Ok, this is chapter SIX! Oh yeah I can't believe I made it this far!
Special thanks to those who reviewed, alerted, or well, everyone who has stuck with me, and this story for this far!
Ok, I have just read all the past chapters and found out how many—Well I found out I could do better…At least it's a sign I'm improving. I hope I can explain some stuff in the following chapters, and will look at the 'big plot' more. Oh and if the characters are a little OOC I'm deeply sorry for that:P
This is a disclaimer
On with the story!(I think it's getting old, what do you think?)
0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0 0`0`0`
"Okay, so we'll put you in groups of two to spar with. Wally with Artemis, Robin with Kaldur, Zatanna with Raquel, Red Robin with Black Bat, Batgirl with umm other Robin and Batgirl. Red Hood you spar with me." Canary finished, once they were all here together.
She was instructed to 'keep an eye' on Red Hood, so she put him to spar with her. The others were just at random. She wasn't sure about Batgirl and other 'Robin' though. Oh well, never mind now.
The Team took turns sparring on the mat, with Artemis, Robin, and Raquel winning. They would later be put into groups of those who win to spar together, and the one that won them all got dibs to shower first…Ah the pleasant hot water—while the others got extra training. A method suggested by Shayera.
Robin won every time.
Right now, it was Batgirl and 'Robin' to go on the mat, and the whole team was stretching their necks to see.
"I bet on Batgirl." Wally whispered to Raquel and Artemis, who, for once, agreed with him. She had seen the girl beat the punching bag to a 'bloody pulp', if it were a person.
"No, I think the other 'Robin' would stand a chance to win," Raquel whispered back, "I mean did you see him sparring with Red Robin?"
They continued arguing, though neither managed to convince the other, and neither came to a good enough conclusion. The others, though they had decided in their minds who would win, decided not to be vocal about their decision, just for the sake of it.
The fight ended with 'Robin' winning—he struggled a bit, though he would never admit it—Artemis swearing, Wally and Artemis paying fifteen bucks, and Raquel very, very, pleased.
Canary was quite impressed with 'Robin's' skill. It was as if he had trained all his life, though he didn't look any older than thirteen. He and Batgirl both needed a bit more training. It was obvious that Batgirl was new to the 'hero gig', compared to the others. And 'Robin' needed to improve on his methods.
His style was mixed, really, like two different trainings melded together, forming a rather confused fighting style.
Though Bruce's fighting style was prominent, it was clear he was trained somewhere else, by someone—or maybe some others, besides by Batman.
Canary took note of her musings and focused on the next two up on the map, Black Bat and Red Robin.
The girl who had been able to sneak up to her and the boy who hacked, well, somewhat, into the zeta beams that was Justice League property. This was gonna be an interesting fight.
Before they started, the Team performed their ritual betting, or arguing, more like.
"I bet on that Red Robin guy." Raquel stated first.
"Me too," Wally said, glancing at Artemis to place her bet.
Artemis however, held back. After a minute of consideration, she decided to place her bet on Black Bat.
This soon started another argument, and soon it turned out they both would pay her twenty if they were wrong.
Tim and Cass bowed to each other before they entered their fighting stances. Canary nodded, and soon they began sparring.
The Team watched in awe as they sparred, both were so graceful, it was almost like they were dancing—a slightly violent one but a dance nonetheless.
At last, the fight ended, with Black Bat winning. And to be honest, Tim himself had been expecting this outcome, and he knew he had only held out this long because he was used to her moves what with their sparring sessions that they did when they were bored.
Well it was either that or Cass had been holding out to him.
So, money was passed, swearing exchanged, and Artemis was smiling, counting her money.
Next, at last, was the fight between Red Hood and Canary.
The Team craned their necks, more eager than ever to see them spar.
"Canary."
"Canary for sure!"
"I bet him on the floor like Superboy when he sparred with Canary!" Wally cried, earning him a glare from said boy.
Canary bowed, and Red Hood did the same.
Soon they were in their fighting stances with Black Bat signaling them to start.
It started off with them circling each other, but soon progressed and it was hard to tell the winner—they were almost evenly matched.
The Team was getting restless—who would win? Who would have to pay? Who was stuck with Superboy the next time they played charades? (Don't ask—he stinks at it)
At last, when it seemed that there was going to be a draw, Canary managed to pin Jason down by hooking his leg when he raised to kick her, and twisting him to flip on the floor, and finally pinning him on the ground.
Canary dusted off her hands and held out her hand to help him up, but was promptly declined, and Jason stood up himself.
"Good fight," Canary started, facing Jason, then turned to address them all.
"Good job, all of you, and that concludes today's session as I have an important meeting to go to." Canary said, checking her watch.
"Yeah, with Green Arrow," Wally stage-whispered to Robin, who snickered in response.
Canary turned and pretended not to hear that, and leave it to Artemis to knock some manners into the young speedster.
Sure enough, she heard a smack and Artemis saying, "Watch it Kid Mouth, that's my mentor you're talking about." She smirked, and left. She could always count on Artemis.
0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`
Meanwhile, while in a deserted warehouse somewhere in Gotham(So cliché), Warp was with Joker, watching the hero's progress.
The Joker was cackling maniacally at the screens, watching with amusement as Batman and 'Batman' were breaking their necks trying to get to the end of this—What was the major motive behind this? Why were they sent to Earth-16? Is anyone else part of this major plan?
Warp closed his eyes and massaged his temples—one could only handle so much while dealing with the Joker. "Would you PLEASE cut the laughing DOWN, I need to WORK."
The Joker paused, while tilting his head, he leaned towards Warp, grinning maniacally.
"Does it involve sending those Joker Gas bombs to that WONDERFUL dimension where the little Bat-kids are?"
Warp glared at him silently reminding himself that his alliance with the Joker was only temporarily.
"Yes." He said through clenched teeth, willing the Joker to shut up.
"Good, because I don't think the League likes people like you to mess with the Joker Gas I sold them."
"You worked with the League?" Warp asked, though he already had his suspicions that the money that the Joker gave him came from somewhere else.
"Of course not, those people can't take a joke, besides, I only sold them the Joker Gas because they promised to make more people smile!" he said, as he laughed loudly, his laughter echoing off the walls.
Warp shook his head. Crazy, absolutely crazy, but what else is new? He should've expected it from working with a villain from Gotham.
"And, when I heard that they were going to send the Bats away to play, I had to hop on the ride!" He continued, slapping his lap, "Oh what a shock they had!"
Warp glared at him, silently cursing the League for making him work with the Joker, of all the derailed, crazy maniacs he just HAD to end up with HIM.
Sure he was important in this major trading event, I mean two dimensions, working together, and for once making an agreement. The Joker, of course had to be present, and along with the other Joker from the other dimension, and together they would set all the Joker-gas filled bombs off, creating utter chaos for the heroes, and major deaths. At this time, of course, since meta-beings were prohibited to even step foot in Gotham, Gotham would take a huge hit, and the League could take over yet another city, but not just any city—BATMAN's city.
Though the Birds of Prey would be on them in an instant, without Oracle they won't be as efficient. And Warp was sure that was what the League was counting for.
That was the back-up plan, take Oracle, leaving the Birds with no sure leader, though Dinah would try—but though it's not printed in paper, Oracle was the core to the Birds, the very reason that they're formed. They would be at the very least unorganized without her.
And what is the good side to the Earth-16 villains? Besides the fact that the League had formed another alliance with none other than their other dimensional self, they would gain a major advantage because not only does the other League have more resources, they would also gain info of the heroes identities, and being able to use it to their advantage by destroying them from their private lives.
It was a win-win situation.
But then again, the you're never sure with the Bat-family running around. They just might stop you, but oh well, that's what Warp is here for. He'll be the one that controls the portals, and release some…minor nuisances, like Harley. He'll make sure that their attentions are distracted for a while.
And then, at last, while working with the league, maybe he'll get the attention and respect he deserved.
0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0
While the villains plot, there are two bats that are on the case.
Dick Grayson never thought that he would be working side by side with Bruce again, in the Bat-suit.
Seriously, it's like Christmas or something.
But alas, there are more important things at hand than bonding time.
As they prowled across buildings, Dick started to strike conversation with his former mentor and father figure.
"So how did you know it was Joker who was behind this?" he started.
Bruce didn't reply, only taking something out from his utility belt.
Dick took it, and studied it. It was a Joker card. Of course, Joker's trademark calling card, which he set wherever he put his traps.
At first Dick didn't get it. But then, as he looked closer, he saw just the tiniest scratches on the cards, as well as slightly singed edges. That was weird. The Joker usually takes good care or his 'namesakes'. Also, there were some kind of dust on it, tiny specks, but they were anything but ordinary. They shimmered in the light, and Dick recalled his costume had the same strange kind of dust too, as he first came here.
"I already analysed the dust on it, and it is confirmed to a type of *alien dust, that sticks to your clothes once you time, or in your case, dimension travel. It is harmless mainly, but it will self-reproduce if left to open air too long."
Dick nodded. He figured just as much when he first found the dust on his suit.
"So are you saying that your Joker has had contact with beings from other dimensions?"
Bruce nodded once, and continued to jump from building to building.
"If my calculations are correct, this interaction is from a few days ago, five days, max."
"And to complete this 'interaction', he would need the help of Warp, one of the few known dimension travelling villains." Bruce continued, pausing from his usual prowl to survey the building.
"But what is their motive? Who are they communing with? And what do they seek to achieve by sending us here?" Dick questioned, landing beside Bruce in typical Bat manner—which is, of course, without a sound.
"I don't know, but we're about to find out." Bruce said, breaking into the abandoned building that the Joker was last seen in.
0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`
Well there you go! I'm sorry for the somewhat short chapter, but it's just a set up to the sequence of well, stuff, for lack of better word, that happens in the coming chapters.
I know it's a kinda crappy chapter, and it's probably because I stayed up late while typing it, but I'll try my best with the coming chapters.
I revealed the plan of the villains to you, to save further explanation and confusion, and for those who would like to see more of the Batfamily, I'd look forward to the coming chapters.
Thank you for reading, and I'll try to update soon,
Yours truly,
BINthere