The Hawk and the Robin

6

"Alright, team." I scanned the mass of people (although some of them didn't quite fit the category of 'average human') in front of me, amazed how many allies I had in this fight. Kurt had encouraged his monastary beauty to enlist, and she turned out to be wicked skilled with a knife, Pietro had been reluctant, but I convinced him that his sister would be in less harm if he could fight to protect her. He swore that he could do this without being involved in our activities, but joined up anyway. Even if he didn't admit it, he was angry with our local government for being so anti-mutant. The only thing it was missing, I mused sadly as I gazed upon their eager faces that glowed with anticipation and rage against the injustices that had been forced upon us, was my beautiful Natasha. She would be such an asset to this team...and I'd love to watch her fight.

"Mr. Barton?" Will Scarlet had his hand raised, and he still wore that ridiculous hat. I was tempted to tell him to take it off, but my amusement won. He would look almost jaunty as he went charging into battle. 

"Sorry," I mumbled, and refocused. 

"We've got a lot of work to do here, and not a lot of time to do it in. So....

 Let's get down to business to defeat-  Loki! Did they send me mutants? Good, I asked for some. You're the strangest bunch I've ever met, but I bet, before we're through, people, I'll make a team out of you.

Tranquil in this forest, but on fire within - once we find their weak spot, we are sure to win. You're an untrained, semi-pathetic lot, but I bet, before we're through, people, I'll make a team out of you.

We must be swift as a coursing river - be a team - with all the force of a great typhoon - be a team - with all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the moon.....

Time is racing toward us 'til the cops arrive. If we're very careful, then we might survive. If you're not sure what this is for, then pack up, go home, you're through. How could I make a team out of you?

We must be swift as the coursing river - be a team -  with all the force of a great typhoon - be a team - with all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the moon....

"You're in charge, and you give us musical numbers? I thought we were learning to fight." No, it wasn't Natasha (she's not here, you ninny), so any other guesses? Yep - it was my favorite hatted hipster, scowling at me with his feminine lips, eyebrows arched just so. He also looked like he wanted to punch me in the face. Come on, buddy, I willed. I could take you.

"I thought," continued the boy, "that Wolverine was my superior." 

"It doesn't matter," I said through clenched lips, "who we are. What matters is our plan. You should have respected my authority." 

Leaves crunched in the distance, and we all, simultaneously, turned our heads to look, ready to scatter at the first sign of suspicion. The innocuous-looking young girl bent down to unlace the clunky men's vintage Doc Marten's hiking  boots she wore with skinny jeans, but then her head snapped back, and she shrieked, "Kurt!" and ran into the crowd to hug the blue-furred boy who was either her own age, or close to it. 

"I'm Kitty," she said breathlessly over her shoulder. "Kitty Pride. I used to date -"

"Spider-Man. Yes, I remember. Welcome to our team. Now, if there aren't any more interruptions - I smiled at the girl to let her know it was just some light ribbing - let's all pair off into groups of two and assess each other's fighting skills."  See, this being in charge thing wasn't so hard, now that Will Scarlet had shut his girly mouth....

He was slouching in front of me in a black jacket and jeans, both of which hung and sagged on his frame, probably intentionally. Those hipsters. They were always trying to look poor. 

"Oh, so you want to fight me, do you?" I notched my crossbow with a "practice" arrow. These only had foam tips with sticky tape on the end. It wouldn't do to wound any of my team, even if they were as annoying as this kid. 

"Yeah," said Will Scarlet cockily. "I'd love to." And his fist smashed into my face. Ow! But I got him with three arrows: shoulder, sternum, stomach, in that order.

"You're a good shot," the boy mumbled begrudgingly.

"Thanks, man," I said, letting my guard down a little and slapping him five. " I've had a lot of practice. Maybe someday I'll teach you." I thought I saw his eyes light up, but then he glanced downward and muttered sullenly.

"Whatever." And then - bam, bam - two swift punches to either side of my rib cage. Will Scarlet looked pleased with himself, until I got him in the center of the chest. Then he winced. I stepped quickly out of the way and went to observe some of the other training sessions. Our newest initiate, Kitty Pride, was engaged in some impressive hand-to-hand combat with Kurt's girlfriend (it was more like she was teaching the other girl the ropes - but, come on. She'd just gotten out of a monastery, so of course she still had some learning to do. Anyway, it was good for a beginner.) Kurt  had a lot of mutant contacts from his days at the Xavier Institute, and he had enlisted a lot of them to our cause. Mayor Laufeyson's anti-mutant agenda had made the news, and so Kurt and Kitty's X-Comerades were making secret trips to join us. Right now, the blue boy was fighting with his friend Jamie. I wasn't sure what his power was, but he seemed like a good fighter.

A few hours later, I was watching the training, tired after foolishly offering to go up against blue, furry Hank, and satisfied with the current skill level of my teammates, when my cell started buzzing like crazy. 

"Barton!" shrieked Natasha. "We were supposed to go see that movie tonight. Have you lost your mind? Where are you?" Well, I couldn't tell her that. As much as I yearned to involve her, it was just too dangerous, considering who she worked for. Loki and his underlings could torture it out of her (but it would take a lot. Natasha was tough). I couldn't lie, though, because that made me an awful boyfriend.

"I'll be there," I said quickly, "and I love you." 

"You better be there, stud," was Natasha's curt reply. 

I explained the situation to the group, expecting and receiving plenty of ribbing and catcalling, especially from you-know-who....

"You know, sometimes you drive me a little bit crazy," I said, just so it was out there, and he just shrugged.

"Is your girlfriend hot?" What a question!

"She is certainly too sexy for you," I said, enjoying the burn, and strolled off in good-comeback glory...until Scarlet shouted,

"Well, then - what's she doing with a guy like you?" 

 When I arrived at the movie theater, Natasha was standing outside, tapping her watch. She looked sleek and sexy in a little black leather jacket and tight jeans, stiletto boots, but I knew I couldn't kiss her because she was scowling so deeply.

"I'm not sharing my popcorn," she said, and wouldn't let me take her arm. I would have to find some way to make up for this....