My name is Maxine "Max" Gibson. I live in Gotham with my best friends Terry and Terra McGinnis. I'm one of the smartest people around. I've won multiple awards in academics. I'm a computer genius and I rule the video games. But the most important thing to know about me is that I am Mystic Robin the third and final member of the Bat team.
My life hasn't been perfect. In fact it's been the opposite of perfect. My folks split up when I was just a kid and my mom was on the road a lot leaving me alone with my sister. But she was hardly around because she was to busy with her friends or school. My only companion at home was my Siamese cat Siamese. At school I never talked about my home life with my friends. I didn't want their pity. They all thought I threw myself in to school work to get ahead for collage while in reality I just did it to keep myself busy.
I found out about Terry and Terra's secret totally by accident. I had originally been designing this new software program to find out the identity of the Bat Twins. But when the Jokers target me I reconfigured it to find out who they were. The computer said that Terry and Terra were Jokers but I was glad to be proven wrong. Letting me in on their secret made me feel like I was part of something finally. I was determined to somehow to get really involved.
Mr. Wayne was not really pleased by me knowing the truth. He didn't want me to be involved at all. Still I wasn't about to be discouraged. I had been alone for so long I was willing to risk anything to feel loved and part of something. I guess that's why I was so susceptible to Spellbinder's VR. It made me feel loved. In the end it was the thought of losing my friends that made me attack Spellbinder. I learned you couldn't live in a fantasy.
Still my troubles weren't over yet. Since I couldn't play a more active role in the team I did smaller things. I assisted the twins in some cases, hid them when the police thought they killed someone, and helped them study for class. I was once kidnapped by a synthoid, but that wasn't the worst thing that happened to me. Not by far.
You see after Terry and Terra got their butts kicked by some members of Kobra during a robbery Bruce Wayne thought they should improve their martial arts by studying under an old friend of his. She thought that they could use some key pointers in their fighting style. I wanted to join them in their training, but after seeing them gag on the protein drink I thought better of it.
I was having fun at this video arcade a few nights later when Terry and Terra brought one of their friends from the class with them to the place. They had told me a little about him. His name was Zander and I hate to admit this, but I thought he was kind of cute. He seemed a little strange but I just shrugged it off and challenged him to one of my favorite video games. I couldn't believe that he never had played one before. He thought he beat me but I surprised him. I did my little victory dance shocking him. "Whose rad? Who's bad? Whose never never been had? Oh yah I rule!"
"But I never lose!" Zander said almost shocked. That's when Terry and Terra arrived with the food. Terra smiled and said, "There's a first time for everything Zander." Terry then thrusted some pizza and soda into his hands which he eagerly devoured. I thought we could have more fun together, but then these weirdoes's in suits arrived and took Zander away. "Man I hope we didn't get him into to much trouble." Terry muttered.
The next night I was home alone as usual. I was chatting with Terry and Terra while they were on patrol discussing the latest things that had been happening. Like how were classes going, what happened to Zander, and why on Earth would Kobra want with a thermal bomb and dinosaur DNA. "If you ask me this whole thing with Kobra doesn't make any sense at all. From you're past dealings with them you know that Kobra always has some sort of crazy yet logical plan. I don't see how these two things fit their pattern." I told them.
"Agreed. We've been analyzing the problem from all angles but can't make heads or tails of it." Batgirl told me.
"Alright that's enough you three. This is a private channel and I like it if you got off this line Max and never call again unless it's an emergency. Do I make myself clear?" Bruce demand.
The doorbell rang just as I hung up my phone. I left it on my bed and went to see whom it was. Standing outside my door was Zander. I was surprised. "Zander! I'm surprised to see you."
"Max I would like it if you would join me this evening. I want to show you something important." Zander told me. Something about the way he talked and looked at me made me wary.
"Um not tonight Zander I'm busy. I've got to go. I'll see you tomorrow okay?" I told him closing the door. Suddenly my door was busted down and strange men entered my apartment. I kicked them and lunged for my phone hitting the redial. "Terry! Terra you got to help me!" I screamed.
"Max I thought I told you to get off this…." I didn't hear the rest. Zander's men where all over me in a matter of seconds. I struggled valiantly to get them off of me and Siamese attacked them to, but in the end I was injected with a sedative and Zander took me like I was some sort of prize. I don't know what happened to Batman and Batgirl specifically when they came after me. All I know is that they both ended up with broken ribs and a sore back.
The next thing I do remember is walking up in a beautiful richly furbished room that was adorned with snake idols. It was extremely hot in the room. I looked down at myself and gasped. I was wearing a long, pure white silk dress with a pure gold collar. On my feet where a beautiful pair of custom made golden sandals. I was wearing a pair of gold wrist guards with a snake armband on my right arm. I had to admit to myself despite the situation I loved the outfit. It was expensive, beautiful, and comfortable. But that still didn't answer my question of where I was and what the heck was going on.
Two maidens dressed in red entered my room and said they were my servants. That Zander had sent them to see to my needs and to answer any questions. I had a lot of questions and they seemed amused by them. I didn't like where this was heading so I escaped out into the hallway. I tried to find an exit but was caught by a spliced Kobra agent and brought before Zander.
He was dressed like a king and had a pet cobra wrapped around his arm. I shied away afraid to get bitten. He seemed amused. I was mad, but I decided that if I was going to get out of here I better learn what this was all about. "Why don't you explain everything to me? It would be a lot more helpful if I understood this."
"Of course. You deserve to know. One in your position is expected to understand her responsibilities and my history. Come over here and I'll show you. I've been genetically engineered to be the perfect leader since before I was born. My gestation was monitored around the clock to make sure I received the proper nutrients. From a very young age I was tutored in military tactics, weapons, and the history of the worlds greatest leaders. I master more than a dozen academic studies. I have been raised to be self-suffient and that I am the leader of Kobra destined to be ruler of the world. You see my advisors and I have been designing the ultimate plan. It is time for a new era. The Era of Kobra. Dinosaurs ruled the Earth for millions of years. Mammals are only a recent addition. So I'm taking us back. As you can see I've already spliced some of my men and made us use to the heat." Zander explained calmly to me. Like he was giving a report on the weather!
It clicked in my brain. "That's why you need the thermal bomb. Reptiles are cold blooded and you'll need all the extra heat to stay alive. But the only way a thermal bomb would change the climate is if you dropped it down a dormant volcano that lead straight to the Earth core. Oh man that's what your going to do. What about everyone else in the world? They'll die because of the shift in the climate!" I yelled at him.
"Yes they will, but only because there not worthy to survive in the first place. I must admit there are a few people I want to spare. Terry and Terra for starters. They were the only friends I ever had. And you of course after meeting you I had to save you. I have big plans for you." Zander said looking at me with lust in his eyes.
"Well you can forget it snake boy! I rather die then be apart of something like this. Your crazy and this plan is doomed to fail." I told him rudely.
One of his advisors pulled him away from me to talk to him privately. It didn't occur to them that I could read lips. His advisor was angry that I was speaking so rudely to him. He didn't understand what Zander saw in me. There were plenty of young ladies here to satisfy him. He should get rid of me. Zander replied that he liked me, liked me a lot. All the other girls around here were like robots. I was the first girl he met that had a personality. He wanted me to be his queen, his wife! In fact he planned to hold the ceremony after they had finished with the plan. No way was I going to be part of that. I was so deep in thought I missed what he told the guard.
I was trying to think of a way to get out of this place before I became the Queen of Kobra when the guard grabbed me and pinned my arms behind me. He held a small mask in one hand and was lowering it towards my face. "Hey what do you think your doing? Let me go!" I screamed. But he pushed the mask in place and pressed down on the button releasing a green gas. I tried not to breath it but I had no choice.
Suddenly a red Batarang knocked the mask off my face. Batman leaped into the air came down on top of the guard knocking him flat. Batgirl tied him up then came over to look me over. I hugged them both tight I was so glad to see them. "Max are you okay? Did he splice you?" Batgirl demanded.
"I don't know. I feel kind of strange and weak. I think I need to lie down. You guys got to stop Zander! He's trying to bring back the age of the dinosaurs!" I informed them. They hid me in a utility closet and ran off to do their job.
Later after Kobra had been stopped and the thermal bomb destroyed my friends brought me back to the Batcave to be examined by their mentor Bruce Wayne. He ran all sorts of test and gave me an injection of anti mutatgen. He looked at the results and sighed. "So what's the verdict? Am I going to be okay?" I asked sitting up.
"I have some good news and some bad news for you Max." Bruce stated turning to face me.
"What's the bad news? I mean I thought that since you gave her an anti mutigen shot that she was cured." Batman said confused.
"Max you have to understand that where dealing with a lot of unknown factors here." Bruce said avoiding the topic at hand.
"Spit it out already Bruce. Is she cured or not?" Batgirl demanded.
"She isn't cured because she was only partially spliced. In any splicing procedure you replace either all or certain parts of the human DNA with animal DNA. In this case you only inhaled half of the splicing mixture causing you to only partially mutate. I manage to put it in remission but I can't cure you. I'm sorry." Bruce explained.
"Why not? You cured Terry and Terra when they got spliced. Why am I any different?" I asked getting angry.
"Because I had a sample of their normal DNA as well as the animal they were transformed into. The DNA you were spliced with came from a dinosaur. I have no way to reference it to come up with an antidote. I'll have my top scientist look into finding a cure for you. Till then you're going to have to give yourselves daily injections of anti mutigen once a day for the rest of your life. Also you're going to have to learn to control your emotions." Bruce warned me.
"Or what? I'm going to turn into a rampaging monster? My life is already over. What guy is going to want me the way I am. And as for remaining calm, but I'm not overly emotional but right now I think I'm going to take my frustration out on you!" I screamed. I lunged across the cave for him. My skin was already sprouting scales and my eyes turning reptilian. With inhuman strength and speed I threw the medical table at Bruce before rushing towards him in an attempt to strangle him. I was so mad that I wasn't thinking straight.
Terry and Terra held me back while Ace defended his master. Bruce simply looked at me daring me to attack. I think I saw pity in his eyes, but mostly disappointment. "As I said strong emotions release hormones that will release the reptilian DNA inside of you. You can get angry, happy, sad, but you must keep it moderate. As you can see once you calm down symptoms disappear. I'm truly sorry."
"Yeah me too. I just wanted to be part of your lives and look what happened to me. I've become a monster. I guess I'll head home now. By the way I'm keeping the dress. No guy ever spent this much on me before." I said offhand as I walked out of the cave. What other big changes were going to occur in my life?
It was a week after the new Justice League had been formed. They had been accepted by the world and new laws had been formed to allow for them to help out. They wanted me a high school teenager to program the computers on the newly refurbished Watchtower. I eagerly waited outside my apartment building for them to pick me up.
Suddenly I felt a strange tingling sensation through out my entire body. In a flash of brilliant blue lights the world around me dissolved and suddenly I reappeared on the transporter platform aboard the Watchtower. Terry in his Batsuit was manning the controls to the transporter. He turned to smile at me and said, "Hello Alice. Welcome to Wonderland."
"Hah very funny. Terry next time you do that without my permission your getting your butt kicked. Now you show me where you want me to work I'm a busy girl." I told them him playfully.
I was working on installing the secondary backup systems on the tenth level when I dropped one of my diagnostics CDs breaking it in the process. Cursing my bad luck I stormed out of the room to find Terry and ask him where I could get a replacement when I ran into someone. "Sorry I wasn't watching were I was going." I apologized. I looked up and my heart literally skipped a beat. I was looking at the most gorgeous guy ever!
"My fault. I should have been watching were I was going. Batman told me you might need my help installing some things. My name is Lucas Stewart. I'm the Green Lantern J." Lucas told me.
"Max Gibson. I'm friends with Terry and Terra. Tell me what does the J stand for?" I asked curiously.
"The J stands for junior. I'm in the junior corps of the Green Lanterns. So you need help or not?" Lucas asked. I nodded and we got back to work. Over the next several hours we talked about everything. We found out we had a lot in common. When he asked me to go to a basketball game with him as our first date I accepted eagerly. He leaned in to kiss me and all of a sudden I screamed in pain.
Lucas gasped as I fell to the floor in agony. Scales were starting to cover my body. My eyes were turning yellow. My teeth were changing sizes. Lucas hit the medical emergency button. A few minutes later Shania (Hawklady) appeared and took me to the sickbay. After running a few tests and conferring with Batman and Batgirl she gave me an injection of anti mutegen.
"It seems that your dormant spliced genes were activated when you became extremely passionate. I have for now stabilized your condition but your going to have to take a second stronger injection from now on because of the progression of the disorder." Shania said giving me a month worth of injections.
I turned to face Lucas. I could see the look on his face. I repulsed him. I knew it was to good to be true. "So I guess the date off." I said sadly.
"Why would you think that? Max listen to me. Terry explained to me about your condition before you even came on board the Watchtower. I don't in the slightest blame you for it. I think you're the most amazing person I've ever met. I be honored if you would still go out with me." Lucas told me gently. I smiled and hugged him tightly glad to have found someone so understanding.
Two weeks later something happened to my friends and me that would change not only our lives, but also the lives of everyone on the planet Earth forever. I was about to discover my destiny.
The gang had all gathered in Gotham to hang out. All the couples were laughing together discussing what they were planning to do next week after they rearranged their schedules. Being high school students and superheroes was hard. Luckily they were all pretty smart. The topic on hand was me.
"I'm just saying Lucas I can do more if you guys would trust me. I mean look at all I've done so far. I've installed your computers and programmed them. Set up the most sophisticated security system money could buy in half the time it would take a whole team of experts, and lastly tutored you all in school. When do I get to have a more active role on the team?" I asked while chowing down on my burger.
"Max we've been over this like a hundred times. You don't have any powers or special suit to help you fight crime. What we do is serious business. We put our lives on the line everyday. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you. I'm sorry but that's the way things are." Lucas told me.
I was about to answer with a snappy comeback when their communicators beeped. Bruce had discovered a break in at an occult shop and since the whole team was in the city he wanted them to check it out. Without so much as a good bye they headed off. But they weren't about to lose me that fast. I had attached a tracking device to Lucas. Jumping on my bike I revved the engine and started following them.
When I got to the scene of the crime I climbed the fire escape and hid watching what was going on. My friends where gathered on one side of the roof. On the other was a young woman with long raven hair and crystal blue eyes, wearing blue robes and golden tiara. Her hands were glowing pink. "You are the descendents of the original Justice League are you not?" she asked.
"What if we are lady? Who are you and why did you trip the alarm?" Batgirl asked readying a Batarang.
"It matters a great deal to me. I have spent the last forty years of my life preparing for this moment. The moment I would take my revenge for the death of my brother. I would have preferred to destroy the real League but you imposters will do instead. Luminous Dactor." She said sending a huge burst of magical energy at them forcing them to scatter.
Green Lantern J and Supergirl retailed by firing their own beams at them, but she produced some sort of shield around herself. The flashback sent them tumbling to the roof. Flashboy raced towards her in an attempt to capture her but she waved her hand liquefying the ground causing him to sink. Wonder Girl threw her Golden Lasso around her and pulled as hard as she could. The women smiled at her pitiful efforts before using TK to unwrap the lasso and tie Wonder Girl up with it. She then froze the Bat Twins in huge chunks of ice. Martian Boyhunter tried knocking her out with his phycic powers but her mental ones sent him screaming from the nightmarish visions he saw. Hawklady swooped down to hit full on with her nth metal bo staff but she fazed through the roof came up from behind her and used some sort of paralyzing powder on her. I was stunned. She had just taken the Justice League Unlimited out without breaking a sweat.
"A pity really. I was expecting more of a challenge. But then what can I expect from a bunch of teenagers? It's obvious you don't have any knowledge of the mystic arts nor do you grasp the simplicity of the situation. For I am immortal and eternally youthful so nothing you do can harm me. You asked who I am and why I did what I did well that's very simple. My name is Felicia Faust and I need to get your attention. I've wanted to long to avenge the death of my brother Felix. So I will take great pleasure in destroying you by your own powers. Magicus Suspenduas Power Transferors." Felicia chanted raising her hands to the sky.
My friends began to scream in agony and their bodies began to shake rapidly. They started glowing their favorite colors. Sparkles of energy shot out of them heading straight for Felicia. If I didn't do something quick they she would get their powers.
I didn't hesitate or stop to think. I jumped onto the roof and raced towards the sorceress hoping that I could stop her. She was to busy focusing on my friends and her spell to notice me. Right before the sparks of energy entered her I shoved her out of the way. She fell to the ground and screamed, "No! Those powers are mine!" Then the spell hit me.
I felt like a lighting bolt had struck me. This intense feeling of power and rush of energy spread to all parts of my body. I thought I would feel pain, but instead I felt nothing but an intense feeling of pleasure. I let out a sigh of relief. I was glowing all different colors and emitting sparks from my fingertips. Suddenly I fell unconscious and knew no more.
When I awoke things had changed. My friends had all lost their powers. Even Terry and Terra couldn't remember how to fight at all. It seemed all of their powers and knowledge had somehow ended up inside of me. It was decided until a way could be found to reverse the problem I would take up the duties of the JLU as Supreme Queen. (Lousy name I know but it was Gordon's idea.)
At first I loved having special powers and fighting crime. It was a lot of fun and it gave me a great feeling of satisfaction to be doing something like this. I thought I could prove not only to my friends, but myself that I was a valuable team member. But after three weeks of working by myself I was physically and mentally exhausted. I guess that's why Felicia Faust captured me so easily.
I was flying around Gotham when she used her powers to trap me in a green web like sphere. I tried unsuccessfully to get out. She just twirled her finger and the sphere changed into a pair shackles binding my feet and hands. "Stop struggling your only making things worse for yourself. If you hold still for a minute I will be done checking something." She said to me patiently.
She cut a piece of my costume off so she could examine the back of my right shoulder blade. That's where my birthmark was. It was a pentagram. Then she made a small cut in the center of my palm and applied my blood to the cut on her own hand. The wound instantly healed. She stood up and bowed to me! "I have been searching for you a long time. Please forgive my methods it was the only way I could confirm my suspicions. You are the Chosen One. The time of the Awakening approaches. It is time that you know your destiny."
I looked at her confused. What was she talking about? "I don't understand. What are you talking about? What destiny, what do you mean Chosen one? Why have you done these things to me?" I demanded.
"You truly don't understand do you? Maxine you are the most magical being ever to come into existence. Most of my life has been pledge to finding you and training you in the use of your powers. I have been researching you since our first encounter. The ancient texts described a girl born in this continent in a city guarded by bats. They described how you would face trials that would strengthen you. Such as your home life, your adventure against Curare the assassin and the snake worshiping Kobra. I can sense that you have already used your magic abilities without prior knowledge. The birthmark and the fact that your blood heals wounds marks you as the Chosen One." Felicia explained. She was busy preparing some type of spell.
"I'm not a magical being! I have no powers. I think you have me confused with someone else. Besides why should I trust you? You tried to harm my friends to avenge your evil brother!" I retorted. But deep inside I knew she was telling the truth.
"Your magical abilities have manifested in ways that I didn't expect, but that make sense for this modern time. Your vast intelligence, your ease with computers, your ability with video games are only a small part of what you can do. I plan to help you awaken the full extent of your powers and teach you how to use them responsibly. If you still doubt that you're a magical being the simple fact you survived that spell is proof enough. By the way I was never trying to harm your friends. They were merely the bait. According to the texts you would be friends with the protectors from the sky. That meant the Justice League. So I used my brother's death as an excuse to fight the League. They will have the powers returned to them after the Awakening. You must understand that I have no intention of harming anyone. Ah right on time." She said turning to face my friends. They had come to save me despite the fact they were powerless.
"Let our friend go and we won't hurt you. Much!" Green Lantern J. threatened her. Felicia snapped her fingers and suddenly they were trapped inside a crystal sphere. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no intention of surrendering. I plan to finish what I started with your friend Max here." She told them.
She formed a pentagram with a piece of chalk and sprinkled magic powder all around her. She turned to face me using her powers to make me stand tall. "Don't worry this won't hurt a bit. Magicus Suspendus Power Transferors!" she chanted. Eight colored lights pulse sated out from my body and entered my friends. The crystal sphere broke depositing them to the ground. I wanted to run over and check on them, but I was still bound.
"Mystical energies here my plea! Aid me in forging a link between the Chosen One and myself. Give me the power to awaken the full strength and powers of the Chosen One. Magic forces black and white, reaching cross space and light. Form a bond between teacher and student. A link between Master and Apprentice. Thy heart, soul, and mind now become one!" Felicia said casting her spell. A blue mist exited her body and she crumbled to the ground lifeless. The mist surround me and enter my body filling me with the most unusual sensation. I felt myself slip into darkness.
When I woke up I discovered my magical powers had awakened and that Felicia soul had merged with mine. She would be with me forever now teaching me what I needed to know. I used my powers to form a new costume and identify. I thought it was ironic I joked about the name robin because now I was Mystic Robin. My uniform consisted of black-heeled boots that end just below my knees. Black pants and a long sleeve navy blue shirt with silver stars all over the front except were my gold MR emblem was. I had a long black silver trimmed cape. A golden halo sat upon my head while I had a pair of initial earrings along with the traditional mask. I also earned my crystal necklace. I also got this cool multi terrain motorcycle called the Red Bird.
To summarize I'm a lot healthy person then I started out in my life. I have a real family know with Bruce who for reasons unknown to me adopted Terry, Terra, and myself into his family. Felicia is the best mother I could ask for as well as teacher. I love Lucas with all my heart. In total my life is perfect now.