There was only one thing running through my mind at that moment: running away and screaming "Stranger danger!" but by the way Batman was looking at me told me otherwise.
So instead I said, "Oh, hi." I turned around and started shuffling back toward the house when he grabbed my arm.
"Does anyone else know you're the Avatar?" he asked abruptly.
I stopped in my tracks. "How did you know that?" I whispered.
He ignored my question. "Answer it!" he ordered.
I sighed and shook his arm off me. "Only my mother knows." I looked up at him. "Am I in trouble?"
He looked like he was deciding my fate for me. "Follow me. I need to show you something." He started walking to a small plane sitting in the midst of thorny bushes.
I looked back at my house. Was Mom watching? I sat down in the grass and pondered.
What if he wasn't the REAL Batman? my head repeated over and over again. What if he was a serial killer, waiting to kill the Avatar at any chance he got?
The sudden outburst of the plane's engines interrupted my thoughts. Batman glared at me through the window, a clear sign that he wanted me to come.
Without thinking, I stumbled my way into the plane and buckled in. When we were in the air, I closed my eyes and focused on the current situation.
1. Mom doesn't know where the heck I was, or where I was going.
2. She doesn't know that Batman was taking me somewhere.
3. She has no idea that Batman knows I'm the Avatar.
What am I doing? This will ruin her! She'll be so freaked that we would have to move to another freaking CONTINENT and start a whole new life!
Something nudged me so hard, it almost felt like a punch. I fluttered my eyes open. "Where am I?" I asked groggily.
Batman unbuckled me and pulled me up. "You fell asleep." It sounded like an accusation.
I walked outside and took in the atmosphere. We were on an island, completely surrounded by the ocean. There wasn't even a city, just palm trees.
I turned my head. Towering before us, was a mountain covered in green grass from the top. From down it looked gigantic.
"What is this?" I said, mostly to myself. I followed Batman to the mountain. We went in an elevator and traveled up.
I found myself in a wide room, with what looked like a flat-screen TV and lots of machines whirring.
"This is Mount Justice." Batman announced.
"I thought the Justice League's headquarters was the watchtower," I pointed out.
His eyes narrowed. "This is where we train our youngest recruits. They run covert missions in order to help the Justice League cover investigations secretly."
I started to smile. "But what does this have to do with me?"
He looked at my hands. "What is your natural element?"
"I was born a firebender," I answered immediately. "But I could control Water, Earth--"
"I know that!" he interrupted rudely. "Show me some firebending."
I gulped. I haven't practiced firebending, let alone any of the other ones, in over two months. I closed my eyes and flicked my hand. On the other side of the room, I heard a little sizzle.
Good. It's working! I twirled and formed a blazing flame in front of me.
"Ta-da!" I smiled. That felt good. Really good.
"Huh." He pulled something out from his utitlity belt and and pressed a few buttons. "Follow me."
He took me to a little gathering room, filled with a couch and HUMONGOUS TV. On the other side of the room, was a kitchen stuffed with a fridge and all.
A kid with red hair suddenly zoomed up to me. "Who's this person, Bats?"
I didn't like the way he looked at me.
Batman cleared his throat. "She will be a new team member, teach her well," and he left the room.
Great intro, Batman, I thought. I smiled and held my hand out. "I'm Erica Richards."
"I'm Kid Flash!" He rapidly shook my hand and ran around the room in only a few milliseconds. "See?" He pointed at his chest. "Kid...Flash!"
"I could see that," I murmured. I looked at his costume.
He rubbed his chin. "So what's this about Batman getting a new recruit? What's your superpower?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but decided that it would be easier if I showed him.
With my hands, I made the water from a cup travel to where we were, and formed a little waterball.
"I have the power to bend all four elements," I told him. "Water, Earth, Air, and Fire."
His eyes widened. "Awwwwesome...you're the Avatar? That is wicked!" He reached for the ball, but it abruptly exploded and got us soaked.
Laughing, I said, "I also have super strength and I could fly!" A moment later, a blonde girl with a costume that looked similar to Green Arrow's walked in.
KF sprinted to her and pulled her towards me. "Artie, we have a new member on the team!"
I held my hand out for her to shake, but she ignored it.
After what seemed like forever, she smirked. "A wannabe. Bet she doesn't even know how to use her powers."
"Of course I do!" I protested.
Kid Flash looked at me worriedly. "It's okay, Erica, she always acts this way!"
About two second later, a green girl with freckles and red hair flew into the room.
She crossed her arms and glared at Artimus. "Artimus, that wasn't very nice!"
Artimus looked like she was enjoying a hilarious joke. "I guess Batman's so desperate, he's bringing in weak people to the team!"
A small fire formed beneath her feet, which made her yelp in pain.
"OUCH!" she yelped, and staggered backward.
I gasped. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to--" I reached over to help her up.
She shoved my hand out of the way. "Get away from me, FREAK!" she then limped toward the doorway, rubbing her burned foot.
My face flushed in embarrasment. Great, I thought. I haven't been here for an hour, and someone hates me!
Megan smiled as if she read my mind. "Don't worry about it, Erica, she's just jealous because you're cooler than her."
I couldn't help feeling better. She explained that she was the niece of the Martian Manhunter, formerly called Miss Martian, but said I could call her Megan.
"Nice to meet you, Megan," I said politely.
Suddenly, an alarm bell exploded in my ear drums, echoing throughout the hallway.
"Did I cause a fire?!" I yelled over the noise.
KF looked as calm as ever. "That means we have a new mission! Follow me!" and they led me to the same room which Batman and I had arrived in.
Batman was standing in front of the flat-screen TV, and Artimus was behind him, followed by three other boys.
Batman caught my eye as I hurried toward them. "Team, this Erica Richards, the Avatar. She is a new member of Young Justice."
A boy that had a black T-Shirt with a Superman logo on his chest didn't seem to care.
A boy with gills on his neck and white blonde hair smiled. "Welcome to the team, Avatar," he said formerly.
"Thanks," I said as I walked to them. "But you could call me Erica."
I noticed the Boy Wonder analyzing my every move.
"Interesting," I heard him murmur. "Acts just like a normal human being..."
"I AM a normal human being!" I snapped at him.
He raised his arms in alarm. "Okaaay, just checking."
"Listen up, team," Batman ordered. He tapped the screen of the TV, and a familiar clown popped up. "The Joker has been under suspicion for quite a while, and the League has found out that for the past few months, he's been selling illegal weaponry."
"So we'll have to stop it," Superboy barked.
"Yes," Batman answered, "but NEVER underestimate the Joker." His eyes flashed toward mine. "And Erica, are you comfortable fighting in those clothes?"
I immediately felt subconscious. "I'll have something figured out later." The Joker would have a great laugh over my lollipop shirt.
"Let's go!" and KF and the rest of the them led me to a small red ship inside a small cave.
And therefore, I knew that the adventure I had asked for had finally come.