"I don't suppose we're Titans any more?" Strength asked.
Robin was sitting on the barriers separating the road from the bay.
He shook his head.
"And I don't suppose you're about to forget what happened and let us be on our way either?" Strength asked again.
Robin shook his head once more.
"He was too dangerous to be left alive, you must see that." Strength asked calmly.
"Nothing excuses taking a life, no matter how evil or insane. No matter what they've done or are capable of." Robin said sternly, he glared at Strength. "We have no right to decide that, no one does."
Strength sat on the barrier next to Robin.
"So what now?" She asked.
"The Justice League are coming to pick you two up." The Titans leader said.
"The.. Justice League?" Strength asked. "Who are they?"
"The Titans look after Jump City, the Justice League protect the planet. They're also used to dealing with threats bigger than what we can handle." Robin said bitterly.
"So they're like back up?" Strength asked.
Robin nodded.
"How many times have you had to call them?"
"Before today? None." Robin sighed. "I didn't want to, but you broke the law and the Titans honour. Look, you might not be an interdimensional threat like Trigon or a powerful alien like Blackfire but there's something about you two, something primal.
"Primal." Strength repeated. "Like physical manifestations of your darkest, most negative emotions? Hate, fear, guilt, loss?"
Robin nodded.
"I know that's what you are, I accept it. Doesn't mean I have to like it."
"It's no picnic for us either Robin." Strength said staring into the water. "Every moment is a constant reminder of all the hardship and pain life brings with it." A small smile crept onto her face.
"However, since spending time in the human world and experiencing the joy and happiness that life can also provide, I'm even more certain about my existence."
"What do you mean?" Robin asked.
"If you could help make Starfire happy at the cost of some brief minor discomfort. Would you?" Strength asked.
"Of course." Robin answered without hesitation.
"Same thing, I can, I do. I do it everyday, Yuu doesn't even realise it's happening, it's subconscious. But I take her pain and bear it willingly, I'd be insulted if she didn't let me." Strength clarified.
"And Rock feels the same way?" Robin asked. "I know you've explained this before but…" He trailed off.
"I know, you had a hundred things to worry about and to do. One of the side effects of what we do is it's every easy to pick up the emotions of others, I know how much stress and doubt you put on yourself." Strength leaned back and looked at the sky. "We've never had a real chance to talk, one on one, have we?"
"Not really." Robin agreed.
"In answer to your question, yes, Black Rock Shooter feels the same. More so, even." Strength said.
"Why?" Robin asked.
"She was sent to the human world to defeat a dark wizard who was a threat to the humans and Otherselves, she was there for three years. For some reason the connection between us and our companions only works if we're actually in the Otherworld." Strength shrugged.
"Anyway, after she had done this she was imprisoned in the human world for eighteen years."
"Why?" Robin asked.
"She killed the leader of the good wizards as well." Strength held up a hand to stop Robin from talking.
"She wasn't herself at this point, her thinking was along the lines of, "powerful wizard, great danger". So she feels like she has a lot of making up to do, what happened with Slade has only made her more determined."
The sound of jet engines in the sky interrupted their talk.
"Wasn't that a little low?" Strength asked, looking up.
"That's them, the League is here." Robin said sadly.
"You don't want them to take us?" Strength asked.
"I've got to admit, I've gotten used to have you four around. I know the others are going to miss you as well." Robin said, looking around at Starfire and Cyborg trying to hold a conversation with Rock.
"They never did get the hang of her speech did they?" Strength chuckled.
"I barely understood it myself." Robin said, shaking his head. He looked at Strength. "I cannot forget or forgive what Rock did, or how you let her and threatened me." He held out a hand.
"But you were a good friend, I'm sorry we never found a way to return you home."
Strength gently took the offered hand in her oversized metal ones and shook it.
"I know you tried, that's all that matters." She smiled, her eyes suddenly unfocussed. "Huh? Yeah sure." She said to the air.
In a brief moment she was replaced by Yuu, who dove at Robin without warning and hugged him tightly.
"Yuu!" Robin said in surprise.
"I just wanted to say thank you in person." Yuu said tearfully, resting her head on Robin's chest. And I want you to know, Mato would say the same as well if she could."
Rock stood between Starfire and Cyborg, rapidly signing something that neither Titan could understand.
"I'm not getting you Rock." Cyborg said in exasperation.
"Yes, please repeat what you said." Starfire agreed.
You, need to, talk, slower. Mato said with difficulty, if she had a body she would have been gritting her teeth.
Rock sighed internally.
A tall dark figure walked towards Robin and Yuu.
Anger, so much anger. Strength said to Yuu.
She snapped her head up and looked around, spotting the figure walking towards them.
"Who's that?" Yuu asked, nodding her head towards the stranger.
"That's Batman, one of the founders of the Justice League. The others can't be far away." Robin answered. "Better call Rock over."
Yuu nodded and yelled at the Otherself to join her, as she did so Batman stood in front of them.
"Robin." Batman said in a deep gravelly voice.
"Batman." Robin responded.
"Are these the two?" Batman asked as Rock approached.
Robin nodded.
"This is Yuu, her Otherself is Strength." He indicated to the shorter girl.
"And this is Rock, her human companion is Mato." Pointing at the other teen.
"Robin, you expect us to know these people and those terms?" Said a large man in blue as he floated down from the sky.
Yuu's jaw dropped.
"He does." Robin said, gesturing to Batman. "You monitor our database."
"He's huge!" Yuu said to nobody.
"You don't know that." The man in blue said.
"He's correct though, I do." Batman responded.
"Bruce." Said the floating man disapprovingly.
Bruce? Mouthed Yuu to Rock who just shrugged, the shorter girl raised her arm and cleared her throat.
All eyes turned towards her.
Crap that's terrifying! She thought.
"Who are you?" Yuu asked.
"I'm Superman." The floating man announced.
"Superman?" Yuu repeated.
"That's right." Superman replied.
"And you're Batman?" Yuu asked.
She got a nod as an answer.
"Jeez, and I thought the Otherselves names were unimaginative." Yuu muttered.
Yuu. Strength warned.
She looked over at Rock who was staring at her.
I take it back, that's terrifying! Yuu thought.
As someone who loves you, can I suggest not pissing off Black Rock Shooter? Especially now? Strength suggested.
Alright.
"What's going to happen to us?" Yuu asked.
"We'll take you to the Watchtower, assess you and evaluate how much of a threat you pose to the world." Batman said.
"And then?" Yuu asked.
"You'll be imprisoned wherever we deem appropriate for however long your crimes warrant." Batman finished.
"We just want to go home." Yuu stated.
"We're not in the habit of pandering to the desires of criminals" Superman said sharply.
Yuu turned to face Robin.
"What the hell have you been telling them?" She growled. "We're not criminals! We've been working with you!"
"The League and the Titans haven't always seen eye to eye." Robin said, glaring at Batman.
"One's a murderer, the other is an accomplice." Batman said bluntly.
"We don't even belong in this reality!" Yuu shouted. "Send us into the void, call it exile!"
Superman glanced over to Batman who shook his head slightly.
Yuu noticed this exchange and looked over at Rock who flexed her hand while staring directly at Batman.
Shit, Mato must be getting upset. Strength said.
I'm getting upset too, but without knowing what they can do it's no good starting a fight. Yuu thought.
Superman opened his mouth to speak when a large explosion covered his face. Batman and Robin were taken by surprise but Yuu quickly swapped with Strength and jumped towards Batman.
"Strength stop!" Robin shouted as Strength picked up Batman and threw him into the air at great speed, Superman glanced up briefly but otherwise flew towards Rock, snatching her up and tossing away her cannon.
Rock responded by drawing her sword and tried to thrust it into his chest. The tip of the blade cut through the thick fabric of his outfit but refused to move any further. She tried again and again, with ever increasing force but nothing happened, she looked up at Superman's face with a grimace only to see he was also looking at her but with a smirk.
Suddenly a heavy force landed on him and the remnants of Rock's left eye exploded with fire.
"What?" Superman exclaimed in surprise, a giant metal hand grabbed him around the torso.
Yuu had unfurled her ogre arms, using one to hold on to Superman in mid-air. She attempted to prise Rock out of the flying man's hands with her main arms and was using her last ogre arm to punch him in the face.
"Shit, guy's stronger than me!" Strength exclaimed.
Rock shot her a stern glare.
"Shut up, it was bound to happen eventually." Strength snapped.
"What is wrong with you two?" Superman asked, flying through a building while he tried to dislodge Strength.
"Ahh, screw this!" Strength shouted in frustration, she pointed her fingers at Superman's face and unleashed a hail of bullets point blank.
In surprise and confusion, Superman dropped Rock who slammed through the roof of a shopping centre at high speed. Strength however used a free hand to tie up Superman's cape around his head before pushing herself away.
She bounded through walls to find Rock who was just getting to her feet.
"What the shit? What the hell is he?" Strength cried out.
Rock just shrugged in confusion.
"It's like he's invulnerable." Strength muttered.
Rock signed something.
"I know you don't want to be trapped again, you did attack first though." Strength reminded her.
Rock signed something else.
"Maybe, but he could be like us and I don't feel like being hunted for days." Strength replied. "Alright, lets try it." She added.
Suddenly a shop front crumbled as Superman effortlessly walked through the glass and brick.
"Here goes nothing, split!" Strength shouted.
The pair ran in opposite directions.
Superman chose to chase Strength, easily catching her and lifting her up by the scruff of her neck.
A charged rock hurtled towards him, faster than the eye can see he caught it and it promptly exploded. At the same time Strength reached back and grabbed Superman's head, with a roar she picked him up and slammed him down in front of her before speeding off.
Rock fired more shots as she ran around the upper walkway, pin-point aimed at his head. He stood up, not letting the explosions bother him but was knocked forwards a step as Strength charged into his back. Superman span around, backhanding her and sending her crashing through the outer wall. Rock leapt down as she overcharged her cannon, ramming it against his head and fired.
The superheated explosion decimated the mall, and the building started to collapse around them. Rock staggered and struggled to stay standing with heavy burns covering her body, her lower right arm missing from the exploding cannon.
As Superman tore off his burning cape, he walked towards the barely standing Rock and spread his arms.
"This doesn't have to go any further." He said calmly.
No, he wants to lock us up, we'll never go home! Mato cried.
Mato, you cannot go on, you have been through too much already. Rock said.
No! Mato wept. It's not fair, I can't be trapped again!
Rock paused, her flame flickered.
I was the one imprisoned, you remained free. You lived your life.
I remember, all those years in darkness, the loneliness, the quiet. Mato cried. I am not going back!
With rising anger, Rock took a painful step forward.
Outside Strength got up and transformed her hands into vulcan cannons, she charged back into the mall and was about to fire when she saw Rock, charred and blackened, stumbling towards Superman with her sword drawn.
"Black Rock Shooter!" She cried, changing her hands back as she raced past Superman and cradling Rock in her arms.
"We submit!" Strength shouted at him. "We give up!"
The severely injured teen struggled against Strength's grasp.
"Black Rock Shooter!" Strength yelled. "Mato! Stop! It's over!"
Blue blood gushed over her metal hands as Rock continued to struggle.
"I swear, I will break both your legs if you don't stop!" Strength shouted. "You'll kill yourself if you continue!"
"What's wrong with her?" Superman asked standing over them.
"I don't know." Said Strength not looking up. "Not without talking to Mato, but that's not going to happen until Black Rock Shooter is healed."
"You're talking like they're two separate people." Superman replied.
"They are." Strength sighed, she looked up at the large muscular man looming over them. "You said you were going to take us somewhere?"
"The Watchtower." Superman nodded.
"Then take us."