The Watchtower
November 25th, 2010
The meeting had been over for a while, and the Captain was quite upset. He wasn't sure why the League would think of kicking him off. Sure, he was ten, but Captain Marvel was a valuable asset to the League, and he was sure that they knew this. His strength, wisdom, and courage of the Gods was always valued. Now it was looked down upon because he was ten.
He had spotted his hero, Superman. Quite honestly, recently he had been disappointed by the Man of Steel. The way he treated Superboy was quite concerning, and Billy found it wrong. Since he had a risk of being kicked out, he may as well voice his thoughts. He followed him to wherever he was going, and walked up to him.
"Captain. How can I help you?" He asked, warmly. The Captain smiled back at Superman, and shook his hand.
"Actually, I'd like to talk to you about something that's been on my mind, Superman." He started off. Superman forced a smile on his face. He was expecting something about how Captain Marvel looked up to him, or idolized him.
"Superman, I want to start off by saying how much I respect you. You're the reason I'm even here." He paused, and Superman tried not to roll his eyes, "Quite frankly, Superman, sir. What I'm trying to say is that you've been acting like a jerk." He said. Superman took a onceover, and his eyes narrowed.
"Excuse me?" He asked. Captain Marvel felt the Courage of Achilles fighting against what Billy Batson would fear. He stood his tallest, and puffed his chest out.
"I said, 'I think you're acting like a jerk.' For good reason, too. The way you've been treating Superboy is unacceptable. He is a part of your life, even if you don't want to accept. You can't treat him as if he isn't there, or like he's some sort of inconvenience to you! I've had the pleasure of being den mother to them, and he's one of the coolest people I've met. You don't even take the time to get to know him. For someone who's called Superman, you're not really following up on Super…" He said. His blue eyes stared into Superman's cerulean ones. The outer rims of his eyes glow red, and he stared at the Captain. Soon, they went to normal.
"Consider yourself lucky, Captain. You've caught me in a good mood." Captain Marvel shifted his weight, and chuckled.
"Superman, you're steadily losing my respect. The Superman I know would accept him, and at least try to talk to him. You acting like a jerk isn't going to make him disappear! It's going to make him even worse off than before! Stop being stubborn, and act like your name!" Captain shouted, calling attention to the pair of superheroes. Majority of the League caught the pair standing parallel to one another, both seeming fairly peeved.
"What's going on here?" Batman asked, as he calmly walked in between the two powerhouses, seemingly not even a little afraid of either men. He put a hand on Superman's chest, and stared him in the eyes. The irises were red, as were his pupils. He was majorly pissed off. The Captain was crackling with lightning. None of the League members have ever seen him angry before, and it was quite intimidating.
"Since I may be kicked off, I figured I'd say what I feel." Billy said. It was very clear that he was upset. Captain Marvel had a very annoying habit of making his emotions perfectly clear to any that looked at his face. Before it had been weird, now they all understood. Even with the adult body he possessed, and the Wisdom of Solomon, he was still young. He had a different understanding of the world, and the people he protected. He was like Superman in his younger years, people realized.
"You were out of line, Marvel. You know it, too." Superman said, coldly. Most people don't usually see the Man of Steel acting this way, but ever since Superboy had been found, he'd been acting strange.
"He's right, Superman. You are treating him rather unfairly." Aquaman said, as he stood straight. Superman's eyes flashed red, as he stared at the ground. He was very obviously angry, but none of them understood at who, nor why.
"You all believe this?" He asked softly, as he looked up. His eyes met Wonder Woman, and she nodded firmly. He took a shaky breath, and nodded. Maybe they were right. He was Superman, and he had been acting like a jerk. They didn't understand, though.
"On the contrary, my friend, I do understand. You feel as if they performed perverted science. You feel as if they took your blood, and completely perverted your body. I understand this feeling. Remember how you met me?" He asked. Superman looked up, and he nodded. He slowly came to a realization.
"I never realized...I just was so angry that CADMUS would even think I'd turn on the world. Just the thought of him being made for a weapon only...It just made me angry. I've been taking it out on him the entire time. Damn." He said, the end softly. Captain Marvel put a large hand on his shoulder, and Superman looked into his eyes. He nodded, and shook the man's hand.
"I know what I have to do." Superman said, and looked at the entire League. Their faces looked in realization. Batman remembered him speaking those words before he went off to fight Doomsday. He watched Superman stand up straight, puff his chest, and walk to the zeta beam.
Mount Justice
November 25th, 2010
It was Thanksgiving Day, and the entire Team was enjoying their food. The only ones absent were Wally, and Conner. Conner was outside, taking a walk.
"Recognized: Superman 0-1," The A.I said, as the team spin towards the Zeta beams. The tall, and very handsome Superman stepped out of the light. He saw the glares he received, and sighed. He deserved it. In the moments since leaving the Watchtower, he'd been thinking of things to say, and the entire time...He failed.
"If you're here to chew him-" He raised a hand, and looked her straight in the eyes. He could smell his scent on her, and he knew they were together. His anger in check, and his tongue being held, he smiled.
"I understand your concern, but I'm just here to talk to him." He said. As he looked around. Miss Martian looked into his mind, but was blocked seconds after. He gave her a knowing look, and smiled slyly. She blushed, embarrassedly.
He walked over to the table, and sat down. He crossed a leg, and closed his eyes. He expanded his hearing beyond the mountain, and heard the heavy boots of the young man. He felt the weight of guilt set in, as he silently chastised himself. He should've been a better man. He looked over, as he heard the boy speaking to himself.
"I don't get it, Wolf. What makes him not want me?" He stopped listening in after that. Another wave of guilt, and the Man of Steel felt like flying into the sun forever. He truly messed up here, and he hoped the young man would forgive him.
He heard the entrance open, and looked over. The look on his face was priceless for a second, and Superman saw the vulnerable look the young boy had given him when they first met. That vulnerability that Superman ignored, as he ignored it, and set his jaw. He felt like going at Doomsday again.
"What's he doing here?" Conner asked the rest of the Team, as he walked up to the man. Conner wasn't much shorter than Superman. Maybe two inches at most. He was built just as muscularly, and looked just like him. His eyes were hard, and yet Superman could see a softness to them. He pulled the young man into a hug, and felt like crying. Of course he ignored. Superman doesn't cry.
Superboy didn't know what to do. He was stuck in the hug, and then saw Miss Martian smiling warmly. The entire Team did. He melted into the hug, and felt a piece of himself lost so long ago come back to him. He felt like he was worth something again, and the months of anger melted away.
"I know a hug doesn't change much, but they say actions speak louder than words." Superman said, as he looked down at his younger clone. Superboy smiled at him, and sniffed.
"It does more than you'd imagine." He said, as the two sat down.