After Captain Marvel had forcefully removed Raven from Superboy, both of them were subjected to a scolding lecture from Black Canary about their recklessness during their 'spar' After that, the pair had been forced to 'play nice' whilst Raven healed the kryptonian's shoulder and the others had showcased their own talents in the meantime. Robin, it turned out, was quite apt for a human child whilst Ms Martian clearly needed some more tutelage without the use of her powers, because much like Raven, it was more of an instinctual thing that a consciousness one.

"Biat q'wa alza Azarath, unar'duk la'zeam mallar…" [By the powers of mighty Azarath, I beseech you to mend the bone & bind the flesh] Raven murmured over and over, hands outstretched as she healed Superboy's dislocated shoulder. Both sidekicks appeared rather put out by the action; one for the defeat at the hands of a child a third his size, whilst the other's was for the removal of battle-won scars. Sure, it had only been a play-fight/spar, but scars were special things and you weren't supposed to rid yourself of hard-won trophies. If they were to be healed, then let Mother Nature take her course, don't force it, at least that's what the monks had taught her.

Captain Marvel had left some time ago, citing errands to run (likely school or family related) with a barely concealed groan when everything seemed to have calmed down. Though, he did pause at the zeta tubes to remind Raven one more time to play nice—something which made the young witch pout at the insinuation—as she returned to the safe confines of her cloak. Evidently, Red Tornado had left around that time too, leaving Black Canary & Martian Manhunter to deal with the sidekicks as the android cited Leaguer duties on the Watch Tower. Though he did mention something about checking on the tomato patch, which had pricked Raven's interest. Could you even grow tomatoes in space?

"Batman to the Cave" Batman greeted, his face suddenly sprung to life on the screen in the middle of the room.

"Izzat Bats?" Kid Flash garbled around a handful of potato chips as everyone turned to face the screen.

"Seven hours ago, a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary" A muted video of a pointy-eared android appeared on a second window in the adjacent screen; his red hair just as shiny as his flesh. The shock in the room was palpable as they watched this…thing toss the heavy hitters of the Justice League around like rag dolls. "The attacker was capable of studying, then duplicating the powers and abilities of its opponents. Arrow called in reinforcements which nearly proved disastrous as our foe gained more & more power with each new combatant"

"Whoa…!" Kid Flash breathed, eyes wide. "One guy with the powers of the entire League?"

"In the end, it took EIGHT Leaguers FOUR hours to defeat and dismantle the android" Batman continued on unbothered.

"An android?" Robin piqued up, "Who—who made it? T.O. Morrow?"

"Good guess, Robin, but Red Tornado doesn't think so"

"The technology bares the signature of Professor Ivo" Manhunter explained, his tone drawling but serious.

"Ivo?" Aqualad puzzled, "But Ivo's dead!"

Evidently not. Raven mused as she finished up her healing session. Superboy was more than glad to be free from her clutches as he shuffled over to stand next to Ms Martian, gaze hard and posture tense. The martian seemed happy at his appearance and the newly healed arm, but the clone refused to meet her eye, making her look like a dejected puppy.

"To make certain that this threat is permanently neutralised, we're sending two trucks carrying the android's parts to two separate Star Labs facilities in Boston and New York for immediate evaluation. Every precaution is being taken. We'll have four additional decoy trucks to create confusion in case Ivo—or anyone—tries to recover the remains. You will split into two undercover teams to safeguard the two real trucks"

"Yes! Road trip~!" Kid Flash sang, doing an odd little dance on the spot.

"So now we take out your trash?" Superboy scowled.

"You had something better to do?" Batman replied, just as dry as before. Raven didn't need to see his face to know an unimpressed brow had been quirked at the boy (and neither did Robin, if the barely muffled shit-eating grin was anything to go by). Clearly Superboy did not because he turned his scowl to the side, unable to meet Batman's piercing gaze or Ms Martian's concerned eyes.

BZZT~BZZT!

Raven's communicator vibrated in her pocket as the rest of the information was sent over to them. Around her, the others plucked their own devices from their pockets and moved to check what was written there (save for Superboy who just glared resolutely at the floor, grounding his teeth together in agitation). "…Co-ordinates received. On our way" Aqualad nodded, eyes grazing over the digits blaring across his own communicator. And just like that, they were off.


3 August 2010
Litchfield County, Connecticut

Tucked away in a small alcove surrounded by a small patch of trees that bordered the air strip, the Team (not so) patiently awaited the go-ahead from the Justice League after they'd loaded the two chosen trucks with android parts and debriefed the armed forces on what was going to happen. Raven tugged again at the indigo-trimmed sleeves, readjusting the tight material for the umpteenth time since she'd changed into the newly crafted riding gear earlier. Each sidekick bore the same kevlar suit tailored to fit their own physiques and trimmed with the colours of their original costumes, making them all look like an odd sort of biker gang; complete with helmets to match!

Five combat motorcycles sat lined up beneath the canopies, again each tailored to the each of them and each baring the signature make of Wayne Industries. Robin appeared the most at ease with the vehicles & the situation as deft hands fluttered across the controls in front of him. He appeared familiar with the technology which reassured Raven that at least the other avian knew what he was doing.

Ms Martian sat huddled over her own bike, legs straddling the seat and fingers tapping relentlessly against the ivory helmet in her lap. After both the Mr Twister fiasco and the Bane situation, the martian had been tightly wound whenever so much as a mention of a mission came up. It was clear that she was worried about her lack of experience and how that would affect the mission (as it had done in the past). Raven didn't know why she was so worried; powers aside, the two girls had spent the most time under Black Canary's tutelage as they both learnt the ways of Earthen combat.

Aqualad sat at the back of the pack, slitted eyes flittering back & forth between the Team and his communicator as he awaited the go-ahead with a quiet tenseness that had settled in his shoulders. He emanated big brother energy that calmed Raven's nerves some, and for that she was grateful. Despite his earlier ire, Superboy appeared quite taken with his crimson bike as he leant possessively against to it, arms crossed and brow furrowed like he was ready to pounce if you so much as looked his way.

Raven, who was too young to drive her own bike (nevermind the fact that she was too short to reach both pedals and handlebars), would be riding in tandem with Robin. Which was fine, but it didn't stop the butterflies from fluttering around in her stomach at the thought about (possibly) facing off against their adversary or whomever made the overpowered android in the first place. It was the kind of feeling she got whenever one of her many siblings declared a duel or a death match (though for them, that was more or less the same thing). This was not helped by the sour tang that beaded on the back of her tongue at the lack of cloak or hood to retreat into; instead she would have to make do with the bobble-headed helmet perched in her lap.

Thankfully, Kid Flash was (unknowingly) easing her anxieties as he played the class clown next to the subdued martian. Posing this way and that, the speedster flexed kevlar-bound muscles in an attempt to catch the ginger's eye, but she was far too focused on the task at hand. The only saving grace was that the golden helmet upon Kid Flash's head muffled any sort of flirtatious remark that he sent towards the fellow ginger and though he'd struck out once more, the (cringy) domestic little scene was enough to settle Raven's nerves if only for a brief moment.

"Star Boston is a-go" Green Lantern Hal's voice fluttered over the comms, yanking Raven from her stupor. Letting the breath she'd been holding hiss out from between her teeth, she donned her own indigo helmet and slotted herself in behind Robin. Small arms looped themselves around his waist, head tucked against his back as the bike flickered to life beneath them.

"Star Manhattan is a-go" Green Arrow replied, voice crackling slightly. Next to her, the other four revved to life as well, each one of the sidekicks sharing one last glance before they were given the all clear to split off into their two teams.

"Team, move out" Aqualad acknowledged with a small dip of his head. Team one, consisting of Aqualad, Ms Martian and Kid Flash, disappeared off to the left as they followed after the procession of armoured trucks headed to the Star Labs in Boston. In turn, team two, consisting of Superboy, Robin and Raven, went right as they tailed their own armoured trio headed for Manhattan. Above them, the sky burnt red and Raven hoped that that wasn't it bad sign.


They'd been driving for a while now, the open plains of the Lichfield airstrip slowly fading out into long hazy fields of maize. Evening had fallen by then and Raven, still bound to Robin, shifted slightly in her seat as she itched to take to the air. "…If 'dislike' is the opposite of 'like', is 'disaster' the opposite of 'aster'?" Robin mused aloud, voice crackling over the comms as he pulled up alongside the brooding kryptonian. He'd been going off & on like this for a while now, not really talking about anything, but he showed no sign slowing down or stopping."See, instead of things going wrong, they go right"

"Nn" Superboy grunted, clearly done with the boy wonder's tactics to get him to talk.

"Uh, clearly you're not feeling the aster" Robin sighed, shoulders slumping down. "What's wrong?"

"Canary" Superboy grunted, hands tense over the handlebars, "I mean, what business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super strength?!"

"Taking down stronger guys is part of the gig. Canary learnt that the hard way, same with Batman and well, me"

"It's not about the size of the monk in the fight, it's about the size of the fight in the monk" Raven added helpfully.

"What?" Robin glanced back, lips twitching in amusement.

"It's something the monks taught us"

"Like a proverb?"

"Mmhm"

"Since when do monks fight?" Superboy scoffed.

"There have been warrior monks before" Raven replied hotly, "And besides, they're sorcerers, y'know? Magic? Look, the proverb's all about teaching cleverness and patience, right? I mean, how else d'you think I could dislocate your arm so easy, Mr Krypton?"

"Tch!" Superboy hissed as his shoulders hunched up around his ears, clearly done with the conversation as he revved his bike and moved closer to the armoured truck in front of them.

"…What?" Raven blinked dumbly up at the unimpressed stare from the boy in front.

"Was that really necessary?" Robin hummed as he turned back to face the front.

"It's not my fault he's a sore loser and besides, it wasn't even a real game! So I dunno what he's so worked up about" Raven pouted as she refused to acknowledge the tinge of amusement speckled amongst Robin's other emotions.

"Canary's right, Raven, sparring—training— it isn't a game"

"Tayir zhaq" Literally meaning 'idiot bird' the young witch thought the remark rather fitting. "I know that! But if you fight, you fight to kill! Everybody knows that!"

"And when you're not?"

"Not what?"

"Fighting to kill?"

"That's just play-fighting! A game!"

"I thought you said that the monks were peaceful? Uh, pacifists?" Queried Robin, sparing a quick glance over his shoulder at the small bird at his back.

"The Azkareths were peace-loving monks, yes" Raven nodded as she recalled white-robed officials staring down their noses at her. Peace-loving, but not without condescension. "But they also knew that peace doesn't come without a little bit of bloodshed"

And besides, Raven thought ruefully, It wasn't the monks that taught me that.