𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔩𝔢𝔡𝔤𝔢𝔯

Prologue: In the Beginning

Washington, D.C.

July 4, 14:00 EDT

"Today is the day."

Robin glanced up and flashed his mentor a slight smile, trying as hard as he could not to betray the full extent of his excitement. After years of asking, Batman was finally making it happen. The least Robin could do was try to act professional. This was the day he had been waiting for since the day he learned of Batman's team. The Justice League.

Batman gave him a rare grin in return, the hand he had laid upon Dick's shoulder feeling like a warm embrace, congratulating him for all he had achieved and making it this far. They held eye contact for a moment, each expressing the gratitude they felt for the other; the man who had taken in a young orphan and the boy who made the man's life feel like it was worth living again.

"Welcome to the Hall of Justice," Green Arrow said. Robin rolled his eyes; there had been no need to announce that with the huge building standing in front of them. It was obvious enough where they were. Speedy, whose red and yellow suit reminded Robin of a firefighter, stood next to his teacher, his stature just as bold and stoic.

Next to Red Arrow stood Aqualad and his teacher, Aquaman. Robin briefly wondered how long Aqualad had taken to come up with his hero name and whether he should ask or not. "Headquarters of the Justice League," Aquaman said after Green Arrow spoke. Robin clenched his hands into fists on his belt, resisting the urge to sigh in exasperation. They all knew where they were, no need to keep declaring it in different variations.

"Oh man!"

A grin crossed his lips, hearing the familiar whooshing noise from behind him. All six heroes already assembled in front of the Hall turned around to see two speedsters, one's suit red and the other yellow, zooming towards them. Kid Flash skidded to a stop, staring up at the building in bewilderment. "I know we'd be the last ones here..." He folded his arms in irritation. Flash looked at his apprentice with barely-disguised amusement.

They were all there. Robin could hardly reign in the anticipation he felt. It was happening, it was finally happening!

Not a minute later, the heroes, now numbering eight, found themselves walking through a crowd of people, blinding flashes from photographers and smartphones flaring from left and right. They all shouted various things at them, as reporters often did, expecting them to answer back to no avail.

"Is that Batman?"

"Oh! I see Flash and Flash Jr." Robin snickered a little at that one, knowing how infuriated Kid Flash would be hearing that name. Sure enough, the yellow-suited speedster's face was nearly the same shade as his hair and he was biting on his lips to prevent himself from blurting anything he would later regret.

"... No, Speedy's Green Arrow's sidekick!"

"Well that makes no sense."

Robin was inclined to agree, his heart rate spiking at the word 'sidekick.' He had worked his butt off everyday since becoming Batman's partner. To be downgraded to a mere sidekick was just demeaning and an indirect way of scoffing at everything he had worked so hard to achieve.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Green Arrow lean in towards his pupil's ear. "Ready to see the inner sanctum?"

Speedy looked over his shoulder, smirking, ignoring a flash from a phone just inches away from his face. "Born that way," he replied, turning back towards the Hall.

"Glad we're all here," Aqualad piped up.

Kid Flash turned towards Robin, putting a limp hand in front to get his attention. "Have all four sidekicks ever been at the same place at the same time?" Robin winced imperceptibly at the choice of words. There it was again. Sidekick. He almost opened his mouth to protest at the title, but Speedy already had it covered.