Chapter 15
Chapter 15! Wahoo! Haha, last chapter was a bit filler-like but hey every story has them right? Anyway to LuckyReader2000 I love it when people try to guess the future of my stories, I don't really know how to explain how it makes me feel but it's a good feeling, so by all means tell me what you think is going to happen. n_n as for the story itself I like creating villains because the way I write I make you wonder if they're actually in the right in their actions. It's a twisted way of writing I know but that's how I am. Take Mariko's past for example, reading it makes you wonder if she's not right to do what she does am I right? I'll let you decide on that. ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!
Yukie barked as she ran down the streets, Mariko rolling on her skates behind her. Mariko laughed, it had been a long time since she got to walk a dog. Since the last dog she had her father killed, then again that wasn't really her dog—Mariko shook her head trying to forget the memory.
"Yukie, sit girl." She called, Yukie barked, and slowed to a stop. Mariko sighed, "Say Yukie-girl you have any idea how I can find a guy like him."
Yukie whimpered in response as Mariko sighed; other than setting fire to a building there wasn't really much she could do to draw attention to herself, and even that might not get the right hero's response. Mariko grumled.
"Ugh, frustration…" She mumbled and began walking down the street when she ran into someone, and falling to the ground.
"Oh, what a pain." She grunted then glared at the person she had run into. It was a young boy with short hair wearing a Gotham Academy uniform. Mariko growled.
"Hey watch where you're going punk." She hissed, the boy looked up and went wide eyed.
"Mariko..?" He mumbled. Mariko frowned.
"How you know my name?" she asked, Yukie began to growl as the boy stood up and offered her his hand.
"Dick Grayson, from Gotham Academy?" he asked, Mariko stood, looking him over, "What happened to you?"
"I was arrested," She mumbled tactlessly, trying to figure out if she bothered to remember this particular person, "Yaknow something about you does look familiar."
~0~
Dick froze, there was no way Mariko could recognize him here could she? He never really interacted with her as Dick Grayson, other than to welcome her to Gotham Academy—that was when he thought she was just a normal girl however. Mariko then smiled.
"You wouldn't happen to be one of the kids I tasered would ya?" she asked. Dick sighed.
'She's really blunt about that isn't she?' he thought then shook his head.
"No? Oh well never mind." Mariko said, "Is there something you wanted? Cause I'm busy."
"Uh you bumped into me." He said, Yukie growled at him. Dick then recognized the dog to be Tony's, "Isn't that Tony's dog?"
Mariko frowned, "So what if she is? I'm not allowed to walk a friend's dog? Yaknow there's something else about you that bothers me."
Dick back tracked, trying to figure out something to say to throw her off his scent when suddenly Mariko's expression changed.
"I know you were part of that weird welcoming committee from the Academy!" She shouted then frowned and walked off, "Go away now."
"Ah wait, what are you doing?" Dick said, figuring he would at least see if she was up to no good—which she more than likely was—and if possible stop her. Mariko spun around.
"I should warn you the last person who followed me became my personal assistant." She said, she must have been talking about Tony. Yukie continued to growl, "Yukie, why are you growling like that?"
Yukie then lunged at Dick barking and growling like a rabid dog. Mariko grabbed hold of her leash, to keep her from attacking the Academy student. She then frowned.
"Who are you?" she asked looking him in the eyes. Then there was a sudden snap of electricity as Dick began to lose the use of his limbs and dropped to the ground. Mariko chuckled darkly as she held up a Taser.
"Well whoever you are, it's better I get you before you get me." She said, Yukie still growled but was held tight by Mariko, who dropped to his eye level on the ground. She lifted him by the shirt collar until they saw eye to eye.
"huh, you're still conscious. I suppose that makes sense; I didn't zap you with a whole lot of power." She said, "Say how would you like to help me out a little?"
Dick glared and went to shout at her but his jaw wouldn't move.
"Oh don't bother trying to talk; you've got a bit of lock-jaw from the taser." Mariko explained holding up a strange remote control, "It's my special brand, targets only certain part of the body; lemme tell ya that wasn't an easy task to accomplish. I was hoping try this out of Robin Boy Wonder but you sort of got in my way. Sorry about that."
'Sure you are. When I regain the use of my body I'll make sure of it.' Dick thought, just then Mariko stood and took out a cell phone with a dog charm on it.
"Tony; come get me and Yukie. I figured out a way to bring out Robin and with a little more luck; Miss Martian." She said. There was a pause, and then Mariko let out a growl, "I don't care what Klarion's done to you just get here! Or I'll shut you off!"
Mariko then looked to Dick, completely unaware that she had already captured her boy-wonder. Dick frowned; what did she need Miss Martian for?
"Oh this is going to be so much fun!" Mariko shouted, "I just can't wait."
~0~
"Where's Robin?" Zatanna asked, the Team was at the Cave. Robin, however, was nowhere to be found.
"That's odd, Robin's usually here before all of us."Kid said.
"Maybe he and Batman are on a mission together in Gotham?" M'gaan said, Kaldur shook his head.
"Batman's here; I was just speaking with him not but a moment ago." He said. The team scowled.
"You don't think that crazy computer girl captured him do you?" Zatanna asked, Kidflash smirked.
"No way; after Miss M ran through her mind, we haven't seen one blue hair of hers." He said. M'gaan shook her head.
"I don't think she'd be hiding," She said, "I think she'd be waiting. These things that she kept private, she was furious when she found out I saw them. "
"Well duh, something like her probably knows all about the Light; she probably got spooked by the sudden invasion." Artemis said. M'gaan shook her head.
"I didn't see any plan. She caught me before I could find anything. I saw her past," She said, "I saw what made her; she'd want revenge on anyone who'd seen those things, and….I showed them to Robin."
"You showed that stuff to Robin? Why?" Zatanna asked.
"I…I don't really know. I guess I pitied her, she doesn't deserve the things that were done to her." M'gaan said, "And when Robin kept calling her a monster; I couldn't stop myself."
"Was it really that bad?" Kid flash asked, M'gaan nodded.
"But how would Mariko know that you shared these things with him?" Kaldur asked. M'gaan looked to the ground.
"Because; he went looking for her."
~0~
"Mariko why are you doing this?" Dick asked placing his hands against the glass of the pod he was in. Mariko was busy reading through a book, she looked up closing it and standing to Dick's eye level.
"Have you ever listen to Misa's Funeral song? It's from the anime Death Note." She said holding the book she was reading to show Dick. He frowned. "I didn't think so; you don't look like the type that appreciates anime. Well guess what; today you're going to hear it."
Mariko then reached into her belt's many pockets and pulled out a remote; she pressed a button. Soon a soft melody poured out from Mariko's sound system; the lyrics were in Japanese. Mariko smiled as she walked away from the pod and waved her hand around like a musical conductor would as he conducted an orchestra.
"Careful what you do; cause god is watching you're every move." Mariko sang, translating the words in Japanese, she then paused and laughed, scoffing her own song she then turned around and looked to her hostage. "God doesn't exist you know*."
Dick was taken aback by her comment. Mariko smirked, and then nodded.
"That's right I said it; if such a being actually existed don't you think he would have made a more perfect world?" she asked, "One where children weren't sold into slavery, or killed in their own homes."
Mariko then walked over to her bed and plopped down, she rolled over and grabbed a picture frame from her nightstand. Dick happened to see what was in the frame; it was a photo of a younger version of Mariko, with who Dick recognized as her neighbor Takumi he recognized from the memories M'gaan had shown him. Mariko sat up and looked down at the photo, then hugged it close to her chest. She then glared.
"The Justice League is just as bad you know." She mumbled walking back Dick Grayson, picture frame in hand, "They keep the world weak; which is what makes people do the things they do. Hurting small children and ripping their innocence from them…but I'm getting off topic, this is about two heroes in particular—well actually one but Savage-sama says I should bring the Martian around too."
"Miss Mariko; do you really think you should be telling all this to him?" Tony asked, Mariko looked over her shoulder.
"Don't you know to knock before entering a lady's room?" She hissed, Tony shrugged.
"But Miss Mariko if he does manage to get away won't that risk him telling them where you are?" he asked.
"I want them to know, and it's not like it's going to matter anyhow. Savage-sama won't move me; it'd be problematic with my newest assignment." Mariko said, "Speaking of which how is he?"
"He's back under and awaiting your next move. Thanks to Klarion it was much easier for me to get him under control." Tony said, Mariko sighed.
"That thing is beginning to be a real pain. I'll have to instill some manners." She said then looked to Dick, "Well my boy it's sad to say that I must leave you. Work calls!"
Once Mariko had left Tony huffed and looked down at Dick, he was much taller than him. Dick frowned.
"Tony; don't you know how bad this is?" He asked, Tony shrugged.
"Sure, I know, but what's it matter? I like Mariko, I kinda feel bad for her yaknow?" He asked.
"Tony this is crazy; you're a cyborg now. You won't be able to go back to your normal life anymore." Dick said, Tony glared.
"I don't want my normal life back!" He shouted, "I can do so much more now that Miss Mariko's done this to me. Much more than you can anyway."
"What has she done to you? You used to be decent guy." Dick said.
"I don't want to be a decent guy I want to be noticed—"
"By her?" Dick asked, nodding his head toward the door that Mariko had just past through. Tony went silent as his face began to turn red. He shook his head and glared.
"Shutup! You don't know anything. Miss Mariko's a good girl." He said. Dick frowned.
"Love is defiantly blind." He mumbled, Tony scowled and walked toward his pod and pressed a few buttons.
"Go to sleep." He grunted, then walked away as a purple gas filled Dick's pod and he suddenly fell limp against the glass.
~0~
"How are we going to find Robin anyway?" Conner asked, the others shrugged. They Team had gone looking for Robin, he wasn't answering his communicator and he still hadn't shown up yet.
"There isn't some kind of spell for this?" Artemis asked. Zatanna shook her head, locations spells were much harder than the spells she used normally.
"Hello Megan!" M'gaan said, "I can try establishing a psychic link with him, if he's nearby I should be able to find him."
"Really?" Zatanna asked.
"Awesome." Wally said, "Well what're we waiting for?"
"The link is up; however it doesn't seem as though Robin's anywhere in Happy Harbor." M'gaan said.
"Let's try Gotham; that is after all where The Batman and him do their thing right?" Zatanna asked, M'gaan nodded then piloted the Bio-ship toward Gotham City—and with any luck; Robin.
Meanwhile in Mariko's lair Tony sat in Mariko's room watching Dick. He debated whether or not he would just get rid of the kid, then Robin would have no reason to show up. Yukie barked happily and brought a ball to her master.
"Not now Yukie." He grumbled, Yukie whimpered, "Later ok girl? I have to watch this guy for Miss Mariko."
Dick Grayson groaned, trying to remember what happened to him and where he was. When he opened his eyes he was face to face with a cat. He let out a surprised yelp, as the cat hissed at him.
"I think you should go get your little master." Klarion's voice said, Tony glared as he realized the Witch-boy had appeared.
"Klarion what are you doing here?" he asked, Klarion frowned as he stroked his familiar's tail.
"I was bored so I decided to pay my favorite human girl a visit." He said, suddenly there was a loud shout of enthusiasm.
"BONZAI!" Mariko's voice shouted bursting into her room, "I've done it! I've finally gotten control of—Oh hello Klarion."
"Mariko Miko." Klarion said, "I heard you have a fun day planned."
"Depends; do you find holding some random teen hostage to track down Robin fun?" Mariko asked.
"A bit mundane but I guess since you're just a human girl, it's considered fun." Klarion said boredly. Mariko huffed.
"Well oh great and powerful Jigoku Shonen; why don't you how us, humans what fun is." She said gruffly.
"Uhm since I'm part bot does that really technically make me human?" Tony asked, Mariko paused.
"Yaknow I never really thought of that." She said, then spun around in a circle and grabbed her remote and pressing a button as her large computer screen showed an image of the Team's Bioship, "but enough about that, my computer discovered the Young Justice Team's air craft heading towards my building."
Dick stared; that wasn't good; if they saw who he was he'd be in big trouble.
"Ooh fun. Think you're hero's on that?" Klarion asked, Tony crossed his arms over his chest in a huff.
"I don't know about that; but the Martian might. If I can't have my boy-wonder I'll settle for Miss Martian instead." Mariko explained, "if I can get her on our side, depending on Savage-sama's next orders—I might be able to study more on the Martian race."
"And how do you think you'll be able to get the girl on your side?" Klarion asked floating over Mariko's shoulders. Mariko glared.
"The stupid brat peeked into my mind." She growled. Klarion cocked an eyebrow.
"That's a dangerous place." He said with a smirk. Mariko huffed and began typing things into her computer.
"Tell me about it. I hate remembering that crap; but because of that I might be able to manipulate her into thinking I'm on the good side." She said, "All it takes is the right words; a bit of acting on my part, and in no time I should have her on my side."
"Like a predator seeking out the weakest of the herd." Klarion said. Mariko nodded.
"Darn straight," she said, then looked to Tony, "And I know the perfect way to fan out the herd."
*Yawn* I'm tired guys yaknow? I think I'll be taking a short break on this story. I've got some stuff to work on in class. A senior's work is never done I tells ya. Also I've been wonderin' has anyone see the new Dark Knight movie? I'm not a fan of those movies—older ones all the way yaknow? Anyway I was wondering if the woman Ann Hathaway, does a good job playing Catwoman? Or would it be a waste of time to watch the movie? Cause they already messed up Catwoman's costume; Michelle Pfeiffer from Batman Returns was the best by my count. She was just purrrfectly casted—badly put I know haha. Anyway review and remember it may be a while before I update again. 'See you later armadillos—unless I see you first. Haha'