Perfection Is A Prize (A Tim Drake/Robin Fanfiction) [Young Justice]

Twenty Two: The Day Has Come

Softly I, Softly I, am sleeping
Like an unborn child, with a lullaby
Safe and sound, human hearts are beating
But it's an hourglass, breaking with the time
When the sky falls down
When the birds call out
In the crimson light

∞

"Hey there."

Nightwing has a nice smile.

It's one I only observe for a half second however, as the rest of the 'room' catches my eye and does not let go.

A cave. 

At least, the walls and a part of the roof are made of an orange-brown rock. It smells Earthy, but it's not unpleasant. The floor is made of panelling and there is tech sprouting from the side of it where Nightwing stands. A metal hatch hangs from the ceiling like a hive. A large thresh hold on the other side of the room from me seems to lead to a dark hallway.

When I step away from the 'Zeta', I turn around nearly jump at how huge it is. I can't even think of anything to compare it to, really. A cornucopia mouth? That seems best. A gigantic, metal cornucopia opening.

"Recognised, Illusion, A17." 

"Tingly-... Hot dog!" 

I roll my eyes at Ellery's choice of words after the bright light from her arrival dulls.

"Impressed?" Nightwing asks. It's a stupid question, because obviously we both are as we slowly move towards him, staring wide-eyed at every single thing in the room. I may even pay too much attention to the sound my shoes make against the panels.

"Mount Justice, correct?" I ask, stopping in front of him.

"Yep," he nods firmly, "the team's base and for some of them, their home."

"They live in a cave?" I ask. It was for clarification, but Ellery still nudges me like I'm being rude. "I meant that generally," I say.

"Team members who do not have homes live here," Nightwing says. He gestures to the air around us, "This is the missions room. The team meets here for briefings and training with Black Canary. When you're initiated, you'll begin training with the team." He waves us through to the dark hallway.

Lights switch on upon our entrance and surprisingly, there is a living room, kitchen and dining room off to the side. Another hallway leads somewhere else dark.

"No one's home at the moment," Nightwing says.

"Who lives here?" I ask.

He leads us down the hallway towards a series of doors, "Miss Martian, Beast Boy, Superboy, Lagoon Boy and a team associate. This is Black Canary's office," he points to a room walled with glass, "That's the infirmary, the gym, the showers, the library... And down there," he stops at the corner of the hallway and points to the next one. Ellery and I peak around the wall, "are the bedrooms."

After that part of the tour he leads us back to the living-room.

"So this place used to be a hideout for the Justice League?" Ellery asks. I assume it's something Batman told her while I wasn't around.

"Correct."

"But villains know about it?"

"Correct."

"Aren't you worried that one day someone might...investigate?" 

Nightwing shrugs, "We've been here almost five years and had little issue." Little issue, not no issue. "The mountain has defences and there is always someone here. Plus, if there was ever any serious trouble, we can Zeta out."