A young man was enjoying the rare peace and quiet that this day was bringing him. It was unlikely he wold be able to just sit down and read his book with how hyper energetic his friends and teammates were. He has allowed the discipline that was hammered into his training throughout his childhood to slip as he perused the fictional story that these surface dwellers create seemingly out of nowhere.
If that was something that Kaldur didn’t miss about his life beneath the waves was how boring life was. Most of his friends would believe that Atlantis was similar to their own nations, and perhaps that is true, but they never quite understood. All Atlanteans have a distinct path set out for them based on the interests and talents demonstrated during their schooling. The trainers and scholars would constantly monitor and analyze what role each child would best fulfill.
While his friends understood it was different, they wouldn’t accept such vast philosophical differences. There was a need that the surface didn’t require. Everything below the crashing surf was in a constant battle with each other, the hierarchy of predator and prey were often challenged and the only one who didn’t need to worry about their place changing was his king. Aquaman was many things, a proud warrior, loving husband, wise leader, but a True Atlantean he was not. There were things that his king just could not understand from his childhood being raised by his father.
Not to say that was a bad thing. Rather, more times than Kaldur could count that perspective was precisely what Atlantis needed. But-
Recognized, Robin B-01. Kid Flash B-03.
The Zeta Tube’s transportation radiated a golden glow that purged all shadows from sight. Aqualad had long since learned to never look at the teleport while it was functioning. On the bright side, he had ample light as he memorized his page number then bookmarked his place. A chuckle rumbled as he his thoughts subconsciously made a joke, maybe he had been spending too much time with Wally?
A boy in a flexible leotard came running, cape billowing behind him, before he reached the couch. Not even stopping his momentum the younger hero placed a hand on the sofas spine then flipped over. All that to sit down.
“Show off!” Seems Kaldur wasn’t the only one who though so. Turning to the voice, it came from the yellow and red speedster who ran over to the kitchen. If there was one thing that the Atlantean soldier did not envy about his team member, it was the nutritional expenses to fuel such speed.
Robin just waved a hand dismissively from his lounging position, not even caring if Kid saw it. He seemed exhausted and had already closed his eyes to relax the bruises that definitely are being concealed under his costume.
Smirking to himself, Aqualad scanned over the place that has become his home for many months now. Underneath Mount Justice, the Teams base of oppositions consisted of a utilitarian bunker space from the remains of the former League safe house. While there were plenty of space and training equipment, it sadly lacked many of the amenities that most other such location possessed. But that had been added later. Over time each member had steadily been gathering items and decor to make the place seem like an actual home.
Himself, Superboy, and Miss Martian have been the primary resident as they were the only ones who did not have places to stay outside of the mountain. Artemis had a family, he’d met her mother once before when she called her daughter, while Robin and Kid Flash stayed with their mentors. For the most part at least, Robin and Batman never go into any detail on their personal lives so Kaldur could only speculate there.
Now that he was thinking of them, the Atlantean glanced over to the two other tenants. Both seemed to have their heads buried into a handheld device with the WayneTech logo proudly displayed on the back. Quirking his head to the side Kaldur sent questioning looks towards them. That was strange.
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Superboy isn’t one to normally care about video games. Every time that any of the other members tried to bring him in to play something it tended to end with broken controllers, a TV or two, and a bunch of growls. So to see him playing something on his own was…interesting. Though to be fair, M’gann could have roped the Kryptonian clone in. Poseidon only knows how often she talked the various heroes on the Team into doing something with her. The martian in question currently had her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth, furiously pushing buttons.
Aqualad just sat there and stared. He observed the fluctuating emotions that crossed her face with every going minute. With each passing minute, his curiosity was growing. ‘What could have captured so much of their attention?’ Placing his novel to the side, Kaldur stood up.
Walking pass the coaches and observed what they were playing from behind them. He noticed the interest from both new arrivals, but neither chose to speak up.
What Kaldur saw puzzled him. The game that they were playing was identical. It seemed to be a battle between pixelated animals. The furious tapping of buttons resurfaced from his green friend and he saw that the beast she was fighting disappeared from the screen. In its place was a small blue ball. It rocked back and forth until sparks shot out from its sides.
Apparently succeeding, M’gann pumped her fist in victory. Then she saw the dark skinned Atlantean looking at her screen.
Smiling she started talking about her game. She went through a basic run down on her journey she called it since meeting the Professor Oak that gave her a Pokemon. She showed off her green turtle, dinosaur?, with a plant on its back. “Missy was so cute!”
As the martian girl excitedly retold her battles and captures, off to the side Robin was lost in thought. ‘Where have I heard that name? Pokemon.”
Pulling up his wrist mounted computer, the Boy Wonder started going through the last few months worth of data. Since it didn’t sound particularly mission related he went directly towards the miscellaneous folder and searched. Part of the fun of having Batman made gadgets was the features. Robin used a scanning function to an in-built search engine on his personal files. Inputing ‘Pokemon’ only one result popped up.
Pulling up the source, Robin was immediately hit with an enjoyable memory. “Oi, Kid! Take a look at this.”
Rushing over, the speedster peered over the smaller boys shoulders. “What am I looking at?”
“Remember that guy that showed us that Fatality?”
“You mean the dude that completely destroyed you, then mister wonderful couldn’t take that he knew something you did and we stayed in that place for 2 hours before either of us did our first one? Yeah, I remember.” Robin could hear the ego grinding smirk his friend was throwing his way.
Nodding he continued as he pointed to a certain spot. “Well I may have nicked his notebook. And look what it says.”
Understanding dawned on Wally’s face. “No way! You saying he made that stuff that’s got Supes and M’gann?”
Rocking his head from side to side Robin agreed. “Or at least worked on it. Hey M’gann, who made that thing?”
“Um, I think it was Twilight A- something studios? Didn’t remember too much. Hold on.” She quickly saved her game then rebooted it. Once the title screen popped up, towards the bottom it proudly showed Twilight Aurora Studios.
Looking up the company, Robin could stop himself from laughing. KF glanced over at his friend with an expression that radiated confusion. All the Boy Wonder did was turn his phone towards the red head. A picture of the older boy that they played Mortal Kombat with a few months ago was smiling at him wearing a professional looking suit. “Seems he’s the founder. Huh.”
With a grin, Robin couldn’t help himself from wanting to know if he was the one to program the Fatality finisher. Probably not, but it would explain how he knew something so completely obscure and complicated like the back of his hand.
Kaldur’ahm smirked as he announced. “Well it appears as though we now have a new team bonding exercise.”
Everyone, even the normally dour Superboy, started laughing. The three uninitiated were asking question after question to the two who had been playing for the last couple hours when a sound broke out.
Recognized, Artemis B-07.
The blond archer walked through to see everyone gathered on the couches, excitedly discussing something. Confused, the heroine still relatively new to the group called out. “So, what did I miss?”