"I've been waiting here for like an hour!" Riolu exclaimed once he saw Robin as he took out the comlink, having been listening to police chatter
"It was actually 30 minutes" Robin corrected with Riolu rolling his eyes as the other teen positioned himself near the ledge, looking through a pair of binoculars
Riolu looked at Robin, clearly wanting to ask the other a question… but hesitated since he wasn't sure it this was the time or place. However, they weren't doing anything yet so it might not hurt to just ask "How do you do it Robin? Lie to your friends and act normally around them when you know nothing is like it used to be?" Riolu asked after a moment
Robin was quiet for a good moment "Well, I barely have any friends at school. The only people I know are Nightwing and Batgirl. However, I have a girlfriend. Her name's Rena and you won't believe how much I'd love to just go up to her and tell her I'm Robin. However, I can't. Not because Batman says so since I've been known to be a rule breaker, but because I know that if she finds out she'll most likely want to help and in turn might end up getting hurt. I couldn't bare the idea of seeing someone I care about get hurt because of me or my vigilante life"
Riolu nodded at his words. It was basically what he knew and also what Lucario had told him. However, to hear someone his age having the same problem as him was nice… it helped him know he wasn't alone
Suddenly he remembered something he'd heard while he'd been waiting "Anyway before I forget. While you were doing who knows what. I was out here listening to police talk. Got a listening device planted after my last visit to the station. Seems there's been a break in at an art gallery, but no painting was stolen... in fact they can't find anything different about the place"
"What's Riddler's game? Escaping Arkham and coming here, stealing from the rich and now breaking in at an art gallery? He's not even leaving behind any sort of riddle… something else is going on" Robin stated thinking over the facts
"It doesn't fit Bisharp's M.O either. He's mostly a mercenary for hire, not asking any questions or caring who gets hurt, so long as he gets the cash" Riolu added, remembering the file on Bisharp
Robin sighed as he tried to find a connection of some kind. He wasn't the best at detective work, but by now he'd have at least though of something! He felt they were missing the bigger picture though. Two villains from different cities, targets aren't their usual M.O... he could only think of one thing
"Do you know about any villain with a brainwashing ability?" Robin asked, startling Riolu who had been looking at the information he'd written on his phone
"Brainwashing? You think they're being mind controlled?"
"You got any other possible theory? Neither of them is acting like they normally do. Most of the time for cases like this, mind control fits the bill" Robin explained with a shrug
Riolu frowned at this. Mind control? He didn't think that was possible… but then again, he never thought it was possible for him to have powers either. Taking out his phone, the aura user made his way over towards a specific folder he'd downloaded the other day
Since appearing, Lucario had sure has faced off against a number of villains. Bisharp, the mercenary. Raichu, who was more or less a copy of the Reverse Flash. Sableye, a D-list ranker. Gallade, on and off partner of Bisharp, currently locked up. Gengar, though he was mostly a grunt. Greninja, sometimes an anti-hero, but mostly a ninja assassin. Lastly was Hypno, a hypnotist who in turn was revealed to have been brainwashing his patients into doing various crimes
….
Wait a minute!
"I think I found something. Doctor Henry James aka Hypno. Formerly a hypnotist who had a degree in psychology and understanding of the human mind. He was revealed to have been placing thoughts into his patients and making them commit acts of B&E, robbing banks, causing shootings, etc… Lucario was able to find him, but at the time he wasn't prepared to deal with something like being mind controlled. You can probably guess how that went"
"You think it's the same guy?" Robin asked, using his holographic glove to search for the so called hypnotist villain. Reminds him of Mad Hatter in a way... hmm
"There haven't been reports of his death nor capture. So yes, I believe it is the same guy 100%" Riolu says as Robin decided to take his word for the time being "Now where he's hiding and what exactly he wants both Riddler and Bisharp for... I have no idea"
"Leave that to me" Robin says with a smirk as Riolu sweat drops at this
1 and a half hour later, abandoned warehouse
The two teenage heroes had finally gotten a lead for the whereabouts on both their respective villains. Of course, there plan was anything but brilliant. Robin being the reckless teen he was had gotten word of a robbery in progress and had left him behind. 15-30 minutes later, he returned with his phone out and said he'd placed a tracker on Riddler who was at the scene
Now this brought us to their current problem. Both could make out the figure of Dr. James with Bisharp acting as bodyguard. Riddler was a couple of feet away loading into the crates something neither could make out as Robin put his binoculars away. Riolu looked at him, he had been taking point this entire time after all "What's the plan?"
"I'm trying to decide on whether it's best to take down both Riddle and Bisharp under Hypno's control or free them. Both have ways in which it can go back, but that's what this whole crime fighting business is about... taking risks right?" Robin says with a shake of his head
"Right. Whatever you believe is best, I'll follow your lead" Riolu tells him with determination present
Robin gives him a smirk "I could get use to this leader business. Alright here's the plan"
A few minutes later
"Careful with the merchandise! I can't have any of this break, do you know how much I could get for all this" Hypno calls out as Riddler almost dropped a crate of highly priced antiques. Dr. James smirked at how easy all this was. To think all he needed was to get well known villains to do his work!
Glass shattering was heard as two figures drop into the warehouse. Hypno curses at this, he knows these two. Robin, partner to the Dark Knight and Riolu, the newest teen hero and partner of Lucario. He doesn't know how they could have possibly traced this all back to him or even how they found him
"Doctor Henry James aka the hypnotist known as Hypno. Pleasure to meet you"
"You think a couple of reckless teenagers is going to lock me up. If someone like Lucario wasn't able to do it, what makes you think you can" Hypno mocks the two
"Oh, we don't need to be the ones to beat you. They are" Robin says pointing at Riddler and Bisharp who Hypno sees are no longer under his control "You didn't think this through did you. Using villains like Riddler, known to leave behind clues and Bisharp a known mercenary as your lackies wasn't the best idea. You see, I wasn't sure of the connection between the break ins and those two working together until I remembered Mad Hatter, you've probably heard of him. Thing is, if you didn't want to attract attention to yourself, you should have maybe gotten them to act like their usual selves instead of your typical grunts"
"What makes you think they'll even help you?" Hypno counters watching them all carefully
Riolu gives him a cold look "Cause I'm sure not even they like to be mind controlled into doing other peoples dirty work, like being bait for heroes and law enforcement"
At that Hypno tries to make a run for it, only to get pinned by a glowing blue ninja star and a batarang as he sees both teens with raised eyebrows "And just where do you think you're going, can't let the star of the show leave after all. They got a couple of words to have with you" Robin says before turning to the two freed villains "All yours"
Riddler and Bisharp look at one another before nodding as Riddler grabs his cane and Bisharp morphs his arms into blades. Hypno pleads with them both to have mercy, but neither seem to listen or care as Robin and Riolu could hear the screams from the doctor
"Even if we didn't get to fight side by side like I expected, teaming up with you was probably the best experience I've recently had" Riolu says with a smile
"You weren't so bad once we got to know each other better. I'll make sure to add in my report that you were a big help. Who knows you might join the Team once your mentor thinks you're ready for it" Robin compliments as Riolu chuckles
"How much longer do you think we should let them get out their anger?"
Robin checks the time "Give them another 5 minutes. Besides I have a feeling they care more about beating up the good doctor then the priceless items they were forced to act as a distraction for. Anyway, I have camera access, so if they go to far, we'll step in"
This was the start of a friendship between them both, but will they see each other again or is this the only time these two teens will see each other
Who made me think this was a good idea?! I suck at writing good villain backstories and plot! I have respect for comic book writers cause I would never be able to think of all those plot and ideas they seem to have. Anyway try not to attack me, I'm doing my best here... but if you think you can help or have any ideas, by all means let me know. Anyway that's it in this mini team up and sorry there wasn't any fighting side by side with Riolu and Robin... maybe next time if they meet again
P.S. Sorry for the Pokemon names chosen as villains, but hey my story and I thought best suited for villain backstories