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SM/DC Chapter 56 : Dungeon Location
🕑 Added 2025-03-12 22:46:26 +0000 UTCBeast Boy and Blue Beetle both froze when they spotted Arthur approaching.
Jaime’s scarab reacted instantly. With a flash of blue energy, his armor snapped into place, sleek and menacing. Weapons hummed to life, sharp blasters forming around his arms as he aimed directly at Arthur.
“What are you doing here!” Jaime demanded, voice edged with suspicion. The Scarab’s glowing eyes locked onto Arthur like a predator locking onto prey.
Arthur? He just raised his hands in mock surrender, a cocky smirk tugging at his lips. “Easy there, Iron Man Jr. I’m just here for a tour.”
“Jaime!” Raven tried to interject, but Arthur had already closed the distance.
“I said, what are you doing here.” Jaime’s tone hardened. The Scarab hummed louder, energy spikes crackling at his fingertips.
Beast Boy, still leaning against the wall, immediately stepped in with a nervous chuckle. “Whoa, whoa, whoa chill, man! He’s not throwing punches, so maybe don’t attack him yet?” He shifted into a green Labrador and padded between them, wagging his tail. “Let’s not blow holes in the Tower today, huh?”
Arthur tilted his head. “See? Even our green friend thinks you’re overreacting.”
Jaime’s blasters flared brighter. “Don’t push me.”
“Or what?” Arthur’s smirk sharpened, his Doomsday bone gauntlets subtly forming beneath his sleeves, hidden from view. “You gonna shoot first, ask questions later? I thought you hero types were more… patient.”
Raven finally reached them, her hand brushing Arthur’s arm as if she could physically hold him back. “Arthur stop it,” she said, her voice low and urgent. “You’re not helping.”
“Relax, I’m just making messing with him,” Arthur said smoothly, though his stance never shifted. “Didn’t realize guest hospitality was this aggressive.”
Beast Boy shifted back to human form, throwing an arm around Jaime’s shoulders in an exaggerated bro-hug. “C’mon, man. If he wanted a fight, he wouldn’t walk up with Raven here. Plus, I’m getting zero ‘evil mastermind’ vibes here. More… ‘smug pain in the ass.’”
Arthur chuckled. “Finally, someone with a good read on me.”
Jaime’s visor dimmed slightly, though his weapons didn’t lower. “Why are you really here?”
Arthur shrugged. “Just passing through. Needed to talk to someone.” His gaze slid sideways to Raven for a brief second just long enough for Jaime to catch it.
“Talk to someone, huh?” Beast Boy wiggled his eyebrows. “I knew it all along Raven, i don’t mind seeing Arthur around from now on, but what would the others think.”
Arthur laughed while Raven groaned audibly, covering her face with one hand.
“It’s not what you think!” Raven started, but Arthur cut her off.
“Mhm” he said, throwing in a playful wink.
Beast Boy howled with laughter while Jaime just muttered under his breath, “I’m gonna regret not blasting you, aren’t I?”
“Most likely,” Arthur quipped. “But hey, at least you didn’t shoot first, but if last time wasn’t enough for you, we can always try again.”
Arthur’s smirk deepened as he caught the tension still hanging in the air. He closed his eyes for a brief moment just long enough to feel the pulse of his own power thrumming beneath the surface. When he opened them again, his irises glowed with an eerie, silver-blue light, a quiet storm brewing behind them.
“You’re alone here, aren’t you?” he said, voice low and smooth.
Beast Boy’s laughter cut off in an instant. Both he and Jaime stiffened, exchanging a quick glance. The kind that screamed how the hell does he know that?
Jaime’s Scarab flared in response, energy crackling faintly along his gauntlets. “What’s it to you?”
Arthur didn’t answer right away. Instead, he walked unbothered, unhurried until he was close enough to slap a hand onto Beast Boy’s shoulder.
“No hard feelings,” he said casually, giving Gar a light pat. “My bad for going too hard on you guys last time. I’m not usually that rough… unless asked.” He tossed a wink toward Raven’s direction, earning a visible facepalm from her.
Beast Boy blinked, his mouth half-open. “Uh… thanks? I think?”
Whatever awkward quip Gar was about to fire back was cut off by Jaime snapping.
“Alright enough of you mocking us!” Jaime growled, his armor humming as the Scarab shifted into attack mode. Blades unfolded from his arms, glowing with energy. “If you’ve got this much mouth, let’s see if you can back it up. Fight me. Now.”
Arthur sighed, lifting his hand lazily. “If you insist.”
With a flick of his wrist, Ruler’s Authority surged to life. An invisible force crashed into Jaime like a freight train, yanking him clean off the ground and pinning him mid-air.
“The hell?!” Jaime struggled, his limbs locked tight as the Scarab whirred in protest. He tried to activate his weapons, but Arthur’s control twisted tighter, binding his hands behind his back like invisible chains.
“Wow,” Arthur mused, tilting his head. “And here I thought you were gonna be a challenge.”
“You ass—”
“Language,” Arthur cut in smoothly.
Beast Boy took a cautious step back, eyes darting between them. “Uh, guys? Maybe we don’t turn the living room into a battle arena? I just got comfy..”
“Let me go!” Jaime snapped, his armor flaring as he tried to break free. But Arthur barely twitched, keeping the hold firm.
“You sure? ” Arthur teased.
“Enough!”
Raven’s voice cut through the tension like a whip, the air around her rippling with power. She stepped between them, her dark cloak flaring as her glowing eyes locked onto Arthur’s. “Let. Him. Go.”
For a moment, the room hung in silence electric and sharp. Then, with an exaggerated sigh, Arthur released his hold.
Jaime dropped back to the floor with a heavy thud, cursing under his breath as he stumbled upright.
“Fine.” Arthur dusted off his hands like he’d just finished taking out the trash. “It’s a waste of time anyway.”
Jaime took a threatening step forward, but Beast Boy yanked him back by the arm. “Dude, don’t. I like having a face, and I’d like to keep it in one piece, please.”
Arthur chuckled, turning on his heel like nothing had happened. “Smartest thing anyone’s said all day.”
Raven, still watching him carefully, let out a breath. “You’re impossible, you promised not to make trouble.”
Arthur glanced at her over his shoulder, that infuriating smirk still plastered on his face. “And i aim to keep that promise.”
Arthur, ever the picture of confidence, spun back around and casually grabbed Raven’s hand. His fingers curled around hers warm, firm, decisive.
“C’mon,” he said, pulling her along without waiting for an answer. “Let’s go.”
Raven’s brain stalled for a second. ‘What?’
“H-Hey” Her voice wavered, a rare stammer slipping through as he led her down the hall like it was the most normal thing in the world. Her cloak fluttered behind her as she hurried to keep up, but the heat crawling up her face was impossible to ignore.
From behind, Beast Boy’s jaw practically hit the floor. “Uh… am I hallucinating? Or did bro just.”
“No, you’re not..,” Jaime muttered, still adjusting his now-loosened armor. His brows knit together as he watched them disappear down the corridor. “Robin for sure will be mad at Raven.”
Beast Boy whistled low. “Dude’s got moves though. I kinda respect it.”
Jaime sighed. “Yeah, well, if he pulls that with my hand again, I’m breaking his wrist.”
****
Meanwhile, Arthur led Raven through the halls, his grip steady but relaxed. He didn’t even glance back not once. 'The dungeon is definitely this way..'
Raven, on the other hand? Total mess.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Her thoughts were ‘Why was he still holding my hand?’ And worse ’why wasn’t am i not pulling away?’
“Are you doing this on purpose,?” she mumbled under her breath, hoping he wouldn’t hear.
“I do everything on purpose,” Arthur shot back without missing a beat, his tone annoyingly smug.
As they walked, the strange hum from the key in Arthur’s pocket grew louder subtle at first, but building with every step. A faint pulse of energy brushed against his senses, guiding him like an invisible thread. He followed it instinctively, the hum peaking as they stopped in front of a door.
“This is it,” Arthur said, releasing her hand as he pulled the key from his inventory. It glowed faintly, vibrating like it was reacting to something hidden inside. “This is where I wanted to go.”
But when he glanced back at Raven, expecting a snarky comment, he was met with… silence.
She stood stiffly behind him, her face turned slightly away but there was no hiding the deep red flush creeping up her neck and across her cheeks.
“…What’s wrong?” Arthur tilted his head, raising a brow at her. “You look like you swallowed a candle.”
Raven clenched her jaw, struggling to keep her composure. After an awkward pause, she finally muttered under her breath barely audible:
“...That’s... my room.”
