Hey everyone! It's been quite a while, hasn't it? This chapter and I had our disagreements, and as a result I may have taken a really REALLY long time writing the first draft. Sorry about that... ^^;

Well, we're gonna jump into the action! As always I do not own Young Justice. (It would be a nice gift, though...)

Enjoy!


October 7, 10:12 PM
Gotham City

Kon sat against one of the cavern walls, listening to the screams of the imprisoned Justice League. He could distinguish the different voices if he wanted to; Green Arrow was full of rage, Aquaman was in pain, and the Flash's voice was just sorrowful. However he was mesmerized by the harmonized sound that came into the cave.

(did I sound like that?)

The Kryptonian closed his eyes. In the darkness, his mind built him an illusion of Cadmus. The labs had just enough light to reveal the experiments being conducted. There was a maze of passageways between the important creations, separating them from possible companionship. The floors were alive with technology and new experiments. The rock walls-

(stop it don't think about them)

There was a loud scream from Aquaman. Kon's eyes snapped open and, for a second, everything appeared red.

"Shit." He shut his eyes. "One, two, three…"

When he got to ten, he reopened his eyes. There was a scorch mark on the ground before him.

"Nice one, Kon. Aquaman startle you?" Wally said, suddenly appearing by the Kryptonian's side. "Maybe we should consider gagging him?"

Kon leaned forward and touched the burnt ground. The disfigured spot was rapidly cooling in the cavern air. The Kryptonian sighed; he hated when his powers got the best of him.

(would never happen to Superman would it?)

"Why is he screaming?" he asked, returning to his position against the wall.

"Dunno. He's been on and off since the music started." Wally paused. He casted a wary look towards Kon. "You can hear the music, right?"

The clone nodded. The music had started some time ago and became a constant sound in the background of his hearing. Even with his senses Kon had to concentrate on listening to the song. It consisted of a female voice humming a simple melody. The tune itself was unremarkable; Kon could easily replicate the notes on dozens of instruments with Cadmus's teachings. What made the music special were the feelings it brought forth. For Kon, there was an instant feeling of peace and comfort in the melody.

"Right. Just checking." Wall gave a nervous laugh. "I'm just waiting for a sign, you know? Being the only one physically alive is…" He turned away, embarrassed. "Sorry."

"It's fine," the Kryptonian said. "Life's fragile. I get it."

(can I really? I've been dead for so long)

"You're living too. You know, in your own way." The speedster nodded towards the caverns. The voices of the Justice League came back into Kon's awareness. Aquaman was still screaming, although his voice was becoming hoarse. Flash' let out a loud sob. Wally winced and turned away. "You have happiness. All they have is betrayal."

Kon scoffed. "How does that make it different? They're still alive."

"It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, does it?" Wally said. "But seriously. You are living. You're experiencing conscious thought and feelings. You're aware of your environment and can interact with it. You know where you stand with people. You have someone to love. That's more than what a lot of people have." He flashed a grin, although it didn't reach his emerald eyes. "It's a lot more than I have, at any rate."

The Kryptonian considered the words. Quietly he said, "None of us deserved this."

"That's not how life works, buddy. Sometimes it just sucks." The speedster smiled, although Kon could still see wariness in Wally's eyes. "Wanna hear something funny? Sometimes, I want to say 'I'm glad that it's me.' Because that means that, hey, I'm suffering so someone else isn't right now."

"Does it work?"

"Nope."

The two sat in silence for a while. Kon wanted to say something comforting to the other, but couldn't find the words. His communication skills had never been strong.

Wally finally sighed, straightening up. "I'm gonna grab some burgers. Want some?"

"Sure. Get me-" Kon stopped. Superman was shouting, his voice booming over all of the other noises. The clone didn't need his inhuman senses to pick up the words. "Surprise me."

"Yeah, sure. I'm gonna ask the others." Wally barely finished his sentence before running into the deeper caverns.

Kon leaned against the cold stone and focused on Superman's words.

"-mad?! You've killed people! You're sick! This isn't you!"

("let me out! please! let me go!")

Kon closed his sky blue eyes and allowed the noise to wash over him.


October 7, 10:19 PM
Gotham

"Cute, Clark. I wouldn't say that I'm insane, however." Bruce-

(can't be Bruce)

-stood before the Kryptonian, glaring with arms crossed.

Clark glared back. "You're killing other people. The Batman I knew would have killed himself first."

"The Batman you knew hadn't lost his family because someone played God," the man replied. "I told you over and over, Clark. There will almost always be one single trigger that can change a man."

Clark opened his mouth, but quickly shut it before he spoke. He knew his reasoning for his choices was correct. Saying it aloud, however, gave the ideas a harsh tone. Instead, he said, "Things weren't supposed to be this way."

"I guess I have to give you some leeway for that," Bruce said. "It wasn't like we were supposed to come back from the dead, after all."

"I- No, that's not what I meant!"

"Then what do you mean? Did you think that we would be understanding? You didn't bother to ask for our opinion of the whole situation. Maybe we didn't matter to you."

"Oh course-" The rest of his words were cut off as he tried to move in his confinements. When he had regained consciousness earlier, the Kryptonian had found himself encased in a rigid standing body cast. Only from the neck up was free; the rest of his body was trapped in what seemed to be a mixture of metal and Kryptonite. The whole piece burned against his skin.

"Of course we mattered?" Bruce asked mockingly. The shadows by his feet twisted into jagged shapes. "That's hard to believe."

"You always mattered. But this was for the best," Clark said.

"The best for what? Was it for the best of the Justice League?" The man pretended to ponder the question before continuing. "I don't see how killing off the leader of the Justice League was helpful. Maybe it was for the best of my children. Queen did say that they would be better off dead."

The memory of the words jumped out in Clark's mind. "Oliver was angry!"

"But he meant it," Bruce said. "No one liked me. I understood that. Hell, I created half of the rumors about Batman! But justifying killing my family? Is that really your greatest accomplishment?"

"It was for the greater good," the Kryptonian protested. "You died to save the world. You've killed people because you're angry."

"I ask again Clark, what greater good came out of it? If anything, I am a byproduct of your decision."

The words sank in with a ferocious bite. The accusation was not unfamiliar; even his own conscience recognized the situation as a result of the fateful night. What Bruce had failed to see, however, was the other possibility.

The Kryptonite prison burned him. The attention that Clark gave the pain faded in and out as he tried to explain. "Fate told us that we had no choice."

"And you accepted his words at face value?"

"He said the world was at stake and there was no time. Either we allowed him to continue the spell or everything would be destroyed."

(it had to be that way)

Bruce seemed to ponder over the words. He paced in front of the Kryptonian's prison, the footsteps drowning out some of the screams. The sound slowly magnified and played out a beat-

(of what? what is that noise?)

Clark was about to scream when Bruce finally stopped.

Bruce smirked. "You were talking about the 'Bruce you used to know'? Remember how he would subtly torture criminals? Hang them over the edge of buildings? Leave them to the dogs? I can assure you that I've gotten worse in the event of my own death.

"But the best thing was torturing you all" Bruce turned his head, and their eyes met. "I pretended to have no memories of your betrayal for years. All of you enjoyed a prolonged guilt trip every time you saw me. You all squirmed whenever I was in the room. You were all embarrassed. Ashamed. Yet you still though that you could get over the regret of playing God."

Clark still fought back. "It would have been better if you had no memories! You wouldn't have harmed anyone else-"

"You can never be certain about that."

"J'onn would have made sure of it. I would have stepped in if I had to," Clark said. There was anger in his voice now. Bruce's inability to understand-

(greater good always the greater good)

-his reasoning was baffling. Still, the Kryptonian persisted. "I'm sorry, but it has to be that way. You would have done the same for us."

"That's weak, even for you," Bruce said. "Did you even think to consider alternative possibilities?"

"There was no time-"

"Is that your only excuse?" Bruce shook his head. "Let's try a different context. Maybe you can understand this example.

"A mission has just ended. Dr. Fate is using Nelson for the first time in years. You return home. You don't know that your teammates are listening to Dr. Fate. Fate says that there's an immediate danger to the planet. The only way for him to stop it is to cast one specific spell. But that spell sacrifices all of the hosts of the dark force in order to do away with the darkness within. It's not just about getting rid of you anymore. There's darkness in your parents-"

"No!"

Bruce tilted his head, the shadows enveloping his eyes. "But Fate didn't explain everything at first. No one knew until Oracle was begging for help. Well, this is a hypothetical case. I'm sure you won't mind the creative liberties. It's all the same in the end; Fate says the only way to save the world is to sacrifice the lives of all of the Kents. There's no other way."

The man turned away. Clark struggled to find the words. The voice in his head-

(for the greater good save the world sacrifice

but what if?)

-returned with greater force.

"You know what I would have done, Clark?" Bruce asked. Clark leveled a glare at the man, but Bruce was still turned away from him.

(you would have done the same that's who you are Batman)

"I would have told Fate to leave."

"Wh- what?"

"I wouldn't have sacrificed you. Even if the whole galaxy was in danger." Bruce paused, allowing the words to sink in.

"You- you can't say something like that!" Clark protested. "You have no idea what was going on! The pressure-"

Bruce snarled, "There are always other options. We saved the world multiple times against great odds. What makes that time so different?"

The man's words echoed throughout the cave. For a few seconds, Clark could catch the sound of a softly-playing melody.

"I can't say that I'm sorry for how things turned out, Clark. If I had known that you were all willing to harm my family, I would have killed you." The man offered a bitter smile.

"Bruce-"

"I'm Lampads. The Bruce Wayne you knew died, remember?"

(I allowed him to die)

The Kryptonian watched the man walk away.

(was it always my fault?)

Bruce paused mid-step. He turned around, a smirk on his lips. "I should show you something first. Golem, come here."

"Who-"

Superboy-

(my clone)

-suddenly flew into the cavern. Clark frowned at the sight of the clone's outfit. The rumbled suit looked familiar.

Bruce smirked. "Recognize it? Or do you need some help?" From a hidden pocket, the man pulled out a pair of large, black rimmed glasses. He handed them to Superboy, and the clone put them on.

(no)

"He even fits one of your spare costumes. I was curious to see how well Cadmus did creating your clone. They really got every last detail in." Bruce turned towards Superboy, his smile becoming warmer. "Project Kr was always more than an evil plot. Pyroead had a wonderful idea, though."

"No!"

(what are you going to do going to hurt everyone you can't)

Bruce shrugged. "We'll let you know when we're done. Goodbye, Clark."

Superboy gave Clark a nod, and began to fly towards the exit.

"No, you can't! Stop!" Clark struggled against the bonds. "Please!"

This time, no one answered him.


Six years ago
January 1, 2:16 AM
Washington DC

(wake up the moon is waiting)

There had been a moment of absolute nothing. Project Kr had ceased sensing and thinking. It was as if he had fallen into deep sleep for a second, only to be jolted awake in the next.

(I'm broken? can't I go to the surface?)

The thought of the surface made his chest tighten. The scientists had all insisted that he remain underground as he received his education. He was supposedly incomplete without it. Unfit. So Project Kr had allowed the Genomorphs to fill his head with facts and pictures. He learned astonishing amounts daily. But no matter what, he was constantly declared unready.

(was I ever going to be ready?)

He drew in a breath and was rewarded with wheezing and coughing. Broken stone and rubble from the crumbling elevator shaft pressed against him. Every part of him ached, and he was even bleeding. His inhuman senses, however, were as sharp as always. He could hear commands being screeched over the loudspeaker. Sirens were going off throughout the building. Humans and Genomorphs were mobilizing. The building was alive as it had never been before.

The clone frowned. There was something missing amongst the chaos.

(my heartbeat where's my heartbeat?)

He focused on his surroundings. His recollection of the moments before he had passed out was rather hazy. He had broken out of his sleeping chamber and fought everything that got in his way. His fists were covered in blood since. The whole time, the voice in his head encouraged him forward.

(keep going touch the moon the surface)

Project Kr pushed some of the rubble away. He had gotten lucky; the last counterattack had sent him into the elevator shaft. While he was farther down into the facility than earlier, he now had a cleared area to scale up to the surface.

(go on)

He leapt up. Some part of him registered disappointment when he began to fall again. He reached out to one of the walls, his fingers ripping streaks into the material. He found leverage on a small ledge, and leapt again.

A thought-

(where's the elevator?)

-ran through his head. He looked back down the shaft. Through the darkness Project Kr could see scraps of metal amongst the rubble that had hindered him earlier.

(is that blood is that mine?)

(don't think about it)

Project Kr jumped again. His head crashed through the ceiling. Concrete and pipes scratched against him, but there was no pain; he only registered the lightest touch and sound of things breaking against him. The shouting had become a background noise.

He landed on his back. Feeling the sterile floor was a new experience for him. He had never touched tiled flooring before.

(close your eyes for me)

He closed his eyes. The sound of cracking filled his ears before the physical destruction reached the floor beneath him. The structure fell apart and the building around him collapsed. The alarms seemed to become frantic in the one second of realization, and the voices-

(ignore the voices they aren't important listen to me)

Something shoved at him from behind. His chest lurched forward as the thing entered through his back, slipping between his ribs. The thing felt like a cold human hand, pushing its way through him, aiming for his heart.

"No. No. No," Project Kr muttered. His voice was hoarse and trapped under the newly formed debris. "No no no."

(I was so close)

The hand withdrew. There was no pain, no sensation of blood and guts seeping out of his body. The clone maneuvered one of his hands to his back. All he felt was his skin. Not a single trace of a wound.

The debris above him was pushed aside by an unseen force. The sight of the moon in the night sky greeted the clone. His heart-

(beating again I'm alive a malfunction earlier?)

-began to beat faster.

Any wariness or pain that he had felt earlier dissolved from his body. He got up slowly, his eyes sweeping the area for any hints of where to go.

(Justice League headquarters can anyone help me there? can Superman?)

Project Kr climbed over the debris, and began his walk to Justice League headquarters.


October 9, 10:12 PM
Metropolis

Kon watched a cloud blot the moon out of the night sky. He considered flying over the cloud so he could continue his moon gazing. He quickly decided against it; the others were supposed to be arriving soon.

He looked around the garden again. Many of the plants had unseasonably bright flowers. He wondered how many of them were genetically modified.

(like me a genetic monster experiment)

"It is a rather beautiful night, it is not?" Kraken asked, walking towards him from the dirt path.

The clone grunted. "It doesn't matter."

The Atlantean gave him a knowing smile. "You have already started," he said, his head nodding to the hole next to Kon.

"I was bored."

"I can continue for you if-"

"I can finish." Kon reached for the shovel he had laid on the ground earlier. There were slight indents on the wooden handle, markers of moments when his inhuman strength suddenly appeared. He was surprised that he hadn't broken the tool yet.

"If you are certain," Kraken said. The Atlantean walked to the edge of the hole and sat down on the grass.

Kon looked at his friend. Kraken-

(when did he stop being Kaldur?)

-had spied on both Black Manta's forces and the Justice League. He curbed any attempts to overthrow Orin from the throne, while simultaneously sabotaging the League's missions. Both the League and Black Manta had believed in the Atlantean's loyalty. Kraken, in turn, acted well enough to continue manipulating the sides for over four years.

"How is Atlantis now?" Kon asked, flying back into the hole.

"In chaos. The queen has yet to wake and there are no clues to explain Garth's… betrayal. As Tula has gone missing, the court is afraid of another terrorist group. The prince is under constant guard."

"But they're letting you stay on the surface."

"They believe I am searching for the missing king."

The conversation faded away as Kon resumed his digging. The Kryptonian could feel the other's gaze on him, watching him more than the process. It was reassuring to know that the gaze was never accusing.

(League's was accusing waiting for betrayal would they have ever trusted me?)

Kon frowned. He had followed the League's rules and instructions to the best of his abilities, yet very few believed of his sincerity. Superman's opinion of the situation overrode of Kon's attempts to prove himself. Giving up on winning their trust had not made the rejection any easier. Joining Dryad had not been easy at first; he had become the monster the League thought he was.

(would it have been different?)

"You have stopped digging," Kraken said. "Is there something wrong?"

"Was thinking about something," Kon answered. "What… What do you think would have happened if the Justice League saved Batman?"

Silence fell between them as the Atlantean pondered over the question. Kon struck the shovel into the dirt and turned his attention towards the moon again.

"You didn't stop the party waiting for us, did you?" Wally said, suddenly appearing by Kraken's side. M'gann materialized next to the speedster a second later.

Kraken shook his head. "We are merely contemplating a future that did not happen."

"Why would you be doing that?"

"It sounds fun," M'gann said. "Hm… I think I could have stayed at high school longer. I could have even joined the cheerleading squad!"

"I would have shown up to all of your games, Sweet Cheeks." Wally threw a wink in her direction. The joy from the jest even reached his eyes. "I would obviously be the hot babe magnet for the League. Maybe even the dashing leader of Young Justice!"

Kon chuckled, pulling the shovel out of its spot. "That's it?"

"Well, maybe. This is a conversation with a lot of hypotheticals after all." The speedster smiled again. This time, the emotion failed to reach his emerald eyes. "I could have died doing something epic. Maybe save the world, heroically sacrificing myself?"

"Yeah right!" M'gann said. Giggling, she punched Wally in the shoulder. The Kryptonian recognized the action; Siren would do something similar to her brothers. He wondered how many other habits she had picked up without his notice.

"Like I said, hypothetical!" Wally said, holding his hands up.

"I imagine that I would have continued to pine for Tula," Kraken admitted. "Although I would not be surprised if I had developed feelings for Batgirl."

M'gann's smile lit up. "That would have been cute! You could have gone out on dates-"

"And drive the Batmobile!" Wally said.

Kraken shook his head, amused. "I doubt that her brothers would have allowed it, much less her father."

The redhead ignored the comment. "We could totally have had team bonding times in the Batmobile. That would have been sweet."

"Maybe I could have used their kitchen!" M'gann thought aloud. "It's so large and-"

Kon tuned the girl out, although a smile appeared on his lips. A few years ago Sylph had offered M'gann a tour of Wayne Manor through his memories. She ran to Kon afterwards in tears. The happy illusions reminded her of what the Justice League had destroyed.

Over time, the memories became a basis for her fantasies. She spent hours reconstructing Wayne Manor in her head. Most of the rooms were an exact mirror of what they had been before the incident. A select few had additional features to accommodate for the other members of the team; a large pool for Kraken, a track for Wally, an extended kitchen for her. It was a dream house.

M'gann often invited Kon into the mental landscape. The manor seemed to be littered with photos and other traces of life. It gave a glimpse of what the family had been like. The Kryptonian had spent hours in Tim Drake Wayne's room, learning who his lover was before he became Dryad. The teenager Kon discovered through the illusion was very similar, but so vastly different than the one he had fallen in love with.

Sometimes Kon wondered how the family could become so revenge driven. Then he would remember the League's betrayal. The rest would always make sense afterwards.

"-you would have infiltrated Black Manta's group easily."

Kon looked up, realizing that he had missed the movement of the conversation. He grabbed the shovel and continued digging.

"But what motivation would I have?" Kraken asked.

"Dude, the guy was trying to destroy Atlantis and killed a lot of innocent people," Wally said. "You wouldn't have to look too hard for a reason."

"The king and queen would have made it a mission," M'gann said. "And you would have been chosen to save them."

The Atlantean chuckled. "I wonder how I would manage to keep my sanity."

"Your good old sense of justice," Wally sarcastically replied.

"We would have believed in that justice," M'gann reminded him. In a hushed voice, she added, "The Justice League would have stood up for the justice we believed in and saved Batman."

The trio grew silent. Kon continued his digging. He couldn't understand what the others felt. They had grown up believing in what the Justice League stood for. Their heroes were family members who showered them with affection. There was no reason for doubt until Nymph came and hinted at the truth. Until that moment of doubt, his friends' heroes had always been the good guys.

(my heroes are killers)

"What about you, Kon?" M'gann asked. "Where do you think you would have ended up?"

The Kryptonian didn't lift his head as he spoke. "I don't know. Cadmus would have picked."

The group grew silent again. Kon could feel the eyes of the others on his back. He was nearing the end of his digging. He wondered how such a thing was possible to know.

(can the dead sense the dead?)

The speedster spoke up. "We might have found you in time."

The Kryptonian almost responded-

(probably not)

-but decided to hold his tongue. He struck the shovel's blade into the ground. "I'm grateful that I escaped at all. I can't really complain."

"You did get to see the moon," Wally said. "Some good did come out of it."

"Yeah," Kon said. He glanced at the ground. Traces of clothes could be seen mixed in the dirt. "What's done is done. We can't change anything."

"We can change our current path," Kraken pointed out. "There is still the possibility of atoning."

Wally snorted. "Says the man who prefers to be called by his villain name."

The Kryptonian crouched over the scraps of clothing. He brushed away some dirt with his hands.

"There's nothing that I want to atone for," M'gann declared. "I want this kind of justice. I want to avenge Mistress."

"Siren also deserves justice," Kraken said. "They will all be avenged, if nothing else."

The speedster hesitated before speaking. "I wanted the truth and I got it. I should have been satisfied. But… but the Justice League will do it again. We can't let it happen."

Kon sighed, using his powers to fly out of the hole. He landed next to the tarp that he had prepared before he began digging. Carefully he draped the plastic over his arms. "M'gann, can you lift her out of the ground?"

"Oh, right!" The dirt came to life, falling away from the clothes. Bones became visible.

The Kryptonian looked up. The other three were still before him. Kon could trace the years on each of them, knowing how murders and sins wrote on their skin. He could not, however, imagine them to be any different.

(they could have been heroes)

He wondered-

(I could have been a hero)

-if there was any way that he could have escaped his fate. Almost everyone had believed that he would turn out to be a monster. The few that had believed in him offered enough support for him to escape villainy.

M'gann's carefully placed Lois Lane's body on the tarp. Some joints broke apart when the Martian cut off her telekinesis. The corpse seemed felt light in his arms.

(I'm a monster by choice)

He looked back up towards his friends. "I'm bringing her to the caves first. Then I'll start preparing."

"You got it, Supes!" Wally said, laughing. Kraken sighed, and M'gann looked mortified at the use of the nickname.

Kon smiled back at the speedster. "It's Golem. But thanks."

(for everything)


Six years ago
March 21, 3:25 PM
Gotham

Superboy stood by the large gate to Wayne Manor. The area was secluded, and seemed to have been abandoned for quite some time. The plant life behind the gate varied between dead and teeming with life. In a few spots, he could see patches of melting snow.

"Hello, Project Kr."

The Kryptonian turned to the source of the voice, masking his surprised. The other person was only a teenager. He was smaller than Superboy, and had hints of muscle showing through his baggy clothing. The skin that was visible was scarred and pale. The teenager's black hair was long, and his bangs fell in front of his eyes.

(heartbeat where's his heartbeat?)

"Who are you?" Superboy demanded. One hand was already balling into a fist. Despite Black Canary's teachings, his anger was the first thing to respond to the stranger.

"You don't remember?" the teen asked. He turned towards the manor, and Superboy observed the other's shoulders slump. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's been a few months, and I was only a voice in your head. Promising big things like the moon and all that."

"You…" It was instant recognition at the words. "You were the one telling me to break out of Cadmus."

The teenager shrugged. His eyes refused to leave the manor. "It was originally just 'destroy Cadmus.' I wasn't expecting that much from you at first."

It took the Kryptonian a moment to understand the implications. "You wanted me to fight and die? Like an animal?"

"You wouldn't have been the first clone without mental capacity." The stranger sensed Superboy's surprise, and laughed. "A lot of people would love their very own 'Man of Steel' at their beck and call. You're the first success they've had with a clone that had a conscience."

"I…" Superboy swallowed.

"Superman's somehow oblivious to all of this. Sure, he may have heard about a plan or two during his quests. You are, however, the first time he has come face to face with the possibility." The teen turned his head slightly, smiling. "You have to admit, he could have managed it better."

Superboy's hand closed into a fist again. "Who are you?!"

"An admirer. You keep yourself strong against the opposition. I'm kind of jealous of that." The teenager turned his attention back to the house. "If I had your stubbornness… Well, who knows? I bet I could have changed the whole future."

"Listen-"

"Sorry, it's a bad habit. You can call me Dryad if you want." Dryad turned and faced Superboy. "I want to help you understand."

Superboy frowned. "You're not a member of the Justice League. Why should I trust you?"

"Because-" Dryad stepped forward, one hand reaching out for Superboy. The Kryptonian was startled by the movement and remained frozen. Dryad's hand went above Superboy's heart. "-I know what it's like to have your heart stopped."

(my heartbeat where's my heartbeat?)

Superboy pushed the other off of him, his mind frantic and-

(how am I still alive?)

"You died in that elevator shaft," Dryad said. "There was no preventing it."

"What the hell did you do to me?!"

"I begged a higher force to bring you back."

"Wh- what?"

Dryad's smile became less predatory. Superboy could even call it sympathetic. "I used what little remained of my power to help you break out. But once you died… Well, I asked for a favor. You deserved a chance."

(a chance for what?)

"I almost kicked myself when I saw you walk towards the Justice League," the teenager continued. "They have most of my family hidden away as prisoners, and the one fascinating thing that I helped released was going to them for help. I almost wanted you dead. But you went and showed me more of Superman's dark side."

"I… I'm sorry?"

The teen laughed. "It doesn't matter now. He already has a sentence over his head. I just feel bad for you." He reached out and his hand brushed the red shield on Superboy's shirt. "You really deserve a better chance."

Superboy stared at the other. He wanted to respond, but his new knowledge-

(I'm dead I shouldn't be here)

-was dumbfounding.

"I should apologize for calling you out. I just wanted to see you once." Dryad smiled at the Kryptonian. "Let me just fix your heart… Here." He pressed his fingers against Superboy's chest. At once, Superboy's heart started to beat again.

"I…" Superboy was lost for words. He closed his mouth.

"You're welcome. Don't worry about repaying me or anything like that." Dryad nodded and turned to leave. "Goodbye, Project Kr."

"Wait!" Embarrassment flushed over Superboy. "Can… Can we talk more?"

Dryad's body tensed at the question. Superboy could see one of his hands looking for something by his belt. When the teen realized there was nothing there, he turned around. "Are you sure? I'm not the League's friend. Not anymore, at least."

"Yeah. I just…" Superboy looked down at the ground. "You saved my life."

"You're technically dead."

"I know. But I'm walking around and talking, aren't I? Doesn't that count for something?" Superboy hesitantly stepped forward. "It's not like you're a villain or anything."

Dryad laughed. The smile was almost endearing. "Well, I have a story to tell you." He held out his hand to the other. "Come on then."

Superboy took his hand.


October 10, 12:00 PM
Metropolis

Dryad had taught Kon Metropolis's history years ago. The former Robin's words were bitter, yet filled with wonder and awe. The clone learned of dazzling new economies, sunlight, and hope. Even before Superman's arrival, Metropolis was brilliant. It was such a stark contrast to Gotham.

Kon swung his fist, cracking the concrete structure of the building. Confusion and breakage surrounded him on all sides. It reminded him of his own escape from Cadmus labs. But things weren't in his favor that night. Behind the chaos, the scientists were ready to strike him down.

(these people are defenseless)

He punched the building again. It began to collapse, and he flew towards the sky.

The sun glared at him. He could see the chaos unobstructed below; humans darting around the street, cars frozen in place or trapped in varying accidents. Some cameras were even flashing.

(does Superman always deal with things like this?)

Kon shook his head. There was little point in dwelling on the possibilities.

He found another building and launched himself towards it. He flew straight through the new target, ignoring everything-

(metal concrete glass blood paper lives)

-that he came into contact with. He was vaguely aware of Superman's cape snagging on some debris, ripping the red cloth apart. The tattered remains stubbornly clung to him.

He looked down again. The sunlight seemed brilliant and angry, and the flashes below him were beginning to annoy him. He blinked and for a second, everything turned into a solid mass of red. It didn't take long for him to realize that his heat vision had activated by some subconscious push. Kon closed his eyes and focused on his own breathing.

(stay calm Dryad said stay calm)

He counted to ten before opening his eyes again. Seeing the damage that he had done in those few seconds, he smiled. There were large craters of melted pavement eating away parts of the street. The remains of cars and signs were marked by scorched shapes that vaguely resembled their original forms. The corpses, merging with the tar, were harder to identify.

The lucky survivors were running clear of the scene. Curiosity was replaced by fear. They screamed, but Kon paid them no mind.

(now you can see Superman as a monster)

Kon flew closer to the ground and went through the building directly to his right. He was barely through the other side when he turned around and flew through the building again. The upper floors were trembling when he was outside again. For a second it seemed to have regained its composure.

(how can you still be standing?)

Then the wall facing him collapsed, bringing the rest of the building with it.

The Kryptonian was ready to launch himself back into the sky. He wondered where he could drop the Daily Planet's iconic statue-

(little girl is crying)

It was only when he was halfway through the floor of the falling building that he realized what was happening. In his arms was a female child. Her brown hair was whipping around from the force of the wind he was creating. He turned, using his back to protect her as they emerged from the building. She continued to wail even as he flew away from the destruction.

(why did I do that?)

He searched the cityscape. The chaos was now a nuisance, and he had trouble blocking it out. The girl was clinging to the costume.

Kon looked down at the child. Her eyes were still squeezed shut. Words failed him; he was destroying a city but chose to save a life. Out of what few things he could say, none of them were comforting.

After a moment of consideration he flew to the garden exhibit. He landed gently, careful not to jostle the screaming girl.

"She's got a set of lungs on her," Dryad commented, walking out from behind a tree. "Must be tired." He approached them, holding out a navy blue flower. He brought the plant to the girl's face. Her cries suddenly became ragged breathing and she slumped into Kon's arms, asleep.

The clone looked down at her again. For a second, he imagined her dead in his arms. Something inside of him twisted.

"I… I don't understand." he muttered. "Why did I do that?"

"That's what I would like to know," said Dryad. "The first thing I would guess is that you inherited it."

The words-

(no)

-made Kon tighten his grip on the girl.

"Superman used to do a lot more for people before we died," the other continued. "We used to call him the 'Boy Scout of the Justice League.' He would save people from impossible perils, get cats out of trees… That was his thing back then."

In the background, Kon could hear panicked voices. The humans were worried of his next appearance. One woman was praying for someone to save them.

"As you already know, he started helping less and less and tried to become a 'big picture' kind of person. The small things stopped mattering," Dryad said. "It would have been better if he remained the 'Boy Scout.'"

"So I'm only doing this because Superman would have?" Kon asked bitterly.

(even now I'm in his costume being him saving people like he would)

"'Inherited' may have been the wrong word." Dryad stepped forward, his arms brushing against Kon's as he took the child. Like always, Dryad's hands were cold. "Maybe you being in the costume triggered something."

"What do you mean?"

"You're wearing Superman's costume. For a brief second, the world thought you were a hero," said Dryad. A smile appeared as he spoke. "Wasn't that something you always wanted?"

"I…" Kon considered the idea. "I'm not sure."

"You were hopeful when you escaped Cadmus. The surface world was the symbol. The Justice League was an aspiration. The League took you in and, through a combination of what the Genomorphs taught you and your sense of self, you wanted to be a hero.

"But things got in the way. You were inexperienced with your powers. Superman, and subsequently the majority of the Justice League, didn't trust you. Young Justice was falling apart before it even started. There was no chance for you to be a hero.

"But you have a chance now. It's an odd time, but…" Dryad turned his head towards the girl. "Well, we can't be monsters all of the time."

Kon smiled. "That makes sense. Thanks."

"It's only a guess."

"It still means a lot." The Kryptonian turned his attention back towards the city. "Guess I should get back to destroying this place."

(because I'm not a hero)

"Where should I bring the girl?" Dryad asked.

Kon considered the options. After a moment, he said, "Somewhere safe."

(save her from us)

Without another word, he flew back into the streets.


October 10, 4:12 PM
Gotham

"Well, at least it was only one girl," said Pyroead. He looked around at the other members of the family scattered around the cave. His gaze lingered on Bruce before returning to Dryad. "Imagine if he had saved more."

"Don't need to. There were more." Dryad sighed, running a hand through his hair. He was leaning heavily against one of the walls. Bruce was almost surprised that the boy did not collapse from exhaustion. "Golem rescued over a dozen kids before we left."

"Mixed signals, much?" Sylph murmured. He looked at Bruce, silently asking if such a deviation at that point in the plan was allowed. Sylph himself seemed torn between responses; he preferred being ethical, but changing the plan was very risky. Bruce could feel the others turning their attention to him as well.

Bruce didn't take long to respond. "It's an acceptable change."

(and it's better on the conscience)

Sylph relaxed at the words. He gave Pyroead a shaky smile, and received a confident grin in return. The others seemed visibly relieved as well.

Dryad, on the other hand, continued to frown.

Nymph also noticed her younger brother's mood. "Dryad?"

The teenager turned his head to stare at the ground, his frown growing deeper. "Kon didn't know what he was doing at first. I made up the theory on the spot but…"

The rest of the siblings looked at each other. They were all puzzled at the statement. Bruce was also waiting to see where the line of thought was leading. Muse reached for his hand and gave it a light squeeze. If she knew what Dryad was going to say, she gave no clues to what it was.

Siren finally shook her head. "So? Your theory doesn't sound like complete bullshit, if that's what you're worrying about."

"It's not impossible," Sylph added. "We've probably done the same without realizing it."

Dryad let out a chuckle. "That's just it. I… It's just… I guess I got nostalgic."

Bruce glanced at Muse. The woman offered him a grim smile in return.

"Seeing him in action brought up a lot of memories," Dryad continued. "The whole reason I got into this business is because I wanted to save people."

(you were a Robin an excellent Robin)

Muse's grip on Bruce's hand tightened. He squeezed back, and turning his attention to his children. Nymph was looking at Dryad with a gentle smile, nostalgia filling her own eyes. The other three were visibly discomforted by the words. Siren had turned away, her cheeks turning a dark red in the cavern's shadows. Sylph and Pyroead were looking at each other, a mixture of fear and anger on each of their faces.

"I wasn't expecting it to become a big gig," Nymph-

(the first the first Batgirl Oracle)

-finally said. "It was only a costume party, after all."

Pyroead-

(Robin Red Hood)

-laughed. "At least you weren't doing anything illegal. I stole the hubcaps off the Batmobile."

"You didn't even successfully steal them. Dad caught you in the middle of the act," Slyph-

(first Robin Nightwing)

-said. Some of his own anger melted away. "You thought that being Robin would be rebellious and cool. I just… Well, revenge is always a motivator."

"Not everyone had an inspiring story," Siren-

(Batgirl no time for anything else)

-said. "I just wanted to do what Dad was doing."

Muse-

(my wife my love)

-let out a small chuckle. "Does it really matter? The fact is that you all chose to stay in the end."

"But we all deviated from it," Dryad pointed out. "We're killing people, pushing the Justice League into ruin, destroying cities. We're the villains this time around."

Bruce grunted. He knew that particular line of though all too well. The loss of his memories and their gradual reveal to him had placed everything into a different perspective. Muse had pushed him towards his former mindset. While it had eased the doubts, Bruce was still left with the trains of thoughts.

"It's not so clear cut," Bruce said. "As with every single case that we worked, there is more than one side of the story. Some people were petty, some were insane. But they all had a reason. Our reason was the Justice League. We chose afterwards to act out the way we did. We can stop if we wanted to. We could choose to end this whole plan right now and release the prisoners.

"The problem, however, would remain; the Justice League has not learned from their mistake. They continue to try and justify their choices with the belief of the 'greater good.' If they are unwilling to own up to their own decision this time, what will stop them next time? Or the next after that?"

"Doesn't that make what we're doing for 'the greater good'?" Dryad asked. There was humor in his words, but the underlying hesitance was worrying.

"Revenge is our primary goal. Any 'greater good' that comes out of this is just a byproduct." Bruce didn't look at anyone as he spoke. Muse ran her thumb over the back of his hand. He wondered if the others heard the doubt in his voice as well.

(but we can't be good we aren't heroes anymore)


October 10, 5:29 PM
Gotham City

Kon was still mesmerized by the weight of the corpse. Even the smallest child that he had rescued felt heavier than the woman in his arms.

(difference of life so important?)

"Are you okay?" M'gann asked. She stood a few feet away from him, having insisted on watching him retrieve the body. She turned red in embarrassment when he turned towards her. "I mean, you seem fine. You did a really great job destroying Metropolis. It was really cool when-"

"I'm fine," he interrupted. He readjusted his hold on the tarp. The corpse was still breaking off into pieces, and he was trying to keep it together. It wouldn't do to return her in several piles.

"You did everything perfectly. I'm just worried." The Martian looked towards the maze of caverns. "I keep thinking what I would do if I was you. But it never works out right. I can't stand being in the same room with Uncle J'onn."

"I guess it would be bad if I actually cared for Superman," Kon mused. "Maybe I would feel bad for this woman."

"Oh! I'm not trying to imply- I mean-" The blush on her cheeks grew darker. "Hello, Megan. I'm being an idiot."

Kon frowned. "No, it's not you. Sorry." He looked down at the body in his arms. "Things would have been different if he cared, you know? I would feel bad for him."

"He doesn't deserve it," M'gann said. "He doesn't deserve you."

"Right." Kon gave her a small smile. "I'm going to return this to him. I'll meet you guys for dinner?"

"Year, sure." M'gann flew up from her spot. "Good luck."

(will I need it?)

The girl disappeared down one of the tunnels. Kon stood in place for a moment, considering the Martian's words. She wasn't the only one who had issues staying in the same room as her former mentor; Wally had not visited the Flash since the man's capture, and Kraken spent at little time as possible with Aquaman. Kon himself kept his interactions with Superman to a minimum, although it was more out of disinterest than anything else.

(lies)

He looked down at the corpse again. He knew that Lois Lane was a reporter who loved Superman, and that the Kryptonian may have returned her feelings. Anything else was lost with her life; Kon didn't know how their relationship was, if they talked about Batman's death, or if Superman revealed the clone's existence.

(does it matter anymore?)

Kon rose a few inches above the ground, and slowly flew into the darkness of the caves. The screams from the other members of the Justice League were still a pervasive sound. This time, he could hear Red Arrow's voice in the mix.

He entered the smaller cavern that held Superman. The hero was still encased in his prison and devoid of almost all movement. Seeing the Man of Steel powerless sent a rush of adrenaline through Kon; he had finally proven himself to be greater than the original Kryptonian.

"I think I understand why you hated me so much," Kon said. Superman's eyes snapped up to look at him. Unaccountable rage filled his eyes when he saw the body, but there was no recognition.

"What have you done?!" Superman looked at the torn suit that Kon was wearing. There were small tears scattered over the material. The rest of the cape had ripped clean off. The shield on his chest, through some miracle, had remained intact. In some areas, the drying blood stood out against the blue. "You killed-"

"I've killed lots of people. Even leveled most of Metropolis today." Kon gave a halfhearted shrug, careful not to jostle the body in his arms. Superman went into shock. It was quickly replaced by a mask of anger and strength. The clone smirked as he continued. "I wanted to learn how to save people, but you would only notice me if I killed. Twisted, isn't it?"

"You think you can justify this? All for some attention?!"

"This stopped being just about attention a long time ago. You made it clear that my presence wasn't welcomed." Kon floated towards the other. "This is me doing what you want. This is what you were hoping for."

"I never wanted this," Superman said.

The younger Kryptonian lowered the corpse to the ground. "I wanted to prove you wrong at first. I listened and did whatever the Justice League told me to do. I was going to learn how to be a hero! Was I…" His voice faltered for a second. "Was I really that much of a lost cause to you?"

"Superboy-"

"That's not my name." Kon looked up, and their identical blue eyes met. "You made it clear that you didn't want me in your life. Kinda hard to take up a name from someone who hates your guts."

Superman turned away. Quietly, he said, "I never hated you."

"Really? Then what the fuck was with the cold shoulder? Because that definitely gave me the wrong impression!" the clone shouted.

"You weren't my responsibility." Superman looked down at the corpse. For a moment, Kon thought he saw a flash of recognition. It quickly disappeared.

"So it's okay that you let Batman's family to die, but I just wasn't worth the effort?" Kon frowned. "That actually really hurts."

Superman sighed, the frustration evident in his voice. He looked into Kon's eyes. "I didn't ask for you to be created-"

"That makes two of us."

"I am sorry for this," the hero said. Kon flinched at the words; he wasn't expecting the sincerity in the other's voice. Superman didn't seem to notice. "I'm sorry that I ignored you, and I'm sorry that you're tangled up in this mess. I want to fix this and save you from them."

"Them? You mean like Dryad?" Kon frowned. "Why didn't you just save them in the first place?"

Superman grew silent. His began looking at anything in the cave but the clone.

(do you even know?)

The hero's gaze eventually landed on the corpse on the ground. "Who did you kill?"

Kon smirked. "Her? Dryad says that you know her. Lois Lane, I believe?"

"No. You didn't-"

"You're right; I didn't. Dryad killed her years ago. Buried her alive in the Metropolis botanical garden," Kon said. He turned and began to walk away. "Dryad said she kept screaming your name."

"No. No. Lois-"

The clone tuned the other out. He left the cavern, allowing the screams of the League members to wash over him once again.


It's been a while since we've seen Lois. Hi Lois! *waves*

(Also, Conner has all of the Kryptonian powers because he's dead. The dead tend to break the rules.)