Chapter Three: Spinning a Web

So Batman kept his promise and my Foster Parents were locked away for good. I got a new, cool robotic arm that was a pain to install. And I was living with Batman's alias and his ward who happened to be Dick from Gotham Academy. Woo go me.

Bruce wasn't happy at how my grades were steadily declining into the gutter and how I never studied. So I was forced to waste my time learning things I could care less about. The only upside to that was Dick helped me study and I found myself… liking him.

I attempted to teach the group about reconnaissance but it failed and I gave up. They sucked and the whole thing failed. I left Mount Justice that day swearing like a sailor and almost overdosing with aspirin just to make the headache go away. Now I knew why Batman gave me the job. No one else could handle them.

I spent most of my time in Mount Justice, sitting on the couch watching TV. The others would train and hone their skills (for M'gann, cook) but I was just too lazy to. Robin and Aqualad were busy sparring so I decided to barge in, maybe challenge one.

Clicking off the TV I made my way down. Getting semi-lost on my way there.

I entered just after Conner and M'gann, the two were all lovey dovey. I pulled a face and approached the two boys, crossing my arms, happy for once that they didn't fall to my sides.

"You know they're a couple, right?" whispered Robin.

"I believe I knew before they did." Answered Kaldur with a slight smile.

"Makes since." I mumbled and added in my head 'The two aliens suit each other'.

"So when is our next lesson, teacher?" teased Robin.

I stuck out my tongue. "After the last time, never."

I tuned out and watched as the rest of the team arrived and Batman shortly after. He flicked on the TV to the news. A blonde reported about the vines destroying the town. I squealed and pumped my fists in the air.

"Awesome! Poison Ivy!" I gasped.

Robin looked at me and Kaldur shook his head, smiling a little. Batman shot me a look but I ignored it.

"She's like my Hero! She's so pretty and sexy! A few years back she tricked Bat-"

"That's enough, Winifred." Snapped Batman.

"Wini." I growled back.

I snapped my mouth shut when Batman glared at me again. I didn't want to get on his bad side, after all, he was nice enough to let me live with him and pay for my schooling.

They went on about the mission I wouldn't be going on because I wasn't trusted enough or skilled enough. Which was fine by me, but why keep me here at all? I've only tried to teach them once and that obviously was a failure. I wasn't going to complain. Life was easier now.

The screen fuzzed and the Joker's face flicked on the screen.

"Ooh! The Joker!" I hummed.

They glared at me.

I pointed to myself. "Big Bad Villain remember?"

The joker turned the camera and showed six more big villains, Poison Ivy included. He ranted about something then Count Vertigo took over and demanded a ransom, then the screen fussed again. Batman called for the money to be collected as a final resort and Robin went over the tape again, pointing out the Villains from it.

"Seven heavy hitters, probably behind everything we face." Said Robin excitedly, taping on the keyboard.

"Something's not right." I mumbled, tapping my chin. "Why do they want the money?"

"What else would the bad guys want?" snorted Wally.

I glared at him and continued. "I didn't steal for the money. I stole because I liked the rush and because I was bored. Poison Ivy's an ecoterrorist, she wants to protect the environment." I crossed my arms and rubbed them getting a bad feeling about everything. "There has to be a hidden meaning behind it."

"There always is." Answered Batman.

While he continued telling them about the mission I wouldn't be going on, I pondered what I had said. What were the Big Bad Villains planning? Of course I was meant to be a Big Bad Villain too, but these people were completely different to me. If they managed to take out the Justice League then what would happen to the world? I would have said 'Not that I care' but I found myself caring. I liked my life with Bruce and Dick. Life was (for once) smiling at me. I couldn't let anything ruin that.

Then a light bulb flashed over my head. I smirked.

Xx

Oh mother of pearl. I found (right after I stowed away on M'gann bioship) that I did not have the stomach for flying. They didn't even seem to notice I was practically green and hidden in whatever shadows there was. This, my dear Superheroes, was part of the work I was meant to be teaching you, if you'd listen.

But, even though I had my hand plastered over my mouth and was taking big gulps of air to stop myself from throwing up all over the Martian ship, I didn't blow my cover. And who said I wouldn't be a good asset to the team?

Then the bioship jerked and I rolled out of my hiding space. I groaned and tired to find my stomach I had left behind in my hiding spot.

"Wini?" they grumbled or gasped.

"What are you doing?" snapped Robin, grabbing my shoulder.

I opened my mouth to answer but the bioship was thrown into a lake. I screamed and latched onto Robin. Living the sheltered life I lived, I didn't know how to swim so I was most likely going to drown. Unbuckling himself from the seat, Robin got a good grip of me and handed me a strange underwater breathing device. I put it in my mouth and held onto him as he helped me out of the hole in the bioship.

The moment my head popped up into air, I ran to land as fast as I could.

"Sweet baby Jesus!" I fell to my knees.

"Mind telling us why you stowed away on M'gann ship?" asked Aqualad, crossing his arms and standing behind me.

I moved so I was on my bum. "I-I…"

They didn't look happy to see me. I was just dead weight to them. I glared.

"She's in shock, she'll need time to recover." M'gann watched her ship in worry.

I bit my lip. I just wanted to help a little, and get some answers. Besides I was meant to be their teacher, wasn't I?

I opened my mouth to tell them about my idea but something hit us that made us drop to the ground in pain. Count Vertigo no doubt. Then another guy showed up and smashed Superboy in his face, almost knocking him out. Aqualad threw Count Vertigo back with some of the lake water.

"Robin, Miss Martian, Widow, disappear. We'll keep them busy. Fulfill the mission objective." He ordered in my head.

I follow closely behind them, as silently as possible. Robin wasn't pleased with me being there and M'gann was worrying about the others, mainly Superboy.

We walked through the muddy path. I was so quiet that both had to look over and see if I was still there. Each time they looked I would wave and smile. One thing I was good at was not being seen. Something they needed to learn. And I was meant to teach.

Then we found the main plant of Poison Ivy, the one controlling everything. I heard her behind us before the other two did, and I sunk into the shadows.

"Well, hello."

Vines wrapped around them.

I bit my lip and slunk around behind her. I threw my arms around her neck, and wrapped my legs around her waist. She let out a cry of surprise and I felt the vines twist themselves around my waist and neck. But I held on. She was so distracted the when the monkey guy came, she slammed into him and the laser shot off in a different direction, saving Robin's head.

Finally when I was purple I let go and was thrown on the floor. Poison Ivy stepped on my chest. Then stopped. My wig had come off somewhere in the process and my copper hair was quickly getting dirty.

I gasped for breath. And scrambled away.

'Miss Martian, you and Robin get away. I'm fine.' I said in my head.

'No! Batman'll kill me if we come back without you!' hissed Robin.

'GO!' I shouted and scissored my legs, making Poison Ivy fall.

M'gann got them free and they shot off into the forest. Robin looked back sadly as he ran.

Ivy tried to catch him and I couldn't let that happen.

"Ivy!" I shouted. "Fight me!"

She turned and looked at me. I must have looked really dirty because her eyes widened.

"W-Winifred?" she gasped, her vines dropping to the floor.

I stepped back. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Wini? My little Stinging Nettle?" she mumbled stepping closer.

This just keeps getting better and better. Though I was thankful the other two were too far to hear this. They didn't trust me as it was.

Poison Ivy wrapped me in an awkward hug. "Oh, my little baby! You're alright!"

"Oh boy." I sighed.