A/N: Somehow... I picked three mute characters for this team? I don't even do that on purpose. I guess I just have a thing for overcoming disabilities or something idk. So, obviously sign language is going to be a thing here. They are going to be in italics to define them. All characters are (for the most part) canon characters though I've twisted a few quite a bit to make things interesting (I seem to have a thing for that too). Also, cliche title is cliche but I couldn't come up with a better one, by all means give me some suggestions for better titles. Oh! If anyone guesses Kasumi's real name (or anyone's of the team that I'm not obvious about) bonus internet cookies for you!
The first manner of business, after moving Kyd Wykkyd and Kasumi into a hidden safe house, was to find someone that could go toe-to-toe with a half kryptonian. A very tall order to be filled. And one they were having… difficulty with. Luthor was all set to try cloning again but the other members of the Light were less enthused with the idea. After the first clone was, quite simply put, all instinct and no brain and the second only developed a handful of the original's powers, cloning Superman seemed ill advised at best. It didn't help matters that they no longer had a source of kryptonian DNA to use for a clone.
So, the kryptonian problem was shuffled around between supervillains seemingly endlessly. Whilst they were debating, Deathstroke dropped off the third member of their team. A boy with short curly blonde hair and a surprisingly gentle look about him. Deathstroke called him Jericho and, from the way the blonde gave Deathstoke every ounce of attention at all times, the two silent teens could tell that there was history there. History with Deathstroke meant assassin training. That brought the count to a blonde with unclear amounts of assassin training with a master, a League of Shadow's assassin, and a chaos-wielding sorcerer. Kyd Wykkyd couldn't quite help but feel a little apprehensive around the teens that had been raised for one purpose only. Kyd might be a villain but he'd never intentionally killed anyone. He couldn't say he never had as he did use magic that was not entirely controllable so accidents could very well have happened but he never set out to do it. Still, Jericho seemed pleasant enough if a little distant at times.
He didn't speak. There were several nasty scars on his throat that gave a ready answer as to why that might be. Kyd could only guess the story behind the scars but several unpleasant scenarios came to mind. Villains, like their teachers, didn't like those that spoke back, as Kyd had learned the hard way, so it was entirely likely that Jericho just failed to keep his mouth shut, much like Kyd.
Kyd wished he'd been smart enough to not talk back to his Master. Maybe then he could still use his magic properly instead of scraping together half-baked spells. He still couldn't manage to summon anything but fire much to his frustration. If only he could speak he'd be able to summon far greater things but Klarion would hear nothing of reversing the curse.
Between three mute teens that had very few resources, their hide away was a very quiet place. It was a small bunker in a backwater swamp that felt damp at all times and had almost no working light fixtures. Their teachers hadn't exactly shelled out for premium accommodations. The most advanced piece of equipment they had was the computer that took up most of the main room and that was only because that was how they got most of their orders from.
There was a workout room and a cramped galley kitchen but other than that it only had enough room for some tiny bedrooms shoved into a dank hallway. There were four of them and they were furnished with almost military grade single beds, dressers and nothing else. The bare minimum. Kyd was glad he didn't own a lot of things to begin with. He doubted he'd have been able to fit much in the room he had claimed as his.
He was practicing in the briefing room in the center of the bunker when the computer suddenly came to life. His attempt to break through the dimensions to pull forth something besides fire backfired spectacularly at the unexpected interruption and fire spiraled out in a destructive and random pattern. Kyd huffed in exasperation and waved the fires away before looking at the screen. The other two teens hurried in, having heard the explosion. The couch was still smoking but Kyd had saved most of it.
Lex Luthor smiled in a patronizing way. "I'm sorry to have disturbed your concentration, Kyd Wykkyd. But we believe we have found a solution to our little… alien problem. Join us at once for a proper briefing." Instantly, the screen went black again.
Deathstroke usually gives us our missions, Jericho signed into the silence. It was odd for them to hear from someone like Luthor who none of them trained under at all. They only rarely had Klarion show up and then it was always to demand something from Kyd Wykkyd not the entire trio of them. Deathstroke, it seemed, had been given the task of dealing with the team. He hadn't yet complained but none of them were foolish enough to think that he was really happy about the assignment.
Kyd glanced over at the blonde. I guess Deathstroke was busy? he signed quickly. Since both Kyd and Jericho had been mute for so long they were both very adept at sign language. Kasumi hadn't been taught sign language but she was picking it up quickly. Instead of being a hindrance, the three of them were doing their utmost to turn it into their own benefit. Kyd knew that the little Justice Juniors didn't sign. Or at least most of them didn't. That meant they'd be able to carry out conversations without compromising details.
We'll probably find out soon enough, Jericho replied. Come on. We should go get our briefing.
The trip from the threesome's hideout to their superior's base was a wet one. Even with acrobatic skills and the ability to flicker from branch to branch, traveling through a swamp was a nasty job. Kyd hadn't yet managed to set up teleportation points between the bases to use. He couldn't keep more than one long-range spell ready at a time and there was simply no time at the moment to find a work around.
When they finally did step inside again, they had managed to get their shoes muddy and Kyd's cape was wet at the bottom. "It's about time you got here!" a nasty voice said. Kyd closed his eyes behind his mask and tried his best to resist sighing at his Master's voice. He hadn't anticipated Klarion being here too. "We've been waiting for ages!"
Sitting around a half circle table were various extremely notorious villains. Klarion, Lex, Joker's seat had a huge paper smiley face on it instead of a person, Black Manta, and even Captain Cold were there. There were quite a number of other seats but there was no clue who was supposed to be sitting in them.
"You didn't all need to come. We only needed Kyd Wykkyd. Oh well, now that you're here we can start," Luthor said neutrally. "It was decided that instead of trying to clone Superman again… there is another option to be had."
The three teens had little choice but to wait in silence as their 'mentors' let the suspense build for a minute. "Instead of creating someone to match Superman… we'll simply recruit Superman to our cause," Captain Cold announced.
Kyd glanced at his teammates warily. They were going to do what now? How on Earth did their bosses imagine they were going to corrupt the giant muscled blue Boy Scout exactly? "As Klarion informs us, Kyd Wykkyd, your power involves summoning things through dimensional barriers," Luthor began. The masked teen shifted uncomfortably but nodded. Though his powers weren't working to their fullest the essence of them hadn't changed. He just couldn't pull through anything substantial anymore. And he wasn't quite sure how that helped…
"Using you as a gateway, Klarion can reach through to a different dimension and find a more… understanding Superman and bring him here," Luthor finished.
Kyd's confusion was only somewhat dispelled. Even if he could use his voice he couldn't pull anything through dimensions forever. Eventually, everything returned to where it belonged. He glanced over to his Master, whom seemed dreadfully bored already. He held up a hand and let fire spring forth. The black flames wove together into letters since he knew Klarion hadn't bothered learning sign language. It spelled out one word. Time?
Klarion gave that annoying laugh of his. "Don't worry," he said. "I'm going to make it a one way trip. I just need you to keep the door open long enough."
That was… ominous. Though, despite how utterly understanding Kyd knew these villains to be, he doubted that they cared if he had reservations about this plan. He glanced around the circle and sure enough, they were just watching him. With a sigh, Kyd gave a nod of understanding. He didn't have a choice anyway so why should he bother to protest?