There is no excuse for my lack of updates. I apologize, please don't hate me.
Thanks for hanging in there when I take forever to update, because it seriously means a lot to me! I love everyone. Seriously.
Disclaimer: Do I seriously have to write this EVERY chapter?
"I am not!" the echoing shouts could be heard from Wally and Artemis as they walked down the hall.
"You totally are! You're just mad 'cause I beat you!" Came Wally's proud and bragging tone.
"What are they fighting about this time?" M'gann whispered to Conner, who she knew had been listening the entire time. Super hearing; you have to love it.
"Wally beat Artemis at sparing earlier, and now he's claiming it's because Artemis isn't as good as him." Conner said back, his voice bored.
"You are not better than me, Kid Idiot!" Artemis' hand became visible around the corner as it smacked the back of Wally's head. "You only won because you have your powers!"
"Did not!"
"Did to!"
"Did not!"
"Did-"
"GUYS!" M'gann shouted over the arguing of her team mates. "Are you really going into this?"
"Well, he cheated." Artemis declared, walking over to the zeta beams. "I could take him on any day of the week if he didn't have his powers." Her voice became muffled behind the loud computer announcing her departure.
Wally snorted in pride. He'd finally beat Artemis at something. He had to tell Rob. Although, he doubted his best friend would believe him, he still wanted to tell him. "Hey, anyone seen Rob?" the speedster asked, just realizing he himself hadn't seen the kid in a few days.
"Not since a couple days ago." M'gann said, Conner merely nodding in agreement.
"Weird, he's usually here, like, every day." Wally mused. He began walking towards the zeta tubes, leaving his friends behind without even a word.
"Master Bruce?" an achingly familiar voice called gently down the stone stairs. "Have you any luck?"
"Not yet, Alfred." Batman, with the cowl down, called back upstairs. His deep voice echoed back off the cold, damp walls of the Bat-cave, only infuriating him even more. Why couldn't he find Robin?
"Have you located Miss Ivy?" Alfred said.
Almost on cue, a little notification appeared in the corner of the screen. He clicked on it, pulling his cowl back on as he realized it was a video message from the Commissioner.
"Batman!" the old officer sounded almost relieved. His gruff features loosened, as if he'd been afraid the Dark Knight wouldn't answer his call. Although, since he was the only man not in the Justice League with a direct line to the Bat-cave, Batman would always answer his calls.
"Yes, Gordon?" Batman said, already able to guess what the call was about.
"We found a lead on Ivy's location. I thought I'd let you have a go at it first. Do you want the coordinates? We could meet you there?" Commissioner Gordon and Batman had been friends for years.
Well, if you could call it friends. Batman trusted the Commissioner more than anyone in the police force. He'd helped the man clear his name countless times, kept him out of harm's way, and kept him safe. In turn, the rough looking officer had helped keep reporter's at bay, kept Batman out of jail, and (in the previous day's incident) had kept Batman's cowl on when he was found unconscious.
They helped each other, and although Commissioner didn't know Batman's identity, they trusted each other.
"I will signal for you to arrive when I am done. Then I'll meet you there." Batman said, watching Gordon visibly deflate. Apparently, Gordon really wanted to help.
"Alright. Gordon out." And the screen went blank for a moment before it returned to the files Batman had been viewing before the call.
"Alfred, I'm going out." Bruce stated, reaching up and touching his comm. link as he strode towards the Bat-mobile.
"I understand, sir. I'll have dinner ready for you upon your arrival home. Shall I prepare for Master Richard also?" Alfred said calmly, although Bruce could hear the absolute terror and worry that was undeniable in his old, British voice.
"I'll get back to you." He murmured quickly as he finally heard a response on the other end of the comm. link. "Batman's here. Robin's been kidnapped, and I need backup. Suit up and meet me in ten."
"See ya tomorrow, Bird Boy!" Ivy called as the door slammed behind her striding figure.
Robin's body ached. Every inch, every centimeter, every part of his body radiated pain. He'd never thought such pain could exist.
But he thought that every time he was kidnapped.
And it was hardly ever true.
His newest injuries included a probable minor concussion, a fractured rib, and a rather ugly gash on his left forearm. Freaking. Fantastic.
Not to mention, his new baby sitter was on her way in right now. This was his new daily routine, and apparently, Ivy didn't plan on giving him back to Batman. Ever.
He hadn't been told anything. Not since he arrived. He hadn't even gotten a different set of clothes. Ivy said she liked to see the blood, and Venus liked to see him without a shirt on.
That was the scary part.
He'd come to the conclusion Venus liked him. Not just liked him, liked him liked him. That could be a HUGE problem in the near future. How was he supposed to escape if Venus was always wanting him there? She was like the warden, and she wanted him to herself. She clearly had a problem sharing with Ivy as it was.
"Robin?" her small, adoring voice hit his ears now. He wanted to move, or make a run for it while she was just standing in the door way, but he'd been chained to the wall.
Upside down.
He couldn't pick the locks either. His wrists were chained to the floor.
Her upside down silhouette against the bright light of whatever was beyond his door had begun moving towards him, closing the door behind it.
Ivy's orders probably. He thought to himself. She doesn't want to risk that I get free and she loses her sidekick.
"Here," she said, pulling forth a small parcel of unidentifiable food. "I brought you some food."
Eagerly, he opened his mouth as she put it in there. It was warm, some kind of bread. But it was gone far too fast and his stomach was left begging for more.
Presently, Venus sat down on the floor across from him. Robin had been thinking of a plan, thinking of a way to get out of here without trying too hard. He'd come up with something, but it was a long shot.
Then again, Robin had never been known to not try. He planned to at least try.
"So, Robin, what was it like?" Venus' voice calling to him pulled him from his thoughts, as she sprawled out on the floor, looking at him with her big, emerald eyes.
"Define it." Robin stated, deciding to just go for it. Batman would do it. Therefore, he had to try it.
"Fighting crime! Saving people! Flying through the sky above Gotham on your line gun thing!" She exclaimed, rolling onto her back and punching the air excitedly, as if she were attacking the Joker.
"Oh, there are some bad nights. It gets really bad when this happens."
"When what happens?" Venus asked, her voice gone from curious to shaky, as though she were guilty. Perfect.
"When someone kidnaps me. Although Ivy hasn't really ever done it, it's usually Joker, your little mentor is just as dangerous." Robin said casually, as though he was talking to a friend. You're talking to Babs, he thought. Just pretend you're talking to Barbara.
"What do you mean, exactly?" she asked, picking up on his casual vibes. She vividly remembered Batman scolding the Boy Wonder for being so casual with her. She now thought she had control of the situation. Robin could tell.
"I mean there's usually torture, someone going 'Who IS the Batman?' It gets old pretty quick." Venus laughed at the funny voice he used, as if trying to imitate his usual captors. "They're using me to get to Batman. It's funny, actually, you'd think they'd know that that plan doesn't usually work."
Robin almost cringed at his slip up, praying to all the gods in the world that Venus didn't pick it up.
Too late.
"Usually?" She asked curiously. This was perfect. Ivy would completely give Robin to Venus if she could have Batman. And all Venus had to do was extract the information from Robin, which he seemed rather willing to give up.
"Uhm… yeah there was this once." Robin avoided the question terribly. But he hoped it would be enough. He could tell Venus had been enthused at his slip up. He'd just given Ivy and Venus the upper hand.
Batman was so going to kill him when he found out.
I hope you're all happy, because that is a long chapter and I had to try like five different times. I'm still not very happy with it. But it will have to do, because I've reread it several times, and deduced that it can't be made much better. At the moment. I might come back to it later.
Anyway, question of the day, Do you think the Dark Knight Rises is going to be a good movie or not?
I've decided I'm going to do that every couple chapters. Question of the day. I think it could be a good idea. Maybe. Whatever.