End of Days
By
Angelina
Mount Justice: December 19, 2012
The sun was just beginning to peak above the horizon, illuminating Mount Justice in its cheery hues of orange, pink, red, and yellow. The sky was awash with vibrant colours, gaily welcoming in the morning. Clouds delicately dotted the landscape of the heavens as the sun's rays chased away the last of the darkness and the stars and moon began to slowly wink out, their nightly watch over the world done.
It was to this sight that Batman arrived outside of Mount Justice. He normally would have taken the zeta tubes to the mountain, but with the recent revelation that the world very well could come to a screeching halt, he had decided to enjoy a high speed drive through the awakening countryside of New England.
Approaching the entrance to the mountain, Batman paused for a minute to take in the beauty of the sunrise over the New England countryside. Such grandeur was rarely seen in the dismal, smog filled skies of Gotham. Silently, he mused as he watched the frost on the ground glisten in the new morning light. It was a good thing the sun didn't know the perils its world was in, Batman thought. For surely if it did, then it would not hope to shine so brightly and beautifully.
With a sigh, Batman slipped into his familiar mindset and entered the mountain. Walking briskly down the corridors, the sound of his heavy boots thumping against the floor echoed off the walls of rough-hewn stone and precipitated the air of foreboding that settled over the halls of Mount Justice. Reaching the main room, Batman wasted no time in hitting the signal button harboured in a small panel in the wall. He knew all members of Young Justice were currently sleeping in their assigned rooms in the mountain and as a loud klaxon started blaring to awaken the slumbering teens, Batman allowed himself a small smirk. Even if the world was in danger, he could still obtain pleasure from dragging teenagers out of bed first thing in the morning.
Tiredly the team members slunk in and assembled before the tall figure of Batman. Bags were apparent under Artemis' eyes as she strapped on the last of her equipment. Megan was still dressed in her night clothes, a furry, pink sleep mask resting on top of her tousled red hair. Conner emerged next, a scowl on his face and his shirt missing, again. Kaldur trudged in, rubbing the crick out his sore neck. The last to arrive were Robin and Wally, the acrobat having to drag the half-asleep Wally into the room. Wally, however, hadn't even bothered to change out of his Buzz Light-year pajamas and was grumbling under his breath about sadistic bats and their no-good early mornings. Robin was already in uniform and way too alert for the time of morning it was. He poked Wally in the ribs and made a joke about missing breakfast that had the red-head glaring at him with the ferocity of a mother bear whose favourite cub had been threatened.
However any mirth concealed in the hidden eyes of Robin disappeared when they made contact with Batman's masked ones. The reminder of the peril currently faced was held in the glance that passed between the two and the rest of the teens became alert as an ominous cloud settled upon the mountain.
Batman cleared his throat as the Young Justice team looked at him expectantly, "Intel indicates that Poison Ivy is up to something in the English Channel concerning the growth of Mandragora. I'm sending the team to figure out what she's up to."
"Mandrakes?" asked Robin with furrowed brows. "What would she be doing with Mandrakes?"
"You know of the plant?" asked Batman.
Robin nodded, "yeah, they're part of gypsy superstitions concerning luck and love. They are believed to protect your household from ill lick and demons, purify a demon possessed individual, cure infertility, attract love, and they are said to make a relationship more passionate. They are often used in love potions of several different mystical belief systems. In reality, the Mandrake is a narcotic and hallucinogenic, probably why it's widely used in potions. Also, they can be used as a local anesthetic and were even used in ancient surgery. The first historical reference to the medicinal properties of Mandragora was noted by Josephus in the first century AD."
The team regarded their youngest with surprise. His knowledge never ceased to amaze them.
Robin shrugged, "The things you learn from books." He was well used to disguising his past now and the little slips he made here and there were never picked up on.
Batman inclined his head slightly at his partner who gave him an apologetic smile for the interruption. "You move out in fifteen minutes. Report back when you land at the coordinates Robin will provide you with and again after your mission. This is not strictly a surveillance mission, but you should not engage Poison Ivy unless an ideal circumstance presents itself, understood?"
The team all nodded in agreement and Batman swept towards the computer panel that controlled the zeta tubes, his cape billowing behind him. No one noticed Robin disappear from their midst as they set out to make final preparations and eat breakfast.
Batman was almost through with activating the zeta tubes when a voice from behind him interrupted his actions.
"Why are you sending us on a side mission? Wouldn't it be better for us to help the League?" Robin's voice was low and held a conspiratorial edge.
Batman sighed, "the Founders are only bringing in a few members in the League that can help us with this, when we've decided on a course of action, we'll tell the rest of the League."
Robin's masked eyes glinted in anger, "you mean you need the children out of the way while the adults work?"
Why did the boy have to be stubborn? Batman wondered to himself. Why couldn't Dick take simple directions without questioning his motives? Batman sighed again, "There isn't anything you can do right now, Robin, and the mission does need to be done. In all likelihood, we will have stopped the comet come tomorrow's light. Your time is much better suited committed to the team than it is wasting time away in the Watchtower with nothing to do. Plus, if by some unlikelihood we do fail, this will give you time with your friends."
Robin looked up as Batman place a hand on his shoulder, "did it ever occur to you that I might want to spend time with you?"
Batman managed to contain his surprised expression at his partner's statement. But Batman knew that he didn't want Robin dealing with the peril the world faced, not yet at least. "Just, go with your team…"
Robin raised an inquiring eyebrow, "But-"
"No buts, you will do as I have told you," ordered Batman.
With a sigh of his own, Robin consented. Batman usually knew what he was doing and Robin would not question that knowledge when he had been given an order, at least not yet.
Batman left without another word, but he did allow one reassuring glance to pass over his shoulder to where his partner stood. They were in this together, of that Batman was sure.
Robin watched his mentor depart with apprehension. He really didn't like the idea of getting sent on a side mission while the League's current actions were determining the continuation of life on Earth. Though when he stopped to think about it, this was a fairly normal occurrence when it came to the Justice League.
The turmoil of Robin's thoughts was interrupted by the noisy entrance of a certain speedster who was trying to talk and chomp on a jelly doughnut at the same time. "Doo ya thunk Baman wa ser's aboot n't eng'ing Poosoon Eevi?"
Robin raised an eyebrow at his friend, "try that again without your mouth full of that sugary atrocity."
Wally glared at him, but swallowed his breakfast nonetheless. "What do you mean 'atrocity?' I'll have you know this is an essential part of a nutritional breakfast."
"The fact that you can even call that a 'nutritional breakfast' just proves that an ape has more intelligence than you," the snarky voice of Artemis cut in before Robin could answer Wally's question.
"I agree with Artemis. Whatever the nature of that confectionary sweet is, Wally, I doubt it is of any conceivable healthy nature." Wally scowled as Kaldur joined in the debate against his doughnut.
"I enjoy the sweet pastry with the hole in it," Megan offered with a bright smile.
"Thank you, beautiful, and it's called a doughnut," Wally smiled back at the cheery Martian.
Robin sighed; this was going nowhere fast, "If you guys are done with the inquisition on Wally's breakfast, we have a mission."
The other teens looked up as Robin strode out of the room for the hangar. They quickly followed. Once aboard Megan's bio-ship and properly strapped into their respective seats, they took off for the coordinates Robin pulled up on his wrist-computer. They all wondered what on earth Poison Ivy could be up to growing mandrakes a mile off the coast of Britain in the middle of the English Channel. But they had to content themselves with waiting to find out.
Angelina: Originally, I wasn't going to include the part about the Mandrake, considering this is a disaster fic, but meh, side plots are fun.
Arthur: And they take away from the general atmosphere that you're trying to accomplish here.
Angelina: Hey, I have a plan for this, thank you very much Arthur! The disaster part will factor back in during the mission, I promises. Plus, this gives me a chance to add more tooth-rotting fluff.
Arthur: Dick on a side adventure that will probably end up in his injury, yes, very original.
Angelina: Why is it always an argument with you? I promise this has a purpose!
Arthur: I'm in your head, I see what you're thinking.
Angelina: Oh yeah, well what am I thinking now!?
Arthur: I would be scared but I'd like to point out that you bloody well can't hurt me considering A) I only exist in your mind and any attempts to cause bodily harm to me would only harm what little brain you have left. B) I'm your muse, you can't get rid of me. And lastly, C) Without me, you lose your sense of humour.
Angelina: Oh yeah. Well I guess this is the time where we make up?
Arthur: If you're assuming I'm going to apologize for being me, you're sadly mistaken.
Angelina: On a side note, we voted for the first time in the Presidential election! Very exciting.
Arthur: You mean you voted, I'm still in favour of reinstating the British monarchy in your dismal American states.
Angelia: Arthur! Don't talk about my country like that!