Bring The Heat

31. Saviour Mint (GOJS ARC 2)

As a kid, Robin was always pretty scrappy. She had to be, being... who she was. Over time, she got pretty ruthless in fights, but nothing in her mind could defend against the things people would say to her... and so they stewed in her brain forever, leaving her to spiral downwards into self hatred and disgust.

She looked at the men across from her. They wanted to kill her... but so had so many people from her past.

Robin raised her fists, slowly approaching the group, but not all the way. Their eyes were glowing with hatred, mirrored by her own. Every single time someone like them had beat her down... never again, she had sworn all those years ago. The only one who could hurt her now was herself.

One of the men lunged forward, and threw a punch towards Robin's gut. She flung and elbow down, deflecting the blow, and returned a gut punch of her own. As the first guy crumpled over her fist, the second pulled out a switchblade and swung it at her face, barely swiping past her as she cocked her head back. Robin could use her power... but she didn't want to.

She shoved the first man into the second, and delivered a powerful kick to his chest. Whilst this made the second man drop his blade, it was a big overextension, so the third man took the opportunity to tackle Robin to the ground as the other two recovered, smacking her head against the ground. As he pinned her down, she took a heavy punch to the face before kneeing him in the crotch and pushing him off. Swiftly, Robin rolled him to her side and pulled away, jumping to her feet. After catching herself from a slight dazed stagger, she wiped the blood from her nose and ignored the pain on the back of her head, taking in a sharp breath of the humid air that hung over Jewel Street. Even getting hit felt cathartic... she had missed this!

The first man, recovered from the kick, ran at her in a blind rage, but Robin just crouched down and tripped him over her, sending him flying 3 stories down the alley behind her. She could hear him gasping in pain, so he was still alive, but she still sent down a quick root to bandage any wounds.

As the third man recovered slowly, the second approached next, much more carefully. He had his fists up, and once more Robin waited for him to strike first. He went for a straight punch to the face, which Robin took with her shoulder, sweeping his feet and smashing his head into the ground, knocking him out. She slowly approached the third man, still writhing in pain on the ground, and punched him square in the face twice, putting him out cold too.

Robin stood up, and brushed herself off. She wasn't sure if she would be able to use her power again for a while due to the fatigue of her overuse, but as much as she preferred to stay off-field, a good fight really got some of that internal rage out of her...

There was a rustle behind her.

Robin turned only fast enough to catch a bullet in her collarbone! It tore straight through her, and threw her onto her back on the roof. She laid there in shock, clutching at her wound and coughing up blood as the fourth man approached, hands gored by the thorns, but holding his gun nonetheless. He slowly approached Robin, planting the smoking barrel straight to her forehead. She looked up at him pleadingly, but could only gurgle through the blood, as weak little roots slowly began to tie up her open veins and arteries. The man looked down at her with evil, spiteful joy.

"Fuck you." he muttered, grinning widely.

A gunshot rang out.

Robin clenched her eyes shut, terrified to die, but... slowly opened them as her attacker slumped to the ground. On the steps behind him stood a tall figure, holding yet another smoking gun.

-(2 HOURS LATER)-

"Of course I came by. You're lucky it was me! A good gunfight ain't somethin anyone in Jewel'd want to miss." said Robin's saviour.

She was a tall woman, maybe around 40 or 50, and spoke with a Southern USA drawl. She had introduced herself as Mint, and criticized Robin's attempt at fitting the Jewel Street dress code, despite wearing nearly the exact same thing.

They had retreated to a nearby garage, where Mint had treated Robin's wound with some disinfectant and crude stitches. She really had no energy to use her power much at all after that fight...

"So what brings a young lady like yourself to these parts?" Mint inquired casually.

"Looking for a friend." Robin replied bluntly, still wary of anyone she met here. This, however, caught Mint's attention.

"Guy named 'Ben'?" she asked, almost excited.

"I'm sorry?"

"Ah... nevermind. Just thinking of someone else."

"I see. Well," Robin returned, hopping off of the table and slipping her shirt back on, grabbing her coat and hat, "I'd better get going. Thank you for this, though."

"Woah now- hold your horses! Am I to honestly believe that you intend to head right back out there without a gun?"

Robin looked over at her silently.

"Wait... are you trying not to kill people? Look, little Robin, this ain't one of your cute little action movies. If you don't kill these people, they'll kill you first."

Robin turned away, yet again withholding a response, but... she was right.

"I'm not bringing a gun." Robin reaffirmed.

"I'd best come with you then."

More silence.

"Trust me," Mint continued, "I got nothin better to do. And besides, you're gettin nowhere with your injuries."

"No, I've told you this. I can create plant str-"

"Well excuse me, can I finish? I believe you, but it's still not a good idea to take risks out here." Mint argued, "And besides... I got an ability of my own, and I'm still not runnin around tryin to solve my issues with peace, am I? Look, kid- you do your thing and I'll do the 'hard' part for you. Deal?"

Robin took a second to think.

"That's not a deal. You'd get something out of it if it was... what are you trying to gain?"

"Being honest? I have soft spot for kids. I'd hate to come across your corpse out there."

"I'm not a kid, I'm 18."

Mint scoffed.

"If you say so, big Miss Adult. I suppose I'd have to stick with you to keep me company then."

"Fine. If you insist. Now if we're done here, I have somebody I have to find."

"No problem. I know where a good start'd be - Everyone's Yard. And besides... I got someone I'm lookin for myself."