Chapter 27

So last chapter was mostly filler this chapter should be better. I hope . I'm terrible when I hit a writers wall; I mean honestly that's how filler comes to pass. When I don't know what to write about. Sorry. Anyhow this is chapter 27! I hope you like it ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!

Mariko landed on the ground hard. She groaned as the robotic voice announced her failure against Black Canary. She had been training with Black Canary for a little over three hours, and so far she hadn't been able to beat her once.

"This sucks yaknow." She groaned, as Black Canary held out her hand for her. "I don't do fighting; that's what I have Tony for."

"Well Tony may not always be there for you; what if the Light finds a way to shut him down?" Canary asked pulling Mariko up to her feet.

"Impossible; Tony's robotic side has been created with the best and I'm the only one who knows how to shut him off." She explained, Canary frowned.

"Well let's say they do; how do you plan to take them down then?" she asked. "You've been stripped of your weapons; how do you plan to get out of any kind of predicament? Do you give up and surrender to your enemy?"

"No."

"Then you should learn to fight; and don't tell you don't have some skill. You did manage to get your way out of Arkham." Canary continued, Mariko smirked.

"Pure insane violence and fighting are two different things Canary." She said, "But I see your point."

"Good, now are you ready for another round?" Canary asked getting into a fighting stance. Mariko frowned and did the same.

"Feh, you'd think at least one Asian stereotype would be right about me." She joked, as she went after Canary.

~0~

"How was training Mariko?" Artemis asked, Mariko frowned.

"Like I was fighting match back at my labs." She groaned, "I think I'll leave the fighting to Tony. He's better at it."

"Having some prosthetic body parts seem to help him." Artemis said, "Do you think you'd be ready for a mission?"

"I highly doubt it, for one I haven't even finished the repairs to my belt." Mariko explained. Artemis frowned.

"So what's so special about this belt?" she asked, Mariko grinned.

"Wanna see?" she asked, Artemis nodded then Mariko grabbed her hand and pulled her into her room where she retrieved her belt and unraveled it to reveal the many compartments. Mariko grinned like mad.

"It's much like Robin's utility belt only mine has so much more." She said, "Tasers, magnetic pulse guns, even a remote that controls the skates in my shoes."

"You're armed to the teeth," Artemis said, Mariko nodded.

"When you're as small as I am, you can't afford to be left unprepared. I even have small doses of kryptonite." She said. Artemis crossed her arms.

"You realize how dangerous that is to Superboy right?" She asked, Mariko nodded.

"That's why it's small; and behind a led casing...and why he doesn't know that I have it." She said, "I only have it now because the Light still has Match; and he's got worse anger issues than Superboy. I won't be using it on him—so long as he doesn't give me a reason to."

"Why would he?" Artemis asked, Mariko looked over.

"It's obvious that no one trusts me; the fact that you and M'gaan do surprises me." She explained, "I'm not going to pretend like the things I did wasn't bad; but back then I thought it was for the greater good, and the only reason I'm on the team is because I hate Arkham more than I hate the League right now."

"Was it really so bad there?" Artemis asked, Mariko looked over at her.

"You have no idea; places like that…they make you feel lower than garbage." She mumbled, "They don't try to cure you of anything. They make you dead to the world. It's cold a dark, heartless, and cold place. I wouldn't wish a trip to an asylum on my worst enemies."

"I feel bad for you Mariko; I can't imagine the torment you had to have gone through." Artemis said comfortingly. Mariko smirked and looked over her shoulder.

"And hopefully you never will." She said, "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to finish the upgrades to my belt. And maybe work some on Tony a bit."

"Where is that boy anyway?" Artemis asked, Mariko shrugged.

"He's had a better time fitting in with the boys than I have. He's with them now." She explained, "Hey this place has another dog doesn't it? I've heard it…"

"Superboy's pet Wolf." Artemis said, Mariko smiled.

"Where is he? Can I see him?" she asked excitedly, "I just love dogs."

"I thought you had to work on those things?" Artemis asked, Mariko sucked her bottom lip between her teeth.

"I do…" she moaned, then sighed, "Oh well such is life no? hey if you see Tony tell him to get his butt back here, so that I can make do to some repairs."

"Will do." Artemis said, then walked out. Leaving Mariko to herself as she grabbed her goggles and began the work on her belt. Then a thought came to her.

"Hmm," she mumbled to herself removing her goggles and looked at them then to her closet which held her new clothes, "Hardwire…maybe…"

She then shook her head as she replaced her goggles on her head and went back to work on her belt.

~0~

The Team was gathered in the main hall of the Cave, Batman was giving a mission when Mariko and Tony walked in.

"Eh? What's going on?" she asked, Batman scowled. "Ooh, is this a mission briefing?"

Batman nodded then continued. "Security cameras spotted Sportsmaster heading out of StartCity with an unknown person."

"Unknown person?" Mariko repeated Batman nodded, pulling up video feed. Mariko scowled; the video showed the unmasked Sportsmaster with someone wearing a hoodie over their face. The figure was shorter than Sportsmaster and if one had to guess much younger as well.

"I want you all to figure out what the two are doing and find out who our mystery person is." Batman said, Mariko smirked.

"I get to go too right?" she asked.

"No actually I want you here." Batman said, Mariko glared.

"You've got to be kidding me!" She shouted, "You force me to join your stupid club to help you, and now you don't want me going on a stupid mission!"

"Miss Mariko, m-maybe we should listen." Tony mumbled, Mariko huffed and turned around.

"I don't have much of a choice." She huffed as she walked out of the room, "What a pain."

"Yaknow I'm actually kinda glad she's not coming with us." Artemis mumbled to M'gaan who nodded.

Meanwhile back in Mariko and Tony's room, Mariko decided to hack into the security camera feed that Batman had shown not too long ago. The figure was familiar, like she had seen the mystery person before.

"Miss Mariko? What are you doing?" Tony asked as he came into the room, "Yaknow we got the Cave to ourselves now."

"I know that, but there's something about this kid that I can't help but remember." Mariko said not looking up from her screen. Tony moved to stand next to her.

"What are you going to do?" He asked. Mariko scowled.

"I'm going to try and zoom in and figure out who it is. I think it's a boy." She mumbled as she began messing with the video.

"What're you goin to do if you figure out who it is?" Tony asked, Mariko shrugged.

"Dunno; can't go help the Team." She said then gave a sly smile, "But Batman didn't say I couldn't leave the cave now did he?"

"Uhm, no. I don't think so." Tony said, Mariko stood.

"Let's go have some fun Tony-boy. " she said, Tony looked over as Mariko grabbed her belt and goggles.

"W-wait where are we going?" he asked as he followed Mariko, "Yukie stay girl."

"Just shut up and come on, this place is boring." Mariko said, then began dragging Tony by the shirt collar. "And I know how to stir up a little fun."

"Y-yes ma'am." Tony said as he was dragged off.

~0~

"So anyone else sort of want to know why Mariko was left at the Cave?" Kid asked, "I mean I'm not saying I wanted her here but still. What's Batman want with her there?"

"He wants to keep an eye on her for a while longer before setting her out." Robin said, "Not to mention she still hasn't finished training with Canary."

"You think that's all?" Artemis asked, Robin shrugged.

"The fact that she's out for blood and Savage's head probably doesn't help her case either." He mumbled.

"That sounds about right." Zatanna said.

"Right now sportsmaster; who do you suppose that mystery person is that he's with?" Kid asked.

"Hard to tell from the video feed, they're completely covered, nothing can be seen from this." Robin said looking at the video on his wrist computer.

"Kind of wishing Mariko was here; she might have been able to figure it out." Miss Martian said, "I mean not that you probably can't either, Robin…"

"It's not impossible for me to do; it's just going to take some time." Robin said, only slightly offended by M'gaan's comment. "It'd be faster to just track SportsMaster down first."

~0~

"M-miss Mariko, c-could you please slow down!?" Tony shouted as he held onto Mariko for dear life as she flew down the streets on her moped scooter. Mariko snorted.

"Not a chance; we don't have much time before I'm sure SportsMaster leaves with whoever that guy is." She said with a grin.

"I thought you said you were going out for fun." Tony mumbled, Mariko let out a laugh.

"Don't you get it Tony-boy that's what's so fun! Sneaking out and going on a mission." She shouted.

"R-right Mariko how did you even get this back I thought it was impounded?" Tony asked.

"Hacked their computers then asked for it as Ai Enma." Mariko said with a sly grin, "Now hold on! I'm gonna go faster!"

"I think I'm gonna be sick…" Tony groaned as Mariko took a sharp turn down another street nearly throwing Tony off in the process.

~0~

"I've brought the kid as asked," Sportsmaster said the person next to him stayed silent as Sportsmaster looked up to the screen, with the members of the light surrounding them.

"Are you really as smart as you claim?" Queen Bee asked, the figure frowned then pulled his hood back revealing a bald head adorned with a pair of goggles and a pair of squinting eyes.

"I'm smarter than any girl that's for sure, you crud eating old hag." He shouted glaring at the screen. Queen Bee scowled, the audacity of this boy.

"This one's got quite the mouth." Luthor said, "Are we sure we want him at all?"

"Hey who asked you baldy?" The boy hissed, "You don't want me around I've got plenty of other things I can do for other people."

"That won't be necessary," Savage said, "I have a job for you."

~0~

"I've tracked SportsMaster down to a warehouse not far from here." Robin said as he and the others rounded a corner. Suddenly the Bio-ship lurched forward.

"She's been hit by something!" Miss Martian shouted, she brought up a screen which showed an image of the same hooded figure from the video grinning as he holding a remote control.

"It's the person from the video! He's attacking us, but how? The Bio-ship is camouflaged!" Miss Martian shouted.

"If SportsMaster is with them he's probably telling his where we are; we need to land this thing now!" Artemis shouted, Miss Martian nodded and immediately went to land.

Meanwhile down below the hooded figure laughed as he had shot the Martian ship out of the air.

"Show you snot suckin losers to come after me!" He shouted as he then began fiddling with his controller again and a pair of spider like appendages came out of his backpack and he crawled toward the ship.

~0~

Mariko looked up at the sky as she stopped her scooter; she had heard the sound of a crash and had stopped to look up. She scowled as she saw a figure with spider like legs run towards the wreckage.

"Miss Mariko; what was that?" Tony asked, Mariko scowled.

"Where we're goin, hang on tight; something tells me that we need to get our areses up there. Now." She hissed then revved up her scooter and took off.

~0~

"You think that kid's after us now?" Zatanna asked.

"No doubt about it," Superboy growled, "And when he finds us I'm gonna punch him across the city."

"Calm down Superboy," Aqualad said, then looked to Miss Martian, "How badly hit is the Bio-ship?"

"She's ok; but she still needs to rest. I don't want to leave it by itself, who knows what that kid could do to it if he found it." She explained, Aqualad nodded.

"Robin, Kid and Superboy; can you stay with M'gaan and watch the Bio-ship, while Artemis, Zatanna and I go and find out what SportsMaster is planning." Aqualad said, the group nodded and then split up. Not even five minutes after Aqualad's group split up did their hooded figure appear above bio-ship

"Evening crud-munchers!" the boy shouted grinning evilly at the group as he removed his hood and pulled out his remote controller, "Hope you like plasma guns!"

The boy let out a shrill laugh as he pressed a button and a rifle came out of his bag, however before he could fire there was a loud snap of electricity, and the boy was thrown out of the sky.

"Hope you like electricity! HAHA!" A familiar shouted giddily, suddenly Mariko dressed in a black top that was netted just below the chest and covered her belly, a black skirt with her belt hanging loosely on her hip, an arm-warmer on one arm and an armband and bracelet on the other she white thigh-high socks with black boots that came up just below her knees and a pair of high-tech goggles covering her face. She stood atop the bio-ship and looked over at the boy who was now on the other side of the building top. She whistled.

"Wow, he went far." She giggled then looked to the group. "Hiya guys!"

"Weren't you told to stay at the Cave?" Kid shouted, Mariko pouted.

"That's a nice thing to say to someone who just saved your life." She said, "And no I was told to not go on this mission."

"Who the heck are you!?" The boy shouted as he stood up. Mariko frowned.

"Apparently I need to crank up the juice," She hissed, then reached into her belt and pulled out a pair of gloves as she jumped down from the Bio-ship and landed on the ground she then began to walk towards the boy she then pulled her fist back as electricity sparked across her knuckles. "And you chibi, can call me, HARDWIRE!"

I wonder can anyone figure out who our mystery person is? I'll give you a hint if you can't he's another genius, from a DC comic book turned tv show, it didn't last long and he didn't show up much in the show either. Fact I think it was only like 3 or 4 times. If you figure it out post it in your reviews! Haha, 'See you later armadillos—unless I see you first. Hahaha!'