Chapter 20
Last chapter had very little action, seriously though it was just a way to get Mariko and Robin alone. Now they're trapped under the snow, but luckily Mariko's handy dandy utility belt has a way of being prepared for any situation. Here we go! ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!
"ROBIN!" Zatanna shouted, seeing Robin being buried under the snow. Gemini and Tony stared as well. Gemini glared at the Team, because of them her one job was ruined, and now Savage was going to kill her—literally. There was a long silence between the two groups.
"Miss Mariko…she's…" Tony mumbled, then heard a high pitch screech in his head.
'Do NOT say that I'm dead!' Mariko's voice screeched, 'We're both alive, just trapped under the snow.'
"They're still alive!" Tony shouted, happy to hear that Mariko was safe—well sort of—he looked to the group who seemed relieved as well. Icicle Senior rolled his eyes, like most he wasn't too thrilled that Mariko was alive.
"Kid, you and Superboy take Icicle Jr. and Sr. back to town; the police can handle them from there." Aqualad said, "Mariko's team, Zatanna, M'gaan and I will dig out Robin and Miss Miko."
"Hey wait a minute what makes you think we're going to take orders from you fish boy?" Gemini hissed. Tony sighed.
"Miss Mariko's under two tons of snow; we'll do whatever we can to help her. Now shut up and get to work!" He shouted.
'Way to finally grow a backbone Tony-boy.' Mariko's voice cooed. Tony blushed, Gemini huffed but nodded, the last thing she wanted to be was six feet under—which was more than what could be said about her ward.
~0~
Meanwhile under two tons of snow, Mariko and Robin sat under a large bubble. Robin stared as Mariko sighed and ended her communication with Tony.
"How'd you do this?" He asked bitterly. Mariko looked up.
"Do what?" she asked, "You mean the bubble? I replicated one of Klarion's spells. Wasn't easy to do I'll add."
"Not what I meant." Robin hissed, Mariko hugged her knees to keep warm.
"Then what do you mean? O' boy-wonder?" She hissed back. Robin glared.
"How'd did you stage this one? This is obviously another attempt to get me to be alone with you." He shouted, Mariko was taken aback by his comment at first but sighed.
"Yaknow not everything I do is a staged event!" She growled, "I was supposed to be helping Sr. and Jr. set up a communication's unit out here, that was it! I had no intention in being stuck under several feet of snow."
Robin stared that was hard to believe; that Mariko was just doing a job. Everything she did contradicted that. Pretending to try and blow up the American embassy in Japan was a perfect example of that. Finally Mariko sighed.
"Though I can't say it's all bad; I've got you to keep me company. Even if you do hate me." She said with a smirk, she then reached into her pocket and pulled out a pair of headphones attached to an MP3 player.
"Hey! Don't think you can ignore my questions Miko." Robin growled, Mariko looked up and rolled her eyes.
"I can do whatever I want bird boy." She said placing the headphones on her ears, soon Robin could hear the sound of Japanese punk music blaring from them. Mariko then pulled the hood to her coat over her head and rested her head on her knees. Robin stood and stomped over to Mariko, lifting her hood and ripping her headphones off.
"Hey!" Mariko shouted, Robin glared.
"I'm not done with you yet." He said, sternly. Mariko frowned and stood up and stared blue and purple daggers at him.
"Well I am! I wasn't supposed to be here! I was supposed to be back home by now! Buying a stupid candy cane for Takumi for Christmas!" She shouted, then stopped herself. Robin made a face, Takumi was the boy he had seen from Mariko's memory. He was gone now; so what did she mean by that.
"But you're Takumi's dead." He said, Mariko turned her back to him.
"Yeah well so are your parents!" She hissed, Robin froze as Mariko turned around, "Yeah I know who you are; Dick Grayson."
Robin glared and tackled Mariko to the ground pinning her. Mariko looked up surprised at the random outburst.
"How…"
"My room has tons of cameras; it was an accident really." Mariko answered calmly, suddenly the memory of being kidnapped by Mariko came to his mind; he mentally kicked himself. He should have known that Mariko would have security cameras.
"Who else have you told." He asked, Mariko shrugged.
"Just Tony." She mumbled, "When he told me that was your name I did some digging; it's sad that you lost your parents the way you did. They were murdered, like mine."
"You're parents weren't killed!" Robin shouted, Mariko bit her lip.
"They were too, Takumi killed them. I saw it!" She shouted, Robin glared, and tightened his grip on Mariko's wrists.
"Then who was it who bailed you out of Arkham?" He asked angrily. Mariko paused, "Answer me!"
"It was Savage-sama ok!?" She shouted back, Robin sat up, releasing Mariko.
"Vandal Savage..?" He asked.
"Yeah; the papers mistook him for my father." She mumbled, "Savage-sama just never bothered to correct them. My mother and father are gone; and I say good riddance."
"How can you say that?" Robin asked, "they were your parents—your family."
"Takumi was my family! Those low lives should never have had a kid." Mariko shrieked, "I never expected Miss Martian to read my thoughts back in Tokyo; everything she showed you was the truth."
Robin stopped, how could he believe her now? There was just no way, Mariko was a sociopath, she lied when it was convenient; but when she was talking just then she gave no indication that she wasn't telling the truth.
"Why are you suddenly telling the truth now?" He asked, Mariko shrugged.
"I dunno. Why haven't I told Savage-sama that you and Bruce Wayne are Batman and Robin." She asked, mostly to herself.
"Good question; why haven't you? You've had plenty of time." Robin said. Mariko sat up.
"I actually like you Robin. It's not something that I can feel very often since all that." She said, "I don't want you dead, and certain members of the Light might try and do that if I told Savage-sama."
The two didn't speak for the longest time. Robin was at a loss for words; he didn't really share Mariko's feelings, but after everything she had told him, he felt bad for her. Her life was nothing but chaos.
"Mariko if you really want to help the world; why are you working for Savage? He's not trying to help anyone. Come help the Justice League." He finally said, Mariko shook her head.
"I hate the Justice League; I want nothing to do with them." She said, "They're arrogant to think that the world's problems are so small that they can solve them.*"
"How can you say that? Batman and the others have been risking their lives to save the earth." Robin said, Mariko glared.
"Oh yeah? And look where the world is now!" She said, "Where's the Justice League when adults beat their children? When they're ripped from their homes and the people they love are killed in front of them, only sold into slavery? Where is the Justice League when those same children are killed and their parts are sold on the black market?"
Robin said nothing, he couldn't.
"That's right; no where! I saved myself that day, I killed that horrible man and freed all the girls from his inn." Mariko continued, "And Savage-sama's the one who saved me and my girls from starving to death. The world is rotten Robin, and the Justice League isn't helping."
"Mariko; I'm sorry your life was so cruel; but you can't blame the Justice League for it." Robin said, Mariko shook her head.
"I don't, I blame them for being stupid enough to think they can solve everything." She said, then stood, holding out her hand for Robin, "You could come with me you know; you could help Savage-sama bring the world into its evolution."
Robin stared at Mariko; was she being serious? He couldn't turn his back on his friends. Mariko's story was sad, and he could understand the hurt feeling she had after losing the only family she truly cared for, but he couldn't—wouldn't leave the Justice League to help evil bring the world to its knees.
"My answer is no Mariko." He said, Mariko let her hand drop to her side and shook her head.
"I didn't think you would," she said suddenly light shone through the ceiling of their snowy tomb. The duo looked up to see both Tony and Zatanna standing overtop the large hole.
"They're alive!" Zatanna shouted, to the others. Tony frowned, seeing how close the two were.
"Gemini! Come on; Miss Mariko's ok!" He shouted, soon Gemini and the rest of the Team stood above them.
"Oi, Tony-boy! Get me outta here!" Mariko shouted, "I'm freezing down here."
As soon as the duo was out Robin looked to Mariko, who's back was turned to them as she faced Gemini and Tony.
"Miss Mariko; are you alright?" Tony asked, Mariko frowned.
"Of course I am you stupid cyborg." She hissed, then turned to Robin, "So what will you do now Robin? I've done nothing illegal, not really anyhow."
"You were setting up a communications unit, that's totally illegal!" Kid shouted, Robin shook his head.
"Actually, all we saw was her standing near it; we don't actually have any proof that she was really setting it up." Robin said, Mariko smirked.
"But we know better!" Kid said. Robin nodded.
"We do but no one else does. Let her go, she has to tell Savage she failed anyhow." He said, Mariko shrugged.
"Actually Robin, you only destroyed a decoy." She said, "The real unit is already set up. And there are a ton of decoys all over this place."
Robin and the others glared. Superboy growled and balled up his fists.
"Why you little…"
"Ah, hold it right there O' boy of Steal," Mariko said holding up her hand, "If you attack me now you're only attacking a regular civilian taking a tour of the North Pole."
"She is right Superboy." Aqualad said, "Let her go; we failed this mission."
Mariko smirked and turned to leave, only to pause and look to Robin.
"I meant what I said Robin," She said referring to their conversation underground, she then pointed, "The world is rotten; and I plan on forcing it into its evolution with Savage-sama. Oh and don't worry, you're secret is safe with me."
With that being said Mariko turned and left with Tony and Gemini following. Tony looked back at Robin and glared. Meanwhile the Team looked to Robin.
"What'd she mean by that?" Conner asked, Robin shook his head.
"Nothing; just psychobabble from a psycho-brat." He said, not really able to trust that Mariko would keep her mouth shut forever.
"Batman's not going to be happy about this." Zatanna said, "And what are we going to do about these decoys?"
"Hopefully the avalanche took out everything with a ten mile radius." Aqualad said, "Right now let us focus on getting home and relaying what we know to Batman and the others."
~0~
"Very good Mariko; I'm glad to see that you are alright." Savage said as Mariko sat on a plane bound for home, Mariko nodded.
"No thanks to Gemini." She said, "Savage-sama; when I get back can I please go out and buy a candy cane? Without Gemini?"
"We shall see." Savage said, then ended the transmission. Mariko leaned back in her seat and stared out the window and sighed. She was emotionally exhausted; having said all that stuff to Robin, it really took it out of her. She sighed again then suddenly felt a hand on hers; she looked over and saw Tony.
"Miss Mariko are you sure you're alright?" he asked, Mariko frowned.
"Yes." She said, Tony sat down next to her.
"You don't look fine; what happened down there?" He asked, Mariko glared.
"Why are you even asking? It's none of your business get lost." She hissed. Tony hesitated for a bit then nodded and turned to find another seat as Mariko looked back out the window, only to feel something soft and furry jump in her lap.
"That was a little less than nice." Klarion said sitting in the seat next to her. Mariko rolled her eyes.
"Whatever; he doesn't really care. He's just worried that if something happens to me he'll be scrapped." She said, Teekl meowed up at Mariko from her lap.
"Stupid cat." She mumbled, he hissed. Klarion leaned over to her.
"So between you and I; what did happen down under the snow?" He asked. Mariko looked over to him, "I was watching for a brief moment."
"Nothing happened; for once, all that went on between Robin and I was that we talked." Mariko explained, "I promised to keep his identity a secret."
"Are you?" Klarion asked; eager to try and find out one of the Team members' identities. Mariko scowled.
"Of course I am you devil child." She hissed, then began stroking Teekl's tail. She didn't like cats, always liked dogs, however Teekl somehow always managed to stay on her favorites. "The question is how long will I be able to keep nosey away from it."
"Sounds boring." Klarion said placing his arms behind his head and settling into his seat. Mariko nodded.
"It is; and a real pain. However I do like Robin and I plan on keeping his secret my secret as well." She said. Klarion opened an eye and looked to her.
"Mariko, you're not aware of this yet, but you are changing." He said, "For better or worse I don't know yet."
Mariko frowned, what did he mean by that? She shrugged and decided it would be a question for another day.
*SIGH* a slightly tender moment with Robin and Mariko; originally I was going to use this chapter to have Mariko talk about her past but M'gaan's chapter turned out to be better. I hope you all liked this chapter (*) that is a slight quote from the DC comics graphic novel called 'Watchmen' the Comedian says that to Night Owl in the chapter. In my opinion the book was much better; I did like how the movie portrayed Rorshak thought—I totally spelled that wrong! However if you haven't read the novel do it, it's soooo much better. The movie was a waste of 20 dollars honestly. I WANT MY MONEY BACK! T^T oh well such is life no? review! 'See you later armadillos—unless I see you first. Haha!'