Hello, DUPERBRO is back and ready to par-tay! I got a lot of fan response really quickly, and I might not be able to keep up as fast as I'd like to. But I'll try! Here goes!

Chapter 2: Talia O'Malley

"…and so then I said, 'Hey, get your own frog float!'"

Robin burst out laughing at Muscle-Man's joke.

"Ah-ha-ha! Good one, MM. You'll be a good addition to the team!"

"Thanks, boss. Say, has anyone else shown up yet? It's too quiet in here for me," Muscle-Man replied.

"Nope, you're the first one so far. I was still in bed when you showed up…"

REET! REET! REET!

The Tower's alarm went off. There was trouble in Jump City!

"Titans, trouble!" Robin reflexively called out. Muscle-Man tapped his shoulder, getting his attention.

"I'm the only one here, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Anyway, c'mon!" Robin said, running down the hall, Muscle-Man hot on his heels-or so he thought.

By the time he reached the main room, Muscle-Man was leaning on the computer, looking at his hands.

"Wha-how did you do that?" Robin asked, dumfounded.

"Super-speed," Muscle-Man replied, looking up. Then, at blinding speed, he appeared at Robin's side, leaning on his shoulder. Robin stepped away, and Muscle-Man fell on the floor.

Getting up, the masked might brushed himself off and looked at the computer screen. "So, what's the deali-o?" He asked Robin.

"There's a mugging in a back alley near the bank. We've gotta stop it. After all-"

"-there's no such thing as a small crime," Muscle-Man finished.

"Let's go!" Robin shouted, and took off toward outside, and Muscle-Man blasted off outside after him.

This wasn't looking good for Talia.

Some mugs had cornered her and were about to do who-knows-what to her, and one of them had her butterfly pendant, saying to another goon, "This thing's gotta be worth some money!" Without that pendant, she was as good as horse meat.

The leader of the muggers had a knife held to her throat. He looked at her threateningly and said, "Look, sweetie, you got two choices-you can bleed RED or GREEN! Whaddaya say?" he asked, a sick grin spreading across his face.

Talia did the first thing that came to her. She stomped on the mugger's foot.

The man groaned in pain and hopped around for a few seconds before turning back to her. "You're gonna pay for that, girlie. Big time. Red it is." He raised the knife and-

KLINCK!

The knife flew out of his hand and skittered down the alley. Talia looked up from where a projectile had been thrown. She couldn't believe it. Robin and another guy in a suit were on the rooftop!

"IF you want her, you'll have to get through us first," Robin stated boldly.

"Get 'em!" the leader shouted, fear clearly sewn on his face.

One goon threw his knife at the stranger hero, but he caught it with ease. Then he clenched his fist, and SMAASH! The knife shattered in his bare hands, spraying shards of metal everywhere. Robin turned to look at him. "So… that's why you're named Muscle-Man, huh?"

Muscle-Man grinned. "I'm full of surprises."

"Well, it's time to empty your bag of tricks. Let's do this!" Robin yelled, and the duo jumped from the roof to face the thugs.

One threw his fist at Robin's face, and the two sparred in the alley, with Robin as the eventual victor. Muscle-Man slammed his fist into the goon that was holding her pendant's gut, knocking the wind clean out of him. Clearly he was strong beyond comprehension.

Talia gasped as her pendant fell from the thug's hand toward the floor, but in an instant, Muscle-Man's hand was there, holding it safely. He rushed over to her at a speed she couldn't even follow. He handed her the pendant with a smile.

"This yours?" he asked her. She nodded, and she gladly took it, slipping it around her neck. Suddenly, a goon rushed at Muscle-Man while his back was turned, knife raised in striking position. The masked might had no time to react. He looked like a goner until…

The knife stopped in mid-strike, and dented and smashed on what seemed like an invisible wall. The goon panicked and passed out. Muscle-Man reached out, curious, and felt an invisible barrier surrounding him. He turned to look at the girl, and was shocked at what he saw.

Her hands were surrounded by pulsating rainbow-colored swirly light, raised in a defending position. When he looked closely at the wall he couldn't see, and saw it was the same color as the energy surrounding her hands. Her butterfly pendant was glowing a bright blue. Shocked but still humorous, Muscle-Man quipped-

"I guess I'm not the only person with surprises in store around here."

The girl smiled sheepishly at him. She lowered her hands, and the barrier dissipated. Muscle-Man ran over to help Robin, who was getting dogpiled by goons.

3 minutes and 7 less goons later…

Robin and Muscle-Man (Robin carrying one, and Muscle-man carrying the rest) handed the thugs to the cops, throwing them into the back of the squad car, and the police drove away, waving at the two heroes as they left. They waved back, and turned to the girl. Robin asked-

"So, you're sure you're not hurt?" The girl nodded.

Muscle-Man stepped up and asked, "What's your name?"

The girl hesitated a moment before replying in a shaky voice, "Talia O'Malley."

Robin spoke up. "I recognize her. She used to fight alongside the original team, but didn't stay. She left after the paparazzi named her Tiger Lilly after her mom."

"You don't talk much, do you?" Muscle-Man asked.

Talia shook her head no. "Deaf. I read lips."

Now it was Muscle-Man's turn to hesitate. He asked, "What was that… thing you did there? The shield thing."

Talia took out a notepad and scribbled something down; handing it to the two young heroes took it and read.

"Magic. I'm a witch, the good kind though. The pendant gives me the powers."

Muscle-Man and Robin looked at each other for a few seconds and huddled. "Think she'd be a good addition to the team? Because I do." Robin whispered.

"Agreed," Muscle-Man affirmed.

With that, they turned to Talia. "How old are you?" Robin asked her.

She held up ten, then six fingers.

"Sixteen. Do you want to be a Teen Titan? Like, a permanent one?"

Talia hesitated, looking at the as if to say, Isn't the team already full?

"We've had quite a few spots just open up. So, what do you say?"

Talia pulled out a phone and texted somebody. She got a text back and put the phone away.

She nodded.

Robin and Muscle-Man pumped fists and turned to her. "Let's get going back to Titans Tower then. We've spent enough time here already."

Talia nodded and said, "Let's go."

Muscle-Man whispered under his breath, "So she does talk."

Talia heard his snarky comment and made a magic hand out of nothing and slapped him.

Muscle-Man rubbed his face. "Ouch. That hurt."

She smiled daintily and Robin got on his motorbike. Talia climbed on after him. Robin asked, "How are you gonna get back, MM? Ol' foot travel again?"

"Saves on gas, buddy. But no. I still got old faithful up my sleeve," Muscle-Man remarked, grinning. Then he blasted into the air towards Titans Tower.

Robin and Talia looked at each other.

"Think we can beat him there?"

"No."

"Worth a shot," Robin said, smirking. Talia smiled back and held on to Robin as he gunned the engine and sped off towards the tower.

And that's that! Major props to Emmeline C. Thornbrooke for giving me Talia to use. I'll update very soon. Ciao!