Batman & Robin And Me .:rewritten:.

VII. Plan Alterations & Planned Altercations

"SORRY, SAY IT AGAIN?" I STARED UP at my companion, who had somehow put on his mask while helping me stay on the slippery ladders as we had climbed down to the lowest levels where a storage room stood.

"You wanted suggestions on a name. I think you should be Charm."

I raised one eyebrow. "I can't tell whether you're actually serious, or trying to be punny."

Robin grinned, fishing a bodysuit out of a storage locker and throwing it at me with a triumphant "got it!" before he shook his head. "I'm serious. Charm is a great name."

"Well...why not? I'm Charm. Bad guys beware." I lifted to the suit to my level and eyed it, trying to push down the jubilant squeals that were threatening to escape. It looked awesome, and I couldn't believe it was (pretty much) mine.

It was made out of some sort of rubber-like material, etched with a design that almost looked like chain mail. The deep blue of the suit seemed to almost glow, it was so rich and vibrant, but I knew that it would blend in seamlessly with the shadows.

I was snapped out of my intensive examination of the suit when Robin set down a handful of things next to me.

"Go ahead and get dressed. I'll get the Batmobile fired up.

I gave him a thumbs up as he left the storage room, before returning my focus to what he had given me. There was a gray belt that glowed with a silver sheen, covered with innumerable cases, pockets, compartments, and various unobtrusive tools. Next to it lay thick gray boots that probably could withstand a truck rolling over their toes, and a soft, knee-length cape of the same color. Finally, a pair of matching gloves, and a black domino mask.

My hands went for it immediately, picking it up reverently. It appeared to be completely ordinary, but I knew from hours spent on devices like it that it had some sort of built-in link. Probably a two-way radio.

What struck me most of all was the fact that it was obviously used.

This was one of Robin's masks.

"Any day now!"

Right. Need to start moving. I dove for the clothes. Once dressed, I finally noticed that there was a low rumble in the air and the floor was slightly vibrating.

I glared at the catch for the utility belt, which wouldn't close at all (except on the skin of my thumb) and stepped out of the room.

Robin was standing next to a sleek black car that would have sent my mother into spasms of delight. He eyed me in approval, and I had to keep from blushing again. "I probably don't fill it out very well, do I?"

There was a vigorous shake of dark curls. "You kidding? What do you do?"

"Aikido." I stepped forward and allowed him to guide me to the passenger's seat.

"What class?"

"Blue belt. Going on brown."

"Impressive!"

"You have a black belt, don't you."

He shrugged, grinning, and slid into the driver's seat.

Batman climbed into the back, cape billowing and almost getting caught in the door as he shut it.

"Buckle up." Robin announced, slamming on the accelerator.

I had the distinct impression we had a rocket on the back of the car. Or something. Because I was slammed back into my seat as we took off. We roared down a path wide enough for the car and shot out of the huge door that had somehow slid open without me noticing.

A surprised laugh escaped me as we pelted through an underground tunnel, arriving on a lonely highway and taking off at a speed would surely bring the law down on our neck.

"Do you always drive?"

He brought up one hand in a so-so motion, yanking the wheel and sending the vehicle smoothly sliding around a turn. "Sometimes. It frees him up to work on navigation and information. But if I feel like I could do it better, we switch places."

I nodded, leaning against the dashboard and covertly sliding my eyes to look at him. I hadn't really gotten a good look at his costume with everything going on, and I was suddenly dying to know.

My first entirely sensible thought was; wow, definitely a circus kid.

Then my less-than-sensible brain kicked in, and my second thought was; wow.

In stark contrast to his mentor's darkly hued outfit, Robin was dressed in bright, warm colors that still somehow managed to keep from looking garish or oversaturated. His costume had a definite circus ring to it, reminding me of a souped-up version of a trapeze artist. A yellow cape with warm golden undertones was fastened firmly at his neck, the same color as his utility belt. He wore a red vest with an R etched onto his left breast. Under that was a green leotard that looked like it was made of some sort of scaly bulletproof material. His boots were green as well. Probably in keeping with his acrobatic background, his sleeves and shorts were as short as possible, providing a clear view of his muscular, lean arms and legs.

I quickly averted my eyes in horrified embarrassment, wondering how I had so easily transitioned from checking his costume out to checking him out, to put it bluntly.

But why someone hardly older than me could look that good was beyond me. How much time did he spend maintaining that chiseled definition? How had I not noticed it under the casual clothes he had worn earlier?

I was snapped out of my reverie by a sudden stop that nearly had me putting my eye out on a console lever.

"Here we are." Robin set the car into standby mode, and I realized that the Batmobile's headlights had gone out sometime during the drive. We were completely hidden, cloaked in a convenient shadow cast by the rising moon. "Gotham City's docks."

I saw we were not quite in Gotham, though highrising skyscrapers were not that far off. We were under the shadow of a large, dilapidated warehouse.

Batman leaned his cowled head out of the back seat, and I jumped in surprise. He had been so quiet I had forgotten his presence. "Our intelligence pins the Joker at this spot." His voice was no longer the warm, teasing voice I had grown accustomed to, only a low, monotone growl. I wondered if it was an act, or if it was his real voice, devoid of all pretense. "You need to stay outside. Robin and I will go in and deal with this."

I nodded, half temped to jokingly salute. "I understand."

We crept from the car. The moon had risen quickly, and was now shimmering across the water of the inlet that the warehouse was situated by. At the door, Robin pulled out a small, unobtrusive pick and leaned to open it.

In the same moment, it opened.

The Joker leered at me, and without thinking, I swung a fist at his face.

There's a magical star button down on that bar that will show your happiness, and then, magically, grant me happiness.

Go ahead. Click on it.

Aethea out.