I recently found out that Kairi's name is actually Japanese for sea! Go figure!
This is based off the fifth issue of the Young Justice comic spin-off. I have never read it myself, so it's just based off what I've learned on the Young Justice Wiki.
IMPORTANT! I am setting up a poll! Since I am a major dog lover, I was thinking about bringing Ace the Bat-hound and/or Krypto the Superdog into this story. I think it would be a pretty cool idea, if I made it work correctly, but I would like your guys' opinions on that!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Sparrow and my own plots.
****YOUNG JUSTICE****
"Recognized Robin: B01. Recognized Sparrow: 00," the Cave's automatic voice announced our entrance.
"Hello Robin! Hello Sparrow!" M'gann called happily, floating over towards us.
"Hey," we replied in unison.
"Oh! I'm so excited! It's going to be so much fun!" she continued. "Right, Superboy?" she turned towards the quiet figure.
He shrugged indifferently.
Wally and Kaldur came out of a hallway with bags of marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate. "Well, now that everyone's here, let's go," Wally said, trying to sound happy, but not succeeding so well.
Dick and I smirked. "Sure," I replied, leading the way back outside.
We traveled along the mountain's base until we reached the beach. Wally and Kaldur dropped the supplies.
"Okay, Superboy and I can go find some larger logs to sit on. M'gann and Sparrow will gather firewood. Robin, arrange some stones into a safe fire pit. And Wally, get the fire started," Kaldur told everyone.
We all nodded before I leaped off to find firewood, M'gann following me. Entering the shadowed woods, M'gann turned towards me. "So, uh, what exactly classifies as 'good firewood'?" she questioned uncertainly.
I glanced back towards her. "Well, wood. Being dry is helpful. Should be big enough to last, but not so big it won't burn easily. No moss or fungi on it. Older and seasoned wood burns hotter and is best for the environment," I listed off, thinking of everything I could.
She nodded. "Okay," she replied.
We walked around for a little bit, me prying fallen logs up and trampling happily through the underbrush. I loved nature. Ending up with fifteen pieces of wood, we headed back to the campsite where Superboy and Kaldur were carrying logs and placing them around the fire pit Robin had arranged.
I set my pile of wood down and gave some kindling to Wally. "Well, let's see you set up a fire," I smirked.
"Okay," he grinned widely. Zipping around in his super-speed, Wally quickly set up a fire tepee and rubbed some sticks against each other, causing sparks to fling into the fire pit. It soon sprouted fire and the crackling of flames erupted around the circle of logs.
Nodding, I turned towards him. "Not half bad, Wally," I replied in satisfaction.
"You know it, Roe," he replied cheekily, using his nickname for me. He leaped back and collapsed on the log behind him, next to M'gann.
Superboy took a seat across from him, Kaldur sitting on a log off to Wally's right, leaving Robin and I to share the last one on Wally's left. Everyone sat down while I turned and laid down, my head towards the fire with my legs draping over the log.
The air turned awkward.
I fidgeted and twiddled my fingers. I was used to quiet from Batman, but never from Robin and Wally. It was not their style. "So," I drew out, getting the attention of all the teens. "Who's up for some stories?" I suggested.
"Great idea, Sparrow!" M'gann called gleefully. "How about how we became superheroes!" she continued, looking to everyone in turn. "How about you, Kaldur?" she asked the Atlantian.
He shrugged. "I was born in Shayeris, and started my mandatory military service when I turned twelve," he started. "I was soon transferred to the Conservation of Sorcery school, in the capitol of Poseidonis, it was really different than my home, but I quickly made friends. One day, Ocean Master attacked Atlantis. King Orin fought him for hours, but was eventually defeated. My friend, Garth, and I attacked Ocean Master. We were quickly defeated, but managed to buy enough time for our King to gather his energy back. King Orin once again attacked and won. Afterwards, he was impressed by our courage and decided he would like a protégé, so he offered it to Garth and me. Garth went back to school while I began helping my King," he finished.
"Cool," M'gann said warmly. Ironic. "Wally, how did you become a superhero?" she questioned.
"Well," he started, getting ready to burst into a lengthy story. Robin and I groaned in exasperation. "There was a man, his name was Jay Garrick. One day, at Lampert laboratories, there was a freak accident that gave the man super-speed! Through the 40s and 50s, he was known as the Flash, the fastest man alive!" Wally was now standing up by the fire with his arms spread wide. "Since Jay didn't think to use a secret identity, a young fan tracked him down. After they talked for hours, the fan went home and replicated the experiment, giving him super-speed as well. His experiment had been contained, so he was even faster than Jay, and he soon became the second Flash! Two years ago, I discovered his science notes and found out that the second Flash was actually my uncle Barry! I asked to help him, but he claimed he didn't want the responsibility of having a partner," he paused. "So, I kinda exploded my room and sent myself to the hospital," Wally replied sheepishly. "My uncle Barry blamed himself, and for a while it looked like I was never going to have super-speed," he continued dejectedly. "But," Wally reanimated himself. "I then received my powers and my uncle Barry took me on as his partner, only if I followed all his rules. Which I hardly ever do," he finished smugly.
"You were in the hospital! Oh, poor Wally!" M'gann told him frantically, giving him a hug. Wally grinned cheekily towards Robin and I and I shot him a scowl back. Oh, that rotten rat…
M'gann tried to break the hug, but Wally remained clinging onto her. The Martian began looking really uncomfortable.
"Wally, anymore and I'll have to call the cops for sexual harassment. Or better yet, I'll get Bats to come," I threatened bluntly, no emotion in my voice. Wally sent me a panicked look before hastily breaking the hug and laughing nervously.
Turning towards Superboy, M'gann asked, "What was CADMUS like?" Her voice was quiet and curious.
Superboy looked down as we all stared at him. Sighing, he looked back up. "I don't remember a whole lot. And most of what I do was just implanted in my mind by G-Gnomes," he replied angrily. "I didn't learn to think for myself until you guys saved me. I don't even remember most of what CADMUS fed me," he paused for a second. It seemed as if he was debating whether to confine something to us. He looked away in shame. "All I ever think about…is destroying Superman," he whispered in anguish.
Awkward.
I couldn't help but feel bad for him.
"The only reason I was ever made, was to defy him. But, I don't want to," he continued quietly.
"Dude," Wally whispered.
"I wouldn't worry too much about it, Superboy," I assured him. He turned towards me, fire burning in his eyes. "Standing against temptation is what makes you strong, and I know you're strong, because I've seen what good you can do," I continued sincerely.
The others joined in, telling him that they agreed and trusted him.
The conversation died down.
Wally turned towards M'gann. "How did you get here beautiful?" he swooned at the Martian.
M'gann blushed while Robin and I rolled our eyes. "Well, on Mars, everyone lives underground, since the surface is inhospitable. Family is very important, and most families are huge. Most communication is telepathically. There are three groups of Martians: the Red, which are the highest in class and considered royalty, the Green, and the White, who are treated like minorities used to be. I was close to my uncle J'onn J'onzz, and I often watched his adventures with the League. Eventually, he decided that he wanted a young partner like everyone else," at this she shrugged towards us. "To decide who it would be, he returned to Mars and held a competition. Half of the Martian race entered. At first, he didn't want me to enter, but I did, and then I won," she finished.
I nodded. For once, I had paid attention. I had previously heard Wally's and Kaldur's stories, and honestly, Superboy's confession didn't surprise me in the least. But something about it seemed…un-J'onn-like. It unnerved me slightly.
"That's cool. You must be really powerful," Wally smirked, leaning in towards her.
M'gann smiled uncomfortably and leaned away. She turned towards Robin and me. "What about two? How did you guys meet Batman?"
It was an innocent enough question, but Robin and I exchanged a glance. Neither of us liked talking about that sort of thing, as our pasts weren't very happy. They were always too painful.
"Well," I drew out slowly. "I guess we can give vague interpretations," I said, my sadness for the past making my voice quiet. Glancing at Robin, I could tell he was sad. So was I, but they deserved to know.
Robin sighed, taking the initiative. "My family was murdered by a Gotham crime boss. Batman and Sparrow were in the vicinity and came. Batman took me in as his alter ego. I quickly found out that they were Gotham's masked vigilantes and I started training. My first mission as Robin was taking down the man who killed my family," he replied quietly, yet slightly detached and matter-of-factly.
M'gann gasped. "I'm so sorry, Robin," she tried to comfort him.
"Aw, dude. I never knew," Wally interceded.
"It is indeed unfortunate," Kaldur replied quietly.
"It's okay," Robin shrugged nonchalantly, hiding his emotions behind his grin as usual. I could tell he was still hurting.
"What about Sparrow?" Superboy asked after a moment of silence.
I most certainly didn't like telling my story. "Pʼarşyltn hʻldn, pʼársyng myr ẕw zʼágn myyn pʼaqyng dʻrẕyylwng."*
"Sparrow!" Robin ridiculed. "I may not know what you're saying, but I do know that you are using language that Batman would have your head for!"
Grumbling, I rolled my eyes and put my hands under my head. "Fine. I was raised out on the streets of Gotham. In an area where it's every man for themselves. Even families were willing to sell each other out for a few bucks," I started, slightly disgusted. "My parents were part of a gang, and by day one I was introduced to the worst of crimes. I even went with my parents on their own drug pick-ups and what-not. One day, when I was about three, my parents and I were running from some powerful gang they had stolen from. I was slowing them down, so my dad took me by the scruff and threw me at the gang-members, hoping that I would slow them down. The gang-members caught up to my parents and killed them in front of my eyes. They were about to do the same to me when Batman showed up and beat the gang. He took me in and began training me," I shrugged. I thought about the things I didn't say. How they weren't my real parents, how I had no idea who I was, how it was my fault those two people were dead.
M'gann's mouth was hanging open as she covered it. There were tears in her eyes. "Oh, Sparrow, Robin," she flew over and pulled the two of us into a surprisingly strong hug.
"It's okay, M'gann," I gasped out when she finally released us and I flopped back down.
"Dudes," Wally breathed out. "I never knew."
Kaldur gave me a sympathetic look. Even Superboy looked at us with pity.
I hated it.
I didn't want tears. I didn't want hugs. I didn't want 'dudes!' I didn't want sympathy. And I most certainly didn't want pity.
"That's terrible," M'gann settled back down.
I shrugged. "Mine isn't that bad. In fact, I see it as a blessing," I told the others, making them stunned. "Think about it, I go from the slums of Gotham and parents who don't even care about me, to working with Batman," I told them.
"Come on, Sparrow! You didn't even tell them the good part!" Robin nudged me playfully. He was still hurting. We both were. But that's how we Bats were, we hid our pain away. Robin and I chose to hide behind smiles and laughter.
"What's the good part?" Wally asked.
I glared at Robin, who smirked back in victory. Sighing, I replied, "When I first met Batman, I had scooted against the wall of the alley. He came over to me to make sure I was alright. So I stood up…and promptly punched him in the thigh. I think I fractured my hand that day…" I mumbled.
Wally burst out laughing.
"Then, when I found out he was the Bat, he originally refused to train me. But I told him that if he didn't teach me, then I would tell the world that he was Batman-"
Wally laughed harder. "You blackmailed the Bat!" he gasped once he got breath.
I stuck my tongue out at him.
"He must be like a second father to you two," M'gann murmured at Robin and me.
"Yeah, I guess he is," Robin shrugged.
"Considering my real father was willing to use me as a chance to get away and sacrifice myself, I consider Bats my only father," I replied.
Laughing again, Wally continued, "Daddy Bats!"
"Don't let him hear you calling him that!" Robin warned. And we were all laughing. Even Superboy smiled.
When the laughter had quieted down, M'gann still looked sad from our stories, but she tried to redirect the conversation. "What was Batman like when you first met him?" she asked me.
The question took me by surprise. Few people ever asked that about Bats. I sat up and turned to face them, staring at the fire. "He was…different," I replied shortly, shrugging but not meeting their eyes.
"Different how?" Kaldur asked quietly.
I sighed. Might as well start from the beginning. "Batman, the reason he became Batman, was because when he was a boy, his parents were shot and killed by an unknown gangster right in front of him." I heard the others gasped. They never knew that about Bats. "He didn't want others to feel that pain, so he went around the world and learned as much as he could, and he became the Batman, the Dark Knight, Gotham's silent protector." I paused. "When I came to him, he was hurting from that. He was moodier, broodier, and absolutely terrible with kids," I continued on a lighter tone, looking up to meet the others' eyes.
"Dude," Wally said for the third time that night. "Poor Bats," he said in pity.
M'gann and Kaldur looked down in sadness, the Martian close to tears again and the Atlantian once more sympathetic. Superboy also looked like he was sad.
No. I narrowed my eyes and stood up. The others looked up at me. "When I came to him, I thought tears and hugs would work, that pity and sympathy would work. But they don't. They make it worse for him, and they make it worse for me," I told them forcefully. They looked taken aback. "Batman doesn't need that, what he needs is strong and reliable young heroes ready to work." I laid back down in my original position.
Once again, awkward.
"Well, it's getting late. I think I'm going to hit the hay," Wally told us, yawning and stretching.
"I think I will too," M'gann agreed. "Night everyone!" she called over her shoulder as she went back up to the mountain. Wally followed behind her.
"I'm going too," Robin stood up and I yawned. Smirking, he held his hand out to me and I took it, allowing him to help me up.
"Night, Kaldur, Superboy," I called back as Robin and I walked back up. Glancing over, I noticed that he was still sad. I grabbed his hand without a moment's hesitation and squeezed it, both for his comfort and mine. For the past four years, Robin and I had been close to inseparable.
He squeezed my hand back. We didn't share any words. We didn't have to.
Entering the cave, we walked together back to our rooms before parting and saying our goodnights.
I collapsed onto my bed and quickly passed out.
****YOUNG JUSTICE****
*What Sparrow said was Yiddish for "Damn heroes, forcing me to tell my f*cking story."
Thanks for reading!
Please review! Please, please, please!
Love,
~AvenJackel