The Power Of Zeus
"Okay," Wally whispered. "I kind of get the thunder and lightning coming out of his fists but how the hell did he make a force field out of lightning?!"
The Young Justice team was currently huddled behind aforementioned force field watching in silent disbelief as Captain Marvel easily dispatched Wonder Woman and sent her flying into a wall.
"I'm not sure," Kaldur replied. "Perhaps when he started yelling, 'Power of Zeus'?"
"I don't care how he made the force field," Artemis snapped. "As long as he takes it down soon. I really have to go to the bathroom."
"What I want to know is how did they even manage to stick that needle in him? I thought he was as invulnerable as Superman," M'gann sounded slightly confused.
"Who cares about the needle?!" Robin snapped. "How in the world is the Justice League supposed to get past Captain Marvel when he's already taken out one of the Green Lanterns plus Wonder Woman and Superman isn't here?!"
"He's got a point," Conner admitted. "I mean I didn't think Wonder Woman could go down that easily and yet he threw her like she was a football."
"Did he just make a metaphor?" Wally asked after a moment of stunned silence.
"Who cares about the metaphor?" Artemis snarled. "I want to go to the bathroom!"
"Then why don't you ask Captain Crazy over there if he'll let you go?" Robin suggested, inclining his head towards the middle of the cave where Captain Marvel was currently in the middle of throwing Aquaman across the room.
Artemis threw him a look that clearly said she thought he was crazy.
"Are you nuts?" Wally hissed. "He'll tear her to shreds."
"I'm not so sure about that," M'gann replied. "I think he's trying to keep us safe."
"Yeah," Conner chimed in. "He threw up the force field only after the rest of the Justice League got here and he hasn't made a single move towards us."
They then winced in unison as Batman went flying through the air and crashed into John Stewart who had just stood back up.
"This isn't working!" Wonder Woman yelled at Batman as she dodged just in the nick of time to avoid another lightning bolt.
"Agreed!" Batman called back to her. "We need Superman and we need him here now!"
"He's on his way," J'onn's voice sounded in their ears via com links. "The volcano situation has been taken care of and he's flying as fast as he can."
"Tell him to go faster!" Flash shouted. "I can't get through the force field! How did he make a force field anyway?"
"What I want to know is why the good Captain is behaving in this fashion," Aquaman sounded greatly puzzled. Captain Marvel had always seemed like a non-violent, friendly fellow and all of a sudden he had gone crazy and started attacking the Justice League! It just didn't make any sense.
"What's going on?" Superman asked as he flew into the room then had to dodge some lightning. "Any idea why he's acting this way?"
Batman shook his head. "None whatsoever and we can't get close enough to the kids to ask them."
Superman frowned and he used his x-ray vision to scan the fellow Justice Leaguer that was currently hovering in the air, a frightened, crazed look on his face. He could just barely see the puncture wound on his back and sighed. Captain Marvel had been drugged. Terrific. "Superboy," he said in a low voice, knowing that his clone would catch it. "Have Miss Martian set up a telepathic link between myself and Captain Marvel and only the two of us."
Superboy nodded and turned to his green-skinned companion.
Seconds later Superman heard the alien's voice in his head as she told him the link was set up then fell silent. Captain Marvel? He asked hesitantly.
Captain Marvel froze. Superman? Where are you? He sounded frightened.
In front of you, had it been any other situation the Man of Steel would have been amused but as it was he was only saddened.
All I see are monsters trying to kill the kids, was the reply.
You've been drugged; no doubt with a powerful hallucinogenic. It's making you see things that aren't there. No one's attacking the team, Billy; it's just the Justice League. All we want is to take them home but we can't unless you let us past.
How do I know that you're Superman?
Your real name is Billy Batson and you live in an abandoned apartment building, one floor above a hooker named Miss Bambi who thought I was a child predator and threatened to call the police on me, now Superman's voice was amused. Use the Wisdom of Solomon to see if I'm telling the truth, Billy. I've never lied to you before; why would I start now?
Captain Marvel hesitated before lowering himself to the ground in front of Superman. He reached out with a finger and poked Superman in the chest. "You're real," he whispered then collapsed.
Superman caught the other man and lifted him in his arms. Captain Marvel surprisingly wasn't that heavy and he was happy to see that the force field had disappeared. "Are you kids okay?" he asked.
"We're fine," Superboy answered; his eyes on the unconscious man in Superman's arms. "Will he be okay?"
Superman smiled. "He should be just fine. The hallucinogen should wear off in a couple of hours and then he'll be good as new."
"He didn't try to hurt us," Artemis butted in. "Only you guys."
"We noticed," Batman grumbled as he began dusting himself off. "But why would he attack just us and not them as well?"
Superman was quiet for a minute then said, "Because his instincts told him who was the threat and who wasn't." And with that he turned and marched out of the cave, the Young Justice team trailing behind him as Flash laughed over the expression on Batman's face.
"Is he all right?" Kaldur wasted no time in asking two hours later when Superman finally emerged from the Medical Lab.
"He'll be fine," Superman assured the anxious looking group of youngsters and felt oddly proud when they all heaved sighs of relief. "Why don't we go somewhere private?" he suggested. "We need to talk."
"So what's up?" Artemis asked once they were standing next to the bio-ship.
"You're going to ask Captain Marvel to join the Young Justice team, aren't you?" Superman crossed his arms and waited for an answer.
"How…" Robin stared then nodded when he realized something. "Super hearing. Yes we are planning to ask him."
"We just weren't sure if he'd think it was a demotion or not," M'gann explained.
"Yeah," Wally chimed in. "Since he's already in the Justice League we weren't sure if he'd think it was an insult or…"
Superman interrupted him with a laugh. "Trust me when I say that Captain Marvel will think it's the greatest honor in the world to join you guys. In fact, if you want, we can probably arrange it with Batman and the others so that he can be your permanent den mother. Of course we'll still have others taking over when he has to go home but that should mean you guys get a little bit more freedom."
"Awesome!" Wally cheered.
"But since he's joining us won't that mean that they'll no longer consider him a suitable den mother?" Conner asked in confusion.
Superman smiled evilly. "Leave that to me," he said then both he and Conner cocked their heads to the side. "He's awake," Superman announced. "And he wants to see you. Tell him that I'll be by later. Oh and when you ask him he's probably going to tell you something. When he does, don't freak out." And with that Superman took off, flying towards the zeta beams where, seconds later they heard his departure being announced.
"Well what are we waiting for?" M'gann exclaimed. "Let's go see him!"
The Young Justice team took off, M'gann flying while the others ran all except for Wally who was currently wearing a path into the floor where he was waiting for them. They burst into the room, startling Batman and Wonder Woman who were standing next to the bed. The only people not surprised was J'onn who had no doubt felt their excitement and Captain Marvel who literally light up upon seeing them.
"You're all right!" the man said happily, struggling to sit up.
"Thanks to you," M'gann said, smiling.
"We need to go but we'll see you later, Captain," Wonder Woman said as the other three adults nodded in assent and hastily left.
"I hope I didn't scare you guys or anything," Captain Marvel's blue eyes worriedly scanned them for any sign of injury.
"We are fine," Kaldur assured him.
"In fact we wanted to ask you something," Wally said. "So, ask away, Robin."
Robin glared at the speedster who merely flashed him an unrepentant smile then turned to Captain Marvel and said, "We were wondering if you would like to join our team…"
He was cut off by a breeze as Captain Marvel leapt from his hospital bed and excitedly flew around them for a few minutes before settling back on his bed. "You mean it?" his eyes were wide with hope as he stared at them.
"Of course," Artemis said. "I mean, you're like…family anyways and you spend more time with us than with the Justice League so we figured we might as well make it official."
"Yippee!" he cheered then quickly sobered. "But before I accept I need to tell you guys something."
"What?" Conner asked.
"You might want to stand back for this, especially you, Superboy. The last time I did this I almost electrocuted Superman." Before they had a chance to ask him what he meant he took a step back and said, "Shazam."
They all flinched as a bolt lightning struck the bed. After the smoke cleared they all coughed then their jaws dropped and eyes widened as they took notice of the little boy sitting on the bed.
"Hi," he said cheerfully. "My name's Billy Batson."
"You're a kid!" Wally shouted.
"So?" Billy's eyes were narrowing.
Quickly picking up on the feelings of rejection M'gann said, "Well that means you're even more perfect for us than we realized!"
"Yeah," Conner agreed, recovering from his initial shock.
"Does Batman know?" Robin asked.
Billy shook his head. "Nope," he said proudly. "The only people that know are you guys and Superman."
"That's cool," Kaldur said unexpectedly.
"So you still want to join us?" Artemis asked.
Billy grinned widely. "Sure!" he yelled happily.
A/N: Hope you guys liked. Okay, here's what happened: YJ and CM team up to take down drug dealers. Drug dealer manages to stab CM with needle. CM goes crazy and takes them down then tries to protect YJ.
The next story will be much, much more sad and heartbreaking. I will probably create a category for the graphic novel, 'Kingdom Come' soon which any fan of Captain Marvel must read (take tissues though, very sad). So keep your eyes peeled for any stories for that category. Please review and let me know what you think!