It's time to get back to the land Wonderland. I give credit to all the sayings or preferences to Lewis Carroll. Here goes nothing…
Wally's P.O.V.
"Dude!" I yell shaking Dick by kicking him with my legs. "Wake up!"
"Huh?" he finally opens his eyes. "Why are we hanging? Is this rope?"
"I don't know, but I think it's rope," I sigh. "I was eating a bag of chips, and boom, someone hits my head. I black out and then I wake up hanging from a rope! And no chips!"
"We could be dying in the next few minutes and all you're worrying about is that you're hungry? Really Wally," Rob rolls his eyes. "How high up are we?" I look down and see Artemis standing there.
"Artemis!" I yell. "Get us down!" She turns to us, a look of terror on her face.
"Why does she look so scared?" Rob asks.
"Um…Rob?" I ask finally looking around.
"Yah?" he says oblivious.
"Why is everything…colorful?" I ask looking around. A bunch of boxes are stacked up with these creepy colorful designs on them.
"Don't try anything Flash Boy, you too Boy Wonder," I hear someone say behind me. I turn my head and see Cheshire, holding her Sais at our throats.
"Ches…!" I try to yell but she covers my mouth with her hand.
"He's not magic," she whispers. "All of this is an illusion; your teammate looked in his eyes, now she's under the spell. If you don't let his illusions shock you, you can defeat him."
"Why are you helping us?" Rob asks. She slowly removes her hand from my mouth.
"Orders," she says before removing the Sais from our throats and holding them to the rope. "Try to land on your feet." And the last thing I hear is a quick snapping noise, concluding the ropes were cut.
Jade's P.O.V.
I jump back into the vent, closing it in seconds. I watch the boys fall and see Artemis on the ground crouched down in a ball. I sigh and start my way towards the exit.
I know he saw me.
He knew that too.
I'll apologize later, saying the League of Shadows made me do it. But I'll apologize much, much later. I don't have time now to deal with him. After taking one more deep breath, I open the hatch to the roof.
"What took you so long?" Black Spider asks.
"No time to chit-chat, He's waiting," I say as we jump off the roof. I turn back one more time, hearing noise coming from inside.
Another long sigh and I'm running into the night.
Artemis's P.O.V.
I hear Kid Mouth yell. I turn around and sure enough see them hanging from high up. But I don't think they see the hole; I turn my head and look at the hole. I feel my feet tip over; I start to scream. My feet are moving uncontrollably and sure enough, I'm falling.
The dark hole shows images, but not the happy Wonderland images I thought I would endure. Dark, wicked images come; and not the mad images that happen in the story. I widen my eyes; blood is everywhere, claw marks, and I finally reach the bottom.
"You know the way out of the room of doors," The Mad Hatter's voice breaks through. "Check the contents surrounding you."
But before I do, I notice what I'm wearing. My costume is gone and I'm wearing a black long puffy dress. There's a mirror in the corner, I run to it. I gasp and start feeling my hair and face; I look exactly like Jade when she (I believe) was my age.
"I'm not going to drink that," I say looking at the table with a bottle labeled "Drink Me" on it. I sigh; glad my voice is the same.
"I'm the one making the rules," his gruff voice comes back. I sigh again and walk towards the table; I haven't read the story in a very long time, I stopped when Jade left, therefore this is all just coming back to me. I unscrew the top of it, giving that small little popping noise.
Before drinking, I see a small key to the side of it. I pick it up and examine it; this is probably what I'll have to use to get through the door. I put it down and look again at the bottle in my hand.
I sniff it and instantly gag; what the hell did he put in this? I take a deep breath and take a small sip and put the bottle down. I scrunch up my eyes; it tastes like alcohol and death.
I start to shrink. I try to grab the key but my arms are too small. I walk up over to the door, hoping it will somehow open on itself. It doesn't.
"Artemis!" I hear someone yell.
"Robin! Wally!" I scream but no one replies. I sigh; at least someone's out there. I walk over to the table's legs, finally remembering what happens next.
"Eat Me" a little cake says. I pick it up after praying to God drinking that eating these things won't kill me, I take a bite and find myself growing so tall that I hit the ceiling at full force.
"Seriously!" I moan. I grab the key and take another sip of the large bottle. But then I don't shrink. "What!"
"No, no, no," The Mad Hatter laughs. "The only way to shrink is for every drop to be gone. Then you may proceed my dear Alice." I gulp and begin to jug it. Fire and ice scratch my throat; like a million little kisses from piranhas. After finally finishing; I dizzily start to shrink holding the key. Yup, definitely some type of alcohol in there.
"Oh no," The Mad Hatter says. "We just can't have a drunken Alice in a children's story, here." A white hand comes down and drops off a peck of bread. "Eat this." I take a bit and feel my heart melt for a few seconds; I close my eyes. When I open them now feeling sober, I'm in Wonderland.
Well, it wasn't Wonderland.
All grey and monotone colors surrounded us; blood was smeared on everything and broken statues were surrounding me. I turn, looking at more horrific sights.
"Don't you like it?" he says, The Mad Hatter appearing before me.
"Artemis!" someone yells again. I turn to my right and Wally and Robin are standing inside the wicked Wonderland with me.
"Guys!" I yell running towards them. But I stop feeling metal on my throat, I turn to see The Mad Hatter holding a large knife to it. I look around once again; noticing I wasn't in Wonderland anymore. I was in the factory; everyone was in the factory.
I was dreaming.
"One move and I kill her!" he yells. Robin tenses and Wally sighs. I realize I'm still in my costume, my arrows and bow are slung on my back. I'm going to have to take a risk again.
I catch Wally's gaze and nod to him, he nods back and get's ready to run.
Here goes nothing.
"What's wrong with you!" I yell to The Mad Hatter. "You're round the bend all right!" This better work.
"Do you think I've gone round the bend?!" he asks his red rage multiplying.
"I'm afraid so," I say putting my hand out a little to tell Wally to wait. When I tell him to, he'll start running and Robin will just start sparring automatically. "You're mad, bonkers, completely off your head. But can I tell you secret?"
"Yes," he says his grip loosening a bit.
"All the best people are," I say as his grip loosens dramatically. "Now!" I yell getting out of his grip. The Mad Hatter understands what's happening and begins to try to throw the knife at me. I expect this but Wally picks me up in time for the knife to just hit one of the boxes. Then I notice something else; none of the boxes are painted. None of them; they're just the beige regular color they usually are.
"You're welcome for saving your life for about the 4,000th time," Wally says taking a rough turn back. I roll my eyes and jump out of his arms and kick The Mad Hatter's jaw when he's busy fighting Robin. He hits the ground and lays there moaning.
I shoot an arrow at him, causing a web to wrap him up. He moans again.
"Nice," Robin says high-fiving Wally.
"Everyone get down!" Someone yells from the door. The police come in and walk over to us.
"Is this the guy?" they ask looking at Nigel.
"Uh huh," I hum.
"Take him away fellas," Wally smiles.
"Wait!" I yell walking over to The Mad Hatter.
"Huh?" Robin says behind me.
"Mad Hatter, it's true what I said about the best people are mad," I say looking at him. He gives a small smile. "But you're not mad; you're a crazy wicked man."
"Bite me," he laughs.
"All you are is weak," I say firmly. That shuts him up and he just stares at me while being dragged out.
"Let's go guys," Wally says once I walk over to them.
"Wait, weren't you supposed to give me ice cream?" I say turning towards Robin.
"Dear God," he moans.
Hehe.
Still Artemis's P.O.V.
Damn, hot fudge tasted good.
We were back at the Cave; Robin generously decided to buy everyone ice cream. I got my hot fudge sundae with sprinkles as promised and I was enjoying every minute of it. Wally got a large chocolate shake and then a mini chocolate cone, Robin got a medium chocolate cone, M'gann got a large strawberry shake, Superboy got a small vanilla cone, and Kaldur didn't want any.
Wally already finished his cone and had ice cream in various places on his face; now he was jugging his shake.
"Brain freeze!" Wally yelled.
"You shouldn't have jugged it then Baywatch," I roll my eyes.
"Thanks again Robin! This is really good!" M'gann smiled. We were in the kitchen before practice; our mentors requested we train with them at nighttime when we can. I have to do weight-training, advanced archery practice, and then I'm staying here tonight. I called my mom earlier saying it was really late so I would crash here tonight. She told me that's fine, but now I have to buy groceries tomorrow.
"I'm done," I say putting my now finished hot fudge sundae in the trash under the sink.
"Me too," M'gann said putting hers in.
"I'm going to go change for training," I say walking towards my room.
"Alright," Megan says as I walk off. I make it to my room quickly and take a moment to admire the glass display; very eye-catching. I unlock the door with my handprint and walk in.
I change into a pair of black spandex, a XL blue t-shirt, and then a pair of sneakers. I take my hair out of a messy ponytail and put the hair band on my wrist. I walk over to my bathroom and open the door and turn the lights on.
"Oh man, I wanna take a shower…," I moan. I probably stink right now. I put on two more coats of deodorant and spray cherry blossom body mist I borrowed from M'gann all over me.
"This smells horrible…," I cough and look at the bottle; this doesn't smell like cherry blossom. I open the bottle and take a sniff. My eyes widen a bit but then I notice that's not the only thing smelling like it. I sniff the other bottles in the room; shampoo, conditioner, other perfumes, toothpaste, everything single thing in that room and they all have that same scent.
"YOU'RE DEAD ROBIN!"
Kaldur's P.O.V.
"Do you think she noticed yet?" Robin asked Wally. I was in the gym when they came in. I was doing push-ups; I think that's what they called it?
"What ya do?" Wally asks nodding at me. I give a small smile and correct my form. Instead of going as fast as I just was, I slow down and use better form; making each push-up more exhausting and tiresome.
"WHERE THE HELL IS THAT BOY?" I hear Artemis yell from somewhere down the hall. "I swear to God I will kill you Robin!"
"She found out," Wally says going on a treadmill.
"You don't think she would kill me would you…," Robin says shakily.
"Artemis is a strong and very surprising girl," I say finally getting up. "It's expected for her to be strong-opinionated."
"He's basically saying run bro," Wally said starting to super sprint on the treadmill; only his upper body stayed visible even though it was vibrating.
"I am going to kill you!" Artemis says running in.
"Ah! God!" Robin starts running around the gym. Artemis follows sprinting towards him. Robin starts going in circles around the equipment, maybe hoping to find a way out.
"What did Robin do to make you so upset Artemis?" I ask curious.
"He added Axe to everything in my bathroom! The jerk!" she says. "My shampoo, body sprays which I sprayed all over myself, and even my toothpaste!"
"Haha! Nice Rob!" Wally laughs. I don't understand what's so funny?
"K.F. not now!" Rob says dodging a kick from Artemis. "Help!"
"Sorry dude, this is your fight," Wally says putting his ear buds in and super sprinting again. I go on a leg-lift machine and just watch the chaos.
Batman's P.O.V.
"Do you know where Artemis is Bruce?" Oliver asks coming up to me. I'm walking down the hallway to get Robin from the kitchen.
"I haven't," I say. "She may be in the kitchen—." I get cut off by screaming.
"You're dead Wally!" Artemis's familiar voice comes through. "Don't even think about moving Robin!"
"Found her," I say. Green Arrow shakes his head and we open the door to the gym. Artemis has Robin in a head-lock using her legs while she Wally's in a head-lock too using her arm. I feel a gust of wind behind me; Barry.
"That's my boy, getting beat up by a girl much stronger then him," Flash laughs. I give a small smile but smother it quickly.
"Batman…help…," Robin says with his face red.
"Don't mess with the hair!" Wally yells before his face turns redder. "Or…not…."
"Oliver?" I look at him.
"Artemis, let go of them," Oliver sighs.
"Can I take a picture first?" Barry leaves and comes back with a camera. "Smile!" Artemis smiles and a flash comes off.
"Barry!" Wally says struggling.
"But Robin put Axe on everything and then Wally tripped me…," she got stopped by Green Arrow's stare. "Fine." She let's go and the boys crawl out panting.
"And for a matter of fact," Wally says still panting. "You fell over me! I didn't trip you!"
"Yes you did!" Artemis yells.
"He was trying to protect me!" Robin yells. I sigh.
"Rob-," I get cut off by Barry's and Green Arrow's hands.
"They seem to be training," Barry said. "Let the kiddos have fun for one night."
"Artemis, training is cancelled," Green Arrow smiles.
"Really?" she asks confused.
"Lucky," Wally pouted.
"You too Wallace," Flash said. Wally cheered.
"Wallace?" Robin laughed. "I still can't believe that's your name!"
"C'mon, he's been training all week Bruce," Green Arrow said nudging me.
"Robin, you're dismissed from training," I sigh. He turns to me.
"You're serious?" he says.
"Don't make me change my mind, carry on…with whatever you were doing," I say shutting the door.
"What am I supposed to do now for the next hour?" Green Arrow asks as we reach the zeta tubes.
"Alert! Robbery in progress!" the computer says.
"For old times sake, just the three of us?" Flash asks smiling. I sigh but smile.
"Why not?"
M'gann's P.O.V.
Uncle J'onn was busy tonight so I put in extra training this morning. So once the guys went to the gym and Superboy went to his room, I decided to do some laundry. I walk to the laundry room, holding a basket of my clothes. I turn the light on and put my white load in the washer.
Weirdly the dryer dings.
"Huh?" I say opening it. Only one piece of clothing is in there: Superboy's shirt. I know he has three of them, but only one is in the dryer. "I should probably return this, shouldn't I?" I think for a moment before picking it up; it's soft and smells like laundry detergent.
Not like I smelled it or anything...?
I walk outside of the laundry room and start walking down the hallway, hugging his shirt the whole way to his room. I take one deep sniff before knocking.
"Hey Superboy! It's Megan!" I smile. "You left your shirt in the dryer, I came to return it!" I wait a moment; no reply. "Superboy? You in there?"
I sigh and think I'll just slide it under the door. I bend to do so, but the door automatically opens.
"Superboy?" I ask coming in. The door opened without a code and there wasn't a Superboy in sight, maybe he doesn't manually lock his doors? I walk in and look around.
Unlike the other rooms, there isn't his mentor's emblem: the Superman symbol. His room is just dark blue and his bed is black. I wander in a bit more and lay the shirt on his bed. I notice the window's open.
"That's why it's so cold in here, no wonder," I go over there and close it and then look out. I see the ocean, the trees, and then there's Superboy on the beach, oh and the moon…wait, what? "Superboy!" I yell but soften it down at the end. I phase through the wall and float down.
He hasn't noticed me. I walk up a few steps, admiring him. He's just sitting on the beach; I see he's looking at the moon, it is beautiful.
"Hey Superboy!" I say walking towards him. He flinches. "Oh sorry, did I surprise you?"
"Do you need something M'gann?" he asks standing up cutting me off. My smile wavers, but I return it quickly.
"You left one of your shirts in the dryer, I put it on your bed for you," I smile.
"You went in my room!" he asks. My smile fades and I begin to worry.
"Well, I went to your room, but you weren't there so I attempted to put it under the door but it opened," I take a breath. "So I put it on your bed, and then I noticed the window was open, it was cold so I shut it, then I saw you so I went down here and just told what I did and I didn't mean to scare you, am I blabbing right now? I'm sorry." I close my eyes ready for him to yell at me.
"It's fine," he says putting his hand on my shoulder. I open my eyes and he removes it. "I was just confused."
"Oh, that's okay," my smile comes back. "So what are you doing out here?"
"Oh," he says scratching the back of his neck. "Just go out here sometimes."
"That cool!" I smile. "I'm going to make a batch of cookies, wanna help?" He hesitates for a moment, but then shrugs.
"Sure," he says.
I smile.
Maybe this wasn't as hard as I thought?
Awww... Isn't that just adorable? Supermartian! Hehe! Next chapter's going to be on Clayface to give you a heads up.
Answer from last chapter: My grammy's brownies...D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.
Lucky question of the chapter: If you were a sidekick on the Team, who'd your mentor be?
Sincerely,
Royallynot ;)