The New Adventures Of The Justice League
Chapter One: Meeting Captain Marvel
If normal days included fighting evil monsters from an alternate dimension then today was just another day in a long line of normal days for the Justice League. The fact that they were currently getting their butts kicked wasn't. If it had just been Flash, Batman, Hawkgirl and maybe Wonder Woman then it would have been one thing but since Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Superman were there as well it was more…humiliating than anything else.
"My mace isn't having any effect," Hawkgirl called as she artfully dodged a ball of fire.
"Heat vision isn't doing much of anything either," Superman informed them.
"I'm trying to erect a force field around him so we can try and contain some of the damage," Green Lantern yelled to the rest of his teammates.
"Good idea," Batman called back. "And while you're doing that Flash and Wonder Woman will keep evacuating the civilians that are still trapped."
"And what about you?" Wonder Woman asked as she lifted up another overturned car.
"Superman, Hawkgirl and I will keep the beast distracted," Batman decided.
"I don't envy your job, Bats," Flash laughed as he zoomed past, carrying two small children.
"Wait, where's J'onn?" Hawkgirl wanted to know.
In response Superman merely pointed to a spot in the sky where, if a person squinted and tilted their head just right, they could just barely make out a ripple in the clouds. "He's using his camouflage mode to stay hidden from the creature while he attempts to read its mind."
"Uh, no offense to J'onn or anything but I don't think that thing has a brain," Flash ran by again, this time clutching a cat and her three kittens.
"Oh and you do?" Superman retorted.
"Do you mind?" Green Lantern yelled irritably, his normally brown eyes glowing green in contrast with his black skin. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to focus with you guys constantly yelling?! I've told you before; if I lose my concentration for even a second…"
"While he had been ranting Green Lantern had failed to notice that the creature had been throwing itself against the force field in a desperate attempt to free itself and, finally, broke through. Green Lantern fell out of the sky only to be caught by Hawkgirl even as the creature let out a loud roar, spraying spittle on Batman, J'onn (who had given up on reading its mind) and Superman who were gathered in front of it.
"That was…disgusting," J'onn said diplomatically as he wiped his face off with his blue cape.
"Agreed," Batman sighed. "Anyone else have any bright ideas?"
Before Superman could offer up any sarcastic remarks a streak of red, white and gold flew past them and directly into the creature's face. The monster roared in surprise and anger as it stumbled backwards, its massive size causing the ground to shake. But the blur continued throwing itself against the monster until it had successfully been backed into a corner where, after one last hit, it fell to the ground with a heavy thud and didn't get back up.
Every member of the Justice League (except for Batman who merely raised an eyebrow) felt their jaws drop as they stared in shock at the blur which (now that it had slowed down) revealed itself to be a man as he slowly floated down to a few inches above where they were gathered. He wore a red one-piece costume with a square looking gold lightning bolt emblazoned on his chest and a gold button on the right side of his chest. A gold sash was tied around his waist and he wore gold versions of Wonder Woman's wrist shields along with gold boots. His waist-length cape was white with gold flowers on one side and it was positioned over his left shoulder by a golden rope. Small sparks of electricity danced around him as he floated. He had jet black hair and his blue eyes sparkled as he smiled warmly at them.
"Hi!" he said cheerfully. "I hope you guys don't mind but I felt the fighting so I thought I'd give you a hand."
"We don't mind in the least," Flash said slowly, his mind still trying to comprehend what had just happened.
"Uh no offense," Hawkgirl said as she finally let go of Green Lantern. "But don't you mean that you heard the fight instead of feeling it?"
The stranger looked confused for a minute then laughed. "Sorry," he chuckled. "I can…detect magic and this fellow right here," he nodded towards the creature, "is radiating it like a neon sign! Not that his magic is particularly powerful," he added as an afterthought.
"Well at least that explains why my heat vision didn't have much of an effect," Superman sighed.
"But why didn't my mace work on him?" Hawkgirl frowned in confusion.
Wonder Woman ignored her fellow female and, turning to the stranger, asked, "And what's your name?"
Instantly the man's disappeared and in its place was a thunderous scowl unlike any they had ever seen before (it was even worse than Batman's!). Wonder Woman nervously glanced to either side and was happy to see that the others looked as uneasy as she felt. Despite her Amazonian training she couldn't help but sigh in relief when the scowl turned into a thoughtful look before breaking out into a smile.
"You can call me…Captain Marvel," he declared, finally coming to rest on the ground.
"Well you certainly are one," Green Lantern agreed, clapping their newest ally on the back.
"Thanks," Captain Marvel grinned widely.
It was such a contrast from his previous expression that the Justice League wondered if they had just imagined it. Already the mere thought of an expression so…angry and full of hatred felt out of place on the handsome, good-natured and boyishly eager face. He was practically bouncing up and down as he excitedly conversed with Flash and Green Lantern. Wonder Woman, Superman and J'onn watched the three men talking with something akin to amusement while Hawkgirl continued to fiddle with her mace. Batman frowned and idly fingered a birdarangs even as he wondered just who Captain Marvel really was and how big of a threat he would prove to be.
"So, Captain, where dost thou abide?" Flash asked.
"Huh?" poor Captain Marvel looked so confused that J'onn took pity on him and decided to explain.
"I believe what Flash is trying to ask is where do you live?" the Martian said.
"Oh," Captain Marvel's face cleared and he nodded in understanding. He hesitated a minute then said, "Fawcett City."
"Where's that?" Green Lantern asked.
"I know where that is," Superman said hastily, in a desperate attempt to save his companion's life even as the electricity surrounding Captain Marvel began to spark.
There's no telling how the rest of the conversation could have gone if Hawkgirl's mace hadn't chosen that moment to start working. Excitedly, she swung it in a circle, accidentally striking Captain Marvel square in the chest. With a startled, pain-filled cry he flew backwards, crashing into a wall and knocking it down.
"Sorry!" Hawkgirl called after him.
Batman turned and directed the full force of his "Bat glare" on the hapless Thanagarian. "Hawkgirl," he said severely. "I don't know how things work on Thanagar but on Earth we don't attack potential allies!"
"Agreed," J'onn spoke up. "Perhaps you should offer Captain Marvel an apology."
"Yeah, apologize," Flash chimed in as he raced around them.
Before Hawkgirl had a chance to say anything bricks and rubble came flying at them as a bloodied Captain Marvel emerged from beneath the wall. A look of absolute fury was on his face as he bared his teeth and growled at them. There was a brief moment of silence as they faced each other, Wonder Woman and Superman tensed, both ready to attack should the need arise. After a few more seconds Captain Marvel abruptly leapt into the air and disappeared in a streak of red, white and gold.
"Terrific," Wonder Woman sighed. "Not only did we get our butts kicked by some monster but we just lost a potential new ally."
"Speaking of which, what are we going to do with him?" Green Lantern asked, inclining his head towards the still unconscious monster.
"Not my job!" Flash said quickly before speeding off towards Central City.
"How…juvenile," J'onn commented. "Now if you'll excuse me I must return to my duties at the Watchtower." He levitated into the air before turning invisible.
"I would suggest S.T.A.R. Labs," Batman said. "I need to go; Gotham needs me." He stepped back into the shadows before vanishing.
"How does he do that?" Superman asked no one in particular then grabbed Green Lantern by the arm. "And where do you think you're going?" the Kryptonian raised an eyebrow.
"Um," Green Lantern stammered as he tried to think of something but was finally forced to admit defeat. "S.T.A.R. Labs," he sighed, his shoulders slumping.
"Need any help?" Wonder Woman offered.
"I think we can manage," Superman told her.
"Do you need any help?" Hawkgirl asked Green Lantern as she trailed her fingers down his chest.
Wonder Woman sniggered as the black man blushed and stammered helplessly.
"On second thought maybe I could use your help," Superman admitted.
Wonder Woman smiled in satisfaction. How like a man to change their mind! If men had any common sense they would have handed their world over to women long ago! But that is why she was there after all; to spread peace and harmony on Earth.
"This is never going to work," Lex Luthor stated flatly.
Not even bothering to look up Vandal Savage said, "Are you doubting me, Lex? And after all we've been through…"
He was interrupted by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, a short, bald, easily excited man. "Of course it's going to work!" he howled. "With my, I mean our genius," he corrected after receiving two identical glares, "spear-heading this project what can go wrong?"
"Well for starters the Justice League actually attacking Captain Marvel?" Luthor raised an eyebrow.
Even as Sivana sputtered in fury Savage said, "On that I must agree with Luthor. Our entire plan hinged on them befriending him; not trying to annihilate him!"
"But in a way it works to our advantage!" Sivana protested.
"How?" Luthor and Savage asked simultaneously.
"Um," Sivana racked his brain as he desperately tried to think of something then brightened. "This way, the next time they meet they'll be more concerned with apologizing than figuring out where he came from."
"That's all good and well," Luthor said impatiently. "But what was that little temper tantrum all about?"
"Calm down," Savage sighed heavily. "There were bound to be some…instabilities. Although I will admit that I didn't expect them to be quite so…obvious." He sent another glare at Sivana.
"Not my fault," the scientist snapped. "Just be grateful he didn't go nuclear and destroy them completely!"
"He better not," Luthor growled. "We've come too far to have all our hard work undone by our own hand."
"Agreed," Savage said. "And now if we're done for today I do have some other business to attend to."
"As do I," Luthor rose from his chair and made his way to the door. He took one last look at the television screen which showed Captain Marvel curled up in an alleyway, shivering, before closing the door behind him.
Once he was gone Sivana turned to Savage. "You do know he's going to betray us."
Savage nodded. "I know," he said simply.
"And what do we do?" Sivana demanded.
Savage smiled. "We do…nothing. Captain Marvel will take care of Luthor for us when the time is right, won't you boy?" he addressed the screen where Captain Marvel was now crying himself to sleep. "You'll help us whether you want to or not." Almost as if he had heard him, Captain Marvel began to shake even harder…
A/N: Okay Captain Marvel does seem slightly OC in this story but keep in mind that he's really 10, okay? And no I won't explain what's going on with Luthor, Savage, and Sivana until it's time. But please review and let me know what you think!
