I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
~Hurt ~ Johnny Cash~

...October 1, 2010...

Right now, Robin and Kaldur are practice battling. Of course, I'm watching from the sidelines, taking in the amazing sculpture that is Robin.

Conner and Megan walk in with Wolf as the training session ends.

"You know they're a couple, right?" Robin whispers to Kaldur as I walk towards them.

"I believe I knew before they did," Kaldur says.

Artemis and Wally come in from another hallway and the three of us look.

"Do we tell them?" Robin asks.

"It is not our place," Kaldur says.

"So if Zatara is our babysitter of the week, why's he still here?" Wally asks, pointing at Captain Marvel who's standing beside Zatara, eating. "And why's he eating my snacks?"

"Wally, everybody eats your snacks," I admit.

"What?!"

"Recognize: Batman, 02."

"Computer, national news," Batman says, before he's completely there.

A screen appears in the room.

"The initial attack was short-lived, but Metropolis was only granted a short reprieve. And despite the intervention of Superman and the Justice League, there seems to be no end in sight," the news lady, Cat Grant, reports.

"Should we get out there?" Robin asks.

"No. The League will soon have the situation under control. That's not why I'm here. According to your Intel, Sportsmaster supplied Cadmus' blockbuster formula to Kobra," Batman says.

"Who combined it with Bane's venom to create Kobra venom," Wally says.

"Which the brain used to create his animal army," Robin notes.

"And upgrade Wolf," Superboy adds, scratching under Wolf's chin.

And Storm... though she was the original test subject...

"The Brain also used inhibitor collars like the ones at Belle Reve penitentiary," Megan says.

"Batman, is it possible that plant thing's on Kobra venom, too?" Artemis asks.

"I had Green Lantern run a spot analysis. Divine cellulose does contain trace amounts of a Kobra venom variant," Batman answers.

"These cannot be coincidences, unrelated criminals are cooperating with one another worldwide," Kaldur says.

Robin pulls up his own screen.

"Exactly. It's now clear our enemies have formed some kind of secret society of super villains. The attack on Metropolis is only the beginning," Batman says.

"You got that right," Robin says, typing on his holographic keyboard. "Plant creatures have sprouted in Gotham city, Paris, Star City, Taipei–"

The screens suddenly turn to static.

"Dude," Wally huffs.

"It's not me. Someone's cutting in the satellite signal. All satellite signals," Robin complains.

Joker appears on the screen and he knocks on the glass.  My eyes widen. Papa... So this is what he's been up to lately...

"Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt your regularly scheduled mayhem to bring you this important announcement from the Injustice League," Joker says, laughing and turning the camera to other villains. The villains include Count Vertigo, Poison Ivy, Atomic Skull, Black Adam, Ultra-Humanite, and Wotan.

"We are responsible for the attacks on your cities. If you wish to save them, a ransom of 10 billion American dollars is required. Delivery instructions have been sent to the United Nations. There is no time limit. But the longer your governments wait..." Count Vertigo says.

"The more we get to have our... jollies," Joker says and laughs wickedly. The screen turns to static.

I hold back my will to chuckle. Jollies... heh.

"Roger that, Aquaman," Batman says into his comm. "The UN will prepare the ransom as a fallback, but it won't come to that."

"Count Vertigo, The Joker, Poison Ivy, Ultra-Humanite, Atomic Skull, Black Atom, Wotan. 7 heavy hitters. Probably behind everyone and everything we've faced," Robin bellows, playing the video back.

"There's your secret society," Wally sneers.

"Not so secret anymore," Artemis admits.

"Perhaps after India they realized we would deduce the truth and saw no point in hiding any longer," Kaldur voices.

"Yeah. That was their mistake. Right now I say we go kick some plant creature butt," Wally avows.

"The Justice League will handle the plants. I have a different job for this team," Batman says.

"Oh, man," Wally complains, getting a punch in the arm from Artemis. "Unhh!"

"With the plants attacking so many locations simultaneously, there must be a central control system. Your mission is to destroy it," Batman continues.

"You realize what you're really asking them to do?" Zatara asks.

"They're ready," Batman says.

I'm not ready to fight papa...

"Ready? Ready for what?" Wally asks, earning another smack from Artemis. "Ow! Will you cut that–"

"Hello, Wally. If the big guns are fighting plants, who do you think we'll be fighting?" Artemis asks.

"I don't know. I guess we'll–" Wally huffs as Artemis points at the screen of villains. "Ohh..."

"Well, Batman, I trust you're correct," Zatara sighs.

"I trust you can locate the enemy," Batman responds.

"Indeed. Wotan's informants suggest sorcery is part of how the plants are controlled. Robin, if you will provide a holo-map, I'll search for signs of concentrated sorcerous activity," Zatara says, walking up to the holo-map. He recites a spell backwards, causing a red circle to appear on the map. "There. That is where you will find the Injustice League's central control system."

"Coordinates locked in. The Louisiana Bayou," Robin says.

"We are on our way," Kaldur says.

We all head toward the hangar to the bioship. I become lost in my thoughts while we travel there and am brought out of it by a sound of pain coming from Megan.

"Ugh," Megan huffs, putting a hand to her head.

"You all right?" Conner asks.

"Dizzy," she replies.

"Martians get airsick?" Robin asks.

"She does look a bit greener than usual," Wally comments.

"Not me, her," Megan huffs.

"I feel fine," Artemis frets.

"Not her, the bioship," Megan says. "She's trying to shield us, but..."

Suddenly the ship is jerked out of direction and goes crashing to the swamp. The bioship gets grabbed by plants and begins to head under the water. Black Atom rips open the top of the ship.

"He's hurting her!" Megan groans, gripping her head.

Superboy jumps and punches him far away. The ship is taken underwater completely and the hole Atom creates begins to pour in water.

"No! No way I'm nearly drowning three missions in a row," Artemis huffs.

Robin pulls out two breathers and gives one to me.

"Thanks, birdy."

He nods as he dives under to look for an exit.

"M'gann! We need to get out! Open a hatch!" Conner calls out, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Hello, Megan! Of course!" she grows gills on her neck as she dives under and makes a hole for us to swim through.

'Alright, everyone out!' Kaldur commands through the link, being the first to swim out.

We all follow, swimming far away to drier land. We watch as the ship is completely taken over by plants.

"She's in shock. She'll need time to recover," Megan says.

A strong force washes over everyone and they all fall to the ground screaming in pain.

"Vertigo," Wally grunts.

"Count Vertigo to you, peasant," Count Vertigo scoffs.

Superboy gets up to punch him only to get punched down by Black Atom. Aqualad takes some water from the water nearby into his water bearers and smacks Count Vertigo away.

'Robin, Miss Martian, Bolt, disappear,' Kaldur commands. 'We will keep them busy. You three fulfill the mission objective.'

Megan goes camouflage and Robin and I are already gone. Night falls as we travel through the swamp to get to the main base.

'I blocked contact with Aqualad and the others. Should we–' Megan gets cut off.

'Sorry, that's not the gig. This is," Robin says, pushing aside some plants to reveal a large dome with a plant rising out from the top. "The Injustice League central control system. Looks like that plant is acting as an antenna to control the other plants worldwide,' Robin says.

I look around, seeing plants move along the ground. 'Look out!'

"Well, hello," Ivy says, wrapping us up in vines. Humanite jumps up behind her and aims a gun at Robin then MM. "And good-bye."

Ivy looks very different... The strain of controlling these plants has made lines appear all over her normally beautiful body.

I speed up my molecules and phase through the plants, tackling Ivy and making her release her hold on Robin and MM. Humanite shoots but it goes over their heads. I zap Humanite and the three of us run out into the swamp.

"Sorry, Boy Wonder," Ivy says. "I'm putting an end to your little reconnaissance mission."

We dodge her plants and the blasts from Humanite's gun by dodging and jumping over everything.

From the corner of my eye, I spot a bright yellow object floating in the sky coming in our direction and discover it to be our other teammates trapped in a cage by Wotan. Robin gets knocked down and the plants lift above about to make contact before MM explodes them into pieces.

'Robin, she's made contact,' Megan says.

'Artemis?' Robin asks.

'No,' Megan says with a smirk as the team pass by overhead in a mystic yellow cage with Wotan, Count Vertigo, and Black Atom surrounding it.

We watch as Wotan gets knocked out of the sky by the bioship, causing the cage to disappear and the team begins falling from the sky. I manage to snag Artemis and gently set her on the ground. The others land on the ground with little effort. Humanite appears before them. While they're occupied by the team, Robin manages to cover the plant antennae with exploding discs. Miss Martian and Robin smirk at Ivy.

"Timber," Robin says as the plant explodes behind them.

Ivy becomes angry and summons many plants at them which Megan blasts back with her own power. Atomic Skull blasts Megan out of the sky and Robin jumps out of the way.

"Aah! Aah! Children?" Joker huffs. "Children foiled our plan. Inconceivable. Unacceptable. Retributionable! That last one might not be a word... So sue me."

"Kill them," Vertigo commands. "Kill them all."

Wotan summons electricity and aims it at everyone. I of course just absorb the power for energy instead, making me still able to move around. Kaldur hovers over Miss Martian and takes the bolt of electricity for her.

I move over to Robin and take over his electricity.

"Bolt!? What are you doing?"

"Protecting you."

"You shouldn't take on my electricity too!" Robin fusses.

I turn my head to grin at him. "Why do you think I named myself Bolt? Electricity gives me energy for my speed."

He gives me a gaped look.

The electricity stops. "The Helmet of Fate..." Wotan gasps.

"No, Aqualad, don't!" Kid Flash shouts, only to get punched by Black Atom who then gets punched by Superboy.

Aqualad puts the helmet on his head, transforming him into Fate. He flies up to Wotan.

I give Robin a look before heading over to KF. "You okay?"

"I think my arm is broken..."

"Artemis!" I call out. "He needs you!"

I speed off and get tripped by one of Ivy's plants, sliding to a stop at papa's feet. Papa smirks down at me slowly bringing his knife toward me with a grin on his face.

"Bolt! Move!" Robin shouts but I'm frozen to the spot, not able to hurt him.

"Looks like speedy here wants to die," papa grins, lifting the knife above his head.

On instinct, I tightly shut my eyes.

"Aagh!" Papa shouts out.

I open my eyes to see papa gone and turn to where he's being held down by Robin, who continuously punches him in the face. Papa all the while laughing. I quickly get up and pull Robin off in a panic.

"Don't hurt him!" I mutter harshly, falling to my knees and refreezing as papa looks at me.

Then the Justice League shows up, taking everybody down but I'm still frozen to the spot even after the Joker gas goes off and Fate gets rid of it. Wally begins to shout about Kaldur getting the helmet on.

Robin comes up to me during the shouting, noticing I'm still unmoved. "Bolt? Bolt?! Are you okay? Bolt, why didn't you move?" He gets down on his knees so he's at my level.

"I-I can't!" I shout, earning everyone's attention. "N-not with him! I-I can't..."

"Can't what?" Batman asks.

"Hurt him..." I mumble, looking up at everyone.

"Joker?" Robin asks.

I look down, avoiding everyone's gaze. "I-I don't know what came over me... I'm s-sorry..."

"We're done here," Batman huffs, gaining everyone's attention off me. "The super villain secret society has been neutralized. As for your performance... it was satisfactory."

After that, we head back to the cave. The trip back was awkward, everyone kept giving me glances. I kept to myself in the corner, only keeping my gaze out the window. Once we arrive at the cave, I immediately disappear to my favorite place in the mountain. The view from the very top. Down below lies a gorgeous view of the ocean with the moon reflecting off the surface.

The mission's ending replays in my head. I sigh.

"Bolt?"

I glance back at the speaker to find Robin. "What?" I huff, turning back to the ocean.

"Just wanted to see if you're okay."

"Cut the crap. We both know why you're here," I scoff.

He sighs. "About Joker..."

"No shit."

He sighs again and moves to sit next to me, hanging his feet over the side also. "If you don't wanna explain, I won't force you."

"Good because I'm not going to," I huff.

It's silent for a good 5 minutes of us looking at the scenery.

"You know, I've never really taken the time to gaze at the moon like this," Robin comments.

"I love looking at the moon," I comment, keeping my eyes to the sky. "It relaxes me."

"Do you always look at the moon?"

"All the time." I sigh. "I guess I should be getting home. I have some work to do."

"Like what?"

"My parents aren't going to be home tonight so I have to feed the pets," I admit. "Thanks for watching the moon with me."

He nods as we return inside and head into the zeta-tube to Gotham. We materialize out into the alleyway.

"Well, I gotta go help Batman with patrol."

"Goodnight, Robin."

"Night, Bolt," Robin responds before grappling hooking away.

I chuckle as I speed off home, changing my appearance into Jester Quinn. I open the door, calling out to the three hyenas. "Let's go out for some fun! Lou! Bud! Storm!"

~Wait, really?~ Storm squeals.

"Yeah, let's go cause some mayhem."