Questions:
From candi711 to Artemis: Why where you in that ally, were you following her?
Artemis: No, I wasn't following her. I was on patrol and I saw him push her into that alley.
From candi711 to Robin: Do you think you'd be able to control your self if Zucco's men grabbed one of your friends?
Robin: Hopefully, I'll never have to find out.
From supersoda to Artemis: Now that you've met Barbra, do you think that you two could be friends?
Artemis: We're already friends at school as Barbara and "regular" me. I suppose that we could friends as Barbara and "hero" me, too.
From 100 to (who else) Robin: Will you go out with me?
Robin: I'm flattered. Really, I am. But...I don't even know you.
Kid Flash: Dude, you should see how red your face is.
Robin: Shut up!
Also, to Casserole, um...I love you too?
But honestly, people. I do love you all in a weird way. I imagine it is similar to the way authors love their readers, actors love their fans. Even the crazy ones. Especially the crazy ones. Believe me when I say that all of the FUCKING hate that is being spewed like toxic waste in this world pisses me off, but it also makes me sad. We are all capable of doing the right thing, if only we knew what that was. What defines the "right" thing? Morality? Religion? The law? Are they really separate, or are they all lumped together in some twisted sense of self-righteousness?
Anyways, before I go off on a rant that I will regret for years to come, I want to remind you that no matter how bad things may seem, there is always someone you can talk to. A parent, a close friend, a teacher, anybody. Just talk to somebody. And if you really need someone who will guard your secret in the depths of their heart, you may tell me. I don't know you, and you don't know me. You can tell me anything without fear of judgement, retaliation, or that your secret will end up on the internet. I have tasted the hatred of others, but I have also tasted the extreme love of family, my friends. Sometimes you just need to tell someone you don't know. But please! Just tell someone.
Please. Don't think you're all alone. You aren't. You have your family. Or your friends. And you have me, though you shall never meet me face-to-face. All you know about me is that I am a teenage girl who writes fanfiction to de-stress, but all you will ever get from me is love and support. Think about that.
Now, back to the story. Each character will get their own villain and their own story, but each will be more through the Spitfire viewpoint.
"Master Richard, can you please answer your cellphone?" Alfred was cooking dinner, and Dick was doing homework in the kitchen. It was his favorite place in the house since he was first adopted. Alfred still made him cookies and other treats while he worked on homework four years later.
"Sorry, Alfred. Got a little absorbed in my homework." Dick flipped open his civilian cellphone. "Hello?"
"Hey, there circus boy." Dick froze.
"How did you get this number?"
"Not that hard when you have the money to bribe people at the telephone company."
"I'm hanging up."
"Then know this. Even Batman can't save you from me this time around...Robin." Zucco laughed.
"What are you-"
"Don't play dumb with me. You think I didn't recognize your little costume that night? I knew it was you. I never told anyone. I mean, who would believe it? But trust me when I say that everyone you care about is now in danger. You can't protect them all."
"What do you want?" Dick grit his teeth. He was talking to the man that had killed his family, and now his new family was also being threatened. Someone was going answer for this.
"Don't worry. I don't want to report you to the press. Like I said...who would believe it? You're too smart for that. Apparently your own guardian doesn't even know." Dick was slightly relieved that the man was too stupid to realize that Bruce was Batman. "No, I think I'll just settle with taking away everyone you love. Again."
"I swear to God, if you even-"
"I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to go." The line went dead.
"Alfred, where's Bruce?"
Mary Grayson was flying. Flying through the air with her soulmate and husband, John Grayson. Then John, Dick's cousin, and his parents were flying too. The moves were perfectly executed, and it was almost impossible to tell that they weren't really flying. Dick was mesmerized as his family soared and flipped and each time they caught each other. Dick thought back to what he asked his parents before every show.
"Will you catch me tonight?" Nine-year-old Dick loved that question.
"We will always catch you."
It was time for Dick to join the Flying Graysons in its full measure. He was in the final act, the stunt without the net. He shed his robe and prepared to leap to his father.
Then he heard the rattling, and the snap of cabes. John Grayson knew what that sound meant. His son was about to jump to his death.
"Dick, no!" His father screamed. Dick froze, just as he was about to jump. Then the Flying Graysons were falling.
Falling
Falling
Falling
Falling
And then they weren't. They were on the floor, unmoving, with red slowing spreading out from them.
Dick raced down to them, but when he got there, it wasn't his family.
There was a girl in green with long blonde hair. She was still holding the hand of a boy in yellow with bright red hair. Another older boy in red with rusty red hair was there. A girl in white with green skin. A dark-skinned boy in blue with white-blonde hair. A girl in a circus master costume with raven hair. A boy with black hair in jeans and a t-shirt. They were all on the ground. Broken and bleeding. But the worst...An older man in black. Robin slowly rolled him over.
Dick jumped up from his chair, knocking it and his desk over. He had been on his computer trying to find out who had been the one to give out his cellphone number when he feel alseep due to lack sleep.
"Dick? Are you ok?" Bruce walked in. "What happened..." He trailed off. Dick was shivering where he stood.
"I'm sorry. I'll clean it up." Dick whispered. His blue eyes were wide.
"No, that's ok. What happened?" Bruce walked in. He was worried. When he had first adopted Dick, the boy constantly apologized, and now it looked like he had regressed.
"I'm sorry I made a mess." Dick whispered again. He began to clean up with shaking hands, but they were caught by larger ones.
"Dick, look at-No, look at me! Ok, now tell me. What was your nightmare about?"
"Same as always...at first. Then...it wasn't my family...It was...the team and...and you." Dick sat heavily on the floor. "I watched everyone I've ever cared about die right before my eyes."
"Dick, that won't happen. Your friends aren't helpless. Most of them have super powers, and those that don't have powers are well-trained. They can take of themselves."
"What about you?" Dick lifted his sad blue eyes to Bruce's. Bruce was reminded of a time four years ago, when Dick first found out about his double life. The child had asked him the same question. Bruce smiled and repeated the words children said when they played Justice League.
"I'm Batman."
"I worried about Robin." Artemis was working on chemistry homework when Wally spoke.
"I am too. But I'm also worried about this chemistry." She tapped her pencil. "What's the atomic number of uranium?"
"92. Seriously, though. That whole phonecall thing seems to have really messed him up." Wally was pacing.
"How many protons are in U-238?"
"Artemis, you're thinking of isotopes wrong. Isotopes all have the same number of protons. They have different numbers of neutrons. No two elements have the same number of protons." Wally stopped. "Are you even listening to me?"
"I can hear you. But...no, I'm not listening to you."
"Why? Our friend is hurting and all you care about is chemistry homework?"
"No, I care a lot. But I also know that the world's greatest detective is currently looking for the man responsible for killing for the Flying Graysons."
"Sherlock Holmes is looking for Zucco?" Wally grinned.
"You idoit. Do you ever think before you speak? Don't answer that." She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "We can't do anything until Batman gives us the go ahead. In case you haven't realized, a lot of our missions end badly when we go off half-cocked."
"You're right. But still, I worry about Rob. He's always been a little impulsive. What if he does something stupid?"
"Well, then he will have learned that trait from you, hothead."
"Was that a red-head joke?"
"Team, meet in the control room, now." Red Tornado's voice sounded over the intercom.
When the team arrived, Batman was standing with the robotic hero. "We have located Zucco's new base of operations. He has gone back to forcing small busiesses to pay for protection."
"The only person he's protecting them from is him." Robin added. "If the people can't pay up, or refuse, he either robs him...or kills them."
"He is a danger to the public. He must be stopped. Your job will be to find him and arrest him and his associates." Red Tornado's metallic voice rang out.
"Where is this new base of operations?" Kaldur asked.
"A nightclub. Apparently it's a popular place for the younger population to dance to synthesized music and drink for hours." Red Tornado obviously didn't see the appeal.
"In the four years that Zucco was in prison, his right-hand man managed his money and eventually aquired this place. It makes a profit, but it is also a good place to launder money." Batman pointed to the screen. "This time, all of his associates will be arrested instead of just him There will be evidence at the nightclub. Please try not to destroy it."
"When do we leave?" Robin asked eagerly.
Read, review, vote in my poll, all that good stuff. Hopefully you liked this chapter because I am personally not so sure about it. But oh well. It's written, and it's going up.
~orangekangaroo
