Young Justice
I found a very old story on this site and it inspired me to write one of my own. I tried to contact the author, but they seemed to have dropped of the face of the earth. This story is inspired by a story under the same name. The twist – Dick Grayson never existed to take up the mantle of Robin, instead that honor goes to – Kara Zor-El a.k.a. Supergirl.
Independence Day
The first memory she had when she woke up is the creature standing over her, it was an insult to call it a clone, but in essence that is what it was. Her head was spinning because of the noise. Then she felt the drain it wasn't painful, but the numbing effect wasn't wanted. Moments later the creature's head exploded, being replaced by a blonde haired angel's.
"[Easy girl, sorry about the jewel, but ugly is out gone now.]" The angel said and the numbing sensation passed.
Moments later she took out a crystal and allowed it to be read by the storage cave. The cave revealed a somewhat bookish view of both her birth planet and the one she was currently on, Terra.
"[Allow me to share my languages with you.]" The angel held up the language meld tools. The primitive ones that required locking lips, Kara couldn't help the blush as she nodded her head.
The angel attached the one strap around Kara's head and another around her own before she placed the goop in her mouth and infused it with her language skills. She handed another to Kara who began chewing it. Once the goop dissolved the angel leaned in and kissed Kara deeply. Although gross for her age, Kara found it pleasurable. She just had to remind herself it was to learn a new language. The Tamaranian race, where the Kryptonian race got the idea initially, had it easy though.
"[So what did old gruesome want with you?]" The angel asked.
"[Honestly, I don't know, I woke up and it was there. Is this part of your home, I didn't mean to intrude.]" Kara said blushing slightly.
"[This cave belongs to the boy scout calling himself Superman. From what I could gather his original name was Kal-El]"
"[He must be a handful. Kryptonian babies tend to be hyperactive.]" Kara smiled thinking of the times she looked after baby Kal when her uncle and aunt weren't home.
"[Wouldn't know, he's a bit older than me I guess.]" She paused, "[You must have been frozen in that pod for years, if you still think that Superman is a baby.]" She sighed. "The name's Harleen Quinzel. Welcome to Earth –"
"Kara Zor-El, thank you for having me." Kara giggled.
"Follow me squirt, we can talk about your future here on earth."
Harleen lead Kara to a close-by grave yard and came to rest in front of a grave bearing the name Richard Grayson. She told Kara about her life and her daughter that only recently passed away. The grave was purposely wrongly marked to keep her psychotic ex away. The man was sick enough to dig up a body just to torture someone. By the end of the day Kara took up the name Regina Quinzel, in honor of Harleen's daughter. It did help that they resembled each other greatly. Kara needed only grow her hair. Her time with Harleen was one of the best weeks of her life. Then came Amanda Waller, the heartless woman captured Harleen on a misdemeanor, seriously, two years for jaywalking.
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Gina woke up from her dream drenched in cold sweat, every year it is the same. She would dream of her adopted mother and how that woman took her away. Sure Gina ended up as a ward to Bruce Wayne, but that was honestly the only upside. Gina reached for the crystal bracelet on her nightstand and placed it on her wrist before stepping out of the sensory deprivation tank.
The bracelet was the first gift Harleen gave her. It was one of the green poisoned stones of her home-world encased in a diamond, the trick to encase the stone in carbon to filter the effects was written on a particularly dark corner of the cave. The bracelet drowns out the thousands of voices she hears outside the tank. It also suppresses her abilities but it balances out nicely. Sure she hasn't told anyone else about her heritage, and Harleen told Bruce that Gina had trouble sleeping so he bought her the sensory deprivation tank to sleep in at night.
Gina had figured out that Bruce was Batman fairly early on. Batman began training her and soon they were the Dynamic Duo. There was a downside to that though. People kept thinking she was a boy, as if a girl couldn't keep up with Batman, idiots.
"Ah Miss Regina, you are awake already." Alfred said as he opened the door. Gina was in the bathroom.
"Yeah Alfred, just got up." She flushed the toilet and dressed in her bathrobe. "Not gonna get dressed in the room. Today is the day, you know."
"That is why I am here, Master Bruce asked that you meet him in the cave, breakfast is already down there."
"Thank you Alfred," Regina said as she turned the dial next to the light switch to dry the floor. It was installed after Gina forgot to take a towel to bed for the twentieth time.
Just as they were about to leave for Washington DC an alert came on the monitor. It seemed like Mr. Freeze was out and about again, this time tormenting happy families on his way to one of the larger parks in Gotham. Gina put on her domino mask and her short blonde hair turned dark brown. The Duo got in the bat-mobile and drove to intercept. They got to the park just too late. Freeze had already given several people the frozen treatment.
Robin jumped out of the car and darted towards the park. Sometimes Batman would wonder how Robin was as fast as she was, but always gave it up as her being more agile that he could ever hope to be. Robin released an exploding projectile and laughed as it cracked the glass keeping Freeze cold.
"Hey Elsa, you gotta learn to let it go already." Robin laughed at the sour expression that briefly passed over Freeze's face.
"The Bat has sent his whelp to take me to prison. I find myself under whelmed."
"Yeah cute, but I am kind of in a hurry here." Robin said looking at her gloved hand.
"Kids these days are always in such a rush." Freeze said before he heard the breaking ice behind him. He turned around just as Batman got in the air, there was no way he could evade. His dome broke and the sudden heat caused him to pass out.
Batman and Robin made their way to the bat-mobile when the cops took over the arrest. Robin saluted the red haired girl in the car just before getting in. The girl, Barbara Gordon, rolled her eyes and wave back before doing a mock curtsy. It did look silly since she was still seated.
At around 2pm they made it to the Hall of Justice. They were the first to arrive followed by Green Arrow and Speedy. Moments later Aquaman and Aqualad showed up. Last to arrive were the speedsters, Flash and Kid Flash.
Robin didn't really listen to any of them she only remarked that Kid Flash was overwhelmed and that Speedy seemed to hate the word Side-kick now. Robin was more interested to see if they only had access to the tourist trap or Watchtower. She doubted that they will get it though. Technically she wasn't even supposed to know about it.
As it turned out they only received access to the tourist trap. She didn't really care since it was comfy and the soundproof glass helped muffle out the outside sound. She was just glad that there were no observation decks near the lavatories. Speedy flipped his lit and quit after Batman denied him access to Watchtower, big baby, Robin couldn't believe she crushed on him once upon a time.
"Superman to the Hall." And that would be her Boy Scout cousin. He really was a pompous ass, just like Harleen told her. "There was an explosion at Project Cadmus."
"I had my suspicions of Cadmus –"
"Zatara to Justice League," Zatara interrupted Batman's musing, "The Sorcerer Wotan is using the Amulet of Aten to blot out the sun, requesting full League response."
"Superman?" Batman asked.
"It is a small fire, authorities has it under control." Robin studied Batman's miniscule changes. She knew what to do next.
"You three stay put, you are not ready."
"Since when?" Kid Flash jumped the gun, Batman isn't gonna like that.
"We meant that you aren't ready to work as part of this team." Flash explained. Robin glanced at the computer then to Batman, he barely moved his head. A subtle nod if she ever saw one.
Robin walked to the computer when the League left ignoring Kid Flash's outcry and Aqualad's disappointment in his mentor and king. She hacked the system and found out that the league knew nothing about Project Cadmus. She was ready to go and investigate herself, but thought why not bring a team, maybe then she can spread her figurative wings a bit more.
"Are you coming?" She said as she reached the door.
"They told us to stay put." Aqualad said.
"Yes, for the blotting out the sun mission, not that we stand a chance against that Viking Magic Man anyway." Robin said slightly annoyed. Didn't he just say something about poetic justice?
"Are you going to Cadmus? Because if you are going, so am I." Kid Flash smiled a Cheshire smile.
"Just like that we are a team on a mission?" Aqualad smiled too, he was on board.
It didn't take them long to reach Cadmus. Kid Flash naturally ran ahead, which was a lucky break this time since he was able to save the two scientists from falling to their doom. Seeing that Aqualad had the rescue handled Robin went ahead and got into the building and started hacking the computers. She was unable to find anything conclusive, but did manage to find out that there was a high speed elevator in the building that was supposedly only two stories tall.
"I appreciate the help." Aqualad remarked sarcastically.
"You handled it, besides we are here to investigate, poetic justice remember?" Robin rolled her eyes. She was waiting for the last files to download.
She ran to the elevator once Aqualad pried it open, it seemed never ending, she considered using her natural abilities to determine the depth, but that would arouse suspicion. Instead Robin shot up her grappling gun and set it to slow decent. Robin frowned when the line suddenly stopped at SL26. She checked the line number, it should've taken her to at least SL117, if there were so many, unless the floors were a few stories high each.
"I'm at the end of my robe!" Robin exclaimed as the others came down the line. She waited for them to jump off before swinging into place and retracting the grapple. She then got to work hacking the systems to bypass security.
Naturally Kid Flash had to run ahead. Robin couldn't help but wonder what exactly they were doing down this far. They passed creatures in test tubes trying to catch Kid Flash before he did something stupid. That was when a herd of gigantic creatures passed by with imps on their backs. With Kid Flash finally back Robin got to work hacking the actual Cadmus system, she was able to get the stats on the Genomorphs and an extended floor plan or all fifty-two sublevels. On SL52 there was a top secret triple encrypted file marked Project Kr. If she didn't know better she might be tempted to believe they were cloning a Kryptonian, can't be her though, could it?
They were about to leave when Guardian showed up with G-Elves. From what Robin read these creatures were the security force of Cadmus, build for speed, endurance and fighting. Luckily they were only human sized. Robin dropped a smoke bomb after Aqualad failed to get Guardian to see reason. She blamed the G-gnome on his shoulder, those things suppresses your thoughts if they have good reason to. Robin flew to the elevator knowing no one would see her. She then hacked it and just as her two companions showed up it opened.
"Way to be a team player, Rob!" Kid Flash clearly didn't like the fact that Robin didn't want to hang around and get exposed.
"Weren't you right behind me?" Robin really didn't wave time for whining. Once they were inside Robin selected SL52 and they were off.
"We're going down?" Aqualad asked, followed by the ruder.
"Dude, out is up." Kid Flash said.
"Excuse me, but Project Kr is down on SL52." Before she could elaborate Aqualad became a drama queen, wanting to call the league. If Batman taught her one thing it is that you go as far as you can before you ask for help.
"We are already here," Kid Flash had his moments.
They exited the elevator and went into the subterranean enclose. They reached a fork when a G-Goblin, designation Dubbilex, blocked their path. He used his telekinesis to chase them down the tunnel they were going down anyway.
Kid Flash was the first to arrive at their destination. He knocked down the poor doctor, but at least he was able to keep the door open for them. Once inside Project Kr Robin locked the door with the emergency lock, trapping them yes, but also keeping their pursuers back. She was about to suggest they dig their way out when Kid Flash confirmed her fears. There in a tube being force fed an education was a Kryptonian clone.
Hacking the consol Robin breathed a bit easier. The clone was made from DNA acquired from Superman. The file on "The Superboy" showed that the clone at least didn't have blackout eyes. She would know how they managed that, once she decrypted the file she downloaded. She was just about to start the wakening process when the clone opened his eyes and attacked. Robin really hated the G-gnomes now. Superboy got a lucky shot in and knocked her out.
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Kara, no Regina, was feeling shy as she stood in front of the mansion door waiting for Alfred. She was on her way to an orphanage when billionaire Bruce Wayne showed up with the social worker.
"Miss Quinzel," The social worker had a kind motherly voice. "This is Mr. Bruce Wayne. He visited our organization earlier today and showed interest in fostering. He wanted someone who hasn't been in the system yet."
"And I was the only one, seeing that my mother was arrested this morning?" Regina asked not too thrilled with authority at this point. "Mother just crossed the road at the wrong place and Amanda Waller has her arrested."
"I understand that you are angry," Bruce said, his voice was soothing. "You have every right to be. I have seen children that went into the foster system that never found an outlet for that anger, it consumes them. I can offer you better, and when your mother is released I won't object if you would rather go back to her."
That was a convincing argument, but was it for her, or him –
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(You have to wake up! NOW!) A voice shouted in her head. When she came to, she noticed that Superboy was looking at the team, she was very glad that she chose to wear the suit that was x-ray proof.
Of course Kid Mouth had to provoke the one guy that could fry them with a look. A series of events followed that ultimately ended with Robin blowing up the lab they wanted to use to clone them. Soon they were running through the halls with Superboy. It didn't help that every Genomorph in Cadmus seemed to be after them.
When they reached the lifts, Robin shot her grappling gun and reeled herself in. Kid Flash was running up the walls and Aqualad hitched a ride with Superboy. Only it seemed that he couldn't fly. Robin threw her staff hard. Luckily she was in time to save the two falling companions. That was when Superboy had his first identity crisis. There wasn't time for that though as the elevator was coming down fast.
They exited SL15 and ran through the halls towards the emergency stairs. That was when Superboy began giving orders. They ended up in a hallway with a false wall and a vent. Robin removed the vent and dragged them through the wall before hacking the motion sensors to give them time to escape. They made it to the stairs just as she knew the pursuers would reach the bathroom way on the other side.
They got all the way to SL01 before they ran into a door, Kid Flash literally. They were trying to pry it open when everything went black. A few moments later they got their bearings back, and was about to leave with, Guardian's approval, when Dr. Desmond showed up with his ultimate plan. He drank the glowing blue liquid and lost all sense of self.
Robin knew they wouldn't be able to win the fight fairly so she stayed out of it coming up with a plan. She smirked when the plan turned out to be fairly simple. Destroy the load bearing pillars and the building comes down on top of the Blockbuster Monster. She however didn't plan on them still being inside the building too. When the smoke cleared Robin had to keep her face neutral but was struggling. Supergirl had a near wardrobe malfunction. She was showing a lot of cleavage by the time the League arrived.
She studied Superman when Superboy revealed the symbol for the house of El. She was grinding her teeth when he rejected him. She wanted to reveal her heritage just then, and would've too if she didn't have Harleen's warning inside her head.
"If you want a free ride to become a test subject, you reveal your Kryptonian heritage. The people I was forced to work for would want nothing more than that."
When they arrived home Gina took off her mask, returning to her natural blonde, and loaded the Intel she gathered into the computer. She was about to leave when Bruce took her into his arms and gave her a hug. He didn't speak, he didn't need to. He was worried about her and apologized for not allowing Supergirl to lodge with them.
When Gina returned to her room she got undressed and checked the messages on her phone, after replying to Barbara, she lay down in her sensory deprivation tank and had a dreamless sleep.
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The next two days Gina spent with Barbara. Barbara was the only person that understood her and didn't judge her for being related to "Harley Quinn". She also was the only person, other than Harleen, that knew that Regina Quinzel was really Kara Zor-El. Gina had a flat in downtown Gotham that functioned as a safe house and mobile command center for them on the nights when Robin patrolled alone. That was where Barbara found her the morning before Gina had to go to Happy Harbor with the rest of the team.
"You look like a boy." Barbara said as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Good, everyone thinks I'm a boy anyway." Gina shook her head. "They even thought I was a boy when I grew my hair and wore twin tails."
"I remember the headlines: Boy Wonder Lost Bet? They then proceeded to state facts that would supposedly confirm their theories it was also when the Dying Robins theory began. Speaking of, you are currently number sixteen." Barbara said.
Ever since it was theorized that no one could keep up with Batman it was supposedly discovered that Robins dropped like flies and Batman takes the next boy from some secret orphanage. Barbara started taking notes.
"How and when did I die this time?" Gina asked glancing out the window.
"Before the fourth," Barbara shrugged, "They are still figuring out the how, but apparently your hair is two shades lighter than the previous Robin's."
"Now they're just grasping straws, this was the first time in, what, six months, I was out in daytime. How could they possibly know that?" Gina shook her head. "I have to meet with the rest of the team in about an hour. I wanted to make sure that the glasses make my hair the same shade as the domino mask."
"And that is why I'm here?" Barbara asked as Gina put a pair of dark glasses on and her hair turned dark brown.
"Partly, when we're done with the team meeting I have to bring M'gann here for a meet and greet."
"One turn darker," Barbara said having helped design the domino mask's hair changing side. "So why meet the Martian girl?"
"Batman wants to start a second team, all girls. There are some places that boys just can't get into, no matter how they want to." The two girls shared a laugh.
Once Gina's glasses were ready the girls just hung out until it was time for Gina to meet with the team. Alfred arrived on time and handed a bag to Barbara. Gina only had a brief glimpse inside the bag and smiled, it seemed that Barbara finally earned to wear the bat symbol. The symbol itself was different to Batman's, softer somehow. She would see it later though.
Just outside The Robin's Nest, Gina's home away from home, there was graffiti laced wall. The largest wall art was that of a huge eagle. Alfred activated a hidden switch and the wall opened up, revealing a Zeta-tube tunnel. It lit up and began scanning her. It took four seconds before the computer voiced recognized her by her new designation, B01-Robin, her previous designation being RQ01. This designation naturally only worked with tubes heading towards Justice League destinations.
Robin was the first of the teens to arrive. This was by design, since she had to meet with Miss Martian before the rest of the team showed up. Being a mind reader Miss Martian was the highest risk of exposing Robin's secret. Moments after Robin arrived, the Martian pair arrived. Batman gave her a nod and Robin took Miss Martian aside.
"You are M'gann right?" Robin asked once they were out of the adult's range.
"Yes, how did you know?" M'gann asked genuinely curious.
"I read through the files the Justice League keeps. It is pretty thorough in most cases, but your file was lacking in some parts that I was able to find out by looking closer than even Batman." Robin took a deep breath. "Meaning that I know about that secret, but that isn't mine to tell, just like I would like you to keep one of my secrets."
"Okay," M'gann said after a moment's pause.
"My name is Regina Quinzel. I am the foster daughter of billionaire Bruce Wayne." Robin took of her glasses briefly, her hair turning blonde then back. "The rest of the team doesn't know what my real name is, and they assume I am a boy. I never corrected them and wouldn't make a scene if they figure it out themselves. However I would like you to keep my name secret. Lucky for me Robin is very gender-neutral."
"No problem, I mean you will keep mine, so I will keep yours." M'gann smiled.
"Good, then after meeting with the A-team you can come meet the B-team in Gotham." Robin smiled. She didn't have to tell M'gann that it was a secret, she seemed to know already.
Meeting with the boys went smoothly. Miss Martian even seemed to have a crush on Superboy. Robin was tempted to name Superboy Kon-El, because essentially he was her nephew and he needed a real name. Unfortunately that wasn't in the cards just yet.
Robin and Miss Martian left in the same tube and ended up beneath the Robin's Nest. They went up to the room via the window. Inside Barbara was already waiting, her new uniform in the display case next to Robin's under the Active banner. The other side held her old uniform, a purple suite without a symbol but with all the protections of the new one.
"M'gann, meet Barbara Gordon, who became Batgirl as of this morning." Gina introduced the girls as she removed her glasses and the unflattering jacket she wore.
"Nice to meet you," M'gann smiled before she noticed the candles in the room. "You do know about Martians and fire, right?"
"The candles are only here for the ritual." Gina said smiling, "Go ahead pick one."
"Red," M'gann said without hesitation. Barbara lit the candle while Gina brought a bucket closer.
"Drop the wax into the bucket when you are ready." Barbara said as she handed the candle to M'gann. M'gann complied and an X formed in the water. Barbara blew the candle out and they scooped out the wax shape.
"Barbara, go on to Phase Two, while I preserve this." Gina smiled. She placed the wax in a wooden box. She then poured a gelatinous liquid in and when it hardened the symbol was placed with a bat and a wing symbol on the wall.
"M'gann, we accept you into our sisterhood." Barbara began, "As part of this sisterhood, do you promise to keep our secrets like we would keep yours? Would you protect your sister from harm if it is within your ability, whatever that ability may be?"
"I do," M'gann said. "I accept my place within the sisterhood. I will protect my sisters to the full extend of my abilities and keep their secrets as I know they will protect me the same way."
"Welcome to the sisterhood M'gann," Gina said. "As part of the sisterhood you are now privileged to information that not even Batman knows. I was not born Regina Quinzel but I do carry her resemblance remarkably. I was born on a distant world and have been frozen in time inside a pod, if it wasn't for the pod I would be about forty. Harleen Quinzel took me in and gave me my current name."
"May I ask what planet?" M'gann asked shyly.
"You are a smart girl," Gina smiled. "My cousin is also here on earth and he disappoints me more every time I meet him, most recently with my nephew."
"You are Superman's cousin!" M'gann blurted out.
"Yeah her name is Kara Zor-El. Kind of a sexist approach if you ask me. I mean all men on the planet aren't known by their father's name."
"Luckily Superboy is a well a boy or else I would've been forced to call her Kon Kal-El in my head instead of Kon-El." Gina smiled.
"Kon-El," M'gann mused. "I like it, and as an earth name it can be Conner."
"You are referring to that old TV show Hello, Megan, aren't you?" Barbara laughed. "My dad has all the episodes on tape at home."
"I –" M'gann blushed before nodding.
"It suits you," Gina said, "and being M'gann does help hide it a bit. Now if Kon was a girl, do you think she would like going by Connie?"
"No," M'gann said as she morphed into a female version of Superboy, "I'm clearly a Carla," the girls dissolved into giggles after that. That stopped when there was a knock on the door. Gina got up to answer it. It was Bruce.
"Is M'gann on board?" Gina nodded. "Good, patrol starts in one hour, you will take the east side with your team, I will patrol the west side." After that Bruce left."
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That's the chapter please leave a review, I would love to hear what you guys have to say, if you want to bounce ideas for this story around I will take it into consideration.