It had been a quiet day at the Watchtower. It was Bruce´s shift so Clark and Diana, both with much lighter schedules, had come to catch up and to keep Bruce company.
J'onn was meditating somewhere in the satellite, while Arthur got ready for his shift. Those two along with Ollie, stalking someone through the Watchtower´s surveillance camera, where the only ones on the Earth´s atmosphere and Clark was thoroughly enjoying the catastrophe-free afternoon.
What he was not enjoying was being again the middle man in one of Diana and Bruce´s epic debates about the future of mankind.
He got both of their points, he really did.
On the one hand, Bruce was totally right when he said that Diana had had a sheltered environment when growing up and that she still did not quite understand how the outside world worked.
Thank God Bruce had not brought up Diana´s diminishing, but still latent, misandry or her belief that everyone had a warrior inside waiting to do good when given the chance.
On the other hand Diana too raised some valid points when she called Bruce a paranoid man with the compulsion to control the lives of everyone around him.
"And really Bruce," she said walking into the billionaire's personal space. Bruce, in full Batman gear, did not budge an inch. "We made this League because there are times where our powers alone are not enough, and places where we by ourselves cannot reach. It has become more than obvious that we are no longer a force sufficient enough to cover everything that happens in this world." Bruce's gaze softened ever-so-slightly, and Clark was about to declare a winner when Diana continued her speech. "And you cannot survey the whole world by yourself, no matter how much you try."
Clark wanted to sigh, he really did.
Bruce eyes and posture hardened again. "We don't need more people in the Justice League; inviting unknown variables will just lead to more chaos. Besides, we have already done and expansion of membership." His voice was bitter and Clark did not even need to ask to know why.
The first expansion of the League had been a disaster waiting to happen.
They could all remember the chaos that resulted when Enlogated Man brought his wife to meet the League. Batman seemed ready to throw them both without a moment´s notice but Barry had vouched for her in the midst of the arguing that ensued; he had apparently been the Dinby´s best man on their wedding.
That had ended on a no-love-interests-on-the-satellite rule.
Everything about Green Arrow had pushed Batman´s buttons: his arrow-mobile, his green clothing (Bruce new least favorite color) and his shameless and reciprocated flirting with Black Canary, everything. The sudden protectiveness of Black Canary had seemingly come out of nowhere until Clark remembered that she and Bruce had both been trained by the Justice Society and that they had a dysfunctional pseudo-sibling relationship.
Diana, on her part, had never quite gotten over finding that Thangarian mating rituals did not, in fact, include locking doors. Her ranting about appropriate behavior had lasted for days and it had culminated into an argument with Hawk-Woman in which Diana called her and exhibitionist while Shayera not-so-subtly alluded to Diana´s inexperience with men and suggested a chastity belt so all the Amazons would have a solid proof of their righteousness. The two of them prepared themselves for a fight until Hal, bless him and his libido for once, had suggested adding mud to spice things a bit. Suddenly both women were too mature to argue about petty things.
Zatanna, in all her homo-magi glory, had haywired all of the satellite´s systems the first time she had used magic on the Watchtower and they had been forced to use candles until Bruce had installed new and possibly magic-proof wires.
Not deterred in the least, Clark had tried to be positive and get to know everyone but even he thought that the Atom´s girlfriend was kind of crazy.
The only one whose joining had not caused any trouble whatsoever was Red Tornado and he was a robot.
Recovering forces from the blow, Diana pressed onwards. "Then, what if something happens to us? We won't be young forever and there will be a time when we will not have the strength to protect the innocent! What then Bruce?" She raised another very valid point but dodged the fact that she was immortal and that she would probably outlive them all; both Clark and Bruce tried not to think of that too much either.
Bruce answered almost immediately, "the children will replace us. We have raised them, we have trained them, and some day they will carry our legacies and protect the world."
"Do you think they will always do whatever we want them to? What if they decide they would rather normal lives, or if they stop believing in the way we paved?"
Bruce bristled at the insinuation that Robin was not up to the expectations. Clark thought it was a low blow, even for Diana, as his son was Bruce´s most poignant weak spot. But he also could tell where she came from as Donna was very unlike her sister– soft where Diana was all pointy angles. Donna was sweet, selfless and much more unwilling to battle than beware-my-might Wonder Woman.
If anyone settled down in a nice suburban home it would be kind Donna.
Though Clark hoped she wouldn't as for he too had great hope for all the children. They represented the trust the leaguers had in each other and a promising future. Also, unlike the sometimes shaky friendship that united the older members, theirs was the kind that Clark hoped would transcend time, the kind that grew together with them and made them all be there for each other on important life moments. He could almost see it: four boys trying not to cry at Donna´s wedding; babysitting duties, old reunions…
Clark snapped back to attention when he noticed Diana and Bruce´s eyes on him.
He really did not want to take part in the conversation; it was almost unfair to do so. He was not for or against letting more people join the League and in regards to the Teen Titans he could really not give an opinion as he was the only of the three without a sidekick – Jimmy notwithstanding.
He inhaled and exhaled, preparing himself for the inevitable battle.
"Well, I think that –" he shut up as he could hear more people shuffling around somewhere in the satellite. There were five kinds of unknown steps; one disappeared almost instantly, another that moved around with great speed, one that walked carefully as if it were trained in stealth, one with heavy strides and the last one belonging to someone who felt like Arthur on solid ground. The thing that worried Clark the most was that the steps were too light to belong to adults.
The intruder alarms started blaring a second later but Batman and Wonder Woman were already getting up. Clark spent one second relishing the warmth that invaded his heart at the thought of how greatly they knew each other that both of his friends could sense that something was wrong just by an abrupt stop in his speech.
The three of them ran outside to engage the intruders and Arthur intercepted them before they turned a corner in the hallway.
"What is going on?" he asked.
The computer was still doing some preliminary reports so Superman answered what he knew: "Five intrudes: one can fly, one is fast, one Atlantean and two are unknowns."
He was going to say that they were all very young (or Meta-midgets, stranger things had happened) when it suddenly became unnecessary as a girl appeared before them.
She was around three feet ten inches tall, couldn't be more than six or seven years old, and was wearing a yellow spandex and goggles that couldn't quite hide her green eyes. She also had her red hair adorably tied in twin ponytails.
Clark's heart melted instantly.
"Uh-oh," she said and disappeared a second later.
Superman went immediately after her. With Barry at home and Wally with the Titans he was the only one capable of matching her speed.
They did two rounds on the Watchtower; Superman was rather impressed with her speed, not quite on par with Barry, but she was still on Meta levels.
"Superman, we have captured the other four. Meet us at the bridge," said Batman through the intercom, causing Superman to sped up after the child.
He grabbed her around the waist, lifted her, and flew to the command center for the rendezvous.
There were other four similarly aged children in the center of the room, three girls and one boy. One of the girls, with long black hair and pupil-less green eyes, was tied to the boy who had curly redhead, blue eyes and an odd air about him. Superman recognized the handiwork of Batman and tried to show his displeasure.
Batman ignored him, unsurprisingly, but did not move to stop him from freeing the children. The two other were a girl with Asian features who looked amused at the situation, her long hair tied into a pony-tail and tiny bow with the equally tiny quiver tied to her back. The final girl also had dark hair and was wearing an outfit that looked like it was made of disemboweled fishes, leading Clark to the conclusion that she was the Atlantean.
Telepathically, J'onn informed him that the other two girls, the one with the quiver and the fish-outfit, were not so much as captured but sternly told to follow to the main hall.
Superman looked worriedly at the rest of his team, wishing for the usual chaos instead of the quiet atmosphere that reigned between them.
He looked at Batman who had his eyes narrowed and then to Wonder Woman who had an unusually severe expression on her face, before bringing his eyes back to the intruders, five innocent looking children now standing in the middle of the room. Aquaman was eyeing one of the girls´ scaled outfit with suspicion while Green Arrow did the same towards the serene Asian girl and her quiver.
Superman sighed and took half a step forward. "Now children" he started saying only to receive a glare from the sulky boy that would have even made Batman proud.
"Don't patronize us," spat the boy. He got disapproving looks from three of the girls and one smiling glance from the Asian girl. The more time he spent with the children the more Superman began to think that their reactions were not normal for six-or-so year-old.
"Be polite Ro-Darkstar" said the purple dressed girl with no pupils on her green eyes.
The boy snorted but did as he was told. Superman sighed, the feeling that conversation was not going the way he wanted it to and that it would only get worse settling in his stomach.
"Now, let's start again," said Wonder Woman, her patience almost at its limit. "Who are you and where do you come from?"
The green eyed girl coughed. "Now that is confidential information, lady. We, the Titans shall never expose ourselves on foreign ground. We that fight for justice and love shall never yield to your oppressing demands!"
Superman could feel Green Arrow´s eyes glazing at the mini monologue, but the best reaction of all was Wonder Woman´s slightly shocked face. Batman glared at the kids, but none of them seemed as intimidated as they should have been.
"My dad told me that good people don't hurt children," the red haired girl stated in a petulant tone, and all the children smirked as if they had won some game.
And maybe they had, because the girl was right and no self-respecting member of the Justice League would hurt a child, not even if they were smug and over armed intruders.
Aquaman turned to the rest of the League. "This is outrageous! To let but mere children get the better of us..." The scaled dressed girl flinched as if hit.
"What are you suggesting then? Should we fight some five year olds because they dare talk back?!" retorted Superman a little angry at the suggestion.
Green Arrow raised an eyebrow. "They could use some spanking…"
"Discipline is to be imparted when people are young and capable of learning it" agreed Wonder Woman to Superman´s growing dismay.
They all paused as he door opened and Flash entered. "You are not going to believe what just happened at Central City–!" He was interrupted by the red-haired girl´s exited "Squeee!", and in a blink of an eye she had disappeared from her spot and was all the way on the other side of the room and in Flash´s arms.
"Oh God…" Flash groaned, not sounding as surprised as he should have about having a random infiltrated child in the Justice League satellite jumping on his arms. "Are you one of the grandkids from the future? Because I am thinking over this whole having children business…"
That comment raised a lot of eyebrows. "You are so silly, Uncle Barry. I was too undramatically conceived to be your descendant."
"What is she taking about Flash?" said Wonder Woman imperiously. All of them had noted how the girl had used Barry´s name and were starting to worry.
Flash sighed and then lowered his head in shame, the girl still in his arms. "Iris threw me out of the house." His lack of answer to Wonder Woman´s question and immediately annoyed the part of the group that thought that getting answers to the whole infiltration business was more important than Flash´s love life.
The girl in Flash arms looked contemplative. "Don't worry Uncle Barry, I am sure Aunty Iris will forgive you; she loves you very much after all."
"Thanks kiddo" said Flash patting her head. "So then, who may you be?"
The girl smiled mischievously. "I am Kid Flash, speedster extraordinaire" she said as she jumped from his arms and gave ten laps around the room in three seconds.
Clark was very impressed though he was quite more interested in hearing the cause of the Allen´s fight than finding out the identity of five cute children.
"Flash!" Wonder Woman was losing the weak grip she had on her patience. "What did you mean by future grandchildren?"
On her right Clark could almost feel Bruce twitching over how easily Barry had allowed his secret identity to be discovered. To be fair to Barry, all of the leaguers already knew who he was and it had been the girl who had said his name first, and Bruce was an overly-secretive man who mistrusted everyone in the world.
Barry sighed again. "Someone transported future generations of my family to the present, and well, let´s just say that it was not how I was expecting a family reunion to go. Between my evil fake-twin, his descendants and the psychotic clone of my grandson… Both Iris and I were quite shocked to say the least."
Superman winced sympathetically, as he knew best of all how was to receive unwanted family visitors from parallel worlds.
"That does not explain why your wife would throw you out," Aquaman commented.
Barry did not get to answer as a de-masked Hal Jordan walked through the door and did it for him. "He said that if things were going to turn out like that he should have married some Patty Spivot when he had the chance. Who are these kids?" Barry gave him a betrayed glance for that while Green Arrow laughed.
"Barry!" admonished Superman.
Clark might have been a little stricter than usual, but Barry was his only married friend that did not live in the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean so damn straight he was going to for everything he could to save the only stable and not crazy relationship in the League.
Since the Trevor guy fiasco Diana hadn´t had any sort of relationship and thinking about Bruce´s love life would only lead to sorrow and pain.
If it came to that, Ralph would be recruited for a save-Barry´s-marriage intervention.
"I was joking!" said Barry with as much indignation as he could muster.
The self-appointed female Kid Flash also glared at Barry, "that is very mean Uncle Barry. Because then Bart and Jenni wouldn't exist…" she wavered and her eyes began to water.
Barry gave the rest of the League a pleading look, but the boy beat them to it. "That would at least mean no crazy blond guy running around and no freaky time travel, so I dare say that there is nothing but positive outcomes."
The female Kid Flash glared at him. "You are a jerk Robbie, and I hate you!" she yelled, her face turning as red as her hair "I hate this place and I want my mommy!"
The older leaguers exchanged panicked looks, Flash endlessly repeating "oh god, oh god" a thousand times per minute. Their collective gazes ended up on Batman, the only one with certified experience in dealing with children and surviving the process. Batman, being who he was, did not move at all signaling to the children.
The girl with the quiver crouched to the female Kid Flash level. "Don't cry Kid Flash, what would your dad say?" She placed a hand on female-Kid Flash shoulder and the situation seemed momentarily diffused.
But Superman sighed in relieve too early. The girl with the green pupil-less eyes turned to the boy, righteous fury written on her face, and even before she opened her mouth Superman could tell that it was a disaster was coming.
"You should be ashamed of yourself Robert, for making a girl cry!" Her commanding tone and posture were oddly familiar to Superman. Batman, on his right, tilted his head almost imperceptibly.
The boy, Robert, glared in return. "It's not my fault that Kid Flash has horrible cousins, and it's none of your business what I do and don't say!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is…" the boy started to say when he was interrupted by an "Enough!" roared by the scaled dressed girl.
"Don't but in!" He warned the Atlantean, effectively silencing her. His shouts then went back to the girl he originally started his argument with. "And it is not! How do you plan stopping me from saying what I want?
"I… I´ll… I´ll stop talking to you for a week!" the green eyed girl declared lamely but with all the ominousness a child could bring forth when threatening to break a friendship.
Superman too was having double thoughts about the having children business.
The boy snorted. "I will tell your dad that you have been following the Ibn al whatever-ffasch around after he explicitly told you not to!" Somehow his face had become angrier and he looked slightly constipated.
"Well, I will tell your mom what you said! I don't know how someone like your parents could have an awful son like you!" said the green eyed girl, her eyes glowing dangerously from unspent tears and some strange kind of power.
The boy looked stricken and his face started reddening. "Don't bring my mom into this! And she is too nice to say it, but she deserves someone better than my father!" He started sniffing and Superman could more or less predict what would happen and, maybe because of some morbid curiosity, neither he nor the rest of the adults did something to stop it. "All of our parents would be living happier and less complicated lives without us!" his voice broke at the end of the sentence and so did Superman´s heart with it.
They all started crying, the pupil-less green eyed girl sobbing miserably while the little Kid Flash was close to wailing. The girl with scales looked to the floor as silent tears fell from her eyes while the boy was trying, and failing, not to show how miserable he felt. The only one not losing her calm was the girl with the quiver who none the less looked worried as she tried, unsuccessfully, to calm the rest of the children.
The situation had clearly gotten quite out of the adults' hands and they all looked at themselves very lost on what to do. Finally Hal shrugged and constructed a clown from the power of his ring.
The clown itself was the most horrible clown Clark had ever seen and it looked taken out from a child´s worst nightmare. The children themselves seemed to think so too because the green eyed girl blasted it after two seconds and the crying rose in volume.
All the adults turned to glare at Hal.
"She seems to be from Tamaran, though it is not on my sector…" he trailed off finally noticing the displeased looks he was getting.
"The hell, Hal? Why did you think Mr. Monster Clown would help?!" Shouted Barry as the crying got slightly louder.
"In moments like this I am grateful for not needing to reproduce," said J'onn intervening for the first time in the conversation.
Aquaman nodded and muttered "thank Poseidon for Mera,"too low for the rest to hear but for Superman´s super-hearing it was as clear as if it had been yelled.
There was a moment of contemplative silence, minus the children´s wailing, where the Leaguers made some introspective thinking about progeny.
"Any ideas?" asked Flash, looking worriedly at the Kid Flash girl.
"…I could try another clown?" said Green Lantern with a glow on his ring. Superman had the slight suspicion that he was enjoying the situation way too much.
"No!" was the chorus of everyone else in the room.
"…How about we knock them out until we find where they come from?" Wonder Woman spoke in a surprisingly calm tone, instantly crashing all of Superman´s hopes that she would somehow get some magical maternal instinct and bail them out.
To Superman´s horror there were some nodding heads, meaning there were actual League members willing to knock out children if it meant getting some peace.
He was about to show his displeasure when Batman raised his palm making everyone shut up. "The children are coming."
There was not even time for Green Arrow to finish asking what children Batman was referring to before the door exploded and the five Teen Titans burst through the door.
Robin somersaulted with his staff prepared for battle. "We arrived as soon as we could, Kid Flash has been telling us how some inter-dimensional rifts–"
He did not finish the sentence as he was tackled to the ground by a flying girl who started sobbing on his chest.
"You dog, this takes 'chick magnet' to a whole new level" said the original and male Kid Flash with a snigger. Speedy smirked, Aqualad raised his eyebrows with a smile while Wonder Girl was looking torn between worry and amusement.
They only had a moment to revel in Robin´s situation before the red haired girl appeared in Kid Flash arms as she had done with Barry a few minutes ago. He caught her awkwardly and she hugged him with all her might. "Daddy, Robbie was a meanie and he said that you didn't want me. But he was lying, right daddy? Right?"
Kid Flash looked wildly around before his eyes met his uncle´s, who gave him a meaningful look.
"Of course I am happy to have you! In fact I lucked out having a daughter like you!" He smiled reassuringly and that, paired with his words, thankfully got the girl to stop crying. "Now, what is your name?"
"I´m Irey" she said burying her head on his neck.
Kid Flash smiled to no one in particular, "I see, Iris West like my Aunty." The girl just nodded without lifting her head and hugged Kid Flash even more tightly.
A look of realization passed through all of them; Robin looked at the girl hugging his midsection with a panicked took while Aqualad took a step towards the girl with the scaled outfit.
As he drew closer she lowered her head, trying to hide her tears. "I am sorry for losing my calm so foolishly, father."
Aqualad hesitated before awkwardly patting her head, "you have done well…"
"…Tula" she said once again lowering her head in shame. A strange look strained Aqualad´s face, but he said nothing as he allowed her to lean against him.
Superman glanced at Aquaman who looked as stricken as his protégée, but, like Superman, made no comment and continued looking on.
Wonder Girl and Speedy had stayed behind and exchanged a look between themselves and the remaining children. An eternity seemed to pass when no one said anything.
Speedy shrugged breaking the tension, "I suppose the one with the quiver is mine, unless we are somehow together in the future," he concluded, raising an eyebrow.
Wonder Girl blushed and glared at Speedy. "Shut up Roy!"
"It is not as if you don't dream with me every night, right?" he said with a smirk.
"Speedy!" admonished both Robin and Green Arrow at the same time.
And before anyone could react, a chakram flew to Speedy who just barely ducked. The object did an arch before getting swiftly caught by the boy.
No one moved. Batman had to put a hand in front of Wonder Woman to signal for her to watch for a while longer, which she did with reluctance.
"You will take that back!" he said raising his hand again while Speedy's hand flew to his quiver. However a figure moved to stand between the two of them. "Move out of the way Lian!" The boy barked.
"Lower your weapon Robert, or shoot me first," she ordered impassively, speaking like someone much older than what she really was.
The boy snorted; "if it is a fight what you want…"
"No such thing," she interrupted. "What I am saying is that I am not letting anyone get hurt, and if you want to attack me while I am unarmed then this is your opportunity to do so."
He looked unconvinced until Wonder Girl drew closer to him. "Please don't harm any of my friends" she told him softly and he lowered his chakram instantly.
"He spoke rudely to you," he huffed with a pout as his eyes started looking somewhere else. "I don't like when people are rude to you because you're too nice."
Wonder Girl smiled and crouched until he was on his eye level. "It seems like I don't have to worry anymore now that I have my little white knight."
He glared at her, but it was half-hearted and embarrassed. "Don't patronize me, mom", he mumbled and tried to look annoyed until Wonder Girl did a motion to hug him, to which he jumped into and hugged back with desperation.
Speedy coughed interrupting the moment. "I just want to clarify that I would have certainly won."
The boy tried to break away from Wonder Girl who just hugged him even tighter.
"Of course you could dad," said the little girl with the quiver. The boy, Robert, had called her Lian which suited her, given her Asian looks. "I am sure you got many sessions of special training just in case the fate of the world depended on you defeating a seven year old boy." She smiled again sounding much older than she really was. "Wow, aren't I proud of being your daughter when it is phrased like that."
Speedy raised both eyebrows. "You do realize that your parental claim is only made feebler due to the fact that you look nothing like me, right?"
Meanwhile Robin was still on the floor trying with little success to pry the girl from him, but she was having none of that and clung to him like an over-bearing baby Koala.
"And you realize that the more you talk the more you convince us that you skipped several classes in Grade school, like manners and more importantly Genetics 101 in which you would have been told that children can also look like their mothers," little Lian deadpanned, and there was a collective effort made not to laugh.
"She seems like you offspring alright," said Kid Flash with a giggling girl in his arms. "Man, am I glad that this situation has cooled off. Now, what in the world is going on here?"
All of the senior Justice League members nodded and tried to prompt the kids to speak but they looked between each other and seemed hesitant.
Little Tula took a small step and with a solemn expression started talking. "We come from many years in the future. We were at the... erm at an annual reunion in the company of our parents when we split up and ended up in here."
"Ended up, how?" asked Batman a little brusquer than what Superman would have wanted.
"We just ended up here. Like there was a light and wham! Instant space-time teleportation" explained Irey, gesturing wildly with her arms as Kid Flash struggled to hold her.
Barry walked to them an offered his arms. "Your dad seems a little tired, Irey, don't you want Uncle Barry to carry you?"
Irey narrowed her eyes. "I am five, not gullible." She looked at Kid Flash, "but I guess I could free my weakened daddy if you promise to make up with Aunty."
Barry smiled and lifted her from Kid Flash´s hold "that is a compromise I am more than willing to make."
There was again a moment of silent where everyone contemplated the information until Robin broke it wriggling in the floor, little alien girl still attached to his hip. "Anyone, care to give me a hand?" He all but shouted due to thinning patience. He gave all of his teammates a meaningful look before looking pleadingly at Batman.
"I am not good with children" He stated.
Still in the floor and struggling to get free, Robin glared at his mentor clearly feeling betrayed.
Batman, ever the understanding mentor and indulging father, did not even blink at the situation but instead stared at Hal who had made a construct of a sun recliner and seemed content enough to watch the situation.
Clark sighed and for a moment imagined himself in the Daily Planet, working on his article about bureaucratic problems in Metropolis' mail system.
He knew it was only wishful thinking but the image of many hours in front of his desk had never quite seemed so appealing.