 'all' your hero friends."
Dick opened his eyes to stare up at Nabu in confusion.
"Who? Barbara? But she isn't part of the Team yet and Zee wasn't even on the Team before Roy brought up th-"
He then paused in his own sentence when he said the third name of one of his friends he didn't check over: Roy, whose been going on his own as Red Arrow. The preteen then found himself thinking about the older-Ginger to gain some answer to his question: Is he 'the Mole'?
Like himself, Roy has been taken in by a Billionaire when his parents and Brave Bow died at the age of ten and was then adopted by Ollie at eleven years old, which the blonde then made him into his partner after the redhead found out about him being Green Arrow. By the time he was twelve, that was when he first met Dick and Wally at Superman's Cave of Solitude, along with their mentors and the rest of the Justice League. After spending three months together and having to form a bond so deep, they became honorary brothers and the Justice League their make-shift family. Two years later, Kaldur came along and joined the group as another brother. From that moment on, they made a vow to always be there for one another and to never betray their make-shift family. Three years later, things changed, which was on the very day of 'the' day they would become Justice League Members to fight along side with their family. However, it seems that the League weren't going to give them that chance, since they were all still too young to become League members, with Roy close to becoming eighteen in four months and Kaldur a year and three-fourth away to become a young adult. After he told the rest of the protégés about the League's true base is in space, along with how they're treating them like sidekicks and that they should earn more respects, that was when he quit being Speedy, Green Arrow's protégé, and stormed out of the room. The moment he threw down his hat in front of Ollie and left the Hall of Justice, it also meant leaving his home in Star City and starting his new life as a Rouge Hero...
Dick's eyes widen in horror when he came to realize to why Roy left, along with refusing to join the Team but offering to help whenever they needed an extra archer on the Team or when he needs some help from his honorary brothers. He also realized on how Roy seemed to hesitate when he was offered to join the Team, because he seemed like he really wanted to join the Team and fight along side with his brothers, but then snapped and declaring that he didn't want to become a babysitter to a bunch of preschoolers. Dick then knew that something was wrong with him, because back when they would tease each other, Roy would never speak low of them or anything to purposely insult them and it seems from the sound of his voice he's been told to say those words before he vanished within the shadows of the alleyway.
The boy's needs felt like lead all of a sudden and his knees began to buckle, indicating that he's about to collapsing. Before his knees to even began to bend, the Helmet of Fate's slit eyes glowed white-yellow and shined down on Dick, freezing him falling to his knees, and gently helping him to a sitting position.
"Have you found the answer?"
Once the glowing light was off of the preteen, Dick nodded his head and his eyelids lowered halfway down to cover half of his Cerulean/Sapphire-eyes in regret.
"I never thought he would be the one." He whispered, his voice cracked in fear, but knowing that Nabu would still be able to hear with his voice echoing through the darkness. "But, then again, I should've known about his strange behavior and why he wanted to go out by himself, even from the day he stormed out of the Hall of Justice." He then looked up at the Helmet of Fate. "Isn't there a way to prevent this danger from coming true?"
Again, the helmet's slit-eyes glowed with the white-golden energy, but they remained within the slits for only a few minutes, until they were blinked away.
"There are only a few options that will help prevent the vision from coming," the helmet replied. "The first option is to capture the actual Mole and find the answers to why he plans to betray the League." Dick thought about the plan and thought it would be a good idea, but know that there are some errors to that plan if Roy is working for someone. So, he chose to put it on hold and listen to the next option. "Our second option will be heading to the Watchtower and warn the League about young-archer being the actual Mole." The second option made the preteen seem a bit uncomfortable, since he would help Roy out before he goes to the League for help. Besides, he may not be able to handle seeing his surrogate-aunts and uncle and then will have to leave them when it's all over. So, he crossed the second option out. "The third option will be warning your Team about the vision and have them help us from prevent the vision to happen."
The third option brought in a pain in his heart, which aches to see his teammates who became like his own older-siblings ever since they created their own group. Knowing that it would be best to get help, but not wanting to have them get involve that may end up getting them... Well, killed, Dick had to make a decision.
"We can't tell the League," he said. "Even if they were to capture Roy, they'll still be in mortal danger and Klarion will most likely attack them if he and Roy are both in some sort of diabolical plan."
"Agreed. And even if they knew of the Witch Boy's plan, they will still fail to stop him." The helmet added. "Then, what of the other two options?"
The boy was still having trouble to choose between the two options Nabu has gave him and he knew that if he chooses the wrong option, then they'll make the situation even worse and that would spell 'disaster' to them and to both the Team and Justice League.
'What should we do? Which should I choose? Confront Roy on our own, or get the Team to help? Confronting him on our own may lead us to some sort of trap if he's working with "the Light" and will lead us to a disaster, heavy on the dis. Getting help from the Team will have them be placed on the line of danger and the Light will use them to get to the Justice League.' Dick let out a frustrating sigh that he held within his lungs. 'Working on our own will keep everyone safe from us, but working with them will most likely have us defeat the Light quicker and maybe even easier than fighting on our own.'
"You ave trouble figuring out which to choose, boy?" The helmet asked, noticing the boy's distress behavior and having to hear his thoughts out loud throughout the echoes from the darkness. The preteen nodded his head, looking up at the golden-helmet.
"I just don't know which to choose or know which option is the right choice," he explained. "Going after Roy will keep everyone from danger, but we may end up getting caught in a trap and make matters worse. Having my team to help out will have us stop our enemies, but they'll be put in serious danger. I don't know which to choose: Them, or us?"
The Helmet of Fate stayed quiet, even when the boy has finished his words of choice to speak and after waiting for a whole minute, did it chose to speak.
"You truly are a true hero, Richard Grayson. You would still put those before you and give your own life for the sake of others, even when you've already given your life to me in order to bring the two Dimensions back into one." Dick lowered his head to the helmet, a gesture of gratitude and a bow.
"Thank you, Nabu." If the helmet were to have a head or even a face of his own, the thirteen year-old would've imagine a smile to show or be hidden underneath the the gold-helmet.
"Child, you should know that there is nothing wrong to ask the help from others. Even if they would be put on the line of danger, they would still willingly come to your aid and help in order to stop the Light and save the Justice League from Chaos." Dick lifted his head and his eyes held a mixture of surprise and shock from Nabu's words.
"I know that, Nabu! I really do! It's just...!" The preteen cut himself off from continuing his sentence and lowered his gaze to the ground. "I don't want anybody to get hurt because of me... I don't want to lose my family, not again."
"Which is why you would willingly give yourself up for the sake of their safety, even when they can take care of themselves." Again, the boy nodded his head.
"I've been fighting longer than any of them and had been trained to know the strength and weaknesses of both my friends and enemies. Even though they're older and most of them are meta-humans, they could still get hurt if they were to let their guards down for even the slightest second. They could even die, no matter how strong or skilled they are."
"That may all be true," the helmet humbly replied. "But you mustn't forget, child, that you can die as well. Even if you are a host to a Lord of Order and the most experienced on the Team, you can still be taken down."
"Yeah... I know." His hands then clenched into fists from what the helmet has told him, but it wasn't pain or fear of being mentioned that he could still die. However, deep down, he knew that he could still die, rather as Doctor Fate or not. 'I should know that; Doctor Fate may be a Lord of Order, but he isn't an actual God or even a Demigod to begin with if he has to find a new host if his previous one is going to die someday.' He then thought up of something. 'Which may be his downfall on how he loses his previous hosts: He works alone, just like Bruce before I came around and became his partner.' Then, knowing what he should do and which option he should choose, he looked up at the Helmet of Fate. "I've made my decision."
Yep, Bruce hasn't adopted Dick in this story (I don't even know if Bruce eventually did adopted him, since Dick's still known as his ward on the Young Justice Wiki), but he will soon. Anyway, the Team will be up on the next chapter and a battle against the Light will begin.
Also, decided to have the Justice League presenting new League Members on New Years Eve; thought there should be a surprise on New Years after they fight against the Light.
R&R