Chapter 8
A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome back! Happy to see y'all again! Now remember, I just own all of our favorite OCs in this story, Young Justice and Godzilla aren't mine sadly.
/comms/
Telepathy/flashbacks
Themiscyra, August 8, 09:58EDT
Onyx peered out the window of the invisible jet, watching the wide expanse of water pass below. It was amazing; he'd known oceans were big, but he hadn't realized how big. Did they even end? And how deep did they go? What was down there?
"You doing ok kiddo?" Diana spoke up, glancing back at her son as he gazed over the sea with wide eyes.
"Yeah," he grinned looking at her. "I never knew there was this much water!"
The Amazon chuckled lightly. She remembered that, Onyx had been rather fond of the small pond back at the Watchtower. "So, you like swimming?"
He darted up into the cockpit, clinging to her seat. "Yeah, it's fun," he smiled. "What about you?"
"Yes, I do enjoy swimming," she said. "In fact, Themiscyra has these springs where the water glows." As if to demonstrate his red stripes flashed cerulean blue, causing her to chuckle. "Yes, like that."
He gave a proud smile at the trick. It had been odd seeing him do that for the first time a few days ago, when they got to the embassy, her sisters startled him and his red stripes flashed bright blue and pulsed for a few moments, even his eyes had been changed colors for a briefly.
Granted her sisters had known about her knew protégé—not that necessarily approved of her taking on a boy—but the kid got along with them during the few interactions they had. And after she explained…well, the sisters hadn't been sure of what to do. Men didn't belong in the Amazons. Men screwed things up; typically and the Amazons had to fix their mistakes cause they were too damn proud to admit they were wrong and do it themselves. But Onyx…he hadn't made a bad impression.
At least her sisters at the Embassy were willing to give her son the benefit of the doubt. He hadn't done anything to make them dislike him so far—that she was aware off. Typically the worst thing that happens is when he randomly flashes when startled. Her sisters seemed to be trying to make a competition out of it.
Well, at least they weren't trying to kill him.
Her sisters on the island, might be a different story. Her mother had always been strict on the rules—Diana did have to run away to help the world of man and she'd been basically banished for years after she refused to let her go.
She glanced at the young boy to her side, watching the world pass with wide eyes. Gods, she hoped they liked him. "Ready to meet our sisters?" she said gaining his attention.
"We're almost there?" he spoke up looking outside again as fog began to roll around them. "I don't see anything."
She chuckled, watching the fog cleared and she could see her home. With a small glance, she stifled a laugh when she saw his dumbfounded expression. Still funny to bring outsiders and see their reactions. Clark had done the same thing.
"Holy shit."
"Onyx," she chided in shock.
"What?" he asked.
Diana sighed, shaking her head. Guess she shouldn't be surprised, he spent a lot of time with Skylar; and considering her repertoire of curses, her son had probably heard much, much worse.
She was fine with is as long as he avoided going through that entire terrifying arsenal.
As her jet descended, she could see the forms of her sisters moving towards the field. "Ready?"
Onyx gave her a lopsided smile, "You think they'll like me? I know…males typically don't get along with Amazons."
"Typically, but you'll be fine," she reassured. "They tolerate Batman. Compared to that, you'll be fine." The ramp opened and she hopped up, walking down the path and giving he mother and sister a hug. "It is good to see you again."
"Good to see you as well sister," Donna smiled. "What made you wait so long to see us? Men being stupid?"
"Donna," their mother chided.
The younger girl shrugged, "Hey, Diana saves men from the own stupidity, I'm not wrong. So, were they being stupid?"
Diana shook her head, "Donna, men aren't that bad."
Her sister raised a brow disbelievingly. "I doubt that."
She crossed her arms, "Then all me to introduce someone who'll prove you wrong. Onyx!" Looking back to the jet and she saw her son nervously peek out. In a split second he was peering out from behind her with wide eyes. Gently grabbing his shoulder, she moved him to her side, "Mother, sister, meet my son. Onyx, meet your grandmother and Aunt Donna."
-.-
Mt. Justice, 19:55EDT
"Recognized: Kid Flash—B03."
"The Wall-man is here!" the redhead exclaimed holding an armful of beach supplies. "Now let's get this party start—" his foot caught on the umbrella he held, causing the speedster to trip, land flat on his face and send the beach ball to go bouncing by Batman and his team, who were all in uniform, "—ed."
"Wall-man?" a new voice laughed and a girl with long blonde hair a green uniform and a bow smirked down at him as he stumbled to his feet. "Love the uniform. What exactly is your power?"
"Uh, who's this?"
"I'm Artemis, your new teammate," she answered.
"Kid Flash, never heard of you."
"She's my new protégé," Green Arrow interjected.
"What about the old one?!" Kid protested.
"Recognized: Speedy—B06."
"Well first off, he doesn't go by Speedy anymore," the archer said as he strode over, "Call me Red Arrow."
"Roy," Green Arrow smiled, "you look—"
"Replaceable," the other boy snarled.
"It's not like that," his former mentor argued, "you told me you were going solo."
"So why waste time finding a sub? Can she even use that bow?"
"Yes, she can," Artemis scowled.
"Who are you?!" Wally exclaimed again.
"Niece," both hero and new protégé replied.
Onyx sniffed the air, tilting his head in confusion. Their scents changed; that usually didn't happen unless they were lying. To his right, he heard Robin scoff, "Another niece?"
"But she is not your replacement," Kaldur spoke up stepping towards Roy. "We have always wanted you on the team—"
"Speak for yourselves, I've never met him," Skylar spoke up examining her claws boredly, "and right now, he seems like an asshat." All heads turned to her and she raised a brow, "Just saying."
"And we have no quota on archers," Kaldur finished.
"And if we did, you know who we'd pick," Wally smirked.
"Whatever Baywatch, I'm here to stay."
Wally made a move to open his mouth again as Amber swung her wing up, blocking the speedster as she stepped in front with a smile. "I'm sure fighting isn't necessary, we all are on the same side. So, Red Arrow, right? I'm Aurora," she introduced herself. "Forgive me, but I'm assuming you came here for a reason?"
The archer raised a brow at her, crossing his arms. "A reason named: Dr. Serling Roquette."
"Nanorobotics genius and claytronics expert at Royal University in Star City!" Robin exclaimed typing on his pad and pulling up multiple holograms. "Vanished two weeks ago."
"Abducted two weeks ago," Red Arrow corrected, "by the League of Shadows."
"Whoa, you wanna us to rescue her from the Shadows?!"
"Hardcore!"
"I already rescued her," he stated causing the boys to deflate. "One problem, the Shadows already coerced her into making a weapon. Doc calls it The Fog, comprised of millions of microscopic robots. Nanotech infiltrators capable of disintegrating anything in their path: concrete, steel, flesh, bone. But it's true purpose isn't mere destruction, it's theft. The infiltrators eat and store data from any computer system and deliver the stolen intel to the Shadows. Providing them access to weapons, strategic defense, cutting edge science and tech."
"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power-broking," Artemis listed. "Yeah, sounds like the Shadows."
"Like you know anything about the Shadows," Wally scoffed only for his jaw to drop as Artemis merely smirked at him. "Who are you?!"
"Roquette's working on a virus to render The Fog inert."
Robin's eyes widened, "But, if the Shadows know she can do that…"
"They'll target her," Roy confirmed. "Right now she's off the grid. I stashed her in the local high school's computer lab."
"That's not exactly what I'd call off the grid," Onyx muttered.
"You left her alone?! While her life is in danger?!" Amber exclaimed.
"She's safe—"
"For now!"
"Then let's keep her that way," Green Arrow spoke up stepping towards his old protégé, "you and me, just like old times?"
"Don't you wanna take your new protégé?" Red Arrow scoffed.
The archer took another step forwards before he was stopped by a hand resting on his shoulder, turning around he saw Batman looking at him. "You brought this to the Team," he sighed, "it's their mission, which means it's hers now too."
The older boy scoffed shoving through them, "Then my job's done."
"Recognized: Speedy—"
"That's Red Arrow! B06! Update!"
-.-
Happy Harbor, 21:53EDT
"Miss Martian, link us up," Aqualad ordered as the Team spread out to their positions around the school to keep watch for any unwelcome guests, "I do not want the Shadows to intercept our comms."
"Everyone online?"
"Yep."
"Unfortunately."
"Ugh, this is so weird," Artemis commented scratching the back of her head as the thoughts of the others echoed through it.
"And distracting," a blonde woman typing quickly at one of the monitors griped, "Coding an algorithm for a counter-virus on a computer with less RAM than a wristwatch is hard enough, but now I have to hear teen-think in my skull?!"
"Lady, do you always complain this much when someone tries to help you?" Kid scoffed.
"Pot, Kettle, have you met?"
Hey! I don't want to hear attitude from the one who drove Red Arrow off the Team?!"
"That is so not my fault!"
"Can we please stop fighting?" Aurora hesitantly spoke up.
"Oh like you're not the one who made him leave?!" Wally continued.
"Fate. Of. The. World. At. Stake?!"
Wally made a motion to point at her when a loud growl came through the link. "Keep this up and I'll come in there myself and kick both your asses," Remix threatened.
"Artemis, come help us with the perimeter," Nightmare said.
"Good idea."
"Fine," she grumbled stomping out of the room.
Kid Flash pulled out a granola bar and began munching on it angrily. "You know you could cut her some slack," Robin chided. "It was her arrow that saved your butt against Amazo."
"No way! That was Speedy—er, Red Arrow's arrow, right?!"
Robin shrugged. "Eh not so much."
The speedster pouted. "Well, I'm still not giving her the satisfaction."
"You know I can still hear you!"
Wally gave an annoyed growl grabbing his head.
"Couldn't get the Justice League."
"Nope," Nightmare answered.
Remix snickered, "Beggars can't be choosers lady."
"The virus won't be of use against the weapon if we cannot track it,"Aqualad spoke stepping up to the scientist.
The blonde turned towards him, looking annoyed. "My utility fog is not a weapon—"
"It dissolves everything it comes into contact with," Nightmare deadpanned. "I call that a weapon."
Aqualad could see the woman's eyebrow "It's science, brilliant science. And I can track it, but I'd have to go online," she turned back to the computer and began typing again, "I might as well set up a billboard at this address with 'Assassinate Me' written in neon."
Aqualad placed a hand on her shoulder, "We will protect you."
"Or we'll at least try."
"REMIX!"
"Just saying."
Roquette looked a little pale as she began typing, "Tracking fog now."
Outside, Superboy and Nightmare both stopped and tilted their heads as they heard the flapping wings of startled birds. "You hear that?" Superboy muttered.
Nightmare nodded, his tail slowly skimming the surface of the grass as he sniffed the air. The hybrid gave a low growl, there was no breeze. Meaning while no scents were blown away from him, none were coming towards him either. "If anyone's out there, they're too far for me to smell," he hissed.
Superboy frowned, it could've just been someone on a late night walk. Or it could be someone much less friendly. Sharing a look, the to boys leapt onto the roof and ran across, jumping down by Artemis, Miss Martian and Remix.
"Keep an eye out, we thought we heard something," Nightmare whispered as they split to check the sides of the building.
"Got it," Remix nodded, crossing her arms.
Artemis, meanwhile, was preoccupied staring at Superboy. "Mmm, that boy."
"He can hear you," M'gann reminded as the boy looked startled. "We can all hear you."
"Oh, I know."
"Miss Martian, Dr. Roquette has located the Fog. Reconfigure the Bioship so Robin, Superboy, Aurora, and Remix can pursue."
The girl nodded, raising her hand and the ship came out of camouflage mode, descending to the ground. "Ready."
"Later," Remix waved flying towards the ship as Superboy ran behind her, Robin and Aurora coming out a mere second later and joining them. As they ran into the ship, the door slid shut behind them and they took off after the weapon.
Once they were gone, M'gann crossed her arms glaring at the newest member of their Team. "You embarrassed Superboy!"
"Didn't hear him say that."
"Must you challenge everyone?"
"Where I come from, that's how you survive."
"Guys, focus," Nightmare reminded.
"She started it!"
"And I'm ending it. Knock it off." Nightmare shook his head. Seriously, fighting during a mission, they were lucky there wasn't any danger at the moment. Otherwise it'd get right past them.
Inside the school, Kid Flash leaned against the wall. Taking a bite of his food, he looked around the empty hall. It was then he noticed a retreating shadow. Rushing down the hall, he caught the shadow retreating into an open door. He chased after, and he slipped as soon as he went through the doorway. The air was knocked out of his lungs as he landed on the damp tile floor. Groaning, he looked up to see a dark figure looming above him, their foot raised.
The unknown attacker kicked the speedster in the face, knocking him out cold. It was then they lazily used their foot to push the unconscious teen into the pool, face-first.
Now that one was incapacitated, they ran down the hall the teen came from and up to the door.
It opened slightly and a shrunken flew through the narrow crack towards the target. Fortunately, Roquette was saved by Aqualad jumping between and taking one to his shoulder. The assassin burst through the door hurling several more which landed in the Atlantean's arm. "Oh, that had to hurt," the woman snickered.
Grabbing his waterbearers, Kaldur raised his swords, blocking her incoming katana. "Atlantean skin is quite dense.
"And my shrunken are quite poisonous," she taunted trying to knee him. He blocked the blow, instead watched as the woman flipped back.
"Jellyfish toxin, I'm largely immune," he replied grunting as she kicked him the arm, flipping back.
"Largely?" she said. He couldn't see her face behind that Cheshire-like mask, but he knew she was grinning.
"Miss Martian, Kid, Artemis, Nightmare, we're under attack in the computer lab!"
"On our way!" Artemis called as the three raced into the building.
M'gann split off from them, saying something about KF. Nightmare and Artemis payed no mind racing into the room as a dagger flew towards the doctor, Kaldur used a water whip to deflect the dagger, causing it to implant itself into the wall by her face.
The assassin reached to her hip, pulling out another dagger, only to grunt in pain as an arrow slammed into her wrist, knocking the weapon from her hand. Turning, she narrowed her eyes as she saw Artemis holding her bow notching another arrow and Nightmare holding his lasso. "This gig is getting interesting."
Artemis fired her arrows, causing the assassin to grab her katana again, blocking the incoming projectiles. A rope wrapped around the blade and it was yanked out of her hand. She grit her teeth behind her mask, glancing behind her as she saw the Martian and Speedster enter. "Maybe a little too interesting." Reaching to her belt she pulled out something and slammed it on the ground.
Smoke billowed up around the room, causing Kid Flash to leap forwards in an attempt to apprehend her. He ended up tackling Artemis and yelping in horror as he scrambled off. "Gone!" he muttered.
"She's getting away! You're letting her get away!" Roquette exclaimed.
She was ignored as Kid Flash whirled on the new archer, "This is all your fault! You were on perimeter! How'd she get in?!"
"That's not fair," Miss Martian spoke up. "Nightmare and I were on perimeter too."
"Being distracted by her!" he argued glaring at the newbie. "Besides I can't be mad at you Green Cheeks. You gave me mouth to mouth."
"We heard that."
"Dang it!"
Miss Martian gave Artemis a sympathetic look, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I didn't do that well in my first battle either. And I know you couldn't have been Green Arrow's sidekick for too long," she reassured. "It'll get better."
"Focus everyone!" Aqualad snapped. "Nightmare, can you track the assassin?"
Sniffing the air, the hybrid growled, his tail lashing back and forth in anger. "No, whatever was in that smoke covered her scent."
Kaldur looked grim as he nodded, "Then the Shadows will be back, we need to move the doctor to a new location."
-.-
22:31EDT
Nightmare leaned against the wall, arms crossed as Roquette typed quietly at the computer of their new hiding spot. Glancing around the large room, he saw Kid Flash sitting on a bookshelf glaring at Artemis who was pacing in the back.
"Stop it."
"Stop what?"
"I can hear you glaring," Aqualad stated causing Onyx to snort. From outside, he could hear his team leader call out loudly, "Miss Martian! Do a wide perimeter sweep around the area!"/p
Nightmare resisted facepalming. There was no way someone was going to buy that.
Apparently, someone did.
A loud crash outside caused him to leap to his feet, grabbing for the lasso on his hip. The door splintered inward, causing him to duck as shrapnel flew over. A violet clad figure with a spider symbol on his chest leapt through. Something came from his hand, forcing Kid Flash to leap off his perch as webbing spread where he'd once been.
Glass shattered at another window and a metal-handed man came through, firing the hook-arm towards Artemis as she attempted to notch another arrow.
"Don't stop working!" Nightmare snapped at Roquette as he grabbed his lasso. He was about to throw it at Captain Hook when something came from his left. Ducking to the ground, he watched red webbing stick to the wall.
A desk flew through the air as an arrow shot through the air towards the doctor. It was then the female assassin leapt through the skylight, "Martian's here! It's now or never!"
The spider assassin shot a web at the desk, throwing it towards Wally. Nightmare threw his lasso, grabbing the desk and flinging it towards the spider-guy. He gave a startled cry, leaping onto the wall as the desk splintered on the ground where he'd previously been.
"We've been duped!" the assassin called as M'gann used her telekinesis to throw the assassin away as her disguise morphed back into her regular uniform.
"You'll never find Dr. Roquette!" Miss Martian snapped.
"Never's such a long time," the leader sneered. "Pursuing target! Keep them busy!"
Artemis ran after him, "Pursuing leader, take the rest down!"
"You are so not the boss of me!" Kid snapped.
"Just do it!" Nightmare snarled using his tail to swipe Captain Hook's feet out from under him.
"We need to end this, now!"
"No shit!" Nightmare snarled grabbing hook-hand's chain arm as M'gann used her telekinesis to send it to him. Lunging at him, he swung it like a baseball bat and hit him square across the face.
"Awesome hit Nightmare!" Miss M cheered landing next to him.
"Great," they head Wally call. Turning, the pair chuckled as they saw him wrapped up in webbing, an unconscious assassin lying at his feet. "Can I have a little help?"
"I'll help him, you tie up the bad guys?" M'gann suggested.
"Works for me."
-.-
Philadelphia
"Next target's a Wayne Tech facility," Robin frowned as the Bioship flew in the direction the tracker lead them. "In theory its systems could be used to hack…"
As he trailed off, the other three shared a look as they looked at him. "Hack the what?"
Robin shook his head, "Nevermind, it doesn't matter. What matters is that Wayne Tower operates on a twenty-four hour work force; we'll never evacuate the building in time!"
"Well fuck."
"Anti-Virus is downloading!" Robin exclaimed getting up from his seat and leading the way to the ramp as it came down.
Superboy looked down spotting a van in the lot below. The door slid open and a man in a metal gold and grey helmet holding a large canister "Don't need it!" he said leaping down.
The unknown man looked up towards them, the red dot in the middle of his mask glowing and firing a red laser. It hit Superboy in the chest, burning his clothes and chest as it knocked him out of the air, sending him crashing to the ground. Now more rushed, he began to open the canister and release the fog.
"NO!" Robin screamed leaping out. Firing his grapple, he swung down to the ground, racing into the building.
"I'll help him, you help your brother," Remix said diving out. Spreading her wings she flew through the destroyed doors, past the disgruntled security guard.
"H-HEY! UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY!"
Up ahead Robin shouted something that overrode the systems. Remix smirked calling back to the guard, "Try telling us after we save your asses!"
Robin ignored her commentary as they raced through the halls, tracking the fog. Bursting through a door, they stopped as they saw a large cloud above their head, eating through the material surrounding it. "Remix, think you can keep it occupied while I handle it?"
The redhead grinned, raising her hands as fire appeared in her palms. "No problem!"
The sheer blast of heat as she released a large plume of flame towards the fog normally would've had the Boy Wonder concerned. But right now, he was more than grateful for the pyromaniac. Scrambling to the computer he attached his USB, "Please have access to the mainframe, please have access to the mainframe."
Fortunately it was, and it was mere seconds later the virus file appeared in his inventory. He did not wait to upload it.
Looking up to the fog, he bit his lip, looking for signs it was working as he saw more material corroded away, thankfully at a slower rate due to Remix's flames. It was then he saw small red patches began to appear in the strange smoke, and they grew, covering the fog. Those that weren't fried to a crip began to fall to the ground, covering the floor and tables. "Yes!" he cheered. "The infiltrators have been outfiltrated!"
"Awesome," Remix grinned shaking out her hand stifling the last flames. "And good thing Wayne's rich cause…if I didn't melt something, these things did."
Outside, Superboy grunted, struggling to move against the powerful beam pushing him back as the cyclops continued to fire at him. His boots slid against the asphalt as he struggled to move forwards, he couldn't let this guy get away.
A flash of blue caught his attention and he glanced up to watch his sister tackle the man to the ground. Dust rose and he felt the ground shake from the impact. Racing over, he looked down to see her rubbing the back of her head nervously as she stood over the unconscious man.
"I think I hit him too hard."
The boy facepalmed. They really needed to have a talk about holding back. Amber, really, really needed to stop being so nice to everyone. That included bad guys.
In his opinion, that amount of force was perfect.