Chapter 17: Shazam

"I like what you've done with the place." Billy said as he looked around the temple. There were paintings of scenes from what he assumed were classic Green novels or myths, and then there were portraits of him with the Justice League and with his adopted family. "Very retro."

"Well it is your mind, Billy." Shazam said, coming to stand next to him. Billy always found this bit a bit odd, the feeling of seeing himself, well seeing Shazam from the outside. The muscles, the good hair, and the eyes which could pierce a man's soul. It was a complete contrast to the weedy little teen he actually was.

"I wanted to talk to you about what's been going on." Billy said.

"You want to know where I stand on this?" Shazam asked.

"Yes," Billy replied. "I've spoken with the guys in the house and with people at school, and with people elsewhere, and they've all had mixed messages. Most are in favour but others aren't. People like Nadia who think only elected politicians should have a say in running government, because they're chosen by the people."

"Nadia is a dreamer." Shazam said. "She wants to believe the best of humanity, but we've seen the worst of it. We know what humanity is capable of."

"But does that mean we have a right to take over?" Billy asked. "You know what Mrs Thatcher said in history class today? That the American Revolution started because the Founding Fathers felt they didn't have any say over what was happening to them and that the British King was a tyrant. I don't want to be a tyrant."

Shazam sighed. "Billy, you have the Wisdom of Solomon in you, do you really think the American Revolution was that simple?"

Billy wanted to say yes, but from the way that Shazam was looking at him he suspected that was not the case. Sighing he said. "No, but then what's the solution to what's happening out there?" He gestured to the world outside the temple. "How am I supposed to do what I need to protect the people of the world, if half of them don't actually want my protection?"

"You protect them anyway." Shazam said, and Billy knew that was the courage of Achilles talking. "People are weak, they need protecting from themselves and their bad decisions."

"But then why do I harbour doubts?" Billy asked. He didn't want to have these doubts, life was hard enough as it was, as a thirteen-year-old who had to go through puberty and be a superhero. He wanted a simple answer.

"Because you are a smart kid, Billy." Shazam replied. "You are trying to figure out where you stand on this. But you are doing so considering other people's views, you cannot make a choice in your life by always worrying about what other people are thinking about."

"So, what do I do then?" Billy demanded. "How do I reconcile the two?"

"Tell me this, do you trust Superman?" Shazam asked.

"Yes." Billy replied instantly.

"Why?" Shazam asked.

"Because he's Superman. He believes in truth, justice and honour." Billy replied.

"And yet he killed a man." Shazam pointed out.

"The Joker deserved it." Billy replied.

"How do you know?" Shazam asked.

"Because he'd murdered Superman's wife and unborn child, and he'd killed countless people before that." Billy said.

"And yet Superman is not a judge, nor is he a court of law. What right did he have to kill the Joker?" Shazam asked.

Billy was about to reply when he stopped and considered what Shazam was asking. Superman had killed the Joker as revenge for what he'd done to Lois and their child, but he'd not killed him before that, not when the Joker had unleashed a nerve gas that had poisoned thousands in Bludhaven, or when he'd killed twenty women in Gotham just for the fun of it, or when he'd killed Jason Todd. So, what right did Superman have to kill the Joker, truly? Was it fair for him to do that and then to pass judgement on anyone else? Billy didn't know, but something in his gut told him that what Superman had done was the right thing.

He looked at Shazam and said. "It needed to be done. The Joker had harmed thousands of people before, and he would've kept harming people. The world is a better place without him in it."

"And now we come to the question, do you think human laws can keep up in a world where there are people like you and Superman? People who are literal Gods? Or for people like the Joker who continued to break out? Who had been tormenting Gotham for forty years?" Shazam asked.

Billy stared at Shazam, and as he did so, he knew the answer. "No, they can't. They need to change."

"And who do you think will be able to bring those changes?" Shazam asked.

"Superman." Billy replied.

"So, you have your answer." Shazam replied.

Billy nodded, but there was still one thing that he wanted to ask. "In Brisbane, when that boy came forward in that suit, how come you didn't strike out? I know you wanted to, I could feel it. But you didn't. Why?"

Shazam looked at him, and when he did so, Billy could've sworn he saw Solomon, Zeus, Achilles and Hercules all looking back at him. It was slightly disconcerting. "Because he reminded me of you." Shazam said.

Billy was about to reply when he woke up. Or rather when he shot up awake. He blinked, and as the dream faded, he remembered where he was. In the house, not in the Temple, and his brothers and sisters were asleep in the rooms next door. He rubbed his eyes, and turned to look at the clock. It was only three in the morning. He had a long time yet till school started. A long time to sit and think. He would need to do more of that now.