Disclaimer: And I still do not own Young Just. Must I really keep repeating myself?
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Mist: It's everyone's favorite time, new chappy time!
Whistle: Once again, we're getting pretty damn close to the end. So speak up if you have a request.
Mist: Oh, and baby Rory is doing good. He's really cute!
Whistle: A happy Mist is always a good thing. As you've probably already noticed, her moods effect what happens in the story.
Mist: So… who thinks Wally's gonna be rescued this chappy?
Whistle: Let's see what happens, shall we?
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Chapter 19: Rescue
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(Wally/Blitz's POV)
"How did you find this place?" I growled at M'gann.
"I actually found it by accident," The Martian told me. "We've been searching for the Rogues' hideout all day. In the rain I'd like to point out. Then I heard someone yelp and saw the Trickster through a window."
Urg, Trickster and his zombie phobia…
"So… you aren't a zombie?" James asked her nervously.
M'gann looked confused at his question. "Umm… no," She told him, "What made you think I was a zombie?"
"You have green skin," James pointed out, "And you were creeping in the bushes."
I rolled my eyes at my friend before returning my attention back to the intruder. "Who knows your here?" I asked her.
"The teams on their way," M'gann answered me, an assuring tone in her voice.
Oh crap…
James tilted his head in confusion. "Why are they coming here?" He asked M'gann. "Don't you know it's past bed time?"
M'gann smiled gently at him. "We're here to help you two," She told him.
Her words confused me. "The hell are you talking about?" I asked her. "I thought you jerks were just after me? Why are you even targeting James?"
"Look, I know I cant explain this to you in a way you will understand but…" She began to trail off. She took a deep breath before continuing. "You're both being brainwashed by the Pied Piper."
James and I looked at one another before bursting out into laughter.
"I'm not kidding around!" M'gann insisted. "He's rewritten you're brainwaves through hypnosis!"
I was the first to stop laughing. "Pied Piper would never do something like that to us," I defended my friend, "We're his friends."
"That's just what he wants you to think!" M'gann refused to give up. "Think about, Wally! You're not the same person you used to be! You're persona has been changed. Haven't you at least noticed that?"
I faltered at her question. I felt my mind trail to the many times I've acted out of character these past few weeks. The most recent I can think of is when I noticed that the movies I enjoy now are different than the ones I used to enjoy. I also haven't felt the desire to well… do anything I used to do. I've also lost interest in science. All the big words I used to be able to define off the top of my head now only served to hurt my head. Also, didn't I used to think for myself all the time?
All this thinking is hurting my head…
"Wally?" M'gann said to get my attention.
I looked over at her. I tried to look indifferent to her words, but a small tear that escaped from my eye betrayed me.
"You have noticed, haven't you," She said, sighing in relief. "Don't worry, you only need to hang on for a little longer. We'll have you back to normal in no time."
James looked around nervously. "Wally… what is she talking about?" He asked me. "Why are you crying?"
"I –I don't know," I admitted, trying to wipe away the tears that had slowly began to trickle down my face.
"Fight the control!" M'gann told me, "You're stronger than this!"
What is she talking about? And why does my head hurt more and more with every word? I want it to go away! Where's Hartley? He'd know what to do…
"Go away!" James yelled at M'gann. "You're hurting him!"
"No, I'm not," M'gann argued. "The Pied Piper is the one hurting him. He's done the same to you. You need to fight back against the control or-"
"We're here!" A new voice interrupted her.
With this new distraction I managed to pull myself away from the pain. I turned around and to my annoyance I saw Robin and Red Arrow.
"This is bad…" I muttered, "Very, very bad…"
"Thank goodness you guys are here," M'gann sighed in relief, "I can't break through to them."
Well at least someone's happy in this situation.
"Will you losers kindly get the hell out of my room!" I snapped at them all, pointing to the exit.
Robin looked at me with a pained expression. "Wally…" He said just above a whisper.
I glared at him, daring him to finish his sentence.
Robin backed down, but Red Arrow stepped forwards. "This is getting ridiculous," He growled, grabbing me by my shoulders and shaking me. "We're your friends! We're trying to help you! Now snap out of that damned mind control so we can all go home!"
"Leave him alone!" James snapped at him, kicking him in the leg.
"Ow! You little brat!"
James stuck his tongue out at him in response.
"Enough, Red Arrow, we are not here to fight them," Aqualad's voice lectured from the window. "We are here to rescue them."
Great, more of them… how many plan on breaking into my room? "You know, this is breaking and entering. Isn't that illegal?" I pointed out, even though I know it won't actually get rid of them. "Hey, I promise not to charge you guy, if you just freaking leave!"
"This is getting out of hand," James decided, "I'm gonna go wake up the other's."
"Oh, no you don't!" Red Arrow growled as he grabbed James, hoisting him over his shoulder. "You're coming with us."
"Let him go!" I snapped at Red Arrow.
Aqualad grabbed my arm in a tight grip that I was unable to break away from. "I am truly sorry about this," He said, "But we need to get you two away from here in order for M'gann to fix your minds."
I glared at him and elbowed him in the stomach in an attempt to get him to let go. I didn't work so I tried yelling again. "Leave me alone!" I snapped at my former leader. "I'm a Rogue now! Get over it!"
"We will not leave you alone, because you did not leave of your own free will," Aqualad countered. "You have to believe us. The Pied Piper is using hypnotism to make you think you want to be here. He's destroying you, Wally. He's taken away everything that you are and is replacing it with what he wants you to be. That's why you are getting those headaches. They're caused by you're mind trying to break itself free."
I stopped struggling to listen to what he was saying. It… it had to be a lie… Hartley would never do something like that…
Would he?
Well… he did hit me earlier when I argued with him… But that's the only time I remember Hartley acting violent towards me…
"Wally?" Aqualad asked me. "What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"
I lowered my head, the events of this morning swirling in my head. "This morning…" I started quietly, "I made Hartley mad… He yelled at me, and he hit me. But I swear that's the only time he's done anything like that to me…"
I trailed off as I watched the growing looked of horror in my former friends faces, and the look of slight betrayal in James' face.
"That bastard hit you?" Red Arrow snapped, dropping James in his surprise. "Just wait 'til I get my hands on him."
James twisted around into a seated position and looked at me in horror. "I can't believe you!" He exclaimed rather loudly, "How can you buy into their lies?"
I shook my head and stomped on Aqualad's foot. This time he released me, as his grip was already loose from his shock from what I had told him. I ran at top speed to James and pulled him to his feet.
"I'm not," I assured him. "Haven't you ever heard of a distraction?"
James frowned at me. "Well next time, can't you distract them with something that doesn't sound like you're going with them?" He said. "You really scared me!"
"Hehe, sorry," I laughed nervously. "But it was the only thing I could think of at such short notice."
James put his hands on his hips. "Hartley told us to forget about this morning," He reminded me. "And part of forgetting is never bringing it up again."
In our small argument I didn't notice Superboy's arrival, at least until he grabbed me.
"Damn it!" I cursed.
"Opps…" James said, realizing that arguing with me may have ended our hopes of escaping.
Seeing his opportunity, Red Arrow once again grabbed James and threw him over his shoulder. "Can we go now?" He growled. "You know, before the Pied Piper decides to check up on his brainwash victims."
"We are not brainwashed!" James and I snapped at the same time.
That probably didn't help our argument much…
"Looks like we missed the party," A female voice commented from the window.
I craned my neck to see Artemis, Zatanna, and Rocket.
"Great…" I muttered, "Now the whole damned teams here."
Lazily, I identified Rocket as the speaker. Not that it made much difference to me.
Artemis smiled when she noticed me. "Hey," She greeted shortly.
I glared at her. "Hey yourself," I hissed.
There was a moment of silence.
Eventually Red Arrow broke the silence. "Would you stop squirming!" He growled at his captive.
"Never!" James snapped at him. "Now let me go!"
Ok, I understand why they're going after me… but why are they targeting James? He hasn't done anything too horrible… Oh no. Now I get it!
They think the Rogues have brainwashed me. So as an act of horrid revenge they're taking James, and are going to brainwash him!
I have to stop this from happening!
"Leave James alone!" I snapped at them, my plan swirling in my mind. "If you promise to leave him alone," I almost gagged at what I was about to say, "I'll come back without a fight!"
James gasped at what I said.
My former friends paused and looked at me, they looked to be tempted by the offer so I pressed on. "I wont let you take him away from his home, just to get 'revenge' on the Rogues for something that didn't actually happen!" I continued. "So just, put him down. I'll go with you."
They began gesturing at one another, alerting me that their discussion was now a mental one. This continued for a few minutes until Aqualad nodded.
Aqualad turned to face me. "We will take you up on your offer," He said calmly, "But you have to swear that you will not, in any way shape or form, attempt to escape from us. You also have to agree to allow M'gann to go into your mind and correct it."
I gritted my teeth, but nodded.
Aqualad smiled and motioned for Superboy to put me down.
Red Arrow dropped James.
I ran over to my friend and hugged him, wondering if I would still consider him my friend in a few hours.
"Don't do this," James whispered to me, clinging to me. "We can find a way to escape, together."
I shook my head at him and pulled away from our hug. "I'm not gonna risk it," I told him. "We don't know what they're willing to do."
"But…"
"No buts," I told James, trying to sound braver than I felt. "I'll be fine. The moment they take me away, though, I want you to run to Hartley's room and tell him what's happened. He'll think of something."
James was beginning to tear up, but he nodded at me. "Don't do anything stupid until we come for you," He said.
I forced myself to smile. "Don't worry about me," I told him.
"If you are about done," Artemis started, "We'd like to get the hell out of here, before the Pied Piper shows up."
I glared at her as I stood up. "Fine," I growled, "I'm ready to be kidnapped."
"Don't speak like that," Aqualad told me, "We are not kidnapping you. We are rescuing you."
"Call it what you want," I told him icily, "Doesn't change what it is."
He didn't respond to that, instead my former leader led me to the window and pulled me out with him.
They dragged me through the surrounding forest for a bit. I kept looking back until my home got out of sight. When this happened I lowered my head, depressed at what was happening to me.
Well… at least James is safe…
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Mist: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!
Whistle: We have to leave you with another cliffhanger, sorry about that.
Mist: Running low on time, running low on everything…
Whistle: Mist had to finish up a writing project just before writing this chapter, her fingers are tired. I'm actually the one typing right now.
Mist: I'm gonna go take a nap…
Whistle: Good bye everyone, hope to hear from you all soon.
Both: Please review!
