"What are we going to do now, what is going to happen to the league?" The red speedster asks.
Lantern shrugs, it's been just short of an hour and he, Martian Manhunter, and Flash have been aboard the watchtower sitting at the founder's table, waiting for answers from the two comrades who took off to inform the families of the deceased.
"Who would have thought that Bats had family?" Flash snorts, but it lacks in amusement and is clouded by mourning, "I mean the guy didn't exactly come off as the family type."
Green Lantern swivels in his chair to look at the red clad speedster and sighs, "We never knew him."
"Well, maybe that should change." Flash mutters.
Green Lantern frowns, "What are you saying?"
"What I'm saying is that, I mean, Superman and Batman obviously know each other in their civilian identities, and even though Bats is gone and we'll never know who he was, those of us with secret identities could come out. I'll start." Flash states and without further ado, he rips off his mask, exposing his bright eyes and red hair to the two other founders, "Hi, my name is Wally West of Central City. I work at the police station there as a bio-analysis."
John can't help but smile, "You're sharing you identity?"
Wally nods, "Well, if it comes down to it, and I kick the bucket I'd want you all to be there for my loved ones."
John grimaces inwardly at that though, but he does manage a small smile, "You already know who I am, but nice to meet you, Wally West, I'm John Stewart of Detroit, Michigan." He shakes the speedster's hand.
Wally grins, "See, now, hopefully, Supes can come clean."
J'onn, who was silent for a while now, surprises them all, by reminding them he was in the room, "It would seem, Superman has returned."
As if rehearsed, Superman gloomily shuffles into the conference room. He is about to start talking, to brief them on what he can, when he catches wind of Flash without his mask on.
Flash after a moment realizes he's being stared at and looks up at Superman, "Wally West, and pleasure to meet you. The way I see it, is that if I kick the bucket I don't want my identity to be a secret so that way you all can't comfort my loved ones." He offers a small smile.
Superman takes a moment to look around the room, and warily replies, "My names Clark Kent of the Daily Planet. You'll probably know me as the guy with glasses who shares bylines with Lois Lane."
Wally tilts his head, but then grins, "Hey, I've seen your picture in the Daily Planet. Pleasure to meet you, Clark."
Superman grins, but it comes out as sort of a grimace.
"Superman, no one is going to ask you Batman's secret identity, we respect his wishes to be kept a secret." J'onn states matter-of-factly.
"How did you know of, Bat's identity, anyways?" Wally asks.
Superman smirks in remembrance, but then his face becomes sorrowful, "He arrived in Metropolis a few years back, in all his Batman glory and I found him interrogating criminals and when I confronted him, I…he threw me into a wall. I used my vision to see through his cowl and he stuck a tracking device on me and followed me to my apartment. Needless to say, we weren't exactly friends at first, but gradually over time, well you know…" Superman recounts the story a little sheepishly.
"I sense an extra body, Superman." The Martian stands.
Superman grimaces, "Because of certain events and secret identities, the League cannot acknowledge that Batman has died, only Wonder Woman. No civilians were around to witness the event, so…" Superman tries to prepare. The rest of the heroes don't understand, "I already informed Hawkgirl, she wasn't happy about it, but she managed to understand it just enough to calm down."
A batman enters the room, causing heated glares to suddenly come from even the nicest of the four League members, "What is this?" John asks, voicing everyone else's outrage.
"I'm not happy about this, same as you, but this was one of his contingencies, if something like this were to happen. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have to be here." The voice is lighter, and coming from the cape and cowl, it just looks wrong, "Wonder Woman was the only one to have died."
"You can't be serious!" Wally stands, suddenly slipping his mask back over his face.
The man in the cowl, narrows his eyes in Wally's direction, "Batman was like my father, so don't you dare think that this doesn't mean as much if not more to me, than it does to you! That being said, you can take your mask off, Wally, Batman figured out all your identities hours after your first public appearance as a hero."
Wally grows quiet and Superman cringes, John, however looks outraged, "He knew about us, and we didn't know about him!"
"The League will carry on as it has or it will be disbanded, you will all comply or else you will go your separate ways and this Watchtower will be decommissioned. Those were Batman's terms. I am just not about to lead you into believing that Batman didn't know who each and every one of you were like he was. However, for obvious reasons I cannot show you my face, because you will know me, and it will be easy enough to figure out who he was from there." The new batman mutters.
"Oh, I see the replacement is here." Shayera growls as she enters the room, much to everyone's surprise. She takes her seat, everyone is now staring at Batman and Superman, with evil eyes.
Batman says nothing. Superman, however, "Hawkgirl, please, I thought you at least understood."
"I'm in agreement with Wally, here, it's Shayera Hol of Thanagar," She rips off her mask, "And yeah, I understand it just fine, Batman's not dead, he's right in front of us, but it does not mean that inwardly I have to like it or acknowledge it when I am not in front of the masses below."
"Quiet! I do not like this, I would rather tell you all who I am, but you will be able to figure out Batman's identity after knowing who I am. I hate this, he was like my father and now I have to parade around in…this. He was Batman, this is like his skin, and it's sickening to me! So, shut up with your gripes and complaints, you didn't know him! None of you did, he kept himself a secret to protect everyone he cared about, not just himself, and now I am going to do the same, not just for his reasons, but also to respect him, my father, Superman wasn't exactly happy about it either, but this is the way it has to be. I'm sorry." His shoulders' slump after that, and he turns to leave.
"Di—Batman, wait." Superman almost let it slip, but no one noticed or cared if they did.
"No, Superman, I'm sorry, but I'm done for today, call if you need me, the entire Batclan is available, but they're right I'm not a replacement, I can't be. You can continue the founder's meeting, just know that I'm there if needed." He waits for no response, before departing.
Superman buries his face in his hands and groans. No one else knows what to say, except to stare. AN: Okay, this is the Avengers movieverse. Thank you to all of you who are reviewing. My book is available on authonomy add a .com in there when you search for it and it'd be golden. It's called Renatus. Did you enjoy the excerpt of it that I supplied to you in the prologue? Let me know. Also please continue to review, it's easy, just say one or two words, let me know whether you hated it or loved it. Thank you.
