Justice League: New Blood
A/N: This is the first part of a fic I'm writing featuring a new future version of the Justice League comprising of second-generation legacy characters I've created. I know that the Justice League Unlimited of the 'Batman Beyond' reality is considered the 'official' future of the DCAU, but I think it's fairly plausible that it is merely one among several 'possible' futures for our heroes and their legacies…
Some of the legacy characters I've mentioned here are based on existing characters in the comics, whose origins and personalities I've somewhat tweaked to suit my purposes. I've also tried to remain largely faithful to DCAU continuity, but may have taken a few liberties here and there.
All characters are therefore directly or indirectly properties of DC Comics and Warner Bros.
Part 1: Legacies
Daughter of the Knight
Helena Kyle had almost everything in life.
She was nineteen, strikingly beautiful, tall, athletic and graceful. She lived in a penthouse apartment in the heart of Gotham City, owned a Jaguar, and a Harley Davidson motorbike. She had money, she had talent; she was a straight A student with a promising career in law lying before her…
But the one thing she did not possess was the one thing most human beings would give their lives for…
Happiness.
Helena Kyle was an unhappy young woman, plagued by a traumatic past of violence, desertion, blood feuds and death. Always death.
She was born in New York City to Selena Kyle, a wealthy socialite turned social activist. Her father had apparently deserted her mother after he discovered her pregnancy. Which suited her mother quite well; she apparently didn't want anything more to do with the bastard, and was quite capable, financially and psychologically, of raising the child on her own.
Thus, though she was amply fond of her mother, Helena invariably found herself yearning for a father figure for most of her formative years.
Another thing young Helena was quick to notice about her life was that there was hardly any constancy. She and her mother would live in a particular place for anywhere between six months to a year; eighteen months at longest, before they would leave and start over someplace else. Her mother reassured her by telling her that it was because of the work she did, the true nature of which Helena was never told. There would sometimes be periods when her mother left her for weeks on end with a nanny or a governess. Helena hated these periods. But her mother always returned and spent a lot of time with her in compensation…
When Helena was a teenager, her mother decided to confide in her the truth. Or at least, as Helena later learned, a significant portion of it. Selena Kyle admitted to her daughter that she was on the run. She had once helped expose a gang of criminals who were determined to hunt her down and kill her. This was why they were constantly on the run, in order to evade their pursuers. Selena further admitted that during her occasional absences, she collaborated with 'certain people' who were hunting that gang of criminals and were providing her with information which would allow her to continue to successfully dodge them. Helena was never told exactly who the criminals, nor was she told who her mothers mysterious allies were, though she assumed at the time that they were the police.
Selena had apparently chosen to entrust her daughter with this information in order to prepare her in case of any adverse circumstance in future. Selena took Helena to various instructors who trained her in the martial arts, combat maneuvers, ninja tactics, and even in the use of weapons, including crossbows, knives and guns. Helena wasn't so keen on the training at first, but she gradually developed a liking for it. Her instructors were intensely pleased with her skill and prowess, as was Selena, who was proud of her daughter.
When Helena was fifteen, she and her mother moved back to Gotham, to the penthouse apartment she currently lived in. This time, the move was permanent, for Selena displayed none of the restlessness she normally acquired after any length of time in a new place. Her absences were more frequent by this point, but Helena didn't mind so much now. For once in life, she could focus completely on her academics and athletics, both of which she excelled in.
But her stability and happiness was short-lived. For one day, shortly after Helena's graduation from high school, her mother was discovered dead one morning in a sewer, her skull having been ripped apart by powerful bullets and her face and body utterly mutilated by a knife. The mere sight of her mother's corpse, when the police summoned her to identify it, was enough to drive Helena to the brinks of insanity…but she managed to remain sane, by turning her grief to sorrow and rage, and letting it explode from within her…
Helena, at the time, would have dearly loved to have torn apart the evil men who had killed her mother, the only family she had ever had. But that was just a fantasy born of violent emotions then. She had no practical means of finding the men who had killed her mother, let alone taking them down.
Until approximately three weeks after her mother's death, she was sent a package from London by a reputed firm of solicitors whom her mother had dealt with in the past. The solicitors informed her that as per instructions given to them by the late Selena Kyle, the package was to be delivered to her daughter three weeks after her death or disappearance.
Helena opened the package and discovered several pages of a long letter, as well as notes, all written by her mother. Also enclosed were several photographs. The sheer volume of the information her mother had sent her from beyond the grave was enough to overwhelm Helena; the actual information itself nearly sent her to the brinks of insanity again…
Finally, after all these years, her mother had chosen to confess…everything…
Everything…
And Helena, for one agonizing moment after the realization of what she had just read had fully sunk in, truly felt that she could have killed her mother, if she had been alive, for hiding all this from her…
The letter began with an apology to Helena, from her mother, for hiding all this from her for all these years. It then proceeded with her mother's…confession…
Selena Kyle had, over two decades ago, been the notorious cat burglar known as Catwoman.
Helena was shocked to say the least at this first revelation. She had never enquired as to the source of her mother's wealth, though she had never believed her mother could have been connected with anything remotely criminal…but connected she was, and Selena had taken the trouble to explain why…
She told a story she had never told Helena before…a story of a past of desperation and violence in the slums of Gotham City; thievery being the only means of survival. She spoke of a growing love for cats, and by extension, for a large part of the animal kingdom. She spoke of a gradual rise towards moderate prosperity through both legal and illegal means, and of her transformation, also gradual, from petty thief to social crusader and animal-rights activist. And of the creation of her feline alter ego, Catwoman.
For years, Catwoman had been on the wrong side of the law in Gotham City, and more often that not at odds with its caped protectors. But over a period of time, having acquired the resources she needed to fund her life, and her social interests, and growing weary of the criminal lifestyle, she ended up slowly but surely becoming one of the many vigilantes protecting the city from crime and corruption.
As if these revelations weren't startling enough, there was an even more shocking revelation for Helena Kyle. The identity of her father…
He was Bruce Wayne.
Bruce Wayne, billionaire socialite, industrialist and philanthropist. Bruce Wayne, the CEO of the highly successful Wayne Enterprise, founder of the respected and revered Wayne Foundation. Helena had even met him once, at an awards ceremony at her school; she'd even shaken hands with him! And all along, he had been her father…
As if there hadn't been enough deception associated with her past already, Helena was soon to uncover more…
For Bruce Wayne, like her mother, wasn't exactly all he appeared to be.
He was in reality, according to Selena's letter, secretly Gotham's fabled Dark Knight himself; the Batman.
Helena was paralyzed for a few minutes. She had to read and re-read that part again and again until it sunk in…until the whole truth, the whole insanity that was here past could be fully appreciated by her…
Not only was her previously unmentioned, absolutely unheard of 'deserter' father one of the richest and most influential businessmen in the country, if not the world; he was also secretly a legendary crime-fighter much revered not only by the whole of Gotham City, but even some in the world beyond its boundaries!
Having accepted the fact that her father was one of the greatest crime-fighters of his time, and that her mother was one of the most accomplished criminals of her time, Helena went on to read the story of how criminal and crusader first met…
Batman and Catwoman invariably ended up crossing paths several time on the rooftops of Gotham City, given that they were on opposite sides of the law. And yet the Batman, usually so harsh on his opponents, always demonstrated a slight tenderness for the feline perpetrator, so much so as to enable her to evade the long arm of the law on several occasions…indeed, it was the Batman's growing affection for his foe, whom he had sensed was not genuinely a bad person at heart unlike so many others in his little 'Rogue's Gallery', that played a modest part in her eventual reformation. Catwoman for her part was equally infatuated with the Dark Knight; enough for her to subsequently abandon her life as a criminal and become one of his many allies in his battle against injustice and evil…
Batman and Catwoman worked together against the dark forces eternally at play in Gotham and slowly but surely fell in love, with Batman even going as far as to reveal his true identity to his former foe. However, their relationship was far from stable, ever, and when the situation became too hot to handle in Gotham for her, Selena left him, never even informing him of the fact that she was carrying his child…
The reason why Selena had to flee was directly connected with the life on the run Helena had experienced for most of her early life. While operating as a vigilante in Gotham, Selena had run afoul of the Mob, specifically a particularly violent faction of the Mob under a ruthless criminal mastermind called Black Mask. After months of endless conflict, Catwoman ultimately ended up doing what none of Gotham's other protector's would have done: she killed. She killed Black Mask.
It hadn't been intentional. It was self-defense. And no one blamed her for what happened. Except Batman, but then again, he always had a strong code against killing, one he had never violated under any circumstance. Ever.
But the ramifications of her actions proved severe. For the Black Mask had an heir. And the remnants of the Mob targeted Catwoman for destruction. At first, Selena had been confident that her secret identity would protect her. But the Mob soon discovered it, and used their knowledge in the most brutal manner ever; and the mere reading of this long-forgotten horrifying chapter of her past was enough to make Helena's skin crawl and haunt her with the most terrifying nightmares night after night…
The Mob kidnapped the infant Helena Kyle.
A desperate Selena sought the aid of her former allies. Batman himself had been out of town on another case, one in collaboration with the Justice League, but his partners were more than willing to help. They'd all contributed to the search efforts, but the one person who had succeeded in rescuing the child, and lost her life in the process, was the super-heroine and close friend of her mother's Helena had been named after; Helena Bertinelli AKA The Huntress.
But neither the late Huntress nor any of Batman's other allies were aware of the truth behind the child's parentage. Selena herself had stated in the letter that Bruce most likely never knew, or never cared to find out. He himself had made arrangements and provided resources, both financial and technical, to allow Selena Kyle to go underground and hide successfully from the Mob, but he never enquired as to the identity of her child…
For years, Selena had lived a life on the run. But occasionally, just occasionally, she decided to take the fight back to her enemy's doorstep as she temporarily assisted Gotham's protectors in their quest against the Mob, sometimes as herself, but more often than not as Catwoman. These then, were her 'long absences' which Helena had often wondered about.
When Selena had assisted in the capture of three mob leaders who were the ringleaders of the faction that had targeted her, she had decided that it was safe to return to Gotham permanently, daughter in toe. Besides, in Gotham, they could be protected, and in any case, Helena had training…
But the people who wanted Selena Kyle dead did not stay in prison for long. And the moment they'd been sprung out, they arranged for their enemy to be hunted down and murdered in the most brutal manner.
This then, was the true story behind the life of Helena Kyle…a story she had been shielded from, but no longer…
Selena had enclosed the identities and whatever information she had about the members of the gang that had targeted her for all these years. She had, in her letter, instructed Helena to either approach the authorities with the information, or to contact one of Batman's associates, all of whose details and photographs were enclosed in the package.
Helena did neither.
Her blood had boiled at the horror and agony her mother had gone through for all those years leading up to the moment of her death. She wanted revenge…she wanted to see the men who had killed her mother die before her very eyes…she wanted to kill them herself…
And she would do it without anyone's help. Without the assistance of either the authorities, whom she wasn't convinced could be entirely trusted, or of the Batman and his allies. She especially didn't want to seek help of any sort from the man who had fathered her and then abandoned her, without even bothering to find out about her existence…
She had the training. She had the skill. She had the information. And while rummaging through some of her mother's old possessions, she found something else. An old costume. A costume worn by the Huntress, the woman who'd saved her life when she was barely an infant…
An identity.
It took weeks, but she explored Gotham's dark underbelly night after night, terrorizing its seedier inhabitants, just as a certain Dark Knight and his allies once used to, and she discovered the whereabouts of the men responsible. And once she found them she struck mercilessly! She killed the hitmen who had actually 'done the deed' where her mother's death was concerned. She shot them dead with a pair of .22 pistols. And then she shot the man who had ordered her mother's death in the leg with a crossbow…the other conspirators she hurled from a four storey building…one died in hospital a week later, the other survived, just barely…
She had her revenge. Justice; her particularly violent brand of justice, had been delivered. And only one question remained in her mind: Now what?
Before her mother's death, she had a well-planned life, full of dreams and ambitions she was getting closer to achieving everyday…she had been happy, satisfied, content…
But that was the old Helena Kyle. The one who had ceased to exist the moment she finished reading the letter which revealed she was the daughter of Batman and Catwoman. She had learnt of a saga of revenge and bloodshed which she had brought to a bloody, but satisfying, conclusion. But now that revenge was complete for the new Helena Kyle, what next? She certainly couldn't go back to being who she had been. She would have to remain who she was now. And who she was now was a murderer. It didn't matter that the men she had murdered were murderers themselves. They had deserved what they got. But she was revolted with herself for what she had had to become to end their reign of terror…and she found that she could scarcely live with the fact.
So she put away her costume and weapons and retired to the peaceful civilian life she'd once led. But the nightmares and memories of what she'd done returned to haunt her every night. And so, invariably, the Huntress took to the streets once more, letting her frustrations out on Gotham's underworld, taking down criminals, be they muggers or mob enforcers, for simply no other reason than a blind desire to fight the people who perpetuated the evil which killed her mother, and had turned her into a killer…
Helena Kyle was an unhappy person. But she would be lying if she said that the Huntress within her was not satisfied by the adrenaline-soaked 'adventures' of the previous night…
* * *
The Child of Tomorrow
Conner Kent was not an ordinary boy.
He was ordinary in every aspect externally. He was sixteen years old, had black hair, blue eyes, and a great physique. He was a dedicated soccer and baseball fan and a fairly good student. His mother was Lois Lane, a well-known Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and now novelist, who still wrote occasionally for her former newspaper, the Daily Planet. And his father was the late Clark Kent, also a reporter at the Daily Planet, who had died while covering a terrorist incident overseas, when Conner was around three.
It was only when Conner turned thirteen, that his mother told him the truth. That his father, Clark Kent had been the first and greatest ever among all superheroes; literally a living legend…Superman, the Man of Steel.
And this revelation utterly and completely shocked Conner.
The fact that his father, whom he barely remembered, had also been one of the greatest heroes in history was overwhelming enough. And with it came the realization that he was half-alien!
His Kryptonian heritage was one of the reasons why Lois had chosen to tell Conner the truth. Since he had been the first-ever human-kryptonian, no one had been able to predict what form his superhuman abilities, if any, would take. When Conner was born, and as he grew older, he exhibited no extraordinary traits, apart from an above-normal IQ and an unusual resilience to disease and to injury, so for the most part, both Superman and Lois had believed that their son was, for all intents and purposes, a normal human boy. Superman in particular was greatly relieved at this, because it would mean that his son would live a normal life, without any deception, and that he would never have to know, at least not until he was significantly older, that his father was the famed Man of Steel.
Superman had continued to hold this belief at the time of his death.
That unfortunate event had occurred in a massive crisis that stuck the entire world, when a being called the Anti-Monitor sought to destroy all creation. Superman led entire armies of superheroes against the Anti-Monitor, and spearheaded the struggle for mankind's survival…and ultimately gave the ultimate sacrifice for his adopted home. Superman was slain in battle against the Anti-Monitor…and the world was plunged into mourning.
Superman was given a state funeral, with dignitaries from around the world, even from other galaxies, arriving to pay their last respects to the greatest hero that ever lived. Lois Lane herself was inconsolable, but through all this, her determination to carry out her late husband's wishes remained; Conner would never know who his father was and how he really died…not until the time was right, even if it never was. Instead, 'Clark Kent's' death abroad was faked, a quite private funeral was held, and Connor grew up thinking his father to have been nothing more than a dedicated and respected journalist.
But it seemed that the legacy of Superman still continued to exist within Conner; in his DNA to be more precise. His kryptonian heritage, dormant for most of his life, had suddenly begun to slowly but surely manifest itself. Conner's strength and endurance began to increase to mildly superhuman levels, as did his sensory capabilities. In time, he became almost impervious to injury. And he could, if he made an effort, leap buildings in a single bound, or even hover a foot in the air for a few seconds if he really tried.
Lois realized that no purpose could be served by keeping the boy in the dark from his heritage any longer. So she revealed to him the truth. And the boy was understandably shocked and overwhelmed.
But now, three years had passed since that fateful day and Conner was by now starting to have serious apprehensions about his future. His goal in life was to enter the media line, preferably in the field of television, though his mother would have preferred if he became a newspaper reporter instead. However, as his powers slowly evolved, Conner began to wonder what else would be in store for him in future. His mother did not seem to have any expectations of him where his power was concerned, except that he should hide them. But Conner often wondered whether she would expect him to someday follow in his father's footsteps…and that in itself was a scary thought!
Scary because Superman was the world's greatest hero, even if he was only a memory now, and while many kids dreamt of being like him, the actual process of becoming like him would be near impossible! It was not merely powers that made Superman; this was something Conner had known back in the early years when he'd simply read about Superman's past exploits without realizing his personal relationship with the Last Son of Krypton. And no one, no matter how heroic, could live up to his legacy! Not even his own son…
And it seemed increasingly likely to Connor that he too suffered from the stresses of a 'double life'…much like he was certain his father did, balancing the two identities of mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent and the legendary hero, Superman. Except that his 'double life' was something that existed solely in his mind…and in his anxieties. On one hand he was Conner Kent, the son of two reporters, a normal urban teenage boy in every respect. On the other hand, he was secretly Superman's son, a human-alien hybrid with developing superhuman abilities, who would never be able to live up to his father's legacy and was therefore terrified to even try. And let if he, possessing the power to save so many lives, did not even try to save them, being who he was…was that any better?
The battle raged on inside his mind every single day, becoming even more furious as time went by. And Conner had no one to confide in. No one to talk to. He didn't dare talk to his mother about it because he was apprehensive of what she would say…that she would admit to him what he always feared she thought; that he was weak and unworthy of being Superman's son. For his mother had worshipped Superman and everything he stood for. And it was more than likely that she desired a similar fate for her son…
Connor Kent began to marvel at how being the son of a Superman could become such a curse to an individual…
* * *
The Winged Warrior
Rex Stewart spread his wings outwards and let the cool breeze blow past his face and through his black hair, as he took to the skies, lifting himself higher and higher, until the land and the fields below seemed a distant blur. The sky was all that he was close to, now. The sky was now his only home. The only place he felt truly safe. The only place where he experienced pure happiness.
Ironically enough, Rex's wings, unlike those of his mother Shayera, were not natural. For he was not a pure Thanagarian, like she was, but instead a human-Thanagarian hybrid. Shayera Hol, once known to the world as Hawkgirl, was his Thanagarian mother. His human father was the late John Stewart, respected and revered member of the Green Lantern Corps who, until his death nearly five years ago, had been Green Lantern of Sector 2814.
Rex's parents had both been superheroes. They had both in fact been founding members of the first major superhero group to have ever existed; the Justice League. It was where they had first met and where they had fallen in love. But an attempted invasion of Earth from Thanagar and Hawkgirl's initial role in it, had challenged the strong bond of their relationship…even after Hawkgirl betrayed her own people in order to save her adopted planet and the people she had protected for years as a winged warrior. Eventually, Hawkgirl earned her redemption and was forgiven and even welcomed back into the fold by her fellow teammates, but it took a long time, years in fact, before she and John rekindled their relationship.
The product of that relationship was Rex, named after John's best friend Rex Mason, who himself had been a superhero named Metamorpho who died an unfortunate and tragic death in the same crisis which also led to the death of Earth's greatest hero, Superman.
John Stewart himself had been killed in space during a massive battle between the Green Lantern Corps and followers of their dreaded arch-enemy, Sinestro.
Shayera had long since quit what she called the 'hero business' in order to give her son the benefit of a normal childhood. With the help of a 'friend' of hers, a certain Carter Hall, Shayera was able to acquire an identity as his distant cousin, 'Shiera Hall', and got a lucrative job as a museum curator and supervisor in Midway City. Shiera was now one of the co-owners of the museum, with its patrons being largely unaware of the fact that she had once been the famous Hawkgirl; her bespectacled prim and proper demeanor, and her hair tied severely in a bun took care of that. Shayera had once told her son that it was the same methodology Superman had applied where his civilian identity of Clark Kent was concerned. Rex had not really believed her, at first.
Rex of course, had always known about his heritage. That would have been quite impossible for his parents to hide; given that his mother had wings and his father was publicly known to be the member of an intergalactic peace-keeping force. However, when he and his mother had decided to go 'underground', the fact that Rex had no wings of his own made the concealment of his identity from the world all the more easier. All it required was a change of name from Rex Stewart to Rex Hall.
But one thing Rex always yearned for was the chance to reach for the skies. He supposed it had something to do with his Thanagarian heritage, although his human father had spent a vast among of time in the skies, in outer space to be more precise, as well. And technology provided by Carter Hall and modified by his mother's old friend and ally, the Martian Manhunter, enabled him to realize that dream. His anti-gravity harness was powered by the Thanagarian element called the Nth metal, while his artificial wings served much the same purpose as his mother's natural wings did in helping him maneuver himself in the skies…
As he stared down at the world below from his lofty perch, the eighteen year old young man could not but help marvel at the sheer overwhelming sense of power and supremacy a man felt when he was in the sky. In the sky, one felt akin to a God who looked down upon mere mortal men. Rex often wondered how the great heroes like his father, his mother, Superman and Wonder Woman retained their sense of humility while simultaneously possessing the power to bask in the eternal glory of the sky like Gods. He supposed it was a testament to their noble spirits that they weren't drunk by their power.
Rex too aspired to ride in those very waves of nobility. He felt it was his birthright and in a way, it most certainly was. No one, least of all his mother, could hope to deter him from his chosen path. Both his parents had been heroes; heroism had been their sole purpose in life. His father had begun his heroic journey long before he wielded the great power of a power ring, with a distinguished career in the US Marine Corps; before he went on to serve the galaxy as a member of the Green Lantern Corps before finally returning to his native planet and helping defend it as a member of the Justice League. His mother had been a law enforcement agent on Thanagar, then a military spy, then a superhero and member of the Justice League and then, briefly, a traitor and saboteur. Both his parents had experienced the trials and tribulations of being a hero, along with the adulations of the masses; they'd seen and experienced the good side and the bad and literally lived, and in John's case, even died as heroes. And so it was natural that their only child would walk down that path as well…which Rex was already determined to. It was why he was practicing flying, why he had already acquired a costume and a mask, why he had already received weapons' training both from his mother, and from Carter Hall…
He was going to become Hawkman.
He already was Hawkman. It was only a question of revealing himself to the world.
And with that pleasant thought in his mind, he landed gently in the middle of the cornfield, and made his way back to the farmhouse where he was spending the weekend. The farmhouse which was occupied by his best friend…
* * *
The Crimson Archer
Oliver Queen II was in the living room of his farmhouse, a bow in one hand, and an arrow drawn from a quiver presently lying on the floor in his other. With the precision and concentration expected of a brain surgeon, he carefully aimed the arrow at the exact centre of the dart-board, carefully estimated distances and trajectories and…let loose.
It was a perfect bulls-eye! For the tenth time that evening!
But Oliver Queen expected no less than perfection when it came to his archery skills. After all, he was the son of the original Oliver Queen, who had been the famous Green Arrow, the Emerald Archer of Star City. He had been trained, since childhood, in the skill of archery which both his father Oliver and his 'uncle' Roy had excelled in. There had always been an unspoken understanding between Oliver and his father that a time would come when he would assume the mantle of the Green Arrow. But the mantle of the Green Arrow had been assumed, in the interim, by Oliver's other, much older son, Connor Hawke, Oliver II's half-brother, who had died a few years ago. Since then, the mantle had remained untouched, left that way largely in memory of Conner, with Roy refusing to assume it despite some mild urging on Oliver I's part. And Oliver II himself had decided to assume a separate identity altogether, one distinct from that of the Green Arrow, and yet based on it: the Red Arrow.
He had the costume, but Oliver knew he still needed a lot more training, and practice, before he was able to truly take over the 'family business'.
Oliver laid down his bow and arrow and stared at himself in the mirror. He was tall, muscular, with blond hair much like that of his father and blue eyes like both his parents. The nineteen year old grinned at himself as he thought; at least he soon be using his skills, modest though they were, to do some good in the world. Unlike his twin sister who was being groomed, more or less, to become more of a supermodel, than a superhero…
* * *
The Blonde Bombshell
Dinah Laurel Queen stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was nineteen, tall, though not quite as tall as her brother Oliver or either of her parents, with long blonde hair and deep blue eyes.
She looked the splitting image of her mother and of her grandmother (whom she'd never met), save for her hair, which was blond rather than brown, unlike theirs. However, her blond hair did make her the splitting image of her mother's alter ego, Black Canary, superheroine and 'blonde bombshell'. Furthermore, Dinah, unlike her twin brother, had inherited their mother's supersonic 'canary cry'. It was therefore no surprise that Dinah had been groomed, since the start of her adolescence, to become the third Black Canary.
However, it was clear to all, as she was often annoyingly reminded by her brother, that it took more than a costume, a name or powers to make a Black Canary. The previous Black Canary's had style, but they also had spunk; they stunned the world not only with their looks, but with their aggression and fighting spirit. Something which Dinah, unfortunately, seemed to be sorely lacking in.
She was extremely adept at ballet dancing but less than masterful at gymnastics. She had very reluctantly consented to martial arts training, and she had over time, become moderately skilled at it, though she, and others around her, strongly doubted if she would ever have the drive to put use that training in the practical arena.
And let, in spite of all that, Dinah did nurse an intense desire to become Black Canary. She craved the glamour and the celebrity associated with the role. But the fact remained that it was far more than just a role; it was a mission, a responsibility…and Dinah wasn't at all convinced she could handle that aspect of it.
How often Dinah wished that superheroes could enjoy the glamour and the popularity associated with the job shorn of all the inherent danger usually involved! And yet, she knew that it simply could never be so…the legend of the Black Canary which she sought to monopolize, had been built up over a period of years, decades even, through the risks and efforts of her mother and her grandmother before her…she knew that if she was to become the rightful heir of the proud legacy of the 'blonde bombshell'; fishnet stockings and glamour and all, then she had to prove herself in the other, more profound aspects of the mantle…somehow…
* * *
The Fastest Woman Alive
Iris West let her long flaming red hair trail behind her as she raced through the streets of Central City, literally in a flash. Though she was moving so fast that her features, indeed her mere presence, were incomprehensible to any observers, save for a fast gust of wind that must no doubt have rushed past them, she still wore the costume her mother, Linda Park-West had recently designed for her. The yellow costume, with the red lightening bolt in the centre of the white circle on her chest and the 'mask' which covered all but her head and her lower jaw, was what would someday identify her to the world as the daughter of the Flash.
She knew that the 'daughter of the Flash' was hardly an appropriate name for any self-respecting superhero. But somehow, she could hardly bring herself to accept the name 'Flash' which she felt was somehow too masculine and in any case, she felt too young and inexperienced to assume that identity. And the name 'Kid Flash' did not appeal to her at all.
Her younger brother, Barry West, who also possessed the power of super-speed they had inherited from their father, Wally West, one day dreamed of becoming the Flash. But Barry was only twelve, and certainly too young to become the Scarlet Speedster. Which meant that it was up to Iris to uphold the family legacy for now…when she was ready. Her father had already trained her in the use of her Speed Force-derived abilities, and she now remained confident of revealing herself to the world in the near future. True, she was only sixteen and a half, but then again, her father himself had actually started out at a slightly younger age than that, playing Kid Flash to his uncle Barry Allen, the original Flash.
Iris had inherited her father's somewhat rash and impulsive nature, as well as his fun-loving spirit. She did lack his sense of humor, unlike her brother Barry, but from what she'd heard from her mother Linda, and from other former members of the legendary Justice League, Flash's sense of humor, much appreciated though it was, had always been considered somewhat of a hindrance in his progress as a hero. In fact, Shayera Hol, once the famous (and briefly infamous) Hawkgirl even jokingly told Iris that she would grow to be, if not a funny, then at least a more focused hero than her father. She knew that Shayera's late, known to her as 'Uncle John' and once known to the world as 'Green Lantern' would have liked the idea of her being a focused hero…
With the exception of the near-immortal virtually ageless J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, Wally had, until fairly recently, been the last active member of the Justice League from the original roster. But Wally had finally decided to call it a day and hang up the suit, except for 'special occasions' like guest appearances at functions and events and the occasionally re-emergence of an old Central City Rogue. Not that Central City desperately needed a hero for the time being, as the crime rates were at an all time low, in stark contrast to Gotham City, where there was still enough to keep the Batman's allies and successors busy. But Iris knew that her father's semi-retirement had left a void…a void which she hoped to fill. The world had lived for thirteen years without a Superman…but the Flash had lasted for all those years, and it would be a shame for the proud legacy of the Fastest Men Alive to simply die out…even if a woman had to take their place!
* * *
The Prince of the Seas
At the time of his birth, he was christened Orin II, but the name he was known by to his family and friends, and even his closest advisors, was Arthur Curry Jr.; a homage to the name given to his father when he was raised on the surface world by a lighthouse keeper, Tom Curry. His father in time grew up to become the legendary hero Aquaman and swiftly acquired the title 'King of the Seas', a title which gained legitimacy when he reclaimed his birthright and assumed control of the throne of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. But Aquaman's heroic ventures both on sea and on land endured as he associated himself with the superhero group known to the surface-dwellers as the Justice League. Aquaman had thus become a living legend in both world, tales of his glory and his victories treated in Atlantis like fables of Gods!
But glory always has a price. And in the case of Aquaman, the price was too high. For the king of Atlantis was once lured into a trap by his treacherous brother, Orm, under the guise of an attempted reconciliation, and the murderous pirate Black Manta slew his arch-enemy while his accomplice Orm attempted a takeover of the kingdom.
A war ensued between the armies of Atlantis and Orm's faction of traitors. Young Arthur himself led Atlantis to victory. Orm was captured and sentenced to death while his father's actual killer escaped; a fact which, even two years later, continued to haunt him and fill him with blinding fury everytime he even thought about it.
His mother, Queen Mera, assumed control of the throne of Atlantis, while Arthur assumed the title of Prince and royal heir. His mother, and indeed a great many Atlanteans, wanted him to assume control of the kingdom immediately, but Arthur felt that he was still not prepared to become a true leader to his people. He did not feel capable, at present, of filling the void his father's death had left. He knew he could never become 'King of the Seas' unless and until he proved himself, and the only way he could ever do that was to live up to the proud legend of Aquaman…a near impossible task, but one which Arthur was confident he would be able to accomplish, with time, patience and skill.
Already in the surface world, rumors had started to spread, of the return of the legendary hero, Aquaman. Arthur could not fault the surface-dwellers for their error; after all, he did look much like his father did a long time ago, with his wavy blond hair and blue eyes, and muscular physique. He even wore his father's old clothes; an orange shirt with green trousers and the famous belt with an A-shaped buckle…a symbol which had become an icon in both world.
He was Aquaman. He was not yet in any way the equal of his father. But through his deeds thus far he had, at the very least, earned the right to the name.
Earned the right to the mantle.
* * *
The Demon-Child of the Bat
Damian Wayne was hardly an ordinary child.
He was ordinary as far as his body was concerned. Like any other fifteen year old, who wasn't the child of a metahuman; he possessed no superhuman powers, no extraordinary talents either supernatural or extraterrestrial in origin that gave him an extra edge over normal people. He could not fly, or crash the sound barrier, or breathe underwater…and yet his abilities, though not superhuman by any stretch, were nothing short of extraordinary!
For through Damian's veins ran the blood of two legendary men.
He was the son of Bruce Wayne, the renowned caped crusader known to the world as Batman.
And he was also the grandson of the immortal leader of the League of Assassin's, the Demon's Head himself, Ras al Ghul.
Damian's story began years before his birth, when the conflict between Batman and Ras al Ghul began. Ras dreamt of cleansing the world of 'extraneous humanity' and reshaping its destiny to suit his vision. He had prolonged his life span using the supernatural properties of the Lazarus Pits and had spent centuries amassing wealth and power, and building a vast empire dedicated to his crusade…
But Ras knew that even he wouldn't live forever. And when the day finally came when he was no more, he needed an heir; someone to assume control of the empire and carry his legacy forward. He needed, in short, a suitor for his daughter, Talia…
And he had chosen the Batman.
Batman and the Demon's daughter were in love with each other, and yet, the Batman, given his lifelong devotion to the battle against crime and injustice, could never accept Ras's enticing offer, and instead devoted time and effort to thwarting his schemes for global domination and mass genocide whenever necessary. The two men had over time become bitter enemies as a result, though Ras still retained tremendous respect for the 'Detective', as he called the Dark Knight, and perhaps secretly nurtured a wish that someday, Batman might agree to his proposal…
For her part, Talia was torn between her loyalty to her father and her love for Bruce Wayne. Ultimately, love won out, or so it seemed, for Talia abandoned her father and ran away with Bruce instead, marrying him and settling down to a relatively peaceful life in the Wayne Manor. Or as peaceful as life could ever be, being the bride of the Batman…
Damian knew that Batman's 'extended family' had been quite shocked at the union and had always had trouble accepting his mother as part of the 'family', despite their mentor's assurances that she had reformed herself. Talia didn't seem to mind their disapproval much, and simply focused on leading a life of happiness with the love of her life.
And the product of that happy union had been Damian.
For the first few years of his life, Damian lived a life of luxury and privilege, as the first-born son of any billionaire would. But then, his mother decided to change sides again…
The event which had brought about this change of heart had been the death of her father.
Though Bruce had sworn to her that he did not intentionally kill Ras al Ghul; that the Demon's Head had brought about his own destruction by an accident of fate. But Talia was never quite convinced by his explanation; the shock of her father's death had been too much for her…and thus she left Bruce in order to join her sister as an inheritor of the League of Assassins and carry on her father's legacy…with their son…
For years, Damian lived among the mercenaries of his grandfather's League of Assassin's and was trained in lethal skills no child of his age had ever learned…he mastered them in fact. He was molded and reshaped to become, literally, a living weapon! And he had enjoyed it…enjoyed the respect given to him by even the seniormost among the League's ranks, the fear in the eyes of many a minion!
But the dream ended when Damian was thirteen, and was abducted from one of the League's camps in the Libyan Desert by the Batman. The Dark Knight and his allies had traveled across the world in a desperate bid to thwart the latest plot of the League of Assassin's and bring the organization down once and for all. They succeeded in defeating the League, though Talia and her sister Nyassa were also successful; in escaping, that was. But the Batman had a consolation prize; his long-lost son, Damian.
For Damian's part, the shock of capture had receded instantly and been replaced with shock and even mild excitement when he discovered that the fabled Batman was none other than his father, Bruce Wayne, who now offered him a home, and what was more significant, a chance to utilize some of his less insidious skills in a battle against crime sometime in the future.
At first Damian was hesitant to go along with his father. After all, his mother had spent years indoctrinating him into the League of Assassin's, inculcating in him an almost slavish respect for his grandfather's legacy. But the shock of capture, the discovery of his father's identity and even the slight feeling of betrayal he felt at his mother's 'abandonment' of him, all worked in Batman's favor. Damian, on looking back, realized now that Batman and his allies too had been 'brainwashing' him; indoctrinating him so that he could be used as a weapon in their own quest against injustice in Gotham City and beyond. Damian didn't really care much…he was a weapon and he intended to use his skills…he didn't give a damn by this point for which cause, provided the work was…interesting! Besides he had perceived a certain amount of arrogance and condescension on the part of Batman, and especially on the part of his adopted 'sons', and Damian wished to prove himself to his father, and take his rightful place by Batman's side as the 'favored son'!
And so it transpired, that after months of training and indoctrination, Damian was allowed to become a part of Batman's violent world; by becoming the third young lad to take the mantle of Robin. However, on his second night on 'patrol', Damian eagerly grasped what he perceived as an opportunity to exercise lethal force…Batman was impressed by his skill, but revolted by his actions. Damian spent the next few weeks grilled in what he learned was the number one ground rule of the 'Bat-family'; "We don't kill". He spent another few weeks being trained in non-lethal fighting techniques, before he was allowed back into the suit and on the streets.
Damian knew however, that he was yet to have earned his father's trust, even after over a year as Robin. And he knew why…he knew that while Batman saw in him traces of himself, and a reminder of the woman he once loved in the Arabic cast of his features; but he knew also that Batman first and foremost saw in him one of his worst enemies, Ras al Ghul, and as such would never truly be able to overcome his distrust of him. This realization, when it dawned upon Damian, greatly pained him.
And to add insult to injury, there was the attitude of Batman's 'extended family' to consider. They had all disapproved of their mentor's relationship with his mother, and they certainly did not approve of him; perceiving him as a constant reminder of that 'unfortunate' union. At least the attitude of Dick Grayson, Bruce's first ward, was bearable. Dick tried to be friendly, but to a limited extent. He seemed to accord, albeit with reluctance, some kind of respect to Damian. He was essentially, a less cold version of Batman, to Damian's mind. In any case, Dick did not live in the Manor most of the time, though he did drop by frequently. Damian's real issues lay with Bruce's other 'son', Tim Drake.
Tim, in sharp contrast to Dick, went out of his way to be polite to Damian when Damian knew that in reality, Tim positively loathed him. Damian was convinced that Tim resented the fact that Damian had usurped his role as the Boy Wonder and 'corrupted' it with his lethal actions. He also hated Tim for his closeness to the Batman and the fact that Batman considered him his closest ally and confidant even when Tim had ceased to remain Robin. He also resented Tim's continued inhabitance of the Wayne Manor.
And he also resented the closeness between the aged family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, and his father. He hated the fact that his father trusted a mere servant more than he trusted his own son, and that he was often forced to show respect towards a man who, had he still been in the League of Assassin's, he could have ordered killed for insubordination!
Damian's latest frustrations with the dysfunctional 'Bat-clan' revolved around Bruce's current replacement as the Dark Knight. Six months ago, after suffering from a near-fatal heart attack, Bruce Wayne had reluctantly decided to temporarily step down as the Batman and pass on the role to someone else. Dick wasn't willing, as he had his own role as Nightwing to consider. Damian had wanted to offer his own services for the role, but before he even had a chance to voice his 'candidature', Bruce had already nominated…Tim. And now, Damian ruminated, the insufferable son of a bitch was the Dark Knight, and Damian was forced to serve under him as Robin.
Damian had rebelled and thrown a tantrum, and as a result, Bruce had put him on the 'inactive roster'. Bruce still sat in the Batcave, to monitor Tim's missions and, being the fierce taskmaster that he was, put Damian through grueling training sessions. Ultimately, Damian had fled the Batcave and spent his nights secretly wandering the city. Once or twice, Bruce asked Tim to bring him back, and Tim had even succeeded in subduing Damian and bringing him back during those occasions; but Damian kept returning to the night nonetheless, as he had now…
He saw the Signal light up the dark Gotham skies, and he knew that somewhere in the large city, people would witness a black bat-shaped figure dropping from the sky, ready to deliver them salvation if they were innocent and punishment if they were guilty…and he knew vehemently that the man behind the cowl was a mere unworthy pretender…for he, the son of the Batman, was the true inheritor of the mantle…
But he also feared that he would never be considered worthy of it…
For he was the not just the child of the Bat…
He was a Demon's child as well…
And his father would never let him forget that…
A/N: Yeah, I know…a lot of people will be thinking that I've been a bit too partial to Batman in including two Batman-derived legacies, both his children…but I admit I am partial to the Dark Knight as he is my favorite character and I do think having his two very different children on the same team, two dysfunctional half-siblings so to speak, would make for a pretty neat combination!
As far as Barry Allen is concerned, I simply decided to reintroduce the 'Flash Legacy' aspect…more on him in later chapters, though the focus of course, will be on the kids…