CHAPTER 3
EDUCATION: PART I
"I hope you two are ready for this."
The young heroes from Dakota City take those words from John Stewart to their racing hearts. The Javelin piloted by the Green Lantern is close to its destination in Arizona, an off-site training facility for the League. It was used during their first training exercises as a team when the League consisted of only the original seven. Now, it has become the Level 1 training ground for the newest recruits to the League.
Static and Gear have protected their city for four years, but now find themselves apart of the newest recruits to the Justice League reserves roster. Static looks out of the window as the desert he passes over seems to have no end. The three of them had been quiet since they boarded the Javelin at the Metrotower, only John Stewart occasionally giving the boys words of advice. Two other Javelins follow en route to the site, towing more young reserve members. Gear and Static met with the other reserves briefly before leaving the Metrotower, but they had not met them before.
The Dakota City boys had trained on the Watchtower a few times. They even helped the Justice League save the world on one occasion. Static had always dreamed of this day since he first worked with the League, but Gear was never as ambitious as his friend. Static now finds himself overcome with anxiety, wishing he was just helping them stop Brainiac again rather than actually joining the League.
"Those are just jitters", GL says, noticing the boys' looks on their faces from the pilot seat. "Trust me, after a few of these sessions, you'll be more comfortable."
"So tell me again why we're out here in the desert where no one can hear us scream for our lives", Gear says in a sarcastic tone.
"That's so if you decide to quit, you better be ready to find your own way home."
Gear adjusts himself on his seat, trying to think of how far he'd have to walk after Back Pack gave out from the high exposure to heat. Now he wonders why he hadn't prepped Back Pack for extreme weather conditions. Gear knows it's just the nervousness of what they're about to face. The simulation on the Watchtower is nothing compared to live-weaponry, which is what they're suppose to encounter today.
The boys take deep breathes as the Javelin begins its landing sequence, slowly hovering to the ground. They see the two other Javelins land next to them as John Stewart kills the engines. Static and Gear unfasten their seatbelts and stand up to do various stretches from sitting for such a long time. They wondered why they just couldn't teleport to the site, but they suppose GL wanted them to have time to think about what is about to happen.
Stewart walks towards the ramp as it lowers to the ground for them to exit. He stops the boys from exiting to give them one last piece of advice before they begin.
"I know you've been protecting a city between the two of you for a few years now", GL begins. "For the next couple of days, try to pretend you've never seen any action in your life."
The boys slowly nod as Stewart flashes them a comforting smirk. They don't see him smile that much, but this helps alleviate some of the tension the two have been under for the last two hours. However, they still remain as nervous as they've been in a long time.
"Ok, Squirts" Wildcat says while standing in front of the four young League members. "Forget that lil' playground you used to run back home. Those pick-pockets and spray painters aren't what you'll be tanglin' with today, that's for stinkin' sure. Today, you're in Wildcat's playground, and if I see you on my merry-go-round without my permission, I'll take a piece of your hide, capiche?"
The series of random and intimidated nodding from the recruits – who are standing in a left-to-right formation with the hot sun beating down on them– gives Wildcat enough satisfaction that these kids know he means business.
"Good", he says as he pulls up a clipboard to his chest. "Now, so I can memorize your names today without having to call you by my less-than flattering observations of what you're wearing, please take one step forward when you hear your name and you'll avoid an embarrassing hero name for the rest of your life."
Wildcat looks over everyone in line, while Green Lantern, Steel, Stargirl and Speedy stand behind him in unison. Each one of them laughs under their breath from Wildcat's introduction and the look of terror on a few of those kids' faces.
"I'm glad Wildcat loosened up over the years", Speedy whispers out of the side of his mouth to Stargirl.
"I'm glad these guys are smart enough to keep their mouths shut during the first ten minutes", Stargirl replies using the same technique. "Remember what happened to Supergirl?"
Speedy snorts under his breath, but it was loud enough for Wildcat to hear. Wildcat looks behind him, and sees Speedy and Stargirl trying to regain their posture in time.
"Oh good, I forgot about you two", Wildcat says while turning back to the recruits. "Before we begin, class, these two graduates of the reserves unit had never heard the saying 'Silence is Life Saving'. If it weren't for our shortage of hands at the time, these two would have been kicked back to the waterslide they lifeguarded before they decided to stop playing dress-up and be real heroes."
Wildcat pauses for a moment, but is shocked when he realizes that none of the recruits blurted out any outbursts of amusement. They were too busy being scared of getting on his bad side.
"I think this is the smartest bunch yet", Wildcat says looking everyone over. "But just in case some of you get the giggles or a sudden case of deafness in the next week, take a look at the faces of these two to see how it feels to play at my park again."
Speedy and Stargirl's composures shift to sudden a sudden shock of realization. They honestly believed they were asked to join the new recruit training session because of how well they thought they had passed and progressed from a recruit to a fulltime member. Fortunately for them, they have already learned one lesson by not saying anything in response, then resuming their normal standing postures behind Wildcat. Speedy feels a sickening twist in his stomach for failing to realize how uncharacteristically nice Wildcat had been with him lately. That's not how things are normally between the two. Stargirl just wished she hadn't declined taking the public appearance mission in Central City for Flash's museum exhibit anniversary. She hated public appearances after the parade she was in Metropolis, and thought this mission would be a snoozer.
"Alright you two, go stand with the team", Wildcat says to Speedy and Stargirl. "The rest of you be ready to hear your names. Ok…Robin step forward."
Wildcat paid special notice to Robin during his talk, and is ready to waste no time in testing him. He's fully aware of what Robin brings to the table as far as ability goes, but knows that he still has plenty of room for maturity, if what Batman told him was correct.
"Robin, so you're playground is Gotham City?" Wildcat asks.
"Biggest slides and rustiest swings in the country", Robin says back with a smirk, while Speedy and Stargirl walk over and stand on the opposite end of the formation.
"Uh huh", Wildcat says happily as one of them took the bait. "And since you don't know the meaning of the word rhetorical, go ahead and answer another one for me: why did Batman waste his time with a pipsqueak like you by his side? Did Gotham have a midget infestation?"
"Nope", Robin says now folding his arms in his hands. "Just over-sized creeps who think its ok to talk tough to a kid and not expect to get their butt handed to them by one."
Wildcat violently throws the clipboard down to the ground, and marches over to Robin with heavy steps. He stands in front of the young vigilante, whom he towers over by almost a foot and a half. Wildcat looks down at Robin, and is slightly impressed that Robin didn't flinch or change his posture.
"That sounded like it was directed at me, bird boy", Wildcat snarls while the other recruits pay attention to imaginary objects anywhere else. "You think I'm just some two-bit muscle with a stolen TV that you can take out with a kick from your size 4s?"
"No…" Robin says with a sigh, while realizing what Wildcat is doing. "I apologize for talking out of turn."
"Good, you talk smarter than you look tough", Wildcat says breathing onto Robin. "If I had half a mind, I'd flip you upside down and vacuum this entire desert with your face if you hadn't shut your mouth."
Wildcat knows that Robin is fully aware of his physical abilities as a fighter. Wildcat doesn't doubt that Batman made Robin memorize the entire Justice League roster with frequent updates on the new and departed members. This is why Wildcat is smiling on the inside; he knows that Robin has what it takes to be a League member just by this small exchange.
"Yes, sir", Robin says in a huff as Wildcat backs off.
Wildcat walks back to retrieve the clipboard he tossed down, while giving Green Lantern and Steel a look signaling that he likes what he just got from Robin. He dusts off the sand that accumulated on the list of names as he turns back to them. Robin slouches a bit as the others wait attentively, not wanting anything to do with Wildcat's bad side.
"Ok, lets see who the puppets are with the rest of you", Wildcat says looking at the list again. "How about that, standing right next to our lil bird, the shiny girl."
The girl standing to Robin's left steps forward in her suit of armor, co-created by her uncle John Henry Irons: better known as Steel.
"Says here you're a second generation tin can, is that correct?"
Steel and GL snort out a quick chuckle, but quickly compose themselves out of habit. Irons' niece nods silently at Wildcat's question.
"Don't think just cuz Uncle Steel is here I'm gonna go easy on you", Wildcat flatly teases. "He knows that I'll twist you into a cage and stuff bird boy there in it faster than your stomach's gonna turn after today's over with."
She nods again, not giving way to any of Wildcat's taunts.
"Good, you'll be fine then", Wildcat says. "So what do we call you? Have you even pulled enough kittens outta trees to get a name in the papers?"
She looks at him through her metal faceplate, which is capable of relaying facial expressions. The look through her mask shows a confusion of whether not to verbally answer him. He motions with his hand to hurry up and speak while he's allowing her to.
"My…my name is Natasha", she hesitantly says.
"Natasha, that's a pretty name" Wildcat says, now walking up to her. "Well, I'm not a huge fan of subtlety, but hopefully it works wonders for ya."
Natasha nods silently, showing the discipline she was instructed by her uncle to display. Wildcat was right, she doesn't have much experience, but she is highly skilled in mechanics and engineering. Natasha has helped her uncle design and produce his suits over the past few years, she even is officially interning at his shop in Metropolis for college.
"Ok gang, we're almost through with you", Wildcat says walking back to his speaking position in front of the young people. "Ah, the Dakota boys, you two got some serious miles on you."
Static and Gear feel their hearts drop to their ankles when Wildcat slowly paces at them. They watched Robin survive a verbal thrashing of what they hope is Wildcat's worse. So they try to play it cool.
"You two got some history with the League if I'm not mistaken.
Static and Gear nod feverishly, as though they were being interrogated.
"How cute, you guys are fans", Wildcat says walking up to Gear's face. "Say, that Big Bang thing that happened in your city was suppose to give you guys powers, so why do you got that super Swiss army knife on your back? This is when you're allowed to speak."
Gear almost doesn't listen, thinking that calling this potential bluff will result in his immediate death. Wildcat starts a sigh, but can't even finish before Gear answers him.
"My powers are enhanced brain functions", Gear says to an unimpressed Wildcat. "I built Back Pack, my equipment and some of Static's hardware from scratch."
"Good, I like having a grease monkey around incase my '57 needs a new intake manifold", Wildcat says while sliding over to Static. "So Sparky, if my ride breaks down, you gonna give it a jump?"
Static takes Gear's lead in hesitating to give a response, but he takes lesser time realizing he can reply.
"Um, sure", Static replies.
Wildcat waits to see if Static has anything else to say, but receives nothing else from the young hero. Wildcat pats Static on the shoulder and nods, hoping it'll prevent the kid from hyperventilating on the spot.
"And don't worry about that growth on your head", Wildcat says referring to Static's hair. "We'll see if Zatanna can't reverse that spell."
Static lowers his head to hide his face as much as possible. The terrified feeling Gear was overcome with is gone, only to be replaced by a humored smile at Wildcat's comment on his buddy's hair.
"Alright then, that's it for introductions", Wildcat says walking back to his spot, but Steel and GL walking to his side. "Now since we've got you guys identified and focused, here's what's going to happen today…."
Static and Gear both finishing their vomiting fits behind the saloon, which is apart of the mock old west town constructed by Green Lantern years ago. The training they took part in today yielded satisfying results from everyone, but Wildcat made it a point to push everyone to their limits. Natasha had proven her effectiveness in her suit quite well, but had much to learn in a team setting. Static and Gear's experience as a team gave them an edge with the familiarity they have with one another. Plus, when they had to pair with either Robin or Natasha instead of with each other, they handled themselves fairly well.
Robin stood out from the other three. His extensive training with Batman and nightly patrols in Gotham clearly put him ahead the others. His skill, however, is only overshadowed by his brashness and constant need to show off. Green Lantern remembers when he tried to get Batman to take the training at this site seriously, so he wasn't completely surprised at how Robin responded to the course.
Speedy and Stargirl showed the focus they lacked the first time they completed recruit training. Wildcat verbally berated Speedy during every session, reminding him that had he kept his mouth shut the first time, he'd be on the Watchtower watching TV right now. Stargirl took a leadership role during the drills, constantly reminding everyone's spots in battle, and even putting Speedy and Robin in check a few times. Green Lantern, Steel nor Wildcat had ever seen that side of her, but they did everything they could to encourage it once it came out.
All of the heroes now sit at the bar at the saloon of the replica town, eating a vegetable beef stew made by Steel and Natasha. Wildcat stressed to the young heroes to eat well in their profession, because their bodies are their livelihoods. After this day of training, they all needed a good dinner. Static and Gear even managed to hold down some of the meal after emptying their stomach only fifteen minutes earlier. Wildcat doesn't care exactly what they eat after battles, because he knows they'll work off whatever they take in the next day.
Everyone has finished their meals, feeling the effects of the day individually, and trying to manage the great amount of food they had just eaten.
"Steel, that was some good stew you made", Robin said holding his stomach. "If I eat like that anymore I'll start looking like Wildcat."
GL, Steel, Stargirl and Natasha all laugh at that comment, while Static, Gear and Speedy keep their mouths shut. Wildcat looks down the bar at Robin who's making his face easy for Wildcat to see.
"Hey, I'm in great shape for my age, tweety", Wildcat says. "Keep making wisecracks and your digestive system will be the only thing functioning properly in your body.
"It's an old family recipe my grandma showed us how to make", Natasha says sitting next to Robin. "I made the cornbread muffins and shitake salad."
"Oh my gosh, that shitake salad was so good", Stargirl says turning to Natasha and putting her hand on her shoulder. "We're so having the same Watchtower duty hours. What else can you cook?"
Natasha starts to feel a little more comfortable letting herself open up some to the new people in her life, especially after a tough training session and compliments about her cooking.
"What else do you like?" Natasha says with a smirk.
Everyone laughs as Green Lantern moves from his stool and takes the spot behind the bar. Everyone continues to talk until he raises his hand.
"Ok guys, you completed the first day on the job almost flawlessly", GL starts. "Everything I see you lacking on will get better with time. But what will make the difference is your commitment to improving on what you started today. After we clean up here and reset the training facility for the tomorrow's run, we're taking you to the Watchtower."
The new recruits show similar looks of surprise on their faces. They expected to return to the Metrotower all the way back in Metropolis, but they're spending the night in space instead.
"Your belongings at the Metrotower have already been transferred to your rooms on the Watchtower. The six of you are to be split into pairs, so you'll share rooms with the person you're paired up with. The pairings are Speedy and Stargirl, Static and Gear, and Robin and Natasha."
Robin and Natasha felt a frog jump into their throats after hearing what was just said.
"Speedy and Stargirl can explain, you two", GL says noticing the looks on Robin and Natasha's faces.
"It's no biggie", Speedy starts. "It's like a two-bedroom apartment really. We're supposed to build some sort of familiarity with our partners, and then we'll change up after a week and bunk with a different partner."
That thought brought some relief to Natasha, who values her privacy more than anyone else she knows, even her uncle. However, Robin suddenly realizes a problem with those arrangements he had yet to think about.
"Wait a minute", Robin says raising his hand frantically. "What about our secret identities? I didn't sign on knowing I had to give that up. That's bogus."
"You've gotta mask, kid", Wildcat says. "Make sure that's the first thing you put on in the morning and after a shower if it means that much to you."
Robin looks at Wildcat, not satisfied with his over-simplified answer. He sits back down thinking if he honestly could wear his mask while eating cereal and watching his cartoons in the morning.
"Don't worry, Robin", GL starts. "You'll be in full uniform when you step out of your rooms. Learn to trust the person you're with, but you don't have to trust them with everything. If you feel like you have to hide your face and identity from your roommate, then by all means, go ahead."
Static and Gear look at each other, knowing they'll be fine the first week since they've practically grown up together. Gear turns to Stargirl, who he doesn't mind at all taking extra glances at whenever he can.
"So how did you and Speedy manage?" Gear asks while sipping his apple juice.
"It was alright", she says. "I walked to the restroom one night and he passed out on the couch in his undies, snoring louder than a Javelin's thrusters. That was probably the worst of it."
Everyone begins to laugh, even Speedy does while remembering how awesome that was, but Natasha is overcome with a great sense of discomfort. She had never shared a room with anyone, even a sibling. Now she finds herself in a situation where she'll be sharing space with someone she knows nothing about, and it's a boy. She turns to Robin with an almost pleading look on her face.
"Please don't do things like that, too", she asks him getting close to his face.
He backs off a bit, knowing full well that Alfred used to find him in the same manner every morning. Robin smiles at her nervously, then he turns to see Steel eye-balling him from his stool, mangling a fork in his hand with a smirk on his face. He drops the fork down onto the bar, twisted and destroyed from his previous form. Robin figures that Steel could do that to a boy his age a lot easier than a fork. Robin then turns to Green Lantern desperately.
"So one week you say, huh?" he says with an even more panicked look on his face.
John Stewart folds his arms and nods, while Natasha folds her hands in her lap and lowers her head, completely embarrassed.
"One week."
"Ritchie, look at this room!"
Static and Gear enter the room designated as their quarters during the first week of recruit training, in complete awe of the furnishings they get to enjoy. Static runs to the living area, with the big screen plasma television and the luxury sofa sitting in front of it. Gear makes his way towards it, rubbing his eyes like he used to on Christmas morning.
"Virgil my man", Gear starts. "We're in heaven."
They both sit down slowly on the sofa, taking in a kind of cushioning that they never thought their backsides would never enjoy in their entire lives. Static takes off his mask while Gear places his already removed helmet on the coffee table in front of them. They sit silently for a moment at the blank TV that has them mesmerized, until Gear finally speaks up.
"Do you think we can order the fight on this thing?" Gear asks.
Static turns to him, with a similarly devilish look on his face.
"Aww yeah!"
Next door to the heroes from Dakota City, Stargirl and Speedy ready themselves for a good night sleep, knowing full well what the next day is going to bring them. They already said their goodnights, wasting no time to get a shower and prepping tomorrow's uniform. Stargirl knows that Speedy is fairly irritated by having to do all of this training again, but she noticed a subtle growth in his maturity as the day progressed. She's mostly surprised at how easily it was for her to help out the new recruits during the sessions, especially the leadership role she had taken on. Stargirl felt a strong sensation she had yet to feel while being in the League, one that she never would have dreamed of feeling while she was one of the younger members. But, there she stood, a young member in a leadership role to future reserves of the League.
Wildcat was right about something else today; Stargirl knew that if the League didn't desperately need hands back then, she and Speedy would never have been put on active duty. That fact embarrasses her, especially since she notices how everyone in the League takes their jobs to their hearts. That's not to say she doesn't as well, but she should at least show she does through her actions. It would seem that she took her newfound role with the recruits subconsciously in order to make up for how she slacked her way into the Watchtower the first time.
For Stargirl, tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.
Unfortunately in the next room, the team of Robin and Natasha find themselves in more of an awkward situation.
They have only met earlier in the day, and are nowhere near comfortable enough to share any space together without any complications. They sit across from each other at the table by the small kitchen in their quarters. Robin has removed his costume after his bath and is wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants, but has kept his mask on trying to be as comfortable as possible without revealing his identity. Natasha has already changed from her armor into her rubber duckie pajamas for the night, sipping on hot tea she made herself. Robin stares down at a half cup of water he's having trouble finishing.
"You did great today", she says to him breaking a ten minute-long silence between them. "I think you did the best out of us."
Robin looks up at her, noticing she's making an effort to be cordial given the situation. That relaxes him quite a bit, especially since she was so opposed to the arrangement from the beginning. It also helps him that she threw in a compliment.
"Thanks, Natasha", he says while reaching for the water cup with two hands.
She notices that he's nervous around her, even more so than she was around him. But it wasn't Robin that made Natasha uncomfortable; it was just sharing a space with him. He didn't ask for it anymore than she did, with him having to protect his identity.
"I understand how you feel about your identity", she says then takes a sip. "I'm not too crazy about…you know, sharing a space with anyone."
That comment causes Robin look down at his water again. That forces Natasha to notice something that she hadn't even thought about. She didn't know for sure, but she's positive that Robin is much younger than she is. She is in the second semester of her second year of college, but to her, Robin didn't look like he belonged in the eleventh grade. She stares at him for a moment, and then realizes how she might have hurt his feelings.
"Oh, it's not you", she says. "Its just I've never even shared a bedroom with anyone. Everything in my space I've always had the responsibility to myself, so this is different for me."
Robin drinks the rest of his water, lifting his head back like an alcoholic desperately looking for one final drop. She stares at him doing that, starting to notice how he over emphasizes every action he does. She even saw how he walks normally back in the desert, as though he were walking towards a criminal, ready to take him on.
"I'm used to living with people, but that was in a bigger place", Robin finally says. "Like I'm sure you're not too thrilled sharing with a boy, I'm not thrilled in making anyone feel uncomfortable."
Natasha sighs, wondering if he even heard her say her discomfort had nothing to do with him. Then after thinking for a moment, his presence in the room is why she's in such discomfort. She decides to take a different approach.
"So what do I call you?" she asks him.
"What's wrong with 'Robin'?"
She finishes her tea, placing the cup on the saucer on the table. Natasha looks up at him, wiping away tea drippings from her lip with a napkin.
"Well, I was just wondering", she says now bringing up her knees to her chin, placing her feet on the chair. "Since we'll be fighting over the remote for the next week, I'd like to be able to be mad at one name and be confident during training with another."
Robin chuckles at that, knowing that everyone at Wayne Manor does the same to him. He brings his legs up like she is, sitting similarly. He looks away from her and towards the window looking out at earth. Natasha notices that Robin had been staring out of the window a lot since they first walked in, taking in the view as though…
"He never brought you up here, did he?"
Robin shakes his head, in complete awe of the sight. Natasha looks at him, then turns to look out the window and remembers what that view felt like the first the she saw it.
"Uncle John brought me up here a few times", she starts. "I remember before getting into engineering, I wanted to be an astronomer. I was always looking up at the stars from Suicide Slum, hoping it was better up there than it was down here. My hopes were answered."
"Same here", Robin asks. "I just wanted to go up there and forget how crummy a city Gotham was to grow up in as a kid. My old man left me alone so much that all I had was a window to look out of. That was before I figured I could go out and do stupid stuff to get in trouble like he would. But when I was really young, I thought the stars were my only friends. Now…here I am, with my friends."
Natasha listened to him, quietly understanding how it felt to be afraid of their surroundings as a child. Suicide Slum in Metropolis was home of the worse the City of Tomorrow had to offer. The good people of that area felt that everyone else in the city had no idea how well they had it sleeping in LexCorp controlled areas, free from the crime and drugs found in her neighborhood. From what she remembers hearing and reading about, Gotham was mostly Suicide Slum, and only a little of Metropolis.
Robin looks back to her, with a small, but tired smile on his face. The draining he took from the day was finally catching up with him.
"Tim."
She smiles back at him, resting her head on her knees in front of her.
"Hi, Tim."