Blüdhaven || March 29 21:00 EDT ||
"Dick, for the love of Mavis! I can help you guys save them!"
"My decision is final and I won't let you go off mission."
"Can't or won't? Dick, I'm part of the Team whether you like it or not!"
"YOU WILL NOT COME WITH US AND THE DECISION IS FINAL!"
Dick yelled at Ruby angrily close to her face. It's their first time they argue when they are usually calm and agreed with each other. Dick forbid Ruby to join the rescue team to save Blue Beetle, Impulse, Beast Boy, Lagoon Boy and Saber out from their grasps. The boy wonder didn't want to bring her with him because he's terrified of losing his fiancée. Ruby is insisting to join them because she wanted to save the others much of his annoyance. This leads them to an argument as Ruby asked Dinah to babysit Orion. She doesn't want Orion to listen to their arguing and raising voices.
Ruby exhales softly before looking at him coldly. "Ever since Artemis died, you're always with the Team or even looking after your city. I accept it and never complain because I've been there before. I've always looked after Orion and even ask Wally or Dinah to babysit because they need me urgently."
Dick stares at her softly. "Ruby, I-"
She raises her hands and stops him from speaking. "Now that my brother and the others are kidnapped... I offered and you immediately reject it. Why? You let Zara go but I don't?"
"It's not like that, Ruby." He spoke softly and holding her hands. "The League needs you more than we do."
Ruby bites her lower lips and pulling her hands away. Stepping back before her outfit change into Sora's form. "Orion and I are going to stay at someone's place temporarily." She could never change his mind no matter how much Ruby insists.
"Ruby, we can-"
Ruby shook her head and smiles sadly. "The Dick I know would let me do what I want because he trusts me. Now, I can hardly know you anymore." She jumps out of their window and flies off the sky.
"Rubina!" Dick yelled and walks out of the balcony to find her but she's gone. "Damn it!" He swears and punching the wall angrily. "I can't lose you because you and Orion are everything to me." He whispers and silently cried. This dark secret is killing him inside which leads them to a rocky relationship. Barely have time to spend with them or thinking about their wedding.
Palo Alto || March 29 00:00 PDT ||
Ruby knocks on the door while holding Orion in her arms. Smiling softly to see his son is sleeping peacefully without a care in this world. "You're my everything, Orion." She kissed his forehead.
The door opens to reveal Wally and he looks surprised to see them again. "Ruby? Orion? Come in." He leads them inside of his house. "Take Orion to the guest room. We can talk later, Rubes." He whispered to see her child is sleeping.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, Wally." She smiles softly and putting Orion inside of the crib before changing his clothes. Wally provides a baby crib for Orion in case they're going to babysit him or they're staying over. "I know it's unexpected and you're the only guy I can count on." Smiling in satisfied as they both leave the bedroom.
"I'm quite flattered you rely on me, Ruby." He smiles softly and leading them to the couch to sit. "Not that I'm glad to see you guys here. Isn't too late to visit around this hour, Rubes?"
Wally is always welcoming Orion and Ruby whenever they visit despite his strained friendship with Dick. He feels guilty for keeping a dark secret to Ruby and isn't his place to reveal it. He's one of those people who didn't want to get involved because she has Orion. It's not in his place to tell Ruby secrets, especially she is the mother of Dick's child.
"Dick and I had an argument." Wally looked surprised to find out about it. "He won't let me join the rescue team."
Wally completely understands Dick's reason but he of all people should know Ruby is going to save them. It's the same way he's against the idea of Artemis doing an undercover mission but she wanted to do it. Every day he's worried about her safety without him and they can't blow their cover. Dick needs to understand Ruby's persistence to join the rescue team.
"He's scared of your safety despite you're one of our powerful house on the Team." Wally explained calmly. "He wants you to be safe."
"He assumed the other League might need me more than they do." Ruby sighs heavily and gripping her hands. "Ever since Artemis died, he's becoming more overprotective and I feel suffocated. After watching Mount Justice explode and kidnapped Arthur, La'gaan, Jaime, Bart and Garfield... they're crossing the line and I need to save them as well."
"They have Luminous to help them Ruby." Wally pointed out and she gives him a look. "Don't you think one mage is enough?"
"Look." Ruby licks her lips before sighing softly. "I'm not going to sit down and do nothing. I need to go with them whether he likes it or not. I won't let anyone hurt someone I care."
Wally sighs and couldn't change her mind. "Why do you insist on doing it?"
"They're my Nakama (comrade) and family." Ruby answered truthfully. "I'm not the one who will always follow the rules if it means saving them." She smirked.
The red-haired boy couldn't help but smiles softly. "I won't stop you if you want to do it. I'll look after Orion."
Ruby sighs in relief and hugging Wally. "Thank you. It means so much for me."
"You're welcome." He patted her back before looking at Ruby's face. "How will you be able to join them? Nightwing is going to stop you before the mission starts."
"Simple." Ruby smirked with a mischief look on her face. "I'll be with Luminous and using Oichi's form to shrink and hide my presence."
"You're going to give him a heart attack when he sees you, Rubes."
"I know and it also teaches him a lesson to listen to his future wife." Wally smirks at the response.
Star City || March 30, 21:57 PDT ||
Luminous is never an idiot if Nightwing is in a foul mood despite he's masking it. Nightwing is focusing on the mission and deal with Ruby later on her disappearance with Orion. The boy wonder failed to find their location and it irks him. The blonde mage knows their argument and no one notice Celestial is joining them.
They're now following their submarine ship while camouflaging to avoid getting detected. Nightwing observes the hologram to see Batgirl and Robin are in. "Good. They're leading us to Lagoon Boy and the others."
"How can you be sure?" Wonder Girl asked curiously.
"Wishful thinking." Nightwing answered and turning off the hologram.
"And the abductee shipment at the docks?" Luminous asked and tilting her head curiously. "How did you know about that?"
"Aquaman came across the intel while searching for La'gaan." Nightwing answered and looks away from them.
Luminous didn't say another word and closing her eyes. She didn't want to blurt out Celestial's presence because they need her.
"So this is the Light's partner." Luminous open her eyes and listen to Nightwing's word. "That ship shares the same alien design sensibility... as the bombs that destroyed Malina Islan and Mount Justice."
"Kind of reminds me of Blue's armor." Wonder Girl pointed out and looking at it closely.
Nightwing looks at the screen before looking at the Martian girl. "Miss M, you're up."
Miss Martian camouflages herself and goes out of the bioship. "Alpha Squad, I'm heading into the alien ship. Are you aboard?" She asked the Alpha squad team.
"Affirmative. We're in some kind of docking bay. We have a visual on the new aliens a.k.a the Krolotean's competitor... a.k.a the Light's Partner. And we've got another company. It's Aqualad. If he makes us, we're over." Batgirl answered in a grim tone. "I wish Saber is here."
"Stay whelmed. He won't be looking for you. We're going to save him and the others." Nightwing assured the female bat. He knows Saber means everything to Batgirl. "Just don't attract attention."
Miss Martian smiles in relief and manages to find Beast Boy, Impulse and Saber. "I've found Gar, Arthur and Bart. They're unconscious but alive. No sign of Jaime or La'gaan."
"We've got eyes on Lagoon Boy and Shimmer?" Batgirl and Robin are surprised to see a villain got stuck in the pod just like them. "Plus four civilians and all the teens we came with. We're unsupervised now, but Blue's still unaccounted for... and escape could trigger response. Do we wait?" Batgirl asked Nightwing.
"Negative. Make your move. Before you need rescuing too." Nightwing answered Batgirl's question. "You too, Miss M. Get our boys." Miss Martian breaks their pod and saves them.
Eris kneels down and helps Tigress up. "Lust is with Black Beetle to deal the intruders and we need to find Kaldur'ahm." She explained with a serious look on her face. They were ambushed by the heroes out of nowhere to save them.
Tigress shook her head. "Let's go." She runs and Eris followed her.
They found Kaldur kneels down in front of Miss Martian and Beast Boy. Eris masks her surprise and anger to see Kaldur's blank look before looking at the culprit, Miss Martian. She smirked darkly and chuckled. "Fufu... it seems like the hero is actually a monster and murderer all this time."
"Miss Martian is not a murderer!" Beast Boy yelled and defended his foster sister. "If anything- Kaldur is the murderer here!"
"Oh?" Eris asked in an amusement tone. "I thought heroes have their morals to defeat us. Apparently... I was wrong and your little Martian is a murderer. Leaving different species killed their minds completely like an empty shell. Is she actually a hero or a killer in disguise?"
"Animal soul: Tiger!" Beast Boy transforms himself into a humanoid tiger.
Eris smirked and a blue magic circle appeared. "Kami no konton! (God's chaos!)" Water covered with black aura appeared like a tornado heading towards them.
"Woah!" Beast Boy immediately slashes the water to create a huge smoke.
"We're going to take Kaldur'ahm while you take your little murderer. The next time we meet, I'll show you my true wrath that everyone fears me." Eris declared and vanished out of their sight.
Saber stands up weakly and pushes Black Beetle away with all of his strength before he could kill Wonder Girl. "I... won't la...y yo..ur ha..nd on them." He breathes heavily and still weak from the pod.
Black Bettle smirked darkly by his will to fight despite his whole body is shaking in pain. "I admire your bravery but can you actually defeat me?"
"You had done enough! Hyō no arashi! (Hail storm!)" A snowstorm covered Black Beetle completely and ice begins to freeze his feet.
"Celestial..." Saber whispered her name in relief before kneeling down.
"You..." Black Bettle growled in anger and looking at Celestial with hatred. He breaks the ice and runs over her.
Celestial twirls and kicks Black Beetle's back and her whole body glowed. "Sutādoresu: Sun Ce Fōmu (Star dress: Sun Ce form!)" Her whole appearance changed into a female version of Sun Ce with her usual half mask on. "I will never forgive you hurting them."
The gate suddenly opens to reveal Beast Boy, Impulse and Blue Bettle. Beast Boy managed to catch Miss Martian before she could drop. Luminous finally join in once the gate is open again and stands right next to Celestial.
"Nightwing is going to kill us." Luminous whispered and Celestial simply shrugged her shoulders. "Lust..." She growls her name coldly.
Lust glared at the two Fairy Tail mages. "We meet again." She retorted back coldly.
Black Beetle is looking at Blue Beetle. "Little brother, one way or another, I'm putting you back on-mode." He declared. "You are of the Reach and cannot escape it."
Batgirl immediately put Saber's arm around her shoulder to help him stand. "They're going to keep them busy. We need to bring everyone in." Saber explained and moan in pain.
"What have they done to you, Saber?" Batgirl asked worriedly.
"Apart from shocking us and didn't have enough energy to fight Black Beetle." Saber answered and walked inside successfully to their rendezvous point.
"Saber." Nightwing takes Saber out from her. "The others?"
"Luminous and Celes-"
"Celestial is here!?" Nightwing asked with a disbelief look on his face. "I specifically told her to stay put!"
Batgirl snorts and giving him a look. "You know how stubborn she is Nightwing. Both of them are keeping Lust busy whereas Blue Bettle did the same thing with Black Beetle. The others and I are going to bring them inside." She explained.
Nightwing sighs softly and controlling his temper. "Execute." Batgirl leaves to bring the others in.
Luminous and Celestial fought against Lust to keep her busy. The iris blue-haired girl is gritting her teeth angrily. "You pesky flies! Why can't you just die and rot in hell like Aaliyah!" She yelled in anger. "Unmei no kage! (Shadow of doom!)"
Luminous glowed and glares at Lust. "We're not going to die by your hands! Unmei no kage! (Holy light arrow!)" She creates a bow and arrow to strike Lust.
Celestial finds it an opportunity they get distracted. "Luminous, now!"
Luminous creates a light sphere as they fled out of the enemy's ship. The blonde mage absorbs Blue Bettle while they're dodging the shots. "Ugh! I can't hold on much longer considering we're really deep!" Luminous gritted her teeth.
"We're behind you, Luminous." They heard Nightwing's voice. "I'll open the hatch now."
Luminous goes inside of the bioship and dispelled the sphere. The blonde mage groaned weakly and leaning on Celestial's side. "Remind me not to use it when we're under the ocean."
Celestial chuckled and patted her head before examining Blue Bettle. Pressing her two fingers on his neck and feels the pulse. "He's okay and the armor protects him from drowning." She stands up and pulls Blue Beetle to sit on the chair.
"Shall we make him conscious?" Luminous asked Impulse and he nodded his head. "My pleasure." She smirked and slaps Blue Bettle on the head using the paper fan.
"Luminous!" Celestial yelled at her angrily and she shrugged her shoulders. "No need to be violent!"
Blue Bettle yells in pain and removes his armor to reveal himself. "It's me! It's me!" He yelled and Impulse smiles.
"Of course it is. Luminous wouldn't bring you here if you're an imposter." Impulse pointed out and glancing at the blonde mage.
"Is that the reason why my head hurts?" He asked curiously and rubbing his head. "You always use a paper fan to whack our heads, Lu."
"I know." Luminous commented with a smirk.
"Mission accomplished, everyone. Well done and Celestial." Nightwing glares at Celestial and she smiles sheepishly. "How did you get involve with this?"
"Everyone knows I'm stubborn and I infiltrate by masking my presence." Celestial answered and gives him a stern look. "You guys in a pinch and I have to help you guys out."
Nightwing sighs heavily and smiles softly at her. "Thanks, Celestial."
"You're welcome."
"Care to take the controls, Miss M?" Nightwing asked Miss Martian curiously.
"Think she's still basking in the glow of victory." Beast Boy commented with a proud look on his face whereas Luminous and Celestial think otherwise. "She totally nailed Aqualad. You should have seen it. Well, actually, it didn't look like much. But I'm sure it was very cool inside their heads."
Celestial sighs softly and crossing her arms. "I'm glad you guys are safe and save everyone in one piece." She spoke softly but masking her worriedness.
Celestial and Luminous have a feeling Miss Martian did something terribly wrong during the rescue.