An: *pets Kaldur.* T'was all that is needed to be said. Not gonna lie. When it comes to John Stewart- I completely ship him with Shayera/Hawgirl. *Blames JL Animates and JLU for this.*
As he closes in on the clam, it being to open. J'onn could feel the rush of excitement and relief that was beginning to flood his system.
Finally, this madness could be over.
Only, as he came closer, he realized that there was nothing inside the clam shell at all.
Had he been tricked?
He turns looking upwards as the black manta became larger then before. It's mouth gaping wide and swallows them both whole.
"Three hours." Cyborg said without looking at John. "Is Batman here yet?"
"He's finishing a case."
"That's what you said last time."
John only gave a noncommittal shrug but glances at Vixen who was trying not to look anxious but stalks off into the base. He sighs, wondering if Shayera was alright with...him.
He pushes such thoughts away and glances towards Black Canary who was talking to Red Arrow.
He wonders how the boy was holding up. From what he heard, they had been pretty close before well, apparently a fight. Whatever that fight was about seemed to have come at a worse time.
Red Arrow could only stare on from where he was, trying to ignore Black Canary's hovering. His jaw is set, teeth clenched for the moment before he relaxes it. He hates this. He hates waiting when he should be doing something.
Why had he left him alone?
It was a stupid fight. He..he didn't really...
He remembers learning about Kaldur's disappearance and the fear that shook him to the core.
Gods, how could he have-?
"It's not your fault." Black Canary told him again as she frowns a little watching Martian Manhunter's body twitch once. "You couldn't have-"
"If I hadn't been so hot headed and gone back, maybe he wouldn't have left the apartment." Red Arrow rubs his temples. "And now, all everyone cares about is that fucking information he might have. No one gives a flying fuck that..that asshole has messed with his head so badly. No one.."
"We do."
Red Arrow looks over his shoulder at the team that have been periodically hovering or taking shifts to know when this would all be over.
"We do care." Artemis told him, "That's why we went with you. We were worried and-"
"Kaldur's our friend." Robin said, "We would've gone without their sanctions anyway. We did it before."
Red Arrow shook his head, "You don't understand."
"Then enlighten us." Conner folds his arms frowning, "What don't we understand?"
"He won't believe you."
"And why not?" Artemis appears irritated, "We just-"
"You didn't trust him." Red Arrow sighs softly. He simply didn't have the energy to be angry with them at the moment. "He told me he considered resigning from the team altogether at one point. I talked him out of it. Told him you needed him." He looks at them through his mask. "But after what happened in here then.." He closes his mouth. "I don't know if he even wants to come back. What if he doesn't? What if he doesn't see me- this place- as worth while enough to come back to?"
"He wouldn't abandon us." M'gann said, "He wouldn't. He's-"
"He told me that Black Manta cared about him." Red Arrow points out, "You saw how..loyal he was. It didn't matter what that nutjob believed as long as he felt needed and wanted, he'll believe whatever they do."
"He'll come back, man. He has to." Wally adds not really the one to think this. After all in both occasions, he had been the one to object. So quick to judge and.. "How else are we going to apologize?"
When J'onn looks around at his surroundings, he found himself in darkness. Rather, he could only see the pitch black darkness as far as his eyes could see, but he could see his own hands normally.
He walks forward, wondering if he could ever get out of this.
"You will not be able to leave."
J'onn turns and saw someone standing not too far from him. A haze of smoke rising from seemingly nowhere before the source was revealed to be a single cigarette tucked between two chapped lips.
"Kaldur'ahm, I presume?" J'onn said moving closer. "I am-"
"I know why you are here." He's the only one without a mask so far.
J'onn frowns, "If you know then-"
"Then why do I allow such things to take place?" He tilts his head slightly but takes the cigarette-which has been teetering precariously on his lips- out and between two webbed fingers, "I felt like it."
"You are not Kaldur'ahm." J'onn said. He couldn't' be because Kaldur'ahm was far more polite and- "Where is he, Jackson?"
"Do not be so draft." He walks by him, "I am 'Kaldur'ahm' and Jackson. They are all me. You only came here to 'fix' things so that Aqualad will return to your fold so loyally with the information you could use against Black Manta's next attack plan."
"If you knew all of that, then why have you shown me what was here?" J'onn watches him with cool red eyes, "Why did you show me the most intimate details of your life so far?"
The teen- for he wasn't a man but not a boy - takes a long drag from the cig and breathes out the smoke slowly, "I thought you would be far more sensitive to the cause."
"What cause?"
He smiles slightly, "Getting Aqualad back."
"But you just said-"
"No, I am Kaldur'ahm and Jackson. I am not Devil Ray and Aqualad. Therein lies a difference, my friend." He sits, leaning back on an invisible chair and leans to the side with his arm resting on the invisible chair-arm. "You have been searching for Aqualad. Aqualad is an ideal just as Devil Ray is. Opposite and opposing forces that should never gain a foot hold over either one."
J'onn frowns at this, "What is it that you wish for me to do in this? Obviously, I must help Aqualad defeat or at least tether this 'Devil Ray' persona for him to be able to function fully. Especially with Black Manta's influences-"
At that, the teen laughs at him. "My father, David, you mean?" He gave J'onn almost a pitying smile, "Your League- and Aquaman- are rather foolish."
"What does that mean?"
"Do you not remember, Martian Manhunter? Everyone has some darkness inside of them. Black Manta did not corrupt Kaldur'ahm." He leans forward slightly, cig poised in hand as his mouth stays in a grinning shape, "Kaldur'ahm simply decided he did not want to play this game any more."
"Maybe we should stop this?" M'gann suggests, "It's going on five hours. Such a thing..I'm worried about Uncle J'onn being in there for too long. It might have some side effects."
John glances from her to Cyborg, "How are the readings?"
"So far stable, but she's right. It might be a strain on both of them."
Onyx sighs, "I told you it wouldn't be that easy." She moves towards them.
"What are you doing?" Vixen's eyes narrow a bit, "We should wait until-"
"We're ending this session now." Onyx told her, "I'm here because I owe Batman a favor. I'm here to make sure this kid talks and is at least well enough to do his job. That's it. If having him in there so long is going to become damaging, then fuck it. "
"Wait!" Red Arrow got up from his position to stop them, "This might be his only chance. I'm not- we can't stop now."
"You know, if he gets pissed-"
"I'll take the blame."
"What?" J'onn really couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Game? What Game?"
"Good, evil, what have you." The teen replies waving his hand in a blase manner, "Do you not get sick and tired of being treated as if you were a placeholder for someone else? As if there will be no one who will care for you? Understand you at all?" He finally gets up, the cig is tossed somewhere in the darkness. "Kaldur'ahm got tired of it. He got tired of taking the blame. Taking the fall and getting so little in return. So easily do they turn on him. It is something of a 'mood whiplash,' I believe. They will laugh and talk with him one moment, then are enraged the next."
He stops and looks towards him, "Do you ever feel like it is better to have the comfort of someone willing to listen? To take you in and care nothing for where you have been but what you could be? This is why he gave in. That is the truth. This- all this that you have seen is the sum of Kaldur'ahm. Of course there is more. There is always more to a person then the surface you have scratched."
"So he ..betrayed us?" J'onn was grasping at it all. "He turned his back on everything-"
"You are being so obtuse." He said with an exasperated sigh, "No. He did not. When he lost himself, his conscience proved to still be loyal to his first friends and family. Quite frankly, I do not feel such a thing but I understand it. That is why this all occurred. You were trying to force the secrets out."
"Black Manta?"
"Is there any other?" He raises a brow. "Loyalty is a quirk, a curse, a burden with seldom rewards but a promise of a future. Black Manta knew that. My Father manipulates such things as if they were webs he could pluck at any given time." He turns and tilts his head, "What you seek here, Martian Manhunter, are secrets. I will gladly tell them to you- at a price."
J'onn does not like this. He doesn't- couldn't really- understand the simple surrender that Kaldur'ahm had done. He didn't quite pull it all together as to why this person was completely whole and functional, but refused to show himself.
He wonders if it was Kaldur'ahm himself, or merely his darker half, Jackson. But he also knew they need that information. Still, it would be better to have Aqualad at least somewhat himself.
It would be better for the team.
"I would like to know them- however.."
"Hm?" He glances at him. "Oh, you wish for that?"
"How do you-?"
"It is easy to see. Like a genie I will grant that boon to you." He told him and tilts his head, "But do we have a deal, J'onn? I know you can shatter this mind to look for those secrets but you are a hero. Heroes do not do things like that."
"Yes. We have a deal."
At the six hour mark, worry had set in well even though some had worked on other little projects, the majority of the watchers stayed, waiting for the second that Martian Manhunter releases the teen from this bond.
"How long can they stay like this?" Wally mutters, "It's been ages."
"I don't-"
"Look!" M'gann flies over towards her uncle as he stirs and staggers back, "Uncle J'onn!"
"I.." J'onn raises a green hand to his head to dull the ache of having been linked to a mind for so long.
"Are you alright?" John asked looking from him then to the teen that falls side way. "Whoa, kid!"
"Don't!" J'onn says harshly, making everyone stop. "Leave him be for now. I have to get back to the Watchtower- we must return. I know what Black Manta is up to."
Aquaman nods, but he lingers for a moment, wanting to stay to see about his protege, but if Black Manta's plans have been found out- then this could very well be a life or death situation for them all.
Red Arrow didn't give a damn about Martian Manhunter's warning. He rushes over to him, checking to see if he's alright. "Kaldur? Come on, Kal, say something."
"Leave him." J'onn said once more, before turning to leave, "He is not the same. Nor will he ever be again."
"What did you do?" Red Arrow glares at him looking up from the seemingly peaceful face. "What did you do to him?"
J'onn only stops long enough to give something of a sad look.
"I made a deal with a devil."