The Epic of Gauntlet

Part 6

"I hate you, you hate me, that's the way that it should be."

By BobCat

Disclaimer: Hey that lawyer said to me, "Hey I said I didn't want you writin' no more" yeah whatever!  'Cause this is MY fanfiction net of whatever!  And this protected by International Copyright Law!  Nah nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh!

Notes: This chapter has a very small amount of Japanese in it.  Here's a translation guide:

Baka: Moron, idiot.

Onii-chan: A cute way of saying "big brother." 

Hai: Yes.

            ****************

            On all sides of them, smoke and dust billowed out, obscuring the city streets for several blocks.  One was the newest Teen Titan, Robert Candide.  The other was an overpowered Japanese teen with enough power to vaporize Jump City.  Each stood, clothes tattered, minor wounds leaking their lifeblood even as the thick dust caked around the liquid.  Neither noticed this inconvenience as they engaged in a staring contest of unimaginable intensity.  And considering how many random particles were flying though the air and their large, anime style eyes, that meant they REEEEALLY hated each other. 

            Kurai broke the silence.  "You honorless dog!  How DARE you show your face before me again!?" 

            Robert cracked his knuckles.  "I should be asking you that question!  You should be back in Japan, buddy boy.  This is Gauntlet country you're in here." 

            Kurai charged forward.  "Then allow me to annex it from you!"

            "Man, you are just no good at banter, are you?"  Robert leapt above Kurai's attack, planting his foot in the back of his head.  Kurai was thrown off balance, barely regaining his footing in mid stride. 

            Kurai's energy flared a bright red as he stopped and whirled about.  "Die!"  An energy bolt flashed out, slamming into Gauntlet's energy shield.  Unfortunately for our hero, the shield provided little resistance to the powerful attack after the protracted fight he had been subjected to. 

            Gauntlet hit the concrete hard and slid along.  "Ow… evidently Raven's healing job didn't refresh my energy stores… man, I hate learning this kind of stuff in mid fight." 

            Kurai stood over his fallen enemy.  "I remember when first we met…"

            ****************

            In a train station in Japan…

            Amidst a gigantic crowd of people, a site-seeing Robert bumped into a distracted Kurai.  Robert did not notice, as he was being forced along by the sea of humanity.

            ***************

            Kurai ranted, "And for that insult, I shall have my revenge!" 

            Robert shook his head.  "No no no!  That wasn't the first time we met!  It was at my grandmother's boarding house in Uberton!"  Robert thought back wistfully.  "I was four at the time.  The same age as your little sister, Yohko.  Your father had business in Uberton for a few weeks, and I was staying with her over the summer.  We had some good times…" 

            ***************

            Eleven years prior

            A little boy with black hair sat in a sand box, making a very rough castle.  Helping him in this effort was a younger girl with short, brown hair. 

            "Hey, Kei-chan, they say that if two people go to Tokyo U together, they'll fall in love and…"  Her sentimental little speech was halted as a water balloon hit the back of her head.  She sat there, totally surprised by the attack.  Then she began weeping and ran back towards the boarding house. 

            The little boy stood up quickly and started shaking his fist.  "Hey, you meanies!  You made her cr-ieee!"  He too ran as several more water balloons pelted him and the sandbox.  "I'M TELLING!" 

            From a cardboard box with the hastily scrawled words "Pirate ship" on the side, a young Robert (mysteriously wearing a small version of his Gauntlet t-shirt) waved about a wooden sword.  "Arr and avast!  Shiver me matey!" 

            A young girl with short, black hair laughed at the antics of her new friend.  She wore a sweater and a skirt, as well as a borrowed eye patch.  "Ah, Rob-chan!  You are too much!" 

            Robert scanned the horizon, spotting a young Kurai in a lotus position under a tree.  Apparently, his taste of clothing had not changed much in a decade, although he did not need bandages at that point.  "Avast!  'Tis a boring guy off the starboard bow!" 

            Yohko leaned over the side.  "Onii-chan!  Come over and play with us!" 

            Kurai opened one eye.  "I am a warrior!  Warriors don't play!  You and that baka can stop wasting your time and train with me!"

            Robert stuck out his tongue.  "You're so boring!  If you were any more boring… you… um…"  He struggled for a few more moments, eventually abandoning hope of finding a better insult.  "You wouldn't be very fun at all!"  He decided to punctuate his poor turn of phrase with a water balloon.  This one hit Kurai in the face, drenching him totally. 

            Kurai sputtered for a few moments.  "You insult my honor!  Now you die!"  Kurai threw a small bolt of energy at Robert, who ducked behind the relative safety of his cardboard box. 

            Yohko stepped forward quickly and fired her own, significantly larger bolt of ki.  It swallowed up Kurai's attack and flew at the young warrior, blowing up everything for several feet in all directions.

            A crispy looking Kurai jumped up and down, waving his arms wildly.  "You hide behind my sister for now, you honorless dog!  But I shall destroy you!  Someday!  SOMEDAY!"

            *****************

            Present…

            Kurai remembered.  "Hmm.  I had forgotten about that.  And to think I wanted to kill you over that incident at the train station… now I REALLY want to kill you!" 

            Robert, still vanquished, laughed at his tormentor.  "Hah hah!  Your little sister can kick your ass!  Hah hah!" 

            Kurai's energy flared out about him as the dust cloud finally began to clear.  Robert gasped as he saw that all of the other Titans, as well as Thunder and Lightning, were sprawled in very uncomfortable looking positions.  "Maybe, but you still can't!  All of you together lacked the skill and power needed to defeat me!  Any last words?" 

            Robert's eye caught something moving behind the boasting boy.  "Hey look, up in the sky!" 

            Kurai laughed.  "Hah!  As though I'm foolhardy enough to fall for that tri-ACK!"  Kurai was rocked by the unexpected blow the face.  He shook his head and looked for the source of the attack.  He saw something lying on the ground.  "An arrow with a boxing glove on the tip!?" 

            From the top of a nearby building, in all his glory, stood the mighty Green Arrow, aka Oliver Queen.  Dressed like a Robin Hood wannabe, he had already knocked another arrow into place.  "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

            Robert managed to lever himself onto his feet.  "Hey, thanks Mr. Arrow!"

            Kurai's eye twitched.  "I have defeated alien warriors, men with the powers of gods and the best that technology and magic can throw at me… and now a man armed with a bow and arrow is going to try and stop me!?" 

            Green Arrow let fly with another shot, the shaft whistling as it cut through the air.  "You catch on fast."  This arrow had a suction cup on the end that attached itself to Kurai's chest.

            Kurai laughed.  "Hah!  What did you expect THAT to do-YAAAARGH!"  He started twitching uncontrollably as ten thousand volts ran through him.  He fell on his knees, smoking and panting.  "Wh- a tazer arrow!?"

            Green Arrow leapt down, kicking the shocked (no pun intended) boy in the face.  Although he had weathered far mightier blows, Kurai had not expected the ridiculously garbed man to be such a threat. 

            Kurai cried out, "ENOUGH!"  A shockwave knocked Green Arrow backwards as Kurai called upon his incredible energy stores. 

            And that was when Gauntlet clobbered him from behind with a conveniently placed folding chair.  In his enraged state, Kurai scarcely noticed the attack. 

            Kurai trembled with his scarcely controlled rage.  "And now, you of the silly green suit, I am going to KILL you." 

            Suddenly, a voice crackled to life in Kurai's ear.  "Explain yourself, Kurai."

            Kurai paused for a brief moment, catching an arrow in mid flight and snapping it in half like a matchstick.  "What is the problem, Slade?"

            Kurai dodged around an attack from Gauntlet as Slade harangued him.  "You have deviated from the plan!  You were supposed to entice the Titans into following you to the site.  And now they look half dead!!"

            A hard punch to the face silenced a still weakened Gauntlet as he was sent flying into a recovering Starfire.  Both were knocked out, sprawled together in such a way that would probably raise some questions when the Titans regained consciousness.  "Is not the death of the Titans and their allies your eventual goal?" 

            Slade snapped, "Yes!  An eventual goal!  As in, NOT TODAY!!  We're going to have to change gears."  Kurai sent a flash of red energy into Green Arrow's gut, sending Queen sprawling on the ground with the rest.  "I want you to wake one of them up and deliver a message.  It will take them at least a week to recover from the beating you gave them, even given Raven's healing talents.  In one week, they will meet us at the site.  Be sure to be specific as to the location.  Can you follow THAT plan?" 

            Kurai snarled, "Hai, Slade."  He strode over to a moaning Robin a brought him up by the scruff of his neck.  "Wake up!" 

            Robin managed to force one eye open.  "I… uh… you… won't win…" 

            Kurai laughed.  "Spare the clichés for one whom you can beat.  Now listen carefully.  My master and I shall meet you in the mountains, near the summoning place of the demon Fire in exactly one week.  If you are late, I shall vaporize a sizable chunk of your city.  And then I shall get nasty.  Do you understand!?" 

            Robin grit his teeth.  "We'll be there…"

            Kurai smirked.  "Oh, and I'm told that the paramedics will be here in a moment to assist you.  Enjoy!"  With that, Kurai disappeared in to the shadows, and Robin slipped into painful oblivion once again as he was roughly dropped. 

            *****************

            The next day, in the Titans' living room…

            Beast Boy moaned.  Most of his body was covered in bandages, save for his eyes and right arm.  "Hey Raven, you feeling good enough to heal us yet?"

            Raven was reading a book, holding an icepack on her head.  "For the last time, NO!"  She winced at increased headache that yelling brought about.  "I take on the pain of those I heal, and I won't be over my OWN injuries for a few days.  Just learn to deal."

            Green Arrow's right arm was in a sling, as he had sprained his wrist trying to catch himself from a fall.  "Well, let me know as soon as you are ready.  I feel helpless without the use of my arm."  He sipped a cup of coffee brought to him via a Shimmer strand.  "Thanks, uh, Savior, was it?" 

            Savior nodded.  He was forced to elevate his own sprained ankle and sported several large cuts on his torso, although these were well bandaged.  "Yeah.  I'm a little curious as to what a big name superhero such as yourself is doing slumming with us."

            Green Arrow laughed.  "Big name?  Ask five out of ten people who I am, and they'll say, "I always thought his name was Green Lantern."  I'm Justice League sometimes, but I'm not one of the big names.  And don't sell yourself short, Savior.  You guys got more good press than I have in my whole career after you and Superboy's group managed to take down that Lord of the Night guy.  As for why I'm here… well, I was waiting to catch a train to Gotham when I saw the explosions.  I figured I'd lend a hand.  Of course, I missed the train about ten hours ago, but I think the man I was meeting will understand.  Of course, we were meeting for reasons that I cannot reveal on secret identity grounds.  I hope you'll understand."

            Robert, looking no worse for wear, but moving like he was seventy years old, sat down across from Green Arrow.  "I've actually never seen the need for secret identities, but I suppose if you were a big man like, say, Oliver Queen, owner of a major corporation, I might understand."

            Queen spat as this caught him off guard.  "Wh-what!?"

            Savior glared at his unwanted teammate.  "You idiot!  Even if you were right, you can't just say that kind of stuff out loud!  What makes you think that, anyway!?"

            Robert shrugged.  "Oh, a year or so ago, I tried to figure out the secret identities of some of the major superheroes.  Just for fun, you know.  Either that or take up stamp collecting.  Anywho, to make a long story short, your mask hides nothing, Mr. Queen.  Also, you're the only major superhero in your city AND you're about the only person who would be able to fund a guy like Green Arrow in your city.  Putting two and two together is pretty simple." 

            Oliver smirked.  "You're clever, boy.  Let's keep that one under our hats, shall we?"  Robert nodded.  Green Arrow set down his mug and started brushing off the coffee he had spilt on himself.  "I suppose you've figured out who Superman is?"

            Robert replied, "Now that one was tough.  But, I hit paydirt when I realized that Superman and Bruce Wayne have never been photographed together before." 

            Green Arrow sat there in stunned silence for several moments.  "You are a very interesting person, Robert."  A little nuts, but interesting. 

            Gar moaned again.  "Argh!  Everything that doesn't hurt itches!  I can't even shapeshift without ruining the bandages!"

            Savior snapped, "At least you can walk.  I'd go crazy if I couldn't use my powers to do stuff."

            Robin hobbled in on his set of crutches.  Starfire followed shortly after on her own set.  They took places on the last available couch.  Robin began the impromptu meeting.  "All right, first thing's first.  Green Arrow, thanks for the hand.  Any time you want to head back home, you're free."

            Oliver laughed.  "Hah!  Like I'd let that little bastard get off without a good fight!  I'm in for the long haul." 

            Robin grinned.  "Glad to have you.  With Thunder and Lightning wanting to give a hand too, the odds are starting to look pretty sweet."

            Raven adjusted her icepack some more.  "So, where are those two anyway?"

            Starfire replied, "They wanted to pick up a few things from their home." 

            Robin continued.  "Next order of business.  Robert, I overheard you say that you know Kurai.  He's about as strong as Superboy or Etrigan, so any insight you can give us would be good." 

            Robert thought.  "I haven't really seen him since I was a little kid… he's always been really strong, but his little sister is stronger." 

            Oliver piped in.  "So what, they're a family of metas?"

            Robert shook his head.  "No, I remember that much.  They practice a rare martial arts form, the bachi no kami.  It takes advantage of their life energy to make 'em super, or something like that.  I seem to recall that their father wasn't that strong.  Or else I just never saw him use the power.  Kurai's a real jerk, and pretty egotistical.  Of course, he's strong enough that it's all deserved.  Beyond that… I don't remember much."

            Savior snapped, "Try harder, man!  Anything could be useful!" 

            Robert glared at his teammate.  "Hey, I'd like to see YOU remember a guy you met when you were four.  Lay off!"  He thought for a few moments.  "I don't remember him having those bandages before; they're new."

            Beast Boy's eyes bugged out.  "Dear God!  He's that strong when he's HURT!?"

            Robin added, "I don't think so.  He didn't move like he was hurt.  Probably just a fashion statement or some Japanese thing we don't get."

            At that point, Cyborg walked in, looking as chipper as ever after an overdue tune up.  "Hey guys, I'm ready and rarin'!  What's the plan?" 

            "We were just talking about that," Robin said.  "It's going to take some effort to integrate the new guys into the team, but we can't train until we've healed up a bit."

            Savior spoke up.  "I'd suggest we divide the team.  Thunder and Lightning healed up pretty fast, Cyborg's at 100% and Gauntlet should be OK in a day or so.  We add Green arrow to that group, call it Team B and get them training before the rest of us.  The rest of us are still good at working together, so we just can help supervise them." 

            Robin queried, "Would it really be a good idea to split our forces?"

            Savior explained, "We wouldn't be splitting the forces, just making your job easier.  We don't have enough time to get you used to juggling ten team members at once, and that Kurai guy is strong enough that we don't need anything interrupting our flow."

            "And here I thought you just didn't want Gauntlet on your team."

            "Hey, no reason not to mix business and pleasure."  Savior took a sip from a soda he had snatched for himself, ignoring the daggers that Robert was glaring at him.  "I vote we make Green Arrow head of Team B.  He has the most experience, and except Cyborg we don't have any real Titans on there, so they're going to need to get with the program fast." 

            Robert got up shakily.  "I don't have to put up with this!  I'm leaving!"  Summoning his diminished energy reserves, he slowly walked from the room.  Even with his weakness, he trembled with rage from the insult.

            "That was uncalled for.  You just got another week sans privileges."  Raven floated from the room, as walking tended to cause unpleasant jarring. 

            Savior cursed as Oliver chuckled.  "Reminds me of my own relationship with Black Canary." 

            Beast Boy perked up.  "Wait… you've been with Black Canary!?" 

            Oliver grinned.  "You might say that."

            Beast Boy prostrated himself before Green Arrow.  "You… are… a GOD!  Teach me your ways, oh wise one!"

            Green Arrow laughed.  "Can't let you get all of my secrets, boy.  Of course, I'll tell you this much.  Candy and flowers?  Never works more than once, and even then odds are you'll fail.  Instead, you… hey, shouldn't you be taking notes?"  Gar scrambled and began scribbling furiously. 

            Cyborg put a hand on Savior's shoulder.  "Lay off, man.  He's a good guy.  I don't know what your problem is, but it's really messin' up our team, ya know?" 

            Oliver interrupted his teaching in the proper method of letting them down softly to pipe in, "That reminds me of my relationship with Hawkman… and no, it wasn't the same kind as with Black Canary.  Our inability respect the other's qualities nearly killed us a dozen times.  You can dislike him, but keep it close to your chest, okay?" 

            Savior snapped, "You all act like I'M the one that's provoking this." 

            Cyborg's chest popped open and a disk popped out, which he put into the TV.  "I've been waiting for WEEKS to use this.  Say hello to Cyber-Cam.  Everything I see, you see.  I've edited together a few clips that I think will settle that question."

            Everyone watched closely as the film began running. 

            Starfire appeared on screen, holding up a Sailor Moon doll.  "Oh no, Sailor Venus!  The evil Negaverse is attacking!"

            A little Sailor Venus doll, held in what was obviously Cyborg's metal hand, responded in a falsetto, "Believe in yourself, Sailor Moon!  We can beat 'em!"

            Cyborg coughed into his hand.  "Ahem.  Let's… skip a bit…"

            Starfire said, "Oh, now I see!  You did not want the others to know because you wanted to save it for your home movies!  It makes sense now."

            Cyborg smacked his forehead.  "Do her one favor… rassn frassn… ah, here we are.  Enjoy!" 

            ****************

            Robert walked on camera to greet Noel as he walked towards the door.  "Hey, Noel!  Where ya headed?" 

            Noel rolled his eyes.  "I'm going out on patrol.  You know, like REAL heroes do."

            Robert nodded.  "Ah, yeah, I should do that today.  Mind if I tag along?"

            Noel walked into the elevator, but not without making a parting shot.  "Sorry, you must have an IQ greater than room temperature to join." 

            ****************

            Cyborg hit the pause button.  "Now, see, that was the only one that didn't require five minutes of background to understand it.  For some reason, you guys aren't very entertaining most of the time, so I'll just show you the gems that spout from our buddy Noel's mouth."

            ****************

            "Oh, I'm sorry, but I can't hear the frequency that idiots speak at."

            ****************

            "I don't make monkeys, I train 'em." 

            ****************

            "Well, I thought it was a good idea, until YOU had it."

            ****************

            Savior stood up in the meeting hall.  "ENOUGH!"  The Shimmer lashed out, turning off the television.  He stomped over to Victor, looking him in the eye as best he could.  "What, you've been planning on HUMILIATING me for weeks!?  You're the one who's working against team unity!" 

            Victor replied, "Hey, your words, not mine.  I know you two aren't the most compatible, but you've just been an asshole the whole time he's been here!  And for your information, I was ready to delete that file but you just had to keep pushing it!" 

            Robin slammed a crutch into the coffee table, commanding everyone's attention.  "Cut that out!  We are a team first and foremost.  Noel, shape up!  Victor, learn some tact!  This meeting is now OVER!  We don't need anything else!  We have a big fight in a week, and we are NOT blowing it because YOU DON'T LIKE THE NEW GUY!"

            Noel stomped out of the room in a huff.  Or at least, he tried to.  Forgetting his injury, he cried out in pain as his injured ankle said, "No way, José!"  He muttered under his breathe and used the Shimmer to snatch Starfire's crutches.

            "Ahem.  Friend Noel, I do not mean to be rude, but those are MY crutches."

            Noel levered himself up and began making his way out of the room.  "You can fly.  You don't need them."

            Starfire blushed.  "I had forgotten."

            Green Arrow scratched his head.  "This makes some of the Hawkman stories I had ready seem anticlimactic." 

            ****************

            Later, in the computer room…

            Batman's face, enlarged to gigantic proportions by the large screen, looked down upon his protégé.  "Hmmm… from the sounds of it, you're in a classic flashpoint situation." 

            Robin raised an eyebrow.  "Flashpoint?" 

            "Also known as cabin fever, but flashpoint illustrates it better.  A closed system put under pressure will eventually reach a point where heat is required to light a fire instead of a spark.  I'd imagine that on some level, you all had some pressure from the Trigon and the Lord of the Night, especially Noel.  Combine that with the new member brought in against all your wills and that's enough heat to start a bonfire." 

            Robin nodded.  "I get what you're saying, but that doesn't help me much.  Have you ever had to deal with anything like that in the JLA?" 

            "Pretty recently, actually.  Gorilla Grod used his telepathy to keep us all in a perpetual bad mood and came as close as anyone has yet to finishing us off because of it.  We all said some hurtful things, and we meant every word.  Flash tried to pin it on Grod, but we all knew better.  We apologized and lived with it." 

            Robin broke the awkward silence.  "So, it's all a matter of forcing an apology?"

            Batman shook his head.  "A forced apology fixes nothing.  You just have to create an environment where that kind of thing can happen.  You have an advantage with the Titans, since you have a more fixed command structure.  You can do more to make that environment than I could." 

            "But why are those two always bashing heads?" 

            Batman tapped a few keys at his end.  "Noel is an incredibly serious young man.  I only met him twice face to face, but I read that immediately.  This Gauntlet, though… well, I think this says it all."  Batman's face was replaced on the screen with a headline from the Jump City Herald.

            "Titan Wins Belching Contest." 

            Robin stroked his chin.  "I missed that one.  That explains where all the soda went that day." 

            Batman gave Robin a very fleeting grin.  "I look forward to meeting him, just so I can finally get him pegged.  I have to go now, Tim.  It was good speaking with you again."

            "Same with you Bruce."  Suddenly, something that Gauntlet had said crossed his mind.  "Oh, this might be nothing, but have you ever heard of a martial arts style called the bachi no kami?"

            Batman started at the mention.  "What?  Where did you hear about that?"

            "Robert thinks that's what makes this Kurai guy so strong.  What do you know about it?"

            "During my time in Japan, I met a man named Tomoe Akira, who claimed to be the master of the school.  He told me that he dared not teach these techniques to any man, as they had been officially banned nearly a century before.  Bachi no Kami translates roughly to Punishment of the Gods.  Tomoe told me that it enhanced the skills of the user to great heights, but it came with hidden costs.  He did not tell me what they were.  Be careful regardless; any man who has mastered that technique will be nigh unbeatable."

            Robin said sardonically, "Yeah, and I have the bum leg to prove it.  I don't know how we'll ever be ready in time."

            Batman looked at something off screen.  "I'm sure you will do fine.  But now I really have to go.  Goodbye."

            "Bye, Bruce."  As Batman winked out of existence, Robin slumped in his chair.  "Yeesh.  You'd think that after beating the Lord and Trigon, taking on some punk with a funny name would be easy."

            End Part 6

            Notes: Why Green Arrow?  Well, after reading the collections of Kevin Smith's run on the series, I figured he was a cool enough character that he deserved some "screen time."  Besides, I have to continue Legend Maker's tradition of having crossovers at random intervals, and this seemed as random a time as any. 

            Also, as with Black and White, this uses an odd combo of DC comics and Cartoon Network's continuity.  I do put preference on the Cartoon continuity, but where the DC stuff is just plain cooler it takes precedence.