Reaper: Sorry, for taking so long with the update. I've been pretty business recently. I already have the next two chapters done, but I don't know if I should just post them right away. Let me know if your impatient to read more! XD lol
"The time runs short...you must awaken...you must awaken NOW!"
Shade gasped with her eyes snapping open wide, and she instantly went to take a look around herself. She frowned seeing she was in some kind of pod, and that her friends were in the same shape she was in. She then blinked as she looked down at Superboy as he stared at all of them.
"Wh-what do you want?!" Kid Flash demanded. "Quit staring! You're creeping me out."
Shade sighed shaking her head at Kid as Robin suggested not angering the guy who could kill them with heat vision.
"Anyway." Shade began. "When we let you out we were only trying to help you."
"Yeah, we free you, and you turn on us!" Kid Flash agreed. "How's that you-"
"Kid, enough." Shade said firmly.
Kid pouted over at her, but he did stop talking, which Aqualad took that as his chance to start speaking.
"Kid, I believe our new friend here wasn't in full control of his actions." Aqualad said.
Shade nodded in agreement as Superboy looked between the two proteges.
"What...what if I wasn't?" He asked.
"He can talk?!" Kid Flash asked shocked.
Shade gave him another glare at the same time Superboy narrowed his eyes at him.
"Yes, he can." Superboy practically growled.
Robin and Aqualad joined in at glaring at Kid Flash, and he looked to the side with a frown on his face.
"It's not like I said 'it'." He said to defend himself.
Shade shook her head as she and her companions looked back towards Superboy. She even gave a smile, which had the clone blinking in confusion. She was locked away in a pod because he rendered her unconscious...and she's smiling at him...what an odd girl.
"I see those genomorphs taught you...telepathically." Shade said.
"They taught me much." Superboy said. "I can read, write...I know the names of things."
"But have you seen actually seen them?" Robin asked. "Have they ever let you see...the sky? Or the sun?"
Shade thought those were pretty good questions, and it seemed they had Superboy's full attention. She then frowned while wondering how to get out of this one...she could always use 'that' technique, but she swore to never use it again.
"Images are implanted in my mind, but...no, I have not seen them." Superboy said.
Shade looked at the clone sadly as he briefly looked down at the ground looking slightly forlorn.
"Do you know what you are? Who you are?" Aqualad asked.
"I am the Superboy, a genomorph. A clone made from the DNA of the Superman." Superboy said. "Created to replace him should he perish...to destroy him if he should ever turn from the light."
Shade's eyes widened at his words before she exchanged a look with Aqualad. This didn't sound good at all.
"To be like Superman is a worthy aspiration." Aqualad said. "But like Superman you deserve a life of your own. Beyond your solarsuit, beyond your pod...beyond of Cadmus."
"I live because of Cadmus! It is my home!" Superboy snapped.
"Your home?" Shade asked. "You live in a pod...being force fed what Cadmus believes you should be. They want you to be the next Superman. So they pump all this information into. They give you the strength and skills you need to be what they want, and they never once wonder 'what if he wants to be more or better than what we want?'...what kind of life is that?"
Superboy and her companions looked at her with wide eyes. The way she spoke and the look on her face...it was like she was speaking from personal experience or something.
"The question is, Superboy," Shade began. "Are you happy just being a replacement of someone else? Or do you want to beyond what Cadmus has planned for you? See the world for yourself, and not how they want you to see it."
Superboy frowned while looking back down at the ground. Could he really be more? Have a life outside of this place?
"Yeah." Robin agreed. "We can even show you the sun."
"Uh, I'm pretty sure it's past midnight." Kid said. "But we can show you the moon."
He had added that quickly when seeing the look that Shade had sent in his direction.
"We can show you...introduce you to Superman." Aqualad added.
Superboy looked up with a hopeful expression, and just as Shade thought things were going their way, they were figuratively bitch slapped.
"No, they can't." Some evil looking doctor guy said as he came into the room with Guardian and another doctor flanking him. "They'll be otherwised occupied. Activate the cloning process."
The female doctor nodded while going to do just that as Shade frowned not liking the sound of being cloned.
"Pass." Robin said. "Batcave is crowded enough."
"That and the world could only handle one of you." Shade said grinning despite the situation. "If there was more Robins in the world, it'd be sent into chaos."
Robin grinned at Shade in return while telling her it was the same with her as well.
"I know." She said. "And another Kid Flash...I get sick just thinking about it."
"Shade!" Kid Flash whined.
Aqualad sighed wondering how his companions could have such a conversation at a time like this. They were snapped back to the matter at hand when the doctor snapped towards Guardian.
"Get the weapon back to its pod!" He ordered.
"Hey, how come he can call Supey an 'it'?!" Kid asked.
Shade frowned at Kid Flash while mentally reminding herself to whack him over the head once they get out.
"Help us." Aqualad said softly.
It was all in vain though because once the genomorph on the evil scientist's shoulder jumped onto Superboy, he was under its mind control, and he just walked out of the room without protest. Shade looked down guessing she really might have to use that technique if she planned on getting her friends and herself out of here alive. Though before she could do that these prong like objects stabbed her in the chest while starting to fry her with electricity. She screamed out in pain along with her friends as she thrashed about within the pod.
"No..." She grounded out. "It's not ending here."
Concentrating hard she closed her eyes before her body became completely shadow. They were gasps of surprise as her shadowy form slunk out of the pod, and then disappeared from sight.
"Where is she?!" The scientist demanded. "And since when did Shade have powers?"
Said girl appeared behind him with her eyes cold, and just as he started turning around, she hit the back of his neck causing him to slump onto the ground paralizyed.
"Since the moment I was born." She said.
She then had to duck down when Guardian came at her with a swing of his fist. She swept her leg out trying to trip him, but he dodged backwards just in time. She jumped up onto her feet, and she got into a fighting stance. Guardian got into one of his own, but instead of going at him, Shade smirked before jumping towards the control panel. The female doctor gasped as Shade knocked her down while Shade pulled out one of her swords. She stabbed the panel with the electro shock ending on her friends.
"Shade, look out!" Kid Flash said.
Shade couldn't dodge in time as Guardian threw a kick out at her, and she hit the ground with a grimace on her face. She shouldn't have let her guard down so carelessly. Suddenly the door was ripped away to reveal Superboy. He looked down at Shade, who blinked up at him, before he attacked Guardian. With one single punch the hero was on the ground out cold.
"You here to help us or fry us?" Kid Flash asked.
Superboy frowned up at Kid while narrowing his eyes as if he was concentrating on something very hard.
"Hmm, I don't appear to have heat vision." Superboy said. "So, I guess helping you is my only option."
Shade chuckled at that while easily flipping back onto her feet. She rolled her shoulders causing her bones to pop as Robin finally freed himself from the pod.
"Ugh finally!" He said while landing beside Shade. "Lucky Batman isn't here. He'd have my head for taking so long."
"Seriously? That's what you're worried about?" Kid asked. "The entire League is going to have our heads after tonight!"
"Batman is scarier than the entire League combined." Shade pointed out. "I'd take them over him anyday."
Robin snickered while nodding his head, and Kid just shook his head in disbelief.
"Now, if you two gents will get Aqualad and Kid out of their pods, then we can get going." Shade said.
"Don't give me orders." Superboy said with a growl.
"Wasn't an order." Shade said. "Merely a suggestion."
Superboy frowned at Shade finding her more confusing by the second. He shook his head before he and Robin went to get Kid Flash and Aqualad out of their pods.
"By the way, Babe, since when did you have powers?" Kid asked the moment he was loose.
"Power, not powers." Shade made sure to point out before she sighed. "I was born with it, but I don't like using it. Sorry, if I had done so earlier, none of you would have been hurt."
Kid Flash just grinned while throwing his arm of her shoulders, which caused her to blink up at him.
"Hey, you got us out in the end." He said. "So no harm done."
"You two can be lovey-dovey later." Robin said. "We need to go."
Shade actually blushed at his words before she shrugged Kid's arm off her shoulders.
"Yeah, yeah." She said towards the Boy Wonder. "Let's just get going."
They started running out, but the evil doctor guy, who Shade could see is called Dr. Desmond based on his nametag, called out to them.
"You'll never escape!" He shouted. "I'll have you all back in pods by morning!"
Shade rolled her eyes at Desmond while resisting the urge to go over and pinch his nerve to cause him to be knocked out.
"That guy isn't whelmed, not whelmed at all." Robin said as he threw explosives at the circular pods that held their DNA.
"What is it with you and this whole whelmed thing?" Kid Flash asked as he, Robin, and Shade went to catch up with Aqualad and Superboy.
"Robin just enjoys trying to destroy the english dictionary." Shade said.
Robin smirked not denying this, and Kid Flash just shook his head at his friends as they snickered.
"We are still 42 levels below ground, but if we can make the elevator-" Aqualad cut himself off when seeing the mammoth sized genomorphs in front of them.
Shade glanced back seeing that there were glowing red orbs on the wall, and a sigh left her lips when smaller genomorphs crawled out of the orbs.
"Nothing is ever easy for us." She said rolling her eyes.
"Easy is boring, Babe." Kid Flash said grinning.
"Don't call me Babe." She said then ran forward.
The boys watched as she ducked under down of the large creatures then ran up the wall with ease to jump onto the back of another. It swung at her, but she was already jumping onto the next one. She continued jumping from one to the other before jumping off the last one while adding a spin in her leap. She landed on the ground with ease, and Kid's mouth fell a gape. Robin and Aqualad's eyes were even slightly widened.
"Come on, Boys, don't have all day!" She called out to them as she waved.
The boys, besides Superboy, quickly got around the large monsters as Superboy started fighting the large beasts. The group watched as he slung them around with ease, and Shade shook her head when the walls started to crumble.
"Superboy, the goal is escape, not to bury ourselves here!" Aqualad called out.
"You want escape?!" Superboy demanded.
He tossed one of things onto two others to knock them down, and Shade let out an impressed whistle. The group then made it to the elevators, and Aqualad forced the door open. Robin used his grappling gun to hook up, and he then held out his hand to Shade. She nodded her thanks while grasping onto Robin's hand. The two of them went up with the use of Robin's grappling gun, and Kid Flash used his speed to go up the elevator shaft. Superboy jumped up into the shaft to fly, but he then started falling.
"I'm...falling..." He said in shock.
Thinking fast, Shade threw one of her small daggers into the side of the shaft. Aqualad caught the hilt of the weapon while holding onto Superboy.
"Superman can fly...why can't I fly?" Superboy asked looking saddened.
"Dunno." Kid said while helping him and Aqualad down. "But it looks like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound, which is still cool."
Shade blinked when hearing the sound of an elevator, and when she looked up she saw it. Robin did too, so he told the others this was there stop. Aqualad forced open the doors at sub-level 15, and everyone jumped into the hallway just before the elevator could get to them. They didn't have a moment to lose since more genomorphs came at them, so they started running down the hallway.
"Left!" Superboy called suddenly. "Go left."
Kid Flash, who was in the lead, took a sharp left with the others following after him. Superboy gave them the direction to go right seconds later, which brought them to a dead end. Kid Flash went to yell at Superboy for leading them to a dead end, but Shade whacked him over the head to silence him.
"He didn't do anything wrong." She said.
"Yeah, this is perfect!" Robin agreed.
Shade and Robin nodded to each other, and after giving Robin a boost, he got the cover off the vent. He went in first, and Shade motioned for the boys to go on ahead.
"Sorry, but I'd rather not have Kid behind me." Shade said with a grin.
"Shade!" Kid Flash cried indignantly. "Do you really thinking that if I was behind you that I'd stare at your butt?"
The silent look she and Aqualad gave him was answer enough causing him to sigh.
"Just climb on in already." Robin said poking his head out of the vent.
Kid grumbled under his breath, but he did get into the vent right after Aqualad. Shade saluted Superboy before she climbed into the vent after her companions. Superboy wasn't far behind her, and soon they were all traveling at crawling place through the vents.
"Ugh, at this rate we'll never get out." Kid complained.
Shade shook her head at his impatients as Superboy told them to shush.
"Listen." He ordered.
Shade frowned in confusion while exchanging a look with Kid Flash. He shrugged his shoulders, which meant he obviously didn't know either.
"They're closing in." Superboy told them.
By 'them' Shade was guessing Superboy meant to the genomorphs, which means they had to get moving. They quickened their pace, and soon found themselves in another hall. They were going to keep going, but Robin paused to start hacking using his holographic keyboard and computer. Shade place her hands on her knees to bend over, and watch what Robin was doing as he sat on the ground.
"I hacked the motion sensors." He said once he was done.
He gave a smirk, and Shade ruffled his hair with a grin on her face as well. Robin swat her hand away, and Shade chuckled as she stood straight.
"Sweet." Kid Flash said.
"There's still a lot of space between us and out." Shade pointed out.
"True, Babe, but I know how room to run." Kid said giving a wink before placing his googles over his eyes.
Shade looked at Kid Flash unimpressed as he took off running up the stairs. She didn't say a word though as she started running up the stairs with the other three boys following behind her. In front of them, Kid Flash took out some genomorphs making it less work of the others.
"There's more behind us!" Robin warned.
Superboy destroyed the staircase they already passed, and the genomoprhs fell along with it. They made it to sublevel one, but just a they turned the corner, they saw Kid hit a large metal door, which sent him to the ground.
"We're cut off form the street." Aqualad said.
"Really? My head hadn't noticed." Kid Flash said sarcastically.
Shade rolled her eyes before offering her hand to the speedster. He grinned at her as he took her hand. She helped him off the ground as Superboy and Aqualad tried to get the door open.
"Can't hack fast enough." Robin said.
Just as he said that large genomorphs started coming down the hallway towards them.
"Then we got this way." Shade said as she kicked a smaller door to the side open.
She ran inside with the boys following after her. They didn't get far, however, since their path was blocked by a large group of genomorphs and Guardian. Shade drew her two katana while ready for a fight, but darkness suddenly took her.
Shade groaned as she came too, and as she opened her eyes she saw Superboy and a more humanoid genomorph were conversing.
"I choose...freedom." Superboy said.
Shade frowned in confusion as she got up with her two katana still gripped firmly in her hands. She blinked when Guardian seemed to slip out of the mind control after the genomorph left his shoulder.
"Guardian?" Aqualad asked.
"Go." Guardian said. "I'll deal with Desmond."
"I think not."
Everyone turned seeing Desmond standing there with a tube of glowing blue liquid.
"Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus." He said.
Shade's eyes widened when he drank the blue liquid without hesitation. She then backed up slightly with the others as Desmond turned into a large blue monster with his old flesh and hair clinging to him slightly.
"I'm guessing his parents never taught him not to drink the strange glowing blue liquid when he was a kid." Shade said while sheathing her blades.
"Guess not." Kid Flash said with a slight grin.
Guardian ordered them back, so he could attack Desmond, but the newly changed doctor easily hit him away as if he was a mere fly. Superboy then had a go at him, and the rest of them just stood there to watch. Desmond grabbed Superboy, and jumped up and out through the ceiling.
"That's one way to get out." Robin said as he fired his grappling gun.
"Think Lab Coat planned that?" Kid Flash asked as Robin grabbed his wrist.
The two of them went flying out as Aqualad turned towards Shade to offer his hand.
"I don't think he's planning anything anymore." Aqualad said.
Shade nodded in agreement while accepting her companion's offered hand. He pulled her closer to put his arm around her waist before he easily jumped out. They landed on the first floor, and when they stood straight they saw Superboy being thrown right at them. Shade grunted when the clone hit her and Aqualad, which sent them rolling into the floor.
"Shade, you okay?" Kid asked rushing over to help her up.
"I'm fine." She said while taking out of her katana.
She rushed forward as Superboy and Aqualad were helped off the ground by Kid and Robin. Desmond swung at her when he saw her, but she ducked down under his arm. She tried to cut his ribs open, but his hide was a lot tougher than she anticipated.
"Crud." She said.
She had to back flip out of the way when Desmond came at her again, and she landed on her feet a few steps away. Superboy, Aqualad, and Kid Flash then got into the fight, but they weren't fairing much better. Shade grit her teeth together as she ran forward. She jumped into the air while bringing her sword down towards Desmond. He caught her around the waist, however, which had her cursing. She was thrown to the side, and hit a pillar causing her to lose her breath for just a moment.
"Okay, I'm starting to get pissed off." She said.
She got back onto her feet only to jump off to the side when Desmond went to crush her. She did a tuck and roll, and landed in a crouch not far away from the blue-skinned man...or rather former man? She shook her head since it wasn't the time to be thinking about the details.
"Hey, Shade!" Robin called getting her attention as Kid Flash nodded to him as if they just finished a conversation. "Get over here!"
Shade ran over to her friend to see he had something displayed on his hologram.
"What is it?" She asked.
Robin quickly explained his plan to Shade about the pillars as the three other boys kept Desmond distracted.
"I got it." She said with a nod. "I'll keep his attention while you set up."
Robin nodded then watched as Shade ran off to help the others with Desmond. She jumped up to plant a kick to his head, and even if it didn't hurt, Desmond let out a roar. He tried to grab her, but she slipped out of the way. She kept his attention for the most part as the boys started destroying the pillars.
"Shade, move!" Robin ordered.
Shade nodded getting out of the way as Kid Flash zoomed forward to get Desmond's attention. Kid lured Desmond over to the water that Aqualad had laid out, and Kid made sure to get out of the way fast. Aqualad shocked Desmond using his Atlantian magic powers, and Desmond roared in pain. Once he was deemed fried enough, Aqualad quit sending out waves of electricity into the water.
"Move move!" Robin ordered as his bombs went off.
The ceiling started to cave in, so the five of them tried to run for the exist. When seeing they wouldn't make it in time, Kid Flash quickly knocked Shade to the ground to cover her body. Superboy covered the two of them, and Aqualad jumped on top of Robin as the ceiling crashed onto them. Superboy was quick to get the rubble off of them, and Shade let out a tired sigh. They were all pretty worse for wear, but they'd live.
"Kid...you can get off me now." She said.
"Uh, right." Kid Flash said as he scrambled away.
Shade shook her head as she continued to lay there while the boys got up.
"We did it." Aqualad said huffing.
"What there ever any doubt?" Robin asked.
He and Kid Flash shared a high five only to wince due to their aching sides. Shade slowly got up while noticing her uniform was pretty torn up, which caused her to frown. She checked on her weapons to see if they were alright, and since they weren't broken, that was all that mattered.
"Hey, Supey, look the moon." Kid said pointing.
Superboy looked up at the moon as Shade sat down on some rubble. Ugh, she felt so sore. She then looked up at the moon as well when noticing a flying figure coming closer.
"And Superman." Kid said. "Do we keep our promises or what?"
"Well, time to accept the punishment." Shade said as the other League members started to arrive.
She winced when seeing the glares she was getting from Black Canary and Green Arrow, and she knew she'd be grounded for the rest of forever. Superboy stepped forward towards Superman, and he smiled slightly while folding back his ripped shirt to show the 'S' on his uniform. The League started in surprise, and when Superman frowned at the clone, Superboy's tiny smile dropped.
"Is that what I think is it?" Batman asked.
"He doesn't like to be called an it." Kid Flash whispered very loudly.
"I'm Superman's clone." Superboy declared.
This got even more shocked looks from the League as they exchanged glances. Batman ordered them to start talking, so the four proteges quickly filled the League in what happened after they were left alone at the Hall all the way to present.
Shade sighed standing with the boys with her arms crossed over her chest. After they finished explaining everything, Batman went about giving orders on who would be taking Desmond. Other League members were given other jobs, and some were standing around talking about what happened. Shade looked up at Superboy seeing that he was staring over at Superman. The big blue boy scout was speaking with Manhunter and Wonder Woman, but paused when Manhunter placed a hand on his shoulder. Superman looked over at Superboy, and the clone turned his eyes away for a moment. Superman sighed before he went over to address the clone.
"We'll figure something out for you. The League will, I mean." Superman said quickly. "For now I better make sure they get that Blockbuster creature squared away."
Superman turned to leave, but felt a hand grab his wrist. He turned to see Shade glaring up at him with her icy eyes looking colder than ever.
"That's it?" She asked while releasing his wrist. "You're just going to leave him here? Dump him off to someone else? He's practically your kid!"
Her raised voice got attention, and some stared at the blonde in surprise. No one ever really yells at Superman, but here was this girl that two times smaller than him giving him a piece of her mind.
"You can't just leave him." Shade said. "He needs you!"
"Shade!" Black Canary reprimanded sharply. "Enough."
Shade winced at the angered sound of her mentor's voice as her hands clenched into fists. She looked like she wanted to say more, but she paused when Superboy placed at hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him as he shook his head, and she grumbled while crossing her arms over her chest. She did continue to glare at Superman as he turned without a word to catch up to Blockbuster.
"Jackass." She spat under her breath.
"Shade."Canary said once more in warning.
Shade glared down at the ground not saying a thing as Superboy looked at her still feeling surprised. He hadn't expected her to stick up for him, or literally yell at the Man of Steel.
"Cadmus will be investigated." Batman said approaching with the other mentors. "All 52 levels, but let's get one thing clear-"
"You should have called." Flash interrupted.
Batman shot Flash a glare, but the speedster didn't seem to notice it at all.
"End results aside, we are not happy." Batman continued. "You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives. You will not be doing this again."
Shade frowned as she finally looked up from the ground. Her eyes widened when Aqualad suddenly stepped forward.
"I'm sorry, but we will." He said calmly.
The ones, who knew Aqualad well enough to know he never disobeyed, stared at the dark-skinned boy in surprise.
"Aqualad, stand down." Aquaman said.
"Apologies, my King, but no." Aqualad said. "We did good work here tonight. The work you trained us to do. Together...on our own we forged something powerful, important."
Shade looked at Black Canary and Green Arrow to see their questioning looks, and she nodded in agreement to what Aqualad said.
"If this is about your treatment at the Hall," Flash began. "The four of you-"
"The five of us." Kid Flash corrected to include Superboy. "And it's not."
"Batman, we're ready to use what you taught us." Robin said. "Or why bother teaching us at all?"
Everyone turned towards Shade since she had yet to speak on the issue, and she sighed softly.
"They're right." Shade said. "We've taken on the bad guys, saved the people in distress, and managed to get out of it alive so far. So why get in our way now? Just because you weren't there to hold our hands? You should have more faith in us."
Shade directed this more towards Canary and Green Arrow because they had never ever let her on a mission or on patrol alone. She was always with one of them or Speedy.
"Why let them tell us what to do?" Superboy asked frowning. "It's simple...get on board or get out of the way."
Shade blinked because that isn't exactly how she'd phrase it, but she guessed Superboy just said what they were all thinking...kinda. The mentors all exchanged a glance before Batman turned back to the five teenagers.
"Give me three days." Batman said.
This caused another blink from Shade, and she wasn't the only one. Batman then told them all it was time for them to be heading home.
"Well, boys, I'll see you in three days, I guess." Shade said to her four friends. "If Canary doesn't kill me, that is."
"Can I get a goodbye kiss just in case?" Kid Flash asked throwing his arm over her shoulders.
"No." She deadpanned.
Kid pouted as Robin cackled from behind his hand. Shade nodded to Aqualad and Superboy, and the two returned the gesture. Shade then went over to where Canary and Green Arrow were waiting.
"So, how grounded am I?" Shade asked.
The two adults exchanged a glance, which only caused the teen hero to feel nervous. Canary finally just sighed while turning back to her adoptive daughter.
"You're not grounded." She said.
Shade's mouth fell agape in shock, and Green Arrow chuckled while closing her mouth for her.
"However, if you truly wish to take the next step like this, then your training is going to double, got it?" Canary asked. "I'll even have Ted push you harder in training."
"You got it!" Shade said smiling brightly. "I like Ted anyway."
Canary chuckled shaking her head as the three blondes started walking away from the destroyed Cadmus. They're just going to have to find the nearest zeta tube, and then finally get home. Green Arrow ruffled Shade on the head as they walked, and she smiled up at him.
"Glad, you didn't leave us too, kiddo." He said.
"Now, why'd I do that?" Shade asked. "I actually kinda like you guys."
Canary rolled her eyes at Shade while Green Arrow let out a deep chuckle.
"Anyway, can we stop for some food? I'm starving!" Shade whined.
STAR CITY
JULY 8, 2010
07:35 EDT
"Tabi, it's time to get up...Tabi...Tabitha Shay Wilson, get up!"
Tabitha shot out of bed with her eyes wide as she let out a gasp. She took a few calming breaths before turning her head to look over at Dinah.
"What?" Tabitha whined with a pout as she glanced at the clock. "Mom, it's not even eight yet, and it's still summer vacation!"
"Yes, but you're going to be late to meet Batman if yo-" Dinah never had to finish her sentence because Tabitha was already up at out of bed.
Dinah shook her head at her daughter before she left, so Tabitha could get ready. Tabitha rushed over to her closet to grab some cloths before dashing into her bathroom. She took a shower last night, and it wasn't like she had time to take one now anyway. She quickly just combed out her hair and brushed her teeth while getting excited about what Batman might be telling them today.
After taking care of her hygiene, she got dressed into the cloths she had chosen. She looked into the bathroom mirror to see if she was presentable, and nodded her head deciding she looked fine. She wore a simple grey tank top under a light jacket, which she zipped up halfway. Then she had on dark green cargo capris, and converse that matched the color of her tank top on her feet. She finally grabbed her glasses, and she perched them on her nose.
"Tabitha, you ready?!" Dinah called frown downstairs of their house.
Even if Dinah and Oliver have been dating for a while, they have yet to move in together, which annoys Tabitha. However, she planned to have to the two moved in together and married before she's eighteen...and maybe their first kid on the way before she's twenty-five.
"Yeah, I'm coming!" Tabitha called out.
She ran from her room to meet Dinah downstairs, and not a second later she was out the door. Dinah chuckled at her eagerness while hurrying after the younger blonde. Tabitha quickly found the closest zeta beam, and popped inside just as Dinah caught up. It took her to the location Batman had given to Dinah last night, which happened to be Mount Justice in Happy Harbor, Rhode Island. When she arrived, she saw some League members bustling about, and she waved at Hal when he passed. The first Green Lantern on the League smiled and waved back as he moved a large box with the power of his ring.
"Are any of the others here?" Tabitha asked aloud as Dinah walked past her to see if she could help.
"I'm here!" A voice said from behind her.
Tabitha nearly jumped a foot in the air, and the result was a cackle from the one who startled her. Tabitha turned to glare at her younger friend as he stood there also wearing his civvies. Though he still covered his eyes with dark sunglasses, but it didn't matter to Tabitha. She already knew Robin's real name is Dick Grayson since he entrusted her and Wally with the secret.
"I hate you." She said.
"I love you too, Tabs." Dick said grinning like the brat he was.
Tabitha looked like she might strangle him, but she never got the chance since a 'breeze' caressed her before two arms were around her.
"Hey, Babe, looks like you're still alive." Wally said grinning at the blonde in his arms.
"Wally, what did I say about calling me Babe?" Tabitha asked frowning.
Wally pouted at her as he let her go. Tabitha thanked him before nodding to Superboy as he waved over to join them. He nodded in return while looking around curiously.
"It seems we are all here." Aqualad said walking over to join the group.
Tabitha smiled at him in greeting, and Aqualad smiled back in return. Dick didn't miss the frown pull on Wally's face at the sight, and he held back a snicker. He was about to make a comment when Batman cleared his voice. The five teens turned to face their mentors as the other League members continued moving things around.
"This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League." Batman said walking in front of the group. "We're calling it into service once again. Since you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight, you'll do it on League Terms...Red Tornado has agreed to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary's in charge of training. I will deploy you on missions."
Tabitha glanced over at her adoptive mom while wondering why Dinah hadn't said anything to her. The older blonde just smiled while placing her hands on her hips.
"Real missions?" Dick asked as Tabitha looked back towards Batman.
"Yes, but covert." Batman stressed.
Tabitha and Dick exchanged a underhanded high-five because covert was what the two of them did best.
"The League will still handle the obvious stuff." Flash said from beside Wally. "There's a reason why we have these big targets on our chest."
He tapped the lightening bolt on the front of his uniform as he looked over the five teenagers. Tabitha knew Flash was just worried like the other mentors, but she knew that she and her friends could handle things.
"But Cadmus proves that the bad guys are getting smarter." Aquaman said. "Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly."
Tabitha exchanged a grin with Dick because sly is also something they're very good at. Sure, Tabitha worked with Dinah, who isn't known for being sneaky or extremely good at covert, but Tabitha was very good at operating from the shadows. Tabitha isn't saying anything bad about her adoptive mother, but Dinah is more of a heads on kind of person.
"The six of you will be that team." Batman finished.
"Cool!" Dick said. "Wait...six?"
Batman just looked behind them, so the five teens turned to see Martian Manhunter walking forward with a green teenage girl who Tabitha is guessing to be martian.
"This is the Martian Manhunter's niece, Miss Martian." Batman explained.
Miss Martian greeted them shyly, and Tabitha smiled at having another girl on the team.
"I'm liking this gig more and more every minute." Wally said not so quietly to Dick.
Tabitha rolled her eyes at the redhead before batting him away when he went to step forward.
"We don't need you scaring her away right when she just got here." Tabitha said as she walked forward. "It's nice to meet you Miss Martian. I'm Shade. It's nice having another girl on the team."
Miss Martian smiled glad to see the other girl on the team welcomed her warmly.
"Those guys are Kid Flash, Robin, Aqualad, and Superboy." Tabitha said pointing to all of them. "You can just ignore Kid if he starts to get too flirty."
"Babe!" Wally whined with his mouth agape.
Tabitha just smirked while ignoring the 'Babe' thing as Dick snickered at Wally's misfortune. The boys, beside Superboy, then came over to greet Miss Martian themselves with smiles on their faces. Tabitha walked over to Superboy, and he looked down at her.
"Come on." She said placing her hand on his shoulder. "You need to greet our new teammate too, Bud."
"Yeah, Superboy, come meet Miss M!" Dick called over to them.
Superboy walked over to the young female martian, and her shirt suddenly turned from white to black with the red 'X' remaining on the front.
"I like your shirt." Miss Martian said smiling shyly.
Superboy's lips twitched up slightly, and Tabitha smiled at the obvious crush forming from Miss Martian as Dick and Wally nudged Superboy in a 'hint hint' manner. Tabitha looked up at Aqualad when he placed a hand on her shoulder, and he smiled at all of them.
"Today's the day." He said.