Chapter 47

Last chapter Mariko confronted Savage, in the hopes of once and for all ending his life. Is she dead? Who called her name? all these questions will be answered in this final installment of Tech-No Love. And to readingisdatbest…..I know right?! Klarion FOR THE WIN! I was sooo happy to see him in the episode! He has to be in the next one, he just has to, I want to see him fight Zatanna soooo bad! *sigh* Klarion fangirling aside let's get to the story shall we? ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!

'Am I dead?' Mariko thought to herself as she felt herself being surrounded by darkness, she had detonated the bomb to kill Vandal Savage and now here she was—wherever 'here' was, 'Please tell me I'm dead and that I took Savage with me! I want to see Takumi, I want to see my big brother.'

"Sorry no such luck." An annoyingly familiar whinny voice said, Mariko let out a small sob as she opened her eyes and saw Klarion floating over her with his cat.

"I take it Savage isn't either." She mumbled, Klarion narrowed his eyes at her and Mariko got a feeling that he was not happy.

"You blew yourself up…" He growled, Mariko groaned and closed her eyes.

"Yeah I did, so why aren't I dead?" She asked, then realized that she didn't have any kind of control of her body, "And why can't I move?"

"I saved you. Just before you pressed that detonator in your hand I threw up a barrier around your body," Klarion said, "And it's only a temporary paralysis, to ensure you don't try something like that again."

Mariko rolled her eyes. Where was she anyway?

"You're in one of my pocket dimensions." Klarion said, Mariko paused.

"One? That puts into mind you have more?" She asked, Klarion growled.

"Focus you stupid girl!" He shouted grabbing Mariko by the strap on her top. Mariko stared, if she had use of her arms she's probably smack him for saving her. She didn't ask for it so why did he do it?

"It's none of your business why!" Klarion growled, Mariko cocked an eyebrow.

"You can hear my thoughts here?" She asked, Klarion nodded, "So then is this the part where you take what you want from me, as promised to our agreement?"

"Normally yes," Klarion said.

"Normally?" Mariko repeated. Klarion nodded then Teekl meowed.

"Since Savage isn't dead I can't exactly keep you around." He explained, "And since it would be no fun to take a corps back with me I'm leaving you here."

"Jerk." Mariko muttered then felt a tear roll down her cheek, "I don't want to go back! I want to see Takumi, I want to see my big brother!"

"Even if you did die, you wouldn't see that boy." Klarion said, "You're not part of this world anymore."

"Why did you save me!? Stupid witch-boy!" Mariko shouted, ignoring his comment, Klarion scowled.

"Yaknow I always liked how you could speak your mind regardless of your position." He said, grabbing Mariko's face in his claws, "I wonder if it's because of that insanity you brag so much about?"

Mariko glared, Klarion was avoiding the question. Usually she wouldn't mind but she really didn't like the fact that he didn't just let her die. Then a thought came to her mind.

"You like me don't you?" she asked plainly, Klarion let go of her face and grinned.

"I do but not in the same way you think. I just find you entertaining." He said snapping his fingers as Mariko regained control of her body. Once free from her paralysis she tackled Klarion.

"You punk! HENTAI No Desu!* Are you some kind of pervert!?" She hissed, "If you're not going to kill me send me back I'm going to make sure Savage never sees the light of day again!"

"Don't call me punk, and yeah so what if I am a pervert? Not my fault, it's natural no matter what you are." Klarion said, allowing the young genius to wrap her hands around his throat. "And I'll send you back, but I will also be taking something, for putting me in the predicament where I had to save your sorry butt."

Mariko huffed and released her grip on Klarion's neck and sat up.

"Whatever, how bout you take our my hearing, that way I don't have to hear Tony cry about what happened." She muttered.

"That wasn't the cyborg." Klarion said, Mariko paused and looked back at the Lord of Chaos.

"Then who was it?" she asked, she remembered someone calling her name. she thought for sure it was Tony. He always cried like that whenever she'd do something drastic, or when that avalanche happened. That was a bittersweet experience. Klarion shrugged.

"Guess you'll just have to figure that out when you wake up." He said.

"It wasn't you was it?" Mariko asked narrowed her eyes, Klarion quickly grabbed Mariko by the jaw and gave her an irritated smirk.

"That mouth of yours is annoying." He said, Mariko made a face telling him she didn't care.

"But you like me, can't deny that now." She teased. Klarion growled, and pushed her away.

"Oh shut up and wake up! Stupid girl!" He shouted, Mariko stuck her tongue out.

"I'm not stupid; I'm the smartest girl alive—or dead." She said, then felt someone—Klarion—push her from behind. She began to tumble into the darkness. The last thing she heard of course was Klarion's voice.

"And if you ever make me call your name like that again I will take your life!"

~0~

When Mariko opened her eyes again she was in a hospital bed, she looked over and saw an IV stuck in her arm. She groaned; the medical equipment belonged to Lex Corp. As she went to look away from the heart monitor and IV she saw Tony passed out in a chair, she rolled her eyes.

"Stupid cyborg." She muttered.

"Mariko?" Another familiar voice said, Mariko looked up to see Dick Grayson standing in the door, holding a small bouquet of flowers. Mariko cocked an eyebrow. What the heck were those for?

"You're awake." He mumbled, then, as if remembering he had the flowers, hid them behind his back.

"Those aren't for me are they?" Mariko grunted. Dick scowled.

"Not anymore." He spat, "Geeze, even when you're in the hospital you're insufferable."

"The only reason I asked is because it's very OOC for you do something like that for me." Mariko hissed crossing her arms over her chest, "So you brought me to the hospital? Do you know how I survived?"

"IT's a miracle you weren't blown to bits Mariko, are you aware of that?" Dick asked, Mariko snorted.

"No miracle involved here." She said, "More like a very cruel nightmare."

"Geeze," Dick mumbled walking up to Mariko then noticed Tony passed out in the chair next to her, "You know, you may have done a lot of things to him, but he still likes you."

"I've known that for a long time." Mariko said, looking out the window, "I regret to inform him I don't feel the same way."

"What is wrong with you?" Dick asked, Mariko frowned.

"What do you mean? This is the way I've always acted toward Tony." She said. Dick scowled.

"Besides what do you care? You're going to send me to Arkham again, do whatever you want to Tony, and start hunting down Match, am I right?" She asked. Dick huffed and sat down and placed the small bundle of flowers on Mariko's lap.

"You're crazy."

"Sticks and stones Dicky, sticks and stones." Mariko mumbled plucking the petals off of one of the small daisies, "Tell me Robin, if I'm sent to the asylum, what will happen to my girls?"

"Nothing," Dick said, Mariko paused.

"What do you mean nothing?" She asked, Dick gave Mariko a look before he answered.

"Bruce has a soft spot for orphans. Nothing bad will happen to them, I promise." He said. Mariko nodded.

"Good…and…Tony?" She asked, "What will the Team do with him after you tell them he helped me again?"

"Don't know yet, he might just be released, since everyone thinks he was just following your orders." Dick explained. Mariko nodded silently and plucked more petals off the flowers, she felt herself begin to shake with a bit of fear.

"And Savage?" she asked in a small voice, she feared what she would hear from Dick. Though she already knew that he was alive. She remembered Klarion telling her about it—well actually he didn't actually say that Savage was dead, but he didn't say that he wasn't either.

"Savage won't bother you anymore." Dick said, Mariko froze and felt the tears flow over her cheeks. She dropped the remaining flowers and grabbed hold of Dick and began to sob. Dick froze, not entirely sure what he was supposed to do at this moment. The idea to comfort her passed through his mind, however it would probably only encourage her to do something else. He sighed and let her cry on him for however long she needed. When she finally stopped she lingered, not letting go of him, and oddly, he let her.

"I know you don't like me, but could I persuade you to watch over my girls while I'm in Arkham?" She asked finally, "They really are innocent in all this."

"When did I say you were going to Arkham?" Dick asked, Mariko paused, then pulled away from him and gave him a look.

"But…I blew up several buildings, I killed someone, you—"

"Have no conclusive evidence that you were behind any of this." He said, "No witnesses, no evidence, nothing. Savage really doesn't want you coming after him again."

"Maybe he did die then…sort of." Mariko mumbled, "But then what's going to happen to me?"

"M'gaan managed to talk Batman into believing that there's still good in you." Dick said, "Not entirey sure how she managed to do that, but he's offering you another chance on the Team."

"What about Riza and the twins?" Mariko asked.

"They'll be with you of course, I don't think it would do much good to separate the four of you." Dick said, Mariko nodded.

"Hm, well as much as I appreciate the offer, Dick, if I'm going to fight the bad-guys I'd rather do it my way." She said, Dick sighed.

"I figured you'd say that."

"You know me so well and you've only known me for half a year." She said with hint of sarcasm. Dick nodded.

"You're not going to go after Savage again are you?" He asked, Mariko looked back at him.

"No…for some reason, I think I got that all out of my system." She said, then smirked, "So did you ever come to the conclusion of why you keep saving me?"

"I have…" Dick said. Mariko's brows rose.

"Oh?" she asked, leaning forward towards Dick, who smirked.

"But I'm never telling you that conclusion." He said, Mariko frowned, then let out a small laugh, and sat back as Dick walked toward the door.

"You really are a cruel person, Dick Grayson. Haha!" she said, "Fine, fine, but don't think this is over."

Dick Grayson looked back at Mariko who grinned back at him, he let out a laugh, "With you Mariko, I think I'll expect the unexpected."

"See you, Robin." Mariko said as Dick left. After a moment, Mariko looked over to Tony who was still passed out. Man that boy sure could sleep through anything. She let out a slight chuckle then put on a serious face.

"TONY YOU USELESS CYBORG! WAKE UP!" She shouted, Tony awoke startled by the sudden shout, he then looked to Mariko.

"Miss Mariko you're awake!" he shouted, Mariko nodded.

"Hurry up and check me outta this place, we've got stuff to do, and my girls to pick up!" she shouted. Tony nodded, and stood.

"And I'll chalk you're attitude earlier up to a short circuit in the android parts of your body. But ever try something like that ever again." She said plainly. Tony nodded.

"Yes ma'am." He said then took off. Leaving Mariko waiting in her hospital bed. She looked down at the scattered flower petals in her lap, finding the one flower she hadn't torn apart. When suddenly the daisy changed shape into a purple rose. Mariko looked up.

"So what now?" Klarion asked.

"I'm gonna take a break for a while." Mariko said, "Take my girls somewhere quiet. For a while anyway, so I won't be able to provide you with any entertainment for a while."

"I can be patient. When I need to be." Klarion said.

"Good."

And that's the end! (*) I'm not the best Japanese linguist so I did my best without using google she was suppsed to be asking if he was a pervert. But I don't think that translation is right. Don't quote me. Sorry the ending kind of sucked, and it leaves a lot of room for the mind to wonder if Mariko and Robin will get together, depending on the reviews I might do a follow up story. See you later armadillos—unless I see you first haha! REVIEW