Forgive me for the delay in this chapter- Sinus Infections are horrible writing companions. I was laid out on the couch for almost a week. D: On the flip side, I did get to watch a three-day Batman Marathon, so I am full to bursting with new character interactions. Hence the two and their bantering below. Yes, thanks to popular demand, I'm bringing in two new characters. I think that brings my total character count up to around 50 or so now, if you count the whole JL. LOL!!

As always, folks, thanks for the reviews! They continue to bring a smile to my face and help me stay motivated. :)

Here's the twelfth chapter!

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"Alright, tell me if you've heard this one: Two birds are sitting on a plane…"

Nightwing rolled his eyes. Robin had been chatting non-stop since he'd picked the younger boy up, back in Gotham, as per Oracle's request. Ok, Dick, it was more of a firm request, really more like a command… an order from the top, to be brutally honest, but still… It's nice to think that maybe she'd asked me, rather than just ordered me around like a kid... He glanced over at Robin, in the seat next to him. What did I do to deserve this torture - have I made Barbara upset? Or is she just messing with me? Or…

All she'd said was that Batman had a 'little problem' and needed his assistance in South America, fast.

"Tell me again, Dick. Why did Oracle have you pick me up? And where are we going?" The teen folded his arms and leaned back in his seat, staring through his mask at the original Robin. Because of that order, the two of them were flying from Gotham to a location that the black-and-blue suited Nightwing had not deemed necessary to disclose to the teen.

Nightwing shrugged. "I don't know, Tim. All she said was that Bruce needed our help."

"Any idea what we're helping him with? And you still haven't told me where we're going. I'm missing classes at Brentwood because of this little trip."

"No, and No. Didn't she contact you?"

"Yeah, Oracle said that you were going to pick me up. That's all. It's not like her to be so secretive."

His answer was a raised eyebrow in a manner much like that of his mentor. "She's Oracle. It's her job to be secretive."

Robin sighed. "You know what I mean."

"We'll find out when we get there, I guess."

"I just wish I was more prepared… I hate long plane trips, especially when I don't know where we're going." There was silence for a few minutes, as each was lost in his own thoughts.

Finally, the boy spoke up again. "Batman, Superman, and Green Arrow walk into a bar…"

***

"Wait for me!" Flash yelled as he zipped to the teleportation deck. "You guys can't leave without me! I said I was gonna come, didn't I? So why are you already going without me? You're not trying to leave me up here with J'onn, are you? That's not fair! I can't be left up here to take the blame for the food fight by myself! I wanna go with you!"

Green Lantern rolled his eyes. "We weren't going to leave you, Wally. We were only… getting ready early. Now that you're here, we can go."

"Isn't J'onn coming?" Mr. Terrific asked from the lit console, pointing up to the Martian, who was barely visible over the edge of the control deck.

"He wants to stay behind and keep everything under control here," Batboy answered.

Mr. Terrific let out an enormous sigh, his shoulders heaving in relief. "That's good, I guess..."

"Um… yeah," the young Dark Knight replied. "Whatever. You've got the coordinates?"

"Right here," he grinned.

Batboy stepped up to the teleportation deck and stood on a blue circle, preparing for transport. "Are we ready?" he asked, looking from one to another, around the group. Diana and Shayera nodded, Flash gave a thumbs-up, Green Lantern grinned, and Superboy just stood there in a slightly heroic pose, waiting to be teleported.

The boy at the desk pressed the button with a flourish, waving as they disappeared. Flash waved back as he faded away.

***

"So..." Robin muttered. "Oracle sent us into the middle… of… the jungle."

He and Nightwing stood outside the jet, looking around at the mass of flora surrounding them and their transport. The humidity was oppressive, causing both the adult and the teen to break into a drenching sweat. Bugs and birds filled the air with their sounds, and somewhere nearby a monkey shrieked. The light shined down through the opening where they'd landed, but it only penetrated the thickness of the jungle a few feet, the shrubbery and trees swallowing the sunlight.

Nightwing scratched his head. "Apparently Batman's supposed to be somewhere around here. This is where she said he'd be."

"Is there, maybe… I don't know, a time difference or something? We were flying for EVER."

"No, she said we'd meet up with him…" he glanced around the area again. "Where are you, Bruce?" he asked into the air.

As if in response, a blue light shimmered in the jungle clearing, slowly fading away to reveal six children in bright costumes. Nightwing and Robin stared in amazement at the new arrivals. The six stared back with mixed emotions. Silence reigned over the small clearing for several tense moments.

"Bwahahahahahaaa! Hahahaha!!!" Robin finally broke into laughter, doubling over and holding his sides. "Bat- haha- man? Wha-haha-at haha-happened to you?!?"

Nightwing struggled to keep his mouth from twitching. "Bruce? Is… is that you?"

Bruce's frown deepened, if that was at all possible. "Dick. Tim. Why are you here?"

Robin rubbed the back of his neck. "Well…" he began, grinning sheepishly.

"I told Oracle not to get you two involved. If she sent you…"

Nightwing quickly defended her. "Believe me, Bruce, she didn't tell us about… this…" he waved in their general direction, indicating their small size. "She just said you might need a… little… help…" he trailed off as the realization of his instructions sank in.

Diana stepped between the two groups. "Well I, for one, think it's a good thing they're here. The more help we have, the better. Now come on! We've got a temple to find!" She started off into the jungle undergrowth.

Lantern started after her, but Superboy held him back. They all stood still, watching in the direction she'd walked off in.

"How long till we let her know the temple's that way?" Shayera asked Superboy, pointing in the opposite direction.

"Just a bit longer…"