7

*Claaang*

Newt throws the scrap metal pieces on the ground after entering the batcave. "Haaah." He exhales while removing his glasses, which not even he knows how it stays on his face with all the shit he does, before looking up and spotting Batman and Robin looking straight at him. 

"Am I interrupting something..?" He asks after some silent stare contest, while walking towards the two.

"Yes. The League wants to grant their protégés access to the Hall of Justice." Batman states, his tone forever the serious one he adopted since top-G knows when. 

"Oh so that's this year?" Newt responds, before quickly trying to cover up. "Which has nothing to do with what you just said. I was talking about years. This year. Which is the year of the rat or mouse or something." He stammers. 

"Year of the Tiger." Batman confirms. "What is this 'That' that you speak of?" 

Newt goes silent as sweat drops off his forehead. "Listen... I can not and will not speak of what's to come. Although I have limited knowledge of this universe, I know that if I speak about the 'That', then something wouldn't happen when it was supposed to happen. And this something is the birth of someone. So if that doesn't happen then I'll basically make it so that he doesn't exist which would make me a killer. I'm not a killer." 

"Who knew you could take that fast." Dick speaks up as he moves to pat Newt's shoulder. "Relax Newt. We won't force you to speak. Although I haven't known you for the longest time..." Dick stretches out his fist towards Newt. "I trust you." 

"Thanks man." Newt fist bumps Dick before the latter leans in towards him. 

"And I'm pretty sure Bruce also trusts you. There's no way he would've let you join us if he didn't already decide to take you in. He's just not the best at expressing his emo-" Dick's whispers get cut short as Batman's menacing shadow looms over the poor boys. 

Sending a glare at Dick, Batman turns his sights toward Newt and takes off his suit's helmet. "He's right. I trust that you wouldn't withhold information that could threaten our lives." Bruce says. "As I was saying... I would like to invite both Robin and yourself to come to the Hall of Justice with me in July."

"Me as well?" Newt asks, extremely confused by this information. Only to receive a silent nod from Bruce. "Oh... Thanks, Dad." His words instantly send ripples of surprise throughout the whole cave as Bruce's-, Dick's- and Alfred's-, who somehow popped up sometime, -eyes shoot wide open. 

"I mean Dad! I mean Dad! I mean Bruce!" 

"Hahaha!" Dick bends over, hugging his stomach as he bursts out laughing before being tackled to the ground by Newt. 

"You bastard!" 

---1 Week later---

---(Beginning April)---

Newt and Dick could be seen walking along the streets, ice cream in hand. 

"I'm telling you, man." Newt speaks up, pausing to lick the melting ice. "Speed triumphs over all powers."

"Strength does." Dick responds, a scowl on his features. "What's the point of speed if you can't even hit hard?" 

"What's the point of having extreme strength if you're too slow-"

*Boom!* 

an Explosion goes off in a building a ways away. 

"Why didn't I go to Metropolis?" Newt mutters as both he and Dick vanishes into the shadows. 

---

"Haaaah" a Man within a weird, latex-looking suit with wings at the back, exhales in satisfaction. "Oh yes! YES!" He exclaims, wielding a flamethrower, shooting it from within the building as the occupants cower behind any cover they could find. 

"Who's the BDSM lover?" Beast whispers towards Robin , before noticing the serious look on Robin's face.

"That's Firefly..." Robin reveals. "Has severe pyromania. See if you can take the civilians to safety without drawing his attention." He commands as he starts typing on his Holographic computer. "I can't seem to contact Batman, so we'll have to deal with him ourselves..." Turning to look at Beast, Robin spots him already below, evacuating civilians. "Alright..." 

Jumping down, Robin throws birdarangs at Firefly, also throwing one at a window at the back of the building. 

*Boom*

The birdarangs explode, releasing white dry chemical foam. Causing the close fire around Firefly extinguish. 

"What?! Robin?!" Firefly exclaims, quickly pointing his flamethrower towards Robin. Letting out a mad laugh, Firefly speaks, "I've wondered how wonderful you'd look ablaze!" 

*Fwooh!* 

Flames barreling in his direction, Robin dodges to the side, throwing extinguishing birdarangs at the surrounding flames. 

"No! No! You're ruining it!" Firefly madly follows Robin's movements with the flames, but seeing it bare no fruit, he spots a civilian hiding behind a table at his side. "Extinguish this Boy wonder!" 

*Fwooh!*

--- a Few minutes ago --- 

Beast ignores the last few words of Robin and instantly jump down and discreetly moves towards the closest group of people. "Is everyone alright" He whispers, revealing himself to them, only to receive silent nods from them, as they knew this isn't the right time to make noise.

Beast frowns while turning his head towards the entrance of the building where Firefly could be seen laughing while torching the building, ruling that out, he looks at the windows of the buildings, his frown deepening because of the flames surrounding it. 

*Boom*

Something explodes, drawing Beast's attention towards it. "Robin's awesome!" He whispers, spotting the flames around the back window extinguishing. "Go to that window!" He alert's the group before moving towards the next, repeating the process. 

After helping someone, Beast scans the surrounding for any last survivors before spotting one hiding behind a table close to Robin and Firefly's battle. 

"Extinguish this Boy wonder!"

Turning his head, Beast spots Firefly pointing his flamethrower at the table. "Oh no!" Beast's eyes widen as he takes off in a sprint, summoning a pill and throwing it into his mouth. 

'Speed. Please. Please.' 

*Fwooh!* 

Beast pushes the civilian away as the flames hit the right side of his body. "Ahhh!" He cries out and covers his eyes in pain while trying to take out the flames on his shoulder. 

Beast's superhero suit was made with overall less durability because of the unpredictable feature of his powers. It was made with the thought of him growing extra limbs. Meaning his suit isn't as resistant to temperature as Robin's. 

Ripping the whole top part of the suit off of him, Beast slaps the flames on his shoulder with it. Pain shocks throughout his body as the feeling of melt skin with his suit fibers is made apparent to him. 

"Shit!" Beast exclaims as he tries to open his eyes, only to shut it instantly. "Robin! I can't see with all these flames!" He yells. "I received night vision!"

"Tsk." Robin clicks his tongue, moving in front of Beast. "Get out of here! I'll handle Firefly!" He commands, focused onto Firefly's advancing form. 

"Nobody's going anywhere! Hahaha!" Flames howl towards the heroic duo as Firefly laughs madly. 

Robin grabs Beast's arm, dodging the incoming flames before taking out smoke bombs, hesitating if he should throw them or not.

Although modern smoke grenades are designed not to directly emit fire or sparks, they remain a fire hazard and are capable of igniting dry vegetation or flammable substances if used carelessly. Robin doesn't know if these smoke bombs would help as there are a lot of cloth on the tables in the building. 

"What's wrong?!" Firefly bellows and fires more flames at them. "The heat getting to your head?!" He takes his finger off the trigger to look at his masterpiece, only to find both boys missing. "Hiding won't help!" He speaks loudly, knowing they probably hid somewhere close.

"..." Met with silence, Firefly's voice turn menacing. "Fine. Have it your way." He mutters before firing the flamethrower in different directions. 

---

"How longer for the night vision to wear off?" Robin whispers at Beast while inspecting the burn on the latter's shoulder. 

"What does it say on my left arm brace?" Beast says, mentally thanking his habit of always starting the timer after swallowing a pill. 

"30 seconds..." Robin reads out. "We can wait it out then escape. This turned into a complete shit show." 

"I'm sorry." Beast lowers his head, knowing fully that this could've been better if not for him. 

Robin just silently stares at Beast, unsure of how to respond. 

*Bang!* 

The table they hid behind flew away, revealing Firefly. "Peek-a-boo!" 

*Fwooh!*

---