AN: IMPORTANT! First off, I'm really sorry guys. My ambition and inspiration for this story decided to run off together and go on an extended vacation without telling me. Without any new YJ episodes it was really hard to coax them back. However, re-watching some of the old episodes and reading your comments finally got them to come back. Now, on to the important stuff. I've just about finished my own original work and I'm getting ready to start sending out inquiry letters to get it published. I was wondering if it would be all right with you guys if I used some of your comments and reviews in my inquiry letter. If you'd rather I didn't I completely understand, just let me know in a review or shoot me a PM. Now, what you've all been waiting for, on to chapter nine!
Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or any of its characters.
Having to get up early on a Sunday morning to go to a boring meeting left Artemis less than enthused. Wally had ended up having to come get her up and do her hair for her while she tried to get herself to wake up. She had made it maybe two blocks before she stopped and decided that she didn't need to go to the stupid meeting anyway. Wally rolled his eyes and shook his head at her, smiling the entire time, before crouching down and letting her climb on his back.
"You're getting way too used to this you know," Wally chuckled. "I'm beginning to think this is the only reason you hang out with me."
"Well, you do make a good pillow," Artemis replied against his neck before she nuzzled in further to block out the light. "So yeah, that is why I keep you around."
"I could just drop you, you know?" Wally stated idly. "Wouldn't be that hard; I'd only have to let go and you'd be down on concrete before you know it."
"You wouldn't dare," Artemis said matter-of-factly. "You know I'd beat you six ways from Sunday if you did. Now shut up, I'm tired and pillows aren't supposed to talk."
"They aren't supposed to walk either," Wally retorted with a chuckle. "And yet here we are. But I get the point, get some more beauty rest princess, you need it."
Artemis only responded by lifting one lazy hand and smacking Wally upside the head before mumbling another tired and slightly grouchy "Shut up."
The two friends met up with the rest of the Young Justice team just outside the gates to Gotham Academy and followed them wordlessly to the hidden transporter that would take them back to Mount Justice. The journey wasn't long, though it was rather quiet as the teens (minus Artemis who was, by this point, sound asleep on Wally's back) were still trying to wake up from the late night they had the night before. They made it to the transporter and stepped through, instantly crossing states to end up at their headquarters.
As it turned out, the team ended up at Mount Justice a good twenty minutes before the mentors even bothered to show up. The wait led to a still slightly groggy Artemis to begin cussing them out under her breath which in turn just pulled her further and further into angry annoyance as the minutes continued to tick by. Wally did his best to remain the calmer of the two, it wouldn't be a good idea for both of them to get pissed and continually feed of each other's anger, but as the minute hand of the wall clock progressed steadily around the circular surface and the older heroes had yet to show up he found his own face forming into a dark scowl as he glared heatedly at the doors to the conference room the rest of the team had shuffled them into. He looked down at one point and mildly noted that his foot had begun tapping so fast it was becoming a red and white sneakered blur.
"You can move, I'll give you that kid," a voice suddenly said right behind him. "You're moving your foot quickly anyway, I suppose that suggests some sort of fine-tuned control."
Wally rocketed to his feet and spun around only to come face-to-face with the Flash. He only just managed to keep himself from falling backwards into the table and exclaiming loudly at the sudden intrusion into his space without his notice. "Uh, thanks?" he said at last after taking a short moment to compose himself. The soft whooshing of the door had him diverting his attention from the red suited hero in time to see Batman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary and Red Tornado walk in.
"You're late," Artemis groused as she rose to stand next to Wally. She glared accusingly at each hero in turn.
"That would be my fault," Green Arrow admitted jovially, though somewhat sheepishly. "Had a small problem to deal with in Star City this morning, I'm afraid. Unfortunately, it's become slightly more difficult to stop these criminals without a sidekick these days."
Wally idly noticed the other teens at the table exchanged slightly pained looks at the mention of Green Arrow's former sidekick before the expression was carefully schooled from their faces. Curious, he resolved to corner them about it later and find out what had happened. In them mean time, there were apparently glaringly obvious problems that needed to be addressed. "Artemis and I aren't sidekicks," he said aloud. "She and I are only doing this because they aren't either," he added with a jerk of his thumb towards the other teens. "This team they've got going more than proves that and we're simply making sure you can't break it up." He eyed each of the adults in the room carefully before continuing. "That said, Artemis and I still have our own duties to get to each night."
Artemis grinned wickedly when she saw the confused looks that passed between the adult heroes. "Bats didn't tell you?" she asked almost gleefully. "Wally and I are on the team, sure, but that doesn't mean that what we were doing before is suddenly going to stop. Whoever is 'mentoring' us," she said, putting air quotes around the word, "gets one night a week of our help in their city."
"Either a Tuesday or a Wednesday," Wally added before anyone else could say anything else.
"We may need more time than that," Green Arrow began carefully, a hesitant smile on his lips. "At least two days a week. One day to work with you on the streets and one day to train you how to use your abilities."
"I was under the impression that training was Black Canary's job," Wally replied, pointing to the woman in question. "And apparently she does that every weekend unless we've been deployed on a mission. Besides," he added with a dismissive shrug. "Artemis and I are already trained. I doubt you have any more to teach us that we don't already know."
"So you're telling me you've already mastered your powers?" the Flash asked skeptically. "I know things you don't, kid. Stuff you need to learn if you're going to be a part of this team."
"I've been learning pretty well on my own," Wally challenged. "It's really all a matter of figuring out the physics of how my abilities work and applying them. Even an idiot can figure it out, obviously," he added with a smirk at the Flash.
The Flash looked annoyed and then mildly impressed for a moment before he sighed and shook his head. "That may be so kid, but that doesn't mean that the rules are just going to change. You two are underage supers and you need a mentor if you're going to be in the Justice League."
Artemis opened her mouth the throw back an angry retort before Green Arrow cut her off. "However," he interjected. "We do still recognize that the two of you have other, established obligations as well. Perhaps we can take you on the streets with us one night a week and then we'll see if we can take time from Black Canary's training to work with you individually on the weekends. That is, if you do not have any issues with that," he added to the woman in black.
"We'll see," Black Canary replied. "I'd like to see what they can do before I'll let them cut early from combat training. If they're not at least up to par then I'm not letting you take them."
"Fair enough," Green Arrow nodded. "We'll wait for your assessment and work out a schedule from there."
"We can get that done now, if you'd like," Black Canary answered before turning to Wally and Artemis. "Well? How about it you two?" she asked with a slight smirk on her face. "Feel up to me wiping the floor with you?"
"Well, I suppose you could get that lucky," Artemis replied with a cocky smirk of her own placed firmly on her face. "I seriously doubt it, but I suppose I'm willing to let you try."
Black Canary eyed Artemis for a moment, eyebrow raised and arms crossed over her chest, before she turned to Wally. "Well?" she demanded. "What about you? Think you can take me to?"
"We'll just have to see I guess," Wally answered with an unconcerned shrug. "I'm no pushover, if that's what you're thinking, and I won't pull any of my punches just cause you're female."
"Good answer," Black Canary nodded approvingly. "Well, let's get this over with kiddos," she added as she turned her back on them and walked away. "Follow me and we'll see who can best who."
Artemis looked over to Wally and rolled her eyes as she made a quick gesture in the direction Black Canary had gone. Wally simply shook his head and offered her a small smile before he shrugged his shoulders once again. Artemis smiled wryly at him in return. With one last shake of her head, Artemis turned on her heel and followed after the older woman.
The two teens trailed after the woman in black through the hallways hollowed out and cut through the mountain base. Though the floor was polished and worn smooth by years of use, the walls remained hard rough stone; jagged edges jutting out to scrape and cut should anyone get too close. They finally stopped in a large cavern, lights hanging high overhead, and a large lit white circle glowing in the center of the floor.
"This is the training room," Black Canary announced. "We spare over there," she added, pointing to the large white circle. "It's electronic and will register a fail for the person that hits the floor. Now, who's first?"
Artemis stepped forward immediately, leaving Wally to watch from the sidelines. "So, what are you guys doing here?" he asked as the other four teens on the team slipped up next to him. "I thought this was just a test for Artemis and me."
"Oh, it is," Dick confirmed. "It's just that none of us have ever beaten her ourselves; we usually get our asses handed to us," he added with a snort. "We have a vested interest in seeing how this all turns out. I assume they're just here to see how well you do, or don't do as the case may be," he finished as he waved vaguely towards the adult heroes across the cavern.
"Mmm," Wally hummed in response as he watched the match between his best friend and the older female unfolded.
Artemis hung back for a moment, her stance low to the ground as she watched the older woman carefully. Though she had put on a confident front earlier, she began to reevaluate her earlier opinion. Black Canary moved with a sense of awareness and surety as she and Artemis circled each other.
Black Canary watched the younger girl in return with eyes that seemed to take in every tiny movement and immediately file it away, processing all the information in an attempt to figure her younger opponent out.
When Artemis had finally grown tired of waiting and watching she sprang forward, launching herself into a sweeping kick, hoping to off balance the older woman. Instead, Black Canary leapt over her legs and landed in a front handspring to put more distance between Artemis and herself. She suddenly rushed back in with a high kick to Artemis' head that the younger girl managed to block. She quickly ducked below the kick, catching Black Canary's leg on her shoulder and locking it in place with her hands around the older woman's ankle. Artemis paused long enough to smirk at Black Canary's slightly shocked and impressed expression before shifting her weight and twisting to throw the other woman. She hadn't been expecting Black Canary to roll with the throw and bring her other leg up in a kick to her side. Artemis managed to cobble together a hasty block, but in her haste she was left unprepared and only succeeded in causing her to stumble to the side from the force of the kick.
Black Canary quickly took advantage of the situation and swept Artemis' own legs out from beneath her. Artemis felt herself falling and only just managed to twist and get her hands beneath her, effectively stopping her fall just short of landing bodily on the circle of light. She'd managed to stop herself from failing, but she knew it was only a momentary reprieve. She had left herself in a compromising position and wouldn't be able to get out of it fast enough.
"Not bad, not bad," Black Canary commented from above her. "You are very well trained, I'll admit, but a little more work couldn't hurt you." Without any warning she kicked Artemis' hands out from below her, sending her crashing to the floor.
A loud "Artemis; Fail" sounded around the room as the girl sprung to her feet and glared at the older woman. "A lucky break," she growled before she stalked off the platform and marched over to Wally. She pressed her hand firmly to the side Black Canary had kicked and gave her best friend a pointed look. "She kicks hard," she told him simply.
Wally looked over to the blonde girl next to him. "You all right?" he asked her, his lips pulled into a frown.
"Fine," Artemis nodded in reply, though she knew Wally didn't believe her. "Just get over there and get your own assed whipped then we can bandage each other up, like usual."
"Sure thing," Wally chuckled as he made his way to the platform. He stopped at the edge and shot her a brief smile before stepping up onto the lit circle, all traces of humor cleared from his face.
"Well, let's see what you've got then," Black Canary told him once Wally was standing before her. "I'll warn you now, just because you can speed around this room doesn't mean you have any advantage over me."
"I don't usually use my powers when I'm sparring," Wally replied with an unconcerned shrug, though he threw a smirk over his shoulder when he heard Artemis scoff loudly at him. "Well, you're the exception to that rule cause you're just special," he teased her.
"And yet I still manage to win," Artemis returned without missing a beat.
"You two can settle this between yourselves later," Black Canary interjected. "Right now I need to evaluate Zippy here to see if he's any good."
Wally's own match with the older woman didn't last much longer than Artemis' had. He had managed to get in a few good hit of his own, he even put Black Canary on the defensive at one point, but in the end he was subjected to being slammed to the floor after being flipped over the older hero's shoulder.
"You were doing well," she told him as he lay on the floor trying to get air back into his lungs. "At least, right up until you came at me from behind, not a smart move that."
"Whatever," Wally managed to breathe out as he hauled himself to his feet and limped over to Artemis. Early on in the match Black Canary had cornered him and twisted his ankle, effectively taking his speed out of the match. Though it hadn't bothered him much when the adrenaline was coursing through his system, the pain came back with a vengeance now that he was coming down off of that battle high.
"I'm going to hazard a couple of guesses here," Black Canary continued as she eyed the two teens. "You usually spare together, right? And you were trained by the same person."
"Maybe," Artemis replied as she slung Wally's arm about her shoulders in an attempt to take more weight off of his ankle. "What is that to you?"
"Nothing," Black Canary replied with a slight shake of her head. "It just shows. You both have practically the same fighting style, which probably accounts for a good portion of your practically flawless teamwork."
"So?" Green Arrow asked as he, Batman and the Flash walked over. "What is you're assessment?"
Black Canary remained silent for a moment, just watching the two teenagers regard her with coolly dispassionate eyes. "They're good," she said at last. "Very good actually; very well trained. There are a few spots that need to be touched up. Wally, for one, needs to keep his guard up so as not to let his abilities be disabled so early on, but I suspect that has more to do with how long he's had his powers rather than his training. Artemis needs a little more work on not allowing her confidence to blind her to her surroundings, but that's easy enough to fix. All in all, I'd say as long as you give me at least four hours on Saturdays and Sundays with them, you can have them when you need them over the weekends."
"Good to know," Green Arrow nodded his approval. "That just leaves what day to work with you during the week."
"I'll take the kid with me on Tuesdays," the Flash spoke up. "I could use the extra help in Central City."
"Hmm, I think Wednesdays would be better over in Star City," Green Arrow added.
"Wait a minute!" Artemis exploded. "Don't we get a say in this? You'll be splitting us up for two nights a week!"
"You work well as a team," Batman spoke up for the first time that day. "No one is denying that. But you need to learn to work independently as well and that can't happen if the two of you are constantly joined at the hip. You're on a larger team now and you'll need to readjust and find new places in it."
"What are you getting at?" Artemis hissed. "If you're trying to split us up, it isn't going to work. We've been together since second grade and that's not going to change just because some nosy vigilante says otherwise."
"Let's get one thing straight here," Wally said lowly, a dangerous hint to his voice. "We'll do the missions, we'll work with the team and who knows, we might even become better friends with the rest of them, but that doesn't change anything between Artemis and me. She comes first and foremost in my mind and she always will. If it ever comes down to it, and the team is in danger, she will always be the first person I will save, no matter what. There's a reason our teamwork is so flawless and you'd be an idiot to split us up."
"And the feeling is entirely mutual," Artemis growled even as she carefully readjusted Wally's arm across her shoulders. "We're 'joined at the hip', as you put it, and it's going to stay that way, whether you like it or not. Now if you'll excuse us, we've got wounds to bandage up." Without another glance back the pair helped each other through the electronic doors and to the medical bay to tend to wounds and to clean out cuts. The other four members of the Young Justice team watched after them for a quiet moment before they filed quickly from the room to offer whatever help they could.
"Well, that went over well," the Flash said sarcastically as he moved to stand next to Batman. "They're in this together for the long haul man, so I'd suggest you just accept that and revamp whatever plans you had."
"And what makes you think I wanted to split them apart in the first place?" Batman questioned.
"You told them to learn to work separately and to find new places in the team," Aquaman pointed out. "That sounds very much like you were trying to pry them apart."
"They need to learn to work more effectively as solo agents and as members of a larger team," Batman returned. "So far, they've never been apart and all of their strategies rely heavily on being able to work together. That won't always work in this team and the sooner they learn that and adjust accordingly, the better."
"So you're not trying to split them up?" Black Canary asked.
"Of course not, they'd make a very effective covert ops team," Batman answered. "But despite what they believe now, they won't always have each other at their backs. It's time they learned that," he added with a note of finality before the Dark Knight walked out of the room.
Wally and Artemis managed to drag each other along to the medical bay and immediately went about bandaging each other up. Artemis helped her red-headed best friend onto the small medical bed before wobbling over to grab an icepack from the mini-fridge near the medicine cabinet.
"Here, put this on your ankle," Artemis commanded as she walked back over to Wally and handed him the frozen pack. She took a seat next to him on the small, uncomfortable bed and pressed a hand firmly to her side. She hissed out a sharp breath and winced slightly at the contact.
Wally looked over to the blonde girl next to him and frowned. "How bad?" he asked simply even as he wrapped the icepack to his throbbing ankle with long strips of gauze.
"Not sure," Artemis replied even as she poked around her wounded side before hissing once again. "I don't think anything is broken at least."
Wally's frown deepened and he turned himself on the bed to give Artemis his full attention. "All right, shirt off. Let's take a look," he commanded with a quick gesture of his hand.
Artemis nodded once and began to pull her dark green t-shirt over her head. She couldn't stop herself from wincing and growling the entire way as the movement pulled at her side, but she finally managed to get the thin material off.
"It's bruised," Wally said at last after he had bent closer to her side to get a better look. "And I mean really bruised. I'm honestly surprised you didn't notice it until now."
Artemis shrugged her shoulder on her uninjured side. "You didn't notice your ankle until you were done with your fight," she pointed out. "Pain is just something we've learned to tolerate and ignore until we're at the point we can fix it."
"True," Wally replied as he sat back, a crooked and wry smile on his lips. "So what are we going to do?"
Artemis didn't even have to ask what he had meant. "We don't have much of a choice," she admitted grudgingly. "For now, I guess we'll just have to deal with it. You'll be in Central City on Tuesday nights and I'll be in Star City on Wednesdays."
"I don't like it," Wally scowled. "But I'm not seeing any other options."
"Neither am I," Artemis replied. "Just promise me you'll call or text every night you get back and if I don't answer then come over and wake me up so I know you're all right," she added solemnly.
"Only if you promise the same," Wally responded, holding his hand out.
"Forever and always," Artemis promised as she took his hand.
"Forever and always," Wally echoed back.
"Uh, if you two are done in there, Bats is looking for us," Dick interrupted from the doorway. He raised a hand to stop the two teens from getting up before pointing to something on the bed. "You, uh, might want to put your shirt back on though Artemis."
The girl in question looked behind her to the small lump of green fabric and down to her deeply purple side and frowned slightly. A small, amused and yet exasperated sigh from Wally was all the warning she had before she found her shirt being dragged over her head and her arms being carefully led through her sleeves.
"Thanks," Artemis said with a small smile to the red head.
"Anytime," Wally replied with a smile of his own and an unconcerned shrug. "If you'd like to return the favor, you can be my own, personal, walking and talking crutch till my ankle is done healing," he added with a wide grin.
"I should have known it would be something like that," Artemis teased with a laugh. "Yeah, all right; sling your arm over and let's go find out what Bats needs us for."
Dick watched the whole exchange from the doorway and smiled to himself. If Batman thought forcing them to work apart would break them apart then he was in for a very rude awakening. "We need to get to the mission briefing room," he said out loud when the two friends appeared ready to leave the medical bay. "It's not that far of a walk, if you follow me."
Artemis wrapped an arm around Wally's waist and braced herself as much of his weight was suddenly shifted onto her. "Lead the way, Bird Boy, we're right behind you."
Dick raised an eyebrow at the nickname, but otherwise did not comment. Instead, he turned from the room and started off down the hallways.
In truth, the mission briefing room wasn't terribly far from the medical bay, but with both Artemis and Wally moving slightly slower than normal it took a little longer to get there. By the time they walked through the electronic doors they found the entire team already there, along with all of the adult heroes present in the base. Black Canary shot both teens an apologetic smile and the pair simply shrugged it off in return. They were firm believers that if you didn't get at least a little banged up in a match than it was obvious that you weren't trying hard enough.
"You're all here," Batman began once the teens had taken their seats. "This mission won't officially begin until next weekend, but as you'll be leaving the country I thought I'd give you a heads up so you can get yourselves prepared. You'll be heading into the jungles and back water areas of South America on this one. We've had reports strange and violent gang activity in the area that doesn't add up with the League. There are reports of sudden, violent outbursts between gangs that had once had long standing peace agreements. We've also managed to pick up reports of what sounds like the use of super powers in these gang fights. Most, if not all, of these fights also seem to break out among the younger generation in these gangs; the teenagers. We're sending you down there on recon and infiltration. Your job is to find out what is causing this and, if possible, get in and shut it down. If it does turn out to be linked back to your previous mission in the club than bring back any information you can. That is all. When you report on Friday night for your flight out you will be further debriefed and given more details. Until then, rest up and be ready to move out." With only a slight nod in their direction, Batman turned and left the room, the older heroes following after him.
"You know, I think that's the most I've ever heard him say," Artemis said thoughtfully. "I didn't know Bats was capable of saying that much in one sitting."
"Careful," Wally warned playfully. "You might just jinx us and next mission we get we'll be flying in blind because Batman has reached his monthly quota on how many words he can say."
"Come on," Dick said with a roll of his eyes as he stood. "It's not that bad, now let's get back to Gotham Academy. I don't know about the rest of you, but I still have homework I've been studiously neglecting to do."
The other five teens made small noises of agreement and the six of them made their way back to the teleporters. It wasn't long before they were back in Gotham, each seated in various places in M'Gann's and Artemis' dorm, all working on weekend assignments they had been allowing themselves to put off until the last minute.
AN2: Once again, my apologies for being so very late with this chapter. Hopefully, with new episodes (finally!) coming out I can manage to rope my ambition and inspiration for this back completely. On another note, I finally have a job that keeps me fairly busy during the week. My plan is to update this story every other weekend from now on, alternating with my Inuyasha story so I'm updating every weekend. That should be it for this note, I think. Please don't forget to leave a review! I love hearing what you think of this and where you think this story will go