Welcome back everybody to yet another chapter of Alchemic Justice!
With September rapidly approaching now, I will be returning to school soon. This might cause the updates to become a little slower overall, but I should still get them out to you as often as I can. The real exciting news right now is that DC brought back the Seven Soldiers of Victory! This means we get the returns of Zatanna, Frankenstein, Shining Knight, Mister Miracle, Klarion, and Bulleteer all together in their classic lineup. They even get to bring Sideways along for the ride too!
I have also recently seen Teen Titans Go to the Movies!
Is it wrong to say that I liked it? Because I did...
I liked it a lot.
But with that out of the way, lets get onto some reviews!:
Malchior the Bad: Don't worry, I have a plan for New Year's. It'll all work out in the end. Also, Spidey has been relegated to cameos not expect him back in any large capacity, and certainly not fighting Black Spider.
rmarcano321: Of course Xanadu is nicer here. In the show she was a throwaway with no reason to exist. In the comics she's incredibly deep, nuanced, convicted, and most of all, one of my favourites! I couldn't allow her character to be butchered again. And yeah, Conner and Barry (Wally technically) were nerfed in the show when compared to the comics they came from, but that was to be expected. It's how the universe was going to run. The Power of Destruction? Well I won't spoil anything about it (plot relevance ahoy!), but just know that it encompasses the entirety of Destruction's domain from the Sandman graphic novels. Why include the Endless? Why not? I love them all dearly, and I wanted to write them. It's why they appeared in the previous story, as well as this one. Why include Red Hood? Because again, why not? I love Jason Todd.
7-Eleventh: Well I mean, the history of Jason in this universe will be similar to the canon as far as being Robin goes. More original chapters will be on the way in the future, but don't expect Ultron. As I've said before, there won't be too many Marvel elements coming into this story, and besides, Ultron got destroyed in my previous fic after Brainiac fused with him. Keemia will be having a relaxing (as much as she can) leave anyway, and yeah Klarion is an enemy for life now. Shimmer is more like a new target for her to annoy. Babs and Dick might show up here ;), though I'm not sure why Keemia and Ashley would necessarily keep a relationship secret if they had one. Someone will take up the Helmet, but it won't be Kent V. Nelson, I can tell you that. As for Ghost Rider... see previous answer regarding Ultron.
Celgress: Well I'm certainly glad I managed to hit the emotional beats correctly.
Dion ComicWiz: You certainly are correct that the previous chapter was emotionally heavy. There was a lot of stuff to go through there, especially with the characterization of the loss. That was the trickiest to convey, so I'm glad that I did it well. It was definitely a sad one to write too, but there was some lightheartedness. I must thank you for your compliments regarding how I wrote the characterization. Getting to write an interaction between Destruction and Desire has long been on my list, and I definitely imagined Brian Blessed every step of the way when doing that dialogue. Wendy Powell as the voice for Desire is now something I will want to see in the future if they ever do an animated adaptation of the Sandman. It could definitely be a phenomenal choice. And as much as I hated writing Klarion, it was so much fun to do. Just something about writing that sort of a jerk is really enjoyable I guess. I definitely have plans for Beast Boy in the future, so keep an eye out. Hopefully my interpretation of Jason Todd works out, I've been really excited to introduce him somewhere. Thanks again for your kind words my friend.
Thanks again for all of the reviews! I love being able to read every single one, they definitely make this job a whole lot nicer.
Now it's time for the handy old disclaimer: I own nothing but the inception of this fic's idea. Keemia Marko and all related characters are owned by Marvel comics and Disney. Young Justice, Red Hood, and all related characters are owned by DC Comics and Warner Bros. Please support the official releases of both.
Special shout-out to my editor for this chapter.
And awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay we go!
Miami – August 28th, 20:00 EDT
Keemia sighed to herself as she fell back onto her bed, as she had done multiple times over the last week. Just a few days prior, Kent Nelson's body was laid to rest outside of the Tower of Fate, where he would be buried next to Inza. The funeral was a sombre, yet largely attended affair, with the entirety of the Justice League and the Dark Division in attendance. Even the remaining retirees of the former Justice Society had come to attend the event commemorating their fallen friend.
But for Keemia, the memories had started to become monotonous. Despite how much she liked having the time off at first, it was starting to become more of a hindrance than a help. She had almost nothing to do outside of the classroom and her studies now. At least at school, people were empathetic to her loss.
River and Cupcake were updated by Shade as to what happened, and so the three friends made sure to stick close to Keemia throughout the week. Even Mr. Walker expressed his sympathies to the girl, before applauding her for being able to control herself before she abused his power.
Keemia was still unsure about how to summon it, but Mr. Walker was quick to inform her that now that the mental blocks were broken, it should be easier for her to figure it out. In the meantime, she was devoting most of her "extra-curricular" studying to safely controlling and accessing the power. It was, up to this point, a slow effort.
Her main concern with her leave was how the Team would be handling themselves in the field without her. Granted, she was only their second-in-command, and they were each powerful and adept heroes in their own rights, but it was still an unknown variable as to how they would operate without her presence. Her worst fears would soon be realized as the Team faced a vicious defeat at the hands of Clayface the night previous. It was only Batman's timely intervention that stopped the villain before he could continue his rampage.
As such, the rest of the team was taking their own extended absence after Kaldur opted to leave for Atlantis in order to clear his head and focus on what he wanted to do. Barry, in particular, had taken the opportunity with his time off to throw himself into research on a new project. With his acceptance (albeit reluctantly) in the existence of the supernatural, he decided to learn as much as he could about the subject. While he wouldn't ever be able to use it himself, having an entire resource of new and unknown information to learn about excited him. And, at the very least, it proved to be a stepping stone towards him and Keemia repairing their friendship.
After hearing about their loss against Clayface the previous night, Keemia was quick to go and check on the rest of her team. Conner had more of a bruised ego than anything else but he was at least able to get over the loss. It was something that each hero had to expect now; that there would be times where they are outmatched by their adversaries.
Ashley was another story. While her injuries weren't grievous, she still had a rather nasty bruise on her ribs. Keemia went to visit the girl early in the afternoon, and Ashley was glad to have her over. However, the last time they had seen each other before that point was right after Kent's passing. The tension between the two was becoming palpable, and it was clear that neither one really knew how to process it themselves.
"It's just the grief talking… you can't go after something that isn't really there. Once I move past Uncle Kent, the tension will go away." Keemia rationalized before sitting up again. Her thoughts were frequently drifting back to Ashley lately. Her smile, the way her hair smelled, the blush on her face after she kissed her cheek. Each little thing was running through her mind almost every day, and each time Keemia was left wondering if she had made a mistake.
Her thoughts were cut short though as her phone began ringing. She grasped it and answered the call, not even bothering to look at the caller ID as she did.
"Hello?" she asked in a flat voice.
"Hey, good to hear you're still as monotonous as our resident den-mother." Tim Drake answered from the other side. His tone seemed to reflect the fact that a smirk was tugging at his lips.
"Yeah, well being emotionally drained tends to do that to you. Just be glad I haven't hit Batman levels of not giving a shit." She snarked back, as Tim laughed.
"I take it you heard about the mission yesterday then?" Tim asked. "Nobody was feeling the aster after that one."
"Conner and Ashley both informed me of such. At least your ability to butcher English wasn't knocked out of you. What a tragedy that would have been."
"Hey, it's not my fault that I'm a genius when it comes to unknown words," Tim defended. Now it was Keemia's turn to laugh. "You're laughing, that's a good thing."
"I suppose. Now, what are you looking for? It's not like you to just call out of the blue, even if it's to check on me. There's always something behind it with you." She inquired, leaning forward from her bed as she idly glanced at a photo on her dresser. In it, she was pictured alongside her teachers in magic; Zatanna, Inza, Gregorio, Constantine, and Kent. They were happier times for sure.
"Alright, you caught me. I need help with a little investigation." He admitted.
"An investigation? Did Batman put you up to this?" she asked.
"No, I've been doing this one myself. But I figured I could use some help here. There's a drug smuggling operation going on between Blüdhaven and Gotham. At first, I thought it was small time, but now it looks like some Meta is the ringleader behind this."
"A Meta? Do we have a confirmed ID?" she inquired, her interest now piqued.
"Not yet. All I can say for certain is that it's none of the usual suspects. Brick's still in Belle Revve after we busted his last weapons smuggling, and none of the Gotham crime lords are attached to this. This op isn't even over the drugs itself, they're just a front." Robin explained. "Apparently they're being used to fund some money for tech. But it still doesn't explain the heavy security."
"Okay, but why would you come to me on this? Why not ask Barry or even Conner? I'm sure they'd help." She reasoned.
"Two reasons: one, your adaptability and flexibility in the field would be paramount to success here. You never know what could go wrong with an unidentified Meta. And two, you've been out of the field for too long. It would help you get back into it."
Keemia frowned before looking into her open closet door. Her costume hung inside, waiting for her from where it was left after she last touched it. Next to it, her staff leaned against the wall, the crystals on top seeming to glow from within with renewed energy.
'Well if anything, it'll take my mind off of the tension with Ashley… and off Uncle Kent.' She thought to herself before sighing. "Alright, where do you want me to meet you?"
Gotham City Harbour – August 28th, 20:27 EDT
Robin crouched behind a shipping container, scrolling through information on his holoscreen before a brief flash of light behind him signalled Djinn's arrival. "I guess you got the coordinates then?" he asked.
"Naturally. I haven't been taught proper location magic yet. I'm still waiting on Constantine to finally get off his arse and do it." She shrugged before moving over to her teammate. "So what have you got so far?"
He pointed from behind the container to where a small group of people were unloading crates from a nearby truck. "They arrived a few minutes ago. Nothing too indicative of their intentions yet, and I don't see anyone who looks like a leader."
"I'm assuming the Meta isn't here then?" she asked curiously.
"Not that I can tell at least. Everyone here just looks like some armed goon."
Keemia took another look, noting their rather small side-arms. "Very lightly armed. Nothing there that's too dangerous. Got any identifying markers on them?"
"Nothing. Plainclothes all around." Robin answered before looking up. "So what do you think, a quick distraction manoeuver? I could draw their fire while you ensnare them. Easy-peasy."
"Sounds good to me. But we'll need to get closer. Good thing you're all stealth." She smirked.
"Hey, the Batfamily is stealth incarnate." He smirked before a soft whistling sound could be heard. "Uh oh…"
"You've gotta be kidding." She muttered before a sudden rocket struck the truck, causing it to explode in a massive ball of flame. The goons who were moving the crates were sent strewn about around the truck as a result of the explosion.
The first few to get their bearings slowly stood up, drawing their pistols quickly. Keemia and Tim looked back from around the crate, processing the situation quickly. "Rival gang?" Keemia mused.
"Has to be." Robin nodded before a new figure jumped down in front of the goons. He was close to six feet tall, and wore grey combat cargo pants, along with a brown leather jacket. Two Desert Eagles could be seen hanging off of his hips, and his entire face was disguised by a red helmet that covered his head.
"Who the hell is that?" one of the goons asked before a sudden gunshot was heard. The goon fell to the ground, shot right between the eyes, as the new figure slowly lowered the pistol he had drawn. The entire attack must have taken less than a second.
"I'm new." The figure answered. "But you can call me the Red Hood." He said before dodging the return fire from the rest of the goons. He quickly rolled behind a barrel before throwing a grenade at the group. Most of the goons were able to escape, but two were unfortunately caught in the blast.
"A lethal tactic vigilante, in Gotham?!" Robin exclaimed.
"We need to stop him. If he kills those goons, he kills our lead." Keemia said before rushing forwards through the air. "Maj rieht snug!" she cast as a sudden glow came over the pistols held both by Red Hood, and the remaining goons.
"Great, close-quarters it is." Hood sighed before seeing Djinn stop next to him. "Don't think I recognize you though."
"I could say the same to you." She retorted as the goons, emboldened by their numbers since the guns were unusable, now surrounded the two. "I take left, you take right?"
"Sounds reasonable." Hood shrugged before the two rushed forwards. Keemia closed on hers first, a large summoning circle appearing before her hands. "Dnib meht ni eht htrae!"
Immediately, the ground seemed to swallow up several of the goons, leaving them buried up to their shoulders in the concrete. They struggled against their new trap, while the two remaining rushed Keemia up close.
The first attempted to swing his knife at her, but she was quick to block him with her staff, before twirling it around to disarm him. "Ooh, tough luck. Peels!" she smirked before the goon fell over asleep. The last one took a glance at his downed partner before quickly turning to run. Unfortunately, he wouldn't make it far before Robin dove from a nearby container to knock him out with a boot to the head.
Red Hood was equally as quick and efficient, however, he was far more brutal in his methods. He drew two trench knives before launching into the goons. He impaled one in the shoulder before slashing low to sever the Achilles' tendon of two others, leaving them on the ground and in pain. Another goon tried to tackle him, but Hood kicked low, breaking the goon's left knee before jumping on him to take him down. Much like with Keemia's fight, the final goon tried to run, however, he was stopped by Red Hood throwing his trench knife as it embedded itself deep in the goon's ribs.
"There, all clear." Hood panted lightly, standing up before noticing Djinn and Robin around one last goon that they'd tied up. "Need any help dispatching him? Or do you not eliminate your targets?"
Keemia sent him an absolutely affronted expression, while Robin simply glared. "Unlike you, we don't kill our captives." He seethed.
"Besides, we need information from him." Keemia nodded before looking back at the goon. "Like, who do you work for?"
The goon looked up at the two young heroes, and the one gun-toting vigilante, his face very clearly scared. "W-What do you wanna know?" he asked nervously.
"We want to know who you work for. Like I said just a second ago," Keemia snarked, crouching low. "As well as what's in the crates."
"Don't answer them, Ese." A new voice called, in a thick Hispanic accent. The three heroes looked behind them to see a new figure approaching. He wore a red pinstripe suit and vest, with a white dress shirt beneath. His hair was also a very bright, vibrant white and there were what appeared to be small white flames on his skin right underneath his eyes. "They're not gonna be good for business if you do."
"Guess that's the boss then." Keemia frowned as Red Hood looked at the newcomer appraisingly.
"Let me guess, you're here to stop us from halting your operation?" he asked.
"Si, I am. That truck held over a quarter-million dollars' worth of cocaine. That's a fairly pretty penny to suddenly blow up in your face." The leader said with a scowl. "Worst part is, I needed it for barter."
"Barter? With who?" Keemia asked.
"Sorry chica, but that's not something for children to know." He chuckled. The sound of a gun being cocked was heard as Red Hood unjammed one of his pistols, aiming at the boss.
"Too bad then that this is where your operation ends," Hood said. The man looked at him for a moment before chuckling deeply.
"Not quite. I'm only here to tie up my loose ends." He said before gesturing to the still trapped goons. "It's not for my insurance, it's just what my… partner asked me to do." He said before drawing a small bag of white powder from within his jacket.
"Really? Now?" Keemia scoffed, recognizing the contents immediately.
"You're supposed to celebrate with that after you win, not before you lose." Robin mocked.
"For once, we agree." Red Hood nodded, equally as confused as the younger heroes. "What are you up to?"
"Me? I'm here to have fun, Ese." He smirked before snorting the cocaine from the bag. As soon as he did, his body started to glow with white, crackling flames. His entire presence seemed to be radiating strength. "But work comes first."
"Oh crap…" Keemia muttered as the villain glowed brighter.
"The name's Snowflame, niños. And it's time for me to leave. I have a little appointment in Blüdhaven to take care of. So now, to go out with a bang!" he cackled before a sudden explosive blast rocketed out from his body.
"Tectorp!" Keemia said, rushing in front of Robin and Red Hood as she cast a massive shield to cover the three of them. It held against the blast initially, but it soon broke, sending the three flying back. Robin and Djinn both skidded roughly along the ground, while Red Hood collided with a nearby car. The rest of their surroundings, as well as the remaining goons, were completely eviscerated in the blast. Snowflame was nowhere to be seen.
Robin slowly got to his feet, before moving to help Keemia stand. "You okay?" he asked painfully.
"Yeah, just got a splitting headache." She grunted, holding her left temple as blood slowly trickled from her nose due to the magical effort she exerted against the blast. "Gotta work on better shields."
"You kept us safe," Robin assured her with a small smile, before seeing Red Hood stand behind them. His namesake helmet was cracked, exposing his face to them. Seeing that his helmet was useless now, the vigilante simply tossed it away. Underneath was a mask almost identical to Robin's, as well as deep red hair. His bangs, however, were highlighted with a vibrant white streak. Robin took one look at the vigilante before his eyes widened. "Impossible…" he muttered before running to him.
Red Hood saw the hero's approach and immediately threw a flashbang to the ground. Robin shielded his eyes from the proximity to the blast, and when the light dissipated, Hood was gone.
"You… saw his face?" Keemia asked, walking forward. "Do we have an identity?"
"Yeah… we do…" Robin breathed.
"Who is it then?"
Robin looked at her uncomfortably before grimacing. "His name is Jason Todd, and he used to be Robin."
"Wait, you mean there was a third Robin?" She asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I'm the real third Robin. Jason worked with Batman before me." Tim admitted.
"Really?"
"Yeah, it's kind of a long story though," Tim nodded.
"Well, we should probably get out of here before the cops show up. And Hood- er… Jason is still out there. He might need help." Keemia frowned.
"Then I can tell it to you on the way over." Tim nodded before the two disappeared down a nearby dark alley.
After emerging from the alleyway, the two teen heroes ascended to the roof of a nearby building to take stock of their situation. After treating their lighter injuries, Keemia sat on the ground, drawing out a circle of magic sigils with her finger.
"What are those for?" Robin asked curiously, walking over to her side.
"I can use these to hopefully locate our wayward vigilante. It will take a bit of time to set up though, so you have the opportunity to explain what you know about him." Keemia mused with a small smirk.
"Fair enough." Tim sighed before sitting across from her. "It all started back when Dick first left to become Nightwing. He and Batman hadn't exactly parted on the best of terms back then. Mind you, they got better, but it was still a tense time for them. Batman was definitely finding the job more difficult without a dedicated sidekick like Dick by his side. Barbara was always around to help as Batgirl, but she wasn't always available to him. He desperately needed a Robin."
"So he found Jason?" she asked.
"Yep, stealing the tires from the Batmobile." Tim laughed.
"He tried to steal the tires… from the Batmobile?!" Keemia said in shock before joining Tim in his laughter. "God I wish I could have seen Batman's face. That would have been priceless!"
"Oh for sure. Batman was not feeling the aster at that moment." He laughed before catching his breath. "Anyway, as it turned out, Jason was an orphan living on the street. He'd been used as cheap labour by a vampiress supposedly, but after escaping her thrall, he had taken to petty crime to afford food. That's how he found Batman. Batman was surprised by his boldness but recognized his potential. He immediately took Jason under his wing and trained him to be the next Robin. And under Batman's tutelage, he flourished."
"He can't have been Robin for long though, otherwise we would have heard of him." Keemia frowned.
"Right in one. He was Robin before me, but he was only Robin for about six months after Dick had left. Despite his avid training and adept skill, he was becoming unruly, and dangerous." Tim sighed.
"Dangerous how?"
"He was becoming more violent against criminals. He was more savage with his fighting, and he regularly broke their bones. Numerous times Batman had to stop him from leaving irreparable harm." He explained.
"So this violence is nothing new for him then?" she asked.
"He never killed before. He never tried to kill anyone, he just… couldn't control his rage." Tim explained. "Eventually though, it caught up to him, and in the worst way. On one particular day when he and Batman went after Joker's gang, he ran off in pursuit of one of the gang members. Batman attempted to stop him, but he was slowed by Bob, Joker's lieutenant. As a result, Jason was lead into a trap without anyone to help him."
"Joker caught him then?"
"And worse than that, he tortured him." Tim grimaced. "He had him held captive for nearly two weeks, routinely beating him. Finally, it all ended. Joker left him for dead in a warehouse after beating him with a crowbar. Batman arrived on the scene after a painstaking search that took him halfway across the world for clues. By the time Batman had arrived at the warehouse… it exploded. Jason… Jason died in Batman's arms." He finished.
"Oh my God… that's awful." Keemia said, horrified.
"Batman wasn't the same after that. He became more and more violent as a result. He wanted vengeance and he nearly killed Joker as a result. It was only the timely arrival of Commissioner Gordon that stopped him. Batman was wounded, and he didn't have anyone to help. Alfred and Barbara were powerless to curb his new violent tendencies. But I wasn't."
"This is when you joined him?"
"Yep. I took notice of how unhinged he was becoming and realized that he needed someone to fill the role that Jason did. But first, I needed to be there for him as more than just a Robin. I needed to be there for the man behind the mask. I spent months researching and uncovering as much information as I could until I eventually had what I was looking for: I knew Batman's secret identity."
"You found his secret identify?!" she said in surprise. Batman was one of the most infamously tight-lipped and secretive heroes on the planet. The fact that Tim had managed to uncover his secret identity at ten years old, was astounding. "Have you found out anyone else's identity?"
"Nope. Haven't needed to, and I just don't want to." He shrugged.
"Alright… so what happened next?" she asked, now thoroughly enraptured in the tale.
"Well, with this information in tow, I set out towards Wayne Manor for a meeting with Bruce. Alfred let me inside and soon had me in front of his master. In no uncertain terms, I gave Bruce an ultimatum; I knew his identity, so I wanted to be his sidekick." Tim continued. "I knew he needed my help, and so did Alfred. But Bruce flat out refused me. He told me that he didn't want anyone to leech off of him for cheap thrills, and then he kicked me out the door. But I wasn't gone for long. I had my own uniform made, and this time, I had Alfred let me into the Batcave. There I was met with Batman, Nightwing, and Batgirl. It was then that I informed him I was ready to learn."
"So, he took you on at this time?" Keemia inquired.
"Yep, albeit reluctantly. However, after the first few weeks, it became abundantly apparent to him why I asked to work with him. He's been thankful for that ever since. He might not ever admit it, but he appreciated what I've done for him." He sighed, a small smile having come over his face. His smile was soon replaced with a frown, however. "The only problem now is, how did Jason come back to life? How long ago did it happen?"
"Well, with my sigils finished, we can find out," Keemia smirked, lighting a match before dropping it on the ground. All of the sigils lit up with a burning orange light before Keemia began chanting in an unknown language. The light from the sigils soon glowed over her hands and eyes as she chanted louder. After a few minutes, the glowing stopped as she stood. "I have a location."
"Then let's move out," Tim nodded as Keemia took the lead, using her magic to cross rooftops, while Tim followed behind with his own acrobatics and grappling guns. As they moved, an unnatural silence fell over them. Their previous conversation seemingly cast aside as Keemia stoically took them through the city.
Tim soon decided that it was time to break the ice. "So, how are you and Ashley doing?"
"Uh… what do you mean Tim?" she asked nervously, a slow blush growing across her face.
"Well I mean, you're so close after all," he shrugged, catching up alongside her.
"Well yeah, I mean we're friends. Good friends." She said quickly.
"Really good friends?" he pressed further, smirking wider.
"Just really good friends." She snapped quickly.
"But you want to be closer, don't you?" he asked. Keemia yelped in surprise at that before stumbling to the ground and crashing on the next roof over. Tim quickly landed nearby before moving to help her up. "You okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine," she snapped, pushing him away as she stood and brushed herself off. "That was way out of line Tim!"
"Why, because you like her?" he asked.
"Yes!" she yelled before freezing and shaking her head. "I mean no… I mean… I… I-I don't know," she admitted, clutching her arm timidly.
"You don't know?" he questioned. "Well, how do you feel about her? What do you think about her?"
"I… she's a really good friend. I like her having her for company. She's really quiet and shy, but it just… endears me to her." She admitted, her face blushing darker. "She's been there for me a lot too. After Uncle Kent… died… she came to comfort me. I think… I think that made me like her as more than just a friend."
"So you do like her?"
"Yes, I already said that." She nodded. "I've always thought she was cute, but… I don't even know if I like girls that way. I mean I've never looked at guys like that, and I always try to get off the subject whenever Loma or Artemis start talking but, I never thought…"
"It's because you liked girls?" Tim concluded.
"Yeah, I think I do." She nodded. "I know my parents wouldn't hate me for it. They'd probably be okay. After all, Gregorio's gay, and he's a really good friend of theirs. But, I don't think Ace likes me that way." She sighed, looking away nervously.
"Well, how do you know that?" Tim asked. Keemia turned to answer but soon found that she couldn't counter his statement. Tim sighed, before continuing. "Think about it this way, you've only now come to grips with your feelings for her, and I'm going to assume that she might be having some similar thoughts. I've seen how close you are now, and I definitely think her telepathy has gone a long way to changing her emotional state."
"But I can't just tell her I like her! We're really close, I don't want to ruin our friendship. It could ruin the whole team after that, we could all just end up taking sides and discombobulated!" she raved.
"Well then, we're just gonna have to make sure they stay combobulated," Tim said with a smirk as Keemia slowly started to glare.
"Oh God, I gave you another one," she groaned, holding her face in her hands.
"Yep," Tim nodded, before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Just think about it, okay? You've thought about what could happen if she doesn't feel the same way, but what if she does?" he asked, There was an extended silence as she mulled it over in her head. After a while, she sighed and gave a weak nod.
"Okay, I'll tell her. But not right away. I want to take the time to organize my feelings, make sure I know what I'll say, and how I'll approach her. I want this to be as seamless as possible."
"Good choice," Tim grinned. "Now, shall we continue the search for Jason?"
Keemia looked to him for a second before smirking in return. "Well, how else are we gonna help him? We can't be the only ones feeling the aster!" she declared before taking off again, Tim close behind her.
Downtown Gotham – August 28th, 21:03 EDT
Despite the numerous bruises that he suffered as a result of the sudden explosion, Jason was able to get himself home without any trouble. He had only been the Red Hood for a few months, after having trained extensively over the last two years to ensure he was ready for his one-man crusade against crime. In that month, however, he had suffered far more debilitating injuries than simple bruising. For instance, it was during a particularly dangerous brawl against Croc that he had his shoulder dislocated.
"Thank god for Leslie Thompkins and her patient confidentiality." He mused with a bitter laugh before carefully sitting down in the musty old armchair in his apartment. With money hard to come by since the only reliable income he had was robbing the criminals he stopped, he had grown used to a meagre living. The apartment was small and grungy, and he was certain that a raccoon made its home in the dirty old fireplace but it was enough to keep him out of sight and relatively warm.
Still, the broken down domicile was a far cry from his previous lodging at Wayne Manor. As loathe as he was to admit it, he missed the nice soft beds and linen sheets. He missed smelling Alfred's home cooking, especially the cookies. He missed Dick's occasional visits, even if the older hero's insistence on calling him "Jaybird" got on his nerves more often than not.
He even at times missed Bruce's camaraderie. It was no surprise to anyone in the superhero community that Batman was an infamously cold and introverted crusader. But for those who were able to break through the billionaire's incredibly tough exterior shell, the man they found inside was one of the most loving, doting individuals they'd ever met. There was never a greater source of compassion and friendship than there was in a Bruce Wayne who trusted you.
The entire Batfamily knew this well, and it was one of the many reasons that they were so close-knit. When Bruce finally revealed his identity to Commissioner Gordon in order to save Barbara's life, the officer had initially been furious at the deception. However, he was quick to understand that it was only Barbara's insistence to keep it a secret from him that stopped Batman saying anything. Now Gordon was part of the rapidly growing family of vigilantes, and with Barbara now acting as Oracle instead of Batgirl, she was increasing the web more and more each day with the other vigilantes within the city.
For as much hatred and anger that Jason had directed at Bruce over the last few years in the wake of his own murder, there was still part of him, however small, that still loved his surrogate father. A part of him that desperately wanted to be welcomed back into the Batfamily as though nothing had happened.
He groaned painfully as he clutched his ribs, a sickeningly purple and yellow bruise rapidly growing across his chest. It hurt him to breathe, but he struggled through the pain in order to sit up straight, slowly sipping the glass of water he left on the coffee table.
"That looks painful." Keemia mused, appearing through the open window. Jason looked at her sharply in surprise, drawing his pistol before wincing again in pain at the rapid movement. Seems there was more to the injury than a simple bruise.
"What do you want from me?" Jason coughed painfully, looking at Djinn with a scathing glare as Robin entered the window alongside her.
"To help you," she said simply. "I can help with your injury."
"I don't need your charity." Jason countered while Keemia simply rolled her eyes.
"Laeh sih seirujni," she said lazily, as Jason scoffed.
"Oh yeah, and what's that supposed to—augh!" he cried painfully as Keemia's magic quickly set and mended the ribs he didn't know were broken. A few seconds later, his bruise started shrinking until it had entirely disappeared, along with his pain. "Uh… thank you," he said, albeit reluctantly as Keemia simply nodded once in response.
"Now that you can move without hurting yourself further, we could use your help," Robin said, looking at Jason carefully.
"Really? You need my help?" Jason questioned before giving a mirthless laugh. "Why not call the Bat? After all, he was so quick to hire a replacement for me."
"Batman didn't hire me to replace you. I went to him." Tim corrected, glaring at the older vigilante.
"You went to him? Do you have a death wish or something?" Jason asked in surprise, starting to remove the bandages he wore, seeing as he had no use for them now that Keemia healed him.
"No, I did it to save him," Tim said as Jason gave him a questioning glance. "As much as you might not want to believe it when you… died… he was left heartbroken. He had you in his arms and he was still unable to save you. Do you know how desperate he was?" Tim asked seriously, while Jason simply rolled his eyes.
"No, how desperate was he?" Jason asked snidely, only for Keemia to smack him upside the head.
"He tried to make a deal with Ra's Al Ghul to use the Lazarus Pit," Tim said as Jason's eyes suddenly widened in surprise.
"He tried to make a deal with Ra's Al Ghul? He almost left himself owing a favour to the Head of the Demon? All… all for me?" he asked carefully, still in a state of disbelief.
"Yeah, he did. Ra's said no, obviously, but Batman was undeterred. He searched relentlessly for a solution. And when he couldn't find one… he turned violent." Tim continued, as Jason looked at him carefully, urging the younger hero to go on. "He nearly killed the Joker in retaliation. No one in Gotham was safe from his ire after you died. He came so close to crossing that line, all for you."
That one revelation sent Jason reeling, as the older vigilante fell back onto his couch, holding his head in surprise. Batman's strong moral code was punctuated by one rule above all others; no killing. It was what the bat sigil had grown to mean, and it was the codifier by which all members of the Batfamily lived by. To hear that Bruce almost broke it…
"I… can't believe it." He muttered, looking at his hands guiltily. "I spent months training, working the hardest I ever have worked, to become the hero Gotham needs. A more effective vigilante, ridding the streets of crime. I thought that Batman was weak… that he failed when he showed mercy. But… he was weak for forgetting to show it. He was weak because he almost broke his one command. I nearly caused him to throw away his life's work!" he yelled, his eyes brimming with tears he had held in since he came back.
Tim moved to his side before sitting next to him, placing a hand on Jason's shoulder. "It's okay, it's not too late to stop. To change the path you're on."
Jason was silent, letting the tears flow before he looked up at Tim. "I trained so long to become the Red Hood. I wanted to become a new vigilante, my own person. Outside of Bruce's shadow, and his morals…" he trailed off, wiping his face. "But who am I kidding? I want to be back. I want to be back in the family, I want to work with Dick again… I want to work with Bruce again."
"Well, you can still do that." Keemia offered. "Granted, you won't be Robin again, since that position is filled, but you can still rejoin them."
"Would… would he let me?" Jason asked.
"Well, you're still fairly new. Nothing's been attributed to you either. It might be hard to overcome your own misgivings to yourself, but soon enough you will. All I know is that Bruce will be relieved to know he didn't fail you." Tim smiled. Jason nodded back to him, his tears finally slowing, as Tim carefully removed his mask. "Tim Drake, but you know me as Robin."
"Jason Todd, but you already knew that. I guess you can keep calling me Red Hood." He smirked before shaking Tim's outstretched hand. As he did though, he saw Keemia's bewildered face as she looked at Tim. "Is she gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, she will. She's just never seen me without the mask… or without dark sunglasses. My guess is that seeing my whole face is leaving her a little whelmed." Tim smirked.
"Whelmed?" Jason questioned as Keemia suddenly shot forward to Tim.
"Oh no, you are NOT gonna get him started on this too!" she said with a scowl. "It's bad enough that you got Conner on board, but you can't just rope every new person into doing it!"
"So this is his thing then? Butchering the English language?" Jason asked with a laugh.
"Not butchering, mending. I'm finding missing words!" Tim corrected with a grin. "It's not my fault that it leaves everyone discombobulated."
"Well, maybe they should be a little more combobulated," Jason smirked before Keemia groaned in defeat.
"Augh, I'm too late." She grimaced, folding her arms in defeat. The two boys grinned before laughing at her expense, as Tim gave Keemia a coy smirk.
"Don't worry about it Keems, we'll get you to feel the aster soon enough." He said before being cuffed upside the head by Keemia. Although, she only struck half-heartedly as she fixed him with her own smirk.
"You can try," she chuckled before looking to Jason. "But now that we've got that straightened out, we really do need your help."
Tim nodded at that as Jason looked at them curiously. "It's pretty obvious from earlier that Snowflame caught us by surprise. He's clearly powerful, and regardless of Keemia's magic we might be a little out of our depth."
"Besides, we have no clue if he's working with anyone else," Keemia added. "He might have an entire gang behind him, and we could use all the help we could get."
"Don't you have anyone else to help with that?" Jason frowned, putting his shirt back on.
"We really don't. The rest of our team are all on their weeks off, and the League isn't exactly a group we want involved in this." Tim explained, putting his mask on. "We want to prove we can handle this ourselves."
"And you really want me along with you?" Jason asked before looking at his costume for a moment. He moved the damaged armour aside before entering a nearby closet. When he emerged, he had brand new, undamaged armour on, before grabbing his leather jacket from a nearby chair. "I guess I could help out."
"Awesome!" Tim said eagerly as Keemia nodded.
"Thank you for doing this," she said before frowning. "However, there's one condition we have."
"What's that?" Jason asked as he took a new, undamaged helmet from the closet.
"No killing." She said seriously.
Jason looked at her, almost condescendingly before relenting with a sigh. "Yeah, that makes sense to me. I got rubber bullets so I can handle myself. Just as long as I can bring my knives." He added, putting his helmet on.
"As long as you use them in a non-lethal capacity, then that shouldn't be a problem," Keemia nodded as Tim urged them towards the window.
"Let's get going. It's a long way to Blüdhaven, even by Bioship." He said, before Keemia suddenly stopped in her tracks, fixing Tim with an incredulous look.
"Wait, you stole M'Gann's Bioship?!" Keemia asked in shock, as Tim blinked twice.
"Uh… yes?"
Blüdhaven – August 28th, 21:26 EDT
While the three spent most of the journey to Blüdhaven in silence, Keemia was using her magic to attempt to track Snowflame in a similar way to how she had tracked Jason. Ultimately it proved rather difficult as she had even less to go off of than she had with Jason, but she eventually had tracked him down to a large warehouse that lay near the docks. Several large c-cans lay around the warehouse, almost like a protective barrier, while a large ship was docked offshore. The Venezuelan flag could be seen flying proudly from the mast as Tim brought the Bioship down to a careful landing on a neighbouring rooftop.
"Looks pretty deserted. What do you think the odds are that there will be tons of goons inside?" Keemia mused dryly as Tim used some binoculars to peek through the windows of the warehouse.
"I would have said likely, but now I'm not sure. I think it might actually be worse," he grimaced.
"Worse? How could it be worse?" Keemia scoffed before snatching the binoculars from Tim and looking through the windows. Following his earlier vantage point, she saw several small figures flying around inside. Upon closer inspection, they proved to be all too familiar robots.
"MONQIs… Ivo's in there." She scowled as Jason folded his arms.
"I thought Ivo was dead?" he said as Tim nodded.
"That's what we thought too. Until a few weeks ago."
"Turns out it was all one big façade. Think he's trying to make an Amazo 3?" she asked worriedly.
"Maybe. Doesn't explain why he would be in the same warehouse as Snowflame though." Tim frowned.
"Well, maybe we should find out," Jason said before pulling out what looked to be a silver disc. "Special stealth EMP. It'll take down any robots, and give us a bit of a fairer fight."
"Sounds good to me." Keemia nodded. "So, shall we use the door? Or something a little more dramatic?"
"And you're sure those children didn't follow you?" Ivo asked skeptically as he put down the tools he was using to mend several pieces of metal together.
"Si, I'm sure. They didn't seem too strong, I was able to put them out of the fight with little effort." Snowflame nodded, idly flicking a lighter with his right hand.
"Hmph, I'm still unconvinced," Ivo scowled, motioning for one of his MONQIs to hand him another tool from a nearby workbench. "You still haven't told me their identities yet. They could have been rank amateurs like you said, but not every child is as untrained as you say."
"Please, I don't understand the big fuss," Snowflame chuckled. "It was just one of the Bat-brats. Robin, I believe. And some sorceress. Nothing too impressive."
"Robin? Did you say… Robin?!" Ivo repeated, before turning to his MONQIs. "Observe the perimeter, now! They cannot be allowed in here!" he ordered. The MONQIs nodded and were about to fly off and complete their orders before a silver disc landed on the floor and shot out a powerful EMP wave. Every one of the androids shuddered before collapsing uselessly on the ground. Seconds later, the skylight overhead shattered as Robin, Red Hood, and Djinn landed between the two villains.
"Why yes, he did," Robin smirked as he drew his Bo staff and took a fighting stance. "Surrender now Ivo, and maybe you can still walk away from this."
"Better yet, don't surrender, so we can punch you in your stupid face." Keemia offered with a smirk.
"Just for the record, I'm a bigger fan of option number two." Jason chimed in as he raised his pistols and aimed one at each of the two villains.
"I told you not to underestimate them." Ivo scolded his compatriot, who merely shrugged in response.
"Guess you were right then Ese. Sorry." Snowflame shrugged, before raising his hands in a mock surrender.
"It's not like you to work with a drug runner Ivo. So what gives?" Tim asked, keeping his eyes trained on the villainous scientist.
"Simple, I need money to continue my work." the scientist answered plainly. "Since you children destroyed my Amazo 2, as well as sending the Justice League following any lead to try and track me down, I was left without an easy way to acquire the materials needed for an Amazo 3. Money isn't easy to acquire when you're a wanted criminal who needs to keep a low profile." he sighed wistfully. "Anyways, I figured that the drug trade would have been an easy way to get the funding necessary. The only trouble is that I didn't exactly have anything to offer any of the usual customers."
"Except for me," Snowflame said with a small smirk. "See, at first I didn't care for what he could offer. I already have millions of dollars worth of product, and I'm a metahuman. I didn't see a need for Ivo at first. But, he had something I desperately needed."
"What would that be?" Keemia asked suspiciously.
"Control," Ivo answered as Snowflame pulled back his sleeves to reveal what appeared to be metal gauntlets around his forearms. "See, my compatriot here generates power from snorting cocaine. Superhuman strength, durability, reflexes, and speed. As well as producing volatile explosions. However, he lacked the ability to control these explosions, and would detonate without any warning."
"But these gizmos here? He made these for me. Now, I can control my blasts as I see fit." Snowflame laughed. "It leaves me more powerful than ever. Now I can finally live to my full potential."
"Well, it's too bad for you then that you won't be getting to use your new control anytime soon." Red Hood smirked under his helmet. "We got you outnumbered, and there's no way you can take any more coke without us stopping you first."
"See, that's where you're wrong niño. I already took some." Snowflame laughed as his eyes glowed white, and bright white flames started to encircle his hands. "Control over your abilities is such a lovely thing."
"Crap, get down!" Keemia shouted as she dove for cover with Robin and Red Hood close behind her. It proved to be just in time as Snowflame threw a ball of white flames that exploded where they once stood. Just like the villain said, he had full control over the explosions, which was proved as he had weakened the power and intensity substantially to reduce the harm to his surroundings.
"That guy is not feeling the aster," Tim grimaced.
"Enough with the aster!" Keemia scowled before magic swirled around her fingers. "Listen, I'll take care of the cokehead, you two go after Ivo!" she said before leaping from behind the crates, and looking at Snowflame with a frown.
"Ah, so you're the brave one of the group, eh chica?" he chuckled. "Well it's rather rude to hit a little lady, don't you think?"
"Perhaps, but that won't stop this lady from hitting you back," she smirked as the magic energy around her fingers seemed to grow more intense.
"Heh, well now you're just making it interesting," he laughed before his own hands glowed. He then pointed them both at Keemia before firing a myriad of smaller explosions almost like bullets. Keemia immediately conjured a shield to protect herself from the rapid burst of attacks.
"That all you got?" she asked with a cocky grin before a summoning circle suddenly appeared around his feet. "Llaf otni eht roolf!" she called out before Snowflame suddenly started to sink into the concrete. He halted his attack as he looked down in alarm until he was buried in the concrete down to his ribs.
"So you fancy yourself a bruja, do you?" he asked her. "No matter." He shrugged before using a smaller blast to detonate the floor until he was free. After climbing out of the hole he blasted, he quickly rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a stream of fire that Keemia sent right at him.
While his ally was otherwise occupied, Ivo tried to take his leave as he ran around a nearby stack of crates to hide. However, he was met with Red Hood and Robin waiting for him. "Well at least he's accepting his fate," Red Hood said, bemused, while Tim twirled his staff idly.
"It's just not your day, is it Ivo?" the Boy Wonder chuckled, while Ivo simply shrugged.
"I suppose not. But then again, not every attempt is a successful one." Ivo smirked before pulling out a remote and pressing a button. As he did, a large mechanical suit leapt from across the warehouse to where Ivo was waiting. Red Hood and Robin dodged out of the way as the bulky suit landed on the ground where they were just standing. Ivo chuckled before climbing inside and turning on the suit. It looked almost as though Ivo had made himself a gorilla-shaped suit of armour. "Hopefully this pursuit will prove to be more advantageous than the last."
"Huh. You take left, I take right?" Jason offered.
"Just keep mobile, and keep out of reach." Tim nodded, pressing a button on his staff as electricity seemed to crackle from both ends.
"Can do." he nodded, readying his pistols before the two shot forwards. Ivo raised the arms of the suit, ready to crush the two of them, only to miss and strike the floor instead. As he did, Robin jabbed his staff into the elbow joint of the left arm, while Red Hood focused repeated fire to the left. While the initial damage caused the suit to start seizing, it quickly recovered as Ivo moved to strike them again. He grasped Robin's cape before throwing him towards Red Hood.
Red Hood caught the younger hero before the two jumped out of harm's way again as Ivo's fist punched forward through a nearby crate. "Could you please hold still? This is most irritating," Ivo scowled before two laser guns emerged from his shoulders, rapidly firing at the two.
"Now, why would we want to do that?" Hood asked before putting his guns away. As he did, he would reach for his belt buckle, drawing numerous shuriken. With one swift throw, he sent them flying through the air until they struck the two laser guns. The guns sparked before exploding as Ivo stumbled back.
"Now that was just rude!" Ivo scowled before aiming a vicious right hook at Jason. Yet again, the hero managed to dodge and Ivo punched another crate. Only this time, the arm was stuck. Seizing the opportunity, Robin thrust his staff completely through the elbow joint before maxing out the voltage on the electric shock.
Electricity coursed up through the arm and all through Ivo's body, causing the scientist to cry out in pain as he tried to escape. In his attempt, he inadvertently tore the arm completely off of the mech from where Robin had caught the elbow. He looked at the now damaged mech in alarm as Robin and Red Hood regrouped.
"How about that? It's easier to destroy than we thought." Robin grinned.
"I assure you, that won't be happening again," Ivo seethed before pressing a button, as a crackling barrier suddenly surrounded the suit. As Robin and Red Hood attempted to attack it again, the barrier deflected each of their strikes. "I admit, I probably should have done this from the start, but then again hindsight is 20/20."
"Guess we'll need something stronger to break through that shield," Robin grimaced.
"Got anything on that utility belt for that?" Hood asked before Ivo rushed at the two of them in an almost berserker rage.
Meanwhile, Keemia and Snowflame continued to trade blows with each other, neither one gaining any ground. Snowflame focused on larger and more powerful blasts, while Keemia used conjured shields to deflect or absorb his attacks. While there was still a clear sense of enmity between the two, there was also a sense of amusement. Almost as though the two were more focused on the fun of the combat.
"I gotta say chica, you're at least making this entertaining for me," Snowflame grinned before firing a focused beam of explosive energy at her.
"Right back at you. I can't remember the last time I had a decent beam fight; Tcerider!" she said before taking control of the beam, harmlessly sending it twirling around her body, before she flung it back at Snowflame.
Snowflame looked on in surprise before holding his arms in front of his face to shield himself from the redirected attack. The force sent him skidding back a few feet, as the raw energy of the explosion tore and singed his jacket. Finally, the beam subsided as he looked up at her, panting from the exertion of standing against the attack.
"That… hurt," he panted before standing up straight again. Despite the damage to his suit, he still straightened out his jacket as though nothing had happened. "Time for the amateur acts to end, bruja. Now? We finish this."
Keemia looked out of the corner of her eye carefully, noticing how Ivo now had both Red Hood and Robin pinned to the ground. "Yeah, sounds good to me," she nodded, as Snowflame laughed.
"You got some spirit in you chica," he chuckled before his entire body glowed with bright white light. "I'm almost reluctant to attack you like this. Almost," he smirked before firing the biggest burst of explosive energy that he could muster right at her. Keemia watched the beam approach, waiting for the opportune moment. Then, at the last possible second:
"Hctiws em htiw ovi!"
In an instant, both she and Ivo disappeared in a burst of light, before reappearing in opposite positions. Keemia was left, holding Robin and Red Hood down to the floor, while Ivo and his mech suit suddenly appeared right in front of Snowflame's attack.
"Oh dear…" he muttered in alarm before the beam struck him, causing a massive explosion. Keemia pressed herself closer to the floor, shielding the two boys as the blast wave roared overhead. When it died down, the three stood back up, carefully surveying their surroundings.
Ivo's mech suit was destroyed, and the mad professor was left on the floor, painfully clutching his head as he struggled to sit up. "Thank goodness for small favours… and strong shields." He chuckled weakly as the three moved over to surround him.
"Well, guess that's as much luck as you'll get Ivo," Keemia smirked before looking around with a frown. "Too bad the same can't be said for Snowflame."
At that, the others looked around in surprise to see that Snowflame had escaped in the chaos. "Don't worry, we'll get him eventually," Tim assured. "In the meantime, we should probably call in the League."
"Yeah, I guess so. After all, we did solve their problem." Keemia nodded before conjuring handcuffs to arrest Ivo.
"If you call in the League… would he come?" Jason asked, unsure of the answer.
"He might. And if he does, now's as good a time as any to tell him." Tim said, placing a hand on Jason's shoulder.
"And at the very least, we'll be here for you when that happens." Keemia nodded.
Jason looked at the two for a moment, silent as he thought it over. After a few seconds, he nodded. "Okay, let's do this."
After making a quick call to the League, the response was almost instant. Almost a dozen Leaguers were now patrolling the warehouse, digging up as much material as they could for the case. Within a few minutes, they'd uncovered numerous MONQIs, as well as an incomplete Amazo 3, and several containers still filled to the brim with cocaine. With almost three million dollars of product and clear malicious intent with the androids, Ivo was swiftly taken away to Belle Revve penitentiary.
"Good work you two," Batman nodded to Robin and Djinn. "While I can't say I approve of you two going behind the backs of League, or else stealing property from your own friends to do so, you achieved results. And you saved us a great deal of time and resources."
"Hey, it was nothing," Keemia assured, looking down at the ground as she held her arm timidly. "It's nice to be back in the field again."
Batman looked at her, nodding in understanding as his face remained neutral. "I know your pain firsthand. But it's how you adapt and move on from it that will define you. If you need more time to come to terms with Kent's passing, we can arrange that for you. Kent was a dear friend to all of us, and we all are with you in your time of mourning."
"I really appreciate that Batman, but I think I'm okay to return to active duty. I'm not sure if I've moved on completely, but I will. I want to return to my team though." She said carefully.
"Then consider yourself back on active duty." Batman nodded. "Now, is there anything else you need to report?"
"Well, there is one thing we need to tell you," Robin nodded. "We had a little bit of outside help with this case."
"Another hero?" Batman questioned.
"In a way, yes." Tim nodded, only to shrink slightly as Batman narrowed his eyes into an all too familiar glare. "I think it would be best if we just showed him to you."
Batman looked at the two suspiciously, before gesturing for them to lead onward. Djinn and Robin walked outside with him before stopping just short of an adjacent alleyway. "Alright, we're here, and we brought him," Keemia called. "You can come out."
There was a brief silence before Red Hood slowly stepped out. Batman's glare narrowed as Robin gestured to the new vigilante. "This is Red Hood. Don't worry, his guns have rubber bullets. But, I think you'll know him a little better than most…"
As he said that, Red Hood slowly reached for his helmet before removing it. As he did, Bruce saw all too familiar red hair tumble out. It might have been matched by a white streak in his bangs, but there was no mistaking that hair. Not with those piercing blue eyes.
"Hey Bruce… it's been a while, hasn't it?" Jason asked with a dry chuckle.
"Jason…" Batman whispered before immediately rushing towards him. In a move that was entirely unlike anything expected of Batman, the older hero swept Jason into a tight hug, as his body wracked with silent sobs. "Jason is it you? Is it really you?"
"Yeah, it is." Jason nodded, his own tears falling freely. "And I'm sorry. I should have fought harder, I should have been more careful! I shouldn't have gone after the clown, I should have just waited for you like you said!" he ranted hysterically before Batman cut him off.
"Jason, listen to me; it doesn't matter!" he said seriously, looking Jason in the eyes as tears slowly trickled from the bottom of his cowl. "I'm just… I'm just glad you're okay." He whispered before hugging him again.
Djinn and Robin watched with warm smiles at the reunion of the two, making sure to give them as long as they needed to properly reconnect. After several minutes, the two finally broke apart as Batman nodded to Jason. "Thank you for your help today Jason."
"Hey, it's what you taught me to do." Jason shrugged, folding his arms.
"In any case, I'm glad to see you continuing the good fight. For what it's worth, you're always welcome in the Batcave." Batman smiled as Jason nodded gratefully.
"Thank you, I'm just glad to be back in the family." He smiled. "But there is something I wanted to ask you if that's okay."
"Yes? What is it?" Batman inquired.
"I heard you got a team together for the rug rats," he smirked, gesturing to Djinn and Robin with his head. "I want in."
"You wish to join the team?" Batman asked, his eyebrow cocked in barely visible surprise while Djinn grinned.
"He's got my vote," she said eagerly as Batman thought it over.
"Alright, if that's what you want, then it can be arranged." He agreed as Jason nodded gratefully.
"Thank you Bruce, this means a lot to me," Jason said with a smile before putting the helmet back on. Batman looked at him carefully before nodding back, the faintest of smiles on his face.
"It's my pleasure, Jason."
Lafayette, Louisiana – August 29th, 20:14 CDT
Ashley stared out the window of her bedroom, her thoughts muddled and unfocused. It seemed like they were becoming this way more and more often lately. Ever since Keemia kissed her cheek a few days prior, her thoughts kept wandering back to her best friend and teammate. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if she wanted to be more than friends. The idea certainly appealed to her, but she still had her own doubts. Which was why she was staring blankly out of her window, much like she had done for the last few days.
"Penny for your thoughts?" a voice called as Ashley turned around quickly, seeing Waller standing in her doorway expectantly. "You seem rather focused. You're using your telekinesis reflexively again."
Sure enough, Ashley's intense focus was causing several of the items around her room to become levitated in the air by her telekinesis. "Oh… sorry…" she said sheepishly before focusing as she set the items down.
"There's no need to apologize," Waller assured her, before stepping forward. "Something on your mind?"
"Yes, but I don't know if you'd want to hear it," Ashley said timidly.
"Of course I want to hear it. You don't have to tell me anything if you're not comfortable though," she said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Well… okay," Ashley sighed before beginning. "See, I think I have a crush on somebody, and I think they might like me back. I mean, I heard their thoughts already, so I know they do…"
"I'll stop you right there. I'll make a call to Floyd, see if he can't scare this person into behaving properly." Waller said, her mouth twitched in a hint of a smirk.
"What? No!" Ashley said, her eyes wide in horror. "You can't send Deadshot after her!"
At that, Waller paused, her face now inquisitive. "So it's a girl you like then?"
Ashley froze before looking down sheepishly. "Y-yeah… I know it's not exactly normal… but I really think I like her."
"Ashley, of course it's normal. I'm not about to tell you that it's wrong to like another girl. If that's who you like, then that's fine." Waller assured her. "Now, do you want to pursue something more with her?"
"Yeah… I do." Ashley nodded.
"Then you go right ahead and do that. I'm not about to force you to act without being comfortable with what you're doing, but I at least want you to keep an open mind about it." Waller advised. "If you want some more advice on this, I could try and get Quinn down here. She knows more about this sort of thing than I do."
"Yeah… it might be nice to talk to her about it." Ashley nodded. "Thanks Mrs. Waller."
"It's my pleasure Ashley," Waller smiled, kissing her forehead before walking back out the door. Before she left, however, she stopped and turned back to Ashley. "Are you sure you don't want me to send Lawton? All he needs to do is scare them into behaving properly."
"I'm sure." Ashley laughed, the tension having been thoroughly broken.
"Alright, if you're sure. Goodnight Ashley." Waller nodded before walking out.
"Goodnight Mrs. Waller." Ashley sighed contentedly before looking out the window once more. Again her thoughts wandered back to Keemia Marko, only this time, they now held an excited optimism over what the future could hold for them.
Gotham City – August 29th, 20:26 EDT
"Alright Bruce, what did you call us here for?" Dick asked impatiently, leaning against the Batcomputer. The former Robin was enjoying a peaceful night off with his girlfriend Kori but was soon interrupted by Bruce when the billionaire said he had something important to show him. Soon enough, Dick found himself in the Batcave alongside Barbara, Kori, Alfred, and Tim.
"Don't be rude Dick, I'm sure he wouldn't have called us if it wasn't important." Barbara admonished him. The former Batgirl, while not being an active hero anymore, was still an important member of the Batfamily. As the now wheelchair-bound Oracle, she managed the vigilantes of Gotham with absolutely impeccable accuracy and effectiveness.
"Yes, please have the patience, boyfriend Dick. I'm sure this is imperative for all of us," Kori nodded before she hugged Dick closely. At his girlfriend's insistence, Dick sighed before reluctantly nodding.
"I'm sorry Bruce, please continue." He said as Bruce nodded to Dick.
"Thank you Dick. Now, while this is something that Tim already knows, I believe it's essential that you all know this as well," Bruce began before looking off to the side. "You can come out now."
Alfred, Dick, Barbara, and Kori each turned to where Bruce was looking just seconds before as a figure slowly emerged from the shadows. As soon as the figure stepped into the light, the four of them were immediately shocked at the sight. It was Alfred who came out of his stupor first.
"Master Jason…" the butler whispered before rushing forwards and hugging the boy.
"Hey Alfred, sorry for worrying you," he joked lightly before Dick rushed over next.
"Is that really you Jaybird?" Dick asked as Jason nodded.
"Yeah, it's me." He greeted before hugging the man he saw as an older brother. After reconnecting with him, he moved on to Kori, hugging the Tamaranean girl. "Hey Kori, it's been a while."
While he might not have known Kori as long as he knew the others, it still warmed his heart to see her again. And clearly, judging by her reaction, she was just as relieved to have him back. "Friend Jason, I thought we had lost you forever." she sobbed openly, hugging him close.
"I thought I would never be back. It's good to be wrong though." he sighed before reluctantly letting go and moving on to Barbara. Once he overcame his initial shock of hearing she was in a wheelchair, all he could feel now was guilt that he couldn't have been there to help her. "Hey Babs…" he greeted, unsure.
"Welcome back Jason." the girl smiled before hugging him.
"I'm sorry I couldn't have been there for you. You might have needed me, and I couldn't have been there." Jason said shamefully before Barbara lightly thwacked him upside the head.
"None of that now, it's over and done with. I might be wheelchair-bound, but I'm still a member of this family. Oracle watches from above now." she smirked, before gesturing to the headset she had around her neck.
"And this family is now back together. Stronger than ever." Bruce said, the faintest of smiles on his face as he gathered the family around him.
"Not to be rude Master Jason, but how exactly did you come to return to us?" Alfred asked curiously. The others stopped and looked at him expectantly, awaiting his answer. Jason simply blushed sheepishly, looking away before shrugging.
"I'm sorry but… I really don't know. After I… died… I just woke up on the side of a mountain. I don't know how I got there, or why. I'm sorry I couldn't be more help than that." He sighed before Bruce put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's alright Jason, no one's upset over this. We're just glad you're okay now." Bruce assured him, before stepping back to the computer. "And with you back in Gotham and in the Batfamily again, it's time we rearranged the patrol shifts."
The others groaned playfully at this before Tim smirked. "I guess that was always inevitable, wasn't it?"
"Too bad it couldn't be evitable, eh Tim?" Jason mused as the younger sidekick grinned.
"Now you're getting it!"
Mount Justice – September 3rd, 18:02 EDT
"Recognized: Djinn B-04, Robin B-01, Red Hood B-10." The automated voice of the computer read as the three young heroes were teleported into their base of operations. "Welcome to the clubhouse Jason, hope you enjoy your stay," Keemia grinned, gesturing grandly to the cave.
"Looks really cozy," he mused, looking around. While his outfit hadn't changed much, his Kevlar chest armour now included a deep red bat symbol, emblazoned proudly across his chest. As the three entered, they were soon greeted by other members of the team, save for Aqualad who had yet to arrive.
"Welcome back Keems." Barry greeted as the two friends hugged, albeit awkwardly. The tension between the two might have been lessened, but they were still working on rebuilding their friendship.
"Good to be back, Barry." She nodded before Conner gestured to Jason.
"Who's this?"
"This is Red Hood, he's our new teammate." Robin grinned as Jason removed his helmet, shaking Superboy's hand.
"Jason Todd, nice to meet you." he greeted as Conner nodded.
"Conner, and likewise. If you're a friend of Keemia's I guess you gotta be okay," the clone smirked as Keemia simply huffed.
"Gee, thanks Con." She scowled playfully before walking over to Ashley. "You been keeping these rascals in line for me?"
"As best as I can." Ace shrugged before hugging Keemia. "It's good to see you back here, Keemia."
"Thank you, it's good to be back Ashley." Keemia smiled before hugging her friend close. As she did, her thoughts once again began to wander. 'There's that feeling again. But I know now what to do. I'm going to ask her out. Maybe not today, but soon' she decided, a light blush across her face.
Ace wore her own matching blush as she heard her teammate's thoughts, however, she simply gave a determined nod. This was going to be something they tried in the future, and they'd both try their hardest to make it work. Of that, she was sure.
Batman watched the team idly from where he was typing away on one of the computer holoscreens. With the rest of the team now assembled, all they needed to wait for now was the arrival of Kaldur. Sure enough, they wouldn't have to wait much longer as the teleporter flared to life again. "Recognized: Aqualad B-02." The computer recited as Kaldur appeared in a flash of light.
While he had been away, Atlantis was attacked by Black Manta and his troopers, who were attempting to steal a frozen specimen that was being examined by the resident scientists of Atlantis. While the villain ultimately failed, the specimen was destroyed, save for one small fragment which was rapidly regenerating. It was Prince Orm, the brother of Aquaman who had suggested sending it to the surface world for further study. Aquaman readily agreed to the idea and sent it off to Gotham just a few minutes before Kaldur returned.
Batman didn't look up from the computer as he heard Kaldur approach. "Made your decision?" He asked expectantly.
"The decision is made. I am here. One hundred percent," Kaldur said decisively. Batman gave a small, curt nod as the rest of the team gathered around the two of them.
"Just in time for your next mission," the Dark Knight said as he called up a map on the holoscreen for the team to look at. "The Watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialyan Desert…"
Boom! Another chapter done!
First, there is some housekeeping to take care of, so I'll do the minor stuff first.
Bob, the Joker's henchman from the 1989 Batman movie, is now canon in this universe. Make of that what you will (I couldn't let Joker's number one guy die like that. No way!).
Snowflame is now here! I have wanted to write this guy for so long. And granted, he isn't nearly as crazy as he's usually depicted ("COCAINE IS MY GOD AND I AM AN INSTRUMENT OF IT'S WILL!" -Snowflame, 1987), but I thought maybe a more subdued take could work. Bottom line, I just wanted him around for longer.
Ivo has actually been caught on screen. Now it will make sense when he shows up in "Terrors".
Barry is researching magic and the supernatural to learn all he can. After spending so long denying it, and seriously fracturing his relationship with Keemia in the process, I figured it would be a nice compromise for him to decide to learn. After all, he's an academic, and he's now being presented and entirely new field to research and learn about. How could he NOT say yes to that?
Barbara is now Oracle. For an idea of when this happened, it was shortly after the end of JLU that the "killing joke" occurred. This will also have a significant effect on a certain harlequin...
Keemia and Ashley's feelings have finally been confirmed! They're not yet consolidated, but almost! So close!
And now, for the big one: Red Hood. First of all, him joining the team was always in the plan. As far as I see it, he's about 17 years old, which makes him tied with Kaldur for the oldest member of the team, if not older. This is to further consolidate the timeline between B:TAS and TNBA, as well as the skip to Justice League as far as aging goes. Furthermore, kudos to Lady Pond for being able to guess that he would join. But now, for his characterization. We've always seen Jason as a very violent and angry individual, someone who just wants vengeance done, and to kill every criminal he can. But here's the thing; my Jason is still just a kid. He's not even 18 yet, so why SHOULD he be wholesale killing. Granted, he's already done that in this chapter (and it's presumed before this point), but we're gonna see how it wears on his psyche in the future. A kid killing someone is definitely some heavy material. He's also not nearly as angry at Bruce now. I see their relationship here being more like how their relationship is in DC Rebirth (At least until the recent DC fuckery that has completely ruined Batman's relation to him. Damn it...), where there is a support structure there. Jason will still be more violent and angry, but he's not outwardly homicidal anymore. His reason to kill was to make a point to a Batman who he thought would never cross the line. So hearing that Batman almost did, and all for him? That, I feel, is more than enough reason to shake him up a bit. To change how his character is portrayed for the future. His dynamic with the team? Well that'll just be icing on the cake. But we'll see where that goes.
So, that should just about cover it, eh?
Tune in next time though, when the team will be left in the desert... and completely Bereft...
As always be sure to read and review!
Ciao for now!
~WafflesTheApprentice