A/N: So, I was so excited about these next chapters that I couldn't resist posting another one… here you go! I don't own Young Justice
Star City was pleasant enough, Dick thought, but it would be much better without the pesky archers currently on his tail.
Dick had been retreating back to Slade's rendezvous point after a successful heist from Star Labs when Green Arrow and his sidekick Speedy showed up. He secured the computer part further in his belt as he ran, and two arrows whizzed past his head, one exploding into green foam and the other letting out a torrent of flames.
Twisting and bringing his fire-proof cape around his small body, he leapt through the flames effortlessly and dove down an alley, cursing as the footsteps of the persistent archers sounded behind him. He spun around and sent several shruikens behind him and heard a yelp, signifying a hit.
Dick wall-jumped up to the top of the building and somersaulted to his feet, continuing to run across the rooftops. He glanced back behind him and didn't see any pursuers. He slowed down to a jog in relief.
As he trekked across the city, he was suddenly hit by a feeling of uneasiness. Something… wasn't… right… but he couldn't quite figure out what it was.
A twang behind him confirmed his feelings and he jumped straight up, backflipping over the arrow that had been a split second away from making contact with his skin. Twisting as he landed, he found himself face-to-face with Speedy- literally. Both their faces showed an equal amount of shock at being in such close proximity with each other before Dick sent his fist towards the sidekick's face. Speedy blocked it with his bow, sending shockwaves through Dick's arm, and then they both jumped backwards to assess each other.
Dick stared into the eyeholes of Speedy's mask cautiously. Something about him was oddly familiar…
The older boy nocked an arrow and drew the bow, pointing it straight at Dick's chest.
"Give back whatever you stole!" he demanded in a fierce tone, and Dick smirked at him cockily before pulling the part out of his belt and tossing it casually into the air.
"Oh, you mean this thing?" he taunted, catching it without even looking. "I'm a little attached to it already, you might have to take it from me."
He darted for the edge of the building and he heard Speedy swear behind him.
"Shameful, Slowpoke. Cussing in front of a child!" he shot over his shoulder, and a high-pitched zipping noise was the only warning he had before a barrage of arrows streaked towards him, along with another curse. He dove aside, rolling underneath the volley, and sent an explosive back at his opponent.
Speedy, to his surprise, skillfully dove around the fireball and came up on one knee with his bow loaded and released the arrow. Dick's eyes widened in surprise, and he was barely able to sidestep the bolt. Even with his reflexes, the arrow clipped his side, and droplets of blood splattered to the ground.
Dick took a second to inspect the shallow cut while Speedy carefully advanced.
"So, where's your babysitter, sidekick?" Dick smirked, and Speedy snarled, but didn't fire. Dick cocked his head. Why wasn't he…?
"Behind you!" a voice crowed from, you guessed it, behind him, and Dick whirled around to receive a green boxing arrow in the face. Stars erupted behind his eyes at the force of the hit, and he stumbled backwards as Green Arrow chuckled.
"That never gets old," the older superhero said, and Dick growled, straightening and letting loose his own volley of shruikens. The archers blocked most of them with their bows, but two managed to clip Speedy and one sliced the tip of Green Arrow's beard off.
Suddenly two arrows sped towards him and he tried to handspring aside, but his head was still spinning and he couldn't quite avoid the second one, which burst apart in a net and wrapped around his legs. He struggled and thrashed, but it was too tight.
Green Arrow approached him slowly.
"Alright, kid. Fun's over. Time to hand over what you-"
He didn't get any farther, assuming that since Dick's legs were tied, he was no longer a threat. Dick lashed out with his free hands in a double-handed blow, catching Green Arrow directly under his chin and effectively knocking him out.
"Ol- Green Arrow!" Speedy shouted, running to his mentor's side, and Dick used the distraction to cut himself free with the knife he kept hidden in his glove. He stood and glanced over, where Speedy was checking Green Arrow's vitals, and patted his belt to make sure that he still had the part Slade had requested. He did.
"Oh, you'll regret that," Speedy growled, and Dick shrugged, complying with the young archer and circling him on the rooftop.
"Only if you can catch me."
The sidekick fired several arrows and Dick effortlessly avoided them with his acrobatics.
"I know who you are," Speedy stated suddenly, and Dick fought down a surge of panic at his words.
"Oh?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow in a desperate attempt to keep his face neutral.
"Yeah. You're Renegade, that kid that keeps stealing all that stuff."
Dick snorted. What an accurate description.
"Yep. How'd you guess?"
Speedy didn't pick up on his sarcasm.
"Both Batman and Superman have said something about you before."
"Well. I'm flattered that they cared enough to mention me!" Dick said brightly, and ignored the scowl Speedy sent his way. "Look, I've got a deadline here," he said, tapping his wrist urgently, "so could we just skip the talking and the fight and pretend I won, 'cause I'm going to win anyway, so I can be on my way?"
Speedy looked shocked for a second, and then he blinked.
"I- wha… No!"
Dick sighed dramatically.
"Fine then."
He charged the sidekick and flung his knife ahead of him. The dagger connected with Speedy's bow and snapped the taught string, and Dick followed up with a savage kick delivered to his opponent's hand. The bow clattered out of Speedy's grasp, and Dick used the opening to send a second kick towards the red-head's stomach. To his surprise, the archer blocked it effectively with his hands and lashed out, connecting with Dick's chest and sending him reeling backwards.
Speedy charged forward this time, and they began a deadly hand-to-hand dance, striking and weaving, kicking and punching, leaping and dodging across the roof. Dick was, admittedly, impressed with Speedy's skill. Since archers preferred long range fighting to close range, he wasn't expecting the other boy to be this good at close combat.
Eh, he still wasn't good enough, though.
Dick somersaulted between Speedy's legs and came up behind him, kicking him directly in the small of his back. Speedy stumbled, and Dick used the opportunity to sweep his legs out from under him. The sidekick crashed to the ground and Dick moved to punch his lights out, but Speedy rolled to avoid the punch and Dick's hand smashed into the concrete.
He hissed, pulling his hand back, and rotated to face the now-standing Speedy. Never mind that he could crack concrete, it still hurt!
"Still so certain you'll win, Renegade?" Speedy asked cockily, smirking, and Dick had the sudden urge to smash his face in.
"Oh, I've been holding back," Dick said, taking a deep breath, and then they charged forward again. This time Dick didn't hesitate or hold back, using his circus skills to the maximum. He flipped and spun around the archer, landing hit after hit.
Suddenly he was struck with an idea and pretended to stumble as he attacked. Speedy leapt forward at Dick's fake, and it only took a split second to get behind him and cut the quiver off his back.
Speedy gasped and pulled away roughly, staring at Dick in horror as the young assassin began to sort through the multiple arrows.
It took him a second, but he finally grabbed the one he wanted.
"Want it back?" he teased, waving the chosen arrow at Speedy, and the archer growled and recklessly charged. Dick smirked and threw the arrow down at the sidekick's feet, then jumped away.
Red foam spurted out of the arrow and engulfed Speedy's body until only his head was free. The red-head struggled against it for a moment before it hardened completely and he was completely immobilized.
"Told you I'd win," Dick sighed, and Speedy growled, still trying fruitlessly to escape.
"You won't get away with this, you little thief!"
Dick scoffed.
"Please, I already have," he shot back, then let out a short laugh. "Oh gosh, we sound like those cliché movies."
Speedy didn't look amused.
"I'm serious, you-!"
"Whoa, hey. Let's keep the name calling to a minimum!" Dick said, grinning, but then a sudden realization struck him.
He knew why Speedy seemed so familiar.
He was exactly like Roy.
Glancing back at the struggling sidekick, he compared his features to Roy's.
It was a perfect match. The red hair, the large arms… as long as Speedy's eyes were blue…
Wait… wouldn't that make Green Arrow Oliver Queen?
He looked over to where the elder hero was still sprawled out on the roof, unconscious.
It was a perfect match! He didn't know anyone else who had a beard like that! A tremor ran through his body as he realized the enormousness of his newfound discover. With a few words or a single post on the internet, he could share the two archer's identities to the world.
But Roy…
He only had one friend as of now, and he was currently struggling helplessly in a pile of goo at Dick's own hand. He didn't want to lose his only friend…
It wasn't worth it.
"…negade? Hey, Renegade! Hey!"
He suddenly realized that Roy was calling his alter-ego name and glanced in his direction.
"What?" he growled, struggling to keep up his Renegade persona.
"You gonna gloat or kill us, or are you just going to stand there all day?"
"I don't kill," Dick said, and Roy looked at him skeptically.
"I don't!" Dick insisted, and then smirked. "But I will gloat. Ha! I beat you!" He did a crazy little dance just to make Roy annoyed, then walked to the edge of the roof and mock-saluted to the frozen hero.
"See 'ya!"
The he jumped off the edge of the building and made himself scarce.
_Line Break_
Slade waited in the helicopter for his apprentice to finish his job, and stood when Dick returned.
"Well?" he asked when the boy stood before him, and Dick silently handed over the computer part. Deathstroke inspected it for a moment before pocketing it and nodding in approval.
"Excellent work, apprentice," he purred, ruffling the boy's hair, and Dick gave him an odd look before carefully bringing his expression back to neutral. Slade withheld a chuckle. The boy was confused, good.
"Any… complications?" he asked, eying the small gash in Dick's side and the glob of hardened foam on his cape.
Dick narrowed his eyes.
"Nothing you didn't train me to handle," he said, and Deathstroke raised his single eyebrow at that answer. "Green Arrow and his sidekick showed up, but I took care of them."
Slade sighed.
"I suppose it's too much to hope for that you killed them."
Dick glowered up at him.
"No," he said, and Deathstroke shook his head.
"Very well. Despite your distractions, you managed to complete the mission. Good work."
Dick smiled at the praise.
"Pilot," Slade growled, "get us off the ground before I snap your neck."
The terrified man, too scared to speak, shakily manned the controls of the copter, and the Master and Apprentice rose into the air on their way back to Lexcorp.
