"Do we have to?" Lightning Lad complained, as he watched the three forms of triplicate girl suspend a huge banner across the front of Legion Headquarters.
"If we want to stand a chance again the Scavengers, then yes" Triplicate girls forms said simultaneously as they descended slowly to the floor.
"But does it really have to be that big… I mean couldn't we make it just a tiny bit smaller?"
Triplicate girl summoned her other forms into one being and went to pat Lightning Lad on the shoulder. "I suppose your hoping then no one will turn up" she laughed, "That isn't going to happen and you know it, as soon as the news gets out that we're holding auditions there is going to be a queue from here to the border of New Metropolis"
Lightning Lad sighed and made his way back into the Legion headquarters.
The queue was not as long Triplicate girl said it would be, but it might as well have been.
The judges: Saturn girl, Timber Wolf, Lightning Lad, Superman and Brainiac 5 had been interviewing possible legionnaires for over five hours and still had not seen any promising applicants. The next candidate to enter the room called himself 'Bad Luck Boy' and as soon as he entered the room Lightning Lad's chair broke beneath him and he ended up on the floor. Timber Wolf decided to escort him from the room before he caused any more misfortune, but not before Saturn Girl's flight Ring went out of control and sent her spinning across the room into the opposite wall.
"Seriously I can't take another-" Lightning Lad began to say and then stopped as the next applicant stepped into the room. She was tall and beautiful, with long black hair down to her waist and a bright green super-suit to match her vivid green eyes. Lightning lad raised his eyebrows, as she walking, hips swaying to the centre of the room.
"Hi" she said shyly, "I'm Clever Claire"
"And what's your superpower Claire?" Superman said, craning his neck to get a better look at her.
"I have a 12th level intelligence"
The Legionnaires looked at each other then at Brainiac 5; his face was expressionless, as he stared at the girl beneath him.
"I believe this is Brainy's field" Saturn girl said, "Would you care to test her Brainy?"
Brainiac 5 frowned ad then stood up, "I'll take her to my laboratory"
He indicated Clever Claire to follow, as he descended to the floor and left through a door at the side of the room.
"So Brainy, did she pass your Brainiac quiz of Brainy-ness?" Lightning lad said, as Brainiac 5 entered back into the room, closely followed by Clever Claire who was smiling smugly to herself.
"Surprisingly yes" Brainy said, propelling himself back up to the judging panel that overlooked the space below.
"Really?" Lightning lad said happily, watching Clever Claire twiddle her thumbs as she awaited their verdict.
"I think we should she her fight now" Timber Wolf said, "just to see if she can stand the heat"
"Any volunteers to fight her?" Saturn girl asked, watching her fellow Legionnaires as they shuffled in their seats. "Brainy? What about you?"
"I-"
"Scared you'll be beaten by a girl?" Lightning Lad cut in hurriedly, eager not to fight Clever Claire himself.
"No" Brainy scowled, getting to his feet.
"Scared she'll out-wit you?" Lighting lad continued, sniggering.
"I never said I would not fight her Lightning lad, I just though we should give her something easier to test herself on first"
"Oh, go on Brainy" Superman said, "Just take it easy with the cosmic blasters okay"
Brainy smiled, "Okay"
"We'll start with the basic interception," Brainy said to Clever Claire, taking his place across the room from her. "I will tackle you and you will try to avoid me, okay?"
"Alright" Clever Claire replied nervously and braced herself.
Brainiac 5 ran at her, aiming a punch at her shoulder. Clever Claire waited until Brainy was right on top of her, before grabbing his forearm and punching him in the stomach, making him stagger backwards.
The Legionnaires murmured to each other, as they watched Brainiac 5 attempt to punch Clever Claire again, without much success.
"Right" Brainy said, moving back across the room before Claire could launch another counter attack. "I think we shall move onto something a little bit harder"
Clever Claire smiled, "I'm ready," she said.
"Then lets begin"
Brainiac 5 launched himself into the air, and suspended himself a few feet above Clever Claire. However much to everyone's surprise, Clever Claire leapt into the air and grabbed Brainiac 5's ankle and smashed him into the ground. He got up almost immediately and charged at Clever Claire. She grinned to herself and stood totally still, until Brainy had reached her. She pressed a few buttons on a band around her wrist to activate a shield which Brainy crashed into and was send sprawling backward into the wall.
Saturn girl gasped and leapt down from the judge's podium towards Brainy.
He opened his eyes and blinked a few times. With help from Saturn girl he stood up and limped over to Clever Claire. "I underestimated you Clever Claire," he said, letting go of Saturn girl's arm as he approached her. She giggled almost patronizingly, "Well let's hope you can learn from your mistakes, if you haven't got enough information crammed into that little head of yours" she bend down and patted him on the head and then turned on her heel and left.
"So what do you think?" Superman said, watching the door close softly behind her.
"I really think she should be on the team" Lightning Lad said at once.
Brainiac 5 scowled, smoothing down his ruffled hair from where Clever Claire had patted it.
"I think she's too clever for her own good" Brainy said flatly, ascending back to his chair, Saturn girl close by his side, just in case.
"I think you hit your head" Lightning Lad scowled, "She'd be great! And speak for yourself" he added, watching Brainy's irritation turn to annoyance.
"Well maybe if you weren't concentrating on her looks so much you'd have noticed how she cheated"
"Cheated? What do you mean Brainy?" Superman said frowning at Brainiac 5.
"Rule 94 of Legion auditions clearly states that no applicant is allow to aid him or herself with any mechanical device, talisman or unnatural energy" he said.
Lightning lad scowled, "But your mechanical aren't you Brainy, what about that?"
Brainy frowned, "But that's part of me and far from the point"
"Which is…?" Lightning Lad said innocently oblivious.
"She used an external device"
"But isn't that the same principal of your force field belt?" Superman asked, pointing it out.
Brainy ran a hand over the device and sighed; he knew he could not deny that.
Lighting Lad smiled, "So are we recruiting her or not?"
Superman frowned at Brainy and then looked at Lightning Lad. "I don't see the problem…" he said, "As you said Brainy she passed your test, but why don't you like her?"
"I have a bad feeling about her," he said, busying himself with the screen in front of him.
"What do you mean feeling?" Lightning Lad laughed, "You're a robot!"