Chapter 5: Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie
Jump City:
"No, it's cool guys, just stare. I'm sure the knife will go away the longer you stare at it." Wally said irritably as Raven, Donna and Gar stared at the throwing knife that had ended up in his shoulder. Donna and Gar were a solid foot apart now as Raven continued to stand in the door.
"Okay, change of plans, Donna I need to talk to you, Gar, take Wally to the infirmary." Raven said quickly.
"Didn't you need to talk to me?" Gar looked confused.
"That can wait. Donna, with me. Hall. Now." Raven pointed behind her with her thumb and left the door. Donna quickly joined her, looking incredibly uncomfortable but not willing to disagree with Raven in her current mood.
Gar leaned out of the door of the gym, "Are you sure you want me taking him to the infirmary?"
Raven turned around, eyes not entirely glowing red but the edges were there. "Fine." A weight from inside the gym was surrounded by black energy and lifted up, then flew into the side of Gar's head, almost knocking him over, "There, go to the infirmary and see if you have a concussion. Take Wally while you're at it."
"Sounds good." Gar groaned, rubbing the side of his aching skull.
Raven turned and continued down the hall, Donna walking silently next to her until they were out of earshot of the gym.
"I'm sorry." Donna kept a firm look on the floor as they walked.
"I know." Raven monotoned as they continued walking towards to bedroom areas.
"It wasn't my idea-" Donna began.
"I know." Raven interrupted as they stopped in front of Wally and Jinx's room, staring at the door intently before scoffing. "Damnit, she's hiding somewhere."
"How do you know?" Donna asked, confused slightly.
Raven raised an eyebrow at Donna while point at herself, " . You radiate repentance and guilt. That and this isn't your kinda plan, no offense. You've always seemed to be more the straight forward type for everything." Raven stated clinically.
Donna just stared at Raven for a second, "I think Jinx said she was going to relax on the roof today, something about getting sun even though she doesn't tan."
Raven tilted her head at this, then look up towards the ceiling, eyes moving around before settling on a spot. "So it would seem." Her eyes glowed black before Donna and her were enveloped in a black bubble that went upwards.
Back at the gym area, Gar was sitting down on a bench for a moment, holding a cold water bottle to the side of his head as Wally sat next to him, relatively calm for a speedster with a knife sticking out of his shoulder.
"So, when can we go? I kinda want to get this out. Like. Now." Wally stated , disgruntled.
"Give me a second so I can make sure I'm not actually concussed. I wanna be able to get that out of your shoulder without fucking it up." Gar looked at Wally, "How are the eyes?"
"Green and piercing with a slight, emotional watery look to them." Wally grumbled.
"Are the pupils the same size, jackass?" Gar replied.
Wally sighed and checked. Oddly enough, one of the first things a Titan, or any hero for that matter, ends up learning is basic first aid. Mostly how to spot a concussion. "They look normal, man. I don't think she actually gave you a one."
"Had a feeling she didn't, the weight didn't actually connect, the energy did. Softened the blow. I wanted to make sure before we got moving. Alright, fastest grump alive, let's go." Gar stood up, still holding the bottle to his head as they walked exited and walked down towards the infirmary of the tower.
"You know what a concussion feels like on impact?" Wally asked, wincing due to his shoulder moving unconsciously as they walked.
"I'm the scrawniest member of my team, I constantly have to shift into various forms to try and not hurt people I get flung into and I try to flirt with Raven on a constant basis; yeah, being concussed is a familiar feeling, dude." Gar grumbled. "'Sides, what's with all your whining? You act like you've never been stabbed before."
"Kid Flash Fact; I haven't." Wally waved his right arm up in the air for dramatic effect as he said this, wincing at the movement. "Kinda always dodged or vibrated my molecules before something would stab at me."
"Yeah, don't move around so much, the back's muscle group is all interconnected, so any movement's just gonna remind your body there's something lodged in there." Gar said as they reached the infirmary room, door sliding open.
"You know way too much about being stabbed." Wally muttered.
"Similar reasons as before." Gar responded as he went to grab gauze and a vial of a greenish looking goo out of the supply cabinet.
Wally sat on the edge of one of the beds, raising an eyebrow at Gar, smirking "Even the Raven flirting?"
"Especially the Raven flirting." Gar said flatly before taking a pain pill quickly before grabbing the stuff for Wally's back and setting it up behind him on the bed, before looking at the knife. "Hrm, how deep does it feel, man?"
"I wish that was the first time I've been asked that." Wally said quickly.
"I wish I could unlearn that." Gar said, wincing.
"Doesn't feel that deep, really. Also wish tha-" Wally started.
"Well there's a bone there, so that stopped it from getting in too far." Gar cut him off. A thought then hit him. "Hey, can you, like, locally vibrate molecules? Just around the shoulder area? It'll do less damage than just yanking it out."
Wally thought on it for a moment, almost shrugging before being reminded by pain how bad an idea it was, "Should be able to."
"Cool, just need to pull it out, and then the fun work." Gar gently put his hand on the handle. "Alright, go."
Wally winced as he began rapidly move his shoulder until it became a blur. "Should be good." he managed to get out through gritted teeth.
In a smooth motion, Gar removed the knife, "It's out.". Wally immediately stopped the movement, which was followed up by Gar swiftly disinfecting and bandaging the wound. "I'm no Vic, but I can at least do the basics."
"So what the hell was up with Raven's death glare to Donna?" Wally was finally able to think about everything beyond the knife that was in his shoulder.
Gar shrugged as he began to put away the left over medical supplies. "Uhm, not entirely sure. Donna was teaching me to throw knives-"
"Poorly."
"-and then Raven came in as Donna was like...really close." Gar thought back on it.
"Like...how close?" Wally tilted his head.
"Like I think if she was there any longer, my back could've checked her for breast cancer." Gar leaned on the counter behind him, raising an eyebrow.
"Damn. Wondered what she's been doing this past while." Wally looked up in thought.
"What has she been doing?" Gar asked with skepticism.
"Dude, think she was flirtin' with ya." Wally said calmly to Gar's look of confusion.
On the Roof:
Jinx was reclined on a beach chair, wearing a black and purple striped two piece, hands behind her head, wearing sunglasses despite the umbrella she had set up to block most of the sun.
"Could totally get used to this." She felt herself slowly begin to drift off into a nap...
That plan died when she felt a shift in energy around her and noticed two shadows standing over her. Jinx looked up to see a very angry Raven with a very sheepish Donna behind her. "Jig's up faster than I thought." She muttered to herself, before asking with a grin "Can we do this in, like, twenty minutes?"
Jinx's umbrella lifted up, crumpled up into a knot and was flung behind Raven off the roof.
"Or now. We can totally do this now." Jinx tried to keep her grin, but it was far more nervous now.
"Shut up, stand up, and get next to Donna." Raven growled. Jinx did as she was told quickly. A black bubble encircled the three of them and in a blink they were in Raven's room.
Jinx shivered in the air conditioning."Why couldn't we stay on the roof?"
"If I'm going ask you two what the fuck you were thinking, I want it to be on my home turf." Raven explained tersely. "Now. What. The. Fuck. Were. You. Two. Thinking?!"
Donna shifted in her spot. "I was just trying to help, so was Jinx. It was her idea, though"
"Snitch." Jinx stuck out her tongue.
"Lemme guess; make me jealous so I'd claim Beast Boy all on my own?" Raven pinched the bridge of her nose with furrowed eyebrows, unable to abandon an extremely annoyed tone.
"Uhm...yeah, actually." Jinx hugged herself for warmth.
"Do you have any idea how stupid that is?" Raven looked at them with genuine concern.
"We're beginning to get one." Donna's eyebrows raised.
Raven sighed "Look...part of the problem with...all of this, is that lately...everything's been going a little...off with my powers. Mainly, in fact almost entirely focused around the..." she searched for the right words. "Gar ...thing."
"...Is that why you've been lashing out at him?" Donna looked at Raven empathically.
"...Yes...kind of. I haven't rooted that one out yet." Raven looked away as she said this, disappearing into thought, before starting up again. "But. Confusing as all of that is; trying to start competition is not the answer. The only thing that isn't confusing is that I..." she paused, gulped and the lights flickered above them, "I...do like him.", The lights settled, "Enough to where I'm really not sure what I'd do to the competition in my current state."
Jinx looked down awkwardly "...I'm...this is my fault, Raven."
"I know." Raven glared.
"And...I'm sorry. You should've opened up a bit about that, though." Jinx raised an eyebrow.
Donna nodded, "If I knew that, I would not have agreed to do this. I'll make it up to you, I swear."
Raven sighed again, looking at the two of them. 'Good to know they're sincere.' she thought. "...Thank you. Both of you. Now," the door opened. "I gotta meditate for a while, clear things up. It's time-of-girls tonight, and I want to be able to do that without blowing shit up."
Jinx and Donna walked into the hall, Jinx still shivering slightly.
"Well, we're alive." Jinx said cheerfully "That's definitely in the better of the endgames for that plan that went in my head."
Donna sighed and looked at Jinx with a raised eyebrow "At least she forgives us. Now I'm gotta think up a way to make it up to them."
"Them?" Jinx tilted her head
"Raven and Gar."
"Ahh. Yeah. If you need help, lemme know. My plan, my amends to make as well." Jinx grumbled.
"I'll give you a heads up. Oh, go check on Wally, see if they got the knife out." Donna walked towards her room.
"Okay...wait. KNIFE?!" Jinx yelled as Donna's door closed.
Infirmary:
The two sat in silence, not noticing a crumbled piece of metal and cloth falling by the window.
"Why the fuck would she flirt with me?" Gar said, finally, very confused.
"Wait, you couldn't tell?" Wally looked confused at Gar's confusion.
"Well, I just thought she was being nice...and chatty...and kept leaning over while wearing her uniform which shows off, like, everything." Gar motioned at his chest, "But never really thought of it as flirting."
"...Man, if Raven liked you, I have no idea how you'd know. She is way more subtle." Wally shook his head.
"Luck."
"Man, luck only gets you so far. Some times you gotta pay attention-" Wally stopped, eyeing Gar suspiciously. "That was a fast answer."
Gar shrugged "Honest, right?"
Wally continued to eye him for a second then shrugged "That it is. You are hopeless, man."
"So what should I do about Donna, dude?" Gar asked in a worried tone.
Wally grinned, "What, don't wanna to hook up with an amazon?"
"Not...really." Gar shrugged, "She's pretty, she's nice, she's just not..."
"Raven?" Wally's smile grew wider.
Gar's face went red, well as red as it gets, as there was a lull in the conversation. "Yeah."
"Dude, really, what've I been saying this entire month? Just ask her out. That simple." Wally pointed at Gar, who just stood there, lost in thought.
The door slid open with Jinx leaning in, looking around wide eyed then finding Wally and walking over towards him.
"Oh, hey, hon, I was just gonna tell ya-" Wally started cheerfully before Jinx punched him in the left shoulder, causing him to wince "What the hell, woman?!"
"You get freakin' stabbed and you don't think to tell me right away?!"
"I was distracted by something! What was it? Oh yes, that knife that was in my damn shoulder!"
Gar began to edge out of the room as they continued to go back and forth.
"Well, excuse me for being worried!" Jinx glared.
"Well, you are excused, Gar patched me up and it's all over with, thanks for catching up with the present, right Gar?!" Wally turned to look at where Gar was originally and didn't see him. He did hear the door slide shut, though.
Jinx looked at the door. "Huh, scared him off."
"Took long enough."
"Seriously." Jinx replied, before pouncing onto Wally, wrapping herself around him while pushing him down onto the bed, smiling widely before kissing him deeply, which he returned. She broke the kiss for a second and frowned "Seriously, try not to get stabbed again."
"I'll do my best, m'lady." Wally grinned, before they began making out again.
Gotham:
"It has been quiet this night." Starfire hovered next to Robin, looking over in the opposite direction of him as he was perched on a water tower.
"Hrmm." was his only reply as he played with the radio scanner in his palm
"...It is too quiet for this city. It feels...a little off, does it not?" Star turned in Robin's direction as she asked.
"...Rumor is the Joker's back in town." He eventually replied. "Even if it's not true, just the rumor of it puts everyone on edge. Police, Criminals, us. It's always a bad feeling, like a calm before a storm."
"Would the criminal element not be pleased their leader is out?" Starfire was confused.
"Leader?" Robin turned and looked at her equally confused.
"Is he not? He's the most feared of the various crime lords here, one would assume he's their leader."
"That would work if it made sense. Gotham doesn't quite work that easily. The Joker's the best example of that. Sure, he has his gang, but other than that, the other bosses just stay out of his way. He's like a living wildfire; destroys everything around him. It doesn't matter to him as long as he gets a laugh." Robin explained bitterly.
"...In a way, he still runs them. They stay out of his way, and move around him. If he uses that to his advantage, does he not control their actions, albeit indirectly?" Starfire asked after a minute of thought.
Robin mulled it over as he glanced around the buildings. At one point he thought he saw a glint of light on a building a ways off. He hunched over a little more, quickly pulling out a pair on binoculars to look in the direction of the glint.
"What is it?" Star asked, looking ready to fly off if needed.
"Nothing, just thought...nothing." Robin quickly put the binoculars up before going back to the scanner. "I wonder if Batman put us over here because nothing's happening." Robin grumbled.
"...Well, if you want...we could make something happen..." Starfire said seductively.
"...Not...not on patrol, Star." Robin made sure not to look at her. Those eyes could be dynamite.
"But...it has been a few days, we have had so little time together...and no one would know..." Starfire floated closer to Robin, who maintained his stare forward.
"I would." A voice said in their ear pieces.
Both Starfire and Robin halted in their spots.
"O? Do you really have to listen to every conversation?" Robin winced.
"No, but it's fun." Oracle replied playfully.
"...She is the killer of the mood." Starfire folded her arms and pouted slightly.
"No, really, you two go on. Just pretend I'm not here." Oracle said cheerfully.
"...Yeah, that's...a little awkward." Robin muttered.
"Do you not have anything for us to do?" Starfire tried her best to steer the conversation back to business, and hopefully get Oracle to go away.
"B and E about five blocks south at a jewelry sto-nevermind Huntress got it. Okay let's see...couple of Two-Face's people trying to get into a bank six blocks west for some reason...tried looks like Batman got to it. And it looked like there was a mugging going on but that seems to be a halted mugging and a murder thanks to Azrael. Uhm...well..nothing that I can see on my end that's nearby, guys. Sorry." Oracle's frown was almost audible.
"...This city possesses way too many kickers of the bad guy butt." Star said glumly.
Robin sighed. Looks like another long night...
Jump City:
Things had settled down in the tower a week after Wally's unintentional stabbing. The girls had settled into a calm peace between them. Donna and BB still chatted but with way less attempts on Donna's part to get his attention, for which Raven (and Beast Boy) were grateful. She was now actually going between her notes and BB's spot on the couch where he and Wally were mocking a bad movie. It had been too quiet in the city lately, Donna felt like she was missing something, so she had been digging into the notes.
"I'm telling you, something's not adding up." Donna grumbled as Gar flicked between the notes on the tablet and the TV " A week usually doesn't go by without some big villain attack here, let alone a month. Something bigger is going on."
"Well, we don't seem to have anything to go on for that theory. Someone or something's probably holding them back to have them attack at once or whatever." Beast Boy said way too casually, handing back the tablet.
Donna stared at his calm about the thought. "And...this doesn't bug you or anything?"
"No. It happened during the Brotherhood plots. The big thing they didn't predict was the people who just couldn't wait. There's always a couple who throw out the plan for some reason or another." Beast Boy waved his hand absent mindedly. "When they snap, we catch 'em, then see if they have anything for us." he completed casually.
Jinx looked up from her book, almost having dropped it. "When did you get this calculating?"
"Predatory instincts." Gar tapped his head. "I just use those with all the stuff I learned from Robin and working with the Titans and Doom Patrol." He leaned back on his spot on the couch, resting his feet on the coffee table, smiling.
"Huh, guess Robin wasn't entirely stupid to leave you in charge." Jinx mumbled as she went back to reading.
Beast Boy ignored the comment and turned back to Donna, "If you find any hints or anything pass them on, but right now, relax. Look, even Raven's relaxing."
"I have to relax." Raven monotoned from her spot.
"Messing with my point." Gar replied quickly.
"Don't care." Raven turned a page in her book to emphasize her point.
Donna took this as a chance. "By the way, I thought of a way to make it up to you two."
"Make what up?" Gar said, confused.
"Don't worry about that." The three women said near simultaneously.
"Uhm...kay?" Gar's confusion lingered.
"I was thinking that I could treat you and Raven to dinner next Friday, as a good gesture." Donna stated this with her usual big smile.
Raven looked up at Donna, eyeing her suspiciously "I..I don't think that's a good idea."
"How is free food a bad idea?" Gar interjected.
"I'm just saying it would be a little uncomfortable if it's just the three off us. Maybe Wally and Jinx can come as well." Raven responded quickly.
"No can do, planned a date night then. The plans made and the money has already been spent." Wally stated as he stared at the screen.
"I don't see why it couldn't be a good time, free food, good company. C'mon Rae, doesn't sound too horrible, right?" Gar looked at Raven, shrugging.
"I just would rather not." Raven grumbled.
"Oh, why not? 'Good time out with people' not on the Raven fun list?" Hints of disgruntlement were beginning to enter his voice.
"That's not it and you know it. I just think it wouldn't be prudent for us to go out to dinner." Raven stressed.
"How is going out to dinner with a friend 'not prudent'?" Gar sounded exasperated.
Donna watched them go back and forth, raising an eyebrow before looking at Jinx and Wally, who were also watching intently. She opened her mouth to say something but the alarms went off.
Beast Boy instantly stood up, near literally leaping at the chance to escape the conversation. He pressed a button on the control panel, which brought up a map of the city with two dots and camera windows. One had what looked like the front of a gym that had been crushed in, surrounded by police cars, the other kept flicking to different public street cameras of a man on a motorcycle shooting at passing buildings and people wildly.
"Well, got your wish Donna, two of 'em. That's Johnny Rancid there." Gar pointed at the biker, before his hand moved over to the other image,"And if that's a gym, my best guess is Adonis." He didn't mean to let the name exit him in a growl, but it did.
"And the plan is...?" Wally asked calmly, having learned to wait for the plans.
"Two groups, Jinx and Wally, you two should be more than enough for Rancid, take out his bike and he's practically goon level. Donna, Raven and I will take Adonis." Beast Boy looked at the city map on the screen, eye flicking between the two warning spots. "If you two finish up before us, we'll probably need a hand." Wally and Jinx nodded.
"Alright, let's go!" Gar said as they all scrambled to get moving.
Metropolis:
Admittedly, Dr. Stone was taken aback when Victor asked to tour S.T.A.R. Labs with him one day. Vic had been avoiding him the past few weeks and he had simply resigned himself to the fact that his son really didn't want to see him at all. But, Vic approached him to see the labs, and Dr. Stone quickly agreed.
Credentials to get him in weren't a problem. Being one of the senior scientists' sons would guarantee a special pass, but being a prominent member of the hero community gave him as close to full clearance an outsider could get. And if there was anything else he really wanted to see, he could simply drop a "Well, if you want, we can call up Kal, see if he thinks it's important." line, but both Vic and Dr. Stone doubted that would be necessary.
The visit itself went surprisingly smooth; Vic impressed a great deal of the staff with his knowledge of even some of the more advanced tech they worked on and what he didn't know already he quickly absorbed. He actually could talk to his dad about this, bond a little even.
"So do you actually have to keep all the alien tech separate?" Vic asked as they were moving down the halls.
"Most of it. Thanagarian tech and Rand tech seem to react negatively towards each other on instinct. We frankly keep the New Genesis and Apokoliptian tech locked up, too advanced and way too dangerous to even fumble with. Of course, Kryptonian tech seems the less instinctively out to kill us. Well mostly." Dr. Stone filled in.
"Mostly?" Vic raised an eyebrow.
"Brainiac?" Dr. Stone responded.
"Oh. Duh." Vic and his dad shared a laugh for a second, before something caught Vic's eye in a room they were passing. "What's in here?"
Dr. Stone frowned slightly, "In the work's project, not really that important-" Before he could get them to move on, Vic was already in the room.
The room was lined with computer screens and mechanical parts lining the room. Blueprints for various prosthesis parts of similar design to Cyborgs were on the screens, showing a progression of them tapering down, modified to be more conspicuous, and similar changes. Vic just stared, taking it in, mostly the fact that all the designs were based off of his own.
Dr. Stone sighed from the door, "Victor, before you say anything-"
"Was doing this to me not enough? Do you have to do this to other people now too?" Vic turned, not sure whether to be furious or cry.
"Victor-" Dr. Stone started.
"No, seriously, this is fucked up! Bad enough that you did this to your own goddamn son, but planning to do this to other people, too, is sick. Why would you want more people to look like this?! To be like this?!" Cyborg motioned at himself.
"That's not the intent, we've parred it down since your designs were done-" Dr. Stone started.
"Oh, so I'm just the prototype?! Just the flawed design, so maybe you can do better next time?!" Cyborg accused.
"Victor, would you listen for one damned second?!" Dr. Stone yelled. A silence fell between them, but Vic continued to glare at his father. Dr. Stone breathed in before explaining, "Yes, we are developing prosthesis based off your designs. But to help people, improve lives. Nothing else. I chose to use you as the base because you have adapted extremely well to your...enhancements."
"Is that what this is? An enhancement?" Vic asked bitterly.
"No, it was man's desperate attempt to save the only family he had left." Dr. Stone said sadly. Vic stared, anger fading as his father seemed to shrink in front of him as he continued, "I couldn't save your mother, Victor. I wish I could have but I was too late. I promised her I wouldn't loose you. And then...when I almost did, I...I did what I knew to do. It may not have been right, it may not have been ethical, but I...I couldn't loose you, son."
Victor looked at his father...feeling like for the first time since he received his cybernetics. He was so angry for so long...it just never occurred the reasons. Maybe he was just too young when it happened, maybe he was simply too wrapped in himself...or maybe he just couldn't relate until now. Now he could see where he was coming from, he knew what it was like to want to do anything for his family. And for the first time, he looked at his father, this frail man in front of him, and understood.
"Dad...I...I'm...sorry." Vic stuttered out.
"It's okay, son." Dr. Stone said quietly.
Another silence fell over them, and Vic looked around the room absentmindedly, trying to find something to distract his mind from the guilt of years of hating someone who didn't deserve it. As he looked, his eye caught on a schematic on the wall.
"...You do realize that power supply being placed near the base of the arm would electrocute the hell out of user, right?" Vic said pointing at one of the screens.
Dr. Stone blinked, and looked at the blueprint. "We figured that, but couldn't think of a better place to put it. The supply just doesn't seem to fit anywhere else."
"Well, then get a different supply, there has to be something that provides the same amount of power that's a better shape. Or maybe use, like a series of batteries to..."
The two quickly fell into improving the designs, the previous conversation still fresh in their minds but a great deal of weight was gone from both men's shoulders.
Jump City:
Beast Boy, Raven and Wonder Girl arrived at the scene at the gym, noticing that the police had not moved in yet. The sergeant from the Dr. Light incident approached them before they got too close to the perimeter.
"Thank god, people who can actually handle the psycho." He breathed out appreciatively "Forgot to introduce myself last time, Sergeant Fredricks, JCPD Metacrimes." Sgt. Fredricks shook Beast Boy's hand.
"So what happened here? What caused Adonis to snap this time?" Beast Boy asked in the same manner one asks about a constantly malfunctioning printer.
"Far as I can tell, it was kinda provoked. Kinda. We have video of him going in to work out without the suit initially but it looks like some of the regulars gave him shit when he was trying to lift weights. Think the exact transcript said something to the effect of..." The sergeant held up his phone that had the notes on it, " "Bro, do you even lift?"...hrm...anyways, after this he stormed out, came back with the suit on annnd that was about 15 minutes ago."
"Any deaths?" Wonder Girl asked.
"Well the two guys who gave him shit are dead, beat them with a barbell. He's just been in there ever since, seems intent on holding the place with hostages until...well, dunno. I'm not sure he thought out that far." Sgt. Fredricks scratched the back of his head.
"Adonis has never really been a thinker." Raven added dully.
"We'll take it from here, thanks officer." Beast Boy said in his best 'official voice'. The three started walking towards to hole in the building and as they got out of earshot of the cops, Beast Boy smiled widely, "I've always wanted to say that."
"Dork." Raven monotoned.
"So, anything I should know about Adonis?" Wonder Girl asked as they got closer.
BB sighed "Wears a big suit to make up for lack of muscle, but the thing's connected in a neural link, so damage to the suit-"
"-he feels." Wonder Girl completed. "Sounds easy enough."
"Had a bit of a...genetic accident a while ago. The big effects should be gone, but flare ups are...known to occur." Beast Boy said cautiously.
Wonder Girl raised an eyebrow both at the info and BB and Raven's...tensing at it being brought up.
"He's also a sexist, arrogant, wannabe macho man asshole, so be prepared to deal with oodles and oodles of sickening machismo." Raven wrapped up.
"Fair enough." Wonder Girl said as they walked through the hole in the wall.
The gym was a wreck, some equipment completely destroyed, either bent into pieces or thrown to the side. They quickly spotted the two men who had died, or what was left of them in the craters in the floor and Adonis himself was easy enough to find.
"You neglected to mention the suit was three meters high." Wonder Girl said dryly.
"Always seems smaller in hindsight." BB frowned.
"Wonder how many people have said that about him." Raven noted wryly getting a smirk out Donna and snicker from Beast Boy.
As they got closer, they could hear Adonis talking to the hostages; "Alright, this is how it's gonna go, puny guys, and I mean all of you, are gonna be bullet shields while I get these ladies out of here for the party at my place. And there's gonna be a hell of a party. Don't worry, you'll enjoy yourselves, there's enough Adonis for everyone." They could practically hear the lecherous stare.
The second Wonder Girl heard this, she picked up her walk ahead of the others. Beast Boy went to catch up but Raven grabbed his shoulder.
"We should probably stand back for this one." Raven smiled darkly, seeing the anger rolling off Wonder Girl in waves.
Jump City: Other side of town
Johnny Rancid was having a blast. People were getting out of his way, maimed, or killed, things were blowing up. All in all, good day. "Fuck those Brotherhood guys, this is where it's at!" He yelled, shooting wildly at a passer by.
"I prefer ping pong, but hey, we all gotta have hobbies." Came from next to him.
Johnny turned to point his gun in the direction of the voice but didn't see anyone.
"Did you buy this bike or build it, man?" The voice said on the other side of him.
"Built it myself, shit eat-" Johnny pointed the gun in the other direction, again, at no one.
"Oh, good, because I was gonna say that you should really get your money back. Thing looks like shit." The voice said, this time he turned his head enough to catch Kid Flash running next to him.
"I'm gonna shoot the sparks out of yer yellow ass, motherfu-" Johnny went to shoot but again, Kid Flash moved to the other side of him.
"Seriously, that muffler sounds like it's broken all to hell. And what's with that engine? Didn't they discontinue those for a reason? Don't get me started on the frame set up. The fact that this doesn't catch on fire all the time is a goddamned miracle." Kid Flash taunted, dodging shots fired by an increasingly agitated Johnny. "Okay, well, I'm gonna go. Good luck catching me with that bike. Because, really, that thing looks like it's being held together with duct tape, glue and hope. Later!" Kid Flash gave his best shit eating grin before peeling ahead.
"I'M PUTTIN' YOUR FUCKIN' HEAD ON THE FRONT OF MY FUCKIN' BIKE!" Johnny roared as he began to speed after Kid Flash.
"Gotta catch me first!" Kid Flash smiled back at him while running, giving a one finger salute. This garnered another roar of agitation and dodged blaster shot, which earned a cackle from KF.
Gotham:
The patrol was routine so far. Busted a drug deal with Batman before they split for their separate halves of the patrol. Robin and Starfire were in the middle of finishing up with a couple of would be muggers when Oracle sent an a emergency buzz over the radio, meaning it was broadcasting to everyone on the network in Gotham.
"Everyone, you might want to listen to this..." She said sternly before playing a recording of a man, older, voice filled with panic.
"This is Officer Daniels-I-ohshitohshit..." He started before the dispatcher interrupted him.
"Officer Daniels, what's going on?"
"Confirmed sighting of the Joker, near my location on...shit, I think O'Neil and Timm, just burst outta the fucking store front, goons an all. He got Ted-Officer Harris off the bat, and I-"
Another voice cut him off, darkly joyful, near laughing the entire time he spoke, tone lowering at the last word. "There's our piggy! We missed you at the market."
"Oh shit-" Was all he got out before a sound of aerosol went off and Officer Daniels began coughing, coughs slowly turning into intense, forced laughter after which the recording cut off.
"So, the rumors be true it seems." Oracle said to the small silence.
"How long ago was that call in?" Batman growled over the comms.
"Five minutes, tops."
"Batman, we're right near there, not even a block out, we can-" Robin started.
Batman cut him off "No. Stay put until I get near by. It'd be an unnecessary risk-"
"Risk?! I have a super powered alien girlfriend with me, experience fighting the Joker, and the element of surprise, and you're telling me there's a risk?" Robin yelled back.
"With the Joker, there's always risk. Stand. Down." Batman growled in response.
"I'm not letting him slip away, any more time we argue means more people die." Robin growled back before cutting off their connection to Oracle's comms. He turned and looked at a worried Starfire, "Let's go."
"...Are you sure we should not wait? He seemed intent on-" Star began.
"Trying to keep me out of harms way? In Gotham? While I wear a Robin uniform? Not going to happen, Joker or no. Let's get going." Robin said bitterly, shooting a grappling line towards where the transmission was sent out. Starfire hesitated for a second, then flew after him.
Jump City: Destroyed Gym
Wonder Girl walked up behind Adonis, stopping about five feet from him and crossed her arms over her chest, before coughing to get his attention.
"Eh?" Adonis turned fully to look at her, suit shaking the surrounding area slightly as he did so. He let out a low whistle, eyeing her up and down. " Well, what do we have here?"
"I'm only going to say this once, let them go and I may just leave your suit mostly intact." Wonder Girl's voice was cold as she glared at his eyes, which were glued at her chest.
"Tell you what, you come with me, and I'll let all of these other chicks go." Adonis said, raising an eye brow and grinning. "You look like you'd be a helluva lot more fun."
"They're going to be let go regardless, I was simply giving you an out before I beat the shit out of you." Wonder Girl started to walk towards him, cracking her knuckles. "And stop looking at my chest."
"They're lookin' at me, babe, so why don't you chill out an give me a-" He went to reach at her before she caught the large robotic hand quickly, staring Adonis right in the eyes before twisting the hand off the suit in a single motion.
Raven and Beast Boy both winced at the yelp of pain Adonis gave.
"That's gonna leave a mental scar." Raven commented dryly.
"So's that." Beast Boy added as a dull thunk rang through the area as Donna kicked a solid dent into the groin plate of the suit before going into full beat down mode.
Beast Boy took the moment to look over at Raven,ignoring the cacophony of metal being bent and wrenched, "So what the hell is she trying to make up to us for?"
"Why do you think I know?" Raven deflected, continuing to watch as a now legless Adonis tried to crawl with the one good arm before Wonder Girl lassoed the center torso and threw him into a wall roughly.
"Figured the reaction in the common room earlier meant something." Beast Boy raised a brow at her, ignoring the dull thumps of Adonis being flung into the remaining walls as he signaled for the hostages to move towards the former door, now that Adonis was...out of the way.
"How about we talk about this when we're not surrounded by people who are scared shitless? It's distracting." Raven grumbled as she gave a thumbs up to the police as the hostages began filing out of the gym.
"Excuses." Beast Boy grinned at her.
"Me? Never." Raven said wryly, giving an almost smile before looking up and motioning everyone to get down as Wonder Girl threw Adonis out of the gym and into the clear area of road in front of the cop cars.
The now torso base of the mech skidded to a halt before the hatch popped open and spit the intact, gangly Adonis onto his back on the pavement. He groaned as all the neuroconnectors on his skin suit smoked, burnt out from the beating Wonder Girl gave him. He opened his eyes to see the three Titans standing over him.
"Wonder Girl give you a good time?" Raven had a look of dispassion on her face and vindictive joy in her eyes.
"Must have, motherfucker's speechless." Beast Boy added as he hunched down over Adonis' face grinning widely.
"What can I say? I know what boys like." Wonder Girl beamed, putting her hands on her hips.
"Urggh..." Adonis groaned before passing out.
Jump City: Across town.
Jinx leaned up against a light pole, tapping away at a game on her phone in a bored manner. She looked up when she began to hear a low rumble of a motorcycle. "Well, I suppose it's time to go to work." She put the phone in her pocket and put her hands over her head in a cat like stretch.
Jinx looked over at the street and then snapped her fingers, causing a wave of pink energy to go completely across the road, forming a small ditch. She frowned slightly, before snapping her fingers again, sending a bigger wave to make a bigger, deeper ditch in the road. She grinned widely. "That'll do."
As she said that, she saw a yellow blur leap over the ditch before circling around towards her. Kid Flash leaned on the light pole that she had been on a moment ago, smiling at her. "Miss me?"
"You wish." Jinx stuck out her tongue.
Johnny rode by, looking over just in time to see the two of them standing on the side of the road as his front tire hit the ditch. As he went into accident vision, he looked over as Jinx and Kid Flash waved at him before he and his bike fully flipped the hole. Johnny hit the ground with a dull thunk, slightly cut up but mostly unharmed as his bike skidded to a halt down the road. He groaned, getting ready to get up before a red boot hit his chest, causing him to glare up, seeing Jinx's hand in a gun shape, glowing with energy pointed at his face.
"Didn't your mommy teach you not to ride without a helmet?" Jinx asked playfully.
"It might explain a few things about his hobbies, actually." Kid Flash added.
Johnny growled as he laid his head back down. "God fuckin' damnit."
"Hey, language, mister." Kid Flash said in a false official voice as police cars rolled up, well one did the other got caught in the ditch.
"The hell?" The cop got out of his stuck car, looking down at the brand new ditch in confusion.
Kid Flash looked at the nice, blue sky as Jinx whistled innocently.
Gotham:
The Joker and his six goons were going down the road calmly, as if they owned the street.
"Boss, why don't we have a car?" One of the goons asked, somewhat confused.
"My good man, I just spent months in eastern Europe. It was lovely, war torn bit here, left overs from an ethnic cleansing here. Even visited Auschwitz. That was hilarious." The Joker said with a giggle, "The first thing I want to do now that I'm home is walk the streets. Is that so wrong?" He asked this last part laced with menace.
"Uh, no sir." The goon said quickly.
"Didn't think so." Joker said calmly. "Now, hand me a cocktail, I'm feeling in a celebratory mood!" He laughed wildly as another goon casually handed him a lit Molotov cocktail, which he threw at a building, through a window. A woman's scream came from the apartment that quickly caught on fire. "AND A GOOD NIGHT TO YOU TOO, MA'AM!" Joker yelled at the window, cackling madly. His laugh was cut short as he noticed a poof of fire extinguisher fume come from the window. Joker glared at the window "Who's the damn party pooper?"
Robin burst through the window, flying out and deftly landing on a goon, knocking him unconscious.
"Didn't I-?" Joker looked at him for a second, before grinning again. "Oh no, wait, it's the first bird isn't it? How've you been?!" Joker threw his arms open, dropping the loot he was holding.
Robin glared at the Joker, punching a goon who had tried to come up behind him without looking.
Joker face dropped a little. Well, for him. "Look at you, all grown up and serious. Lemme guess, the Bat's been on your case since your replacement...well had a run in with a crowbar." He started to giggle a little. "And a bomb." He kept trying to hold back a laugh. "And a collapsing warehouse!" The held in laughing fit burst out, causing Joker to lean on the large goon to his side, fist hitting the chest of the goon. He turned back to Robin as the laugh slowed down. "Hooohoohahahahhhhh...kill 'em."
The remaining four ran at Robin, including the large one. The first two goons instantly got hit in the face by a bow staff, the third being hit in his groin, causing him to drop like a sack of bricks. Robin twirled the staff, spinning it behind him to catch the goon who had tried to sneak up on him earlier in the legs when he was trying to stand up. The two goons who took the first staff hits came at him from either side, one armed with a pistol, the other pulling a knife. Instinctively, Robin struck the man with the gun first, breaking his hand with his staff before hitting him across the face quickly, sending him down. He deftly dodged the knife swings, tilting his head slightly before hitting the man's foot with his staff, causing the goon to hop back. Robin pressed the staff on ground, using it to jump up and kick the knife goon in the chest and his back into a building. Winded, he toppled over, leaving Robin to stare down the big goon coming at him.
Joker laughed as he watched, pulling out a rubber chicken from underneath his coat, trying to get a bead on Robin. "Use a bird on the bird, dunno why this didn't occur to me earlier." He giggled before feeling himself swept up into the air, face confronted with a pair of green glowing eyes.
"Do not dare attempt to attack him with your falsified poultry!" Starfire glared while lifting Joker a solid fifty feet into the air and climbing.
"Wouldn't dream of it, toots." Joker chuckled nervously. He looked down at the ground then up at Starfire, beaming. "So it would seem that big bird's got himself a bit of a partner, eh? Flower for the lady?" Joker's hand dived under his coat, and the flower on his lapel spewed acid at Star's face, causing her to yelp and drop him.
Robin looked up, standing on the unconscious big goon, wide eyed. "STARFIRE!" He fired a grapple line, aiming to catch her as she fell. He passed the Joker on his way up, who was cackling all the way down. Robin grumbled with himself for a second before sending a boa line after him. He swung up and caught Star, landing on the roof of a lower building as he did so.
Roughly at the same time, the boa hit Joker's legs, as another line shot out and wrapped around a light pole, causing him to hang upside after he stopped about an inch from the ground. His laugh slowed as he recognized that he had yet to hit the pavement. "Hahaha...aww, damn." Joker let out as he swayed in his spot upside down.
On the roof, Robin held Starfire for a moment. "Star, you okay?" He asked nervously
Star sat up, moving her hair out of her face to reveal the seemingly minor blemish the acid had caused. "I am unharmed, it just caught me off guard." She smiled softly.
Robin looked at her and let out a relieved sigh. Then he looked down her. "Uhmmm."
"What is it-oh." Starfire's face went a little red. The acid had not affected her much, but her clothes were a different story, her top was about half gone. Robin calmly took off his cape and handed it to her, which she put on quickly before looking over the edge of the building. "It appears that Batman is here, along with a group of the law enforcement."
"Joy." Robin said moodily as they went down to street level.
"...but Bosnian authorities assures us they do not know how he got out." Commissioner Gordon explained to Batman as Robin and Star landed nearby. He looked at the two, before smiling at Robin and Starfire. "Good job, son, ma'am. Got him fast, and caught a fire before it broke out fully."
Robin smiled at the praise, while Batman's face remained flat. He gave Robin the "We're having a talk when we get home." look.
"Wait, wait, everyone's here, I can hand out the souvenirs!" Joker yelled out, shaking himself lightly, causing all sorts of objects to fall from. One them was a gun that fired a pointed flag with "BANG" written on it, which unfortunately jabbed a cop's leg. The officer cried out in shock which caused Joker to giggle. "Oops, heeheehee. Oh well, okay, Gordon, that shower head's for you. It's from Auschwitz. Wasn't sure what to get you-so hard to shop for-but I figured something that tricked so many people would fit. Bats, the crowbar with the bow is for you. It's not the crowbar mind you, lost it in the explosion, shame I know. Should always try and hold onto mementos when we can. And bird boy, didn't know you were going to be here, so knock yourself out. Seriously, there's some gas in that whoopee cushion, give it a whirl!"
The Joker cackled wildly as Batman and Robin's eyes narrowed at him, while the commissioner rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses.
"Someone please tell me that Arkham truck is here." Gordon looked impatiently around the scene.
Jump City: Wrecked Gym.
Kid Flash ran up to the other three Titans, holding a frazzled Jinx in his arms. They were wrapping up chatting with the police, getting everything wrapped up on their end. As Beast Boy shook Sgt. Fredricks' hand, Kid Flash put Jinx down, who instantly began to adjust herself back to a less disheveled state.
"How'd it go for you two?" BB turned to them after the sergeant walked off to help the police wrap everything up.
"Pretty simple. I used the old 'piss him off into a trap' routine. Dumbass fell for it." Kid Flash said cheerfully.
"Ahem." Jinx folded her arms.
"Jinx helped." Kid Flash added in quickly.
"Thank you." Jinx smiled.
"Yeah I wish I could say me and Rae did anything this time, but Wonder Girl decided to take lead and, well..." Beast Boy thumbed in the direction of the gym, were a few officers were working together to pick up on the arms from the mech, and another five were carrying a leg, the rest of the pieces being thrown into the back of a large truck.
Kid Flash let out a low whistle. Jinx continued to grin, looking at Wonder Girl. "Have fun?"
"Eh, it was okay." Wonder Girl said with a smile. "Wish he had lasted a bit longer, but he's only a man, what can you do?"
"Sooooo uh, what's the plan now? Celebratory pizza?" Kid Flash moved from the subject awkwardly.
"I'm down, ladies?" Beast Boy looked to the others.
"Sounds good to me." Jinx replied, Wonder Girl nodding in agreement and Raven giving an unenthusiastic thumbs up.
Gotham: The Batcave
"If you ever pull anything that reckless again, you are off patrol for a week!" Bruce growled at Dick, who simply glared, holding his ground. They had gotten into it the second they had gotten back to the cave, and that was half an hour ago.
"Reckless? I stopped an apartment fire, and took out the Joker with six goons in ten minutes! That lady would have been dead if I didn't get there when I did, who knows who else would be too if I hadn't shown up when I did!" Dick yelled back.
"You rushed in, both of you, if you had planned it for more than a second-" Bruce began to retort.
Dick cut him off, "Don't yell at Kory for this, it was my call, anything that went bad goes on me!"
"You are not in charge of a team right now, you are working independently, both of you are responsible for your actions on the field!"
"No, I'm not working independently, I can't do a god damn thing without you saying your word on it. Again! Why did I come back here?! I knew this is all that would happen." Dick growled in agitation.
Bruce's eyes narrowed. "Then why did you come back?"
"Good fucking question." Dick stormed towards one of his old bikes, kicking it on and zooming out of sight, leaving Bruce and Kory staring at the smoke trail left behind.
Jump City: Titan's Tower.
It was the day after the two pronged attack from Johnny Rancid and Adonis. Jinx was reading on the couch, Wally's head in her lap, staring at the TV. Donna was reclining on another end of the couch, flicking through notes on the tablet in an idle manner. Raven was floating in meditation in front of the windows.
Gar had woken up later than the others, of course, and was cleaning up after his mess from cooking and eating. Afterward, he started to walk towards the couch, then looked at Raven, then at the couch. Donna happened to look up to catch this, looking Gar in the eye before nodding her head in Raven's direction with a smile. Gar frowned, and shook his head for a minute. Wally sat up from his spot, having seen Donna look over, and glared at Gar and pointed in Raven's direction before lying back down.
Gar sighed, and tried to relax his brain as he went to stand behind Raven. He stood, nervously waiting a solid five minutes before she lightly floated down to the floor.
"Is there any particular reason you were staring at me today or is this just the usual 'because I can'?" Raven laced the question with sarcasm as she stood up, turning to look at a very nervous, uncomfortable Garfield.
He did his best to slip into his confident jokester mode, "A little of column A, a little of column B." Gar gave his best fanged grin he could at the moment.
Raven rolled her eyes and began to walk past him before he initially held out his hand to stop her. She stopped and near jumped away from the contact, so he put the hand down in an awkward motion. "What?" Raven was annoyed now.
"Well...at the pizza joint yesterday, Donna and I were talking-"
"I noticed." Raven's eyes flickered to the couch, where Donna, Jinx and Wally went back to pretending to be doing something other than watching the two of them.
"And well, I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind if, well if-" Gar breathed in and out for a second. "I was wondering if you'd like to go to dinner, just the two of us. Donna is still willing to pay, but she said it might make you comfortable."
Silence hung in the air. Raven's hood had already been up but her hands instinctively reached back for it, before realizing it was already there and then disappeared under the cloak again. "So...just the two of us? Like...like a date?" The lights above them fizzled off and on, one or two popping.
"Well, if you wouldn't mind, yeah. It'd be a date." Gar confirmed calmly, face red.
A/N: Things. be. Happening. Y'all. Don't have anything to add, really. Threw in a few extra references here and there. Big difference between when I first wrote this and now, other than previously stated "better" writing skills (arguable), is ready access to both the show, two movies with different versions of the team and a growing stack of comics. I've got a better idea of episode events and the characters in general. And if I don't, it's a solid wiki dive, then episode view away. Very helpful for these kinds of projects. Anyways, 'nother one bites the dust. If you're enjoying the fic, lemme know with a kudos and/or comment, please. Thanks for reading, y'all. -Tearlach