Once his particles were all glued back together and on the Mt. Justice side of the Zeta Tube, Robin stumbled forward. RECOGNIZED ROBIN, B-01 the computer announced to the room, and instantly Robin was accosted by a red head in a yellow unitard.
"Rob! Hey, Artemis just told me everything! I can't believe she figured out your secret ID man!"
"Yea well, I knew about her from the start" Robin retorted. Not necessarily a lie, he knew she was… unusual. He just didn't know who she was, that's all.
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me" KF said shaking his head thoughtfully.
"Now what's going on?" Robin demanded, shedding shy Dick Grayson for team leader Robin, he moved away from the Zeta Tube so that he could now see all of the various teens gathered. Of them, he recognized Kid Flash and… Speedy? "Some sort of an attack? Anyone we know?"
"Yes, unfortunately it is" Came the response from an unfamiliar teen, a dark skinned… Atlantean? Robin guessed from the gills (how the heck was he breathing?) and webbed hands.
"Well, who is it?" Robin looked up at the giant computer monitor to see a massive blob-man smashing through a few unsuspecting police cars.
"Clayface" Robin said through gritted teeth. He'd battled the freak with Batman at least a hundred times, and like Cinderblock, Overload and Plasmus, his more recent recurring monsters- he just refused to back down.
"Guys, that thing is just butt-ugly- do we really have to face that?" A spiky haired girl complained, arms crossed. Who was she? No one here was a Titan. No one except Speedy and even he looked well, wrong. The Titan's do exist here right..? No. Probably not, this is some mad fantasy to confuse me, and probably destroy me; I won't find any friends here.
"What, haven't you ever faced a blob monster Rocket?" Kid Flash laughed.
"No, and I can honestly say I never wanted too" The spiky haired one, Rocket, replied.
"Who cares if we want to fight it- we've got to" The large Superman themed one said bitterly.
Robin was already doing his best to guess at their powers and abilities. Thankfully, costumes tended to lend themselves towards that sort of thing. He knew Kid Flash and Speedy; super speed and arrows. But the others? They were up in the air. The Atlantean was probably just like Aqualad, all swimming and telepathy. The Superman knock-off was probably just that, a superman knockoff. The green girl he couldn't guess and he knew from experience that a red x could mean anything. Artemis, with her bow and quiver was obviously all arrows like Speedy. The girl with long black hair clearly had a Houdini theme going on, and was therefore probably magic, now as to whether or not it was real magic or a slight of the hand? He didn't know. The last one... Rocket. No obvious logos or anything, just a glowing belt. And her name, 'Rocket' wasn't too helpful either. All he could guess was that she flew. Really fast. How am I going to play this? How am I going to lead them if I don't know their names or the full extent of their abilities?
The Atlantean was explaining four points on a map of Gotham.
"Clayface is most likely to have entered the sewers from one of these four locations- they are within a block of each other, but each lead to four very different locations. What we have to do is track him down, capture him and see him returned to his cell. Any questions?" Robin only had to look at the map to see a flaw in their plan.
"Yea. Why don't we just wait for him at each of the four locations? We could save time that would be wasted in chasing him and just snag him when he pops out. Assuming he hasn't already- how long ago did he escape?" The Atlantean frowned at him; clearly he didn't see Robin's logic. Great, just like dealing with Cyborg, Robin thought to himself, bracing himself for the argument.
"It is not as simple as that Robin," The older hero said coolly, "The tunnels branch out in several different directions from within. We could only guess which tunnel he took from inside the sewers."
"Not to mention we think he may set charges along the tunnel he's in and totally decimate the city above" Added Speedy, glancing at Robin with intense eyes.
"Well you could have mentioned that from the start," Robin said irritably, glancing up at the pathways of the four tunnels. They went right through Gotham's down town, and all four of them were likely routes… ugh! They'd have to split up into groups of 2... and one group of three… the group of three taking the most likely and or dangerous route and from there… if only these were the Titans. Then he'd just pair Beastboy with Cyborg, himself with Starfire and have Raven go it alone… but they weren't. Why do you care Robin? It's a fantasy. A fake, but it was no good losing the game. Even if it was some plot to mess with him.
"Here's what we do guys. The east tunnel goes right under Gotham's stock district- that means bond buildings and banks. We send a group of three down that one cause that's where Clayface is most likely to hit. The other three tunnels are viable targets sure, but are less likely to be his main goal so we'll have groups of two cover them. Now as far as who goes with who-" The Atlantean cut him off.
"Robin! While you have some very good ideas I must disagree with you, about Clayfaces most likely target at least"
"Oh, why?" Who was the Atlantean kidding? Robin was in charge. He had the most experience and… did he..? He was still with Batman here. Plus, he was the youngest of the bunch, he was a puny freshman. But still, surely this Atlantean joker could see that the stock district was the most likely target? Where else would Clayface hit?
"We cannot ignore the potential threat of the Gotham University Research Center- there they have cutting edge research on not only human genetics but also weaponry and based on the most recent incident on New Year's Day- I think it is safe to assume that they are not after money" The Atlantean explained, the other 'Titans' nodded in understanding and agreement. Clearly this made sense to them, while it only served to confuse Robin. New Year's Day? What happened on New Year's Day? Just go with it Robin, sense told him.
"All right, fine. That make's sense. We'll send three people on that route, sure" He shrugged, creating his usual aura of cool about himself.
"All right, but how are we splitting ourselves? Cause I don't think that Wally and Artemis are such a good idea" The green one said nervously from the back of the group.
"Why shouldn't we be partnered together?" Kid Flash (Wally?) protested loudly.
"Yea, why? It's not like we'll be kissing while we hunt down the human blob" Artemis added.
"I don't know- it just didn't seem like such a good idea…" The green girl said simply.
"Yea well you and Superboy get to work together on missions all the time and you don't even get split up-"
"Would you please!" The Atleantean interrupted the argument, "I agree that we do not want emotions mixed up in this. We have enough on our hands already with Clayface to worry about. So no couple, romantic interest or otherwise affiliated persons will be paired together. Is that clear?"
"Crystal clear, 'sides I'm fine" Robin said, thankful now for the Atlantean. What a soap opera, he thought to himself watching them stew and steam about.
"Oh really now?" The long-haired Houdini chick said, coming up beside him, "Because I wouldn't have thought so" At that moment she kissed his cheek. At that moment his understanding of the universe collapsed. Turning red as a tomato he exploded.
"What just- what- what did you just- what. I don't even! Houdini! WHAT."
The whole team stopped their chatter and stared at him.
"Sheesh, and I thought I had boy problems" Rocket said, watching him. "Cause that is no way to treat a lady"
Zatanna stared at him with wide blue eyes and before he could say anything remotely comforting, she took off running towards her room, followed closely by Miss Martian.
"Well that could have gone better," Kid Flash said watching the girls disappear. "Robin, seriously man, what the heck? I thought you were totally into her"
I'm 'into' her? I'm not into anyone! Except... well… but that's different! What was going on? Everything had just completely ceased to make sense with that one kiss. A kiss from a girl he didn't even know the name of. Not that that wasn't the first time he'd been kissed by a girl he didn't know… only he was supposed to know this one. Apparently.
"I- I-" He struggled for an explanation, but had none. The rest of the team had gone silent, staring at him. The Atlantean finally spoke up: "We must address the matter at hand. Clayface is still running rampant in the sewers of Gotham City, and we must stop him. Rocket, would you please go and fetch M'gann and Zatanna? Tell that they will be working together on the south section. Rocket, you will be working with Kid Flash in the northern section"
"Right" Rocket nodded, moving to find the missing girls.
"Artemis, you and Superboy will cover the eastern section while Red Arrow, Robin and myself will cover the west and possibly most dangerous section."
"Wait- your giving Robin the fun one? How is that fair?" Superboy complained, looking up broodingly at Boy Wonder.
"It is likely that the University will have many computer measures to handle- Robin is best trained to handle those" The Atlantean said simply.
"Now, to the Zeta Tube. Team- go"
Robin's face burned with emotion as he waited in line to use the Zeta Tube. How could I have messed that up so much? It was going so well until… his cheek still stung from where her lips had touched it. Now he was being babysat by the Atlantean and was hated by the rest of the team. By this point Rockethad returned with M'gann and Zatanna, who looked like she had been crying. You've really messed up this time Robin. He thought to himself as the computer called: IDENTIFIED. ROBIN, B-01. And sent his particles flying to Gotham city.
"That's Plasmus?" Robin said disgusted, staring in awe at the grotesque creature as it slugged down another vat of toxic waste as if it were a can of monster.
"Yup, that's Plasmus all right" Beastboy said wrinkling his sensitive nose at the awful stench Plasmus emitted. "Man, hasn't this guy ever heard of deodorant?"
"So how do you take him down?" Robin asked.
"By chucking everything you got at him- gotta blast as many holes in him as possible, and do it quick before he repairs himself" Cyborg said, hand transforming into the Sonic Cannon.
"And you must beware his slime!" Starfire added insistently, with the utmost seriousness. He couldn't help but think that she was cute, even though he knew that Zatanna would kill him if she ever knew that he thought some floating alien chick was… well, cute.
"Gotcha, avoid his slime balls- but blast him to bits. Sounds easy enough" He said, a cocky grin forming on his lips.
"It isn't as easy as it sounds" Raven said irritably, only to find that he'd disappeared. "Where'd he go?"
"Dude! Since when is Robin a ninja?" Beastboy exclaimed, "I mean, he just poofed right out under our noses!" He stopped talking as he heard a creepy laugh fill the area and a great loud SPLURCH sound as something collided with Plasmus.
"Idiot" Raven muttered, not even bothering to look up as Robin was spat out by the great purple ooze monster, a bomb bursting uselessly in a discarded pile of filth.
"Ugh! This stuff stinks! I am totally not traught right now- what happens if I accidently swallowed it? I don't turn big and green or anything do I?" He exclaimed, trying to spit the purple slime taste out of his mouth. The Titans hurried to his aid, Starfire helping the fallen Boy Wonder up, only to get stuck in the slime herself.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Cyborg cried out, firing his sonic cannon uselessly at the beast, who continued to rather chalantly devour toxic waste. "He just won't stop eating!"
"Yea- and is it just me or is he actually smellier than last time we faced him?" Beastboy added, before transforming and stampeding into the slime-ball as a rhino, only to get lost in purple sludge. "Uck.." He moaned, sliding out on the other side of Plasmus.
"My turn," Raven said intensely, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" with a wave of her arms she caused a few empty toxic waste canisters to crash into Plasmus, who belched loudly in response, having finished another vat of toxic waste. Robin meanwhile had finally freed himself from the slime, and drawing an exploding Batarang from his, or, the other Robin's utility belt, threw it at the things head, just as Beastboy flew at the human blob in condor form.
"Beastboy look out!" He called quickly. But it was too late, the Batarang hit the large feather bird and sent Beastboy to the ground. "Beastboy!" The other Titans cried out alarmed, moving to aid their fallen friend. Plasmus meanwhile had finished the last canister of toxic waste and saw to it to get moving to find a new source, and with a blast of acid, melted the wall dividing him and the outside world and left the power plant with dreams of toxic sludge in his simple mind.
"How did that happen?" Cyborg demanded as they all sat in the T-Car covered in purple stinking slime. "Seriously- how did that happen? Plasmus has never gotten away that easy before!"
Robin sulked inwardly; he knew it was his fault. They needed their Robin, the team leader who had left Batman. Not 'the Boy Wonder', or at this moment, the 'Boy Blunder'…
"Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Robin here acted without telling us anything!" Beastboy raged, still trying to get purple ooze out of his hair, but succeeding in only getting his hair out of his head.
"He is a lot less experienced than our Robin" Raven agreed, arms crossed.
"Friends! Please! Let us not attack our new firend Robin- no matter how inexperienced he may be or how strange his flat physics-defying hair is!" Starfire cried out, causing a green starbolt to be sent flying out the front windshield.
"Well, great. Now the T-Car isn't street legal!" Cyborg roared, "Guess we're walking home!"
Robin sank down lower into his seat, leaving a trail of purple sludge above him. How did all this happen? And why? Was it Klarion's goal to switch the two of us? The only one of these 'Titans' who seems to be on my side is Starfire… and even that is probably superficial, based on appearance only... Why couldn't it be ficial? Based on himself? Based on the Robin who could hack stuff and didn't use a big metal rod to fight bad guys but his brains instead? He was just as good a Robin as he was... really… Wait. He could hack stuff.
"Guys, I-" He began.
"You what?" Cyborg asked, looking over him imposingly.
"I have an idea, on how to find Plasmus again"
"Really..?" Raven asked, floating above the purple trail they were leaving, all while dripping purple slime herself.
"Yes, really. I can hack into the city's main frame- traffic cameras, that sort of thing. And based on how many of those there are around here, if Plasmus doesn't come up on one of them- then he's nowhere"
"Wonderful!" Starfire exclaimed leaping for joy and sending another wave of purple ooze over the team. "Oops. I am sorry," She said instantly ashamed.
"No, it's all right Star. I'm totally traught. Don't worry about it" he said beaming at her. A tick at the back of his mind reminded him of Zatanna… she's your girlfriend. And besides, they'll be getting you home in no time. Right? Right..?
End chapt. 7.
WHAT IS THIS? DRAMA? HOLY ROMANTIC TENSION BATMAN!