The Cave was quiet after the swamp mission. Too quiet.
Ryotaro sat on the couch in the common room, twirling the Joker Memory between his fingers. He hadn't said much since returning. Robin leaned against the wall nearby, arms folded, the faintest grin tugging at his lips as if replaying the transformation in his head.
The others weren't so relaxed. Artemis kept shooting sharp looks between the two boys, and Aqualad seemed more contemplative than usual. Kid Flash, of course, couldn't sit still.
"Okay, come on, you guys!" Wally finally burst out.
"Okay—hold up—" He pointed at the two of them, practically bouncing with energy. "You guys fused. Into a Rider. A literal two-in-one superhero. And you didn't even tell me this was possible?!"
Robin smirked. "It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing."
Ryotaro sighed. "…And dangerous."
But Kid Flash wasn't listening. He zipped right up to Ryotaro, hands on his shoulders, eyes gleaming like a kid in a candy store.
"Ryo. Buddy. Pal. You've gotta let me try it!"
Everyone froze.
Ryotaro blinked. "…What?"
Kid Flash grinned wider, holding up his hands as if it was obvious. "Come on! You and me. Lightning-fast Rider powers. Think about it! Kamen Rider Speed!"
Artemis groaned. "Oh, here we go."
"Seriously," Wally continued, ignoring her. "Imagine it! I'm already the fastest man alive—well, junior fastest man alive—but with your belt? Dude, I'd be unstoppable!"
Robin smirked, clearly enjoying this. "You barely keep yourself from tripping over your own feet, Wally. You think you can sync with him?"
Wally jabbed a thumb at his chest. "Uh, hello? Best reflexes on the team! Perfect partner material!"
Ryotaro raised a hand, his voice calm but firm. "It doesn't work like that. The Double Driver chooses. It only syncs when there's perfect trust. If the bond breaks, even for a second…"
He let the words hang, his tone heavy with meaning.
Wally's grin faltered. "Wait. Like… explode?"
"Worse," Ryotaro said quietly. "You lose yourselves."
The Cave went silent. For a moment, even Wally looked shaken. But then, true to form, he forced the grin back onto his face. "Well… guess Robin and Ryo are the only ones with enough bromance to pull it off."
"Exactly," Artemis muttered. "Don't even think about it."
But Robin leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, grinning at Ryotaro. "Still. You gotta admit, it'd be hilarious to see him try."
Ryotaro chuckled despite himself. "Hilarious… or a disaster."
Before anyone could press further, the sound of heavy boots echoed through the corridor. The atmosphere shifted instantly as Batman entered, cape billowing like a shadow come to life.
Everyone straightened.
"Report," Batman ordered, eyes sweeping across the team. His gaze settled on Robin and Ryotaro. "Especially you two."
Ryotaro stood slowly, meeting the Dark Knight's stare. "The Double Driver allowed us to combine our strengths. Without it, the plant creature would have destroyed the swamp… maybe more."
Robin added quickly, "It was risky, but it worked."
Batman's eyes narrowed. "Where did this Driver come from, Ryotaro?"
The boy hesitated. His uncle's voice echoed in his head: A detective doesn't spill every card on the table. He finally answered, "I got it from some entity. Tools to fight crime. To protect and survive."
"Tools you've kept hidden until now." Batman's voice was like steel.
Ryotaro lowered his gaze but didn't flinch. "Because I wasn't sure I was ready. But in that moment… we didn't have another choice."
Silence lingered. Then Batman looked at Robin. "And you? You agreed without hesitation?"
Robin grinned faintly. "He asked me to trust him. So I did."
The faintest twitch crossed Batman's jawline. Approval? Maybe. But his tone remained firm. "You'll debrief with me later. Both of you."
And with that, he turned, cape snapping as he strode away.
Only when the echo faded did Wally whisper, "You guys are so grounded."
The next day, the team gathered in the Cave's gym for combat training. Black Canary stood at the center, golden hair tied back, eyes sharp as a hawk's.
"After your last mission," she began, "it's clear this team relies too much on luck. You need discipline. Precision. Trust in each other."
Her gaze swept the line of young heroes before resting a fraction longer on Ryotaro.
They paired off: Artemis with Kid Flash, Aqualad with Superboy. Robin shadowed Canary herself, his quick footwork tested against her calm precision.
Ryotaro was left at the end. Canary called him forward. "Your turn."
He exhaled, stepping onto the mat. The others watched with interest; he'd shown firepower before, but bare-handed? This was different.
"Begin."
Canary moved first, a sharp jab toward his guard. Ryotaro deflected, pivoting like he'd practiced a thousand times with his uncle. She pressed harder—low kick, elbow feint, a sweep. He blocked most, but not all. A hook slipped past, grazing his jaw.
"Too stiff," Canary said. "You think before you move."
Ryotaro tightened his stance. "Thinking keeps me alive."
"Not in a fight like this. Instinct does."
They clashed again. She was faster, her strikes fluid, testing him from every angle. He parried, countered once with a shoulder strike that surprised her. But then she flowed behind him, catching him in a lock and twisting him down to the mat.
Ryotaro hit with a grunt.
"Again," Canary said, stepping back.
He rose, determination hardening his eyes. They repeated the bout, over and over. Each time, he lasted longer. But Canary always found the gap, the hesitation.
After the fifth takedown, sweat dripped down his brow. He forced himself upright.
"Enough," Canary said finally. "You've got skill, Ryotaro. But you're fighting with weight on your shoulders. If you want to stand with this team, you need to let go of what holds you back."
He didn't answer, jaw tight. But her words struck deeper than any blow.
From the sidelines, Robin muttered to Artemis, "He'll get it. Just needs time."
That evening, the team assembled in the briefing room. Black Canary arrived with some guests. Beside her was a man in a dark suit and cape—Giovanni Zatara, a well-known magician and League member.
"Team," Aqualad greeted, "this is Zatara."
Zatara inclined his head. "An honor. The League speaks highly of your… enthusiasm."
Then he gestured, and a girl stepped from behind him. Long black hair framed bright blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with mischief and curiosity. She wore casual clothes, but a faint shimmer of magic clung to her presence.
"My daughter, Zatanna."
"Hey," she said with an easy smile. "Guess I'm the new kid."
Kid Flash immediately zipped to her side. "Hi! I'm Kid Flash, fastest boy alive. Wanna see me circle the room—"
Zatanna smirked, muttered a quick incantation, and suddenly Wally was gagged by a floating silk scarf.
The team burst out laughing.
"Charmed," Artemis said dryly.
Robin stepped forward, offering his hand. "Robin. Welcome to the circus."
Their hands shook, and something unspoken passed between them.
Zatanna's eyes flicked to Ryotaro next. "And you?"
Ryotaro blinked, caught off guard by her focus. "Ryotaro Nogami. Just… Ryotaro."
She tilted her head. "Your aura feels strange. You must be the Kamen Rider guy."
He hesitated, then pocketed the Joker Memory. "Yes and…It's complicated."
Her grin widened. "Good. Complication makes things interesting."
Robin arched an eyebrow at that, while Artemis shot him a knowing smirk.
*********
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