23. Vulture

(POV Josh)

Yesterday was an emotional roller coaster at least for me and Artemis.

I can't believe I talked about 'That' in what felt like years. Of bottled-up trauma came rushing back as if a dam suddenly broke releasing the floodgates.

After pouring my family issues out I surprised Artemis with my backstory who instantly went quiet for a few minutes before she spoke.

I do know I asked her to speak first but she seemed troubled so I spoke up first trying to take her attention away which worked for a while until it was her turn to speak.

"My family is and was a bunch of criminals the was, was my Mother who's tried her hardest to raise me while. My Father and Sister joined the shadows while I did receive the same training but our ideals were different.

I wanted to help people my Father had other ideas while my Sister I have no idea why she stayed.

You probably know that Cheshire from before was my sister but my Father is Sportsmaster."

Artemis took a pause until I placed my hand over her shoulder saying to her in a calming tone.

"You've done well."

And just like me Artemis's floodgates broke and we both then huddled with each other in our separate pains.

This went on for a while until Artemis wiped away a tear and said to me as she left my room.

"It was nice talking to you. See ya."

Artemis left my room with a wave leaving me to my book I grabbed as we spoke it was titled.

'How To Balance Life'

Ironic from my point of view and decided that a patrol of the city would do me wonders instead of reading a book.

So I placed my book down on my bed and walked to my door with SuperBoy outside about to knock on the door.

"How can I help SuperBoy?"

SuperBoy lowered his fist from the knocking motion and lowered his fist and looked down leaving me to an assumption which I voiced.

"You heard?"

SuperBoy looked shocked and wanted to lie about it but the surprise on his face spoke volumes.

"It's alright. Thank you."

SuperBoy looked at me seeing that I wasn't fine and decided to follow me to the Zeta Tube.

During our walk through the hall, we eventually passed the kitchen where everyone was.

"Oh! Josh! SuperBoy! I made some food you want some?"

M'gann was offering the newly made pancakes at what felt like dinner but after looking at the time it was eight am.

"Time flies"

After hearing that SuperBoy grunted in agreement. I think I never could tell with SuperBoy who grunted for almost everything.

"Thank you but I need to clear my head so I'll be going out for a while please don't wait for me."

"Oh.."

M'gann didn't notice before but now bet she could sense how I was feeling.

Wally remained oblivious gobbling down all the pancakes he could while Robin counted each one he ate seeing if he'd break his old record.

Calder watched the pancake-eating frenzy then looked to me noticing that I needed space.

"I'm going with him."

SuperBoy on the other hand was doing the opposite of what Caldur thought by going with me to Gotham.

I didn't stop him cause quite frankly who could besides M'gann.

"I'll come to."

To everyone's(including my) surprise Artemis decided to join me and SuperBoy without even asking which I gave up at that point.

To give me energy I reached for the pantry grabbing three energy bars one for each of us.

After slowly eating mine SuperBoy scarfed his down and crossed his arms as we waited for Artemis.

After two minutes she came back suit and all and upon catching the bar I tossed to her SuperBoy asked.

"What took you so long?"

Artemis just looked at SuperBoy with the classic girl glare of death and once I noticed I began walking to the Zeta Tube stumbling into Batman, Canary, and Red Tornado.

'I'm running into everyone today.'

I thought and once I was I noticed Dinah stopped me asking.

"Where are you going?"

"Patrol"

Dinah was shocked at my response as if it made the most sense in the world. Batman being the greatest detective knew the face of depression better than anyone and said.

"Bring both of them with you."

Batman looked past me and as I turned Artemis and Superboy were standing behind me.

"We were already going with or without him."

Artemis crossed her arms and leaned on me with a smirk. SuperBoy simply grunted in agreement with Artemis. Again don't quote me on it.

Batman nodded in agreement and led us past Red Tornado was curious and spoke his mind asking me a peculiar question.

"Shift I have been told one of your forms is that of an inorganic creature. Is this assumption true?"

After my many months with Tornado, I knew he was purely asking not the question he asked but if I could feel things cause I do know that Red Tornado an Android wants to feel things like any life-form so I smiled at him and said.

"I did."

Everyone present was confused with my answer queuing a look. While Tornado and I knew what we both meant and as I left I heard Tornado thank me.

"Duly appreciated."

"Recognized B-0'1 Shift

Recognized B-0'8 Artemis

Recognized B-0'5 SuperBoy"

Soon after Tornado the Zeta Tube's AI spoke sending us to Gotham city.

...

Within thirty seconds I was inside a familiar red phone booth. Where from the outside looked like a rusted machine while inside was the epitome of a technological marvel.

After leaving the booth Artemis soon followed then SuperBoy was the last to appear.

The bright sun was seen everywhere even through my mask where I had to cover my eyes as I used my grapnel gun shooting myself onto the roof of the building.

Artemis did something similar to me but shot an arrow at the roof after attaching the line to her belt. Once the arrow stuck to the roof and was stable Artemis seemed to press a button on said belt which pulled her up to the roof.

SuperBoy being himself simply used his super strength and jumped to the top of the building.

Once we were all up we began jumping from building to building to what felt like an hour until a sudden roaring could be heard.

I turned around seeing a metal Vulture flying towards me with its claws stretched in a grabbing motion.

Superboy could hear the Vulture from a few miles away and stopped moving intending to destroy it as it came towards him.

But to our astonishment, the Vulture once sighed at SuperBoy and simply maneuvered its wings shooting air in his face, and went around SuperBoy aiming towards me.

"What'd you do?!"

Artemis asked right beside me as we both jumped out of the way of the Robot.

"I don't know!?"

I hollered back to her as the Vulture only seemed to follow me trying very hard to grab me.

The robot now after a clear view was simple in form which resembled you guessed it a vulture.

The vulture emitted green light from its eyes as it got unbearably closer until the Vulture suddenly dodged an arrow from Artemis.

The Vulture flew into the sky to then dive bomb towards me. So I acted quickly using my powers.

After hitting my watch my skin turned blue and my hands transformed into tendrils and my body became that of a jellyfish.

"Ampfibian!!"

My voice sounded like a combination of both a voice box and a watery blender.

Artemis was still stunned by my power seeing the green glow disappear but SuperBoy was used to it due to both the training and missions we'd been on together.

"Ahh!!!"

Superboy jumped grabbing the Vulture and dragging it to the roof smashing it as much as it could.

After several punches the robot spoke in an automated voice.

"Scan complete: Kryptonian distributing Kryptonite spray."

From the voice came SuperBoy's confused face leaving me to scream.

"SuperBoy!!"

SuperBoy looked away to me giving the robot what it wanted. It bluffed.

The robot didn't have any kryptonite and instead hovered above the ground flying towards me after knocking Superboy off it.

"Target analyzed preparing precautionary attacks."

Suddenly the beak of the Vulture turned red from its once steel visage and during my distractions bit me.

"Ahhh"

From the pain I felt something leave my body it felt like a syringe stabbing me taking my blood.

"Shift!!"

Artemis cocked another Arrow and fired it at the robot knocking it off me.

I was angry at the pain but fought it with my own powers of Bio-electricity shooting the Robot seeming to shock it but not disabling it.

The Vulture after seeming to get what it wanted began to fly away saying in its automated tone.

"Sending data to base estimated time two minutes thirty seconds."

After hearing the robotic voice we all knew we had to act fast I continued to fire electricity at it while Artemis shot her arrows.

SuperBoy was jumping up trying to grab the Vulture only to fail each time as the robot got higher with every jump.

Soon after a chase lasting two minutes I finally let the robot have it.

I felt my eyes glow as I focused all the electricity in the area and fired it at the robot shooting enough for it to lose altitude and enough time for SuperBoy to jump and grab it bringing it back down.

After flying to the crater SuperBoy made with Artemis in hand I placed her down and looked at SuperBoy who continued to punch and hit the robot only to stop at the automated message it uttered.

"Transmission success…full….."

The robotic Vulture's automated voice soon died with the light in its eyes fading. After staring at the robot I disengaged the watch transforming back into my costume and looked to Artemis saying.

"What a day."