An Apprentice's Future
By: Malaizjan Dejesus & Reina Grayson
Author's Note: This is the climatic installment of the Batman Beyond Saga. Everything is coming together and this is the crossover fic. If you're a fan of either this series or Young Justice, than you will enjoy this! I am going to list the theme songs to various DC tv series and most of the theme songs can be found on Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary, which is available now, and the YJ Theme song is on its own album titled: Young Justice, which is also available. So if you don't have them, I suggest you go and buy them both!
Also, I had lots of help with this story. Reina Grayson deserves half the credit in getting 80% of this fic done. Reina and I worked on this chapter, for I wanted to have events in the future play out... There is some swearing but I think it's like 2 words. Just a warning…
Chapter 19
Music Playing: Young Justice Theme Music
In the past...
Vincent felt all of her injuries, including the break of her leg. He fell out of his meditative state and cried out, clutching his left leg.
The heroes in the past rushed him, but Brian got to him first. He touched Vincent's leg, the now broken one.
"Aahh!" screamed Vincent. He started to cry.
"V, what's wrong?" Brian asked him.
"Her leg's broken. Oh my god, it's broken...I...I broke the wall...around the bond...
Brian looked terrified for his step brother...
"Move!" Molly barked and everyone backed up. She kneeled next to Vincent. She gently took his clutched leg and he gasped. "Sorry...sorry..."
"Watch his leg," Dick said.
Molly glared at her future father. If looks could kill...
"Molly...don't..."Vincent begged.
"It's ok...just breathe." Molly closed her eyes and her body glowed. She willed her healing magic to him. But her glowing was faint, as if she was already exhausted.
"She's not glowing as brightly," Kaldur noticed.
"Moll, stop," Andrew told her.
"No. I'm not done," she whispered.
"Molly, you're straining. Stop!" Billy said.
Molly ignored the cries.
Mentally, Vincent was hearing it from Meygan.
Molly then stopped and yawned. "I think that helped."
Vincent said nothing. Meygan was mad.
"Vincent?" Areina asked, concerned.
"Sorry. I'm getting an ear full from Meygan."
"Then tell her we're ALL mad at her," Virgil Jr said.
"She heard you," Vincent said. "OW!" Vincent went to his right hand. A cut appeared. "Wow...I didn't know..."
"How are you getting hurt!" cried Reiena.
"My bond. I broke the wall around it so now her injuries are mine. I didn't know...this was how it worked..."
Andrew was comforting Molly after she wore herself out just mending Vincent's leg, and everyone else was concerned as more and more injuries were showing up on the future team's archer. They didn't know what to do, but Dick carefully picked him up and ran to the med bay.
"Molly, what happened, why were you so weak with your magic just now?" Billy asked as he walked over to Andrew and Molly.
"When I heal, I need days to recover. And I haven't had that time to rest." Molly yawned. "I'm sleepy."
"You rest, Molly, we'll take care of Vincent till you're back up to full strength," Areina said as she put a hand on her cousin's shoulder, then took off to help with her brother.
Molly didn't care as she snuggled up to Andrew and drifted off to sleep.
Andrew was speechless.
"Aw, get me a vid cam," Brian asked.
"Andrew, you might want to be careful around my brother while you're in this time," Reiena said as she walked over to the young Thanagarian.
"I'm not doing anything," said Andrew.
"That's not how Dick sees it, trust me."
"I wish you survived past Areina's birth, I would have loved to be around you more." Andrew said, seeing that Reiena was just like Dick, in that she cared for everyone she met in the hero game; "And I grew up with Molly and Luna. I snuggle up with them too. I'm not dating them. I'm 10." It was then that he caught himself in what he said about Reiena. "Oh, oh..."
"It's alright Andrew, I know that I don't see Areina grow up. When she, Vincent, Meygan and Terry came back to the past that time they were in the Bat Cave in your time, she told me that I die in childbirth," Reiena said.
"That's alright." Carlos appeared to them, looking less battle worn than before. "Sorry I didn't come earlier."
"Where the Fuck have you been!?" Brian was in his face. "Vincent's getting hurt because of Meygan. Don't just STAND THERE! Help!"
"Bro, if you don't get out of my face, I will beat you silly."
"Try me!" Brian yelled.
"Stop it!" Siren got between them fast. "Fight later."
"Where were you?" Billy asked.
"Healing…. And dealing with my dad. He's not happy with me. He threatened to strip me of my Fate powers if I do any more."
"Then heal Molly," Andrew demanded quietly.
Carlos showed real concern when he kneeled next to her and gently took her from Andrew. "Poor thing, I wish I could age her, so she isn't so tired."
"What do you mean by aging Molly?" Reiena asked, wondering just what this boy could do.
"If I was older, like as old as Nabu, I could age her. But that messes with too many time laws."
"What about Meygan!?" cried Luna. "She can't die!"
Carlos sighed. "That's just the thing. She's fated to."
Dead silence.
"Time is in flux. At least for another 9 minutes. If she can last, then she will be ok. But, anything can happen in 9 minutes."
"And Vincent?" Brian asked but he was still mad.
"Meygan blocked him on purpose. Now that he broke that wall, she can't block him and focus on the fight, not with her powers in flux as they are." Carlos had finished healing Molly and returned her to Andrew. "Give her another 10 minutes." Carlos wanted to be alone, but he knew that the first generation fire controller had a question, so he looked at her and then walked off. Reiena realized what he was doing so she followed him.
"Carlos, if you have to erase our minds after this whole thing is over with...can I keep my memories of when Areina came back in time via that time chair?"
"Reiena...I'm not sure I can. I can try."
"Carlos, what if it was FATE that brought Areina back in time the first time," Reiena said, hearing that Carlos DID have Fate powers. "I mean that I was MEANT to meet her. You can't take the memories away then can you?"
"I can..." Carlos said a sadness in his voice as he realized what that first meeting meant to this heroine.
Back in the future...
10 minutes…
Meygan felt that her leg was better. As she fended off Talia and Mordred, she found herself able to put weight on her broken leg. In that split second, she discovered something new but Yami came at her with his vines being used as whips and she cut them with one swing of Excalibur. She then blocked Mordred and kicked back Talia as Luthor jumped back into the fight.
Back in the past...
Dick watched as Vincent's small cuts and bruises heal before his eyes but there was no glow around him. He knew something was up. But he didn't know what.
Areina was feeling a little better about the bond her half-brother had with Meygan, but this was strange even for those two. Vincent was still semi-conscious and the two Graysons in the room with him had to find out what was going on.
"Vincent, how are you healing without Molly here?" Areina asked.
"I'm not," he whispered.
"The small cuts are healing as we watch, how?" Dick remarked, still stunned.
"It's not me," he said. His eyes rolled in the back of his head.
"Vincent, look away. I have 8 minutes left. Please, just look away," Meygan's voice whispered.
"No. You kept me safe all these years. I won't leave you alone, not this time," Vincent said mentally.
"If I die, you'll feel it. You don't want to feel death. Not ever."
"I'm not leaving."
There was a heavy sigh. "Fine. But if I get seriously hurt, you'll get that injury too."
"I can handle it," he said confidently.
"Fine." Meygan's voice left his mind.
Vincent smiled.
Areina and Dick saw that.
When he opened his eyes, his smile got bigger.
"Vincent?"
"No worries." Vincent sat up. "Meygan's going to win. She's kicking ass." But Vincent knew better. She wasn't, but he wasn't going to alarm anyone.
Meygan was ready to blow.
Dick folded his arms.
He was glaring at Vincent.
Vincent didn't let it phase him.
Back in the Future…
7 minutes left...
Mathen, Orin, Kevin and Eric made it to Meygan and the LOD. But Shriek turned his attention to them and unloaded.
Kevin tried to use his telekinesis, but he couldn't focus with the sound waves hitting them all.
Orin used his water bearers but he missed. Eric couldn't help.
Mathen made fire birdarangs and threw them. They missed Shriek but nailed Luthor in his armor.
Luthor turned and blasted Mathen, who leaped out of the way.
Meygan then sliced the back of the armor and peeled it from Luthor's back.
Pissed, Alexander Luthor turned to stop her and Mathen threw another one at Luthor's exposed back.
Direct hit.
Luthor screamed like a girl.
Morgan La Fay then entered the fight. She sent a fireball his way.
Mathen dodged it and send a bat boa at her.
She let it capture her arms, only for it to burn off of her.
Back in the past...
Molly woke up.
She stretched against Andrew and his smile made her day. "A nap?"
"You needed it. Carlos said you can heal again," Andrew told her.
Molly got up and watched Carlos as he re-entered the main control center. Her hands were on her hips.
Carlos saw that and chose to ignore her.
"Carlos... Do it."
"Do what?" Virgil Jr. and Billy asked.
"He knows."
Carlos sighed. He turned to Molly.
"Mathen and Meygan are tier wizards. Make me one too."
"I can't. Only Merlin can."
"I sense tons of magic being used. Morgan's fighting my brother and sister. Let me help. Make me a tier wizard!"
"Molly, being a tier wizard isn't something that can be rushed."
"I don't care!"
"Molly." Carlos kneeled before the young healer. "Molly... Your power won't help. Merlin's prophecy said only 4 elemental wizards can stop Morgan. There's only 3 of you."
"Mom's got number 4."
"It's not an Earth Elemental," he said sadly.
"You're a sorcerer. You can jump in."
He sighed. "Not without losing my Fate powers."
"Phewy! That didn't stop you from joining the original team. You're daddy's scared because I bet you're more powerful than him. And he knows it."
Carlos stared at Molly. "I'm not."
"Then why did he threaten to take your powers away?" she asked.
That made Carlos think. "Because I did something as a plan B. I can't say what it is yet."
"You can stop time!" Billy exclaimed.
Everyone looked at Kid Fate.
"Um..."
"Dude, and you didn't tell us!" cried Brian.
"Um..."
"So stop the fight! Let us get in place and restart it so we can surprise them!" cried Molly.
There were cheers for that idea.
"Wait. Carlos, can you stop time?" Terry asked.
"I can't. I'm years away from that," said Carlos.
"Slag..."
The long faces came...
Back in the future…
19 seconds…
Luthor and Yami were on her. Rave was losing. She looked over and saw that Komos was helping Mathen, Orin, Kevin and Eric deal with oncoming Slade Bots. She tried to hold off for another minute…But those walls were crashing down and her demon powers were pushing at her mental self to get free.
Mordred stabbed her from behind with his sword.
A gasp.
His sword tip exited from her chest.
A tear fell down her face. She had no choice and so she cried out as her powers broke free.
Then time stood still, and everyone was frozen in place.
Now she had done it. She broke time.
In the Past…
Vincent felt better as all of his injures were now gone. It was as if they never happened. He didn't know why that happened but he realized now that he had done something he should have never done…break the wall blocking their bond. Vincent was watching Brian flirting with Wonder Woman, who was ready to pound him flat. Suddenly, Vincent grabbed his head. Meygan's subconscious was gone. His mind didn't have her added presence anymore. Then the pain hit his chest. A single tear ran down his face. "She's gone. Meygan's...gone." Vincent had this look of impossibility.
Brian raced over to his stepbrother, Wonder Woman forgotten. "Vincent? Hey, what's wrong bro?"
"She...she's gone, Brian."
The batfamily was unmoving, in fact EVERYONE was unmoving, but the Gotham heroes didn't even have to move to communicate. Going through Batman's mind was one thought...his first son's first born daughter had died.
"That's not possible!" Molly cried. The 11 year old was in tears.
Terry knew that Areina would want to know what was happening with her family, so he walked out of the room to find his partner in crime fighting.
"Moll?" Andrew held her in his arms.
"Vincent...are you sure?" Roy asked his future son.
"I can't feel her anymore." But for Vincent, there was more but he didn't say more. He was angry. With her….his bond sister. Why did she leave him behind!? Why take Eolus with her!?
Now, he would never know.
"You're bleeding!" Brian cried.
Vincent looked down. His costume jacket was open, so his white shirt was stained with his blood. "Ow," he said before fainting…
BBBBBBBBBBBB
Areina had been at the target range for a long time and destroyed all the targets but was STILL frustrated. Suddenly she heard footsteps approaching and she was ready for another fight with anyone that wanted it. When she turned to the entrance to the room, she saw it was her friend and partner in crime fighting. "Are you here to yell at me about earlier too?" Areina asked; knowing that Terry would be worried.
"No" Terry said then he took a deep breath. "Vincent says he can't feel Meygan anymore."
Areina didn't move for a few seconds, then she took off with a speed that would make any of the speedsters, past or future, blush and Terry was right behind her.
Back in the Future…
"Meygan?"
She turned around. Walking toward her was Merlin, in his pale blue robes and his pointy hat. With him was a woman; a woman with the faintest hint of a wrinkle. Her long hair was as white as snow. It flowed as freely as her gown. Her gown was gold in color and trim, designed for beauty. It was delicate at the neck and the woven braided lace framed the outer parts of her gown, which covered her toes and brushed the ground in a lady-like way.
"Grandpa Merlin?" she whispered.
"I stopped time so we could talk. You got stabbed by that whinny brat, Mordred. You don't know the woman next to me. But you know of her. This is Galinda, your great grandmother."
"Grandma Galinda?" Meygan had heard the stories as a kid.
"Hello, Meygan." Galinda's voice was as soft as her mother's.
"If you unleash here and now, you will turn on your team, courtesy of Trigon. And Komos will kill you to protect them."
"I know." Meygan knew that she might do that.
"He's the son of a god. He has the power to take you out." Merlin was almost pleading for her to not let this happen.
"I know."
"Meygan, if you die, Morgan and Mordred will kill your sibs and your mother. I can't let that happen."
"I've been cheating death for nearly 10 years. I'm ready."
"You have a far greater destiny than dying here," Galinda told the teen girl.
"I will make you immortal. Here and now," said Merlin.
"But...I have to be 22 for that," Meygan reminded them.
"It's already done, my gifted great granddaughter." Galinda smiled. "You want something far more than immortality. I sense it."
Meygan shook her head.
"It is not selfish to ask something for yourself." Merlin said, reading her thoughts. "You've been protecting them for all this time. Just ask…"
"I never asked to come back," she whispered. "I...I just want to be normal again; to hug without freezing someone. I want to sleep without fear of losing myself to my demon powers. I want... I want my parents to love me regardless. I want Mathen and Molly to be exactly where they should be as tier wizards."
"Your parents love you. They always did." Galinda touched one of Meygan's shoulders.
"Granted, Meygan." Merlin touched her other shoulder.
As time resumed, Meygan arched her back as she screamed. Waves of dark demon powers echoed from her. Meygan lashed out, trapping all of the LOD members with black bonds that no one could escape from as her costume changed.
Her costume became a gown of lilac colored silk, designed strictly for battle. It was a golden thread lace, as the bodice was form fitting, into tank top like straps on her shoulders. Her upper arms were bare as arm sleeves stared from her elbow to her wrist, angled to her middle finger, where a single loop went around her middle finger. The bodice hugged her hips as the gown was split to reveal gold leggings beneath. She wore lilac slippers, and the edges of the split gown came to her ankles.
Mona then appeared next to Meygan, her demon form there for all to see. She looked bewildered, for few had the power of her Mistress Raven but she was a free demon now. And she began to change herself, to reveal a human form that she never thought possible.
The other heroes got there just then. Raven watched as Meygan turned to them, her team, her parents, her aunts and uncles.
Komos raced to the front of the gathered group, posed to take her down. But his eyes told the story: he didn't want to.
Her eyes stared, as if soulless, at Komos and he stared back.
Meygan then turned to the tied up members of the Legion of Doom. She then raised herself up into the air and with a wave of her hands, she and the LOD were gone.
"Meygan!" cried Serenity.
Dick looked to Raven for answers.
"She...she found the control...I...I can't..." Raven, the daughter of Trigon, had no words of comfort or wisdom for the first Robin. She had never known such utter and seamless control. She herself did not possess such control.
Then, just as suddenly as she vanished, Meygan returned, alone and Komos never lost his focus. She looked at the demigod with her eyes still black. Their gaze was intense. Then the black eyes left her face, leaving behind her blue eyes. They refocused on Komos. Then her eyes rolled to the back of her head.
Back in the Past…
Molly suddenly cried as she seized. Andrew held her down as she glowed an amber color, and her wind powers kicked up into high gear. But Andrew didn't lose his hold on her.
It lasted only a minute, but it was the longest minute of her young life.
Carlos looked to see why her magic was acting up. He was startled to see why.
Molly had gotten her wish; she was a tier 1wind elemental wizard.
When she collapsed against Andrew, Carlos was the first to her. "Rest, little one. Your sister gave you a gift," he whispered. She closed her eyes in thanks.
"Carlos?" Siren asked.
"The timeline reset itself."
"Who cares!?" cried Billy. "What about Meygan!?"
"I can't…I can't sense her."
"No way…" Terry couldn't believe it. Meygan had died. Vincent was back in the Infirmary, and the League was able to stabilize him. "Vincent felt her die."
"I'm afraid so," Carlos said sadly. "I-I'm sorry, you guys."
The Justice League couldn't believe it.
Everyone was quiet as they thought about what had happened. They were in shock, but also grieving as they couldn't believe that Meygan sacrificed her own life to stop the LOD and free Watchtower from their occupation.
"This team has known loss, be it here in the past or even in our own time. Meygan's loss saved our families and the world, we must be grateful for that," Carlos remarked after finding the words.
"Carlos is correct; as with Tula, young Meygan gave her life to save your world and keep all of you safe." Kaldur remarked, his voice showing a deep sorrow that had built up since the fight with Tiamat, but also showing sorrow over the young demoness that was his best friend's daughter.
Shock held Eclipse as he wanted to destroy the LOD. "They're dead. They can't take away our leader."
"She knew this was going to happen. If she had confided in us, we could have helped her." Areina remarked.
Siren saw that the others were thinking of revenge. "No. She would want us to go home and hug our parents. No going after the LOD."
"Hug our parents?! Olivia, she died!" cried Terry.
"I mentioned Tiamat earlier; do any of you know who that was?" Kaldur questioned, he had to help calm the children down.
"Some Ancient bad guy," Andrew said.
"Alright, have any of you heard of Aquagirl?" Dick questioned, having seen her die.
"Yeah, she dated Tempest," Molly said. "But Princess Marina is the new Aquagirl."
"She died fighting that ancient guy," said Billy.
"Right, Tula was a wonderful heroine, but during the fight with Tiamat, she saw that her magic was the only way to defeat Tiamat. Meygan did the same; she had to protect her family. We mourned Tula, but we also held her sacrifice in our hearts as she had given us our future...and your present. If Tiamat had gotten out of that temple, he would have destroyed everything." Dick explained as Kaldur was still mourning Tula.
"And Mey-Mey knew if we went back, we all would have died," Luna whispered.
This calmed the kids down, but they were still crying over the loss of the 2nd Greyson kid of their generation. "Luna's right, Mey-Mey could see some things happening before it did, and even if she had survived and ANY of us died, she would never have forgiven herself." Molly was getting sad smiles as her words hit. "So she went alone." Molly then thought of something. "Wait. Did the timeline reset?"
Billy looked at Backpack and grinned. "It did."
"How long ago?" Areina questioned
"2 minutes ago."
"So could she have come back and Vincent just didn't feel it?" Terry asked
Molly looked to Carlos. "Please tell us."
"I'm blocked." he said.
"You may be, Carlos, but my powers are more powerful." A familiar stereo like voice remarked.
"You always have been...Father." Carlos remarked.
Doctor Fate appeared before them. "Son...you cannot search for her because she wishes peace."
"Father, I have to talk to her," Carlos urged.
"Carlos...it is Fated for her end to be now."
Carlos glared at his father. "No... I think not. After all, you've screwed around with the fate of the Greyson family for decades."
"Carlos, this is not the time for one of your insane theories!" cried Nabu.
"MOM TOLD ME that you were the reason my brothers were dead, NOT TO MENTION MARIK."
"We will have this talk when you return to the tower with the spell book you took."
"No."
"Carlos..."
"The spell book belonged to Merlin. And I know what you did to Marik. And since I know now, I will tell the Justice League."
"I am a Lord of Order, Carlos. Who do you think you are?"
Carlos smiled. "A future Master Fate. Mom is."
Nabu paused. "Then I misjudged you." Doctor Fate started to rise up.
"Then take your best shot...dad..."
"STOP!" Molly got between Carlos and Nabu. "You're family! Why do you two have to fight!?"
"Because he's nothing but a son of a bitch who thinks he can mess with my friends' lives. Just because Marik would have been given the SAME powers by the Master Faters as his great grandfather had you thought it was alright to go ahead and get that contract on the Greyson kids activated just to prevent that."
"I am a Lord of Order. Protecting Time and Space is my duty. I should have never allowed you to stay with the mortals and be raised by them."
"You killed...my brother?" Molly asked. She looked to Nabu for answers.
"Protecting time and space...more like screwing with Time and Space. The contract wasn't supposed to be activated until around this time, not when the twins were just babies."
Nabu was pissed. "You spout things you know nothing about."
"Mom would have prevented that if you hadn't covered your tracks so well. She's a fate of the souls, and Marik was NOT to die on his first birthday."
Molly was angry. "We...we could have stopped Morgan La Fay YEARS ago." Molly ran up to Nabu and pounded on him with her fists. "You, You...YOU MEANIE!"
Nabu grabbed Molly by the arm. "You should not listen to his foolishness."
Carlos and Areina were pissed at how Nabu grabbed little Molly, so they were ready to attack to protect one of the youngest of the team.
"Leave her alone." Vincent stood in the doorway.
"You...you should not interfere..."
Vincent raised his hand to Nabu. "Azarath, Metrion...Zynthos!" A blast of Dark Energy hit Nabu in the chest, knocking him away from Molly.
Jaws dropped.
Nabu then took his leave, leaving the others to try and sort out what was going on.
"Vincent?" Areina whispered.
"I have Meygan's powers now." That was all he said to them.
"Oh Vincent..." Molly said.
"Meygan showed me the true reason for our bond. If I had died, she would have had all of my archery skills. Since she died...I have her demon powers. So the one remaining would live on for the other."
Molly hugged him. She was also sad for him. "You can't be touched anymore."
"I know. It's ok." And for Vincent Crock-Harper, he really was ok with that.
Wonder Woman had then asked, "What was Komos' stake in this?"
Areina sighed. "I think it's because...even though she can't stand him, Eolus is one of our only remaining powerhouses."
"But also for protection. He would be able to protect the others from her, should there be need," Bruce answered.
Areina had a weak smile, her grandfather had just voiced the one thing she didn't have the heart to voice.
"But you guys are looking over the obvious reason he went," Siren spoke up. "He's got a crush."
"Kevin would rip him apart." Terry joked.
"No. Eolus would only really look at Meygan when her eyes are red."
"I don't think it's a joke Terry, if Kevin is even half as compassionate with Meygan as Orin is with me, then he really would, I mean remember the little fight they had," Areina told him.
"No way…was Komos crushing on Mona!?" Brian laughed. "Oh, the jokes I have for him!"
The kids stayed quiet. Was Eolus crushing on Mona and they all had it wrong?
"Yea, and you'll end up with both your legs broken. Remember Brian, he's part Amazonian, and joking about something like this would set off his prideful spirit," Reiena said.
"And he likes to brag that he's part demi god. So bro, which side of him do you want to face first?" Vincent asked. "Not to mention what Mona would do to you for teasing her and Komos."
Brian mumbled.
All of a sudden, a black raven came into the room, the deeply cold air hitting them all. The shadowed raven then unfurled, and the rest of the team came out, not seriously injured, but all alive and well, including 2 Batgirls.
**So has the end come? Is all safe in the future? Read to Find out!**