Chapter 46
So Mariko reacted to Tony's kiss. It wasn't very good, poor Tony. Oh well. AH! Next week is our last episode of Young Justice! It's not fair man! T^T *sigh* oh well not much else to say, ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!
"Savage, how long are you going to let this brat of yours run around and ruin the Light's plans?" Ra's Al Ghul growled, Savage scowled.
"The girl's already blown one of my buildings, and set the other on fire thanks to your plan to kidnap her friends." Luthor shouted, "Do you have any idea how much damage that has caused my company!?"
"Listen to the two of you, whining over a small brat." Black Manta snorted. The members of the Light all glared at him.
"You would not be saying that if you had any idea what she has done." Ra's Al Ghul hissed, "She is a menace, and targeting the Light in whole."
"All to get at one person isn't that right Savage?" Klarion said with a grin, "All this because you decided to kick her out! Haha!"
"Mariko Miko, is not anyone's concern. She will be dealt with in due time." Savage said.
"When is in due time? How much longer will you allow this child to rampage through the Light's plans?" Luthor growled.
"If this is a battle of the mind, perhaps I can send one of my own to aid you in the annihilation of the girl." Queen Bee said, "I'm sure Psimon would enjoy picking at the girl's psyche."
"You plan to make that girl even crazier?" Klarion asked, "That'll be interesting."
Savage looked to Klarion and cocked an eyebrow as if suspecting Klarion of something. Klarion, noticing Savage's stare, grinned.
"What's worse, project Match has gone missing." Ra's Al Ghul said. Savage scowled, no doubt Mariko had taken him and was planning to use the clone against him. A part of him almost regretted casting her out. She certainly wouldn't be doing anything like this. Maybe he should have killed her when he had the chance.
~0~
"Mariko, Mariko Miko!" Robin shouted into the communicator Mariko had planted on Artemis back in Metropolis (chap 30). So far he wasn't getting any sort of response.
"Mariko I know you can hear me! Answer me!" He shouted while riding his motorcycle through town.
'Sure I hear ya, but do I really want to respond?' Mariko's voice finally said, 'What do you want Robin?'
"Mariko where are you?" Robin growled, there was a slight pause.
'On route to find Savage, and with my newest…partner I should be able to kill him after all.' She said, Robin glared.
"Mariko you know you can't kill him, what do you plan on doing?!" he shouted.
'Why do you care?' she asked matter-o-factly. This time Robin paused, then a thought came to his mind.
"Because Mariko, your twins asked me to find you." He said, "So before you do something stupid, tell me where you are."
There was a very long pause, before Mariko answered. After a while Robin figured he wasn't going to get an answer from her.
~0~
Mariko narrowed her eyes, why did she keep that stupid thing anyway? It served her no purpose other than to let Robin scold her. She sighed as she listened to Robin's less-than heartfelt reason as to why she should stop.
'Don't you care about your friends? You risk your life and mine to find them, are you really going to just leave them here? You know that the League won't let them stay!' he said. Mariko scowled.
"Why is it everyone is trying to stop me from what I plan to do?" She hissed, "Savage will die, and that will be the end of it!"
'Including you!' Robin shouted. Mariko paused, 'I know that you know you can't beat him, so you plan on taking everything else out instead, including yourself.'
Mariko was silent for a long time, behind her, Tony, and Match stood, waiting for her to finish her conversation. She set her jaw, she was growing annoyed with this conversation.
"We're sorry, but the party you've reached is no longer in service. Please hang up and call again after the final act." She said, then shut off her communicator and tossed it to Match.
"Destroy that for me would ya Match-book? I don't feel like having boy wonder try and track me through it." She said, Match scowled but did as she asked.
"Mariko you need to start listening to people." Tony said, Mariko let out a laugh.
"I've been doing as I told since I was a kid, and what did that get me?" She asked, "A dead big brother, and a life of torment. I'm gonna repay Savage tenfold!"
"Match, you're stronger, you stop her." Tony said, Match frowned.
"Why do I care if she dies? All I want is Savage and the rest of the Light." He grunted. Mariko nodded.
"Thank you Match, now Tony-boy why can't you act like that?" she asked walking ahead Tony glared and walked up to catch her, when she spun around and glared up at him.
"Listen Lover boy, you need to open your eyes!" She shouted, "Not everything can be solved by saying stupid things like 'I love you.' it's nothing but a cliché, that self-proclaimed normal people put in movies to make the affection seems as though it means something. It's useless, so get rid of it! Just because you're heart isn't metal doesn't mean you should act like a blubbering idiot!"
"Ooh, harsh words." Klarion said above the duo. Match rolled his eyes; at this rate nothing was going to get done, "Is this all over Robin?"
"IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT!" she shouted, then spun around so that her face couldn't be seen, "And even if it was, it doesn't matter. I want Savage dead, and I'm going to see that he suffers, even if I have to suffer more too!"
~0~
Robin curse, he had lost Mariko's signal. No doubt she had the communicator destroyed; just what was her problem with him all of a sudden?
'You seriously don't like me do you?' Mariko had asked him that question before he left. 'Then why do you keep helping me?'
He couldn't answer that last question. It seemed every time she was in trouble he always seemed to help her. Maybe he did like her? But why? She was insane! However even Zatanna thought he loved Mariko. Why did everyone think this? Then again why was he trying to save her anyhow? Robin shook his head. The only reason he was saving Mariko now was because of those girls! That was it! Wasn't it?
"Dang it! Mariko, you're a pain!" He shouted, then sped off. If he wasn't going to be able to track Mariko, he was going to have to beat her to her target.
~0~
"Standing still in the middle of the sleepless town, am I unable to suppress this impulse of mine?" Mariko sang as she walked along the side walk towards Savage's building of operations. Match felt his eye tick with every high note the young genius hit in the song.
"Kowashite! Nan no tame ni tsukurareta no? Tte iu sore oshiete yo?" She continued until finally match had enough of her singing and grabbed her by the back of the neck. Mariko however remained calm.
"Tut, tut, tut oh Match-book-boy, if you kill me you won't find Savage." She said wagging her finger. Match growled, "You really aren't one for conversation are you?"
"Stop…singing." He growled. Mariko pouted.
"Aw but it's so fun. karakuri burst!" She shouted, then seeing the less than amused look on Match's face she frowned, "Alright already, just put me down."
Match did as he was told and released Mariko. She huffed and turned her back on him and flat out ignored Tony.
"Anyhow we don't have very far to go anymore. Down this street and we'll be on our target's door step." She explained, "I hope you're ready for some action there, Match."
Match narrowed his eyes but said nothing, Mariko huffed.
"I see you're no talking," She said, "Oh well, let's get a move on!"
"Not that I mean to pick at you're revenge scheme here, but do you even have a plan?" Klarion asked floating over Mariko. Mariko scowled.
"Of course I do, but I'm not going to tell you what that is." She said, Klarion gave a look of concern as Mariko walked past him. He frowned.
"What do you plan on doing?" He asked landing on the ground and walking up to her. Mariko looked away.
"Why do you care? You get me after words so it really doesn't matter now does it?" she asked dryly. Klarion frowned, he was slightly concerned what she was planning to do, however he wasn't going to tell her that. He shrugged.
"Have it your way, you don't have to tell me a thing." He said, Mariko leered but said nothing as the group walked towards Savage's building.
When they arrived Mariko noticed a motorcycle sitting outside, she glared knowing full well who's it was.
"I found you!" Robin shouted seeing Mariko. She turned.
"Don't even think about trying to stop me Robin," She shouted, "You have no idea what all that man has done!"
Robin glared back at Mariko, who's body seemed to be shaking. She was scared, for the second time since he knew Mariko, she was scared, visibly scared. He sighed.
"Mariko, think about this. You don't want to leave those three behind do you?" He asked, Mariko shook her head.
"I won't have to worry about them, I've put away a lot of money for them. Besides I'm leaving Tony for them too." She growled, Tony was silent. Robin went to take a step toward them, Mariko let out a gasp.
"Match! Get rid of him!" She shouted, Match looked to her with a scowl. Mariko growled.
"You want to beat Savage? Well you're gonna have to do what I tell you! Now take care of him!" She shouted, Match rolled his eyes and let out a loud yell and ran after Robin. Robin stared wide eyed as the cryptonian clone came after him swinging his fist. He jumped back just barely dodging the large boy's attack.
Meanwhile Mariko, Tony, and Klarion went inside the building. Tony looked to Mariko as they ran inside past security.
"You didn't send me after him?" He asked, Mariko glared.
"You wouldn't have done anything anyway." She growled, "Stupid cyborg."
Tony scowled, she was right, he probably would have let Robin beat him so he could try and stop her. However, since Mariko was smarter than that, he's have to try and stop her himself. Klarion snickered, earning a glare from the both of them.
~0~
Match shouted as he went to slam his fist into Robin, only to have it collide with a street lamp. Robin jumped, doing a back flip as he threw his birdarangs at him to try and slow the big guy down. Match growled and turned to Robin as he landed.
"Not good." He mumbled, as Match ran after him again this time grabbing Robin by the cape and whipped him in the air. Before Robin hit the ground however he reached for his pelt and pulled out his grappling hook gun and fired off toward the building next to him. Match glared and flew after him.
"Hold on a second!" Robin shouted, Match glared, "What are you trying to stop me for? What has she promised you?"
Match paused for a long time, then growled, "Savage."
"And yet here you are trying to stop me, while she goes on to kill him herself." Robin said, "Now you can either keep fighting me, or you can go after Savage yourself."
Match glared at Robin who glared back at him, after a long pause Match flew back to the ground and smashed through the entrance of the building. Robin sighed.
"Thank God, I almost had to use this." He said pulling out a small chunk of kryptonite from his belt. He then placed it back in its compartment. He then ran off toward the roof entrance.
~0~
Savage sat in his chair, he had been informed that a group of children had forced their way into the building. A young girl with green-blue hair, and a boy, both running for the top floor, where Savage waited for them. When suddenly the doors flew open, and Mariko stood before him, she stood there glaring. Savage simply nodded to her and stood.
"Mariko Miko, I've been expecting you." He said. Mariko narrowed her eyes.
"I'm sure you have, Vandal Savage." She hissed walking further into the room. It was a fairly large room—a meeting room rather than an office. The only thing separating the two was a large table, Mariko rested her hands on the table and leaned forward.
"You've known for a good while that I'd come after you, after what you've done to me." She hissed, "After the LIES you told me!"
"Lies?" Savage repeated, "Is that what you call all the charity I gave you?"
"Charity?!" Mariko hissed, "You killed my Takumi! The only person in this world I cared for most, and then on top of that, because of you I was violated as a child!"
"To be honest Miko, that was not what I had originally planned." Savage said, Mariko glared.
"Shut up! You kidnap my friends, use Gemini to pretend to be me—by the way I'll let you in on a secret on that," She said then leaned further toward him, grinning as she whispered, "She's not around anymore."
"I see, so you did away with her as you wanted from the beginning." Savage said. Mariko cocked an eyebrow, what was he doing? Was he stalling? Mariko never could determine what went through Savage's mind the majority of the time. Savage smiled, making Mariko feel a bit uneasy. Here she was trying to end his life, and he was smiling! Suddenly a collective sound of footsteps headed their way and soon a set of guards were behind her. Mariko cocked her head to the side.
"Oh I bet you think you're just sooooooo clever!" She shouted, "Stalling to make sure your mindless lackies made it up here to subdue me! Well you're not the only one with some cards up their sleeves. TONY!"
There was then a loud snap of electricity, followed by a great spark. Mariko grinned then looked back only to find that Robin stood behind her, instead of Tony. Savage's brow rose in surprise as the boy wonder stood next to her. She growled.
"Where's Tony?" She whispered in a hiss. Robin leered.
"Fighting off your Ace in the hole." He grunted back. Savage smirked.
"To this day, Miko, you never cease to surprise me." He said, "I never would have guess Robin Boy Wonder would show up to help you. you truly are the genius I thought you to be."
"Oh shut your face!" Mariko shouted jumping up on the conference table and held up a detonator. Robin stared wide eyed, "It's time I blew you and your filthy club sky high!"
~0~
Meanwhile further down in the building Tony tried to hold off Match so that he wouldn't crush him. Match however once again proved that it wasn't going to be that easy, after Robin led him inside and the people in the building had all ran out.
"Why are you stopping me?!" Match shouted as he reached a stalemate with Tony. Tony shrugged.
"To keep you from getting in the way." He answered with a slight question in his tone, "You can't get in the way, if Savage dies so does Mariko! I won't let that happen!"
"MOVE!" Match shouted then threw Tony into the wall adjacent them, creating a large hole in the wall. Match then ran off towards the top floor. Tony groaned as he moved the wreckage from overtop of him and stood, holding his back.
"Hey brat," Klarion said appearing beside him, "How ya doing?"
"You're a sarcastic and sadistic little freak you know that right?" Tony growled. Klarion scowled.
"I've been called worse—mostly by Miko Mariko—but that's not important right now." He said, "Forget about Match. This is getting boring to watch. So I'm gonna go watch Mariko take her anger out on Savage. Wanna watch with me?"
"NO!" Tony growled, then grabbed Klarion by his tie, Klarion cocked an eyebrow, "What I want is for you to take me to her!"
"First of all," Klarion growled snatching his tie from Tony's grasp, "Speak to me like that again and I'll magically sew your mouth shut."
Tony said nothing simply glared. Klarion huffed and wove his hand in the air.
"Very well, whatever. I'm kind of curious to see how she plans on killing him anyhow." He said then snapped his finger as the two dissipated into a cloud of smoke.
~0~
Robin stared as Mariko held her hand on the button to a bomb. Savage stared as well, however not with the same fear as Robin. Mariko grinned.
"You claimed to be immortal, I wonder if you'd survive being blown to bits?" she asked. Savage held his ground.
"You're bluffing, not even you would risk your life on a theory." He said, Mariko's face twisted.
"Am I Savage?" She asked, "You've known me for the better half of my life. You tell me if you really think that I am bluffing."
Savage's stoned face faltered a bit, if he could just get that remote from her he could teach the brat a lesson, and tie of a loose end in the process.
"I belief you'd try to kill me however, do you really think it would work?" he asked, taking a step closer to Mariko.
"Don't. You. Move. An inch." She warned swinging around the remote to the bomb she had.
"If you want to do something then do it." Savage said, staring Mariko in the eyes. Mariko froze, she hadn't expect him to say that. It definitely wasn't what she wanted to hear him say—that of course being that she wanted him to beg like the low life dog that he was.
"Unless of course, you don't really have a bomb." He continued, "After all when would you have had the time to construct it? And how would you have gotten the materials, between running from assassins and the Justice League."
"See that's where you're wrong Savage." Mariko said, ripping her shirt off to reveal a tightly coiled set of explosives. She let out a laugh, "I've had plenty of time to make this baby, and it has enough explosive to destroy this entire building."
"You won't do it." Savage said, Mariko's eye twitched as Klarion and Tony appeared behind her and Robin. The duo stared as Mariko glared at Savage.
"Wrong again, Savage." She said, then pressed the button on the detonator. Klarion's eyes went wide as the bomb strapped her body went off.
"MARIKO!"
Cliff hanger baby! Yeah! Haha! Is Mariko dead? Did she take Savage and the others with her? What will become of Riza and the twins?! All this and more in the next chapter 'The Final Act; Part 2!' See you later armadillos—unless I see you first! Hahaha! REVIEW!