Chapter 12

Due to the increase in the Titan’s roster, we had a much easier time dividing activities. A group to work on chores, a group to take some time off, and a group to handle threats in Jump City. While it would be very amusing to immediately jump a villain with all nine of us, it wasn’t very efficient.

It would also leave the Titan’s Tower unguarded. While it did have auto defenses in place, it still made a pretty massive difference for someone to be able to actually help use said defenses against an enemy. Not to mention someone like Gizmo turning the tower on us and using it as an ambush after all of us are tired from fighting several enemies would be a pretty easy way to destroy the entire team.

Unfortunately, when it came to who gets time off and who gets patrol duty, I didn’t have a direct say in the matter. Though I did have an indirect one, as chores was the first and only list made. Instead of anyone else making a patrol duty or off duty schedule, it was mostly just agreed upon by the Titans who gets what.

While it sounded like a smooth system it could be…rough at times. Especially when the original Titans and the new Titans were involved. Unfortunately, Robin has shot down my attempts in attempting to gain control of making a schedule for such things as well. Simply believing that the Titans should be able to work this out verbally.

Bah. That’s what he said, but I knew the real reason was that he just didn’t want to be told when he could and couldn’t pursue a case. While Robin could relax and take a load off, he could also go full throttle workaholic mode at the flick of a switch.

That or he noticed how much influence and power I had been gaining in the Titans, and was starting to think that his position as team leader was threatened. Though to be honest, he shouldn’t.

As I wasn’t very interested in becoming a leader at all.

Of course, I wanted more power and influence within the Titans. Who doesn’t? But that didn’t mean I wanted to be the face of the Titans. The person who everyone looks up to for an answer. The person who carries the victory of a mission on their shoulders, and the one who would take the fall if it went badly.

Sure, it was more power and influence, but it came at a sizable cost and substantial responsibilities. And so far, I had gained a pretty respectable amount with having to pay only a pittance. Why would I give that up for more responsibility?

Besides Robin was the one who made the team. Not only that but he was hands down the best tactician when it came to strategizing in battle. Something most of us couldn’t even begin to handle, especially while pressed in the middle of combat.

He also reported directly to the Justice League, aka Batman. And that wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have on any day of any week. Though if it were say, Wonder Woman, then we’d be having a different discussion.

As it was, I was unfortunately on patrol duty. It wasn’t unfortunate due to me preferring off duty, though I admit that I would much rather be working in the lab in an attempt to either study, meditate, or watch a movie. No, it was unfortunate due to who I was paired up with.

“Do you think we should stop and ask the fish if they’ve seen any super villains lately?”

“No.”

“…That was a joke dude…”

Beast Boy and Aqualad. The jokester and the serious soldier. It would have been amusing if they weren’t just so awkward with each other. The three of us were relatively close together as we patrolled the city. Beast Boy chose to fly or run with his animal forms, shapeshifting whenever he wanted to talk into the mic.

Aqualad and I instead chose to ride some of the Titan Cycles that were given to us. In order to examine the streets for any signs of crime, as well as to tap into the police network if we wanted to. So far however, it was a pretty quiet night.

Only made more tense by Beast Boy’s attempts to lighten the mood, and Aqualad’s sincere responses.

“Huh?”

Beast Boy stated on his open mic, which immediately got my and Aqualad’s attention.

“What is it?”

“This better not be another bird…”

Though we both had different responses to Beast Boy’s question.

“Did you guys not hear that? It was like some sort of…ringing?”

…Now that was interesting. Me and Aqualad both confessed that we didn’t hear anything, but that didn’t mean it shouldn’t be investigated. So, we decided to gather towards Beast Boy’s location. After a bit of searching in the direction he thought it came from, we didn’t find anything. Leading Aqualad to call of the search.

“No, I swear I heard something.”

“Maybe you did, but the fact is that it could have been anything.”

Beast Boys eyes narrowed at Aqualad.

“Maybe I did? I know what I heard.”

“And I know that I heard nothing. We should continue our patrol.”

Unfortunately for Beast Boy, I had to side with Aqualad on this one. Simply because there wasn’t much else to go off on. Though that obviously wasn’t what Beast Boy wanted to hear. A few minutes after we started to patrol again, Beast Boy radioed in.

“There! You can’t tell me you didn’t hear that.”

…Once again me and Aqualad confirmed we didn’t hear anything, much to Beast Boy’s annoyance.

“Fine, I’ll investigate it on my own th-Ah!”

Beast Boy was cut off as sounds of him grunting and fighting something was received. Aqualad attempted to question his precise location, but as Beast Boy was apparently in an animal form, he either didn’t hear or couldn’t speak. Leading us to run around a bit in order to find where he was at.

Which was apparently near the top of a multi-story car park. Which sucked, but I was at least grateful it wasn’t on top of a building that didn’t have publicly available stairs. As I didn’t have a grappling hook, or the ability to fly. I could make my hands sticky true, but I didn’t exactly have the strength to scale an entire building with just that.

Which also meant that Aqualad was able to beat me towards the threat. As I finally arrived at the floor just below the top one. I had to stop to catch my breath after running several flights of cement stairs before charging into the fray against a massive animal like monster.

It had large wings, with claws at the end of them functioning like hands. Its legs had talons at the end, as well as much more muscle compared to the wing claws. Showing off that it’s true threat came from its legs. Its body was coated in brow fur, with it even coming out of its long misshapen ears. It’s face and head looked like it was based off of Nosferatu.

Wait a second…wasn’t this Man-Bat? As in, the mad scientist guy who turned himself into a bat creature thing? I didn’t make it a habit to be up to date on every villain in Gotham, but I thought this dude was in Arkham?

As I approached, Beast Boy and Aqualad were working hard to subdue him. Aqualad using ranged attacks with his ability to control water, and summon it via Atlantean tech. Beast Boy was fighting it at close range, grappling with it in his gorilla form. Unfortunately, it seemed Man-Bat while being pushed back, was still able to hold his own.

As Beast Boy was starting to gain the upper hand, he shifted positions with the Man-Bat, and immediately took a jet of water to the face. Shocking him, and allowing Man-Bat to recover and fight back. Scratching along Beast Boy’s arm with it’s sharp talons.

Ouch.

“Hey!”

Beast Boy yelled out before shaking off his fur. Aqualad grimaced before deciding to charge into the fray himself. Rushing forward before pulling out his water-based blades and leaping into the air.

“All right, let’s see how you handle THIS!”

Beast Boy retreated back in his gorilla form, water having gotten into his eyes as he turned his back on Man-Bat, before suddenly turning into a large raptor looking animal with a long thick tail. Immediately using his turnaround in order to smash it’s tail into Man-Bat.

Unfortunately, though, it wasn’t Man-Bat who got hit, but Aqualad. He had only a moment to realize the situation before getting blasted several meters into a nearby car. He slumped down and released his hold on his weapons.

I think he was unconscious.

Beast Boy looked over at him with wide eyes.

“Oh man, I-“

Which was the dumbest thing to do in the middle of a fight, even as I had just reached Aqualad and was checking on his condition. As it left Beast Boy wide open for Man-Bat to sink its talons into his shoulders before throwing him against the cement wall.

I sighed after I made sure Aqualad was fine. Standing up in order to face Man-Bat who was currently observing the downed Beast Boy.

“No, don’t worry guys…he’s all mine…”

I stated sarcastically before rushing in to save Beast Boy from being torn to shreds. The movement thankfully caught Man-Bat’s attention as he pivoted and gave off a warning screech towards me. Of course, that wasn’t enough to stop me, as I closed the distance between us.

My hand was outstretched in order to touch its leathery looking skin, only to immediately jerk backwards as it’s claw hooks on the ends of its wings attempted to rake across my arm.

That had been a close one. If it hadn’t been for the Blockbuster formula variant, I had injected myself with…well, that would have likely gone much more poorly. Despite my enhanced physical traits, the monster was still faster, stronger. The only thing I had above him was my intelligence and power.

As long as I could touch him, the fight would be over. And while Man-Bat couldn’t say the same, I would much rather not win after being severely injured. My eyes narrowed as I thought quickly. Man-Bat was slowly approaching me and would likely pounce at any moment.

Before it could pounce towards me, I attempted to pounce towards it instead. Causing it to cease it’s movements and instead slash the area where I would have been if I had committed to the action with it’s talons. Instead it had simply been a fake out, allowing me to toss one of the seven capsules on my belt straight ahead.

Predictably Man-Bat’s agility allowed him to easily dodge it, but I hadn’t been aiming for him. The capsule hit against a car, and splattered it’s contents all on the side of the driver's door.

…And then nothing happened.

Uh-oh.

Man-Bat immediately charged towards me, cutting the air in an attempt to get towards me. Forcing me to stumble back in order to run away. Tripping and falling to the ground in the process.

Well, this works too I guess.

It wasn’t exactly glamorous, but I quickly slid underneath a nearby car, which had Man-Bat immediately biting and clawing underneath it. Allowing me to roll out onto the other side. Quickly standing back up, I jumped off the side to the car to my right before jumping over the car I had slid under in order to get on top of Man-Bat.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t been stupid enough to let me do that, as he started to lift the car, forcing me to quickly abort the action and crash into the ground from the unexpected move. Leading Man-Bat to quickly drop the car and rush towards me.

Only for a car alarm to go off, causing Man-Bat to immediately look towards it and screech. Thank god…it took the fucking acid long enough. A second capsule was pulled from my waist and thrown at Man-Bat as he was distracted. Landing squarely on his collarbone as it easily cracked and exploded.

Man-Bat roared as the rust orange substance got all over it’s body, forcing it to take a few steps back and wiggle it’s wings in order to try and scrape it off. As I stood back up, it screeched before running at me.

And immediately collapsing to the ground as the sticky polymer adhesive refused to let it’s legs unbend. Its head hit the ground at a painful speed, causing it to give a short painful cry. I continued to walk towards him as he struggled on the ground. All he was able to really do anymore was attempt to bite me, so I just had to keep my hands away from his mouth.

Easy enough.

After touching a part of his body that wasn’t covered in orange goo, I funneled chemicals directly into him. The first set of sedatives didn’t have any effect, but the second and third easily saw it relax and start sleeping.

As I relaxed and stood back up, I started to call this into the other Titans in order to put his ass in a secure transport to the tower before shipping him back to Arkham. And as I was doing that, I noticed Man-Bat’s features contorting before folding in on itself. Slowly causing it’s fur and leather to disappear before being replaced by more human like features.

Until the monster was completely gone, leaving just a naked person covered in sticky orange goo.

…Uh…since when was Man-Bat a woman?