Be on the Next Step
"This is Dr. Shino Kurosawa. She was one of the leading experts in gene therapy and manipulation as well as a popular professor at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan," Batman briefed Artemis, Batgirl, Zatanna, and Miss Martian.
"Was, Batman?"
"Yes, Artemis, was. She was recently murdered. The official story is that she met the wrong people in Shinjuku and got mugged in an alleyway."
"But you think there's more to the story."
"Precisely. The autopsy shows a clean slice in her carotid artery. Too clean. She bled out in the alleyway, but normal street thugs are not this accurate. This was an assassination. By whom, we've yet to determine. Your mission is to infiltrate her office and lab and investigate. Thanks to Rob-er…..Dick's preliminary findings in her phone and laptop, Dr. Kurosawa has had communications with Catherine Devereaux, a known Cadmus scientist."
Artemis bumped elbows with Zatanna smirking.
"Sounds like Boy Wonder's still got it," she teased.
Zatanna blushed at this comment.
"Luckily, Waseda is on break right now, so you'll have minimal resistance getting into her office. Find out what you can and report back."
With his final instructions, Batman Zeta'd out of the cave. The girls boarded Bioship and began the flight towards Tokyo.
"So," Artemis began, "You and Dick. Living together. Found a place yet?"
"Uhh not yet. We've seen a couple of apartments, but nothing decided."
"Do you have a preference?" M'gann asked.
"Not really? I'd like a place we both can afford. Decent kitchen. Some amount of space."
"I'm betting you'll like the extra privacy," Barb commented.
"Well, yea. I mean, who wouldn't want good privacy in their own home."
"True. But with your own place, you two can be as loud as you want."
"BARB!"
*HAHAHAHA*
The girls arrived at Waseda and immediately began snooping around Dr. Kurosawa's office. Artemis and Batgirl dug through the doctor's filing cabinet while Zatanna and Miss Martian read her textbooks and binders.
"Man, a lot of these are in Japanese. This will take a while to translate. Batgirl, any luck?" groaned Artemis.
"Ehh I'm still learning French. Hopefully my scanner app can speed things along."
"Let's see Biochemistry, Neurological Systems, one kid's paper that's not getting graded, Gene Splicing," Zatanna rattled off as she looked through the bookcase.
"Zatanna? You can read Japanese?" Miss Martian asked.
"Eh, mainly hiragana. My katakana needs work."
"Since when has this been a thing?"
"Huh? Oh uh, Dick and I have been watching anime. Persona 4 has been our binge show."
"Not surprising if you think about it, M'gann," Batgirl added, "They learned Korean solely to sing Kpop songs."
*BUZZ BUZZ*
"Hi, Honey," Zatanna answered her phone with her habitual greeting.
Everyone else on the team sent each other knowing looks as they snickered
"Hey, babe. How's the search going?" Dick answered
"Eh. It's going, I guess. Dr. Kurosawa's organized but there's nothing really here that's notable."
"Lucky for you, I found something interesting in her emails. She and Dr. Devereaux were arguing back and forth on something called Project Plasmus. Looks like a cancer patient named Otto Von Furth agreed to some experimental treatment."
"But I'm guessing there was no treatment at all…"
"Exactly. Uhh not sure about any details thus far. But whatever happened, Dr. Kurosawa tried to back out. Devereaux wasn't too happy about that."
"So, we should be looking for this Dr. Devereaux then, right?"
"No. While there are some colorful words in these emails, nothing really pins this murder on her. Especially since for now, Kurosawa's death has been ruled as a mugging gone wrong. Either way, this Project Plasmus sounds important. I don't think whoever's behind this would let it go. You girls better find something fast."
"Will do! Um…" Zee looked around at her teammates smirking at her
She turned her back to them and whispered softly into the phone.
"I love you," she mumbled hoping the others wouldn't hear.
"Huh? What was that?"
"I love you," she whispered again
"Zee, you're gonna have to speak up. Or is it a bad connection?"
"Argghh. I LOVE YOU!" she finally shouted
"Oh uh hehe. I love you, too! Over and out!"
Dick hung up the phone leaving Zatanna to deal with the wolves she called her teammates.
"Oh baby, I love you so so much! You're so smart with your big brain and your hacking skills," Artemis began.
"Oh darling! Thank you SO much for your compliment. I could never go a day without hearing your beautiful voice," Batgirl responded.
"Come here baby. Let us make sweet sweet love because I cannot bare being away from your touch," Artemis made kissy faces
"Yes darling! How would you like it today?" Batgirl replied with her own kissy faces.
"Hard and rough, baby!"
"ALRIGHT ALREADY! Let's focus back on the mission!" scolded Zatanna.
"Yes, darling!"
"Of course, baby!"
Rolling her eyes, Zatanna continued browsing the bookshelf. Her fingers traced the different books until she came across something peculiar.
"Huh, that's weird."
"What?"
"These encyclopedias. They're out of order. Based on what we've seen here, Dr. Kurosawa is very OCD and particular about how clean and organized her office is. So why have these editions not ordered numerically?"
Curious, Zatanna began putting the eight encyclopedias into correct numerical order. A loud click from the bookcase could be heard as it began sliding away to the left.
"Whoa!? Zatanna, you're a genius!" exclaimed Batgirl.
"I mean, I just got lucky. More importantly, how did Dr. Kurosawa hide a whole secret elevator in a university building."
"Let's see where it goes!"
The girls rode the elevator down what felt like six or seven stories. As the doors opened, they revealed a dark secret laboratory. There was a desk with notes and multiple screens, a bench with beakers and various chemicals, and so many tubes and wires lining the walls.
"Oof. Can somebody say crazy mad scientist?" quipped M'gann.
"Seems pretty clear that Cadmus outsourced something to Dr. Kurosawa and she wanted no part of it," Batgirl stated.
"And Cadmus always deletes the source material," inferred Zatanna.
Batgirl immediately went to the computer desk and opened the logs. Zatanna took a peek at the chemicals on the bench.
"Here we go! Project Plasmus," Batgirl cried, "Manipulation of genetic material to induce expression meta-gene? What's that all about?"
"Uhh guys!" exclaimed Artemis, "You have to see this."
The girls gathered in the center of the lab where a giant containment unit stood prominently. It was filled with some sort of green liquid. Floating inside the tube was a skinny man. He wore a speedo but was shaved completely clean. He looked like he was sleeping peacefully.
"Oh my god, is that Otto?"
"I think so, M'gann. Is he on life support or something?" Zatanna asked.
"Not sure. We can't just leave him here though."
"Hold on Artemis, we don't know what kind of state they're keeping him in. Let me go through the files to make sure we don't do anything harmful to him," warned Batgirl.
She began typing and downloading the information off the secret computer. Unfortunately, this triggered a cyber alarm in the system causing the screen to flash.
"セキュリティ侵害! セキュリティ侵害! 差し迫った自動シャットダウン!"
(Security Breach! Security Breach! Automatic Shutdown Imminent!)
"Shit! I didn't expect that!" Batgirl cried.
"Did you at least get some of the files, Batgirl?"
"Most of them yea, but the alarm wiped all the servers clean."
"Uh guys! The tank is emptying!" Artemis pointed out
Many of the tubes disconnected from the tank with a hiss as the green liquid was drained. Finally, the tube opened, and Otto fell onto the ground. M'gann floated over to hold up his head. With a groan and gradual stir Otto woke up. However, his expression of fatigue immediately shifted to fear.
"No. NO! I'm awake!? I should never be awake!" he screamed.
"Otto! Otto! It's ok. You're in good hands," M'gann tried to reassure him.
"No. You don't understand. I'm too dangerous to- ARRGHHHH!"
He pushed M'gann away and convulsed on the spot. His body vibrated rapidly as his whole body underwent a dangerous seizure. Purple ooze began flowing out of his pores. The sludge enveloped his whole body, and the blob grew bigger and bigger in size.
"Uhh guys, what's happening?" Zatanna asked
"Dr. Kurosawa must have altered his DNA into whatever this is. Some version of Clayface maybe?" Batgirl answered
"Whatever it is, we cannot let him above ground. We've got to stop him here and now," Artemis ordered.
"I can't feel his mind. It's almost as if he's lost all sense of thought and will."
The messy sludge then formed into a giant humanoid body. It had two giant muddy hands, two eyes, and a big mouth. The hulking figured roared and stomped towards the heroines.
"Sebut ot sgnidnib" (Tubes to bindings)
The lose tubes around the labs rose and tied themselves to the giant monster. Unphased, it shook them off as they fell through his body. Angered, he threw his sludgey arm at Zatanna pinning her to the wall.
"Ugh! This is disgusting! Definitely not Clayface-like."
Artemis fired a pair of freeze arrows at the creature hoping to slow him down. Ice formed at his leg and on his chest. With his strength, he broke through the ice and continued charging forward. Batgirl in the meantime threw an ice disc at Zatanna's gloopy prison and helped her off the wall.
"M'gann! Any updates?" Batgirl shouted
"Nothing! He's just flailing and rampaging. I can't get through to him."
Now steady, Zatanna prepped for another spell.
"Ugh. This will teach you to mess with my hair! Slenap tuc mih nwod ot ezis" (Panels cut him down to size)
Metal panels from the wall were pulled off and flung toward the creature. They cut him at his arms and legs and head. All the pieces collapsed to the ground in presumed defeat.
"Nice one, Tanna!" Artemis congratulated.
"Thanks. Ugh let's just get back. I need a nice shower after all this."
"Maybe a Birdy would like to join you," teased Batgirl.
"With me smelling like this? I highly doubt that."
"Uhhh guys," M'gann warned, "Something's wrong."
They looked over and the five dismembered got up and each had a mind of its own. The two hands became giant pincers. The head grew crab legs. The legs became a giant snake and octopus. Immediately, they all scattered around the lab.
"Batgirl! Shut down the elevator! We can't let them escape!" ordered Zatanna.
The girls split up hunting down the various muddy pieces. Artemis turned the corner and was jumped by the two pincer claws. One held her down and the other snapped her bow in half
"Oh, come on! That was my favorite bow!"
She reached into her quiver and slammed a freeze arrow into the pincer pinning her down. It froze instantly allowing her to shatter her captor and break free. She pulled a small crossbow from her back pocket and peppered the other pincer with mini-explosive arrows. The creature broke apart, but the pieces simply went in different directions.
With Zatanna, the snake piece jumped her and coiled around her. The snake was tightly squeezing its prey while the octopus menacingly approached her.
"Oh, I don't think so! Erif nrub nordluac elbbub" (Fire burn cauldron bubble)
Fire burst around the octopus causing it to melt. The close fire also melted the snake allowing her to escape. The snake's tail however swung violently knocking her back a bit. A piece of pottery fell from the shelf and shattered on her head.
"OW!" she cried while rubbing her head, "Hang on. This could work."
As the melting octopus and snake slowly approached her, Zatanna got up and prepared her next spell.
"Ekab ot noitcefrep" (Bake to perfection)
The fires around them intensified. Slowly the muddy creatures began to dry out and harden. Just as they got close to Zatanna, they froze encased in perfectly baked ceramic shells. They shells didn't last long though as the pieces vibrated and broke the shells into pieces scattering elsewhere in the lab.
"Looks like Dick and I need to take some pottery classes."
M'gann floated around looking for the fifth and last piece. She whipped her head around when she heard a loud cry.
"Arrhh"
"Batgirl? I'm coming!"
On the ground the crab-like head piece pinned Batgirl and kept trying to chomp her face off. Quickly, M'gann telekinetically picked up the piece and slammed it to the wall.
"Thanks for the save."
"Anytime. But we're working in circles. All we're doing is breaking the pieces down so they get back together."
"There has to be a way to stop him. Maybe something in Kurosawa's files can help."
Batgirl looked through the files in her holocomputer. Quickly skimming them, she found an interesting detail.
"Wait, he said he shouldn't be awake. Maybe we can knock him out. Him sleeping deactivates his power!"
"Worth a shot," M'gann answered while connecting everyone in the mind link, "Guys, lure the pieces back to the center. Batgirl and I have a plan."
Artemis hopped over a shelf with the pincers close behind her while Zatanna ran around the corner bringing the octopus and snake. Fortunately, the head took the bait and jumped down from the ceiling.
"Erif nrub nordluac elbbub!"
A ring of fire formed around the pieces keeping them all in one centralized location. M'gann then brain blasted each piece hoping to lull them to sleep. After a bit of a struggle, all five pieces melted back into one another forming one giant messy blob. Gradually, the mud thinned and dissipated leaving a snoring Otto at the center.
Half an hour later, the girls perched atop a nearby rooftop watching ARGUS move Otto slumbering in a large container into a transport.
"I feel bad for the guy. He can never wake up and have a life else he becomes a giant raging mud monster," M'gann said.
"Yea, it's cruel what Dr. Kurosawa did," answered Zatanna.
"What Cadmus made her do," corrected Batgirl, "She was forced into something devious like this. It's a shame she died for this."
"Well, lighten up, gal-pals. We stopped a dangerous monster from attacking Tokyo. I dunno about you girls, but I'm up for some ramen!" exclaimed Artemis.
"DATTEBAYO!"
Everyone else just blankly stared at Zatanna not entirely sure what she just said.
"Oh, come on! You guys haven't seen Naruto?"
On another rooftop, a shadowy figure patiently watched ARGUS and the girls clean up Waseda University. He pulled out a radio to talk to another mysterious benefactor.
"They've taken Plasmus. All is going according to plan."
Hours after a night on the town in Tokyo with ramen and light karaoke, Zatanna tip-toed out of the shower in her and Dick's room at the manor. After fluffing her hair a little with the towel, she sneaked towards their bed. Dick laid peacefully facing towards her side of the bed. Lifting the covers, she climbed into bed. Picking up his arm, she snuggled into his chest wrapping his arm and his leg around her. Pulling the covers up, she burrowed into his chest and let out a slow breath satisfied with this warm sushi roll she had created with her and Dick. Stirring, Dick hugged her tightly.
"Hi," he smiled.
"Hi yourself hehe. Come here, you haven't kissed me all day."
"I haven't seen you all day!"
"All the more reason."
After a quick peck, or two, or three, or ten, they separated and Dick rested his forehead on hers.
"How was house hunting today?" she asked
"Actually, I have one last place to show you. Tomorrow good?"
"I'm excited. Can't wait for tomorrow."
"I gotta warn you though, it's a little fancy."
"Dick, we've been living in a big ass mansion. I doubt I'll be that blown away."
"Holy shit! Dick! I'm blown away! This is insane!"
"Hehe, Zee, welcome to the Arconia! One of Bludhaven's oldest apartment buildings."
Dick and Zee stood on the street facing an enormous gothic like apartment building. It had at least probably fourteen or even fifteen floors. It had two huge arches as gates with a cheerful doorman ready to let in current and potential residents.
"Dick, we can't afford this! Yea I'm a stage magician, but you'll have like just an officer's salary. I know we're sorta used to luxury, but this is crazy!"
"Just, let's take a look at the unit first, ok?"
"Ugh, fine. But just a look!"
Dick and Zee entered the historic apartment building and were greeted by a grumpy old lady in a fur coat and huge ring glasses.
"Hello, my name is Bunny. I'm the president of the tenant's association here at the Arconia. And you must be Dick Grayson?"
"Hi, yes that's me. This is my girlfriend, Zatanna. We're looking for apartments here in Bludhaven."
"Well, then you've come to the right place. We've got a fabulous unit here. Come come!"
She led them to the elevator when a someone shouted from behind.
"Hold the door! Hold the door!"
"Ugh, oh no," exclaimed Bunny
The gentlemen finally got to the elevator and squeezed in just before the doors closed.
"Oh thanks, Bunny! Chipper as always!" the gentleman replied.
"Oh screw you, Oliver," she replied pressing the number eight on the key pad.
"Like I said, chipper as always," he pressed number ten.
Finally, he looked over at the new couple in the building.
"Oh hello. I've never seen you two here before."
"Uh Hi! I'm Dick and this is my girlfriend, Zatanna. We're looking at a unit here."
"OH. MY. STARS! The ZATANNA ZATARA!"
"Uhhh hi there," she answered meekly
"Oliver Putnam! It is such an honor to meet you!" he excitedly exclaimed extending his hand.
"Hehe, it's nice to meet you too!"
"I've been to so many of your shows. You are absolutely FABULOUS. Oh my god when you made those elephants float in the air and then POOF they vanished. Ugh, I could not stop talking about it for weeks!"
"It's true. He wouldn't shut up about it," Bunny chimed in.
"OH wait. I recognize you too! You were at the 100th show! Zatanna, darling, I have to know, how the hell did you pull this hunk of yours out from the audience and then resized him on stage?"
"Hehe, a magician never reveals her secrets."
"Oh c'mon! I'm a theater director and producer! I'm no stranger to the smokes and mirrors of the stage!"
*DING*
"Oh look, we're here, come along now Mr. and Mrs. Grayson. Don't let this chatterbox weigh you down."
"Uh actually, we're not-" Dick tried to correct before Bunny shoved them out of the elevator.
"Zatanna, darling! If you two lovebirds do move in here, please come up for some tea. I'd love to compare notes for me to use in my next production!" Oliver shouted before the doors closed.
"Someone's a fan," Dick teased.
"Hehe you joke, but I'm actually flattered."
The couple and Bunny arrived at the unit up for rent.
"Here we are, 8A. It's a pretty spacious apartment. All appliances are up to date. Obviously not furnished, but take a look around," Bunny said as she led them in.
Dick and Zee walked into a large open space which was presumed to be the living room.
"Here we've got the family room with an open concept into the kitchen. As I said, we just renovated to comply with modern building codes. The appliances are all brand new. We've got one and a half baths. A master bedroom and a guest room. Laundry is in unit. Go ahead, take a look around."
Hand in hand, Dick and Zee explored the spacious apartment. They entered the master bedroom. Zee marveled at the balcony that gave a fantastic view of the city and the bay. Dick stepped towards the bathroom and the walk-in closet. It was huge with closets and shelves on both sides and a mirror in the middle.
"Hey Zee look! Enough space for BOTH of our clothes! Maybe you can finally stop stealing my t-shirts!"
"Oh shut up!"
They walked into the kitchen marveling at the new bright marble countertops and backsplash. The cabinets were brightly finished wood and the gas stove looked very professional.
"Dick, this is just too perfect! It's everything we've ever wanted."
"See! I told you!"
"Hang on though….uh, Bunny? Two things, one, is this place pet friendly? And two, what's the rent?"
"Yes, this building is indeed pet friendly. I myself have a parrot in my room. Oliver, the windbag you met on the elevator has a dog. And another tenant has a few cats roaming around. As for the rent, admittedly no one in Bludhaven really wants to live in an old ass apartment like this nowadays. Normally, a place like this goes for eight thousand a month. But we desperately need some new blood here. So, we've dropped the price down to around five thousand a month."
"Wait, really?"
"Yes. The other tenants aren't too happy about it, but eh, fuck em."
"Dick! This is totally within our budget!"
"Do you love it?"
"….Yes, I love it. As long as I'm with you."
"Well then, Bunny, looks like you've got some new tenants!"
"In that case, Mr. and Mrs. Grayson, welcome to the Arconia!"
"Uhh actually, we're not-," Dick started.
"Thank you, Bunny!" Zee interrupted, "We're so happy to be here!"
AN: Apologies if my Japanese translation is incorrect. I'm just a weeb using Google translate. If you notice any mistakes, please let me know. Hope you all are enjoying the fic!