Along for the Ride

by Gale-Dragon

An odd request brings the team to a strange village in the middle of one of their biggest events, and the next thing they know Sportsmaster crashes the whole thing.

2. Chapter 1

Along for the Ride. Chapter 1; The 12 Kingdoms.

~}I{~

Consciousness slowly came to the majority of the Young Justice Team. Kid Flash and Superboy rubbed their heads as Zatanna rubbed her eyes and Kaldur rubbed the back of his neck. M'gann was the last to awaken, but she was still groggy and feeling the effects of the flamethrower getting a little too close to her.

All were trying to recall what had happened, but everything was just a blurry mess.

"Ow… What hit me?" Kid Flash grumbled as he rubbed his head, trying to understand why his head was hurting so much.

Superboy shook his head to try to clear the fuzziness from his head, only to feel a strange tingling surging over him. As he rubbed his head, he asked, "Did I get hit by a truck again?" It was the only thing he could think of that would explain the tingling.

Zatanna opened her eyes when she said, "I don't think so…" She then looked around the room they were in and realised that they were in an unfamiliar setting. The magician raised a brow in confusion when she asked, "Uh, where are we?"

The Team looked around the unfamiliar room. The walls were a basic stone colour with simple wooden furniture and the grey rug on the brown paved floor looked like it was made by hand.

… Was this some kind of safe house?

"Finally! You guys are up!" The teens quickly turned to the familiar voice to see Artemis standing in the doorway wearing clothing they had never seen her wear before. It wasn't anything fancy, just… Odd. Odd as in a style of clothing that they haven't seen before. Though it did look like it was made by hand and dyed by hand too. Artemis walked up to them when she asked, "How are you all feeling?"

Zatanna rubbed her head again when she said, "Besides confused… What hit us?"

Artemis rubbed her neck, remembering yesterday's event as if it had happened just moments ago when she said, "How do I put this in a way that's not going to ruffle any feathers… Uh, yeah, um…" She sighed before she finally said, "We got ambushed by a few of the Warriors of The 12 Kingdoms."

That was when the memories of the ambush returned to the team.

M'gann ran a nervous hand through her hair when she got out in a disbelieving tone, "How? I would've sensed them! Noticed their minds! But I! I sensed nothing! Even when one was right in front of me!"

Conner calmly stood up from the bed he was on, he was a little shaky as he stood but he regain his balance quickly, walked over to the Martian's side, sat on her bed next to her, placed a hand on her shoulder, and said as calmly as possible, "M'gann... We'll figure out what happened. They... Might've had a telepath of their own or used some kind of tech to hide their presence from you…"

This eased Miss Martian a bit, not a lot but she felt a little better about what happened. Kid Flash couldn't help but feel a little jealous at what he was seeing.

Kaldur looked around the room they were in before he asked, "Where is Robin?"

Zatanna, who was also looking around, got to her feet when she said, "It doesn't look like he was ever here…"

Now that they were told... Conner, Wally, and M'gann realised that there were only enough beds for whoever was already in the room... Where were Robin and Artemis being kept while the rest of the team was out of commission?

Artemis coughed to get the rest of the Team's attention. When she got it, she told them, "If all of you are up for it... Follow me," as she motioned for them to come alone with her.

The teens looked at each other for a quick second, before they got off of the beds they were on. Their legs were a little shaky, but they were walking out of the room with no problem. Superboy, Miss Martian, Kid Flash, Zatanna, and Keldur followed Artemis through the hallway.

The walls didn't appear to be painted so the Team could see the natural earthy-grey colour of the stones that made the wall structure. The floor had a nice earth-brown colour, which seemed to pair well with the walls.

Before anyone could ask, Artemis explained, "The Warriors brought us to The 12 Kingdoms. Apparently, the requestor told the Warriors that we were coming and was told that we are supposed to be asking to talk to the Warrior of the Monkey." She glanced to the side when she added, "I don't want to think about what could've happened if I forgot to ask that..."

Zatanna shuttered a bit before she said, "Me neither… Especially since..." She sighed before running her hand through her hair and saying, "These Warriors got us good."

Kid Flash then commented as the group continued, "But how did they avoid being found by Miss M's telepathy? Like, did they know that we had a telepath and had something to counter her?"

Artemis could only shrug as they continued to a room. Inside was Robin, sitting in the corner bundled up in a blanket and his feet in a decent-sized bucket of warm water. The Boy Wonder was shivering as if he had just come from a cold environment.

The rest of the team was relieved that their missing friend was fine. Before any of them could say or do anything, they heard someone say, "Oh good, you're awake." Everyone turned to see a young woman standing at around 150 cm with short ginger hair that was combed back with only a few strands hanging in front of her face, a pair of grey-rimmed glasses sat in front of her light brown eyes, wore a forest green top with simple little monkeys decorating the helms paired with a simple green skirt with black pantyhose like cloth on her legs, and a pair of small boots that looked like it was made out of strong leather.

Kid Flash stiffened when he saw the ginger-haired woman. He took a step back when he said in an uneasy tone, "Y-you were the one who used the ground to capture me!"

The ginger-haired woman gave the speedster a small smile when she said, "Oh, yes, I did. It was the most effective and painless method of capture. Um, sorry for the knock to the head."

Kid Flash rubbed the bump on his head when he grumbled out, "Yeah... That wasn't painless…"

The ginger-haired woman rubbed the back of her neck when she said, "Sorry, but the sleeping potions are still being brewed..." She then asked the team, "Um, does anyone need any medicine or have any lingering pains?"

Robin shivered when he stuttered out, "J-j-just the-the-the a-a-aftermath of b-being f-frozen in ice for m-me," he buried himself in the blanket.

The ginger-haired woman poured the hot water carefully into the bucket when she said, "Sorry about that... Tatsumi KyoudaiTatsumi Kyoundai Ani tends to go a little overboard when he uses Yuki-onna on enemies."

"The ice-thrower?" Artemis asked, remembering the device on the back of the floating twin. She realised what she said and asked in confusion, "He named his weapon?"

The ginger-haired woman blinked in confusion when she said, "Of course, Yuki-onna is a part of Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani." She pointed at the Teams' weapons that were laid neatly in a row on a nearby table when she asked, "Do you not have names for them? Even though they are an extension of you?"

Superboy, M'gann, Artemis, Kid Flash, Zatanna, Kaldur, and Robin gave each other a confused look when the questions were asked. They never thought about just how much their respective weapon, those who had one at least, were a part of who they are. True, they could be a little possessive and fussy with their preferred weapon, but they assumed it was because their weapons were their lifeline in their line of work.

The ginger-haired woman tilted her head to the other side when she asked in a slightly intrigued yet confused tone, "I take it that the outside is very different from us?"

"To put it simply…" Kaldur stated before realising that he didn't know who he was talking to and asked, "Ah, we did not get any names nor did we introduce ourselves."

The ginger-haired woman gave the Team a wry smile when she said, "True, but both sides had a legitimate excuse for that." She then gave a small polite bow when she said, "I am Sharyu, the Warrior of the Monkey." She smiled at the Team when she asked for their names.

Kaldur gave a small, polite bow when he said, "I am known as Aqualad."

The clone somewhat bluntly stated, "I'm Superboy."

M'gann gave a small smile when she said, "I am Miss Martian."

The archer gave a small nod when she said, "My name is Artemis."

The Speedster got out awkwardly, "Kid Flash..." It seems like he still wasn't over what happened.

The magician gave a small bow when she said, "I'm Zatanna."

Robin shivered when he got out, "R-R-Robin."

The ginger-haired woman, Sharyu, smiled when she said with a clap, "It is so good to meet all of you."

That was when Artemis explained, "She's the one we were supposed to ask for when we came." She folded her arms when she said, "Apparently, the requester told the Warriors that we were coming and told them who we would be asking for."

Kid Flash frowned when he asked, "So you were expecting us!"

Sharyu twiddled her thumbs when she replied, "Well, yes, but we only knew that a small group of Outsiders would be asking for me. We didn't know how many were in the group or their appearances."

Zatanna raised a brow when she asked, "But you all know why we were coming?"

Sharyu nodded before she said, "You're here as extra protection for the Rite of our new Rat." When she saw the Team nod in response, the Warrior of the Monkey said, "You are a little early, but we can use this opportunity to get more acquainted." She seemed giddy about that last part.

Zatanna rubbed the back of her neck when she said, "Um, sure but how about we... Wait until Robin is better…"

Sharyu nodded when she said, "Understood." She turned to the doorway when she added, "I'll tell the other Warriors that you all are up." With that, she gave a small wave before she happily skipped off.

M'gann ran a hand through her hair in aggravation when she got out in frustration through the Team Link, [She was standing right in front of us, yet I couldn't sense her!] She slumped a bit when she asked, "{Am I... Losing my senses?]

Kaldur shook his head when he said through the link, [I do not think you are. Nothing is different and the Link is stable.]

That was when Robin threw in, [Then there has to be something with these people of The 12 Kingdom.] He shuttered before he sent, [They might be able to block telepathy or something.]

Artemis struggled when she added, [I didn't see any device that could do that and they don't seem to have that kind of ability...].

Zatanna placed a hand on her chin when she sent, [It doesn't seem like they know about M'gann's telepathy. Which means that whatever is going on might not be intentional or known.]

Well... That is a possibility...

Superboy narrowed his eyes at the doorway when he sent through the Link, [Don't make it seem like you're aware, but someone is listening in on us. They're standing outside the room.]

Kid Flash's eyes darted towards the doorway when he asked, [Is it that Sharyu?]

Superboy shook his head when he replied, [No, this person has a different heartbeat from her…] He eyed his friends when he added, [And they were there halfway through our conversation with Sharyu. Don't know if she noticed them on her way out.]

M'gann was feeling very self-conscious when she sent, [I didn't sense them at all…]

Zatanna was quick to respond, [We'll figure it out.] She placed a hand on the Martian's shoulder when she added. [I'm sure of it.] This made M'gann smile a bit, even if she wasn't sure it was true.

That was when the person by the door made themself known by saying, "So, one of you is a telepath. That's how you younglings reacted as fast as you did the moment you noticed Niwatori's Birds." They then came into the Team's view. As it turns out, the person was a short elderly man standing at around 140 cm with a full, fluffy white beard, wore a light brown cloak with simple sheeps decorating the helms of it that covered what looked like a light brown shirt paired with light grey slacks and with what looked like an unusual grey waistcoat and had getas on his feet. The older man glanced up at the teens with a critical eye when he said, "Seeing how fast all of you were quick to default on that telepathic link, you have been a team for quite a while and trust each other fully, correct?"

[Oh he's good,] Kid Flash commented through the Link. He glanced at the others when he added, [Should we be worried?]

[Hold on a sec,] Zatanna sent before she asked out loud, "How long have you been here?"

The old man didn't seem to bat an eye when he responded, "As much as I and the other Warriors love our kind-hearted monkey, she can be a little too trusting." The elderly man narrowed his eyes at the Team before he said, "Those of us with more experience are warier with Outsiders."

Artemis couldn't help but say, "Okay, yeah, that's fair. We're too aware that not everyone is good." She sighed before asking, "So, who's going to babysit us while we're here?"

The old man gave them a flat look when he stated, "I don't think you need me to point out that all of you are too old for "Babysitting" unless that is slang or metaphor…"

"S-S-Smalie," Robin got out with a shiver before saying, "Basically someone is following us around to make sure we behave." He sounded better than he did earlier.

The old man couldn't help but say, "Ah, yes someone will be doing that alongside Sharyu."

The team saw that coming.

That was when Kid Flash asked, "By the way... Who are you?

With that, the old man stated, "I am Hitsujii, Warrior of the Ram."

Zatanna tapped her chin when she asked, "By any chance, was that flash grenade yours?" The magician remembers that the device that knocked her out had an image of a sheep's head on it, hence her question.

The old man, Hitsujii, gave a casual shrug when he said, "It was. Not my best work but still effective."

"Tell me about it..." Zatanna grumbled as she folded her arms.

That was when Superboy got out, "As interesting as that is... Is there anything we should know when we're out and about in The 12 Kingdom?"

Hitsujii looked the Team over before saying, "Well, for starters... Those clothes you're currently wearing are a little too noticeable and look rather strange to the villagers."

Okay, that was a valid comment…

~}I{~

After changing into the 'more civilian' clothing, the Young Justice Team was ready for the tour of The 12 Kingdom. Sharyu would be the main 'tour guide' and basic mediator for the Team, but they would have another Warrior of the Zodiac tagging along. Hitsujii already confirmed to them that it wasn't him, he had prior commitments that needed his attention.

}{

[Well, at least he's cute,] Zatanna commented through the Team Link.

[What? We're not cute?] Robin teased, feeling a lot better than before. Zatanna rolled her eyes before she playfully nudged the Boy Wonder. Kid Flash snickered at their antics.

"Out of curiosity, how often do you fall back on that Telepathic Link?" A deep voice asked as they gathered in front of the main entrance of the building they were in. The voice belonged to a tall and lean man, having long dark brown hair with red inner layers that reach down to his calves, having one long strand of hair across his face. He appears to be middle-aged and has dark grey eyes with dark circles, giving him a perpetual look of exhaustion. He also has a lightly tanned complexion and a large nose that curves down. He wears a black Traje de luces with a golden oxen-like pattern embroidered onto the side of the taleguilla. He wears a short black jacket or chaquetilla with various golden accents. Underneath, he wears a black and gold waistcoat and also wears a white button-down shirt with a red tie. The oddest thing about him was that he had long, black horns that extend from the sides of his head and pointed upwards. The man introduced himself as Ushii, Warrior of the Ox.

Kaldur remembered this man from the ambush as Kid Flash gave a casual shrug when he said, "Eh, none of us has kept track of that. We more or less chalk it up to being our Team thing."

Ushii raised a brow at the answer but accepted it without pressing the topic any further.

M'gann couldn't help but say through the link, [It still feels weird to me that I can't sense him or the other Warriors…] She subconsciously rubbed her arm in uneasiness.

Superboy responded with, [Maybe whatever gave them this Zodiac Warrior title could be what's blocking them from being sensed…] While he listened in on the conversation between Sharyu and Ushii with his super-hearing.

The half-Kriptonian heard Ushii tell the ginger-haired woman, "I do not like the fact that they have a way to communicate with each other without us knowing."

Conner easily heard Sharyu say, "Ushii, that could be how outsiders talk to their teammates."

Superboy quickly sent his teammates, [I think that Hitsujii guy might have a point about Staryu being a little too trusting.]

[Eavesdropping, huh,] Robin sent as he glanced at the Monkey and Ox Warrior. He then added, [Can't blame you though. We're in an unknown environment and our weapons were taken.]

Kaldur quickly sent, [True, but remember that we are also guests in a way. So try not to be rude and if you accidentally do or say something that might be conceived as 'rude' to them, explain what you mean as calmly as you can] The rest of the team quickly sent their responses before the two Warriors walked back to them.

With a smile on her face, Sharyu told the Team, "Okay, Ushii and I will show you around and explain our culture."

The Young Justice team were okay with this, so long as there wouldn't be any sudden temperature changes (more on Robin and M'gann's end).

Ushii told them in a stoic tone, "The Twins have already been told to keep their partners asleep."

The Team glanced at each other in confusion. What was the long-haired man talking about?

Sharyu quickly caught onto what was going on before she quickly explained, "Oh, the Twins were told to keep their weapons docked. You know, sheathed or holding but not using."

Oh, okay that makes some sense…

Sharyu quickly told Ushii that the Outsiders didn't name their weapons or call them 'Partners'. This only caused the long-haired man to raise a brow.

It made the teens wonder if the guy was always this stoic… He seems rather hard to read... Though it looks like Sharyu was used to this, so it had to be normal.

With that, the tour started.

~}I{~

Sportsmaster let out an annoyed growl as he swatted at the bugs hovering around him as he made his way to the Randevu point for his mission. Pushing a branch out of the way when he grumbled out, "That's it! I'm charging the client extra for not informing me that the damn locations were in the middle of the goddamn forest!"

Sportsmaster slapped the back of his neck to kill a bug that landed there or at least he hoped he killed one. The villain hated the woods or anywhere with too many bugs to count.

Sportsmaster shoved another branch out of his way, which snapped back into place and startled the nearby wildlife, causing them to scurry away. A bird hovered in place as it watched the human. The small, little, brown bird with tiny black spots carefully followed the villain for a minute or so, before flying off.

Sportsmaster didn't even notice.

~}I{~

The Young Justice Team had to admit The 12 Kingdoms was bigger than they thought and had more buildings too.

The buildings appeared to have been made with a combination of wood, stone, and hardened mud with the appearance of the structures looking like a mix between Western and Eastern.

"I never thought those types of building structures existed," Zatanna commented as she admired the exterior of what looked like a bakery. There was a pleasant aroma coming from this.

Sharyu blinked in confusion before she asked, "Do you not have buildings for your baked goods?"

Artemis responded with, "Oh, no, we have places for bakeries to sell their wear. What we were talking about was the type of architecture that you seem to have." The blonde teen then added, "It looks nice."

The 12 Kingdoms were very self-sufficient. Grew their own crops, raised their own animals and created their own energy sources. They also had an interesting system of currency too. It appeared to be a combination of bartering and hard currency.

Ushii explained how their system worked, "I am assuming you already know how the process of bread is made and the process of the ingredients for it, so I don't need to tell you that." He pointed at the grain garden behind the "bakery" before he added, "Our villagers have the option to pay the full amount for the bread directly, but if they assist in any part of the bread making they can pay a discounted amount. Though depending on how much they assist will determine the amount of the discount."

Robin placed a hand to his chin when he inquired, "So someone who helped out in the harvesting and grinding will get more of a discount than someone who only helped out with the bread kneading, correct?"

Ushii nodded when he said, "That is correct." He nodded his head towards the bakery, causing the team to turn their attention to the structure just in time to see the bakery owner giving a customer three loaves of bread. The customer happily exchanged two bronze coins and a silver coin for the bread.

Kaldur was the one to ask, "I take it that that individual aided in the process?" Ushii nodded.

M'gann couldn't help but say, "That seems... Both fair and educational."

Kid Flash then added in, "And oddly cost-effective, especially if you're on a budget."

Sharyu nodded when she said, "True, but most of the civilians find that if they help with the process of something they want, the item feels earned or tastes better."

Zatanna was the one to say, "That is also valid." Remembering the feeling of doing a magic trick herself or mastering a spell that she works on.

That was when Superboy noticed Ushii standing in front of the bakery and asking the baker about the order he made this morning. The clone quickly asked, "Your food places are allowed to make orders ahead of time?"

Sharyu was surprised as she looked between the youngest team member and her fellow Warrior. "You must have good hearing to hear that from that distance," The ginger-haired woman said in that still shocked tone.

Those words made Superboy realise that he revealed that particular fact.

Instead of being upset, Sharyu quickly said, "That's cool that you can do that, but please don't listen in on others' conversations."

Conner blinked at what he heard before he finally said, "Uh, I'll try, but I can't control what I hear..." He quickly sent the team, [I think that Hitsujii guy had a point about Sharyu being too trusting...]

Artemis responded with, [Considering her first thoughts were to make sure that the civilians are okay... I think he was also right about her being too caring as well.] Ushii returned to the group and with that, the tour continued.

~}I{~

The little finch quickly darted into an open window and fluttered towards a young woman with short lime-green hair with a braid tied on the left side of her head and a pair of green eyes. She wore a semi-revealing outfit similar to a samba costume with the colour scheme of her outfit consisting of the colours vermilion, orange and green. A fan of feathers was worn on the right side of her head and a thickly coated cape with a yellow heart shape located in the centrepiece covered her red top that stopped short of her midriff, showing off her stomach, wore a pair of red knee-length shorts that had an image of a rooster carefully stitched onto the right leg in black, green, and dark orange. Her knee-high boots were thickly coated with red fur until they turned yellow at her feet. The little bird let out a loud chirp to get the limette's attention.

The female in red looked up at the little bird as he held up her left index finger when She asked, "What's got you in a tizzy, Suki?" The little finch landed on the finger with a flurry of chirps. It twittered eagerly as the limette moved her left hand closer to her face.

This young woman tilted her head to the side in confusion when She asked the little bird, "A faceless Outsider? Are you sure?"

The little finch nodded with a solid chirp.

The lime-haired woman place her right hand on her chin when she said, "Hmm, I need to tell the other Warriors about that... But first..." She quickly moved to get paper and a pencil. Once she had the items she asked the little bird to describe this "Faceless Outsider".

}{

The "Tour" was going well. The Young Justice Team were learning a lot about The 12 Kingdoms.

The "Fields" were where The 12 Kingdoms grew fruits and vegetables. It was well-organised, and harmonious Plants were kept close together while maintaining the necessary room to grow, and they grew them in the recommended seasons. The 12 Kingdoms certainly had their plant-growing system down to a science.

Their "Farms" were a little different from what the Young Justice Team were used to. The "Oxen Farm" was located near the Temple of the Ox and was simple in practice, cows were for milking and calf rearing and bulls were for heavy labour and transports, the oxen were also used for food for special events. The "Chicken Farm" was located near the Temple of the Rooster and the practice was obvious, providing eggs and poultry, though the latter seemed to be only for special events. The "Sheep Farm" was located near the Temple of the Ram and this Farm provided wool for the village. The "Horse Farm" was located near the Temple of the Horse and those horses were the main source of transportation around The 12 Kingdoms.

The Young Justice Team quickly learned that any meat that the villagers needed was hunted from the surrounding forest and that they could only hunt what they needed and had to use every part of the hunted animal for something. That was... Fair? The Team didn't know the right word for that kind of thing at the moment. But it brought up an aspect of The 12 Kingdoms that no one on the team was sure how to ask politely.

On the way to the Temple of the Rat, more to show the teens where it was, they ran into another Warrior... At least according to Sharyu and Ushii...

This "Warrior" most certainly didn't look or even act like a Warrior. This person was a petite woman with short, messy orange-haired and green eyes. She wore a long chain with a tiger paw extending from a collar around her neck, wore a black-dyed leather jacket, appeared to have a pair of tiger ears protruding out from under those orange strands of hair, and wore an orange karate gi-like outfit with tiger strips on it paired with tiger printed boots. Despite the outfit she was wearing, she didn't seem like she would do much in a fight. Not to mention... She was completely Drunk! In the middle of the day!

"Tora, how many drinks have you had today?" Sharyu asked the petite woman in a slightly exasperated tone. Like... This thing was something that happened regularly.

The orangette, Tora, slurred out, "I an't drunk!" She nearly tripped over her feet when she slurred, "I didn't even drink much today!" her face was flushed red and her eyes were completely unfocused. Not to mention... She didn't even notice the Young Justice team standing right there! ... Was this Tora really one of The 12 Kingdoms Warriors?

Ushii closed his eyes when he stated sternly, "Compared to your normal alcoholic intake... I have my doubts."

Ooh, that was a telling statement to the Young Justice Team...

Tora let out an unflattering hiccup as she swayed a little bit from side to side from where she stood before she slurred out, "Ooh h-Kaay, maybe I'm a teeny tiny bit drunk from drinkin' a little."

Sharyu sighed, running a hand through her hair, when she said, "That means you had more than 20 shots of something alcoholic."

The Team barely saw one of Ushii's brows twitch before saying, "Tora, go home, get some sleep, and drink water on the day of the Rite."

The teen could only glance at one another at this.

[Should we be glad or insulted that this Tora lady hasn't noticed us yet?] Kid Flash sent through the Team Link in an unsure tone.

Artemis side-eyed the speedster when she replied, [Given how drunk she is, I would be surprised if she noticed anything but a familiar face.]

M'gann couldn't help but add as the weird conversation between the three Warriors, [Agreed, but... Does this make anyone wonder what the criteria for the Warrior title are?]

Conner glanced at the Warriors as Tora drunkenly and playfully leaned against Ushii when he sent through the Team Link, [I was wondering the same thing... Ushii seemed to be the only Warrior we've met so far that seems to act like one.]

Zatanna quickly threw in, [Well, to be fair, I doubt Hitsujii goes into battle. He probably helps the other Warriors with strategies and combat gear.]

Robin quickly replied, [Yeah, that's fair.]

Soon Tora left to, hopefully, return home. She swayed from side to side with each step she took. Sharyu quickly called out to Tora to go straight home and not make any detours.

Kaldur tapped Ushii on the arm to get the Warrior of the Ox's attention before he asked, "Are you both sure it is alright to let her return home without assistance?"

Ushii didn't seem surprised or bothered by the question when he answered, "I can understand your concerns, but despite how Tora can act sometimes she shall make it home fine." He then glanced at Sharyu when he added, "So there is no need to worry about her."

The teens glanced at each other before the Boy Wonder got out, "Uh, okay, if you say so..."

Soon the tour continued as they made their way towards the Temple of the Rat.

That Temple didn't look much different from the other Temples they'd seen so far, except the main decor was rat themed.

That was when Superboy asked the two Warriors, "While we're on the topic of the Rite. Could either of you explain what this Warrior title means to The 12 Kingdoms?" He shrugged when he added, "No offence to Hitsujii and Tora, but neither of them seems like they could be "Warriors" unless there's something else you do besides the obvious."

Ushii tapped his sabre thoughtfully before he said, "I suppose you can say that we Warriors' are chosen representatives of the 12 Deity spirits."

M'gann was confused about this information when she asked, "What are these Deity Spirits?"

Sharyu pointed at one of the rat statues that stood in front of the Temple of the Rat when she explained, "They are the Guardians of The 12 Kingdoms and to whom the Twelve Temples represent."

Zatanna quickly realised the connection before she said, "Ah, okay, I see what you mean." She waved a hand when she explained, "To most of the World, your Deity Spirits are known as The Animals of the Zodiac." She then explained how their Zodiac signs were mostly to represent a 12-year cycle.

Both Sharyu and Ushii seemed… Baffled by that explanation... Well, it made sense. These Zodiac seem to be considered Gods to The 12 Kingdoms, so hearing from strangers that they apparently use their God to represent years must feel like blasphemy to them. Kid Flash felt a little awkward after this when he said, "Uh, sorry if this is, um, putting a damper on how you view Outsiders... Um, to be fair, the outside as you call where we're from has a ton of religions that can find one another pretty weird."

Ushii sounded confused when he asked, "What is... what does the word "Religion" mean?" It sounded odd not hearing that stoic tone from the Warrior of the Ox.

Okay... That normally would've been a hot-button, issued topic/question, but... Given that The 12 Kingdoms seemed to have been isolated from the Outside for who knows how long...

After one explanation that hopefully worked without leaning towards one house of religion over others, both Sharyu and Ushii commented that the whole "Religions" thing for Outsiders sounded complex and confusing. Kaldur couldn't help but agree with the Warriors when he added that he still had trouble understanding the "religions" after all this time.

Once that topic ended, an oddly familiar giant of a strongman appeared. Superboy immediately recognised the guy and quickly got into a battle-ready stance when he snapped out in aggravation, "You!"

Ushii shoved his sabre between the clone and the strongman to prevent a fight before saying, "There is no need for unnecessary conflict." He eyed Superboy when he added, "What happened when you first met was nothing more than us doing our duty to protect our home. Nothing more." Ushii returned his sabre to its sheath when he turned his attention to the towering strongman when he asked, "Uuma, is there a reason you sought us out?"

This Uuma character is an extremely tall man, well over 2 meters (roughly 7 feet). He has brown eyes and long, shaggy brown hair, similar to a horse's mane. He is also extremely muscular in terms of his overall build. He wore a dark brown sleeveless shirt, black slacks, a large bronze-like belt and brown cowboy-like boots topped with a horseshoe insignia. Perhaps the most distinct features he has are the two large metal wrist guards he wears that reach well past his elbows and his unique helmet. The helmet is similar in design to a kabuto or samurai helm, with two pointed horse ears, an extremely tall mohawk on top and a small horseshoe in the centre. He moved until he was standing next to the Warrior of the Ox before he leaned over and whispered something into the other's ear.

The Young Justice team looked at Sharyu, silently asking her if this was normal. The Warrior of the monkey gave them a "Don't worry about it" wave with a small smile on her face.

So, this wasn't anything new to the Warriors...

When Uuma pulled away slightly, Ushii told him, "I understand his thinking, but please assure him that his method is not going to be needed." Uuma nodded. The Warrior of the Ox then added, "And also tell him not to do anything drastic during the Rat's Rite." Uuma nodded again before he gave the two a goodbye wave. The towering strongman then stared at the teens for a few seconds before looking away and then walking off.

Sharyu quickly told the Team, "Uuma isn't much of a talker, even less so in front of Outsiders. He's pretty soft-spoken when he does talk."

Superboy's shoulders stiffened when he got out bitterly, "Good to know..."

Sharyu quickly said with a smile, "Don't worry, Uuma is really nice and is good with his hands. It just takes a while for him to warm up to new people."

The Young Justice Team gave each other some unsure looks while Ushii had a more 'they didn't need to know that' look on his face. The Warrior of the Ox then proceeded to calmly scold the Warrior of the Monkey about how much information she should disclose to the Outsiders. The Teens pretty much agreed with Ushii. Sharyu did try to defend herself by saying that she wanted to ensure that everyone got along. Ushii understood but told her she still shouldn't disclose that much information.

[Okay, it's official, Sharyu is way too trusting...] Kid Flash sent to the rest of the Team in almost a dead pin tone. They had to agree with that.

~}I{ Meanwhile }I{~

Sportsmaster was having a bit of trouble getting through the forest. The map he was given didn't make any sense, but the GPS worked and he was using it to find that point. Sportsmaster let out a growl before he grumbled, "Good, I'm getting closer." As the villain continued on his way, he failed to notice a pair of local birds following him from a few paces away.

}I{ With the Young Justice Team }I{

As the teens expected, they met the rest of the Warriors... At least most of them...

They ran into Uuma again and learned that he was the Warrior of the Horse. They met the blonde woman with the AK-47s from the ambush. She was a very beautiful woman with an elegant, voluptuous figure. She has red eyes and long blond hair that fell past her round bottom with two buns fashioned to look like horns atop her head. She wore a white blouse-like clothing with a ruffled neckline and a red rose choker. She was also wearing a knee-length orange skirt with frills at the bottom, wore tusk-like earrings on her ears, and wore a pair of bright red dyed leather shoes. She has a beauty mark under her left eye. Kaldur and M'gann remembered her very clearly. Or rather, they remember those massive guns she was carrying. She happily introduced herself as Inounoshishi, Warrior of the Boar, and then introduced her 'Partners', Aishuu and Inochigo. It wouldn't have been so bad if she didn't wave them around the way she did, or the fact that she wasn't being subtle when pointing them at M'gann. Both Sharyu and Ushii told her to stop that.

The Team decided to make sure that Inonoushishi stayed at far from M'gann as possible. And just keep a distance from her, period.

The pair of twins were… Interesting, to say the least. They were identical twins that looked to be between their late teens to mid 20s, both had pale skin, light purple-coloured hair and snake-like eyes. The younger twin was wearing a grey single t-shirt and loose khaki slacks while the older twin wore a blue jacket and loose khaki slacks. The different clothing didn't seem to be needed to tell these twins apart, their personalities were distinct enough to tell who was who. Plus the older twin had an odd speech pattern and was usually floating in the air.

"I believe the two of you were told to behave," Ushii told the twins as the older one, Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani apparently, was sitting cross-legged while he floated above the rest of the Warriors.

The younger twin, Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto, snickered when he said, "We are behaving, Ushii."

The Warrior of the Ox narrowed his eyes when he stated sternly, "Simply adhering to our request to keep your partners asleep does not mean that you are behaving."

Sharyu let out a sigh before she said in a slightly sadder tone, "That means that I won't be making any parfait mousse cake for the Rite..." Her shoulders slumped slightly when she added, "Everyone agreed to behave until the Rite has concluded..."

This got the twins' attention almost immediately. They rushed over to the Warrior of the Monkey's side, or flew in Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani's case, and kind of sort of begged and pleaded for her to reconsider and that they will behave.

The Young Justice Team just watched all this happen, none were sure how to process it. So Kid Flash just turned towards Uuma and asked, "So... Ms Sharyu bakes?"

Uuma glanced down at the speedster and gave a short nod.

Robin looked up at the towering man when he asked, "Are the stuff she makes that good?"

Uuma gives another short nod.

M'gann then asked, "Good enough to use as bribes to use on those two?" She somewhat motioned her head towards the twins.

Uuma nods again.

Artemis couldn't help but ask, "Are we going to get more than nods from you?"

Uuma just stared at the blonde girl, neither saying anything nor making any motions. He was just... Quiet…

Zatanna quickly sent a message through the Team Link, [Guess he's one of those strong, silent types... ]

Kaldur's eyes quietly swept over the Warriors that were present when he sent, [I do have to admit, I did not expect the Warriors to be this diverse personality-wise.] The rest of the team couldn't help but agree.

Ushii narrowed his eyes as he watched the group of Outsiders. He knew they have been communicating through that telepathic link. The long-haired man didn't like it at all. Not because he wasn't used to that kind of thing, but because he couldn't hear what they could be talking about. Unable to hear any off-used words that could be code for something or hear any that could lead to some kind of nefarious plant. This telepathic link just screamed that he had less of a reason to trust these Outsiders.

Ushii's eyes suddenly darted to the side as he drew his blade, almost at an inhuman speed. The next thing everyone knew The Warrior of the Ox had the tip of his blade pointed at the nose of a young woman with lime-green hair and lime-green eyes. The greenette let out a surprised squawk when she realised what happened.

Everyone around reacted to the sound.

"Niwatori! How many times have you been told not to do that!" Sharyu exclaimed in a tone that sounded more exasperated than surprised or annoyed.

The greenette, Niwatori, let out a squeak before saying, "Ah! Right! sorry!" She glanced at the blade still pointed at her.

Ushii sheathed his sword when he stated, "What do you have to report, Niwatori?"

The Niwatori puffed her cheeks when she said, "Oh, come on! Don't assume that I have something to tell you every time I appear!"

Inoungshishi let out a huff before saying, "Technically, every time you try to sneak up on one of us, you have something to report."

Niwatori made a face that read "You're right but I'm not going to say you're right!"

M'gann quickly sent the team, [They have their teamwork down if they can have that kind of banter.]

Kaldur then sent, [That also means that they have been a team for a long time.]

Robin then threw in, [Aside from the kid gaining the title of Warrior of the Rat, everyone here definitely have experience with one another...]

"Another Outsider?" Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto said after hearing what Niwatori had just told them.

This got the Young Justice Team's attention immediately.

Niwatori held up a piece of paper when she said, "Yeah, my birds are keeping an eye on him as we speak, but one of my scouts gave me a description of his appearance." She handed the paper over to the other Warriors.

Inounoshishi tucked one of her "partners" under one arm so she had a hand free, and used that free hand to take the paper to see the drawing of this new Outsider. The Warrior of the Boar raised an eyebrow at what she was seeing before asking the greenette, "Niwatori, how come you didn't draw this Outsider's face?"

Niwatori brought her hands to her upper chest, clenched in fists when she stated in more of a childish manner, "That's how Suki described the outsider! They had no face!" She then waved her arms a bit when she added, "And! And he was carrying a lot of weird things in a bag!"

Inounoshishi eyes went back to the drawing when she stated, "So the birds say..."

The Twins looked at the image. Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani was floating to look over Inounoshishi's shoulder while Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto was looking over her arm.

"Well... They have eyes at least..." the older twin stated in an unsure tone.

"How does that thing eat?" The younger twin asked in confusion.

The image was then passed around from one Warrior to another until Sharyu showed it to the Young Justice Team, asking if they had any idea what this Outsider was. Inounoshishi scoffed when she stated that not all Outsiders know each other.

However... The Young Justice Team recognised the person in the image in mild shock as Artemis exclaimed, "Sportsmaster?!"

Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani floated over to them when he asked in a combination of shock and suspicion, "Wait, you actually know faceless?"

Robin clicked his tongue when he explained, "Unfortunately... Guy's not faceless, he's wearing a hockey mask."

Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto scratched his head when he asked, "What's this hockey thing?"

Kid Flash quickly explained, "The jerk's gimmick is that he uses sports gear as weapons. The mask he wears is something that the players wear during a game."

"Oh..." was the collective response from the Warriors.

Niwatori tilts her head to the side when she asks, "So he has... Multiple Partners?"

Artemis stomped off to the side, fists clenching almost too hard and biting her lips when Zatanna said while keeping a careful eye on her friend, "In a way, but he doesn't exactly... Care if they get destroyed or not…"

Ushii narrowed his eyes at the blonde girl's actions when he stated, "How disrespectful." He watched Artemis walk behind a nearby building before he asked, "Does she know this Sportsmaster?"

Kaldur eyed where Artemis went when he said, "We do. He is one of the many villains we face..." He took a soft breath before he added, "He is a mercenary for hire, so it is very likely that he is here by the will of someone else."

Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto folded his arms when he stated with an almost feral grin, "Oh boy, Usagi is going to have a lot of fun." His grin widened when he asked the team, "No one is going to mind if he turns this Sportsmaster guy into a Tomodachi?"

The Young Justice Team gave the younger twin a confused look and asked what he was talking about.

}{

Artemis slumped against the wall of the building she rushed behind. So many emotions and memories bubbled to the surface, and a lot of them were unpleasant.

Artemis took a couple of deep breaths to settle herself down. She hated that bastard! She hated him so much! Even after telling the team that the guy was her father and that Cheshire was her sister and they still accepted her, she still hated the jerk! Artemis never kept track of how many times she wished he would just drop dead, but she knew it was a lot.

"Does that Sportsmaster do something mean to you?" A voice from above asked the teen.

Artemis' attention snapped up to see a young man with a fit build, he had a mop of messy white short hair which covered his left eye while his right eye is red with a black sclera. He wore a black rabbit-eared headpiece with one of the ears drooping over his left eye. He was wearing a white detached collar with a black bow on his neck but the only other clothing he wore was a pair of black hakama that have been cut short to the knees. The weirdest thing that Artemis saw on the man was a large white rabbit tail on his back that was probably attached to his hakama by the belt if the archer had a guess. And lastly, he wore a pair of black shoes that appeared to have been modified to have a platform. He was staring down at her from the roof of the parallel building.

Without thinking, the blonde teen immediately reached for her bow and tried to grab an arrow. She then remembered that she didn't have either one on her.

The albino man let out an impressed hum before he said, "Your instincts as a fighter are impressive."

Artemis tried to act chilled as she leaned back against the wall when she stated, "What did you expect when you sneak up on someone."

"Hm, that's fair," the albino man said before he hopped off the roof and landed near where Artemis stood. The blonde couldn't stop herself from jumping when the albino did due to how sudden it was. The albino stared at the teen with his red-on-black eyes as he stood up. Now that he was closer, Artemis could see that he had two swords sheathed into the large rabbit tail. Before the blonde could think to ask about those, the albino asked, "This Sportsmaster... Are they a bad person?"

Artemis couldn't stop herself from growling out, "You have no idea."

The albino man watched the teen with a critical eye when she said what she did. He then tilts his head to the side when he asked, "Are your comrades aware that this Sportsmaster is bad?"

Artemis sighed when she got out, "Yeah, they are. Even if they don't fight him every time someone hires him..."

"Oh?" The albino man got out before asking, "Is he a hired bad guy?"

Artemis scoffed before saying, "That's an understatement if I ever heard one." She then watched as the albino broke into a wide, mad grin that showed his jagged teeth as his eyes gleamed in an eerie glee. That... Kind of scared her...

"Do you have an image of him?" the albino asked in excitement.

If it weren't for the fact that she was already against the wall, Artemis would have backed away from the guy. "Um," the teen got out before saying, "Uh, Niwatori made an image of him." She had no idea why this guy suddenly wanted something to identify Sportsmaster.

Before the blonde could ask anything, the albino man bolted off with that excited grin still on his face.

Not sure what was going on or if her team was now in danger, Artemis quickly followed. It didn't take long before she regrouped with her teammates and the albino man was now scanning the image with an excited look on his face.

Kid Flash gave Artemis a stern look when he sent through the Team Link, [What the hell did you tell that guy?] He thumbed at the excited albino man at that last part. The speedster then folded his arm before he sent, [He also mentioned something about wanting to see his new Tomodachi. Do you know anything about that?]

Artemis shook her head when she sent, [I have no idea what happened. One second he was asking me if 'dear old dad' was a bad person and the next thing I knew, he raced off grinning like a madman.]

M'gann was the one to state, [Well, considering what the Warriors told us... This seems normal... I think?]

Artemis folded her arms out of habit before she sent, [I can tell you that he's one of the Warriors of the Zodiac.]

Zatanna was the one to ask, [How do you know that?]

Artemis nodded her head towards the albino when she sent, [He was with the group that ambushed us. Plus, look at how the Warriors are reacting to his behaviours.]

When the Team did, they saw that the Twins didn't seem to see anything wrong with what happened out of the blue, Inounoshishi and Niwatori didn't seem to care, Uuma appeared to be trying to calm the albino down from his excitement, Sharyu seemed to be trying to talk the albino down from something, and Ushii was giving the Young Justice Team the evil side eye.

Robin quickly sent the team, [They're used to him acting that way.]

Kaldur nodded when he sent, [It appears so.] He then glanced up at the Temple of the Rat before he sent, [Given that their new Rat is a child and that we've met all of the other Warriors except Dog and Rabbit...]

Conner quickly put the facts together when he sent, [You think that albino guy is either the Warrior of the Dog or the Rabbit?]

[Most likely,] Kaldur sent the Team as he locked eyes with Ushii. The Warrior of the Ox appeared to be glaring at the Atlantean and his team. Kaldur quickly messaged his friends, [We might need to be a bit more discreet when using the Team Link.]

Kid Flash couldn't help but respond after seeing that glare, [Eesh, if looks could kill.]

Ushii narrowed his eyes at the Young Justice Team before he was nudged by Sharyu. She quickly told him something that he seemed to reluctantly agree to.

The next thing the team knew the albino man somehow appeared in front of them when he got out in a childishly cheerful tone, "I'm Usagi! the Warrior of the Rabbit!" He somewhat got into the Team's personal space when the albino happily asked, "You're going to help protect our new Rat, right?"

The Young Justice team awkwardly replied with, "Yes" as a few of them took a few steps back.

This Warrior... Might be a little too excited about this whole thing...

~}I{~

"Damn. Finally," Sportsmaster growled out as he got to the rondevu point.

No one was there, as expected but then again. This place wasn't for meeting anyone, it was for retraining the gear and extra information from the informant that the client had inside The 12 Kingdoms.

Sportsmaster started searching for the fake rock that would have what he needed to complete the mission. He found it easily enough. He broke it open and took out what was inside.

As Sportsmaster read the new data, the pair of birds that followed him softly chirped to one another before one of them flew off to report this while the other stayed to continue watching.

~}I{~

The tour continued. Though admittedly... It was starting to become oddly crowded and a little unnerving...

Yeah, the Warriors they ran into and stayed with, decided to tag along... Sharyu thought that they wanted to get to know the Young Justice Team, but it was a little too clear that they wanted to keep a close eye on them.

[Think they could be a little more obvious?] Kid Flash sent as he caught the glint in the younger twin's eyes when he happened to glance at him.

Superboy glanced up at Uuma, who seemed to be keeping a cautious eye on him, when he replied through the Team Link, [I think the only one here who doesn't know is Sharyu.]

M'gann quickly moved away from Inoushishi, who was still not being subtle with where she was pointing her "Partners," when she sent, [It makes me wonder if she's either oblivious or is that innocent.]

[Probably both, to be honest,] Zatanna sent as she glanced at a still-grinning Usagi.

Robin glanced at all the present Warriors when he finally asked, "The names you gave us... Are they your real names or codenames?"

Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani raised a brow at this when he asked, "Mind elaborating on that question?"

That was when Robin explained, "The names you gave us, they're a little too in line with the Zodiac you represent. Plus." He points to the twins when he adds, "The two of you are literally calling yourselves "Elder Brother" and "Younger Brother". So I just have to know if they're codenames or not."

Ushii was the one to say, "I suppose they would be considered our codenames." He then motioned his head towards the other Warriors when he added, "We acquire our "codenames" during our respective Rite. As you have noted, they do tend to relate to the Zodiac we represent."

"Fair enough, I think," Kid Flash vocalised as he folded his arms. He then glanced around before he asked, "So, are we going to meet the New kid?"

Niwatori blinked in confusion when she asked, "New kid?"

Zatanna responded with, "Your new Warrior of the Rat."

"Oh," Was the response of the twins, Niwatori, Inounoshishi, Usagi, and Sharyu when they heard those words. Ushii and Uuma didn't make much of an active response.

Okay, note to Team, might be a good idea to avoid using slang when talking to the Warriors.

"I take it that your new Rat will get their codename during the upcoming Rite?" Artemis asked the Warriors as she folded her arms out of habit.

Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani floated over the teens, somewhat looking at them upside down, when he stated, "Yup and I wonder what name the Deity of the Rat will give him."

The Young Justice Team somewhat glanced at each other at this little titbit of information, but they didn't say anything. Both out loud and through the Team Link.

}I{ About 30 Minutes Later }I{

"They're younger than I thought they would be, but I knew they would be older than me," said a grey-eyed 7-year-old with short grey hair, wearing a simple white shirt paired with simple kaki-coloured slacks and wooden sandals. This child didn't give the Young Justice Team a second glance as he started placing what looked like wrapped portions of something in a container-like box. The items were oddly neat despite it being organised by a child.

M'gann stared at the kid when she quickly sent the Team through their Link, [Huh, I can sense his mind...]

She then concentrated on the boy for a second before she got a surprising response. [Didn't your guardians tell you not to peep into people's minds?] the child replied to the accidental telepathic link that the Martian made. He glanced at M'gann as he continued his task when he added, [It's pretty rude to do that without permission too.]

M'gann understood her mistake before she responded with, [Ah, sorry. It's just that you're the first mind I've been able to sense since we arrived here.]

The child let out a small hum before he just continued packing. The Young Justice Team were a little confused by these actions. Sharyu quickly chimed at the moment she noticed this, "He's getting ready for the Rite, so he's packing what he needs to last the 24 hours in the Temple of the Rat."

Ah, that explains a few things. It makes some sense, in all honesty. But was it really a good idea to let the kid do all the planning, decision-making, and packing all by himself? The Young Justice Team was told that it was a tradition for soon-to-be Warriors to prepare for their Rite themselves. Again, it made some sense, but the teens did point out that the Warriors never had someone so young join their ranks. The Warriors conceded that it was true, but their soon-to-be Warrior of the Rat seemed pretty capable of completing tasks by himself.

So the Young Justice Team just opted to watch the kid as he "Got ready for his Rite". Wasn't too hard, and the only Warriors that stayed with them were Sharyu and Ushii. Not too big a deal, but it felt a little weird having this many people keeping an eye on a child.

Granted, the two Warriors wouldn't raise much of a concern than the group of Outsiders to the villagers of The 12 Kingdoms... But still... Well, at least the Team aren't getting so many stares now...

And... The other Warriors were right about the kid being oddly mature despite being seven. He was able to assess his situation, go over what he needed for his isolation for a full 24 hours inside a Temple, get those things, and then pack them up so they can be ready to use. It was... Strangely fascinating to witness...

But the Young Justice Team Were getting to see more of the everyday lives of The 12 Kingdoms.

}I{ The Next Day }I{

Nothing major happened, even though the threat of Sportsmaster coming in was still looming over them. It was odd though... He was spotted yesterday by Niwatori's Birds, whatever that meant, and hasn't been seen since...

Something was up. The Young Justice team and the Warriors knew it.

}{

Sportsmaster kept to the edge of The 12 Kingdoms, but close to where the Temple of the Rat was. He was currently wearing the disguise that the insider provided, but the instructions for it were a little odd. The outfit he was given was reversible and he was told to use the top when he entered The 12 Kingdoms and then invert it once he found a secure building to do so without raising any suspicions.

Sportsmaster didn't understand why such a thing was needed, but if it helped with completing the mission he wouldn't complain too much. He has what he needs to get the kid, now all he has to do is bide his time for this Rite thing.

As he bit into a loaf of bread, Sportsmaster thought, 'All I need to do is keep an eye out for this Warrior of the Dog. The info states that he's going to be my biggest hurdle for this mission.' He chewed the piece in his mouth when he thought, 'Shouldn't be too hard.'

}{

"Honestly, how did your birds lose a faceless man?" Inounoshishi scolded the Warrior of the Rooster with a huff as she polished her Partners.

Niwatori puffed her cheeks before she snipped back, "You tell me how you lost to a telekinetic user and I'll tell you how!"

Inounoshishi shot the greenette a glare and a scowl at this.

Hitsujii stroked his beard before he asked, "Niwatori, your birds told you that this Sportsmaster got his disguise from a rock, correct?"

Niwatori looked at the older Warrior when she nodded and said, "Yes, they did. They did think it was a weird place to have clothing and other stuff from the Village. Not to mention that he was able to up and disappear on my birds as he did..."

Hitsujii narrowed his eyes at this when he asked the other to elaborate on that last part.

Niwatori tapped the side of her chin as she glanced up before she finally said, "Well... He wasn't aware of my birds nor did he notice them following him... Yet he seems to have changed disguises after getting into the village but before we could find him."

Inounoshishi's movements froze when she heard this. She quickly turned her full attention towards the Warrior of the Rooster when she asked, "Hold on! Are you implying that someone from The 12 Kingdoms is working with someone on the Outside?"

Hitsujii folded his arms when he stated, "Given the current evidence, there is a very high possibility of that being the case." He gave his beard a thoughtful tug when he stated, "However, it seems like this insider took precautions to aid this Sportsmaster yet failed to provide the information as to Why... Interesting..."

}I{ with the Young Justice Team }I{

"I didn't think that The 12 Kingdoms had this many Metas," Robin commented as he and the rest of the Team watched a group of kids that looked older than the soon-to-be Warrior of the Rat, maybe in the 9 to 11 age range, playing some kind of game all while using some kind of power to make things a little more interesting.

Ushii gave the Boy Wonder a confused yet still serious look when he asked with a raised brow, "Meta? What does that mean?"

The Team quickly explained the terminology to the Warrior of the Ox. The only thing he did afterwards was raised a brow. Did the guy ever express more than the bare minimum?

"You Outsiders have some strange terms for individuals with abilities," Sharyu commented as she tilted her head to the side slightly as she tapped her cheek as she took in the new information.

Zatanna shrugged when she said, "Valid, but meta is the best shorthand for it, and that's not even considering other outside factors."

That was when Ushii stated in a rather flat tone, "Do I even want to know what these "outside factors" are?"

Before anyone could say anything, there was a loud shout followed by a crashing splash. Everyone immediately snapped their attention towards the sound to see one of the children flailing around in the nearby river. The other children that the one in the river was playing with were standing by the edge, wanting to help but unsure how.

"Sharyu!" Ushii stated as he readied himself for action. The Warrior of the Monkey nodded as she knelt and pressed her palms to the ground.

But before either of the two Warriors could act, Kaldur dove into the river without a second thought and swam right towards the drowning child. The Atlantean didn't break the surface until he had the child safely in his grasp. Kaldur quickly calmed the child as he carefully swam towards the water's edge. The other children were quick to help pull their friend out of the water. Kaldur told the group to bring their friend inside, get them out of the wet clothing, and keep warm. The group agreed to that before they took their friend away, assumingly to do what was asked. Kaldur bid the group farewell before he swam back to his friends, the two Warriors, and the soon-to-be Warrior.

As Kaldur hauled himself out of the water, Sharyu clapped happily when she said with joy as she stood up, "Amazing! You went into action immediately! And you were so fast too!"

Kid Flash gave Kaldur a pat on the back when he said, "Well, water is his element." He then realised that the clothes the Atlantean was wearing were now soaking wet and quickly wiped his hand on his clothes to dry them.

Kaldur didn't seem to be bothered by the wet clothes when he said, "I am from an Underwater Society. Therefore, I can function in the water easier than on the surface."

Ushii placed a hand on his chin when he vocalised, "Interesting. I have heard some tales from the outside about an entire community that lives under a large body of water that is called an "Ocean". Assuming that those tales are true, I take it that you are originally from that community?"

As Kaldur vocally confirmed, Conner narrowed his eyes at what he heard from the Warrior of the Ox. That was when the clone asked, "Where did those "tales" come from?" He pointed at the two Warriors when he got out, "No offence, but I don't think either of you have been outside the territory of The 12 Kingdoms, and I also don't think that most of the other Warriors have left either. But the whole tale about a community under the ocean is a rather specific story of the Outside. So how would an isolated village inside a dense forest know about a tale of an underwater community?"

Both Sharyu and Ushii looked at each other at this. Neither was sure how to respond to that question.

"No idea where or when those tales came to be, but I know that one of our villagers who had explored the Outside a really long time ago came back with those stories," Usagi, who appeared out of nowhere, stated in a matter-of-fact tone. He was currently squatting on top of a nearby boulder, just staring down the now startled Young Justice Team.

Kid Flash couldn't help but get out in a combination of startled and annoyance, "Dude! Do you have to just pop out of nowhere like that!?"

Usagi hopped down from the boulder, landing next to a not-so-surprised Sharyu and Ushii, before saying, "My name isn't "Dude", it's Usagi."

Kid Flash face palmed when Robin explained that the word "Dude" was a casual word that some people use instead of Mister or Sir. He also explained that it could be used as an expression or replacement for "you".

Usagi was blunt when he stated, "You Outsiders have such weird words."

Zatanna shrugged slightly when she said, "Well, you're not wrong." She couldn't help but notice how the albino man was staring at Kaldur. The magician also saw how both the Warrior of the Rabbit's hands twitched a bit like he wanted to grab something but he was stopping himself from doing so.

That was when Usagi grinned, showing off his jagged teeth, when he said in an odd combination of excitement and threatening, "For everyone's sake, you Outsiders better not betray us. If you do then I'll make you my Tomodachi too!" His hands twitched, somewhat reaching for his swords but stopped himself.

The Young Justice team did NOT understand what that was supposed to mean. Was that a threat or something to encourage them?

Sharyu was quick to get between the Warrior of the Rabbit and the group of outsiders and said with a forced smile, "Now, now, now. No need for that! Plus, they've been good so far."

Ushii sighed before he said, "How about we agree to this, if they do anything to threaten The 12 Kingdoms then they can become your Tomodachi, but if they don't, then leave them be." He looked between Usagi and Sharyu when he added, "Sound fair?"

Both the Warrior of the Monkey and Rabbit folded their arms and pouted when both vocalised, "Fair."

The Young Justice Team could only glance at each other in confusion when Artemis asked through their Team Link, [Okay, that is the third time he's said that Tomodachi thing and I don't know if that's supposed to be a threat or not...]

Conner responded with, [It sounds like he's using it as a threat, but it's his excited tone that's confusing us on the intent.]

Robin shrugged when he sent, [Makes sense, but why use the word 'Tomodachi' as a threat word?]

Kid Flash couldn't help but comment, [I think this is a pot meet kettle' situation.] The rest of the Team gave the speedster a look that read, 'Okay, fair but you didn't need to say it'.

Sharyu walked over to the teen superheroes when she said with a reassuring smile, "I apologise for Usagi's behaviour. I and the other Warriors are used to him, so we can sometimes forget that others aren't."

"That's... Understandable..." M'gann said in an understanding tone. This is something she's gone through and has experienced, so she understood.

Sharyu seemed to like that answer as Ushii and Usagi seemed to be discussing something via signing.

Okay, that was both interesting and worrisome to the Young Justice team. But unfortunately, none of the teens could do anything about it. However, these two did have a right to have a conversation without being overheard.

The 7-year-old brought everyone back to the topic at hand by saying in a tone that felt like a mixture of sarcasm and deadpin, "That's something to look forward to..."

Sharyu patted the child on the head when she said, "It's not as bad as you're thinking."

'She's too optimistic...' The Young Justice Team thought when they heard.

The child ducked to get out of the head pat as he moved away from the Warrior of the Monkey with an annoyed hum. He grabbed his makeshift bag when he told the others, "I'm going home now." He looked between the Young Justice Team and the three Warriors before asking, "You aren't going to follow me home and stay there for the night?"

Usagi took a step back when he stated with a cringe, "I don't think we could even if we wanted to." The albino then looked at Ushii when he added, "He's still pretty mad at us." The only thing the long-haired man did was glance at the Warrior of the Rabbit and give a slight nod. Sharyu was oddly quiet as her gaze fell to the ground.

The Young Justice Team glanced at one another at this, unsure about what the words were implying.

Sharyu quickly plastered on a smile before she said, "Well, anyway, Tsugiyoshi, would you like me to walk you home after we bring the Outsider group to the Monkey Complex? Or can they come with?"

The child, Tsugiyoshi, only shrugged before he said, "Doesn't matter. The Outsiders are going to end up meeting Dad eventually."

Robin gave a shrug when he said, "Eh, fair enough." He glanced at his teammates before he added, "But I think we're going to call it a day. Unless you want us to meet your dad now."

Tsugiyoshi shook his head before he said, "I think tomorrow might be better, he'll be a bit more distracted to do anything to you." Okay... That was a telling comment...

Sharyu wearily scratched her cheek when she said, "I don't think he'll do anything major, since he is technically letting them guard you..." Well, that was kind of true...

During the walk back to the Monkey Complex, the Young Justice Team went over what Sharyu needed to do if Sportsmaster were to appear if it was just her. The Warrior of the Monkey already had a plan in place but was content to listen to the teens go over what they knew and adjust her plan if she heard something important. Tsugiyoshi didn't seem to care about the conversation over him, but M'gann could feel his uneasiness.

~}I{ The Next Morning }I{~

It was a little unnerving how Usagi was watching them…

[How much do you want to bet that he's waiting for us to 'slip up'?] Kid Flash asked in the Team link as he glanced up at the Warrior of the Rabbit, who was staring at The Young Justice Team from the roof of a nearby building.

Conner glanced at the other Warriors when he stated in the Team Link, [Compared to the others... Yeah, he's being a lot more obvious about it than they are.]

Robin counted the present Warriors before he said to the Team, "Not including the kid, there are only ten Warriors here..."

"So?" Artemis got out as she folded her arms out of habit.

Zatanna was the one to say, "There should be eleven... The Warrior of the Dog is the only one we haven't met yet."

Hitsujii made his way over to the Young Justice team and then explained, "He has just been making sure that the Temple of the Rat is secure and that no one is inside once the Rite starts."

Superboy gave a small shrug when he said, "Makes sense, those temples look big on the outside, so logically, it's pretty big on the inside. It would take a while for one person to inspect."

That was when M'gann realised an oddity when she asked in a confused tone, "But... Why is one person inspecting the Temple of the Rat? Shouldn't more people be doing it?"

The Warriors gave each other some unsure glances. Uuma twiddled his thumbs in uneasiness. Sharyu dug her heels into the ground. Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani and Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto seemed to give each other looks that only twins give each other and knew how to read. Tora was fidgeting with the helm of her jacket. Hitsujii lowered his gaze to the ground. Ushii seemed to glance to the side as his eyes narrowed. Usagi twirled his bangs with his left index finger. Niwatori was somewhat fidgeting with her pitchfork. Inounoshishi didn't seem bothered with what was going on when she stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "He's just unreasonably mad at us."

Hitsujii clicked his tongue before saying, "Unreasonable to you maybe, but it's pretty clear to the rest of us as to why." He shifted his weight as he turned away from the tall blonde woman before saying in a softer tone, "I understand all too well."

The Young Justice Team could only glance at one another at this.

Did they want to know what happened?... The team had a feeling that they would find out eventually...

}I{ Meanwhile }I{

'Eh, So that's the Dog Warrior... Eesh, he certainly fits the role,' Sportsmaster thought as he watched said Warrior going over the Temple of the Rat from where he hid.

Under normal circumstances, he might've been a little worried about his way in being compromised but from the information he got everything was covered, so no need for him to worry.

Sportsmaster bit into an apple when he thought, 'Just gotta make sure I'm not spotted getting in and out, and mission complete.' He had everything he needed and the plan was laid out nicely, all he needed to do was wait until the kid was inside and for night to fall.

Just as Sportsmaster was about to take another bite of the apple, he noticed something that made him stop and wonder, 'Wait? Are those real?'

~}I{ With the Young Justice Team }I{~

"You sure he's in?" Robin asked Niwatori while Artemis was lingering in the background as M'gann tried to calm her down telepathically.

The Warrior of the Rooster nodded before she said, "Yup, he was wearing a disguise when he came in, but he switched what he was wearing." She then waved her free arm around when she got out in a frantic tone, "And, and, and! He's no longer faceless! He had a face under that faceless thing!"

Zatanna scratched her cheek when she stated, "Um, yes, we are aware that he has a face under that hockey mask..."

Niwatori childishly puffed her cheeks when she said in a huffy tone, "Oh? So you already know what he looks like... So spill! What's he look like so I can tell my birds who to look for!"

It felt a little weird talking to an adult that was trying too hard to act like a kid... Was that how she normally act?

Robin quickly pulled up a profile picture of Sportsmaster without his hockey mask on the computer he had in his left glove, which he was allowed to keep, and pulled it on a holographic image for the others to see.

Niwatori's eyes lit up before she practically materialised next to Robin. She gripped the Boy Wonder's left wrist a little too tightly as she forced him to hold his arm out, nearly causing him to lose his balance, to inspect the device. She was practically giddy with excitement when she asked with an ecstatic gleam in her eyes as she looked over the device, "Ooh! What's this? How does it work? OOO! Can I have it!"

A little taken aback by the sudden shift in character and the sudden closeness, Robin tried to pull away when he answered in order, "Uh, it's my Holographic Computer, it's a hidden portable computer I use on missions and no." He tried to pull his arm free, but the Warrior of the Rooster had a really good grip on him.

Niwatori didn't seem to notice the Boy Wonder's actions as her focus was on the device on his arm. At least until Conner grabbed her by one of her own wrists. That was when her attention shifted to the clone.

Conner gave the greenette a glare when he stated in a stern tone, "That belongs to Robin and him only. So kindly release your grip on him and I'll do the same." He tightened his grip on the other's wrist slightly, but it was certainly enough for her to understand that he was serious. Conner wasn't planning on breaking Niwatori's wrist, though he could easily do so. The Warrior of the Rooster shot a glare at the clone, but she eventually complied. And so did he.

Robin and Niwatori were quick to check their wrists. Bruised and sore but nothing more. Sharyu double-checked them just to be on the safe side and to add some healing ointment to help alleviate the pain.

Ushii glanced at Conner when he stated, "If it weren't for the fact that it was Niwatori, that would have been a threat."

Conner eyed the Warrior of the Ox when he asked, "So she's done this sort of thing before."

Ushii nodded before he stated, "Correct." His gaze returned to his fellow Warriors when he added, "It would be nice if she didn't act like a magpie every time she sees something she wants."

Kaldur raised a brow at this comment when he asked, "If this is an ongoing problem, then should you try to help correct that behaviour?"

Ushii replied in that same unchanged tone, "We have, but she refuses to change."

That was when everyone heard a new voice say in an unimpressed tone, "Cht, then maybe next time she tries that strong kid can break her wrist."

The two groups quickly turned towards where they heard the voice. That was when they saw a man with snow-white skin in his 20s or 30s with short black hair and ears which resemble those of a dog, he had black sclera with blue irises. He has very sharp claws and fangs that poked out slightly in an annoyed manner, he has a long knife placed on his belt. He was wearing a grey cloak of fur with a black shirt and white pants with a black design in the middle paired with grey leather boots. He also has bracers on his arms. The dog-like man stared at them with a critical look in his eyes. The pale, dog-like man smirked, somewhat showing off how sharp his teeth when he stated with a proud bit of sarcasm, "Oh? Did I startle you, Outsiders?"

Kid Flash was quick to say, "No!" The dog-man raised a brow in a 'Not buying it' manner.

Sharyu waved at the new arrival when she said, "Hello, Dotsuku! How is the Temple of the Rat?"

The dog-man, Dotsuku, let out a scoff as he made his way over to the groups before he said, "Nothing major to report. The Temple is secure." He stood in front of the Young Justice Team when he stated coldly, "So that means that none of you are necessary."

Kaldur was the one to calmly say, "Maybe so, but we shall stay until the Rite is over and Sportsmaster is detained."

Dotsuku raised a brow as one of his dog ears twitched when he questioned, "Sportsmaster?" Hitsujii quickly filled the dog man in on the Sportsmaster issue. Dotsuku scoffed before he stated, "Just let Usagi at the guy if he's that much of a problem. He'd be more useful as a Tomodachi."

The Young Justice Team glanced at each other yet again at the odd word usage. Well, a little more information this time but still weird...

Sharyu told the dog-like man, "Dotsuku, everyone agreed on letting these Outsiders stay to protect Tsugiyoshi from this Sportsmaster, and they also agreed to take the proper measures if they do anything outside that." Dotsuku's pointy dog ears twitched in annoyance as he made a clicking noise with his tongue. This did cause the Young Justice Team to simultaneously think as they stared at the dog ears, 'Those are real!?' Before Dotsuku got a little too close to Kaldur when he growled out, "Make sure you keep your end of this agreement and take that Sportsmaster with you when you leave." The dog man paused before he gave the Atlantean a quick sniff near his neck. Kaldur understandably took a step back at this. Dotsuku stared down the Atlantean with his blue-on-black eyes when he asked, "Your scent is covered with salt water. Do you swim or bathe in it often?"

A little taken aback by the question, Kaldur paused a little too long before Usagi stated, "From what he's told us, he's from that underwater community from those stories."

Dotsuku shot the Warrior of the Rabbit a glare. Usagi somewhat took a half-step back. Dotsuku narrowed his eyes before his attention was back on the Young Justice Team when he stated, "Interesting, but not enough for me to want to socialise with you more than necessary." He folded his arms when he added as he turned away, "I'm heading back to make sure Tsugiyoshi's ready." He started walking off when he snapped at the other Warriors, "And don't follow me!"

Ushii cut off the dog-man by rushing ahead of him and then stood in front of the other. The Warrior of the Ox then stated in a stern tone, "Dotsuku, you know that all current Warriors must arrive at the Temple for the Rite together."

Dotsuku glared at Ushii when he growled out, "In case you forgot! There is one exception to that!" He then shoved Ushii out of the way as he stormed off. The Warrior of the Ox was only off balance for a few seconds before catching himself. Ushii only watched the other leave.

The Warrior of the Monkey quickly turned her attention to The Young Justice Team with a small, sad smile when she said, "He doesn't usually act like that."

Kid Flash folded his arms when he said with a nice helping of sarcasm, "Could've fooled us."

Zatanna tapped the side of her cheek when she stated thoughtfully, "He seemed rather... Aggravated..." the then folded her arms when she asked, "Did something happen?"

Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani and Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto glanced at each other before the twin with the grey shirt stated, "Well... He wasn't exactly thrilled about Tsugiyoshi getting chosen to be the next Warrior of the Rat..."

The Twin in the blue top then added with a shrug, "Even more so after the rest of us agreed that the kid did pass the test, as unintentional as it was on his part..."

Hitsujii frowned when he stated sternly, "Most of us Warriors agreed to that." Sharyu somewhat glanced away at this as Uuma twiddled his thumbs in uneasiness when those words were spoken. The other Warriors had mixed looks on their faces, though Inounoshishi and Niwatori didn't seem all that bothered.

The Young Justice Team glanced at each other when M'gann sent through the Team Link, [Anyone else feels like there's more to that story?]

Superboy then sent, [Agreed, but...] He glanced at the Warriors when he added, [Should we ask?]

Robin gave a shrug when he sent, [I know I want to, but I don't think we should right now.]

Zatanna couldn't help but send, [Agreed. Plus, I don't think they'll tell us even if we asked.]

Hitsujii got the Young Justice Team's attention by saying, "You youngins interested in getting a little lunch before the Rite starts?"

Artemis gave a small smile when she said, "Oh, uh, that sounds nice."

Kid Flash then asked, "Yeah, but what's on the menu?"

The Twins gave each other a knowing smirk while Niwatori giggled.

Hmm, something told the Young Justice Team that there was more to that invitation than they thought... Should they be worried?

}I{ With Sportsmaster }I{

After checking his watch, the villain thought, 'Okay, three more hours until the kid is all alone in that temple... Good.' Sportsmaster got a little more comfortable in his spot as he watched the structure in question.

As much as he hated having to wait for an opportunity to finish a job, he was too aware that it was a necessary thing to do. 'At least I'm getting paid big time for a literal kidnapping,' Sportsmaster thought with a shrug. That was when he wondered what that kid's powers were that the client was willing to pay so much to get him.

Meh, as long as he got his pay for the job, what did Sportsmaster care?

~}I{ About an Hour and 35 minutes Before the Rite }I{~

The Young Justice Team had to admit one thing about the whole 'Lunch' thing, they definitely worked for the meal.

"Not bad for your first hunt," Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani said in an impressed tone as he looked over the large buck deer lying dead on the ground with an arrow sticking out of a specific point in its neck.

Artemis let out a huff as she docked the bow that was loaned to her when she said, "Would've been a little smoother and easier if SOME people told us what we were going to be doing."

M'gann floated nearby her teammate when she said, "Well, that aside, this was a rather informative activity." She looked at the dead animal before she cringed a bit when she added, "Even if I don't... Enjoy the killing part despite it being necessary..."

Uuma hulled the buck over one of his shoulders without a sound, at least from him. The Young Justice team was both impressed and weirded out that they had not heard the guy make even a peep...

Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto shrugged when he said with a smirk when he stated, "Meh, you guys did fine despite that." He glanced at the buck before he added, "And it's a pretty good size too. You can get a few good meals from it. Plus the bones and horns to use."

Conner couldn't help but ask with a cringe, "And what do you use... Those parts for?"

"Do you Outsiders not use the parts that are not edible for practical use?" Ushii asked with a raised brow. It seemed like he was trying to understand the Outsiders' odd behaviours... Or at least the Young Justice Team thinks so... maybe...

Robin, Zatanna, Artemis, Kid Flash, M'gann, and Conner looked at each other with some not-so-sure looks. Kaldur, on the other hand, did say, "Truthfully, my homeland does eat certain types of fish, but their bones are not sturdy or durable enough for the uses you are implying. We grind the bones to use as fertiliser for crops or regular plants."

The rest of the Team was rather surprised by this revelation and asked why the Atlantean never told them about this. Kaldur's response was reasonable when he told them that they never asked and he figured that if they ever had a mission to Atlantis, he would have informed them.

Ushii placed a hand on his chin when he stated, "Interesting. We tend to do that after the bones have become too worn to use, become too old, or have been significantly broken."

Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto interrupts the moment by asking, "Sooo, you don't want any of the bones or horns?" Everyone gave the younger twin an 'Are you really asking that now?' look. Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto gave them an overly cheerful smirk when he said, "What? They're worth something and it would be a shame to let it go to waste."

Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani floated next to his brother when he stated, "Very true, little brother, but now isn't the time to ask that." That made Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto think about that for a bit before realising that his older brother was right.

Artemis nudged Kid Flash with her left elbow when she said with a small smirk, "Well, you collect souvenirs from our missions. Why not take a horn?"

Kid Flash cringed at the thought when he said, "Yeah, no thanks!" He then thumbed in the direction of The 12 Kingdoms when he said, "I'd rather get something cool from inside that's less likely to give me nightmares."

Robin couldn't help but say, "Mm, fair."

Hitsujii raised a brow when he asked, "I take it that you youngins don't do a lot of hunting for food, huh?"

M'gann couldn't help but say, "Uh, let's just say things are very different from how you do things." She spotted the buck before she shuttered before she hide behind Conner. The Martian was just not comfortable with seeing something alive moments ago that was now dead, especially since the mind of the buck was suddenly erased. She just didn't want to look at it.

Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto then asked, "So you don't want the pelt either?"

Sharyu couldn't help but say, "Tatsumi Kyoundai Otouto! Not an appropriate time to ask that too!"

Ushii interrupted the moment by saying, "Can we put that aside long enough to bring the catch in so it can be ready to be made into lunch in time for the Rite?"

[I'm afraid to ask...] M'gann sent through the Team Link in an uneasy tone.

Kaldur quickly sent, [I do not think they will force you to help or watch. They are wary of us, So someone will stay with you?]

M'gann couldn't help but send, [As long as it's not the boar lady, I'm fine with any of the other Warriors.]

Zatanna quickly sent, [Way too fair.]

}I{ 50 Minutes until the Rite }I{

Well... The... Uh, lunch preparations for the buck were... Informative... M'gann was allowed to not see how the process worked, but, as expected, one of the Warriors stayed with her. On the upside, it wasn't Inounoshishi, but the downside... M'gann could've had someone to converse with.

"Uh, do you like to bake?" the Martian asked the towering Warrior politely.

Uuma didn't say anything.

M'gann twiddled her thumbs as she continued to sit across from the towering strongman, trying to think of things to talk about. Weakly, M'gann asked, "Uh, do you have any hobbies?"

Again, Uuma didn't respond.

Under normal circumstances, the Martian would have tried to use a telepathic link to talk to them. But since she couldn't sense the towering strongman's mind at all, so not an option.

'Are they almost done?' M'gann wondered.

Soon enough the 'meal prep' was finished, and up next is the Rite.

}I{

It didn't take too long before everything was ready for the Rite. Sharyu explained to the Young Justice Team that only little Tsugiyoshi will be allowed in the Temple of the Rat, they can stand guard outside but that would be it. Unless there was an emergency, of course.

Obviously, the Team didn't think it was a good idea but they had to respect The 12 Kingdoms' traditions and adhere to their guidelines. The only thing they could do was do their assignment and capture Sportsmaster before the guy could get to the kid. So The Young Justice team quickly found the soon-to-be Warrior of the Rat, but what caught them off-guard was rather... Sweet, considering how he acted earlier...

"Are you sure you have everything?" Dotsuku asked in worry as he fussed over the child before him. Somewhat looking over all the items present to double-check everything.

Tsugiyoshi sighed when he said in a somewhat exhausted tone, "Yes, I do. I have food, things for sleep, and comfortable clothing." He looked up as he lifted the bag when he added, "I know how to use the hot pits, and where to meditate." But Dotsuku still seemed to fuss over the child. He checked the strap of the bag. Tsugiyoshi rolled his eyes when he said, "Dad, I'm going to be fine."

Dotsuku gave the child a worried look before he pulled a grey, homemade wolf pup plushie from a hidden pocket in his cloak and said, "I know, but I can't help it." He gave the plush to Tsugiyoshi, who accepted the soft item and hugged it close. Dotsuku's eyes softened as he brushed the boy's bangs out of his face.

Kid Flash pointed at the scene with his jaw somewhat open when he asked the other Warriors, "Wait, so... The Dog Warrior is the kid's father?"

Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani couldn't help but say, "Yeah, Dotsuku's got a soft spot for kids. Has a bit of a habit of taking them in."

That was when the older twin was whacked over the head with the butt of a sword sheath. Tatsumi Kyoundai Ani rubbed where he was hit as he eyed the Warrior of the Ox, who gave him a stern glare. The Warrior of the Dragon shrunk a bit when he saw that look.

The Young Justice Team glanced at one another. None of them expected that response about the Warrior of the Dog.

Off to the side where he could see the entrance of the Temple of the Rat but couldn't see where the Young Justice team was standing, Sportsmaster smirked. Glad he only had a little while longer before he could get in.

}I{ In the Watchtower at that very Moment }I{

Batman was going over what little information there was on The 12 Kingdoms. However, most of these were rumours at best. So far, the only solid fact he knew was The 12 Zodiacs that the citizens worshipped.

Batman leaned back in the chair he was sitting in as he stared at the computer monitor with the information he was looking at. The caped crusader had to admit, whatever The 12 Kingdoms did to keep themselves 97% hidden from the world worked very well.

Batman sighed as he tapped on the keyboard to pull up an old photograph that looked like it was taken in the late 70s, possibly early 80s. The image was blurry due to the subjects moving to get out of the camera lens. The only part of one of the clear subjects was a pair of ram horns.

}I{ Back in The 12 Kingdoms }I{

Sportsmaster scoffed when he thought, 'Eesh, was that ceremony crap needed?' Before he snuck away mid-ceremony to get ready to sneak into the Temple of the Rat. Too bad he left before he could see some familiar faces.

}{

Unlike the hidden villain, the Young Justice Team enjoyed watching the Rite. But they still felt a bit conflicted about the part where Tsugiyoshi walked into the Temple of the Rat alone. They already had their patrol routes memorised and had been given some borrowed weapons for them to use. It was safe to say that these were enough to ensure they had a means to capture Sportsmaster but not enough to defend themselves from The Warriors of the 12 Kingdoms.

[It's obvious that they don't trust us with our weapons,] Artemis sent through the Team Link as she adjusted the tensile strength of the borrowed bow. The regular arrows weren't a big deal for the archer, but she liked her bow a certain way. After testing the bow string she sent, [Can't blame them, we're still strangers by the end of the day.]

M'gann glanced at Usagi squatting like his namesake on the lowest roofs of the Temple of the Rat as he stared down at the teens. The Martian then sent, [True, but…] She turned to her teammates when she asked, [Does anyone else find that Usagi guy creepy?]

The others reluctantly agreed, doing their best not to look up at the person in question. Conner gently took M'gann's hand when he sent, [I can take him if he tries anything.] The Martian gave the clone's hand a small squeeze in return.

As the team started their routes. Kaldur sent, [I am sure you could, Conner. However, do air on the side of caution if you are to fight him. We do not know what he is capable of.]

Robin quickly reminded, [Nor do we know what the other Warriors are truly capable of.] He glanced at Dotsuku, who was sitting in front of the main entrance of the Temple of the Rat with his back leaning against the doors. One of the Warrior of the Dog's ears twitched before he looked at the Boy Wonder. Robin tried to be polite and gave him a small wave from where he was. Dotsuku only glared at the teen before he turned his attention forward. Somehow this did not surprise the Hero.

That was when Zatanna sent, [So we should both keep an eye out for Sportsmaster and an eye on these Warriors.] She noticed that Sharyu was nearby and gave her a friendly wave. The Warrior of the Monkey smiled and return the wave. Zatanna then sent, [We should also make sure to contact the League after this is all done. Both on Sportsmaster and maybe see if The 12 Kingdoms would be willing to open up.]

As Kid Flash gave Uuma a wave as he passed the towering strongman, he sent, [No offence Zee, but I don't think they will. Most of the Warriors don't like us, remember? The civilians seem nice but they're wiry of us.]

Artemis noticed some finches staring at her when she sent, [Their reasons are valid. And given how long they have been... Uh, I guess the right word would be 'Isolated from the world'... I'm agreeing with Kid Rush on the doubt part.]

M'gann floated by Ushii, who was still giving the Outsider a stern look. The Martian flew a little faster to get away from the Warrior of the Ox when she sent, [Well... Maybe Uncle J'onn can figure out why I can't feel any minds except the children's.]

Robin continued on his route when he sent, [Hm, that's interesting, but yeah, maybe Martian Manhunter can figure it out.] He paused as he glanced over his shoulder to get one last look at the Warrior of the Dog.

Dotsuku was still sitting against the door to the Temple. His ears twitched slightly, listening for any unusual noises.

Robin's lips pressed into a line, unsure of what to think, before he continued on his route. [I would feel better when we capture Sportsmaster,] the Boy Wonder sent the Team.

The rest of the Team sent in their agreements before M'gann sent, [I think we should try to do that before that Usagi guy gets ahold of Sportsmaster. I can't read his mind, but...?"

As Zatanna passed the Twins, she sent, [You think he's got something planned and we might not like it?]

Miss Martian glanced around when she sent, [Probably... The behaviours he's displayed so far are... Worrying and I don't think I want to know what he can do...]

Artemis clenched the strap of the borrowed quiver when she sent, [As much as I hate the old man... I want him in jail, not... Whatever Usagi has planned…]

[Whatever it might be,] Kid Flash sent before glancing back at the towering form of the Warrior of the Horse. The speedster couldn't help but be slightly amazed at the guy for being this tall without powers. He then sent in a more concerned tone, [I'm still not sure about the 'Tomodachi' thing...]

Robin glanced around when he sent, [Well, Tomodachi does mean Friend in Japanese, but I have no idea if it has the same translation here... Though given that he seems to be using it as a threat... ]

Kaldur narrowed his eyes when he sent, [Then I believe the phrase "prepare for the worst but hope for the best" is the appropriate thing to say in this situation. We shall do just that.] The rest of the team agreed to that before they continued on their patrol.

}{

Tsugiyoshi was sitting on his knees in front of the main Statue of a Rat in a watchful position with a purple crystal in a strange shape being held in its paws. In his lap was that handmade dog plush. He looked like he was either praying or meditating. Tsugiyoshi opened his eyes slightly before he hugged the plush to his chest and buried his nose in its head.

It was too quiet... And the Temple of the Rat is far too big for just the child...

Tsugiyoshi hugged the dog plush closer, somewhat curling around it. His eyes started stinging and his vision started getting blurry. Tsugiyoshi was quick to rub his eyes.

He couldn't cry! He is to be the Warrior of the Rat! The Warriors of The 12 Kingdoms were strong! The Warriors were chosen by the 12 Deities! To protect their home!

But they were adults... He was still a child...

Tsugiyoshi wrapped his arms around his dog plush and hugged it close. It was his only comfort inside the huge Temple. Tsugiyoshi's only company… His eyes suddenly darted to the right before he lunged to the left side of the statue.

Sportsmaster clicked his tongue in annoyance when he missed nabbing the child. He looked up at where the kid moved to see him glaring at him as he clenched the stuffed toy tight. Sportsmaster smirked under his hockey mask when he said, "Now, now. Let's not be that way." The villain took a step towards the kid when he said with his arms spread out in an attempt to appear friendly, "Come to Uncle Sportsmaster and make things easier."

Tsugiyoshi narrowed his eyes at the intruder, clutching his dog plush close, when he got out in an uneasy tone as he took a step back, "You are interfering in a sacred ritual! You'll get the wrath of the Rat Deity if you don't leave!"

Sportsmaster placed his knuckles on his hips as he let out a laugh before saying, "Like that'll happen. These things are just superstitious Mumbo Jumbo."

}{

Dotsuku's ears twitched before he opened his blue-on-black eyes with a narrowed look.

}{

Tsugiyoshi took another step back, clutching his dog plush even closer to his chest when he got out in a tone that hopefully made him sound brave, "The Deities have their ways of getting their point across."

Sportsmaster rolled his eyes before saying, "Yeah, whatever kid. Now hold still."

Tsugiyoshi gripped his plush as he stared down the Outsider while simultaneously avoiding him. Ducking behind pillars and statues to do so, not even missing a beat. 'If only I had a partner to help me,' Tsugiyoshi thought as he slid under a table, causing Sportsmaster to hit his head on the edge of the structure. The child smiled at the yelp of pain from the adult.

Sportsmaster was officially annoyed. He pulled a metal baseball bat out of his quiver and started smashing at the table. "Quit making this so difficult!" Sportsmaster snapped as he smashed the bat on the next closest section of the wooden table.

Tsugiyoshi didn't stop moving. Despite not having a partner of his own, he was keeping one step ahead of the villain. This, in turn, caused Sportsmaster to become more and more aggravated, which caused him to become more careless.

The villain kept running into pillars, furniture, and even the statues as the child weaved and jumped through them. 'Damn, kid!' Sportsmaster thought as he ran into yet another pillar. He growled as he looked around for his target.

Suddenly, a fist out of nowhere slammed right into Sportsmaster's hockey mask. The punch sent the villain flying backwards, dropping the baseball bat along the way. Sportsmaster shook his head as he rubbed it with his free hand before his eyes landed on the person who punched him.

Dotsuku let out a feral growl before he snarled, "Not only did you attack my child, you did it inside one of the Temples!"

Tsugiyoshi poked his head out of his hiding spot when he called out, "Dad!"

Dotsuku looked over at the grey-haired boy when he said, "Tsugi, alert the other Warriors, now!"

Tsugiyoshi nodded as he scurried off towards the main entrance.

Sportsmaster clicked his tongue when he got out, "Damn, I was hoping to snag the kid before you noticed..." He stood up as the hockey mask started cracking. Sportsmaster pulled a fencing sabre out of his weapon quiver when he said, "Oh well, I was getting bored waiting for this stupid Rite. A little exercise will do me some good before I take the kid."

Dotsuku growled again, showing off his razor-sharp teeth when he snarled out, "You chose the wrong Warrior to trifle with!" He then got into a fighting stance, his nails seemed to have sharpened.

Sportsmaster got into his own fighting stance when he thought, 'Shit! I need to make this quick if I want to get the kid before he gets reinforcements!'

Dotsuku bared his teeth when he growled out, "Dotsuku, Warrior of the Dog! Killing by bitting!" Sportsmaster could only raise a brow at the phrase before the other launched his attack.

~}I{~

To be continued.

~}I{~

Gale-Dragon: Worldbuilding is surprisingly fun. Now onto the next chapter for some fighting.

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