Rose: Hey! Look who's back!
Frost: We said this one would be longer.
Sparrow: 4,273 words long, to be exact!
Rose: Well, this one is supposed to focus mostly on the team finding out about Robin's past, but I put a spin on it!
Sparrow: Presenting-
Rose: -In Another's Shoes for Shadowcat500!
"This training excersise will be...different from the rest. It will require a great deal of trust, and though I do not doubt this for some of you, others may be harder to sway."
J'onn stood in front of the young justice league, with rest of the mentors behind him. He was in the middle of explaining the new training, and Robin was already sending looks at Batman.
"I will need passage to your minds. You are going to relive your worst moment, with the team watching, and then living your worst fear, also with the team watching. This is to show how a past experience may effect your fears today, and by overcoming that experience, you overcome your fear." M'gann glanced around at the team. Connor, Artemis, and Wally all had irritated looks on their faces, Kaldur was as calm and passive as ever, and Robin...Robin looked downright panicked.
"But Batman-"
"I have already taken your identity into consideration, Robin, and given my okay," Batman said passively. Robin shook his head.
"That's not what I meant, Batman..." The Dark Knight silently walked over and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, while Wally looked ready to tackle-hug his best friend.
J'onn went on to explain a few more things. While the team would be there, you would not be able to see or sense them. They would be silent spectators, only seeing. Then they were ready to begin. They all lay on seperate beds and their mentors sat in chairs next to them. Then J'onn's eyes began to glow and they slipped into the darkness.
Kaldur opened his eyes and found himself in the middle of a dessert. The hot sun beat down onto waves of golden-yellow sand, and he could see heat waves traveling through the air. He looked to the others. Wally, Artemis, Connor, and Robin were present, so it was M'gann who would be first. He instinctively moved closer to his friends, not wishing to lose them in this hostile environment.
"So...what's going on, exactly?" Kaldur sighed and turned to Kid Flash.
"We are experiencing M'ann's worst moment. Something that sparked an immense fear within her." He noticed Connor looking uncomfortable, as if he didn't wish to know his girlfriend's fear. Kid Flash was about to make another comment when a bright red object suddenly sped through the air and crashed in front of them. Kaldur jumped, startled by the noise and sudden appearance. The small group made their way forward, watching a figure exit the red object. It was...M'gann. She held her hand to her head and groaned. Kaldur watched attentively, not wishing to miss any key details. The young Martian suddenly seemed to realize something and looked around in panic.
"Where...where am I? Hello?! Anyone?! Uncle J'onn?! Uncle J'onn!" She flew around quickly, never straying too far from the bioship. Kaldur wished to move forward and make himself known, but knew it was pointless as she was unaware of them. "Please! Help me! Where am I?! Help!" And suddenly her uncle was there, flying toward her from out of the sky.
"M'gann! I am here, child," he said, gathering her into his arms. M'gann sobbed, pressing herself into his chest, and the scene changed.
They were standing in a forest, surrounded by shadows and darkness. Tall trees faced them on every side, blocking out sunlight and hiding many secrets within their depths. Kaldur shuddered, unnerved by the scene. M'gann suddenly raced in, a panicked expression on her face. She staggered to a stop, and looked around.
"What...?" Artemis mumbled.
"Where am I? Where... No! No, not again! No, please! J'onn! Uncle J'onn! Where are you?!" The team felt their hearts break for their friend, wishing their were some way they could help her. Tears streamed down the girls face, leaving wet tracks on her cheeks, and she turned in every direction, desperately looking for a way out of the menacing woods. Kaldur suddenly felt a pull, and the forest ceased to exist.
Wally sat up slowly and looked around. They were underwater, and Kaldur was gone. M'gann was back, shaken, and still crying softly, but back. He moved toward Artemis and linked hands with her as two figures swam into view.
"I expected better of you, Aqualad."
"My apologies, my king. I will do better in the future." It was Kaldur and King Orin, obviously just returned from a mission.
"I certainly hope. That was unprecedented, Kaldur'ahm. You not only jeopardized the mission, but your own life as well as the innocent's! This is unacceptable!" Wally flinched at the scolding tone of Aquaman's voice. Kaldur looked no better, blinking madly and hanging his head as he faced his mentor.
"I-I'm sorry, my King...I did not mean any harm." King Orin glared at him a moment longer, and then turned and swam away, leaving Kaldur behind as he struggled to control his emotions. The scene changed.
They were standing in the cave again, but this time was anything but pleasant. They saw themselves standing there, facing Kaldur. Artemis stood in the front, Wally and Connor beside her. Robin and M'gann stood in the back.
"What kind of a leader are you?" Fake-Artemis scolded. "It's your fault we failed! You're fault all those innocent people died!" Fake-Wally joined in.
"They'd still be alive if you'd let me go in! They never would've gotten to him otherwise!" Kaldur looked dead, simply staring at the ground with a hollow look in his eyes. Wally was shocked, and he wasn't the only one. How could Kaldur think they would say such things?
"I never meant-"
"You never mean a lot of things, Aqualad. Honestly, I don't know why we trusted you." Fake-Connor, Artemis, and Wally all turned and stalked away, and after a moment's hesitation, Fake-M'gann followed. Only fake-Robin remained, looking down at the ground sadly. Aqualad stepped forward and placed a hand on Fake-Robin's shoulder.
"Robin?" he asked quietly. He received no verbal response. Fake-Robin only shrugged off his hand and turned to follow the other's, leaving Aqualad to silently break down by the pool. A pull came, and they followed it on to the next memory.
Robin blinked open his eyes and immediately widened them in surprise. They were at Cadmus! But...why? After a quick glance around, he determined that it was Superboy's memory they were in. Wally and Artemis clung to each other's arms, wide eyes a seemingly permanent new part of their wardrobe. Kaldur and M'gann stood near each other, each offering silent comfort to the other. And Robin? he stood alone, still attempting to steel himself for what was to come. He looked up at Kaldur's voice.
"Robin. Hack."
"Right. Right, yeah." Robin's eyes widened. It was the day they found Superboy! Right before he...attacked them. Was this really his worst memory? Attacking his friends? Robin was touched. Then the scene began. He watched as he, Wally, and Kaldur were beaten into the ground by the clone. The scientists walked in through the broken door and congratulated him. Superboy stood completely emotionless the entire time. The scene changed.
Robin looked around the midnight field, silently observing his surroundings. Dread flooded him as he saw a shadow race on site. Long hair flew behind the figure as they ran, and confusion filled Robin.
"Artemis?" he asked. And suddenly, a much more muscular figure had appeared, slamming his fist into her head and rendering her unconscious. Robin's eyes widened and he heard M'gann gasp. Superboy picked up the limp body of the archer and roughly carried her closer to them, dropping her at the feet of several men they hadn't noticed before.
"Well done, Superboy. Now...go to sleep." The lead man threw some green powder into Superboy's face, which seemed to break him out of his trance, but made it so he couldn't move. He was helpless as he watched the men carry Artemis away, picking up the broken bodies of his other team-mates along the way.
"No...no!" Superboy stared after the truck with a pain filled expression. "What have I done...?" Robin closed his eyes and they faded into the next memory.
M'gann opened her eyes slowly and peered around. They were in an immaculate living room, and Wally himself was passed out on the couch. The sound of a door slamming seemed to wake him, and he sat up faster than she could blink. She noticed Robin stiffening, staring at the scene before them with a horrified expression on his face.
"This...This isn't what...He shouldn't have to relive this!" Robin hissed. M'gann turned back to the room in confusion and her eyes widened. A grown man staggered into the room, waving around an empty bottle.
"BOY!" Wally looked panicked, but still seemed resigned. He slowly walked toward the man, shaking in fear. "You useless kid! Why are you still here?!" The bottle came around and slammed against the side of Wally's head, shattering on impact and sending him to the ground. M'gann gasped in horror as she glimpsed the blood running down the side of Wally's head only a second before the man kicked him forcefully, sending him sprawling across the ground. She leaned into Connor, who had embrace her as soon as their friend was hit. But it didn't stop. The man kept kicking him, sending his foot crashing into the teens ribcage over and over again. Wally grunted each time his father's foot connected with him, and M'gann could barely keep her eyes on the scene as the man grabbed the redhead's hair and pulled him to a standing position.
"Make yourself useful. Get me another beer," he growled. M'gann shuddered as Wally collapsed and softly placed a hand to his temple, wincing when it came away covered in blood. "Now, boy!" Wally could hardly have gotten up any faster as he stumbled out of the room, presumably to get the beer.
And suddenly they were standing in the cave again. Wally faced Artemis, whom was yelling at him, loudly, Robin just behind her.
"-And you really thought I could love someone like you? I just wanted to stop the mindless flirting! God, you're so annoying! And it just got worse! Well guess what? I'm done with you! Just leave. I don't even care what you do anymore!" The blonde archer turned and stomped away, leaving a broken Wally behind. Meanwhile, M'gann sent a glance in the direction of the real Artemis, who looked horrified.
"I-I would never..." she protested quietly. Robin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"We know," he said firmly. M'gann quietly turned back to the scene and placed her hands over Connor's
"Rob...Robin, what-"
"No. Don't talk to me." M'gann had never heard Robin's voice sound so venomous, and even though she knew it was a dream, she flinched away from the harsh tones. Wally looked devestated.
"Robin, I thought..."
"You thought wrong, West. I was never your friend. I don't know why you thought I was. Isn't it pretty obvious? The high and mighty of Gotham would never associate themselves with a lowlife from Central City! It's repulsing," Fake-Robin spat. Wally seemed to crumble a little bit more with every word, until Robin turned and stalked away, leaving one last insult hanging in the air as they faded to the next memory.
"You deserve what your father does to you. No one loves you. You're useless."
Connor looked around silently, observing the small room that they sat in. Alice in Wonderland themed everything, and a small eight-year-old Artemis sat on a bed sullenly.
"But Jade!" she whined. Connor winced at the high tones of her voice.
"No, Artemis! You are not coming and that is final!" Jade slammed one last thing into her bag and began to zip it violently, and then seemed to soften for a moment. "Look, sis. I know you want to come, but this isn't the life for you. Not now. Not while you're so young. Maybe when you're older, okay? I'll come back and get you, I promise," she said softly. Then she put on a red and white mask, turned and vanished out the window. Mini-Artemis ran over and stared out over the city.
"Don't forget me..." she whispered. Connor blinked as the scene changed, and suddenly they were in a deserted field. Artemis was surrounded by the team, who were all glaring at her.
"Who are you?!" Connor growled. Artemis blinked.
"W-what do you mean? It's me! Artemis!" she said desperately. Wally shook his head.
"We've never heard of an 'Artemis', so you must be lying!" he said.
"Robin? You're the Boy Wonder! You must at least know about me! I'm Green Arrow's protege!" Robin sent her the fiercest glare Connor had seen him use and took a step forward.
"Green Arrow doesn't have a protege. Not since Speedy quit. I think you're making this up." Artemis shook her head, looking like she was about to cry.
"No! No, you guys!" Connor felt himself fading even as Artemis turned and ran from the team.
Artemis blinked back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she hugged Wally. If she was being honest with herself, she knew Wally had had the worst. But she was a close second. After all, what could top being left behind by your beloved sister as she left to become a criminal, other than being abused by your own father? As much as she loved the others, they didn't know true pain. She suddenly felt Wally stiffen.
"No..." he muttered. "No, not this...this isn't fair!" His eyes were filled with tears as he stared around, and Artemis followed his lead. They were in...a circus tent? She spotted a little boy playing with a stuffed elephant on the ground and pointed him out to M'gann. He looked to be about seven or eight years old, and had ebony black hair and startling blue eyes.
"Am un cadou pentrutine, Dickie!" A woman's voice suddenly cut in, and they were startled by the foreign words coming from her mouth. The little boy jumped up and ran to her.
"Really? What is it, Mami?" Though they could still hear the foreign language, they understood the words perfectly. The mother set down a box and the little boy pulled out a costume. It was red and white, covered in sequins. "Oh wow! Thank you!"
"Of course, little bird!" Something struck Artemis.
"Is that...Robin? But...he's so young!" Wally gripped her hand tight enough that she winced, and she noticed a single tear slipping down his cheek.
"It's not fair..." he whispered.
"Does this mean I get to-"
"Fly with us? Yes, son." Artemis's attention was grabbed as a man entered the room and placed a hand on Robin's shoulder.
"Oh wow! Wow! Thank you! Thank you so much!" The girls both cooed at Robin's excitement, struck by the straight up adorableness.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Performing without the safety of the net, the only trapeze family to ever complete a quadruple flip, The Flying Grayson's!" The roar of a crowd entered the memory, and they heard a few more comments as the Grayson's entered the ring.
"You'll join us for the grand finale, kid."
"Make us proud, Little Robin." Artemis stared after them.
"Was that it?" They suddenly found themselves on the top of a platform, a long ways above the ground. Robin stood in front of them, waiting to be grabbed by his mother. The team gasped in awe as they Grayson's flew through the air. Artemis began to wonder, once again, why this was his worst memory, but tears were racing down Wally's face, and he was the only one who seemed to know anything about what as going on.
"It's not fair... This isn't fair... He shouldn't have to relive this... How could Batman let us..." He continued, but Artemis stopped paying attention, too absorbed in the scene in front of her. She clapped as the woman swung out to grab her son, with her husband holding her ankles, and the expression on her face turned to one of pure horror. Dick's face mirrored hers, and he looked up in fear. Artemis followed his gaze, and screamed.
The bolts for the trapeze had been removed.
"Richard!" The scream tore itself from the woman's lips as she fell to the ground. Dick leaned over the edge, watching his parent's fall, his face morphed into an expression of agony.
"MAMI!" There was a sickening thud, and they were on the ground, watching Dick run up to his parents bodies.
"M-Mami...? Tati...?" Artemis sobbed, covering her mouth and nose with her hands. M'gann had her face buried into Connors shoulder, who looked as if he was about to cry himself. Even strong, stoic Kaldur'ahm had tears leaking from his silver eyes. Artemis leaned into Wally as Dick reached his parent's and knelt between them. "Wake up... You have to wake up! Please! Don't leave me! You promised you wouldn't! You PROMISED!" He gently shook his parent's shoulders as officers raced up.
"Stand back!"
"Save them! Please! You have to save them!" Artemis fell to her knees, watching the young boy sob and wail for his parents. A man walked forward and silently pulled the boy into a hug, kneeling for a better position.
"Hush. Turn this way, son... Close your eyes... That's it." Dick sobbed and buried his face into the mans chest.
"They said they wouldn't leave... They said they'd always be here..."
"I know, son... I know..." Artemis couldn't help but admire this man. He didn't bother telling the kid it'd be okay. He knew it wouldn't. He simply offered silent comfort at a time he needed it most. An officer quietly came over and began to lead Dick away, and the boy followed quietly for a few moments until he realized what was going on. He turned to run back, but was grabbed by the officer and pulled toward the car. He kicked, screamed, and struggled, but he couldn't break free.
"No! No! Where are you taking me?! Mommy! Daddy! Let me go! Let me go!" Tears streamed down Richard's face, his eyes were wide and panicked, and his body twisted and squirmed in ways Artemis didn't think we're possible. She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see any more of the desperate scene in front of her, and felt herself being gathered into Wally's arms. She pressed herself into him, seeking the comfort his strong body provided. They remained like that, simply hugging, before Wally gently held her at army's length.
"Hey...it's gone... Are you okay?" His eyes were bloodshot, but he was trying to appear strong for her. Artemis only nodded and wiped her eyes, turning to look around. They were in a warehouse. It was dark and cold. Robin's body, now older, fell to the ground in front of them, and Artemis jumped at the sudden movement. Robin pushed his arms underneath him to support his weight and they saw his eyes widen comically. Looking down, Artemis immediately saw why. Connor's body lay there, a large green rock protruding from his neck. His arm was stretched out, and his tanned hand linked with a dark green one. Megan's body was burned beyond recognition, and just beyond her, Kaldur was the same, his body lay on top of another. Artemis lay in a crumpled heap beneath him, and from Aqualad's pose, he had been attempting to protect her. A single stab wound marred her stomach. The real Artemis gasped and covered her mouth.
"No... No, no, no! Please! Please no!" and now Robin was the one crying. He ripped off the signature domino mask, revealing his startling sapphire eyes. Artemis watched as he shook his head and slowly back away, tripping on a body almost immediately. It was the Flash.
"U-uncle Barry...?" he looked just past him, and lost it. "Uncle Clark! No! No you can't be dead! Not you too!" Robin bolted to the body of Superman and knelt next to him. "No... No... No... God, no!" Wally clenched.
"Artemis..." he hissed as Robin stared into the shadows.
"W-Wally... Wally?" The teen took a tentative step into the darkness, only to withdraw immediately with a scream of horror as Kid Flash's dead body was revealed. A large blade was embedded in his chest. "Wally! Come on, bro! Get up! Get up, please! Please, you can't leave me! Not you, too!" He seemed to completely collapse in on himself, falling to the ground and holding the sides of his head as he sobbed. Silence echoed around them as the team quietly watched their younger team-mates despair. Suddenly the shadows moved, and out came Batman. Without his cowl. Robin jumped up and ran toward him.
"Batman! Oh thank god!" He suddenly stopped, staring at the sad expression on Bruce's face. "B-Batman? Bruce...?"
"You did nothing," he whispered. Robin looked shocked.
"W-what do you-"
"You could've saved us, but you did nothing." And a sword suddenly appeared, cutting clean through Batman's chest. Robin screamed and fell to the ground as Artemis felt them return to the waking world.
Wally bolted into a sitting position and immediately felt his uncle's arms around him. He noticed tears streaming down his face and wiped them away. He had to be strong. For Dick. Dick! Wally frantically looked around, trying to find his little brother. He finally caught sight of him, curled up against Batman's chest, with the large black cape wrapped around him like a blanket. Wally attempted to jump up and run to him, but Barry pulled him into a hug.
"Wally, Wally no. Give him some time. He...he's not taking this to well. Just give him a minute, okay?" Wally nodded and sobbed, pressing himself against his uncle. Flashes of memory went through his head. Words, pain, anger...
"Robin! Robin, come back!" Wally's head shot up and he caught sight of Robin running toward the zeta-beams, Batman didn't move, only staring after his young protégé. Wally looked at everyone else. M'gann was sobbing unabashedly into her uncle's shoulder. Artemis was leaning against the wall, silent tears streaming down her face. Connor was sitting up in the bed, staring down at the ground with a blank expression on his face, ignoring the hand Superman had place on his shoulder. Kaldur'ahm stared after Robin for a moment, and then sighed and stood, heading over to Artemis and pulling her into a hug, motioning for the other's to join as well. Wally pulled away from his uncle and silently walked over to the growing group hug. The five of them made a small huddle, leaning their heads against each other's. Kaldur finally spoke after several minutes of silent comfort.
"We have each had our trials. We have each endured them in our own ways. I am proud of this team. You have each taken your hardships and put them behind you for the sake of each other. But now we are comforted, and our brother is still in distress. Robin is young. Too young to have endured this trauma. We must find him," he paused and looked at them all through sad silver eyes.
"We must heal him."
Wally nodded and gently tightened his hold around Artemis before breaking away.
"I know where he is," he said, heading to the zeta-beams. The other's followed behind him as he punched in some coordinates, and they all stepped into the beam together. Wally blinked open his eyes. They were in a dark alleyway, as close as they could get to Wayne Manor. Wally led them to the front gates, through the courtyard, and into the back. They looked around in silence until Wally pointed to a small figure kneeling next to a gravestone. Within a second, he was cautiously approaching the small bird. "Robin?" He knelt down next to the boy and looked at the grave of his parents.
"I should have done something...anything...I should've saved them," the Boy Wonder whispered. Wally gently shook his head.
"Dick...that's not-" Robin suddenly threw himself into the arms of his older brother, sobbing and quivering. Wally wrapped his arms around the smaller boy. "Oh, Dickie-bird..." They felt another pair of arms wrap around the two of them. Artemis. The other three soon joined in, until they were just one big ball of people on the ground, all circled around their little brother.
"It's okay, Dickie. We'll get through this," Wally whispered.
"Together."
Rose: So there we go!
Frost: A little bit of Team fluff for you!
Sparrow: Keep leaving them requests!
Frost: We'll see you soon, tulips!