... Well, I knew there would be a huge flood of Misplaced stories after that episode, so I wanted to update this story because... Well, it takes place before Misplaced, so before Zatanna joined... Mostly because I sort.. don't like her much.
Also.. Am I the only one who noticed the Riddler at the end of the epsiode? I swear, seeing him in costume may have actually have been my favorite part... It was a great episode, but I like the Riddler...
... Right. I ended up only being able to fit one member of the team in this chapter, mostly because I thougt of something for my non-team member of this chapter that made it so I did not have time to write more. Also... I like the ending.
There are some flashbacks in this chapter, which will be shown in large areas typed like this.
If this is not obvious, I do not own Young Justice.
As it turned out, Connor did not want to talk at all. When he entered the room, the young Kryptonian stormed to the plush green chair across from Dinah, collapsing angrily into it. He then continued on to be completely silent.
This, however, did not stop the older hero from her mission. She was going to at least try and help every one of these teenagers deal with the loss of their youngest, no matter how badly one needs anger management.
"Conner, I asked you a question."
The young hero scowled into space before answering rudely.
"I don't want to talk about anything."
Dinah narrowed her eyes in determination. The tragedy may have opened Artemis up more, but at the same time it seemed to have closed Superboy off completely.
The clone would be opened back up if she had anything to say about it, however.
"In light of recent events, I really doubt there is nothing you want to talk about."
The young Kryptonian tensed slightly, and his glare into space intensified tenfold.
"I definitely do not want to talk about… that."
Black Canary would still not give in, despite the initial refusal from her current charge.
"Alright, Conner. If you will not start a meaningful conversation, I will. Why do you not want to talk about this so badly?"
Conner's fierce glare, bad enough even to rival the Bat-glare, was suddenly directed straight at the blonde hero.
"Why do I not want to talk about it? A member of the team is dead… The youngest is not coming back… ROBIN IS GONE!"
The boy had suddenly stood at his last sentence, screaming his final three words at Black Canary.
He was slightly surprised when she did not even flinch, though his anger did not dim in the least.
"Conner, we've realized this. That is why I want, no, need to talk to you. The incident is obviously giving you unstable emotions, which is unhealthy. Sit back down, we are going to talk."
The elder hero had not lost her calm demeanor at all while talking, shocking Conner enough to sit back down, albeit with an angry huff.
"Now that we can actually begin, how about you start with telling me exactly what you are feeling?"
Though Superboy clearly wanted to strike out again, he could see Black Canary meant business. This was what caused him to hesitantly answer.
"I am just so... angry. It isn't until I will never see him again that I realize… I never really paid him any attention. I tended to just drown him and Wally out completely. Now… I can't hear what weird stories from Gotham he has to tell me, or listen to him rant about some hacking he did last week, or even his weird words that barely make any sense…"
As suddenly as he started, Conner stopped speaking. A moment later, he continued speaking, but his voice was much colder.
"The worst part is that the one who took him away is still loose. I want to… hurt that… monster so badly… He hurt Robin! He killed Robin! Why can't we hurt him back?"
Dinah suddenly leaned towards Superboy, seeing the dangerous path the younger hero's thoughts were going.
"Conner, we do not kill people. Even true monsters like the Joker have a life, and it is not our place to take that away. I know you are hurting, we all are. Even through that, you can't go down to his level. Do you understand?"
Conner stood suddenly, heading towards the door.
"I don't understand, Black Canary. I don't see how the pure evil that keeps that so-called man alive is considered a life."
Seconds later, the room was once again empty. Dinah sat for a few moments before a sniffling Megan entered.
Two down, three more to go. It was going to be a very long day.
Far from Mount Justice, in an apartment in Star City, Roy Harper was going into depression.
Sitting alone on his couch, the red head was going through a huge box full of pictures. With each photo, tears started to well in his blue eyes.
Staring at the photo of Wally, Dick, and him at a carnival, the memory of that day came back to him.
"Roy! Hurry up; the lines aren't getting any shorter!"
The archer rolled his eyes at Wally's impatient nature. Dick, who had previously been in between his two friends, suddenly ran back to Roy's side.
"Shut up Wally, not everyone is speedsters. Roy can go as slowly as he wants."
Wally glanced ahead, groaning.
"But Diiiicccckkkk….. There's cotton candy!"
The younger boy rolled his ice blue eyes.
"More sugar that will make you even more hyper? This is guaranteed to end very, very badly…"
The speedster stuck his tongue out at Dick.
"Yeah, like you are so much better when on sugar."
This point caused Roy to laugh slightly. Dick's head turned a light glare on his features.
"What is so funny about that, Roy?"
"Just that he has a point. Last time we gave you sugar, you were doing back flips on rafters. I swear I thought Bruce was going to kill us…."
The Boy Wonder laughed loudly.
"Bruce would never kill you… Maim, or injure greatly, however…"
They all laughed, until Wally interrupted.
"Wait… You're joking, right?"
In the present, tears were rolling down Roy's face. That day seemed so far away…
Putting that picture aside, the archer grabbed the next photo from the box his hand reached.
Staring at a new memory head on, this one of when Dick had tried to teach him how to hack Ollie's computer, the day's events rushed into his scarred mind.
"Roy… I think you are hopeless."
The older boy scowled at his friend.
"What am I doing wrong? I did everything you told me to-"
He was suddenly interrupted by the dark-haired ten-year-old.
"Except you forgot to cover your tracks. Ollie will be in here to ask why you were hacking his computer in five… four… three… two…"
Suddenly, the door to Roy's bedroom was opened by none other than Ollie.
"Roy... I know you are a teenager, and feel you have rights... But why did you hack my computer?"
Dick suddenly stood up, giving that sickingly sweet smile that made any adult melt, but disgusted anyone near the boy's own age.
"Uncle Ollie, I just wanted to show Roy one of my talents. I thought you wouldn't mind if I used your computer for the example, because you are so nice…"
The elder archer could not resist the cuteness that was Dick. He left with only a warning that Dick should ask next time before using his stuff for examples.
When the two were alone, Roy turned to glare at his younger friend.
"How is it that if I did that alone, I would be grounded for months, but you manage to get him to leave with just an 'ask next time'?"
Dick winked at the archer.
"No adult can resist me, Roy. It is time you learned that. It is a gift."
By this point, Roy was almost weeping.
Going through the box, he remembered days with Dick, ranging from fighting crime together to just playing video games. With each new memory, his cries became more miserable.
Suddenly, he grabbed the box. The visions of happy times were becoming by far too much for the scarred archer. The box flew through the air, hitting the mirror on the other side of the room, shattering the glass.
Through all this, Roy's weeping continued. No notice was made to his destroyed mirror, or the pictures of smiling Dick carpeting the floor. All control of his body was lost.
Roy didn't notice the voice yelling his name outside the door to the apartment. The young adult paid no mind when the door was forcefully opened, none other than Oliver Queen spilling into the room.
When he saw the boy he raised, his son in such a state, the elder archer ran to Roy's side.
"Roy... You need help."
The red head looked up at Ollie, his tear-stained face staring at Ollie.
"You-you can't make me come with you..."
Ollie sighed, exasperated.
"Roy, it is not safe for you to be with just yourself right now. Look at the state of this room."
Roy at first seemed confused on what the older hero meant, and then the truth soaked into him.
"Did… Did I do this?"
Ollie nodded his head. While Roy looked around, horrified, he helped the young adult up.
"Roy... You have to come back to the manor."
For once, Roy did not argue.
As the two archers left the apartment, photos of the lost boy still covered the ground, his laughing face being visible anywhere you looked.
Poor Roy...
Megan and another guest next chapter! Possibly Kaldur as well. As for the guest.. I'm still debating which one will show up next.
Please review!