Avoiding Past And Future

2

So far the mission was going mostly smooth. Outside of a fight Connor started, Aqualad almost ending the mission and a not so great therapy session, it was all going to plan. They know the break will happen soon so just to be on the safe side, the rest of the team had been called in as back up. Of course Batman wasn't too keen on having the whole team involved as it poses greater risk, but for the sake of the mission it was also necessary.

Right now it was lunch time. Conner made his way over to Icicle who was rather angrily munching away at his own food. Connor raised an eyebrow as the laughter from Icicle Senior's table bellowed through the mess hall. "So how come you ain't sittin' with your pa?" Jr. leaned forward with a scowl aimed straight for his father's table. "Because my pa is a self-centered jerk who only wants me around when he needs me." He looked back as his internal rage subsided. "I try not to live or die for his approval, you know?" The air became a bit heavy as Connor looked rather pensive over what Icicle just said. To try and lift the mood a bit, Icicle put on a smile again and changed the topic. "So, tell me about your sister."

Connor was stirred out of his own train of thoughts at the sudden request. "What? D-ah. S-she's a pain. Why?" He slightly stuttered, trying to find the right words without blowing their cover. Icicle seemed to become incredulous at the retort as he gave his cellmate a gentle shoulder bump. "Dude, she's hot. You can't see it because you're family. But I look at her and think: 'That chick gets me.' And really, that's all you need. Someone who sees the psycho that you are and likes you anyway." He shrugged as he continued to eat. Connor looked at him amazed before breaking out in to a smile. "Yeah, you're like an evil genius." "Word." Icicle agrees as they share a quick first bump.

Out of the corner of his eye, Connor spots something green in between some benches up ahead. "Dude, what is that?" He asks as he tries to follow it but soon loses it between the other inmate's legs. "What's what?" Icicle asks as he fails to see what his friend saw.

Connor scratched is head as he tried to subtly also tell M'gann via the link to show what he saw to the rest of the team. "Uh I don't know, something green was moving there." Jr. raised an eyebrow at his friend before he continued eating. "Dunno man, I for sure didn't see anything." Connor looked down at his own untouched plate. He was sure he saw something but what?

Just as he was about to finally start on his own meal, the furry little green and black head of a puppy poked through the table in between the two inmates. The two boys jumped back a little as the sudden appearance as the little puppy fully hopped onto the table. "Guys are you seeing this?" Conner practically yelled through the link, unsure what to do. The puppy was glowing green, with matching green fur. It's ears were floppy and black while it's eyes were a deep blood red color. It did have a spiked black collar but it didn't elude to either its name or its owner.

As his teammates confirmed he wasn't tripping on prison air, the puppy took a few steps closer to Connor. Unsure what to do, Conner stood still as the little green furball sniffed him. The sniffing halted as something caught it's attention. It quickly turned around and seemed to growl at the icy teen on the other side of the table. "What did I do?" Jr. whisper-yelled to the blond, hoping to not further agitate the pup. Without much time to react, it jumped to Conner's plate and grabbed the mystery meat.

"Hey, my food!" Connor yelled but as he tried to reach out, the little pup jumped off the table and went straight through the floor. "You know, maybe you should try and see if there is anything else weird going on there. There is nothing in Batman's files about a death of a guard or food stealing glowing dogs. I'll already send him what we have in the meantime." Robin said nonchalantly through the link as everybody was trying to process what just happened.

Connor looked at his food, or rather that sad bit of mashed potatoes that was left. Sighing as he sat down, he gave a confused look over to Icicle as the frosty teen also took his place again. They both sat confused until Mr. Freeze yelling behind them shocked them back to reality. Well, sort of reality as it all happened so fast. All they really understood was that Freeze was getting escorted out, and everybody else was ordered back to their cells.

As they calmly walked back, they passed by some guards pushing out the food trays. "Screw that kid and his dog I swear. Next time it goes dumpster diving in the kitchen I ain't cleaning it up. Hey, make sure I66 doesn't get his meal. His mutt, his responsibility."

Connor glanced at Icicle to see if he was listening too. "What's I66?" He asked as they walked through the doors to their cellblock. "Not sure," Icicle shrugs, "The I block is where the social isolation cells are, but you really have to fuck up badly to land yourself some time in there."

Before he could as any more questions, Senior grabbed his son and pulled him off to the side.