Episode: Insecurity
The episode 'Agendas has been skipped because, Agendas is SO important to Superboy
Wow we're near the end of season one huh?
Everything will be coming out soon I promise you that!
Still don't own anything!
Mount Justice
December 5, 17:04
Artemis zeta'd in, the computer announcing her arrival.
"Artemis…just in time look you agreed to join the Team!" Green Arrow said smiling as Roy looked at her.
"Finally!" Wally said grinning.
"Sure…the Team needed a 'real' archer." She said with faux pleasantness.
'Recognised Bleubell, B-04'
The zeta tube lit up again upon the arrival of the Team's youngest member.
She walked in, scratching her neck as she did.
"Blue." Roy said smiling as he did.
"Hey RA. Miss me already?" She asked.
"Hardly." He said but his small smile gave him away.
"Alright everyone listen up, since the Dynamic Duo is on a case in Gotham but Batman gave me a heads up." Green Arrow said as a picture of Sportsmaster lit up the computer screen. "….was spotted in coming through Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans."
"In full costume? Nervy." Zatanna commented.
"In street clothes, facial recognition software picked him up." He said as a new picture came off of a mask-less Sportsmaster and another Santa Priscan tall buff man wearing a white vest and dark jeans. A large black tattoo up his right arm, small names in swirling patterns, some names were crossed out.
Other drug traffickers called it the 'Hit List' when Ramiro wanted someone dead, he got their name tattooed on his arm and when he got to them, a line was crossed through it.
Blue knew 'Azul' was somewhere on that list.
As was Bleubell, because getting to Azul and getting to Bleubell were two very different things to Ramiro.
"Who's the other guy?" Wally asked.
"Ramiro Santiago. Trafficking king of Mexico, the top of South America and the south of the United States, in recent years he's been making a whole lot of noise and he's been tied to human experimentation with Cadmus and more….illegal labs. This guy is the primary maker and supplier of Psyche. He's not usually one for air travel." Green Arrow informed the Team and saw how Blue flinched and scratched the back of her left ear.
"Find out what they're up too."
"All of us? Seems like overkill for a shadow job." Superboy said.
"Then perhaps a smaller squad, Miss Martian's camouflage abilities seem ideal." Red Tornado suggested.
"Thought the sidekicks, sorry ex-sidekicks could suit up on this, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Bleubell and Red Arrow."
"So we're heading to Louisiana?" Blue asked grinning.
Green Arrow nodded. "I thought you'd like that. Home turf."
"My side of the bridge boys, y'all be following me!" Blue laughed.
The four in presence grinned at each other, Blue and Wally briefly fist-pounding.
He may not be Robin…but Kid Flash was a nice second.
Plus Red was on this squad.
So what if this was Ramiro?
She got her brothers backing her!
"Good, stakeouts make me crazy." Conner commented.
"We could use the night off." M'gann agreed.
"I want in. With M'gann and Robin out no one's logged more hours piloting the Bio-ship." Artemis said.
"Artemis, are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Robin sulks off ditching movie night with Batman and I get stuck locking in these death traps. You know how many times I've been thrown off these things? A lot." Blue said as Red Arrow helped her roll her bike and lock it in the back of the Bioship.
"Surely it can't be all bad." He told her before turning to help Kaldur.
"I'm guessing you didn't join the Team for comradely?" Kaldur said.
"There's a mole on your Team. And suspect number one is Artemis." Red Arrow told them.
"I don't know….I mean on Halloween during the girls night there were ridiculous amounts of opportunities for her to turn on us, let us die at the hands of Harm and make it look like she was the only survivor….but she didn't." Blue shrugged.
"Still, I'm keeping an eye on her." Roy promised
Orleans Parish,
December 5, 21:27.
They watched as Sportsmaster, accompanied by Ramiro get in a boat.
"Targets heading north pursue but at a safe distance and that goes double for you Artemis." Roy said into his com.
"And that goes double for you Artemis, Sportsmaster had been able to detect Martian Camouflage when in motion, Bleubell stay on the computers and track their speed and any changes in route they may take and leave the com link open, also establish links with Kid Flash and Aqualad." Red Arrow ordered.
"Don't tell me what to do." She told him smiling as she did.
"Are you doing it?" He asked.
"Yes, but that's not the point." She told him before tapping three buttons on the Bio-ship's keyboard. "Yo Aqualad, KF you reading me?" She asked.
"I can." Aqualad promised.
"Loud and clear Baby Blue!" Kid Flash said jokingly.
"Don't call me that, keep me posted and keep a visual, Bleubell out!" She said.
"He stopped." Blue said into the com after a few minutes.
"I see, hold your positions. I'm going in for a closer look." Red told them before the link was temporarily disconnected.
Artemis sighed and stood up.
"I'm going down there."
"Of course you are," Blue said standing up also.
"Blue..."
"Listen Artemis I don't give a shit what's your deal with Sportsmaster we're all allowed are secrets, we're the only girls on this squad you go against orders we both go against orders…..besides this is my state and we're in Illusion territory I'll do whatever the hell I want…so partners?" Blue asked holding out her hand.
Artemis smirked and they slapped hands. "Partners."
A latch opened and they both leapt down into the Louisiana bayou,
"You go left, I go right?" Artemis offered.
"I'm down, keep the com link yeah?"
She nodded and they separated.
Of course it had to them who'd end up getting in trouble, Artemis by Cheshire…
Blue by…
"You must be Bestia." She said in slow tones.
"And you're Azul; huh…you're the one they couldn't catch. Ramiro's greatest creation….well besides me."
"I'm a purebred you mutt. I didn't need to be 'genetically' grown with Cadmus."
He growled.
Bleubell – 1
Bestia- 0.
"I'd also like to refer to me as Ramiro's greatest fuck-up. After all look what became of me."
"There won't be anything left of you in a minute!"
He lunged she dodged, thus began a fight that slipped into the clearing where Artemis, Red Arrow and Cheshire were already going at it,
A punch connected to Blue's jaw and she tasted copper.
She responded by slamming her boot into the side of his head.
He threw her off him and half-way across the clearing.
Okay, wow…he really did have the rest of the 'family's' abilities.
That one was Amarillo's.
Strength, his stamina from Marron must have led him to killing Amarillo.
There was only three left now.
Three originals, Rojo wouldn't have fallen to this guy, the League of Shadows would never allow that. Blanco was fast, not Kid Flash fast but fast with an amazing ability to evade capture.
Bestia had Blanco's too.
But the guy had one thing that would be his downfall.
He had Nadia's DNA….and he didn't have Blue's.
The manipulator swung her head to the right avoiding a punch kicked him again in the stomach then took a left fist into the face, before a rush of dark red threw him away from the manipulator before heading over to Red Arrow, Artemis and Cheshire.
Blue spat blood.
'Man I wish Robin was here….I could really go for a whelming presence right now…'
Red Arrow got a tracer arrow on Sportsmaster and headed to his jet ski.
"You're abandoning!" Artemis shouted.
"I'm prioritising!" He yelled back.
"Well that's gotta sting." Cheshire said. "He makes the shot you were to scared to even try." This was directed at Artemis.
Blue stood up and out of the corner of her eye she saw Bestia make it to his feet, his 'Rosa' resilience' was really pissing her off now.
"Oh for fuck sake…" She cursed as the two collided again.
Bestia really had a thing for her face, slamming fists after fists into it and trying to scratch off her mask more then once.
"Bleubell, Artemis, Kid Flash…"
Blue grabbed his shirt and eyes flashed as she shoved him, Bestia colliding into the back of Cheshire as Kid Flash sped around them.
Cheshire didn't even stumble just kept throwing stars at the speeding Kid Flash.
"Leave him alone!" Artemis shouted the same time Bestia decided to shake it up a little bit…
By kicking Blue in the jaw instead of punching her.
"What is your deal with me face!" She snapped, this dude was gonna brake her jaw or claw her eyes out trying to get that mask off.
He smirked and said. "I just wanted to see how much you looked like mom."
She snarled, "Fuck, you…mutt."
They ended up 'losing' the two villains.
"Did you…?" Kid asked.
"On her sword." Artemis agreed.
"Strap on shirt, just under it he won't notice it…" Blue nodded.
"Great I knew you could…hey look there's the guys!" Kid said heading towards Aqualad and Red Arrow.
"On a scale to one to ten how bad will Robin freak when he sees my face?" Blue asked trying to be light hearted to Artemis as she spat more blood turning around to do so, not noticing Artemis shoot a tracer arrow on a passing train.
"Ten, what was up with that dude?" Artemis asked as Blue wiped her face around her mask, the places were Bestia scratched her came away with blood, paired with the numerous bruises he left on her and the split lip it seemed like Blue wouldn't be heading back into the Asilo for awhile.
Or look anyway decent for a long time.
"Maybe he didn't like masks."
"He was wearing one." Artemis said.
"Maybe Bestia didn't like me?" Blue said shrugging as they met with the boys.
"Cheshire's heading north."
"Like this mission…Sportsmaster was heading south." Roy said.
"Maybe he'll double back, maybe she will."
"Whatever either way they'll rondevu and we'll catch them!" Kid Flash said grinning.
"Sportsmaster was holding a case, we need to know what it contained."
"And Ramiro?" Blue asked rubbing her jaw.
"With him." Red Arrow told them. "Did you break your jaw?"
"Probably not, gonna hurt like hell though."
"If you had stayed on the Bio-Ship…"
"We saw Cheshire and Bestia sneaking up on him." Artemis said.
"Then you radio a warning!"
"And get us caught by Cheshire hacking our frequency? Because it can happen. Besides we don't even use com links anymore." Blue told him.
"It is true; we've come to rely on M'gann's telepathy over our radios." Aqualad agreed.
"So let's stop looking for someone to blame and let's start by looking for Cheshire and…"
"Bestia." Blue said.
"Yeah h- how do you know his name?" Kid Flash asked.
"Uh…My state?" She said scratching the back of her head.
"Here, you track her, since obviously I can't be trusted." Artemis tossed the tracker at Red Arrow who caught it.
"Artemis…." Kid Flash said.
"Its fine, I'll follow in the Bio-Ship or something, B you coming, we'll bandage you up or at least clean some of the scratches?" Artemis said over her shoulder.
"Uh…sure." Blue said following her.
"I'm not an idiot." Artemis said as they walked. "There's no way that being best friends with Robin you didn't catch me shoot that arrow onto the train and yet you didn't say anything."
"I have no idea what you're talking about Blue said as they entered the Bio-ship. "Now if you excuse me, I'm gonna clean these scratches." She entered the tiny bathroom at the back of the Bio-ship closing the door to Artemis who took the controls of the Bio-ship and headed south.
New Orleans,
December 5, 22:18
Artemis opened the skylight and the two heroines dropped down into the warehouse.
Two trackers landed by their feet.
"Pulled it off us after about a minute of you two putting it there. Thought you would want it back as it goes so well with the one Red Arrow gave you, Artemis." Cheshire and Bestia walked out of the shadows. "I see Bleubell hasn't got any! But then again…no one suspects innocent little Bleubell to have the…upbringing she did." Cheshire laughed her head inclining to the younger heroine before back to Artemis.
Bestia remained silent cracking his knuckles his eyes on Bleubell who was doing the same thing, not reacting to Cheshire but keeping a close watch on her 'brother.
"Someone on your Team doesn't trust you…"
"I trust her," Bleubell said standing slightly closer to Artemis who was slightly touched at how Blue stood by her and didn't question Artemis' connection to Cheshire as the archer didn't Blue's to Bestia.
"Well…some people aren't as naïve as you Little Bell…" Cheshire sang holding out a tablet and zooming the picture in.
Red Arrow.
About to be impaled by one of Sportsmaster's spears.
Artemis shot an explosive arrow at the door, alerting Red to Sportsmaster's presence.
And the fighting began.
Bestia and Blue collided once again, their battle drifting into the shadows.
She vaguely heard Kid Flash arrive but he was busy helping Artemis.
The fight continued until Blue hit what she first thought was a back, until a large, tattooed arm went around her neck.
"Hola….hija." His Psyche smelling breath whispered into her ear as the girl struggled pure panic seeping into her.
Ramiro.
Out of his pocket came a needle.
"With how much you've grown…this won't kill you….but it will hurt." He said in low Spanish before plunging the needle into her neck.
5 millimetres of pure, fresh Psyche.
A scream ripped through her throat and she vaguely saw a light blue powered energy, throwing Ramiro off her.
She dropped to the floor, shaking with the pain as the hellish thing ran through her veins, she was cold yet she was sweating.
It had been years since she'd felt it…
Really, really felt it, yes the burning off her arms months before had hurt but this was hell she was getting reacquainted with.
She banged a fist on the floor before trying to claw her way to her knees.
Receiving a kick to her stomach by Bestia before Aqualad's water bearers sent him flying.
Blue collapsed again, angry tears spilling her as the pain continued.
The mission failed, the villains getting away with their new creation by turning to ice and shattering.
Blue's eyes slowly closed as she lost the energy to keep them open and vaguely registered the feeling of strong arms picking her up as she body continued to shake from the drug, her mind clouding over focusing slowly on the pain.
Mount Justice,
December 6, 03:21.
Blue was being held up by Conner while also holding onto an IV as it cleansed her body of the drug.
Her skin was pale and she was exhausted, unable to stand up for Artemis as Roy laid into her over the mission and what had happened.
Her mask was off, a stark difference to the rest of her face her eyes were fine, compared to the bruises and scratches that lined where her mask had been.
"…I wonder why."
"Hey! Who found out that Sportsmaster was working for Brain, Klarion and Ivo?" Artemis yelled back.
"Yeah great intel! Except Ivo's been in Belle Reve the whole time! And the guard's just checked it's the real Ivo not a robot!"
"You know what I'm getting sick of you dumping on her!" Wally shouted as Roy held up a tracer.
"Her tracer so what? Cheshire ditched it!"
"No, Artemis ditched that!"
Kaldur held up another tracker. "She purposely sent us on a wild goose chase. A goose case that nearly got Blue killed."
So that's why she wasn't getting in trouble for going along with Artemis…
They thought her hellish few hours was punishment enough.
"Are you that freaked out over Roy joining the Team that you tried to bring down the bad guy solo?"
"Not…solo…" Bleubell croaked, she was tired and was fit too drop, her knuckles white from her grip on the IV. "Me…too…"
Kid looked at her as she coughed again, her hand coming away slightly red.
They all inwardly decided to deal with Blue when she wasn't you know... after going through hell.
They'd heard the screams.
"Please tell me I'm wrong!" Wally barked but Artemis looked down.
"Well, nice going. What you proved was you're insecure and selfish, keep the Sai." He threw the 'souvenir' on the ground before taking Artemis' tracer. "This is the right souvenir for the mission."
"So will how will you betray us next time?" Red Arrow shouted.
"Enough! If making a mistake was enough to betray us then we'd all be traitors. I have to report to Batman. The rest of you go to bed. Blue I don't want you training tomorrow."
They nodded and Conner helped Blue away.
Everything was going to hell…
Blue had felt it.
It still coursed through her veins...
Hey! Sorry I haven't updated in a while…my exams are coming up soon and well…
I suck at maths and study in general!
Hope you liked it!
Bestia's an asshole isn't he?
I liked writing the Blue/Artemis partner stuff! Ah friendship!