III.-

Superboy raised his arm and there, now visible, now invisible, writhed and fighted a little green something, claded in purple as in the cartoons, as it should be. Bart had always known that television would never let him down.

The thing had finally stopped its shrieking, but its tiny feet moved frantically in the air, its xray-laser-thingie laying at their feet.

"Let him be, Superboy" Said Robin, standing up and picking the gun.

"So he can become invisible again? No way! This little green monkey is coming with us!"

"Yes, he is, but there is no need to bully a little kid, is there?"

"LIttle Kid?" The Super raised an eyebrow behind his sunglasses.

He got closer to the alien, who reacted sobbing and crying again and, when SB got close enough, kicked him in the nose.

"Why you little...!" Superboy threatened the alien, raising an arm.

"Will you let it... him.. her... You are scaring the poor thing!" Robin put his hands on his hips and Bart thoguht he and Max could be twins separated at birth.

"How do you know it's a little kid?"

"His ray is not real. It just.. tickles. And, besides... look at the kid. It's terrified!"

Rob was right, of course. That was the cool thing of bringing him around. You were always right by extension.

The alien was trembling and sobbing and repeating a word once and again.

"I bet he is calling his mum" Said Superboy, raising the alien even higher.

"Sure. Let's hope she doesn't show, though" was Rob's reply as he, gently but firmly, took the little kid from Superboy's grip.

"I could beat her" said the super, not very convinced.

Robin just ignored him. He put the terrified alien in th ground and, with the best of his smiles, gave it its gun back.

"Are you ok?"

The alien looked at him, looked at his gun and the looked at Superboy.

He clung to Rob's cape.

"Now he prefers you?"

"It's an inteligent life form. And we still don't know if it's a HE"

Superboy grunted, crossing his arms and mumbling somethign under his breath. Bart just got closer to the kid and smile, his biggest, sweetest smile.

"He is cute. Can we keep him?"

"It's not a pet, Bart. We cannot keep it. I'm sure someone is looking for the poor thnig. And we don't know if it's a HIM!"

"What if his family is dead?"

Robin sighed, taking the little hand and smiling again. He crouched.

"Now, you'll come with us until we find your mummy, ok? Can you understand?"

The little alien nodded, not very convincingly.

"I think he doesn't understand a word", was Bart's opinion.

"We'll see" Rob stood up, the little green kid clutching tighly his hand. "Superboy, take the sapaceship to the cave, will you? And you, Bart, go and fetch... Go and fetch Starfire. Perhaps she can help."

"Oh, yes!" Superboy ran to the spaceship, suddenly all eager to help.

"An you?" Asked Bart.

"I'll drive the supercycle home".