Alright, a few things I forgot to mention last time. I have a few original villains who figure sort of prominently into this story:
The Falcon, who is actually Alec Kyle, Selina Kyle and Catwoman's older brother. He is telepathic with birds, flies a jet called the Peregrine, has a pet falcon named Tasha, and a Russian accent. Did I mention I picture the Kyles as Russian? Anyway, Catwoman is also telepathic with an animal-you get three guesses which one, and the first two don't count. Another villain I created named Arctic Wolf (real name Emma Starling) is telepathic with canines.
There's also Charlemagne, who is actually an ancient history professor by the name of Charles Latain who accidentally came across the ancient King's sword, and now has to deal with being periodically possessed by the spirit of the rather homicidal, bloodthirsty warrior who just likes to kill people-any people. Dr. Latain himself is pretty nice, though.
There's also the Magician, real name Nicholas Flammel, who is a close friend of the Kyles and a powerful, you guessed it, magician.
There's also the fact that I gave Green Arrow a brother. His real name is William Queen, he goes by the heroing alias Sniper, and has a cybernetic eye. Really, that's all that's important about him for here.
Don't worry too much though. In regards to this story, most of these people are dead, and will only appear briefly in flashbacks.
Silence resonated. "Wow." Said Beast Boy quietly, and no one else could think of much else to say.
"That was... Depressing." Offered Captain Marvel, and got several nods in return. Wally slung an arm around Kaldur's shoulders, and Angel kept her hand on La'gaan's arm. Superman put a hand on Aquaman's shoulder.
"The boy did well." The King surprised them all by commenting. "In that situation, he made the best decision for the people of Atlantis." He looked at Aqualad. "Obviously, you raise your children well." Kaldur smiled faintly, looking over at La'gaan.
"We both do." They fell silent as the scene changed again.
The sea's surface was turbulent, the sky marked by dark clouds. Mera burst from the water first, closely followed by Tula, both of them treading easily. Tula tossed her braid over her shoulder. "Alright, Mera, we need a plan to-" She looked around, searching for her friend. "Mera?" She turned around. Mera was hovering in the water, staring at the shore line. Tula moved over to her. "Mera? Mera!"
"This maybe harder than we thought, Tula." Mera whispered faintly. "It... It seems Atlantis wasn't the only thing that fell..." Tula followed the other girl's gaze, and her own eyes widened. The city that stood before them was barely recognisable as Star City. It was blackened, and smoke rose from several of the buildings. The two Atlanteans swam over to the dock, pulling themselves up onto it and shaking some of the water off. Tula started going through the giant boxes that were stacked around while Mera continued to stare at the transformed city. "How long was it since you've been up here again?" She asked, looking sideways at Tula, only to notice that the girl was pulling on an oversized coat and pants. "What are you doing?"
"Covering up. Face it, Mera, we're identifiable." She tossed her friend a hooded sweatshirt and jeans of her own. Though Mera looked like she wanted to protest, she didn't, pulling on the clothes. "We need to split up, find any friends who might still be here-two years," She added, when Mera gave her a 'you haven't answered my question' look while pulling the hood low over her head. "Tell you what-I'll go for the Wests. They knows me, I don't think they'll shoot me in the face."
"And me?"
"Go find the others." Tula answered before vanishing into the shadows. Mera sighed loudly.
"Right. The others. If I get a machine gun to the face, I'm blaming you."
A jet of ice erupted through the wall of an office building. "I told you!" Icicle Jr. roared, towering over a cowering man in the corner. "I told you what to do, and you still screw it up. Fine-you know what? It's been awhile since I really let loose." He raised his hand again, but something streaked through the air and latched onto it-an arrow. He looked down at it and blinked. "What the-" It promptly exploded in his face. The cowering man took the opportunity to run for it, and Junior whirled to face his attacker. There were two of them, perched on the roof of the next building over-a girl in a long red cloak and a man in black and red leather. "Well, well, well. It's 'bout time someone paid attention to me!" He yelled, using ice to shove his way up to the roof of his own building.
The girl fitted another arrow to her bow. "He's doing this for attention?" She asked in a familiar, scrutinising tone.
"Dude, Red, isn't that your bow?" Wally asked, pointing. Red Arrow was hanging back, his arms folded tightly. Still, he gave a slight nod. Green Arrow raised his eyebrows.
"She's quite the shot. Had to go through a window with that one, and hit a very small target. That takes practice."
"The other one's no archer, though." Artemis put in.
The man with her shrugged. "Some people have weird ideas of a good time." He said, raising an arm. He wore no sleeves, but his forearms were encased in thick, metallic guards, one of them bearing a round, golf ball sized orb featuring a pinpoint, orange light. In fact, he carried several mechanical accouterments, even including the dark, almost goggle-like sunglasses he wore over his eyes. He flicked his wrist, and the arm guard opened, transforming into a miniature sort of machine gun. He crouched down. "Keep him busy." He told her, before leaping gracefully off the roof and onto the other one. The girl groaned.
"Keep him busy? Keep him busy? Why do I always have to keep them busy?" Despite her complaining, she fired another arrow while the man ducked under Icicle's second attack. She continued the rain of arrows while he found a position, kneeling down and aiming carefully. When he fired, the bullet exploded, issuing a mass of dark, perforated foam that solidified on contact with the air, holding Icicle Jr. down and pinning his arms. As the man stood, the girl leapt down beside him. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" She yelled when he turned and strode off across the roof as the supervillain shouted insults after them."Hey! Sniper!" He didn't look back.
"Because it's safer, Lady Ranger."
"Safer? Safer? What is it with you and safe? Have you ever heard of the term 'overprotective'?" He didn't respond, walking to the edge of the roof and switching the arm guard to a grappling hook, firing it and swinging off. The girl called Lady Ranger folded her arms. "Oh, oooh. Giving me the silent treatment, huh? Well fine, 'big' brother. Two can play that game." She swung another arrow to her bow, this one with a cord attached, and followed him.
If the math had been complicated, they would have had an excuse-as it was, they could not figure out a single way for 'Sinper' to be the older brother of 'Lady Ranger,' if she truly was who they thought. "Maybe the 'brother' thing was just... Honourary?" Artemis wondered. "That's the only thing that makes sense." They all continued putting their heads together, with the exceptions of Red Arrow and Arsenal, who both just sort of brooded and glared.
'Sniper' led the way to the back door of an older looking house, opening it carefully and looking around inside before stepping forward. 'Lady Ranger' followed closely behind him-so closely, that she smacked right into his back when he stopped suddenly, throwing one arm out, and raising the other, already weaponised, to point at a dark corner of the room sharply.
"Gods, man, hold your fire!" Cried a voice, and a black-hooded figure stepped into the light. "I've had enough already." She explained, pushing the hood back to reveal herself as Mera. He stared at her for a moment.
"... Mera?" She rolled her eyes.
"Yes, it's me. You're chronologically... Fifteen now? It was thirteen the last time Tula was here." After a moment, he lowered the gun, collapsing it.
"It is you." He said, pulling off the goggles. A pair of sky blue eyes stared out of a slightly sun-tanned face. "If I believed in a god, I'd be thanking it." The girl stepped around him, pushing back her hood.
"Long time, no see, Mer." She said, smiling. Her hair was wavy and dark red, and her eyes a similar blue to the man's.
"They look like brother and sister..." Angel murmured.
"Not quite, ese." Blue Beetle put in. "The guy's at least part Hispanic." Everyone looked at him. "What?"
"How can you tell?" Asked Superboy incredulously.
"I just can, alright?" He glanced around at their disbelieving stares "I'm telling you! He's Spanish! At least a little bit!" The adults were having another conversation.
"If he's fifteen, I'm ten." Barry Allen was announcing. "That kid can't be younger than twenty-one."
"She said chronologically." Wonder Woman pointed out. "I'm sure there's a logical explanation."
"Yeah," Muttered Superman dubiously, "I'm sure."
"What brings you topside?" The man asked. Both he and the girl were now in civilian clothes, and he looked like he was pouring hot chocolate from a pan on the stove while the other two sat on a worn couch, Mera already clutching a mug in both hands. In fact, the whole interior of the house looked vaguely bare and dreary-like it had lost something it would never get back. The man picked up the two full mugs and came over, handing one to the red-haired girl before sitting in a bare-threaded armchair across from them with his own. "Please, please tell me that Atlantis somehow managed to pull through this?" He didn't even wait for her to answer. "It didn't, did it?" She shook her head.
"We were forced to fall back. I'm sorry. It was Garth's decision, but I believe he was right." The man groaned.
"This is hopeless!"
"Gale!" The girl reached over and slapped his arm.
"Sorry, Lian."
Red Arrow and Cheshire's daughter drew herself up. "Nothing is ever hopeless. We just have to keep trying."
"Yeah, us an what army?"
"You know perfectly well what army!"
Mera looked between them. "I'm confused."
Gale sighed, leaning forward. "You see," He said, "We're not the only ones taking up the mantle..."
Tula apparently did not like opening doors normally anymore than Superboy did. She kicked down the door of the old, decaying apartment... To find an arrow in her face.
"Well, that's irony." She muttered, surveying the archer himself. He was tall and thin, with red-gold hair, a green and brown leather jacket, and black jeans tucked into combat boots. He wore a pair of fingerless gloves, and a dark green scarf covered the lower half of his face; but there were traces of Asian descent in his eyes, not to mention the identifiable green bow he held.
Wally's hand came down on Artemis's arm, and he gestured between them excitedly. She smiled, patting his hand condescendingly. M'gann giggled, and Superboy rolled his eyes. Aqualad watched the unfolding scene with mute interest.
"Lawrence." Tula said quietly, holding up her hands. "It's me."
"Yeah?" The archer, Lawrence responded, the arrow not wavering. "Then why don't you tell me something no one else up here knows? Who's your grandfather?" A shadow flitted across Tula's features.
"... Black Manta." She replied, honestly. "He died fighting beside the Eight in the last battle of the First Resistance, and it tore pieces out of my heart." She leveled her gaze and him coldly. "And then there's the fact that my best friend on the surface is currently pointing an arrow at my chest." Lawrence held his position for a moment, then lowered the bow.
"... I'm sorry, Tula. I just... It's hard to know who to trust anymore." He took the arrow off the string, returning it to his quiver before pulling the scarf down. Tula nodded.
"I understand. But what has happened? I searched for your home and found... Nothing." Lawrence grimaced.
"A bomb happened." The Atlantean girl's eyes widened.
"My gods... Lawrence, your-" His jaw tensed.
"My parents are dead." He finished for her. "My sister-"
"-Is right here!" Crowed a female voice, and a black blur zoomed through the door, buzzing in a circle around Tula before skidding to a halt beside Lawrence. "Flash Queen has arrived!" Her hair was blonder than her brother's, and more wavy. She also featured her father's eyes, and, clearly, powers. What she wore was similar to the Kid Flash suit, but black and yellow, and reconfigured for a girl. She was shorter than the other two present, but she seemed to be endeavoring to account for that through volume. Her brother proceeded to clamp a hand over her mouth.
"For heaven's sakes, Paula. Are you trying to warn every ne'er-do-well within a mile radius that we're here?" She glared at him, but quieted down. Tula looked between them.
"I am... Sorry for your loss." She murmured. Lawrence looked at the floor.
"... Don't worry. We... We're going to make it up to them." He raised his head. "But it's not safe to talk here-walls have ears, for real these days. Follow us; we can talk back at the house."
"You're living alone?" A smile crossed the archer's face, though it didn't reach his eyes.
"Of course not, my friend. We're living with family."
It had taken Wally several tries to get his mouth closed. "We're dead?" He howled. "Just like that? You and me are dead?" Artemis and Nightwing looked sideways at each other as their friend meandered about, waving his arms. Finally, he calmed down.
"I think it's only fair." Angel commented thoughtfully. "If Aqualad and La'gaan are dead, you should be, too." She looked confused when they all looked at her. "Uh... Was it something I said?" La'gaan took her arm gently.
"Er... Angel, let's go over here and talk about the meaning of the word 'fair'..." He took her aside while the others continued to discuss.
"It does make sense." Batman said blankly. "It is unlikely that any of us would allow any city to deteriorate in such a fashion; meaning it is highly probable that none of us are alive in this continuity." There was absolutely silence as they all considered that statement.
"You're telling me eight villains went and got themselves blown up for nothing?"
"No, I'm telling you eight people went and died to protect their families." Gale was carefully explaining to Mera. "The Eight weren't the only ones, either. A lot of people died that day. They were just the leaders." He leaned back in his chair, ticking them off on his fingers. "Roxy Rocket, the Falcon, Clayface, Dr. Freeze, Charlemagne, the Riddler, the original Huntress, and the Penguin." He dropped his hand into his lap. "Their sacrifice wasn't in vain. They made the Joker believe he had ousted the entire resistance in one battle. It falls to us now to show him just how wrong he was." He took a drink of hot chocolate, seemingly half to hide from the fact that both girls were staring at him.
"You should count yourself lucky." Lian told Mera. "He never gets this sentimental about his stories when he's telling them to me." The Atlantean girl blushed, but was saved from having to speak by the sound of a door creaking open. Gale didn't even glance over his shoulder.
"You're late." He grunted, setting the mug down on the arm of the chair. Lawrence stood there, with Paula close behind him.
"You stood me up." Both Lian and Paula giggled, causing the boys to glare at them. "Anyway," Lawrence continued, just a bit louder to be heard over the girls, "We brought a friend." Mera looked up as Tula stepped from behind the archer.
"Looks like this a party." Gale muttered, rising. "Archer, I'd appreciate it if you called before bringing people home." He crossed back to the stove. "I'll get more-" Lawrence, or Archer, cut him off, opening a cupboard.
"I got it, Sniper."
"Absolutely not. You two need to go change." He rounded on Paula. "Both of you." She hung her head.
"Aw, fine..." She began to trudge upstairs when Gale's voice stopped her again.
"Lawrence, you know you're not supposed to take her with you." She stopped on the stairs.
"Dude, I'm his sister!"
"And?" She groaned loudly.
"Don't bother!" Lian called from the couch. "He's being overprotective today!" Gale frowned.
"I'm not overprotective." He looked at Archer. "Am I overprotective?" Lawrence stared at him.
"You expect me to answer that?" He asked, pouring some of the extra hot chocolate into a mug before leaning on the counter and drinking it. "Look, Gale. She's got powers. She's fast. She'll be fine."
"Oh? And what about that time when she ran into a moving truck. I believe it was a compound fracture?"
"I have no memory of that."
"Of course you wouldn't." He sighed. "You're doing this just to irk me, aren't you, Larry." Archer jabbed his bow in Gale's face.
"Call me 'Larry' again, and you'll see just how irking I can be." He turned and headed for the stairs himself, taking the mug with him.
"Bring that cup back down here when you're done with it!" Sniper yelled after him. By this time, Tula had wandered over to take the final seat on the couch.
"Don't mind them." Lian assured the two Atlanteans. "They're like an old married couple."
"We are not." Gale snapped, returning to his seat. "He just lets you two get away with the craziest things." The other two returned, now dressed in regular clothes, and found their own places-either on the floor, or leaning on the counter again. "This may be hard to explain." Gale continued. "But I suppose we can try." His gaze slid to Lian. "You don't have to stay for this." But she was already snuggling into the thread-bare pillows.
"You know I both love and hate this story, Gale. Just be sure to tell it from the beginning. A lot can happen in two years..."