Chapter Text
Dick gaped at the tv. His mind mulled over what the news reporter had just said, the fact settling in.
The Justice League were missing.
“Wait, what?” Dick glanced back at Wally, who had broken the numb air. His eyes scanned over his expression. Wide, unbelieving eyes, mouth gaping with uncertainty, and the sudden stillness of his usually antsy form.
Dick snapped back to reality. Snatching the remote from Donna, his thumb hovered over the power button. “What kind of idiot thought it was a good idea to announce this to the world? Do they have any idea how much crime is going to rise?”
“That’s you first thought? Dick! This is important!” Donna shot him a look, her nose scrunched in frustration.
“I know that! But we should’ve found out about this before the news did. No one tried to keep this under wraps? How come you didn’t just call!” Dick’s grip tightened over the remote.
As if that set her off more, Donna’s tone grew louder. “I did try! You just don’t answer you stupid phone!”
Before either could say or do anything else, Wally shoved them apart. “Guys! Stop! Listen!”
Dick turned his attention back to the tv, huffing out his frustration. Crossing her arms, Donna avoided eye contact with him.
The news reporter stared into her camera, keeping her serious posture. “After several crimes went unsolved by our heroes, private eyes across multiple cities searched into it. All investigations have turned up empty, leading us to believe that the most prominent members of the League are missing in action. To name a few, members who have yet to appear are Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Superman, and more. Last known sighting was a fight in Metropolis with Lex Luther. While we wait for their return, stay safe out there.”
The report went on, but Dick was too anxious to pay attention. “Has anything come up? Big threats that might’ve taken them out?”
Donna crossed her arms, pacing. “None that I know of… This is so out of nowhere.”
“This isn’t the first time something like this has happened, right guys?” Wally frowned, his foot tapping impatiently. “Uncle Barry goes missing all the time, like when he time travels or something like that. They’ll be back in no time.” The words sounded more for himself more than anything else. “Right?”
A knot tied in Dick’s stomach. Maybe if he had kept in touch… Dismissing the thought, he reminded himself he could handle a case without Batman. “No,” he said, shaking his head at Wally’s comment. “Batman doesn’t go missing. And if he does, he makes sure no one notices.” Clicking his tongue as he thought, the young detective began to pace. “Alfred. That’s probably what he was calling about.” Dick’s hand hovered over his pocket, indecisive. No. He wouldn’t come crawling back to Batman, just like every other time.
“Dick?” Donna searched his eyes for answers.
“No, we don’t need help from him. Come on.” Dick moved past his friends, to his bed room, and grabbed a duffle bag. He stuffed his suit inside, along with anything else he might need. His mind worked like a computer, laying out all the information before him.
“Where are we going?”
“Metropolis. Seems like a good enough place to start.” Part of Dick was thankful he wouldn’t have to go back to Gotham.
Donna stood in the doorway, Wally placed just behind. “Good idea. We should make a plan. We can’t defend people in the League’s place and, at the same time, look for them. Maybe we can call in for help from some other heroes?”
Yanking the duffle bag over his shoulder, Dick faced his friends. “What other heroes? The Justice League is pretty much everyone, and anyone left is probably already struggling to pick up the League’s slack.”
Wally flashed an optimistic smile. “There’s people like us, right?”
“We’re the sidekicks.” Dick rolled his eyes, moving outside the room. “Not sure we can fill the void either.”
Donna and Wally exchanged a look. The latter sighed, placing a hand on Dick’s shoulder. “Look, I get it. You’re emotional because you just lost your bat-dad. But my uncle’s missing, and Donna just lost her mom figure too. We’re all in the same boat.”
“I’m not-“ Dick pulled away. “I’m not hunting the League for Batman. I’m hunting the League because it’s my obligation.” He glanced between the two, who both gave him unconvinced looks.
Donna’s mouth parted to speak, but before she could, something shook the building. A mix of screams, angry shouts, and gunfire pounded in through the windows.
“What was that?”
Wally made it to the window before the other two. Peering out, they saw civilians running away down the street as fast as they could. Two alien ships blocked out large shadows on the ground, making a pair of green lights more prominent. The green lights launched at the ships, replaced as quickly as the had been released. As Dick squinted, he released that the lights were attached to a flying girl, fiery hair trailing behind her.
“What in the world?” Wally frowned.
“The League will have to wait. First, we have to stop whatever’s going on outside.” Donna made a move for her own bag, collecting two iron cuffs.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the aliens came here because they heard Earth’s heroes were gone.” Dick jumped over the couch in quick grab for his suit in the duffle bag.
“Not the time, Grayson!”
…
Wind kicked up Robin’s hair as he stepped out into the chaotic street. Gripping his bow staff tightly, he surveyed the area. Most pedestrians had scattered, leaving the space empty. At least they didn’t have to worry about evacuation.
“Kid Flash, you and I take the ships. Wonder Girl, get the green girl.” Robin geared himself for a fight, bending his knees in a ready stance.
“On it!” the two said with a nod.
Kid Flash made his way up the side of a building, leaping off and landing on the top of the first spaceship. Wonder Girl darted toward the girl. The alien began throwing her green energy at the foreign opponent. Robin parkoured his way up to the second ship with the quick swing of his staff.
The ships were the size of two cars, making them easier to fend off than a larger one. With his staff, Robin popped the top lid open. Inside another pair of aliens sat, though from a different planet than the first girl. Just as he made a move towards dropping in on the aliens, a green blast nearly hit his feet. Jumping back, his darted to the direction of Wonder Girl’s fight. A rogue blast from the pink haired alien. She spouted gibberish at Wonder Girl. Robin decided he could figure out what she was saying later.
With a battle cry, Robin jumped down, planning to hit one alien with the staff. Instead, the alien grabbed it, messing up his landing. Hitting his back hard against the steal ground, Robin did his best to get up to his feet as soon as possible. He swept the aliens legs out from under him. The alien in the driver’s seat jerked the ship around. Doing a backflip over the aliens back, Robin landed a kick to the driver’s face. Without someone to steer the ship steady, it yanked down.
Jumping over the seat backing, Robin jerked the steering up. The first alien grabbed him from behind. Robin struggled against the chokehold, digging his fingers into the alien’s arms.
The alien gargled some langue he didn’t understand, before Robin managed to roll up and back over the seat. With a cry, he kicked the alien in the face. The alien doubled back, releasing the young hero. Robin came to a stand, regripping his staff. Glancing back at the outside window, Robin pressed the button on his commlink.
“KF, trying running your ship into mine.”
A staticky, “Okie dokie,” came back.
Jumping off the discombobulated alien’s head, Robin hoisted himself out of the ship. Standing on one hand, he slowly descended into a backflip. With his free hand, he threw a collection of bombs tied to his homemade bird-arangs into the depths of the ship.
“It’s been fun, but I’ve got to go.” Flashing a clever smirk at the alien, he pushed off the ship’s surface. An explosion went off behind him as he landed in a barrel roll. Like a spring, the Boy Wonder bounced back up onto his feet. He watched as the second ship flew into the other, ending in a bigger explosion than the first.
Robin’s cape blew forward as his friend appeared next to him. Kid Flash gave a quick two finger salute. Wonder Girl flew down to them, having tied up the green energy girl in her lasso.
The alien girl continued to fight against the rope, Wonder Girl wrestling the prior’s pull. “She’s a tough one, but I got her.”
“Maybe she can give us some answers as to what they’re doing here.” Robin approached her cautiously. He straightened looking her in the eyes. “Where are you from and why are you here?”
She snapped back at him, nose scrunched up and shouting like a feral animal. Her hands glowed a bright green, matching her eyes.
Next to Wonder Girl, Kid Flash made some comment about asking why all alien species didn’t know English, only to earn a smack from her. Robin rolled his eyes. “We’re getting nowhere with her.”
With a heavy, frustrated groan, the girl yanked Robin towards her with what armlength she had being tied up. He tensed, growing defensive and trying to pull away. But before he had a chance, she leaned in for a forceful kiss. His cheeks grew red, mind panicking. As soon as her alien strength would let him, he shoved away.
Robin stood stunned. Kid Flash failed to hold in a laugh. “Ha, you got alien cooties,” he snickered.
“Listen to me!” The girl shouted over them. She glared at her captor first then back at the boys. “Those guards will not be defeated so easily.” Her hand gestured towards the fiery ships in the background. Just as the alien girl had said, the four other aliens rose from the ship wreckage.
“What are they doing here? Why are you on earth?” Wonder Girl said, yanking the rope tighter. “The lasso demands you tell the truth.”
“That is unnecessary!” The girl flinched at the harsh tug. “They’re here for me. They won me in a tournament on their planet, so now they were taking me to theirs. Oh, I told my sister it was a risky bet!”
Robin readied for another fight, clenching his fists. “So, you escaped and now they’re mad. That’s great and all, but that doesn’t explain why you KISSED me!” He ran his forearm across his lips, not wanting to relive the moment, not even in his mind.
The girl didn’t bother him a glance. Instead, she turned her nose up at him. “I do not know this kissing you speak of.”
“When you put your mouth on my mouth! That’s kissing!” Just retelling it made him want to gag.
“Is mouth touching not a way to exchange information on your planet? I was merely trying to communicate with you.” She punctuated the statement with a huff. “Now, if you will unhand me, I will eliminate the enemy.” That last statement was aimed towards Wonder Girl.
Eyes glued to the girl, Wonder Girl cautiously released the rope. “You better be one of the good guys.”
With the quick toss of her hand, the alien girl threw a ball of green energy towards the lead alien. The alien whipped a gun from his belt, aiming at the girl and firing.
“If I could have your assistance!” She flew up out of the way of gunfire, leaving the blast to almost hit Kid Flash.
He sped away before it could his him, stopping at Robin’s side. “You heard the lady. Aren’t you going to help your girlfriend?”
“Shut up.” Robin ran into battle, if just to get away from Kid Flash.
Whipping his staff around, Robin knocked a gun from an aliens hand. He flicked up pieces of rubble towards the alien in an attempt to throw it off balance. Once he had knocked the alien back enough, Robin ran at him with the staff. Yanking it away, the alien managed to kick him in the stomach. The two went back and forth, a dance of hand to hand combat. Cartwheeling up, Robing caught in in the shoulders, flipped back behind the alien, and kicking the alien forward. Landing the another blow, Robin jabbed him in the back of the head with his elbow. The alien fumbled, almost knocked out.
When it rose up again, the gun aimed directly for Robin. As it seemed he would not have enough time to dodge, the blast got caught up in a small green explosion. The alien girl landed between the two, tossing her energy balls towards the opponent. Lighting up her fist, she gave the alien a quick punch he barely blocked.
While the alien was distracted, Robin jumped over the girl and landed the last hit with his foot. The alien toppled over defeated.
“I could’ve handled it on my own,” Robin mumbled.
She crossed her arms and smirked. “Ha, do not make me laugh. If your species cannot even transfer information with ‘kissing,’ as you call it, how could I expect you to know how to fight? You are as weak as a Blargarian Sturte.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Scanning around, Robin watched Kid Flash pinning down the alien he was fighting while Wonder Girl had finished knocking out hers.
“Many thanks,” the alien said as the team regrouped. She landed gently to her feet, her hands powering down. “If you don’t mind now, I’ll be on my way back to Tamaran.” She gave them a curt nod, turned on her heels, and began walking off. Just when Robin was glad to be rid of her, she stopped. “Would either of you know the quickest way to Tamaran?”
“Never heard of it, so… no.” Kid Flash gave her an awkward smile.
“Oh.” The girl frowned, standing awkwardly. She rubbed her arms, clearly uncertain of what to do next.
Robin moved between his friends. After reading her face, Robin leaned in to whisper in Wonder Girl’s ear. “Don’t say what I think you’re thinking.”
Wonder Girl jabbed him with her elbow, a particularly strong jab, Robin noted. “I’m sure we can help you get back to your planet, but-“
“No, Donna-“
“Glorious!” The girl clapped her hands eagerly. “When shall we depart?”
“That was the ‘but.’” Wonder Girl side glanced at Robin before continuing. “We have something more pressing at the moment.”
Robin nodded, taking his friends by the shoulders. “Exactly, so we’ll be on our way now. You can stay in the city and defend it from crime while we’re gone.”
Wonder Girl deadpanned. “Honestly, you can’t trust her to do that, Dick.”
The alien girl hovered after them. “Perhaps I could go with you? I could be a great help to your quest.”
Robin opened his mouth, but Kid Flash stopped him. “Do you really want to argue with the crazy strong alien girl with lasers?”
With a sigh, Robin forced out, “You can come.”
Grinning, the alien girl flew along beside them. “Hooray! What exactly is this quest, if I may ask?”
“We’re trying to find some important people who went missing.” Robin wasn’t completely sure she could be trusted yet. The less people who knew about the League’s disappearance, the better. “What’s your name, anyways?”
“He needs to know so he knows what to put on the wedding certificate,” Kid Flash butted in. Robin shoved his hand in his friends face.
“On my planet, I go by Koriand’r, but I believe here, it translates to ‘Starfire.’”