Disarmer: cartoon network owns everything except Clarissa (the lucky duck!)
Robin and Clarissa walked silently down to the debriefing room. After what had just happened in her room neither could think of anything to say. When they entered the large room Batman was standing with Artemis who was looking just as confused as they were.
"Good, you're all here," said Batman when he saw Robin and Clarissa.
"What's this about, Batman?" asked Robin.
"As you may already have figured out on your own, Clarissa is in grave danger on earth, but because we will not be able to get her back to Eltron any time soon the league has decided that she should enrol in school to avoid unwanted attention," he aswered.
"Okay," said Artemis suspiciously, "but what does that have to do with me and Robin?"
"She will be attending Wayne Academy," he said simply, "I am trusting that the two of you will work together to make sure that she is always protected. Keep watch on her at all times and make sure one of you is always with her."
Clarissa couldn't help but notice that Batman spoke about her like she wasn't standing right in front of him. She was used to this kind of treatment, though. When you're a princess, you get used to everyone speaking about you as if you were invisible. The guards did it, her tutors did it, even her parents never failed to pretend like she couldn't hear them when they spoke every night at dinner. Regardless of how common it was, she was never comfortable with it.
"I do not need a body guard," she heard someone say but when she looked at the other three people in the room they were looking at her. Realizing what she had said, she wanted nothing more than to take it all back. Of course these were her honest thoughts but she never wanted to voice them. She was taught all her life that until she became queen, she is to be seen, not heard. It didn't help, either, that Batman was also glaring at her.
"This is for your own good. It's not up for discussion," he said.
"But I can protect myself," Clarissa had no idea what possessed her to say these things but she couldn't stop. "I have been trained all my life to defend myself and you are all treating me like I am a child who is unable to do such a task."
"I said this wasn't up for discussion," Batman repeated obviously becoming annoyed.
"Batman," Robin spoke up quietly, "if she wants to fight we should at least give her a chance."
"She wasn't able to fight that guy back at the warehouse, and he was going to kill her," interjected Artemis.
"I was able to render him unconscious, though," Clarissa said trying to stay calm.
"Yeah, but only after Robin distracted him enough that his attention wasn't on you as much as it could have been," Artemis retorted.
"That was because I was drained of energy!" Clarissa snapped. "I suppose you humans would also be incapable of holding your own if you had not eaten any food or drank any water in days." Artemis looked as though Clarissa as just slapped her across the face.
"How about a compromise, then?" Robin said trying to defuse the tension. "We could train Clarissa to protect herself even more and leave her alone for the most part during school, while still keeping an eye on her," Robin added quickly seeing the look on Batman's face, "but after school she has to stay with at least one of us at all times."
"The league wants her protected during school as well, though," said Batman with the slightest edge of curiosity in his voice as if he were considering that himself.
"Batman, Wayne Academy is already a fortress. Anyone who walks in the door has to have made an appointment at least a week in advance, gone through back round checks, and be finger printed. Then they have to go though as much security as they would in prison. There might as well be a mote!" Of course Robin had exaggerated most of that but his point had gotten across.
After a moment of silence Batman said, "Alright, but the second you walk out of your last class at the end of the day," he said turning to Clarissa, "I want either Robin or Artemis right next to you. Is that understood?"
Clarissa looked him straight in the eyes, something she noticed a while ago very few people did. "That sounds fine," she answered. Of course it wasn't fine at all. She didn't want to be left alone, per say, but she didn't want to be treated like a baby. Either way, though, she could tell that was the best deal she was going to get and there was no point in arguing further.
"Great!" Robin said a bit too enthusiastically. "So are we free to go?"
"Wait!" said Clarissa, again causing everyone to stare at her yet again. "You said that the Justice League is unable to take be back to Eltron soon, what is wrong?"
"We've tried contacting them a few times but our signal isn't getting through," he answered. "Our system probably doesn't reach that far into the galaxy."
"You will try some more, wont you?" she asked sounding worried.
"Yes, we'll keep trying," Batman said with, was it possible, Robin thought, the smallest hint of sympathy.
"Then that is all I can ask for," Clarissa nodded to Batman and left the room followed only by Robin as Artemis walked out in a different direction.
Batman, on the other hand, turned around and a projected image of Marian Man Hunter was in front of him. "Have you received the bulb from Green Arrow and The Flash yet?" he asked.
"Yes, they just brought it up," J'onn said.
"What do make of it?"
"I have never seen anything like it before. If the Mondorians wanted to use it to take away Clarissa's powers they must have invented it on their own."
"How long until you can figure out how it works?"
"I do not know. I will contact you in three days to inform you of my progress if I do not find anything before then," answered the Martian.
"Alright," Batman said turning away.
"Batman?" asked J'onn before the projection would be shut off, "how is Clarissa doing?"
"She seems to be getting along fine. I told her about how she's going to be attending school, but she wants to go home."
"I've tried contacting Eltron through Mars's system a few times but I still cannot reach. I do not understand, though. We have always been able to speak to them when we needed to."
"I'm sure it's nothing," said Batman and pressed one of the many buttons on the keyboard and shut the projector off before J'onn could say anymore.
"Are you sure we should do this now? Shouldn't we wait a few day?" asked a member of The Light. All the members were in a meeting disusing what they should do with the Mondorians and the "deal" they had made together saying that The Light would help them find another Eltronite to kill. They had already excepted the alliance but they wanted to make sure the Mondorians knew who was still in charge.
"Why should we wait?" asked another to the first. "All we would be doing is putting it off even more. We should do this as soon as possible."
"You are right," said a third member, "we are able to carry out the deed within the hour, hence, we shall."
"Hey, are you okay?" Robin asked Clarissa as they were walking back to their rooms which happened to be right across the hall from each other.
"I just do not like people treating me like I am some sort of defenseless child," she answered looking at the ground as she walked.
"Well you kind of are," said Robin in a laugh until he saw the look on Clarissa's face. "I-I mean a child. How old are you anyway? I doubt you're an adult or anything."
"I am 74 condoronians," she said and then laughed at the astonished look on Robin's face. "I believe in human years that is thirteen."
"Same as me and I'm still technically a 'child,'" he said putting the word 'child' in finger quotes.
"But at least your mentor will let you fight and go on missions by yourself," she retorted.
"Whoa," Robin said holding up his hands in defense, "who ever said I was by myself? If I'm not with Batman I'm with the rest of the Young Justice team. I've never gone on a mission by myself before."
"I'm sorry," said Clarissa. She had not expected such an outburst from Robin who, all the times she had seen him, seemed calm and relaxed.
"It's okay," said Robin realizing he might have been a little too quick to correct her.
"Are earth computers old or inadequate?" Clarissa asked suddenly.
Surprised that she had asked a question like that, Robin said, "I don't think so. I don't know what you have on Eltron but on earth we have really good ones, though I haven't compared them with any other kind of computer from another planet. Why?"
"Because, Earth has never had a problem with reaching us before," she answered. "They did not contact often, granted, but I do not believe they have ever experienced a problem with receiving a connection."
Thinking on his feet to make her feel a little less concerned, Robin said, "Well, you said that we earthlings didn't contact 'often' so maybe we've always had a problem getting a connection and you just never heard about it."
"It is possible, I suppose," she admitted looking slightly less worried. They kept walking down the corridor to their rooms. When they reached the doors Clarissa suddenly grabbed each of her temples with the palm of her hands and let out a loud, high pitched, scream like the one when she was in the garage filling up with power from the electrical outlet only the situation was different. She wasn't charging, she was in horrible pain.
"What's wrong?" he cried doubting she could hear him over her screams. She fell on her knees and continued to scream while Robin became vaguely aware that Batman, Red Tornado, and the rest of the Young Justice team were all running down the hall calling Clarissa's name asking what was wrong and why she was screaming. Robin, freaked out and not knowing what else to do, sunk to his knees beside her, grabbed her arm, and started shaking her, caller out to her more and more, but she kept on screaming.
Everyone in Mount Justice was surrounding the two of them now and just when M'gann started to yell "what's going on?" Clarissa stopped and became deathly silent.
"Clarissa," said Robin, his heart beating dangerously fast at this point, "what's wrong?"
She looked up at him as if she'd see a ghost and said, "I need to use the computer."
"What?" asked Superboy as if this had all been some sick joke.
"If that's all you wanted you could have just asked instead of blowing up our eardrums," said Kid Flash, annoyed.
"Clarissa," asked M'gann, "what's this about?"
Clarissa, though, ignored them. She quickly stood up and ran as fast as she could back down the hall to the debriefing room completely disregarding the protests that followed her. I need to make sure they are alright, she thought, I am sure everything is fine, but I need to be one hundred percent sure. She skidded to a halt in the middle of the room and watched at the projection came up. She began typing impossibly fast on the keyboard still ignoring everyone around her.
"Clarissa, what's wrong with you?" asked Artemis.
"What's she doing?" yelled Superboy.
"Clarissa, what's happened?" screamed M'gann over everyone else, but still, Clarissa didn't look up from what she was doing. Throughout all of this, though, Robin was the only one to remain completely silent. He thought he knew Clarissa better than anyone, save for Megan, so he knew she would never act like this unless it was important. And after a few more moments of insanity Clarissa froze, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. Everyone stopped screaming long enough to look up at the picture above them.
Robin saw what was obviously outer space with white dots looking like they were suspended over a back curtain, and in the middle of the screen was a round, yellow and pink planet. "Eltron," whispered M'gann confirming Robin's thoughts. Clarissa, slowly put her arms down and took a few deep breaths. Everything is fine, she thought with relief, everything is fine. But suddenly there was a loud BOOM and the space where Eltron was only a second ago, a giant mushroom like cloud of fire and smoke was.
"NOOOOOOO!" Clarissa cried falling to he knees again without taking her eyes off the screen and trembling terribly. Everyone watched the scene, horrified while M'gann and Robin knelt down and held Clarissa around her shoulders, though they both knew that wouldn't comfort her. All of her family and friends were suddenly gone. The Mondorians had finally done what they had wanted to do for so long. They destroyed Eltron.
Whoa, surprise ending! I bet none of you saw that one coming! But do not fret for I have a plan. Sort of. That reminds me!
READREADREADREAD! I am still in need for you all to tell me what I should do next in the story. Don't be shy because whatever idea you tell me I will probably use it and of course I will give you credit. I'm not joking guys! I really only have enough of creativity and ideas to cover like 2 more chapters and even that's pushing it. I kinda know how this story's going to end but I still need more of a middle so please tell me any thought that you might have on how I should continue. I know it's sounds really dumb of me to ask cause it's my story and all but I really need help!
Please keep reviewing and thanks to Red Arrow 123 for telling me that I had been spelling M'gann's and J'onn's names wrong. Seriously, that helps a lot and I'll fix the rest of the chapters soon (I'm so buisy!). And if anyone else notices something wrong or just wants to tell me my story sucks please feel free! Thanks, everyone!