Hey Guys, so two things i gotta apologize for. One, I'm really sorry this is two days late. a Huge chunk of it got deleted by accident, and i had to rewrite it. It was a huge mistake and I'm so sorry. Second, I Gotta apologize that this chapter isn't gonna be about what I said it was gonna be about this week. The next one will be, but I needed this one to help set up the new Status quo in the wake of the Crisis. Some of the changes might be confusing, or even irritating, but I hope you'll bear with me. Anyways, enough apologizing. Heres Chapter 2. Hope you enjoy
Wayne Manor, Gotham City [January 11, 2020, 3:45]
I parked the Bat-mobile,and walked out to what used to be Wayne Manor.
It wasn't just the location that made the penthouse a better choice for a base.
During the Crisis, Ra's Al Ghul decided to make one final attacked against Bruce. He led the League of Assassins in an assault on the manor, and destroyed it, setting it on fire and bombing the cave. We managed to get Alfred, and Damian out in time, and beam them up to the Watchtower, but once we knew they were safe, the manor getting destroyed seemed insignificant compared to what was happening around the world.
I managed to avoid coming here for 6 months, but still, seeing the place that was my home for 16 years reduced to a pile of ash, it took a toll on me…even if it was just an illusion.
I walked closer to the wreckage and spoke the chant "ronam raeppa", and immediately the wreckage morphed into a new Wayne Manor.
Before you call me out, I'm not lying.
The Manor was actually destroyed, but in the wake of the attack, Tim pointed out that both the League and the Team were tripping over each other during Darkseid and the Society of Super-Villains attacks, and both teams were slower as a result. So at his suggestion, The Justice League agreed to have Wayne Manor rebuilt, and used as the Teams new base. It's basically a safe haven for young heroes to live and train without worrying about being attacked by Super-villains. After all the Young Heroes that have died, It was about time we did something.
The manor wreckage mirage was Zatannas idea. Her reasoning was that if our enemies saw the manor rebuilt they would just attack it again, so she created a magical illusion that can only be broken if members of the League, Team, or me say the magic words. It always impresses me how Zatanna could do such specific spells at such a young magical age. She'll probably surpass her father, maybe even Nabu, one day.
Anyway I opened the door and immediately felt a pit in the stomach.
I'd seen it in the blueprints for the place, but it still gave me chills. In the main hall of the new manor was the "Hall of Heroes".
It was basically the newest shrine to all of the heroes fallen in battle. On one hand, I'm glad the League finally decided to stop segregating heroes based on age,and created a place where all heroes can be mourned in peace. On the other hand, a place like this shouldn't have to exist. And there shouldn't be this many to mourn.
I passed the ones that have been there for years. Ted Kord, Aqua-girl, and Jason Todd.
Jason.
When he was alive, I loved him like a brother. Still, in light of what he's done, and considering he's not even dead anymore, he shouldn't have a statue.
And then I passed the one who, despite being a long time ago as well, still haunted me.
Wally West.
My best friend. Every time I see him here, I just think about how we spent our last few months together at odds with one another. What I put him and Artemis through… it was wrong, and unfair. And what makes me upset about it the most is that I have a hard time remembering the good times we had together, but all the fights, the arguments, they're so fresh in my mind I could tell you everything that was said, everything that was happening that day, even what we were wearing. And I wish I could see him one more time to tell him just two things.
"I'm sorry Wally." I put my hand on his statue. "I miss you brother."
I paused for a minute and continued on. My mood didn't get any better as I passed the newest additions to the fallen.
Captain Atom (killed after Lex Luthor ruptured his reactor and tried to level Metropolis with it)
Martian Manhunter (Killed by Fire-fly and Bizarro's heat-vision)
Aquaman (Murdered by his brother, The Ocean Master)
Lagoon Boy (Beaten to death by the Joker)
and Superboy (Died defending Superman in the Fight against Darkseid).
I stared at Superboy's statue for a moment, and another shiver ran down my spine. Conner. We always seemed like we had something to fight about together, but in the end, I think he knew how much I valued him as a friend. I hope he did. God knows I miss him.
As I reached the end of the Hallway I saw the biggest Statue of them all.
Bruce Wayne.
The real Batman.
I stood at his statue for what seemed like ages as I tried to think of the right words to say. "You once asked me if I would ever give up the fight. And all I told you was 'No, but I'd never continue it as Batman'. I expected you to be disappointed in that answer, but when you saw the look in my eyes, I think you were proud of me, though you never said it. You seemed relieved that I was going to grow up to be a hero, but never turn into you. It's one of the reasons I never wanted this. I never wanted to be you."
I paused, once again considering my words. "But I don't think you ever accounted for what you've turned Batman into, and how much he matters to the world. And I hope you know I'm not trying to be you, or replace you. I could never do that. I would never disgrace you like that." I stopped, as if waiting for a reply, or even a sign of a reply. But there was no one to reply to me. And no matter how much I didn't want it to be,I was still talking to a statue.
"When you took me in,I was lost. I was a 9 year-old with no family, and nothing but the memory of what Tony Zucco looked like. If you hadn't taken me in when you did, I might have grown up to be a murderer, and not a hero. I wouldn't have met my friends, and I would've been more alone than I've ever thought possible. You were a teacher, and a father to me. You and Alfred gave me a loving home, and a loving environment. You were the best. You will always be the best. I hope to someday be half the man you were."
I shifted, trying to stand taller than I felt. "I would never replace you, I can only hope to honor you. Because the greatest honor ever given to me, was the chance to be your partner." I wanted to say more, but I was already feeling the emotion of the moment.
I buried those emotions deeper and walked past the statue. As I went into the common area of the mansion, I immediately felt a a heavy breeze that made my cape flutter like a flag.
At the top of the steps to the upstairs section, I saw Maxine Hunkel,The Cyclone, use her amazing abilities to control wind and flutter in front of me still riding the wind. She was deeply engrossed in her novel Wicked, but as soon as she saw me, she gave a wonderful grin.
"Nightwing!" She said excitedly, but immediately she became embarrassed, and tried to correct herself.
"Uh, I mean, Batman! Cause your Batman now! And I mean it's cause your awesome, but you knew that already I'm sure! I'm not saying your stupid it's just, what I'm trying to say is, uh boy."
I had to smile. Of all the newest members of the team (And there are quite a few), I think Cyclone is my favorite. She's the granddaughter of Abigail Hunkel, the original Red Tornado. Despite her rambling nature, she's as quick and as witty as anyone on the Team. She's smart, sweet, and has great respect for every hero, young or old. Plus, she's a Wizard of Oz lover, so that instantly means she's fantastic. Even if she doesn't think she is herself.
"No worries Max." I replied trying to take her mind off it. "Is Red Robin around?"
She fluttered down to me, and pointed to along hallway on the left. "Yeah! He's just down there in mission room doing a briefing. Do you want me to walk you down there?"
I looked at her, and I could tell she really wanted to get back to reading.
"Nah,It's cool. Just let me borrow that when your done, okay?" I said gesturing to the book.
She floated on her heels in excitement. "Okay!" She continued her simultaneous training with the wind, and reading her novel.
"Don't spoil the ending." I gave her one last wave before continuing down the corridor.
As soon as I walked down I nearly slammed into Bart Allen and Tom Bronson racing each other in the hallway.
"You could be a cheetah, and you still Won't be fast enough Bronson!" Kid Flash teased as he ran faster.
"Lets see you say that when I catch your scrawny ass Allen!" Tomcat yelled chasing after him.
Tom Bronson, Tomcat to the other members of the team, is another new member of the Team. He's the son of Ted Grant, The hero known as Wildcat. Right before the Crisis happened, Ted found out he had a son with a woman he had a one-night stand with. He took Tom under his wing when he found out he was a Meta-human, and could turn into a "Were-panther". Tom originally didn't want to be a hero, but he actually saved his father from getting killed by Vandal Savage during the Crisis, and managed to hold him off until the league showed up to save them. After that, Tim offered to continue his training at the manor where he could learn to control his "Were-Panther" form. His dad comes around every once and awhile to teach I'm and the other kids how to box. He's basically this Teams Black Canary. As for Tom, well… I like the kid personally, but he still has a long way to go. I think he's still trying to figure out how this whole hero thing out. He reminds me of Conner when he started actually. He has a lot going on, and even a few demons to battle, but he manages to be a decent hero regardless.
Despite the fact that his squabbles with Kid Flash might be the death of every piece of furniture they come in contact with (Cassie apparently threw a fit when they broke the pool table last month.).
Anyway, Tom and Bart finally smacked into one another and began to wrestle each other.
"Troubles, guys?" I asked looking down at them.
When they saw me, they immediately stopped. "HE STARTED IT!" They yelled at the same time.
Noticing my confusion, they turned back on each other and went back to yelling.
"Don't lie to Batman! Bart hissed at him. Don't you know that's like the number one rule of being a hero?"
Tom was quick to respond. "I'm not lying to him! You started all this crap when you swiped the remote from me! You know I have claim on the TV on Friday nights!"
"First of all Bronson, it ain't even Friday night anymore, its Saturday morning! He of all, I wouldn't have stolen the remote if you hadn't eaten the last of the Chicken Whizzees in the pantry!"
"You didn't call dibs!" Tomcat protested.
"THEY'RE CHICKEN WHIZZEES! I ALWAYS HAVE DIBS!"
" You do not!"
"Do too!"
"DO NOT!"
"DO TOO!" They wrestled each other and rolled into another hallway. I didn't know whether to drop to the floor and die of laughter, or chase after them and give them a Bruce-style lecture.
I decided to do neither, and press on, making my way to the briefing room.
When I walked in, I saw Tim Drake, Red Robin now, briefing Stargirl, Supergirl, and Wondergirl on their next mission.
"Superman has asked us to oversee King-Sharks transfer from Iron Heights in Central City to Belle Reve in Louisiana. I know it's not our usual type of mission, but I think I spoke for everyone when I said we'd do what ever we could to help?"
The Team merely nodded.
"Ok, Supergirl, I want you to fly high and be the eyes in the sky. Use your x-ray vision to maintain contact, but only come down if something goes wrong. Star girl, maintain a lower altitude, but remain hidden from the trucks view. Keep ahead of it so you can spot any threats that may come from the front. WonderGirl, get in civilian clothes, and take one of the bikes and follow the truck from behind. If anyone attacks it, you can break cover, but I don't want anyone to know the trucks being followed. Make sure you pay attention to whats going on behind you in case theres a threat from behind. Any questions?"
Tim waited, but they all seemed to understand their roles. "Ok, take the bio-ship and head to Central city. Your package leaves in three hours. Good luck everyone."
As the others flew off, Wondergirl stayed behind to talk to Tim, but stopped when she noticed me.
"I'll give you two a minute." She said before kissing Tim on the cheek, giving me a smile,and flying to join Stargirl, and Supergirl.
I looked at Tim for a minute and grinned. He grinned, and I pulled him into a bear hug.
"It's good to see you kid." I said feeling some of the weight on my shoulders lift.
"Same here Dick." When we released each other, He noticed my demeanor. "You Alright man? You look whipped."
I was hoping I was hiding it better. So I buried my emotion even deeper, and hid behind a smile.
"I'm doing alright. Just getting used to the new suit. How are you doing? How's this new team?"
Tim looked down trying to hide his true feelings but I motioned him to really tell me whats going one.
"Its…difficult now that everyones gone. Miss Martian is still out of contact. I know she's losses a lot since the crisis, but she's been missing for months now, and I'm starting to get worried. Kaldhur, and Garth both returned to Atlantis to help fill the void Aquaman left behind. They've still been talking about whose gonna lead, and they're still fending off attacks from Ocean Master and Black Manta. Guardian, Beast Boy, Static, and Bumblebee all were invited to join the league, and they accepted to help fill the void since some of the leaguers are still on sabbatical since the Crisis. Blue Beetle, Green Beetle, and some others flew off to Apokolips to make sure Darkseids forces stay in their place. And Tigress decided to stay in Bludhaven and protect it full time."
I was glad Artemis decided to stay and protect Bludhaven. It was good to know that the city was still protected even if I couldn't be there to do it myself. Tim looked back at the Holo computer and closed the King-Shark file, and sorted through new virtual files.
"And this Team has potential, but at the same time… it still seems like a raw concept. "Supergirl is still too brash and thinks with her fists. Stargirl still treats things like its game, and is pretty reckless. Tomcat's not bad for a new hero, but he still has a lot to learn. And Maxine is a great hero, but her lack of confidence holds her back. Cassie has stepped up to help me lead, but the truth is, I think were out of our depth here." He turned away, as if ashamed by his next sentence. "We've always led by example here, but they're aren't really anymore people to use at examples. And the cases keep piling up. Every day theres a new one. I don't really know if we can handle it."
I looked at Tim for a second then responded to him.
"Tim, if these kids need an example, no one is a better example than you. You've kept so much focus these past months, and you've really stepped us as the Leader of this Team. Your probably the most put together of us all right now. Trust yourself. Your doing great." Tim turned areund and a small smile formed on his face
"It's good to know the pointy ears haven't damaged your ability to make motivational speeches." I smiled back.
"What can I say? That's my other super power. Anyways, what was the case you needed help on?" His eyes widened in shock, like he completely forgot.
"Oh! Right, the case." He turned again to the holo-computer and pulled up a picture of a kid that looked like he was in highschool.
"This is Grant Emerson. He lives down in Georgia, but he was vacationing with his parents in Metropolis during the Crisis. He got admitted to the hospital there back when we were checking citizens for traces of Darkseids Omega radiation. When they released him, he seemed normal, but…" He pulled up three pictures of buildings, and streets, each one either destroyed, cracked, or having human-sized holes in them. " I think he might have gotten some powers from it. In the past couple of months there have been a series of explosion around Grant's area. Each one correlates to high school, his suburb, and Atlanta, the city he lives near. There haven't been any casualties yet, thank god, but whats weird about the explosions is theres never any trace of them after. Theres no gunpowder residue, or nuclear radiation. Its like its just raw energy. And if it is Grant I don't think he's doing this on purpose. The attacks seem random, and clumsy. Almost as if they're happening on accident."
Suddenly, I realized what Tim was getting at.
"You wanna offer him a spot on the Team?"
Tim looked up almost flustered, like he could hear the slight reluctance in my voice.
"I know he might be dangerous, but he has so much power, and I think being here might help him learn more about it. He can do that here without being a danger to people out there. That's the whole point of this place isn't it?"
I waited to think about my answer before responding. This Grant kid could be dangerous, but Tim was right as well. He might be safer here than out in the the open.
"Yea Tim, I'd say its worth at least a check out. If I were you, I'd take Cyclone and Kid Flash just to be safe when you meet this kid. Cyclone can be more friendlier to him, and Kid Flash can get you guys out of there if something goes wrong."
Red Robin looked relieved as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Was he this conflicted on this one? Not that I blamed him, this was a choice even I would wrestle with.
"Thanks Dick. I needed to make sure I was right on this one." He looked stress.
I could tell trying to be an example and a leader was taking its toll on him.
"After this mission, you should take a day or two for yourself. When was the last time you've been home to see your Dad?" Tim looked up.
"I told him I was gonna be away for awhile. He worries now that he knows who we are, but I think he understands too. I'll go back and see him soon."
There was a silence as Tim judged whether or not he should say what was on the tip of his tongue.
"Have you been to see Barbara?" My expression went blank. A wave of sadness and guilt hit me harder than a tidal wave.
"I…" The truth is I hadn't. Not for over a month now.
Tim knew without me responding. "She misses you Dick, and I think you miss her more. Go see her okay? It would probably be good for you."
There were so many reasons my head conjured up on why Tim was wrong about that, but I repressed them and simply nodded.
"Your right. Thanks. Good luck with this new guy."
We shook hands and I walked out the way I came in, passing Tom and Bart wrestling, and waving one last time to Maxine before I walked out the door. Seeing these new kids, and even seeing the heroes before them led me to one conclusion.
This teams may be shaky now, but I know its gonna be one of the Best ones I've ever seen.
Next Wednsday: The original premise of Chapter 2 will hopefully be represented in chapter 3. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy
