Behind the Mask

Chapter 12

“Artemis?” Had he not understood him last time? Walking around Gotham as superhero equals bad.

“Robin!” She sounded surprised and… nervous? “I, uh….”

Might as well deliver the message again:

“How random, that you’re in Gotham City, instead of Star City, where your uncle Green Arrow lives.” Could he make it any more obvious?

“Well, I uh, was here to see my cousin… who was in the spelling bee….”

“Dressed as a superhero?” He asked, pretending like he couldn’t keep the excitement out of his voice. “C-o-o-l. Did she w-i-n?”

“N-o.” Artemis snapped, obviously annoyed with his behavior.

“Hey, if you’re gonna keep making mistakes, I’m gonna keep calling them.” He smirked.

“How am I making a mistake? It’s not uncommon to see heroes in cities besides their own.”

“Unless that cities Gotham. ‘Sides, it means people are only one step closer to finding out your secret identity.”

“Not everyone guards it with their life.” Artemis grumbled. “Maybe I don’t really care.”

“Not with your choice of a hero name.”

Artemis sighed. “Well what, do you expect me to change at Mount Justice?”

“W-h-y n-o-t?”

“Ugh, let’s just go to the cave.” She growled, sticking her thumb at the abandoned telephone booth.

“Ladies first,” Robin smirked, bowing and pointing her in.

“Your town, you go.” She replied, crossing her arms, obviously not happy about losing the outfit argument.

Robin shrugged, stepping into the phone booth and feeling inexplicably like Doctor Who. Maybe it was the whole phone booth thing. He closed his eyes as blinding light engulfed him and his breath was suddenly taken away as his molecules were rearranged and he felt even more like a certain time lord. After a moment it passed and he heard the familiar voice:

“Recognized: Robin B-01”

When he opened his eyes he found himself engulfed in a thick cloud of red smoke. His eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly before he felt a heavy something slam into his side and send him flying across the room. He gasped in air before rolling to his feet, his hands reaching for his belt. He heard a whirring noise and then:

“Recognized: Artemis B-07”

-followed by another whirring noise that sounded like a weapon charging up. Without thinking, Robin hurled himself at the newly materialized archer with a shout of:

“Watch out!”

They both tumbled to the ground just as a giant fiery cannonball shot over their head. Wait, giant fiery cannonball?

Robin rolled to his feet, swiftly drawing two batarangs and hurling them into the smoke, smirking as he was rewarded with two clangs…. Which probably meant that his weapons didn’t do damage in the least, but at least he had good aim, right? Wrong. Another fiery cannonball shot out at the two heroes, probably in retaliation for the batarangs.

Robin ducked out of the way, more weapons finding their way into his hands as he heard the tell-tale sounds of Artemis drawing her bow. He threw his batarangs in rapid succession, quickly to be followed by two arrows, the sharp kind, Robin noted, and he heard again a clanging sound followed by yet another giant, fiery cannonball.