Disclaimer remains same as the others. W00t, I'm up to four chapters. A lot further than I expected to get when Fio-chan started pushing me to write and now I am starting grow more confident in myself thanks to my friends' encouragement. Now onto the story.
Chapter 4: Shattered blazes.
Perhaps it was the light, or the noise from the Zeta tube, that woke Alex up while being carried by his best friend, Superboy, to the med bay. Whichever it only did a partial job since the pyrokinetic hero was still in that half-asleep state where his mind still thought he was dreaming. When his half-lidded eyes opened, the first thing he laid eyes on was the S shield before him and he smiled softly. "Super girl you are here, oh how I love" the thud that followed a rather freaked out Connor dropping him snapped him out of his daydream.
"Oww! Connor where did you come from where's Supergirl?" Alex questioned a mildly annoyed Connor. The boy of steel made no comment as he crossed his arms and began grumbling while Alex climbed into the bed, starting to bandage up the wounds from his fight with the two icy villains. "Ugh, my arm feels like I stuck it in a volcano." Kaldur approached taking the roll of bandage and finished the job noting how much pain Alex seemed to have using his right arm.
"You might as well have. It was risky trying to take them on alone; I thought Canary's lessons about teamwork were getting through to you."
Alex sighed. "I know, I know. I just thought I could take them because…" Kaldur cut the bandage finishing up.
"You had the advantage with your powers and discounted the skills of your opponent. Just because you have, an advantage doesn't mean you should disrespect your enemy. Confidence is good, but overconfidence can get you or a member of the team seriously hurt… or worse." Alex's shoulders slumped as he hung his head causing that almost shoulder-length charcoal-colored hair of his to hang in front of his eyes.
Upon exiting the med bay, he was greeted by a hug from M'gann who was happy he was all right, and he hugged her back with his good arm. "Thank you M'gann and I am sorry I didn't contact you guys. It was stupid and arrogant of me and I can't apologize enough for not relying on my friends."
"It's alright Alex. As long as you're okay." She smiled sweetly as she pulled away from the embrace.
Wally approached carrying a few boxes of pizza. "Enough of the somber and mushiness. Our new teammate took down his first official villain so to celebrate we're having Pizza." He grinned as they headed into the dining room where Artemis, Kaldur and an unknown little kid sat waiting.
Artemis scoffed seeing the Pizza box in Wally's hands. "Pizza again, Wally you are going to become the world's heaviest speedster."
Wally smirked chewing on his pizza and thankfully swallowed before speaking for once. "It's for celebrating Alex's win today, and besides as long as I have hottest like M'gann to keep me moving I won't get too big." He winked at the Martian
A glare from Superboy and shin kick from Artemis moved the conversation on. "Please, Wally you would celebrate a butterfly exiting its cocoon if it meant Pizza." Alex and the, to him anyway, unknown kid Billy kept exchanging stares.
"Hey, pizza's pizza." Kid Flash said with a mouthful of pizza.
Finally, the weight of the uneasy silence broke when Alex tugged gently on M'gann's sleeve. "Who is he? Is he Wally or Robin's little brother? Don't tell me the league has us babysitting now."
Robin entered the room typing on that gauntlet-installed holographic keyboard still. "What M'gann read in his head checks out. Billy here really is Captain Marvel. The league keeps DNA records of all its members and the security isn't much different from the Bat cave. Especially when there are no monitors checking for the hack." The boy wonder said, still not looking up.
A miracle happened as Wally actually stopped eating for a bit staring at the kid in disbelief. "Wait Captain Marvel, the babysitter the League saddled us with after the incident with Tornado's family is this kid? I thought the league had an age requirement." Billy fidgeted as he looked at the YJ team.
"They do. No one in the league knows my real identity like how almost no one in the league knows Batman's identity. Well they know my real name in Billy Batson but not my real age." Billy said looking down.
Robin spoke up still typing. "Based on what Billy said, and this is what Kaldur and I have concluded, the adults have been either kidnapped and/or stolen, or we have been. Because his form as Captain Marvel is older than his natural state so when he turned back he wasn't old enough to meet the quota of whatever took them so the beings or device either sent him back or captured him."
Alex held his head, which was aching trying to figure exactly what was going on. "So, if the adults aren't dead what is going on?"
"That's what we have to find out." Kaldur said
"Oh…I hope they're okay." M'gann sighed as Artemis put a hand on her shoulder.
A few hours passed and the rest of the team went off helping, saving and tending to kids. Getting the older kids and other teen heroes and sidekicks to work together, while Kaldur and Batman conversed using Captain Marvel as a messenger. Seemed like all it took was for the hero to power up and down to go back and forth.
Sure, the caped crusader was a bit upset at Billy's revelation, but at this point, it was an asset. Something to be later discussed. Together, Aqualad and the dark knight, they devised that there were two separate realities or rather that the world itself had been separated.
After more plans and theories, the team met up, upon Robin's request.
Robin turned as a holographic globe hummed to life, with a pointer appearing on the eastern seaboard. "As you know I've searched over the planet for any signs of adult life… and while I looked I found this, a large magical energy surge in North Carolina. (I'd suggest New Orléans. Dark Magic capital.) It happened just before the event so I am guessing it's the cause."
Billy reappeared a few minutes after relaying Robin's discovery to the league. "Batman said that JL computers also picked up the same energy surge. Satellite images picked up 4 known sorcerers including Wotan from the Injustice League"
"Not that joker." Kid Flash grumbled
"The Joker is involved?" M'gann asked clueless, she had just entered the room with a batch of cookies. What better brain food than M'gann's cooking?
"I don't think so." Artemis told her grabbing a cookie before Wally had the chance to gobble them all up.
"So what's the plan?" Connor asked
Alex stared at the globe. "Let me guess, we go there right? Isn't this a bit out of our league, no pun intended, I mean beings who can alter reality… isn't that a little above our skill set?"
Zatanna approached carrying Dr. Fate's helmet. "Not if we have an ace in the hole." Wally stood up panicking.
"No way! We can't use that. Nabu told me the next time someone put on the helmet that he wouldn't let them out."
Kaldur sighed hating himself for the conclusion he came to. "If it is a magic user with this kind of power we may not have a choice. It took Dr. Fate to beat the last mighty sorcerer we fought, Klarion the Witch boy."
"But…who will put on the helmet?" M'gann asked softly
Roanoke Island, North Carolina
Soon the Bioship arrived in stealth mode, the figure of Klarion the Witch Boy growing ever larger upon the monitor, and it was then that the youngest member of the team, Robin, turned to Billy. Transform and go help the league. Since you are "here" you would arrive in the thick of the fight meaning you give immediate help to them. Plus it won't be safe for you to be here once the fight begins."
Billy nodded and rose to his feet. "Shazam!" and at that moment a lightning bolt descended from the heavens of unknown origin transforming him back into Captain Marvel and sending him to the Adult's reality.
Now that Captain Marvel was away and safe the team descended to the ground while Megan sent the Bioship away to safety to prevent her from getting harmed by an errant attack of Klarion's.
The battle began as Wally, Connor and Kaldur charged the "young" sorcerer Klarion but were suddenly sent flying by his barrier, repelling the trio as if it were nothing. Zatanna was the next to attack with a spell that Klarion arrogantly referred to as baby magic. Casting an incantation with ease as if he were ordering a pizza the force from the spell sent the young female magician soaring into the air, being saved at the last-minute by Superboy.
Miss Martian took her shot flinging large chunks of the ground at the barrier but like her comrades it did little to the barrier. Klarion's smirk faded just long enough for the wicked brat to open his mouth spraying fire like a Dragon towards her. Alex raised his hands up using his pyrokinetic ability to take control of the fiery stream pulling it down just enough for Megan to dodge. while Artemis and Kid Flash turned their attention to Teekl.
"Artemis, when Dr. Fate beat Klarion he won by attacking the cat." Artemis smirked drawing an arrow from her holster. "Not the biggest cat fan anyway." With ease Klarion turned Artemis' arrow into a ball of green yarn. "Show them what the familiar to a lord of chaos can do Teekl." Teekl transformed into a massive saber-tooth tiger and roared moving to swat Connor to the ground.
As the battle waged Zatanna in desperation put on Dr. Fate's helmet and finally the tide of battle began to shift into the team's favor. Alex held his hand out as a whip of fire began to manifest and he swung it wrapping it around Teekl's tale pulling him back long enough for Connor to punch the cat stunning it. However their briefly gained ground was lost when Teekl sharply pulled his tail flinging Alex right into Connor.
"Oww…Kryptonians do not make soft pillows." Alex rolled over just in time to see Teekl rise up intending to make a meal of them an attempt thwarted by a hastily made wall of flames, burning away a patch of the familiar's fur. Finally in the midst of Fate's battle with Klarion, KF managed to swipe the gem responsible for the split realities and tossed it to Fate just before being blasted by Klarion.
Mount Justice
The battle was won, victory belonging to the heroes however not without a price, Zatara had taken the place of his daughter and became Dr. Fate. Zatanna could be heard crying Megan's arms around her friend hugging her while Kaldur & Robin briefed the JL on what happened. Batman dismissed the team for the night and off they went in their own separate directions, Aqualad choosing to go visit Atlantis.
Kid Flash, after placing his newest souvenir rushed home to see his family. Artemis to her mother, both sides overcome with joy and emotion hugging one another. Megan was at work on a batch of cookies to celebrate being reunited with her uncle John. Even the usually stoic dynamic duo of Batman & Robin couldn't completely keep up their calm expression, the briefest of smiles cracking that stone-like veil knowing his sidekick…..no his son, was alright which led to Richard cracking his million dollar smile.
However while everyone reunited with family and beloved friends, two team members who were either completely or pretty much in Connor and Alex stood in the training hall sparring. They were developing an almost brotherly bond since Alex had no living relatives and Conner….Superman just wanted nothing to do with his son. The 2 bonded not just over fondness for cars but due to being able to recognize one another's issues as their own. Alex's anger, at the death of his parents, was something Superboy knew just how easily could get out of control since he was until Megan came along.
That would be an issue to wait as the 2 continued sparring at least until Red Tornado stated it was time to recharge for the evening. What would be next.