The Adventure of the Speckled Band [invite]

[Deleted]

The day had been long and tiring, but rewarding. The giant serpent man known as Naga had only hours ago finished reinforcing one of the abandoned warehouses. The only way in was to enter through the hole he had carved through the sewer and ground up into the building, and there had been plenty of scrap and other materials available in the other abandoned storage buildings to get his new domain safe enough to keep others out and his daughter safe. The sewer network running under and through Jump let the snake travel about without being seen by those above, except for the few that hopped down here to dodge the cities law enforcement. Seeing his visage was enough to scare those cowards away.

At the moment though, he was on the move to get to the ocean. He was in need of sustenance, and the supplies he had for Rose were running low as well. He was in no rush at the moment, no need to expend energy heedlessly to make his need for food stronger. However his thoughts were halted when a dull scream reverberated through the tunnels, making it hard to tell where it came from or how far it was. But what had halted the large serpent was that he recognized the scream.

'That was Bido......' The serpent man surged forwards, his nostrils flaring as his tongue darted out to test the air. He could taste the scent of Bido, it was faint but it was something he could follow. As the stale air of the tunnels rushed by him as his coils carried him forwards, he could begin to hear the sounds of voices. One of them sounded familiar, but he was to focused on how Bido had sounded and now that he neared he was talking about him. 'Better make sure whoever is grilling him for info on me never makes it to the surface.....' He was getting closer, the smells stronger and the voices clearer. His eyes sharpened with rage as he heard Bido tell the strangers exactly where his daughter was.

As he rounded the corner, his body screeching to a halt as his angry visage locked in on Bido's harassers.

Namely the boy wonder himself.

It took a few seconds, but the primal fury left the massive serpents muzzle. Although the anger in his sharp yellow eyes did not. But then his eyes caught Ink, but what was she doing down here looking for him? Was she a worried friend, or had the words of those above swayed her to the side that wanted to butcher him and take his daughter?

"Miss Kaie...... We meet once more, and on better circumstances I hope......" His voice was deep, he clearly looked and sounded on edge.

[Silv]

Robin didn't tend to bribe people. That wasn't exactly the Batman way. Ink's idea turned out to be brilliant, however, the way that Bido reacted to it. In seconds he was spilling his guts faster than a criminal cornered by Batman. The Boy Wonder blinked first in surprise and then he couldn't help but smirk at how easily this was going. Next all they'd have to do was make sure Naga was the sewer monster and then after Ink had gotten her helping people who didn't need it for the day thing done with they could head home and detox from this nasty place.

The leader of the Teen Titans leaned forward and studied the map that Bido had withdrawn. It was a very good map, all things considered, the Titans didn't even have half so accurate a map of this area. Maybe Robin would pick up some rhinestones or something and ask Bido later if he could copy that map. Bido was looking up at them to make sure they understood where they were going. “We follow the main channel east and then turn left at the fourth tunnel and continue northwes-”

If he hadn't been so focused on the map then maybe he would have noticed the giant snakeman sneaking up on them before Naga had a chance to actually do so. As it was, however, Robin did hear the massive thing moving behind them when it was so painfully obvious a toddler could have pointed it out. Within seconds Robin had positioned himself in a fighting crouch, shielding both Ink and Bido from whatever it was that was coming to attack them.

Except, it wasn't coming to attack them. In the few seconds it took for both Robin and Naga to realize the other wasn't a threat...yet they had the glaring contest of the century. As soon as the snakeman seemed to calm down so did Robin. He slid out of his fighting stance, but still kept a wary eye on Naga, and still tried to keep himself within easy fighting distance so that if things did take a turn for the worst he could give Ink adequate time to summon some more of her beasties or run or something.

Naga's attention was more focused on Ink, however, which made perfect sense since they'd already met before. Robin inclined his head towards Naga in a respectful greeting and glanced at Ink. The little Scott could be something of a wild card. Especially with the way things had gone last time they'd run in with the giant snakeman. Robin couldn't tell if the wee artist was going to hug Naga or give him the tongue lashing of the century...or both.

[Deleted]

Ink practically beamed as the greedy Bido took her gifts. She let him roll out his map, and tried to remember every detail of it as he told them how to find Naga. She wanted to be off, let the little dragon have his treasures, if they found Naga she would give him what ever baubles she came across every week if she had to.

She heard the scratching and movement of air behind them. Something big and very fast was coming for them. Robin moved in front of her and Bido, and the wee Scott opened her book, and summoned the trio, and had them take invisible sentry points.

The threat rounded the corner, and Ink felt her heart jump into her throat. "NAGA!!!" she shouted, her happy exclamation echoing around them. He was talking but she didn't care, Robin was out of her way and she was running to close the distance.

The tiny little lass glomped as much of the giant snake as she could, which amounted to practically nothing. '"Ah was so worried about yea two. How is Rose?!" she asked in a rush. "Are yea two ok? Ahve been worried out of mae mind!" she added her tone going from excited to serious.

"Yea just left! Yea didnt even let mae know where yea where goin, didnay leave a trail! Dae yea have any idea how many shifts ahve run all over the city tae find yea?! Ahve barely slept!" she lectured, placing her hands on her hips. The wee lass seemed to grow a foot or two as she gave the giant before her a verbal beating. "Yea could have died! or rose could have gotten sick. And ah couldnay find yea tae help! What would ah have done then? And dant give mae any excuses sir!" she finished, a firm scowl on her face, that could have rivaled Robin's. She glared up at the giant snake man, tapping her foot as she waited for an answer.

ooc: I have a picture of molly wealsy in my head right now that is most amusing XD

[Empathy]

Bido was also completely oblivious to the giant dragon creeping up on the trio. When he heard Naga's deep voice however, the chameleon man's head turned. A panicky shriek escaped his now invisible lips as teh telescopic eyes rediscovered the other dragon's collosal size. "Bido is not here. Nobody has seen Bido. Bido is long gone." He repeated the reassuring words to himself in quick succession. Naga was scary.

Thankfully, titans and lizards alike seemed distracted by Ink's overreaction at seeing her large lizard friend again. "Bido didn't know the red lady was a friend of Naga." Did that make his betrayal ok? Bido gulped. He couldn't tell and shook his head frantically. "Bido should go..." He spoke very softly at this point, almost a whisper.

With new found motivation to move out of here, the camouflaged mutant started discreetly stepping away from the group. Well, as discreetly as a wounded Bido could shuffle his feet. "Ouch, Bido is hurt." He flinched. "But Bido needs to get back to his lair." Colors. More colors than you could imagine. "Where it is safe."

[Deleted]

The reaction he had gotten from Robin was to be expected, he had come in on them from behind and nearly ready to strike. Although he was a little surprised that the boy wonder hadn't just struck out, possibly Inks doing the serpent thought.

Speaking of the little red-headed artist.

The shout that bounced through the tunnels was much more then the serpent had expected of someone her size, quite the deceptive pair of lungs she packed he thought as the smaller woman slammed into his lower body trying to hug him. This act alone seemed to visibly calm the snake man, his posture going from tense to relaxed in mere seconds. He had been about to speak, but his sharp eyes widened slightly in shock as the little Scott started to scold him as if he were her own child. Blinking owlishly a few times a small laugh escaped him.

"It is nice to know that there is more then one person out there in the world concerned for myself and my daughter....." A warm smile graced the serpents visage as he spoke. "Rose is fine, as am I Miss Kaie....." He began, his warm smile fading to a solemn frown "As for why I just left and did my best to cover my tracks, you know why I did that. I didn't want to risk Rose or you getting possibly shot at again by the police of the city. Speaking of which, how in the nine heavens and hells did a city police force get their hands on military weapons?" His question and gaze leveled at the boy wonder as he spoke of the guns. The serpent then turned back to the red headed woman. "As for myself dieing, I am quite hard to kill. This isn't the first time humans have leveled military grade weapons at me. Although being shot by weapons meant for aircraft is a new one for me......" He joked slightly, his large hand coming down as his large claw moved a stray lock of Inks hair before patting her on the head lightly. "And I am thankful for your concern for Rose, I have her well out of the sewer system so she won't get sick. And if she does I have medical supplies that can handle most cases she could come across."

However the smile and gentle mirth of the giant serpent faded, as his eyes took on quite the visage of just barely controlled anger. The same hand that had been so gentle with Ink crashed down around Bido, concrete splitting and shattering as his palm stopped mere millimeters from Bido's body with the fingers and claws digging into the concrete like a cage. "I do however, have words to have with you little reptile......" If his posture and body language didn't convey that he was pissed, the snarl and growl of his voice sure did.

[Silv]

Holy airhorns, Batman! Ink sure had a set of lungs.

The Boy Wonder's masked eyes widened in surprise as Ink ran forward and tried to hug the creature. He didn't like her proximity to this giant beast he didn't know very well. But, the snakeman seemed gentle enough around Ink, and Robin relaxed as the wee Scott's shouting didn't stir the creature further.

When Naga gave him a pointed look about the police getting military weapons the Boy Wonder set his jaw and glared right back. What? So it was his and not his authors, it was totally his authors fault the JCPD had decided to upgrade to military weapons? In what was clearly an effort to combat all the monsters that had decided Jump City looked like an awesome place to chow down on some buildings...or whatever monsters did. Yeah. That made sense. But Robin didn't know the how, the commissioner hadn't told him that. So, he had nothing to tell to Naga. “It won't happen again.” was all he could say.

While Naga was catching Ink up on how the man's daughter was doing Bido seemed to be completely forgotten. Robin certainly wasn't paying much attention to the loud little lizardman. At least, not until Naga directed his attention to Bido first. The Boy Wonder finally got a good gauge of just how powerful this snakeman was as he moved to keep poor Bido from escaping. This set off a red flag in Robin's mind. Naga's violent tendencies could have easily led to the murder he was pretty sure happened a few tunnels back. Especially since all the signs led to Naga.

“Release him,” Robin stood resolute and glaring at Naga. His hand was on his utility belt but he hadn't made any motions to draw anything out yet. The threat was there . “Unnecessary violence isn't going to keep your daughter safe. Your carelessness up to now has caused rumors to spread that there's a giant man-eating monster down here.” the boy dared the man to say it wasn't him. He dared the man to disagree.

“I doubt we're the first to come looking and we won't be the last. If you prove to be a threat to this city and it's inhabitants,” a glare warned Ink to back off before his masked gaze rounded on Naga again. “I will make sure you're brought to justice.” which, in black and white Robin translated to: if you're actually a bad guy, I'm gunna put you in jail. Big words coming from a kid barely a twentieth of Naga's size. But the Boy Wonder certainly meant them.

[Deleted]

Ink listed to Naga's excuses, and scowled up at his the whole time. She was very very happy that they were ok, and they had found a place to live. But she still had more words to say, and she wasn't about to let his sound logic ruin her argument. Even as he gently fixed her stinky hair, and patted her on the head. Nope she had words and she was going to say them.

While Naga spoke she had forgotten about Bido, though she was reminded as the giant snake man before her made a living cage out of his hand. Stopping the scared little man from fleeing. "Now don't yea go gettin cross with him!" she warned, ignoring Robins macho order, though she could hear the threat in his voice as he continued.

"Dant think fer a minute yer getting out o this, ah got a lot tae say tae yea, and ahm gonna say et." She told Naga, choosing to talk over her leader for now. "What ef a disease decided tae fester between yer scales? yead bae all alone withoot any sort o help besides what yea got in yer little kit. Or what if yea gave something tae Rose! There is all sorts of vile things doon here and ahm nay talkin aboot the rats. Diseases are highly transferable." she argued. "And what aboot Rose when yea are gone? who looks after her and makes sure she doesnay hurt herself while yea are away?! Who make sure she es doing something good and fun like learnin, or drawin, or playin?" she added."A growing girl needs all that yea know, and ah dant want her sittin around in some warehouse hoping yea return and dant die of some mutant flu!"

"There es safety en numbers and ah only see wan o yea, nae matter how big yea are." she finished with a huff. She looked over at Robin, knowing her next words would greatly irritate him,. "Ah think yea tae should come and live with us, where ah can keep yea two safe."

Even if Naga was responsible for the murder, it could have been self defense, and if Robin tried to use that to shoot down her idea then she figured it was time to remind him of the history for quite a few titans, herself included.

While they talked Hunter and the Trio moved between Naga's massive claws, trapping Bido till Robin figured out what he wanted to do with him, even if Naga did choose to listen to boy wonder and move his hand.

[Empathy]

Bido squeaked as a huge shadow appeared above him. The little lizard man barely had time to turn his head around before the sound of giant claws boring into the ground like steel nails announced his new condition. Trapped "Biiiiiiiiido!" Helplessly, the invisible chameleon hit against the stone-hard fingers. He even tried to bite and claw at the giant dragon in his desperate attempt to flee. "Bido wants to go hoooome." This was all just too much for poor Bido. First the ferret monster, than the boy of the bat and now an angry Naga.

He slumped to the ground again, sobbing. "Nobody likes Bido. Everyone is just soo scary." Whether it was the underground or the real city of Jump. Nobody seemed to want the lizard to exist and build up his hoard. Like a dragon. "Biiiiiiiidooooooo." He cried in despair. Why wouldn't he let the mutant go? Why weren't the two titans helping poor Bido? Why was the world so cruel to him?

Bido curled up in a fetal position, holding the shiny stones Ink had given her earlier. "Biiihhhdo."

[Deleted]

The serpent listened in silence to Robin, Ink, and even Bido. But their words (and in case screams and cries from Bido) did nothing to sway the massive serpents anger as his gaze focused on the small chameleon. "You better listen, and listen good Bido." The serpent started off, his massive teeth baring themselves with how angry he was. "If these two had been anyone else looking for me, do you have any idea of how much danger you could have put my daughter in if these two had been some random thugs or worse?!" Another snarl escaped him as his eyes hardened. "My daughter could have been taken, or even killed! And you sold us out easily for a few measly trinkets?! What do you think Rose would feel if she knew, how would your sister feel if she knew!" A small hiss escaped him as his body seemed less tense. "I lost Vanessa, I do not plan on losing Rose." With the sound of grating concrete his hand lifted away from the small reptile, the large serpent man seemingly doing his best to calm himself. "I lost Vanessa not to petty crooks or evil people, I lost her to fear. Human fear of the unknown and the misunderstood. She's dead because people feared me, and they would do the same to Rose for the same reason....."

He turned to both Robin and Ink. "I..... Am sorry..... I have had that on my shoulders for too long....." The serpent let out a sigh, as the words of both Robin and Ink began to filter back into his mind. "As much as I would love for Rose to be in the Tower, I highly doubt that a 'man-eater' such as myself is unwelcome in the home of 'justice' and it's enforcers...."

[Silv]

Ink wanted the giant snakeman and his daughter to move into the Tower. She wanted a giant snakeman to move into a tower filled with teenagers. She wanted a giant snakeman who couldn't fit very well to live in a crowded tower full of teenagers. For a few seconds Robin's face was completely blank as his masked eyes opened wide in a comical fashion. Then they narrowed and he glared openly at Ink. How, on any level, was that a good idea?

He could understand Ink wanting a safe place for Naga's daughter but she had to understand that there was only so many people that could fit in that tower of theirs. “Ink, I don't think-” but he was cut off by Naga railing on the poor lizardman Bido. The giant monster's rant had very little to do with the poor, confused man trapped in the giant's claws and more to do with all the transgressions he had faced at the hands of others since...whatever had happened to him. The Boy Wonder frowned, a characteristic expression, as he thought of the options they had.

Naga had pretty much confirmed that he was a man-eating monster. Unless he was doing so ironically. Robin wasn't sure. That wasn't the point though. He nodded to Naga, mostly because he agreed that the snakeman didn't have a place in their tower before turning to Ink. “Ink, think about this rationally. We don't have space.” well, they had enough space in the lobby, but it wasn't actually connected to anything and Robin doubted that Naga would want to go out into the open. Robin would not if their roles were reversed. “Our tower wasn't built with giant snake monsters- no offense sir in mind.” Besides, they weren't a baby sitting service. They were superheroes. Robin didn't want to be stuck watching children when he had paperwork to do.

[Deleted]

Ink frowned at all three of the men before her, none of them seemed to be using there heads, except Bido, who looked ready to wet himself. She would have to remember to bring him more shiny things in the future.

"Yea tae arenay using yer head. Ah happen tae know we have a very large accommodating space under the tower. Rose could stay with mae." it was time to explain the plan she had been working on for a while, but she knew she held the trump cards for both of the nay-sayers. Robin was her first target "Ah read en the files aboot when Sla- you know who... Tried tae sink the tower, with Naga tae protect our underside, he couldn't try tae dae the same thing. Which would probably work better with all the extra weight en the tower. Nay tae mention et would keep any other scum oot o the way." One down, hopefully.

"And Rose could bunk with mae, ah was home schooled, and we have a big library sah ah can teach her anything she wants tae learn, nay tae mention ahm pretty sure mae room es wan o the safest en the tower. And she will have plenty of social enteraction." She said turning from Robin to Naga as she did so. "Any time yea wish tae see her she would just bae an elevator ride away."

And, ah would bae able tae keep a sharp eye on yea both tae give yea any help yea need. Et would solve all o our problems." She crossed her fingers, her toes,. and gave them her biggest puppy-dog-eyes expression. And maybe that coupled with the logic would be enough?

[Empathy]

Bido's tear-filled eyes looked up as Naga spoke to him. "Bido?" Flinch. The little reptile looked down to the ground as Naga raised his voice. He remained uncharacteristically silent, only occasionally giving the slightest of nods as the berating went on. The chameleon flinched again at the mention of his sister. But the lure of the 'trinkets' was strong indeed. "But... the ring was Bido's!" he exclaimed, looking at Robin.

The rest of Naga's speech went way over the little dragon's head, and he did not react to it besides a slight shudder at the words 'man-eater'. And then Robin talked. And then the red-haired girl spoke. Bido did not understand much about the conversation, but he did stare at Ink, impressed at her verbosity. Finally breaking out of his invisibility, he turned a flamboyant red and said, "Bido has not heard so many words spoken so fast." He applauded. Between that and the trinkets, the female titan had definitely gained a special spot in Bido's heart.

[Deleted]

Thankfully for Robin, he didn't take offense to it. He knew what he was, getting reminded of what he was didn't improve his day but it didn't offend him. The serpent looked to the side for a moment, a little saddened that his words hadn't really gotten through to the reptile. 'Meaning I will have to move, and as much as I would love for Rose to be in the tower Kaie. It's just not possible.' He thought with a sigh.

The serpent man looked right into Inks eyes, being a father made him mostly immune to the puppy eyes (that his daughter did better by the way). "Kaie, this isn't an issue of space, it's an issue of imagery. How fast would the people turn on you in fear if they discovered you harboring a beast?" His body lowered, almost laying down as his giant face now lay eye level with Ink. "Fear turned a normal community into a bloodthirsty mob that burned a house down and took Rose's mother from the world. Even as heroes, how much of the population of this city do you think won't lash out in blind terror? If they ever discovered that their heroes, their protectors were keeping a monster?" The serpents head shook lightly. "If I exposed you to that and you got hurt, I could never live with myself....."

[Silv]

Mentioning Slade around Robin was, generally, one of the dumbest things you could do. The Boy Wonder was a tiny bit crazylikewoah obsessed with unmasking and defeating the super villain. Even mentioning that dual colored mask sent the boy into a frenzy for justice in the same manner blood in the water drew a shark. As soon as Ink mentioned, er, half mentioned Slade the Teenage Thunderbolt went entirely still. The frown froze on his face for a moment as he contemplated exactly what she had said.

Their tower was always a target. Robin had known that, though he'd never really planned for it, when they'd made the decision to be superheroes out in the open. Nothing they did was a secret. It was probably one of the reasons their security was always being compromised. Ink was right. Using Naga to protect their underside would make it so that their tower wasn't able to be sunk again, and the space down there was large enough the snakeman could do cartwheels...if snakemen could do cartwheels.

Also, it would give Robin the ability to keep a close eye on this snakeman and make it so that Slade wouldn't be able to get his filthy mitts on him. Hopefully. Robin wouldn't put it past the mad masked man to blackmail Naga using his daughter the same way Slade had blackmailed Robin using his friends. The boy's masked eyes widened involuntarily and then he smiled at Ink. Sometimes, she had some pretty fantastic ideas.

Naga wasn't as easily swayed by thoughts of Slade. But that was understandable. “Unless you plan on parading down main street with a giant T painted on you, I don't think we'll have any problems with the general public.” Robin replied frankly. Jump City was used to monsters. They tended to hide instead of form mobs. “Ink's idea is a good one. There's a huge underside to our tower after an attack by a masked villain named Slade. Your presence would make it so that nobody else could copy his idea and we don't exactly have to publicize that you're there.”

“The city has had plenty of opportunities and reasons to turn on us. They never have. Don't worry about the Titans.” Robin reassured with a grin. Besides, keeping the Titan's safe was Robin's job. Naga really didn't need to worry about it and the walking-traffic-light's posture said as much.

[Deleted]

Ink snorted at Naga's answer. "Look yea have a right tae bae afraid, but monsters parade up an down the streets o Jump every day. Mae own encluded. Jump has nay reason tae fear yea unless yea give them wan. And if yea are seen with the Titans they have even more reason tae welcome yea en the city." she countered.

She looked to Robin to see if he had taken the bait. And for a moment she was worried that dropping Slade in front of him like that had back fired. Then he smiled. She knew she had won, and if Naga still protested then she would get him through rose with the promise of pictures that move and cookies.

Robin took the floor then, agreeing that it was a sound idea. The Scott nodded at every point he made. The hardest part of the battle was won. Naga didnt stand a chance. eventually they would wear him down. "Ef yea move en, yea can also keep an eye on mae and the other Titans." she added, trying to sweeten the deal.