*Please Read*
Hey guys. Sorry for the hiatus, but I'll be uploading another chapter soon that'll show a spar between one of DB's and DC's greatest warriors next chapter. Hope you're up for it.
This chapter won't focus much on fighting and will instead be around character development, so hope you enjoy.
Inside the Cave, Superboy sat thinking about his time days ago against the androids. He remembered how Superman had barely glanced at him, and when his eyes remained on him for even a couple seconds he gained a face of angst and would quickly turn his head, not before gaining a face of discomfort.
Soon, however, he heard other members of the Team and he put on an expressionless mask as they entered the Cave.
He could deal with this, thinking himself too strong to need help. He was Superboy, after all.
Young Justice Cave
After dealing with Luthor for now. Videl has begun to practically live in the cave instead of Launch's apartment. But only just entered the Cave after she patrolled in Metropolis, as Superman was out on a mission in space.
She walked towards the gym as she sensed three familiar energies, but stopped to watch, not interrupting the Boy Wonder's showing off.
Robin held his arm out, palm face up as he showed an orb of ki with a smile on his face.
"Nice, Rob," Wally complimented, "If we get going maybe you'll beat Horizon someday. She might want to train harder with the competition comin' in. Oh, fire off a blast! Come on, come on!" Wally began to plead.
"It would be cool to watch," Superboy said as he used his vision to look at the energy, but his mind was focused on another, more personal, subject.
Robin pointed his hand towards a training dummy and the orb followed with little trouble. Robin began to focus on that same feeling he had when fighting against the androids. It was a feeling that could only be described pushing against something, and as he mentally repeated the feeling it was launched forward toward the dummy, nearly tearing it off its hinges.
Wally complimented the Boy Wonder and Superboy looked impressed, but Robin immediately started to feel intense exhaustion as he got down to one knee.
"Woah, Robin. You okay?" Superboy said, as he and Wally helped the boy to his feet.
"What happened?" Wally asked.
"His body wasn't able to handle letting out his ki," Videl inputted as she walked towards the three, "Don't worry though, your body will feel less strain as you get stronger."
Robin looked down, thinking about Zatanna's note to him, something he didn't feel ready to read, "Yeah. Don't worry, Horizon. I'll get as strong as I possibly can," Robin said with conviction.
"Yep, and you know what that means," Videl said, punching her fist into her palm with a viscous grin, "I get to hold back less."
Robin's face paled as he realized that he was going to get kicked around a lot harder than before.
"Though, we should start at least a few minutes after you catch your breath," Videl advised.
Robin heard her advice, but he knew that kneeling while panting wasn't going to get him any stronger any faster, "No. I can start right now," he said, standing up with a slight tremble, but he willed himself to stand strong.
About a minute later, after setting up the mission room, Videl and Robin began to fight with Videl trying to help Robin learn how to enhance his body with ki, and the young hero was slowly learning.
After just a couple blasts of ki, Robin was panting, nearly collapsing to the ground. Though, Videl managed to help him to his feet this time around.
Wally cheered Robin on his performance, while Superboy looked forlorn as he looked at how Videl was helping Robin; as teacher and student… family.
Unknown to Superboy, Wally looked at Superboy's face along with Robin, who noticed it in his peripherals.
The Team had noticed Superboy's stares more and more the past few days and they were sure they knew the reason why. It was Superman. They knew Superboy needed not only more training, but someone he could confide in besides Black Canary, a figure that he could look up to as each member of the Team could with their own mentors.
Robin and Wally glanced at each and nodded with similar expressions as they were thinking the same thing.
'We need to help him.'
So, they would go to a certain someone who was the source of Superboy's thoughts.
Hours Later
Robin and Wally stood atop a building in Metropolis, waiting on the Man of Steel to have a talk with the known hero.
"You really think we can convince him?" Wally said as he kicked his legs back and forth on the edge of the roof.
"We have to try. Supermans been avoiding Conner all this time, and Conner needs a mentor, Wally," Robin said
"I mean, yeah, Conner's great, but Superman needs to come around at his own time. Plus, it's not like we can force him to come around with him, you know, being Superman, after all," Wally argued, and Robin could see his point.
Suddenly, they both heard the air make a sound behind them as they turned around to talk to the expected hero, but were surprised to see another alien land on the building.
"Prince?" Wally let out in surprise.
"What is it, boy?" Vegeta asked, but Vegeta noted something as he looked towards Robin specifically. His ki had grown, but he threw the curiosity aside.
"What are you doing here?" Robin asked.
"As you know, our hideout in New York has been destroyed, and Superman is on a mission in space for a day or two, so he's kept me here in his place. Now, what is your problem?" Vegeta said gruffly.
"Can we talk and patrol? Crime fighting releases some good stress, ya know?" Robin asked, and Vegeta could not argue.
"Fine," Vegeta said.
As he took into the air, Wally and Robin followed the Saiyan, but stayed out of his range of hearing.
"What are we doing, Rob?" Wally asked as he ran alongside Robin, who used a grappling hook and athleticism to traverse the buildings.
"Taking a risk. So, let's try and convince another certain alien to help us with our friend problem," Robin said.
Wally looked at him like he had suddenly grown wings, "Dude, we are seriously going to try and convince this guy? I mean Horizon and Crane seem cool, but this guy is kind of a total ass."
"Yeah, but Batman has his own bad moments," Robin said, "Let's just tell him the situation and see where this goes."
Wally breathed a heavy sigh, "Alright, but if this guy is too much of a prick then I'm leaving."
"Just don't talk much and our chances of this new plan succeeding go up vastly, as it always does," Robin said
"Dude!" the speedster exclaimed in annoyance, making Robin gain a cheeky grin.
Inside of a building, a man was launched back. Courtesy of a simple shove by Vegeta who noted how the two teens took out the last dozen assailants.
Wally taunted them as their bullets were basically in slow motion compared to his own speed, while Robin took down his own opponents with well-placed blows from his escrima sticks.
"So, Superman's progeny is not getting enough attention? He should just train to get that stress out," said Vegeta.
"Yeah, but Conner is basically a second Superman with anger issues, but he's getting better at controlling that. I was going to ask Superman if he could just train him and get to know him. Maybe be there for him when he needs it," Robin said carefully, trying to get Vegeta to feel some empathy.
"Heh, so Superman can't even handle his own son?" Vegeta said with amused disbelief.
"it's just… Superman should be there for him. Like how every family should be there for each other," Robin said. This time not thinking of manipulating Vegeta but letting his heart out from his own experience.
That got a reaction out of Vegeta as his eyes steered towards the ground thinking of his own son. Then his most prevalent memory of them flashed through his mind before he was taken to this universe.
"Trunks, Bulma, I do this for you, and even you, Kakarot."
Vegeta thought of his own son when he was born. He wanted nothing to do with the brat, but after losing his son from the future during the Cell Games he had gained a connection to his family from the pride in seeing what his son became.
Vegeta shook his head as he put the memories aside and glanced at Robin. To the rest of the world it looked like he glanced, but with how fast his eyes could function he actually stared at super-speeds at the boy, sensing his ki.
Vegeta remembered sensing this Superboy months back when he fought against Robin and Artemis, noting how Superboy's ki felt like the sun similar to Superman's own power.
'Such potential can't go to waste,' Vegeta thought. An excuse that his next actions didn't come from an emotional part of himself he didn't want to show, but instead around Superboy's potential.
"You said you want someone to train and just talk to the boy, correct?" Vegeta asked.
Robin's and Wally's eyes widened, not believing that they were actually convincing Prince. Quickly, they left as the cops started to come to the scene.
They came to a building's roof to continue their talk.
"So you'll train-" Wally said.
"Oh, don't worry, I will. Potential like that shouldn't go to waste. Plus from his fight with one of those androids, he can take a punch," Vegeta said with a chuckle.
Robin and Wally looked at each other, but this time around they shared faces of worry as they started to think about what they were getting Conner into.
Back at the cave, Conner sat watching static to calm his nerves, but was alerted as he heard the Zeta-Tube tell him that Prince had entered the cave along with Robin and Wally. Even Videl followed Conner with a protein bar to see what Prince was up to.
"Prince, what are you doing here?" Videl said thinking that Vegeta was here for her, but she raised a brow as Vegeta instead looked towards Conner.
Vegeta and Conner started to size each other up with Conner wondering why he was here and Vegeta sensing the boy's power, impressed with what he felt as he could tell that Conner was above Videl's own current strength.
"You and me, Boy of Steel. To your sparring ring," ordered Vegeta, and Robin facepalmed at the sudden demand. Meanwhile, Wally groaned as he noticed that Videl had taken another one of his protein bars.
Conner frowned, "No thanks," then he began to walk away.
"Oh, you think that daddy Superman is always going to get you out of tough spots, huh? Because how strong you are now isn't going to cut it, and your enemies won't care for your weaknesses," Vegeta mocked, knowing that his words would anger the boy.
Then, Vegeta's intuition was proven right as Conner tensed and turned around, getting into the mission room ring.
The mission room activated as the two stepped onto it, and the two got into a stance, but Vegeta's own stance was lazy.
Conner looked at the stance and knew immediately Vegeta was mocking him, but he took a breath to down his frustration and charged the Saiyan.
They began to grapple, and Vegeta was surprised at Superboy's raw strength, but he could tell that it was nowhere near Superman's. He could, however, tell why Videl said she had a hard time against Superboy.
Vegeta expertly escaped the grapple and punched Conner in the abdomen, making the teen take a breath in surprise.
Soon, after several minutes of Vegeta dodging Conner's blows and giving some of his own back, he soon floated into the air, "Come on," Vegeta said as he gestured a come-get-me motion.
Superboy grew angry at the mockery, but Vegeta floating above him reminded him all too well of the shadow he himself would always stand below, "I… I can't fly." Then, he walked out of the cave with his thoughts on Superman overtaking his mind once again, so he went out to get some air.
Vegeta floated down, looking towards the teens for an explanation.
"Superboy's only half kryptonian, Prince. That's why he's nowhere near as strong as Superman and doesn't have all of his powers. Flight is one of the powers that Superboy doesn't have, so it's a sore subject for him," Robin explained
Vegeta thought for a moment, as he now saw something from Conner that reminded him of himself; that he would always be inadequate to another.
"Hmph, well getting angry isn't going to get him to fly any time soon, so let me fix that," Vegeta said, making Videl's eyes widen.
"Prince, are you really gonna go all the way with Superboy?" Videl asked.
Vegeta nodded, "Why not? Plus, I have a feeling the boy needs to escape something that might place him where I once was," Vegeta said, thinking back to his time as Majin Vegeta.
Vegeta then walked out of the cave to talk to Conner.
As Vegeta walked, Robin looked towards Videl, "Hey, Horizon, what did you mean by going all the way?" He asked.
"If I'm right, then we may see Conner fly someday," Videl said, making Robin surprised as he understood what she was implying.
Conner looked out towards the horizon of the sea as he focused his senses on what he heard around him. The ocean pushing and pulling, seagulls calling, and the wind blowing against his face. Then, he opened his eyes and once again thought of how the fact that he couldn't fly as the seagulls did was a firm reminder of what he couldn't do.
Then his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of feet stepping closer and closer till they stopped beside him.
"Ready to mock me again?" Conner said, still looking out towards the horizon.
"No, in fact. From how you reacted to my taunt. I have a feeling that I know what you're feeling."
"Yeah, right. Last I heard you're way above Horizon in everything one could imagine. So what would you know about always being behind someone's shadow?" Connor asked, finally turning towards the Saiyan, but to a bit of his surprise, Vegeta's eyes showed a sense of familiarity.
"More than you know, kid. Though, I was far more angry than you when I was in your position. It took years before I could get over it, and it cost me so much before that happened. I have a feeling I can help you reach above the one who stands over you in your own way," Vegeta said.
Superboy chuckled, "How? Because last time I checked, that shadow is too tall for me to just jump past."
"Then why not learn to fly instead of jump?" Vegeta questioned, making Conner look at Vegeta in confusion.
"I can teach you to fly, boy," Vegeta said, knowing what Connor was thinking.
"You mean… like Robin's training?" Conner asked.
"Yes. I'll teach you how to fly. You'll become more than that shadow over you, but with your own grit." Vegeta said.
Connor stood still, not believing his advanced hearing. Could he truly do it? Fly above the clouds as Superman could? Fly above Superman himself?
Connor looked at Vegeta straight in the eyes, "I-I'll train under you, but… can you really teach me to fly?
"That and far more, but be ready. This won't be the training you're under now. This will be training that will leave even you with muscles sore like never before. You have great potential, boy, and I'll make sure to beat it out of you into something glorious," Vegeta explained.
Connor nodded, as his journey to fly above Superman's shadow had just begun.
Back In The Cave
Videl looked at where Vegeta walked out earlier, and then looked towards Robin and Wally.
"You guys started this, didn't you?" Videl accused.
"Maybe," Wally and Robin said with nervous expressions.
Videl looked at the two with a piercing glare making the two squirm, then she sighed and smiled at the two, "Good."
This reaction made the two look at Videl in surprise.
"Conner's been out of it for the past week, ever since we fought the androids and Superman left before he even gave Conner a passing glance, so it's good that he finds a mentor that can relate to him," Videl explained.
"What do you mean by relate to him? Are you saying Vegeta might have a Napoleon complex?" Wally said with a laugh.
"Well, from what Crane told me, yeah. In fact he had one for a while, but please don't say that around him, or you're gonna need to run faster than ever before," Videl warned, making Wally's laugh die faster than he could run.
Videl looked towards the ground, then looked at Robin with a bit of a nervous stance, "Hey, Robin? Can… Can Batman help me get into a school?" she asked.
"Oh, uh, yeah. He definitely can. Though, why would you wanna go to school?" Robin asked.
"Honestly, all this time training you and myself has been a little exhausting, so I thought maybe I should catch a break. Plus, I kinda miss some of the normal life," Videl said.
"Man, you're trying to get back into school? You must really be tired of the hero's life," Wally exclaimed.
"Well not all of us like only living the hero's life. I've been out of school since I came here, and hanging around two guys all day isn't exactly fun. Vegeta especially does not clean up after himself until the smell even disturbs him," Videl complained.
"Okay, well. I'll tell Batman about your request, it shouldn't be too hard to forge some documents," Robin said.
"Thanks, Rob. Now let's continue our spar from earlier, maybe even have Wally to back you up," Videl said with a grin.
Robin sighed, while Wally patted him on the shoulder as they all got to the ring of the mission room.
Far In Space
On the weapon known as War World where numerous people lived on, whether in poverty or laviouscious.
On one part of the weaponized world an arena that had recently been damaged was rebuilt and a figure flopped to the ground as he lost the battle he had initiated. It was the warrior who had helped Vegeta, Draaga, and another taller figure stood over him.
Draaga had come back to War World, hearing the rumors that Mongul had come back from the dead, and he came to defeat him in combat, needing a well-placed swing from his ax.
Unfortunately, the rumors were true, but his confidence was shattered as his own bones. Mogul seemed stronger than ever.
"How, cough cough, how are you still alive?" Draaga said, spitting out blood with broken bones and numerous cuts throughout his body.
Mongul smiled at the broken man.
"It matters not, but I have a request, Draaga. Go to him. Go to Vegeta and tell him Mongul is alive, and if he doesn't come, I will turn your planet into oblivion."
Draaga panted as he moved as fast as his broken body allowed towards his ship all the while hearing Mongul's echoing laugh and blasted off towards Earth before he passed out from his injuries.
Well, it seems you made it to the end. Sorry, but school has been taking a lot of my time, but I am also making another story that I will focus more in the future called Gods Among Men. It has three chapters out so far and will contain more chapters but with some less words than the big chapters I make on this fic. Check it out,
I hope you liked this chapter and drop a review on how I can improve or send ideas about Human Ambition.