Just want to say that I will continue this story and finish it. I forgot to post this last chapter but I had been burned out with work but after a vacation and my birthday on the 24th, I now have had a breather and am back at it. Hope everyone is well and will still enjoy what is coming up.

12.

Happy Harbor Fair Grounds

September 22

18:13 UTC

North of the city, hundreds of Happy Harbor citizens gathered for the large fair going on since the early morning. Games, rides, shows, all attracted the vast number of people with the main reason tickets were so hard to come by, the shock jock Leslie Willis, was broadcasting live from the event.

What started out as a fun Saturday event early in the city's history along the docks had turned into a much larger event, which needed a much larger venue, hence the area north of the city boarding a large forest popular for camping and hiking expeditions. It was also the perfect place for the loud music to go uninterrupted as it was cranked up to eleven, making it loud enough to clearly hear regardless where one stood at the fair.

"Yeah! To all my babies out there in Happy Harbor, I want you all to give me a yell and tell me who wants free swag!"

A thunderous roar burst forth from a large group of onlookers standing around a central stage where a DJ booth dominated the center. Twenty foot high banners with Leslie Willis' name flapped in the with along with an equally sized portrait of the self proclaimed radio goddess to inform everyone where she was currently located. In the center of the stage, the leather clad shock jock pandered to the crowd with half a dozen shirtless men around her firing t-shirt cannons into the crowd where they were almost fought over.

"That should keep the free loaders happy for a few moments," Leslie whispered to herself as she typed in a saved set list and blasted heavy metal music over the speakers. "Stupid hicks."

Away from the stage, Carter, Joslyn, Mar'i, and a few other kids from Happy Harbor High strolled down one of many food isles. Carlos, who lacked a ticket but managed to sneak in and meet his friend, busied himself with a deep fried pickled pie stick stuffed with cheese. It was one of the many strange, yet surprisingly good, fried food combos available to the public. One of the boys with them carried a handful of tickets while another one had his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders while Joslyn tried her best to get Carter to copy said boy. There was only two things wrong with her current attempt to get closer to the dark haired youth, his best friend, Carlos, was dragging him to try the fried cuisine, and Mar'i was basically stuck to him like glue.

"Oh man," Carlos said through a mouthful of food, "we just gotta get a funnel cake. Those are so good."

"You're still not full?" Carter asked.

"Heck no! I fasted yesterday so I could really eat today."

"Way to think ahead."

"Speaking of thinking," Joslyn said as she wrapped her arms around Carter's bicep, "don't you think we should go on another ride? Like the Ferris wheel?" She batted her eyes at him while flashing a knockout smile.

"Those cars only fit two," one of the boys said then was immediately kicked by the other's girlfriend. "Uh, I mean, great idea. Yeah, great."

"And it'll stop at the top for a few minutes," Joslyn said as she tiptoed her fingertips up Carter's arm, "where we can have some fun."

"What's so fun about dangling a hundred feet in the air?" Mar'i asked. "Frankly, I think it would be more fun to ride through Fun in The Dark."

Freezing in place, Carter caught the look on Carlos' face and blushed as he remembered the ride's name was code for, The Tunnel of Love. Gaining a cat-call form the Hispanic teen, Carter failed to see the deathly look Joslyn gave Mar'i beside him.

Titan Tower

September 22

18:42 UTC

Resting from a rather exhausting training regimen, Carrie, Zachary, Irey, and Lorena sat on the floor of the gym as Garfield and Cyborg went over their performance. As this was an individual evaluation, each team member was put against a member of the active Titans team such as Star Girl, Static, and new team members Mas y Menos, and Pantha. It was nice mixture of veterans and newbies to test the up and comers.

Pouring water on her head, Irey gave a long, tired huff as she relaxed. The new speedster duo, Mas y Menos, were as fast as she was. Brothers from Mexico, the small twins needed only to make hand contact to activate their speed powers. They served to be a much harder challenge for her to deal with as they did not go by any form of orthodox combat techniques, making them as unpredictable as the ocean waters. This lead to her being out maneuvered most of the time and only ended up tying them at the end of the sparring session.

Leaning back against the wall, she mentally went over her last session when she heard the twin speed tornadoes rapidly speak in their native tongue as they shot back and forth. Ignoring them, as she hadn't quite learned Spanish yet, she opened her mouth to take in a shot from her water bottle when she felt two sets of lips on her face, one on each cheek. The unexpected, and unwanted, gesture surprised her so, she opened her eyes and spat out her water as both Mas y Menos laughed and sped away.

"Why you little brats!" She yelled. "You stupid midgets! Get back here!"

Her friends all let out a deep belly laugh each as they saw her douse her face with water and scrub where she was kissed.

"They're just kids," Lorena told her. "Kissed me yesterday."

"Got me last weekend," Carrie told her. "They just like having fun."

"Nasty fun," Irey muttered as she continued to scrub herself.

"So, so what do you think Carter's doing?" Carrie asked as she toweled her brow.

"Scoring with two hot chicks?" Zachary said. "I saw the picture of the other and she's smokin hot."

"Who cares," Lorena told him. "He bailed on us when we needed him and bailed on training today. He's making it perfectly clear he doesn't want to be part of this team we're forming."

"That's not fair," Carrie told her. "He just might want to take a break."

"School's a break. He's out with friends and looking to hook up with a girl."

"Jealous much?" Irey asked.

"Of what?" Lorena asked with a slight laugh. "The daughter of Luthor and a blonde cheerleader? Think again. Plus, he never took things seriously."

"Like Arthur?" Carrie asked.

"He takes the protection of Atlantis and it's people very seriously like his mother and father. I respect that."

"And the fact he's gorgeous?" Irey added.

"That too," Lorena said with a blush.

"Ew," Zachary said, drawing the girl's attention. "I just thought of something. Wouldn't being on a date with Little Miss Luthor mean CK's putting the moves on his cousin or sister or something?"

"Clones, man," Carrie said with a far away look, "weird out."

Nodding, Irey took a swig of water. "He may just have to move to Utah for that."

Happy Harbor Fair Grounds

September 22

18:59 UTC

Looking at herself in the mirror of a restroom, Joslyn made sure her makeup was perfect. The teenage girl prided herself on being flawless, and with the money to back her up, it was easier than most girls her age. Designer clothes, lack of any blemishes, hair styles celebrities would be privy to, she was THE girl in Happy Harbor High School. Until she ran into this Mar'i Luthor.

Every school has it's peaking order. Rich kids, jocks, popular, and those deemed 'perfect' we're always at the top while those dubbed as nerds, geeks, overweight, poor, and such were at the bottom. Joslyn was, of coarse, at the top and loved it; but when Mar'i enrolled, she was finally met with someone else on equal ground.

With a click, one of the stalls behind Joslyn opened with Mar'i exiting and stopping at a sink one down from the other girl. As the dark haired girl washed her hands, the current queen of the school applied a coat of peach lipstick, carefully coating her lips in the decoration before placing the small tube in her clutch purse and turned to face Mar'i.

"Mar'i Luthor," Joslyn said with the slightest of hints of authority in her voice, "I, uh, think we should really get to know each other since we really don't hang out too much."

"We never hang out, period," Mar'i told her.

"Well," extending her hand, Joslyn flashed the smile she was known for. "Joslyn Periette, head cheerleader, home coming queen, student body treasurer, and first place gymnast in our last tournament."

"Yeah," Mar'i told her with a sarcastic smile, "sure."

"Um." Cutting her off from getting to the door, Joslyn forced Mar'i to take a few steps back. "Listen, I don't think you know what you're getting into. You see, I've known Carter for a few years now, and, well, all things considered, he's all but mine. This was supposed to be a date for him to see what he can have and how good he will be with me, until you weaseled your way into things. So I would appreciate it if you stepped off and let nature take it's course."

Looking the girl up and down, as a professional fighter would their opponent, Mar'i scoffed as the blonde placed her hands on her hips. All things considered, Joslyn was in pretty good shape, maybe capable of defending herself if her build had anything to say about it. Then again, to pose a threat, she would have to be a Meta Human, and nothing in the files Mar'i read said she was.

"Well, from where I'm standing," Mar'i told her, "it doesn't look like you're together. And if you really knew who I was, then you would know not to inconvenience me in the slightest."

"Oh, I now who you are. You're the daughter of Lex Luthor. Tell me something, are you as crazy as he was? Are you going to go all psycho like he did?"

"Shut up," Mar'i said as she took a step back when Joslyn advanced.

"Your dad was a failure and everyone saw him lose it on TV." Smirking, Joslyn saw her words were getting to the dark haired girl. "And then he lost his head."

Backing into the closed door of a stall, Mar'i had nowhere to go except through the smiling girl before her who was trying her patience. It was true Joslyn had no idea who she was, as no one knew who she truly was for that matter. Maybe it was time this so called 'school queen' got to know the real -

"Wasted!"

Covering the unsuspecting Mar'i, a mixture of water and garbage rained down on her as another girl shouted happily. Personal hygiene products, wrappers, towels, food packages, and such surrounded the wet girl. Before her, Joslyn laughed her head off as she backed up to avoid getting her shoes messy.

Coming out of the stall, the girl joining them earlier with her boyfriend tossed he trash to the side and joined Joslyn as they continued to laugh.

"Get this through your head, Luthor," Joslyn said as she grabbed Mari's purse and tossed it into the stall where it landed in the toilet, "you're trash. You'll always be trash. And if you think you have a shot with CK, you're gravely mistaken. There's only room at the top for one queen and you looking at her."

Tossing Mar'i a used paper towel, Joslyn and her friend headed for the door. "I'll tell Carter you had to leave for personal reasons. I'm nice like that after all."

Standing alone on the restroom, Mar'i did not cry, nor did she pout or even shake. She simply stood in place with her fists so tight, her knuckles popped as her tanned skin turned a pale orangish color as her makeup ran. The smelly water on her dried instantly, turning into steam as the left over trash fell to the floor. Looking up, her eyes began to glow a bright green, burning through her contacts until only the emerald color remained.

That was when an explosion occurred outside and people began to panic.