Uncanny Justice League

Chapter 21: Brawl in Blüdhaven

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to DC.

R-Man's Random Fact- I was once bitten on the backside by an earwig.

Somewhere in Blüdhaven-

High atop the rooftops of Gotham's sister city, Nightwing and the small group of Justice Leaguer's were keeping watch on a dingy-looking warehouse. Nightwing was knelt on a gargoyle watching people move in and out of the warehouse through his binoculars. Shayera was tapping her mace in her hand impatiently. Captain Marvel and Stargirl were sitting on a ledge, dangling their legs over the side. Starfire was hovering nearby, her arms crossed over her chest. The Tameranian princess wanted action.

'Must we wait so long?' The usually chipper Starfire grumbled. 'Just imagine what the Penguin could be up to while we waste our time sitting here.'

'I want to get in there and start smashing some heads as much as you do, Starfire...' Shayera told the orange-skinned alien in an attempt to calm her down. 'But we can't go off half-cocked. The Penguin's metahuman enforcers are dangerous. We don't want any civilians getting caught in the crossfire.'

'You can wait all you wish...' Starfire frowned. 'But I intend to kick the butt!'

Starfire flew off towards the warehouse without another word.

Nightwing reached out a hand in an effort to stop her.

'Kory... Wait!'

But it was too late, Starfire had already smashed her way into the warehouse.

Several seconds earlier-

Inside the dingy warehouse, the avian-obsessed villain known as the Penguin was overseeing an arms deal. A gang of gunrunners from Star City had just brought him some new produce. The Penguin's enforcers, the Atomic Skull, the Body Doubles, Killer Moth, and Copperhead all watched on, ready to make a move if the Star City guys tried to screw the Penguin over.

'Oh yes, these will do very nicely.' The Penguin nodded in appreciation. 'A Thanagarian plasma blaster. Left over from their ill-fated invasion several years ago, I presume?'

'Cut the crap, Penguin...' The boss of the Star City thugs, a bulky red-skinned dreadlocked man known only as Brick, grunted. 'Just gimmie the cash and I can get the hell out of this crap shack.'

'Oh, and I am sure that Star City is perfect.' The Penguin chuckled in response. 'But I must admit, I am anxious to get this deal over and done with. I cannot shake the feeling that I am being watched...'

The Penguin's suspicions were proven to be true as a golden skinned figure smashed their way through the wall.

'What the deuce?' The Penguin spluttered. 'You're not Batman or one of his ilk! Just who are you?'

'Starfire!' Killer Moth recognised the former Titan instantly.

'Ah, yes.' The Penguin nodded in realisation. 'The orange alien.' He then waved nonchalantly in her direction. 'Kill her.'

The Penguin's lackeys all pointed their weapons at Starfire.

Starfire didn't say anything as she piled right into the Penguin's enforcers, her Star Bolts flying.

Nightwing and the others made their way in to the warehouse through the hole in the wall that Starfire had just created.

'Egads!' The Penguin squawked. 'They're multiplying!'

'It's nice to see you too, Ozzy.' Nightwing retorted. 'Now, I don't suppose you're going to surrender like a good boy, are you?'

The Penguin reached for his umbrella and pulled out a sword.

'Thought not.' Nightwing sighed.

Nearby, the rest of the League were taking of the Penguin's lackeys.

Captain Marvel was trading blows with the Atomic Skull.

'You feeling tired yet, Cap?' The Atomic Skull sneered at the World's Mightiest Mortal. 'Cuz I could carry on all day!'

'The Stamina of Atlas makes sure that I will never tire!' Cap told the fiery skull-headed thug as he pushed him towards a wall, causing several cracks to appear.

'Yeah, but can you withstand an atomic blast at point-blank range?' The Atomic Skull grinned evilly as his hands began to glow bright green.

Captain Marvel shouted in surprise as he was sent crashing through the wall by a green atomic blast.

'Heh. You Marvels aren't all that.' The Atomic Skull snickered as he dusted off his hands and began to swagger away.

Unfortunately for the atomically-powered villain, Captain Marvel wasn't beaten that easily. The Big Red Cheese flew back in to the warehouse and smashed the Atomic Skull through the opposite wall.

'How...?' The Atomic Skull spluttered in confusion as he lay amongst wrecked bricks and masonry.

'Like I said...' Captain Marvel grinned victoriously. 'I have the Stamina of Atlas behind me.'

Back inside, Stargirl was taking on the scantily-clad assassins known as the Body Doubles.

'Didn't your mommy ever tell you that good girls shouldn't fight like that?' Carmen, the Latino one, chuckled as she wiped the blood from her chin after Stargirl dealt her a nasty kick to the face.

'I've never actually been one to listen to rules.' Stargirl remarked as she twirled her Cosmic Rod like a baton. 'Now, c'mon. Gimmie your best shot.'

'She did ask nicely.' Bonny, the blonde one, chuckled.

'It would be rude not to give her our best.' Carmen nodded in agreement.

'Well, I'm waiting...' Stargirl tapped her foot impatiently.

Carmen and Bonny both instantly pulled out twin pistols. God knows where they kept them. There was hardly anywhere for the Body Doubles to keep their weapons hidden on their person.

'It's such a pity that we have to ruin such a pretty face.' Carmen tutted.

'And it's such a pity that I'll have to ruin all that work that's been done on your face.' Stargirl retorted as she blasted Carmen right in the kisser with her Cosmic Rod.

'Carmen!' Bonny shrieked as her friend and teammate was sent crashing to the floor. 'I'll kill you for that, you little squirt!'

Bonnie opened fire at Stargirl. Fortunately, the star-spangled Leaguer easily deflected the onslaught of bullets with her Cosmic Rod.

'Aww, look at that...' Stargirl smirked. 'All out of bullets.'

'I'm never without a weapon.' Bonny stated as she pulled out what seemed to be some relatively harmless lipstick from her cleavage. 'With one twist, I can turn this harmless lipstick into a deadly laser!'

'What-ever!' Stargirl sighed as she klonked Bonnie on the head with her Cosmic Rod, knocking the blonde out straight away.

Elsewhere, Shayera was taking on Copperhead.

The heroine formerly known as Hawkgirl swung her mace about, aiming to smash Copperhead's skull in.

'Heh. You're getting slow, Hawkgirl.' Copperhead hissed cockily. 'I thought you were supposed to be some kind of fierce warrior!'

'And I thought you were supposed to be a great big pansy.' Shayera retorted as she swung her mace at the serpentine villain.

Copperhead tried to leap out of the way, but ended up getting clouted on the back of the head. Copperhead fell to the ground with a grunt.

'Well, that was barely worth the effort.' Shayera noted as she poked the unconscious Copperhead with her mace. 'I guess I was right about thinking of him as a great big pansy.'

Elsewhere, Starfire was fighting Killer Moth.

'I must say how much of a pleasure it is to see you again, Starfire.' Killer Moth smirked evilly. 'Is Silkie well?'

'You keep Silkie out of this!' Starfire demanded, her eyes glowing bright green in anger. 'You treated him as nothing but a slave! As a way to further your crimes! Silkie is happy staying with me!'

'You'll have to excuse me if I don't get all warm and fuzzy about it.' Killer Moth retorted. 'Now, why don't you give up like a nice little alien girl, hmm?'

'I will never surrender!' Starfire growled angrily. 'Especially not to a glotharg var-blurnelk like you!

'Very well.' Killer Moth nodded, as he flapped his wings in preparation for an attack. 'It pains me to do this. Well, not as much as it will pain you, of course.'

Killer Moth swooped towards Starfire, aiming to take her head off. But the alien princess easily avoided the attack and followed up with a Star Bolt to the back of Killer Moth's head.

'Damn.' Killer Moth grunted as he placed his hand on the back of his head. 'You singed my antennae!'

'I plan to do a lot more than singe you.' Starfire stated as her hands began to glow once more.

Killer Moth struggled to get up, but ended up being blasted in the face at near point-blank range with a Star Bolt.

'Hunh.' Starfire grunted as she landed on the ground. 'Humans are such fragile creatures.'

Finally, it was down to Nightwing to take on the main man, the Penguin!

While the Penguin was content in using his sword umbrella, Nightwing had his escrima sticks to defend himself.

'Oh, come now, Ozzy.' Nightwing snickered as he blocked another one of the Penguin's attacks. 'The way you're acting, people would think that you don't like me.'

'That is precisely the point, you vertiginous vigilante!' The Penguin snapped.

'This fight is getting boring.' Nightwing sighed as he kicked the Penguin's sword umbrella out of the villain's hand. 'Heh. Not so clever without your umbrellas, are you?'

'I am not without a back-up plan.' The Penguin smirked evilly as he put a hand into his coat and pulled out a gun.

'Now who is the clever one, you lethargic Leaguer?'

Starfire spun around at the sound of the gun cocking.

'Nightwing, no!'

BLAM!

Before Nightwing could even make a move to defend himself, Starfire knocked him out of the way, taking the bullet for him.

'STARFIRE!' Nightwing howled in horror. 'Kory, no!'

While Nightwing was distracted by the plight of his former teammate, the Penguin decided to make his getaway.

'I wouldn't do that if I were you, Mr Cobblepot.' Captain Marvel hovered in front of the Penguin, barring the villain's escape.

'You're going straight back into jail.' Stargirl pointed her Cosmic Rod at the villain.

'You'd better hope that Starfire isn't seriously injured...' Shayera tapped her mace in her hand. 'Or you'll be finding out just how good I am at cracking heads with this thing...'

The Penguin's shoulders slumped in defeat.

'I would have gotten away with it too, if it was not for you accursed Justice Leaguers!'

Justice League Watchtower, a short time later-

Starfire was lying comfortably in one of the beds in the Watchtower's med bay. The bullet wound had barely scratched the alien princess, but she was still unconscious.

Nightwing was sitting beside Starfire, holding her hand. He had barely moved ever since he and the other Leaguers had teleported back from Blüdhaven. His masked eyes drooped tiredly and he slumped forward slightly, showing that he was about to fall asleep.

Nightwing jolted upright as he heard a moan emanate from Starfire's lips.

'Kory! You're okay!' Nightwing grinned happily.

'Yes... it would seem that way...' Starfire smiled weakly, still a little woozy form the painkillers. 'Is the Penguin...?'

'Alreayd in jail.' Nightwing answered. 'Although, with all the high-priced lawyers that Cobblepot's got, he'll most probably be out before the end of the week.'

'I will never be able to understand your system of justice.' Starfire shook her head. 'On my planet he would have been put to death by now.'

Nightwing cleared his throat nervously. He had a lot of things to say to Starfire, but he had yet to find the words.

'Starfire... Kory... There are lots of things that I need to say to you. About why I quit the Titans...'

'It is about the Batgirl, isn't it?' Starfire surmised. 'I already know that you are dating here.'

'Well, I was dating her.' Nightwing nodded. 'But... we broke up.'

Starfire didn't even bother to hide her happiness at the news.

Nightwing either didn't notice Starfire's expression, or he didn't care.

'Ever since Batgirl and I broke up, I couldn't help but think of you, Kory...'

Nightwing reached in to his utility belt and pulled out a small black velvet box.

'I wanted to give this to you before I quit the Titans, but... we all know how that ended up.'

Starfire could barely believe her eyes as she saw Nightwing open the box to reveal a beautiful ring.

'Oh, Dick... Does this mean what I think it does?'

Nightwing went down on one knee and looked up at Starfire.

'Princess Koriand'r of Tameran, will you do me the honour of being my wife?'

Starfire grabbed Nightwing in one of her patented bone-breaking hugs.

'Oh, Dick! This is most joyous! Of course I will marry you! Nothing would make me happier!'

TBC...

Next: Sinful

A party with the Justice League and Justice League International takes a nasty turn when the heroes are possessed by the Seven Deadly Sins.