Notes: Wow. Chapter 13... this story was not meant to be this long but we're nowhere near finished. Anyway, this chapter is kind of showing how the team goes from here before we settle into the next part of the story with a couple of time skips.
I wanted to have a scene where Dick would fight. To write that scene, I watched the youtube videos 'Paraplegic Self-Defense' posted by 'NotMe1357'. There's a number of them and they're interesting to watch.
The team's real first mission was very close to being a disaster. They were supposed to be investigating the production of a drug named venom.
Robin was meant to stick to the ship but ended up being rushed in by Kid Flash when they needed his computer abilities on site to find out where the drug was being shipped to. He and Kid Flash ended up fighting a couple of the criminals. Robin used his batarangs to knock them out from his position sitting on the computer console and knocked one out with an escrima stick he always kept on him when the man got too close.
He tried to lead the team but Aqualad ended up taking the responsibility. Robin was too used to working with Batman, someone who knew him well enough that they communicated without words and knew the other's next move without asking or planning. However, the team wasn't at that level and Robin was almost willing to admit out loud that he didn't know how to make the best use of his team's abilities.
Batman congratulated them on their adaptability and choosing a leader. However, they were told that there would be a more detailed report coming their way about all the mistakes they made on mission.
"Aw," Kid Flash groaned.
Aqualad was pale and swallowed nervously as Batman left. Robin rolled over and bumped a fist against the older teen's arm.
"Good luck, Leader," Robin said. He was kind of glad that Aqualad, as the leader, would be the one reporting to Batman when they failed. He knew how critical his guardian could be and, like the not-nice person he sometimes was, he enjoyed seeing others deal with Batman for a change.
Their next mission was a simple one. If 'simple' could include monkeys, Dick's school, an android which could steal powers and an arrow which didn't belong to Green Arrow. Soon after that, a new member was introduced. Artemis, the new protege to Green Arrow. It was her arrow which had saved them on that mission, much to Wally's frustration. Wally had wanted it to be Red Arrow, their friend Roy, changing his mind and helping them. Instead it was a new girl none of them had seen before.
Artemis was trained and performed well so no one aside from Wally had any problems with letting the sharp-tongued teenager join the team.
"Robin's in a wheelchair, huh?" she questioned after their first meeting. "What'd you break?"
"My back," Robin responded in an equally light tone. He knew she had probably misinterpreted the wheelchair was being a temporary thing while he healed from some kind of injury rather than a permanent fixture in his life.
There was a beat of silence. The rest of the team waited to see how Artemis would react before jumping to Robin's defence. The frown on Wally's face and the narrowed eyebrows said that he would jump in soon, reaction or no.
"You take a fall for someone?"
Robin snorted. She had no idea how close she was to the truth. "Something like that. How'd you guess?"
"Happened to someone I know. I don't know how she does it but she considers the chair a blessing in disguise. Says it gave her the strength to do what needed to be done."
Robin refrained from commenting on that. He knew about Artemis' mother. About her accident and going straight after a life of crime afterwards.
"Welcome to the team," he said to her.
Artemis might have been fine with Robin being part of the team but she wasn't okay with fighting him. She refused to step up onto the training floor when Black Canary announced the training match.
"Its fine," Robin insisted. She was the only other human on the team and he wanted to have a fight with her. Even if, as a specialist in ranged weapons, she could probably beat him easily.
"This doesn't feel right," Artemis sighed as she stepped up onto the training floor.
Black Canary stood in between them with a hand resting on her hip. "Good. Then at least you have more morals than the people we fight. They're not going to hold back just because Robin is in a wheelchair. They're just going to see an easy target."
"Too bad Batman won't let me electrify my chair yet," Robin commented.
"Isn't he worried about the chair electrifying you?" Kid Flash pointed out, having witnessed one of those discussions. "And he doesn't want you in the fights anyway."
"Thanks, KF," Robin grumbled. "Anything else you want to point out?"
"Nope," Kid Flash said with a grin. "Go ahead and beat her up."
The rest of the team seemed surprised. Artemis was instantly on guard. Robin grinned.
Honestly, Artemis had the advantage. But, Robin was relying on being able to surprise her and take advantage of that surprise.
Black Canary stepped back, taking the role of judge. She had to watch over Robin's fights since the computer wasn't able to make an accurate judgement on result.
When the fight started, Artemis tried to pace around while Robin kept a hand on his chair and a hand on his belt. He wheeled himself forward and back on the one wheel, turning around a little as he gauged Artemis' ability and next move.
She grabbed an arrow and nocked it. She let it fly.
Robin pushed the wheel of his chair back, just managing to duck out of the way. He spun on the spot and wheeled himself forward, dropping a smoke pellet.
Artemis reflexively jumped out of the way as the smoke obscured her vision. Just in time to dodge the batarang Robin threw from inside the smoke.
He managed to clear a little of the gap. Artemis hesitated momentarily before deciding to go for it. As she rushed him, Robin's hands moved. They wrapped around her head and neck, pulling her to the ground with him. Within moments, he had her in a choke hold.
A canary cry rent the air, a high scream which caused the ground to rumble. It only lasted a moment, long enough for Robin's hands to slack around Artemis.
"Match over!" Black Canary announced. "Robin's win!"
Artemis stood up, rubbing her neck. She hadn't expected to be taken down.
Robin lay on the ground, one leg still resting on the tipped over chair, between the armrest and the seat. From his back, he grabbed the leg and lifted it out of the space and onto the ground. He used his hands to inch himself along the floor, crossing the short distance around his chair so he could pick it up from the ground.
"Want some help?" Kid Flash asked as Robin grabbed the chair and used it as leverage to move himself into a partly-sitting position. He could get all the way into the chair, pulling himself up into it while the brakes were on. However, that would take time and Wally offered to help as a teammate, not because he thought Robin needed it.
"Go ahead," Robin responded. A rush of wind and a blur later and Robin was trying to process the changed height of his vision.
While he had been getting back into his chair, Black Canary had been instructing Artemis in her mistakes during that fight. She had let Robin trick her into close combat, giving him the advantage against a single opponent. Black Canary gave her advice on keeping her distance and better choices in close combat rather than rushing her opponent.
Artemis started her new day at Gotham Academy with nerves fluttering away in her belly. It was a school filled with uniforms, smart and rich kids talking about things she never really cared about. But, her mother had been so happy when she heard about the scholarship Artemis had been offered so Artemis was out to make the most of this.
A hand around her waist caused her to freeze. There was the sound of a phone camera going and she turned to her side, ready to pound the person touching her.
When she spotted the black, leather chair, she paused. The blue eyed kid in the chair grinned at her.
"We'll laugh about this someday," he said before driving off towards a red-haired student.
Artemis turned to the wavy, blond haired Bette, who had been guiding her around the school.
"Who was that?" she asked. Honestly, his chair must have cost a fortune. It was the kind of thing she wished her mother could have, just to make her more comfortable.
Or Robin. She was certain Robin would get a kick out of having a motorised wheelchair like that kid. Even though she felt a chill at the idea. Robin and Wally would probably race along the hallways of Mount Justice if Robin had access to a chair like that.
"Just a freshman, you should probably ignore him," Bette responded.