Chapter 61 : Change of heart

[Author note : as always, if you're interested in reading more, you can visit my Patréon page (e instead of é) by searching for Cathbel with their search engine. Enjoy the chapter !]

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Ned was flying slowly, thinking about the upcoming fight. Frankly, compared to Dark Lords, robotic aliens and Goddesses, he kind of felt like it would be a cinch. However, as the thought struck him, he realized that he was letting his arrogance get the best of him. It is said that a lion goes all out even against a rabbit… Or something of the like.

And the rabbit in question was probably a properly trained magical military force… Or at least, they should have a unit like that accompanying the ward breakers. And then, there was the possible legal implications of actually getting in a fight with someone from MACUSA. Like the no-majs police and law enforcements, it was basically a crime to go against them. Violently, that is. Maybe he should drop the matter and hire a lawyer ?

But he felt like it was unusual for MACUSA to act so brazenly. Instead, he felt like it was the work of a single individual with a vested interested in his technomancy, ready to go to any length in order to secure it. If that were true, their actions would be as covert as possible ; they probably wouldn't want for word of their attack to be known by the Wizard population, right ? Then again, they could also use his 'retaliation' to justify their actions after the fact…

So, he could not use force. But it didn't mean he couldn't deal with the attack in another way… So, he notified his contacts in the press and gave them the address where the attack was currently taking place. In the meantime, he would be gathering intel on their forces…

* * * * *

Robin was in a bind ! Dodging and counterattacking without risking himself, against a physically superior opponent like Grunge was more than difficult. It was pointless ! Unlike the Meta, who seemed tireless and relentless, Richard Grayson was only human. He tired, was comparatively fragile and any mistakes could cost him his life. Moreover, there was also the man's partners to be wary off…

If the woman wasn't attacking him directly, there were two other opponents currently still tangled up with the black silhouette from the other group of unknown metas. Once she was down, and it looked like it would happen sooner rather than later, they'd undoubtedly join the wild man. Not that he needed it, really…

« Don't ignore Grunge ! » The man bellowed and slammed a hammer fist into the ground. Robin barely dodged that strike by stumbling and rolling backward, but the impact still pushed him further back, and pebbles struck him quite painfully.

Getting back up as fast as possible, Robin focused back on his current opponent, feeling a warm fluid rolled down the side of his face. He should really consider wearing some kind of helmet instead of his favored domino mask… A stray pebble had cut into his face, making him bleed.

Robin took out his two short staves and joined them together to form a longer, single staff. The reach and power it would provide might come in handy…

« Probably not. » He muttered to himself as he got into a ready stance.

When the shape-shifter came at him with a flying kick, Robin ducked to the side, using his momentum and the rotation of his waist to put weight behind his staff… And hit his opponent's backside with a powerful strike. The man took two steps forward. That was it !

He didn't seem hurt, hadn't uttered any sound and his stance hadn't even changed. It seemed his attack had been pointless… As expected.

According to Batman's lessons, against a superior opponent (which was basically every adult criminal Robin had ever faced), he should use their strength against them. There were a number of martial arts he was taught that actually enabled him to do such a thing : Tai Chi, Wing Chun, Judo, Aikido… But the thing was, these martial arts had been developed to face human opponents. Not Metahumans !

Grunge was much too powerful for him to even entertain the idea of taking and redirecting his attacks. And even if he managed to throw him on the ground, it wouldn't do him much good, since he was as sturdy, if not sturdier than the pavement ! As for grappling… Yeah, that was a bad idea. He'd be crushed instantly !

If only Bunker was still up… No. His powers didn't seem to have any effect on the man, either.

As Robin kept on playing tag with his enemy who was slowly growing frustrated with the slippery eel that was his adversary, he continued to think about Grunge's power. It was odd, actually… From all the researches he'd gleaned about Metas, they only ever possessed the one power. Granted, some of them could be used in versatile manners, but the core power was the same.

However, Grunge seemed to have two : his shape-shifting abilities and… Either some kind of kinetic energy absorption, or a defense against the psionic energy of Bunker. If the man had worn any other clothes besides his ripped denim pants, Robin might have considered to be technology… It still might be, if N.O.W.H.E.R.E.'s tech was advanced enough that they could hide it from his eyes somehow, like in a belt buckle or under the man's skin. In any case, this left him in quite the predicament !

* * * * *

While Robin and Solstice were struggling to protect their friends against the threat they now faced, or simply trying not to die, Superboy could hear it all, even with his focus mostly on Wonder Girl. And as he did, his attacks on the girl became less and less fierce. His inner struggles were impacting his outer ones, making the girl slowly push him back.

As Wonder Girl started to really lay it on him, he weighed his personal objectives in the face of the lives of these strangers. He knew Robin thanks to the simulations. While in there he lived the life of a high school farm boy, the world itself was rendered with real life information. Heroes and villains were often on the news, even if he never saw the tail of them. And Robin… Well, it was a kid who fought against criminals, putting his life on the line for it. He didn't know why, nor could he understand his motives… What he knew was that his actions probably saved innocent people's lives on a daily basis. The same kind of lives he endangered with his fight with the beautiful and powerful blonde girl who was pummeling him into the ground.

Suddenly, he caught her fists in his hands, keeping her locked at an arm's length to prevent her from head-butting him ; she was prone to do that, he had found out to his mending nose's expenses. Turning his head and spitting a phlegm of blood, he took a deep breath and told her :

« I give up. Robin's about to be killed. Let's go help him ! »

She paused, then frowned.

« As if I'll believe that ! You're one of them ! »

« Not by choice. They made me ! I wanted to know why. But I don't think I can bear the wonder boy's death on my conscience… Especially not if I can prevent it.»

To illustrate his willingness to help, he let go of her fists, showing her his empty hands, in a gesture he hoped was non-threatening. Glaring at him warily, she got up and distanced herself a bit. She barely glanced the way of Robin's or Solstice's fights. She was simply to distrustful of this guy !

« The man Robin is facing is a shape-shifter who can turn into pretty much any material known to Man. He's extremely resilient… Like a cockroack. As for Cloud-Girl's opponents, one of them create psionic-whips and teleport people and things with them. The other's covered of some kind of bio-armor he can control with his thoughts… That's about all I could find out about them ever since they got me out of the tank and into this team. »

« What about the girl ? » Cassie asked while pointing toward Rose with her chin.

« Rose Wilson, AKA Ravager. According to some on the squad, her father's a big-shot contract killer and mercenary with an active meta-gene he passed on to her. She's as strong and fast as I am, with enhanced senses… And she's really good at fighting ! She basically leads the team of Metahumans, as well as the paramilitary troop of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. »

« Think she'll join the fight ? »

Superboy shrugged :

« Probably… »

For a while now, the clone had been ignoring the annoying voice of his 'superior' in his earpiece. The man had been listening to everything until now, so he knew what he was planning to do. So, Rose and the rest of the team were probably aware, as well.

Cassie's bloodthirsty smirk reappeared on her face. She always enjoyed a good brawl ! And it wasn't every day that people could take on her full-powered punch. Superboy could and now, it seemed these new playmates could as well ! Well, the more the merrier, she thought !