IT LIVES!
Oh, my, GOSH! I'm so sorry I've been gone so long! DX
*Dodges projectile*
Eeeek! I'm sorry, please don't hate me! T^T
It has been just one thing after another, and like a said previously, it takes awhile to revive dead inspiration. I mean seriously, what's with everyone and time skips? I swear; it's happened to Fairy Tail, One piece, and NOW YOUNG JUSTICE! What happened to the good old days when your favorite TV shows/Mangas didn't do spontaneous 360's on you?
*Heavy sigh*
Anyway, onto more pressing matters that you might actually want to know about:
One:
I am going to focus from now on, just one Young Justice FanFic. Whichever is the most popular will be the one I will work on for the moment. FEAR NOT! The stories that aren't chosen will notbe abandoned! I have decided that having three stories all in the same category all at the same time is really confusing! Since each of my stories have so much depth to them and details already figured in my head, I don't want them to accidentally start to bleed together you know? So, once I get decently far into the chosen fic, I will pick the others back up.
Two:
I may be challenged with working on fics in the same universe but that says nothing about other categories! *Cue Evil laugh*
You see, my inspiration is very fickle; Flitting from one show to the next depending on the phase. When I'm in a phase, I'm all psyched up and I am most inspired at these times, but that also makes it extremely hard to focus on anything else. SO! I figure, if I have at least one fic going from multiple sources, no matter how much my inspiration flops about, I will still be able to write stuff for you guys to enjoy! XD
Three:
...
I HAVE 28 REVIEWS FOR BROKEN FATE?
*Automail starts hyperventilating*
Oh…my gosh…. I can't…. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! XD
Words cannot describe how happy I feel right now!
And you! Yes You! You know who you are. :) I'm shouting out to all the people that cared enough to leave me a review. You all have made writing and creating these stories more than worth it. So I wrote you all an update; I hope it is worth the wait. ;D
NOW! Read on beloved readers! READ ON! T-T
Thoughts...
/Link up/
"Talking."
Narration...
Enjoy!
With his eyes brimming with anticipation and his giddy form jumping up and down slightly, he opened the book to its first page...
Chapter 3 – One False Step
One page turned into two, two pages turned into four, and before Wally knew it, he was absolutely and completely enthralled by the small book and dead to the world around him. A light pink began to dust his cheeks as more and more of the green archeress' secret thoughts spilled from the diary into his fast reading eyes.
So oblivious was he that he did not hear the faint squeak of hinges or the draft of warm air that blew into the dark room.
As Artemis casually slipped through the bathroom door, she was none the wiser to her unwelcomed guest. After giving her towel covered hair another squeeze, she let the damp thing fall to the floor in a heap.
The habit of leaving lights off at an early hour grated slightly on her nerves as she fumbled towards her dresser. Her eyes already adjusting to the sudden dark she came to a solid stop; thoughts preoccupied on the day ahead, she didn't notice the figure next to her. Her slender fingers grasped the edge of the soft towel where it was tucked in under her arm, but midway Artemis froze.
She slowly turned her head towards where she swore she had heard a small gasp. It was there, that with a thin sheet of fabric draped loosely around her pale arms, and Wally's face as red as his hair, their gazes met.
In the split second it took Artemis to piece together what was going on, the speedster went numb with shock and his fingers dropped the irrefutable evidence (besides his presence) of his snooping.
What the-?
Wait a minute… What is Wally doing in here?
In my room…
Reading my DIARY?!
SPYING ON ME?!
Her face turned beat red and her eyes burned with a fury even the bat-glare couldn't touch.
Like a horrible volcano, the anger and rage built and built until the extreme pressure could grow no more.
She screamed.
"WALLY!"
…
Time seemed to slow down for the yellow speedster, and for the first time since he became Kid Flash, he couldn't get away fast enough.
The fiery archeress began pelting multiple sharp and pointy things where he had been standing not a millisecond before, violently chucking anything and everything within arm's reach.
Wasting no time in chasing after his retreating form, she dropped her towel, tied up her long mane like hair, and slipped into her suit with precision and speed only born from years of donning the thing.
The thick green spandex clung tightly to her slender figure as she bolted out of her room, random weapons and dropped poisons trailing after her.
Moving way too fast for indoors Wally jerked and weaved barely slipping through the sudden sharp turns and corners as he sped through the mountain. After a few seconds translated into eternity he made the fatal mistake of looking behind him...While still moving.
The crack rang off the walls down the corridor as the yellow speedster slammed into it head first. He slowly slid down the wall until he landed in a befuddled heap smiling stupidly.
"Now Artemis, we can be reasonable right? We can negotiate like humans, right? Oh there you are, all nice angry, you've caught up to me…And there are two…of…you…OHMYGOSHI'MSODEA-"
He didn't finish his sentence; for as realization dawned upon his slightly concussed mind, his brain caught up to what he was seeing and his legs quickly obliged to help him scramble back into motion.
Fury could not begin to describe the look on Artemis's face, neither could rage; in at least Wally's mind, she appeared to be a fiery demon sprung from the Earth to steal his soul.
…
"WEST!
WHEN I GET AHOLD OF YOU, YOU WILL WISH I WOULD BE SO MERCIFUL AS TO KILL YOU! I'M GOING TO TEAR YOU TO BITS, BURY YOU, BRING YOU BACK TO LIFE, TORCHURE YOU, THEN FEED THE LEFTOVERS TO WOLF!"
Yep. That sums it up quite nicely.
Though his body was just a blur, it could be argued that a long cry for his mother echoed behind him.
After rushing out into the living area, he thought he might be safe, but any delusions of safety were squashed by the entrance of enraged archeress burning with righteous fury right behind him.
================FLASHBACK END==============
The team varied levels of shock and surprise as his last words of regalement flowed about the room.
"So, yeah!" he finished lamely. "Now that that's out of the way, let's get this show on the road!"
Wally's pathetic attempt of marching away with his dignity still intact failed miserably when his feet suddenly stopped gaining traction by way of a hand gripping his collar tightly.
"Where do you think you're going hmmm?"
Her gravelly voice dripping with venom, Artemis was making a solid attempt at proving looks could kill with her malice laced glare, or at least do some serious damage.
For those who could look at this event and find the absolute humor in it and enjoy it (Meaning Robin), watching the understanding work its way through the teens minds was really quite hilarious.
Aqualad for one, being who he was, remained composed in his own dignified manner, but his eyes still widened comically.
Megan however, with cheeks flushed and hands pressed over her face in a desperate attempt to hide her embarrassment. The young Martian's mind was on a heated rollercoaster; weaving from sympathizing with Artemis' ordeal, and imagining herself and a certain Kryptonian in the same situation.
Robin on the other hand looked like he was about to pass out from lack of air and over exposure to hysterics.
Even Superboy was astonished; his usual blank frown was slightly shifted as he raised one eye brow out of surprise and amusement.
He might have chuckled, but no one ever knew because at the time, nothing could be heard over the loud cackling.
Finally, Wally.
He looked like he was on the receiving end of one of Batman's Bat glares; because for like the certainty of Batman being scary, he knew he had no escape this time.
Any thoughts for escape however, were crushed by the sudden oppressive silence. Before the teens could even fully register the lack of cackles, a mischievous voice started to echo off the vast walls.
"Not that this hasn't been enlightening, but I would prefer to not be the one who breaks Batman's deadline. Our 15 minutes are officially finished in about oh, I dunno... 54 seconds?"
A momentary pause followed as the retreating bird let his words sink in.
"One more thing; not only is Batman watching us as we speak but he also has penalties lined up for all those unfortunate enough to not be in the bioship 44 seconds. I would start ruuuuuningggg!"
Even after fleeing for his life that morning, Wally wasted no time in blazing the way to the departure bay with the others following close at his heels. He was already on the bad list of one devil, he couldn't even think of maddening another.
With M'gann's feet meeting the ground of her transforming ship, they set off with only 6 seconds to spare.
...
Far up in the atmosphere, the Dark Knight slid his chair away from a small monitor; he couldn't help but feel a small sense of disappointment.
A tiny smile graced his lips, as his thoughts drifted; his gaze fell upon the blue planet just beyond the windows.
It was there, in the Justice League headquarters, that many a horrible training course ideas were crafted into existence.
On a normal day, it is a very long trip to Gotham. On this day however, it would be an eternity.
The Bioship's atmosphere was sparking with tension; with Artemis sharpening various objects and glaring in Wally's direction, as well the anxious quiet that followed it, the entire team was on edge.
In a desperate attempt to lighten the atmosphere and distract certain furious parties, M'gann turned to the youngest member of the team and with a nervous voice, asked what she thought to be a good question.
"Robin, since we are not as experienced with Gotham's criminals as you, could you please tell us about the Joker?"
He went rigid; always one to recover smoothly, he blended his sudden movement into a non-suspicious shift in position.
His head cocked to one side, numerous thoughts streaming behind his masked eyes. But before he could decide on what he should filter out of his description, Connor cut him off.
"He's insane right? Doesn't seem like much of a threat-"
"You couldn't be more wrong."
With her ship being on auto-pilot, Megan felt no qualms about turning her head with the others to stare at the small boy. He continued on, his voice shadowed by dark memories and deep understanding.
"It's because he's insane that he's so dangerous. He has no value for life; he would just as soon cut down a child as he would a henchman who had served his purpose.
He kills without remorse, without feeling. He kills because he can, and because in his twisted mind, it's funny. His demonic face has been the last thing countless people have seen before their lives are snatched away by that madman."
Robin's covered eyes met his teams, his friends; and with a fierce determination in his eyes he continued. "Even if we don't face him directly, we still have to be on guard."
Without another word, his gaze fell back to the reports streaming across his computer interface's small screen.
The silence that followed next was by far the worst. They all were experiencing varied levels of shock, repulsion, and horror; the morning's events shoved to the back of all their minds to be forgotten. After that, very few words besides the occasional strategy or battle plan were spoken.
-Four Hours Later-
A silent shadow slipped and flipped over the vast rooftops of Gotham. With ease the figure navigated the complex routs and was not deterred by any obstacle. After another gravity defying stunt, Robin came to a smooth halt. He inhaled deeply, the familiarity of the foul smells made him nostalgic.
He grinned toothily.
"Oh Gotham, how I've missed you so!"
Before he had the chance to begin his surveillance again, an annoying voice rang out in his mind.
/How on Earth can you miss this cesspool of a city? It's awful here! /
He chuckled in response.
/It'll grow on you Wally. Besides, anyplace's charm becomes visible after you've been gone for a few weeks, like me. /
Another deeper voice chimed in.
/Back to our mission. Has anyone spotted anything unusual? /
/Nothing on my end, and I've almost run my sector twice! /
/No action here either, it's strangely quiet. /
After Robin's response, the others threw out their own agreements and observations. They all pointed to one thing: Gotham was too still.
It was as if the entire city was holding its breath, almost like it was waiting for something.
From the time they split up to do reconnaissance to now, not a single illegal act was committed and that was unheard of in this dark city.
The small bird continued his search, practically flying from one rooftop to the next, barely stopping for a breath along the way. This intricate dance was cut short when he froze mid-jump as a blaring alarm slammed into his ears.
Black locks swayed above the roof's edge as he peeked cautiously over the side.
"Joker's minions at 12 o'clock." Was the first thought to flurry through his mind as he watched the scene unravel before him.
Completely ignorant of the wailing alarm, burly masked men rampaged through the small bank. If they wanted attention, they got it.
/I got a bank robbery here guys. They are definitely working for Joker. I'm in the Industrial section; sending my coordinates now. /
There was barely a breaths pause before Aqualad's calm voice echoed through his mind.
/We are on our way Robin. Don't take any action without us. /
/Aye-aye captain! / Came his teasing reply. /Wouldn't dream of it. /
It was not long before the team of young heroes were assembled on the tall building. It was the Atlantian who spoke first.
"Alright, we have to be strategic about this. We can't rush in thoughtlessly without endangering the hostages.
Robin, you will be in charge of distraction. We'll need your cover in order to get the civilians out.
Miss Martian, you will take Artemis inside and find a place with a good vantage point for her to provide backup. When I give the signal, you along with Wally will have the task of disorienting, disarming, and beginning to subdue the thugs.
Superboy, you and I will get the hostages to safety. Once the civilians are in the clear we will begin our assault as well. Does everyone understand?"
With a series of confidant nods they slipped into the night, disappearing to their planned locations.
/Everyone in position? /
Kaldur received a chorus of 'aye's' in response. He took a deep breath, hardened his gaze and through their mind link shouted with all the authority he could muster.
/Go! /
Shocked yells filled the air when an explosion of smoke flooded the building, followed by the surprised exclamations claiming their weapons were being torn from their grasps.
In the chaos, Robin leaped to ground level unnoticed and began to sneak up to the whimpering hostages. At his light touch they quickly whirled on him but were silenced by his quiet signal to remain calm. He then went about slicing their bindings; being only 6 of them total, he had them free within seconds.
Slowly he guided them through the calamity; grunts, shots, yells, and shouts of rage enveloped them on all sides as they were carefully guided by the small bird to the exit. It was then he met up with Superboy; Aqualad already engaged in the battle, it was Connor that was given the task of getting the civilians the rest of the way out.
Having complete faith in his teammate, Robin didn't give them a second glance as he charged headfirst into the action.
After assuring himself that his friends didn't need any assistance he quickly proceeded to knee an unsuspecting criminal in the gut knocking him to the ground. Before his foe had the chance to retaliate, he mercilessly elbowed him in the face, breaking his nose and swiftly rendering him unconscious.
The fight continued on in the same manor, the closest call being a lucky villain who if not for M'gann would have landed a pretty bad blow to Robin. Seen from above, she had lifted the sly thug just in time and promptly slammed him hard into one of his partners.
At some point, the brawl had begun to move outside the building; the combatants so focused on the battle were completely unaware of their surroundings.
It was on the stone steps that Robin was snatched up from behind. Not missing a beat he swung his legs upward and agilely wrapped them around his capture's neck. Using his momentum, he pushed off the man's shoulders slipping easily from his grasp. Before he had time to recollect himself, the small bird gripped a small pressure point on his neck dropping the man instantly.
Just as he was about to ram into the next enemy, a malicious laugh rang down upon them. Like someone had pressed pause, everyone froze mid punch. The laughter grew louder and more psychotic and everyone's gaze was drawn to a figure silhouetted on the building's roof. The voice that came next sent shivers down the teen's spines.
"Looky what we have here! The little baby bird without his bat. I see 'ol Batsy is letting you spread your wings; you better be careful or someone might clip them off."
Joker's crazed voice trailed off menacingly, before his lips were pulled taut over yellow teeth.
"Let's put a smile on those faces! After all, I went to all the trouble of getting you all a surprise gift!"
As the last words left his mouth he pulled a remote out from behind his back.
"But first, a riddle. Ever wonder why nitroglycerin explodes?"
Even before the madman hit the button, Robin came to the horrific realization of what was going to happen. Without regard to his remaining men, Joker was going to set off a bomb. His masked eyes widened and his jaw dropped in shock.
He turned to his frozen teammates and screamed with all he was worth.
"GET DOWN!"
As the words left his lips, the button was pressed, and the whole world turned white.
...
Ringing.
That was the first thing Connor noticed. He groaned loudly as he hefted a chunk of rubble off his back. His blurry eyes began raking the wreckage for his teammates, a single green limb poking out of the debris made his heart stop.
"M'gann!"
The urgency in his voice translated into his movements as he tore through the building remains in a desperate attempt to reach the Martian.
The instant he was at her side he began to toss the wreckage burying her in every which way. As he lifted the final bit of rubble trapping her she let out a small moan. Connor wasted no time in gently cradling her in his arms, caressing her face soothingly.
"Are you OK? Are you hurt?"
Copper eyes blinked up at him; upon coming to grips with her surroundings and the events leading up to them she smiled lightly.
"I'm fine. Are you-"
She was cut off by the loud tumble of Kaldur digging himself out of the ruined building. After he was freed, he took a few seconds to catch his breath. Soon, he had recovered enough to begin piecing together what happened and start searching for his team.
"Is everyone alright? Who's injured?"
A gravelly voice answered first.
"I'll live; no permanent damage that I can see."
"I'm OK too," Came the normally loud speedster's response. "Took a pretty good knock to the head though. M'gann?"
At her name she sat up, albeit a bit shakily and gave her best reassuring smile.
"Connor and I are both alright as well. How long were we unconscious?"
Artemis shook her head lightly before answering. "I don't know, a few hours I think. Look, the sun's coming up."
Wally was about to say something himself when simultaneously realization dawned upon him and the others. There was no lighthearted laughter, no cocky remarks, and no silly word puns.
One of their team was missing.
Almost as if he was afraid of the outcome, Wally hesitantly called out for his best friend.
"Robin?"
Silence met his voice. The second time the others started to join in, slipping more fear into their tones than before.
"Robin?!"
"ROBIN!"
But there was no reply.
Because Robin, The Boy Wonder, was gone.
I… I can't believe this! OMG! I finally finished it!
*Silence*
Oh right…. My cliffy…..
I AM EVIL! MWAHAHAHAHA- *cough cough choke*
*Ahem* Any who... REVIEW! PWEASE! XD
They make me happy inside. ;D
On another note:
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING NOTICE!
I have a challenge for all of you! It's a quiz more like... Anyway, my question for all of you who would like to participate is this:
"Can you guess what is going to happen?"
I want to see where you guys think this story should progress to; also, maybe one of you will give me an answer that will somehow be incorporated into the story! ^.^
Of course there will be no spoilers but either at the end or close to the final chapter I will let you all know who guessed right and which ideas went into the story!
Anyhow, I hope you liked the chapter and I will try to get the next one out as soon as possible. ^_^
Have a nice day!
-Automail-gHost