Legal Crimes 3
Previous chapters: ANYASEMF015, ANYASEMF023
"Mount Justice?" John asked curiously as he saw where they were going through the front of the bioship.
"It's a known Justice League base that isn't used anymore," Kid Flash said, "so they figured no one will suspect we're using it."
"Despite the fact that we've been attacked there a couple of times already," Superboy said sourly.
"We really should look into moving," Robin admitted.
"Uninhabited tropical island or abandoned shopping mall?" John asked. At the teens confused looks he explained, "If you're going to move your secret base you can either go with the middle of nowhere or someplace completely disposable with low civilian population to limit collateral damage."
"But a shopping mall?" Kid Flash asked.
"Plenty of space and there are tons of them all across the US that have been abandoned," John replied.
"While I would prefer a place with access to the ocean, there is sense in what you say," Aqualad said. "The training opportunities provided by setting up temporary bases inside abandoned buildings while avoiding detection cover a number of skills we need to work on."
"Zeta tube access means we can reach the mountain from anywhere in the world," Artemis pointed out, "so it's not like we need to be here all the time anyway."
"New areas, new challenges," Robin said thoughtfully as they exited the Martian craft.
"Criminals who won't see us coming," Superboy added.
"We won't be able to attend school," Miss Martian complained.
"Sounds awesome," Kid Flash said perking up.
"We'll be at close quarters," Artemis told Miss Martian with a grin that caused the green skinned alien to suddenly look interested, her eyes darting to Superboy for a moment.
"But first, show me where I'm sleeping tonight and a lab I can use," John said.
"Lab?" Robin questioned.
"I need to mix up some formula for Artemis," John reminded them before yawning. "Ok, sleep first, lab later."
"Are you sure you want to be enhanced?" Robin asked Artemis.
"Without a doubt," Artemis said. "I don't see why you don't."
"Pride," John said.
"What?" Robin asked.
"Batman started off when superpowers were a rare and dangerous thing, but thanks to his extensive training and intellect it's become a point of pride that a 'mere' human could keep up and even surpass those with powers. It's obvious he's passed that pride down to his proteges."
Robin considered that. "I think it's more of a practical matter, as being forced to rely on our wits has kept us from becoming complacent."
"Then why haven't any of you studied magic?" John asked as they entered the mountain.
"What?" Robin asked wondering where that came from.
"Because it doesn't exist," Kid Flash suggested.
"What does magic have to do with anything?" Robin asked as they all ignored Kid Flash.
"All magic requires is knowledge and a strong will," John explained, "just like a number of scientific disciplines, but is almost infinitely more useful in the short term. So why doesn't Batman use it or have it taught to any of his partners?"
"Magic is a rare skill," Miss Martian said, "it is not something everyone can use."
"Certain magical talents are rare and not everyone has the same magical capacity, but everyone can use magic," John argued. "Even just knowing how to use cantrips is invaluable."
"Magic is unreliable," Robin argues, "it doesn't work the way science does."
"It can vary a bit," John admitted, "depending on factors we aren't aware of, but it's still a useful tool. The fact that you have no training in it, not even in the best ways to disrupt it, says all you need to know about Batman's reasons."
"It may say all you need to know, but I am still somewhat among the still currents here," Aqualad said.
It took John a second to figure out what he meant before he replied, "Magic is too close to having a 'power' for Batman to accept it. I'd say it's arrogance to ignore it that way, but I don't know him well enough to say."
"Yet you're certainly implying that's the reason," Robin pointed out, feeling the need to defend his mentor.
"I'm trying to be polite," John replied.
"And you're doing a bang-up job," Artemis said with a snicker.
"I didn't say I was trying very hard," John admitted. "Anyway, ignoring the complete stupidity of ignoring things you can never completely understand at least he's smart enough to provide training to protect your mind against telepaths, right?"
"Not that I've noticed," Miss Martian said.
"I know a few mental exercises that help order my mind and provide some defense against illusions," Robin offered.
"Another area you need training in then," John said before yawning. "Ok, enough taking pot shots at Batman's mental problems, where can I pass out?"
"Follow me," Artemis said, leading him down one of the halls.
OoOoOoOoOo
John awoke feeling completely refreshed and ready to go, which was a bit annoying as it was hard to be lazy when you felt so energetic. Still it was much better than the hyperactivity the Speed Force forced on you.
The room they'd given him was something like a high-tech hotel room, lacking in style but very comfortable.
Retracing his steps to the central hub he found the teens receiving training from Black Canary and Green Arrow. Black Canary training them in hand to hand while Green Arrow was lecturing Artemis, Robin, and Kid Flash on trajectories and angled shots.
The Flash appeared in front of him and let out a high pitched beep.
"Was that binary?" John asked confused for a moment before realizing what had happened.
"Sorry about that," Flash apologized, "I forgot you ditched the super speed."
John snorted. "More like you were making sure I did."
The Flash shrugged. "Can you blame me?"
"Not really, but as I can give myself super speed at any time, I don't really see it as all that important whether or not I have it right now," John replied.
"I met The Dark," Flash said.
"The who?" John asked.
"The Dark," Flash explained. "You didn't keep up enough to find out what he named himself?"
John waved it off figuring out who he was talking about, "He's a born hero, I didn't feel the need. Let me guess, 'By the time the light arrives The Dark is already there?"
"A really catchy catch phrase," Flash admitted. "If I didn't already have one I'd be tempted to use it. I met him and I have to say if you had to give your powers to anyone, he was the perfect choice."
"I know," John said. "So, what's up or did you really just stop by to gab?"
"Six of one, half a dozen of the other," Flash admitted. "So, what's with offering to give powers to the team?"
"They've entered a very dangerous profession, why wouldn't I offer them a leg up to make it a bit safer for them?" John asked.
The Flash looked thoughtful. "That is a very good point. How many ways of empowering people do you know?"
"Super speed and physical enhancement are two of the easiest ways to empower them that have little in the way of downsides. I could come up with more, but I don't really feel the need to," John said.
"Do you know more or do you think finding out more would be that simple?" Flash asked curiously.
"I know it's that simple," John replied. "If you want to go with external sources of power, all it takes is a little research into the power rituals and any number of gods would enhance someone who followed their rules and put out a barbecue for them a couple of times a year."
"Seriously?" Flash asked.
"Captain Marvel and Black Adam are both powered by a group of gods," John replied. "Ask Marvel, he'll tell you who they are."
"I think I'll stick with my formula," Flash said, "less hassle all around."
"Talk to Wonder Woman about how to call on Hermes," John suggested, "I'm pretty sure you are either related to him or calling on the power he represents. Either way he can probably give you some insight into ways to use super speed you haven't thought of and I hear he's a pretty cool guy."
"I could probably share some ribs with him, Flash said. "I'll see what Wonder Woman thinks."
"So, you guys got a lab I can use or are you supposed to dissuade me from empowering Artemis?" John asked, as the training ended.
"I'm probably supposed to talk you out of it, but you've got a point about it making things safer for her," Flash admitted. "You'll probably have to convince some of the others to let you use a lab, but you've got my vote."
Green Arrow and Black Canary made their way across the cave with Artemis following behind.
"How sure are you that it's safe?" Green Arrow asked Artemis. "A lot of times these super formulas have a tendency to explode."
"I didn't blow up," John interjected, "and neither has anyone else using this formula. Now if you'd chosen super speed… we'd definitely have to deal with the explosion that, that formula seems to require, but this one is just four hours of pain and then eating like a horse."
"I think I'm willing to undergo some pain to become bulletproof," Artemis said firmly.
"The formula for just bullet proof involves an explosion and electrocution," John offered, thinking of Luke Cage. "Of course, just being bulletproof has a lot of problems since it does nothing for your bones or internal organs."
"How many formulas do you know?" Black Canary asked incredulously.
"I've never really sat down and counted them," John said. "You learn a lot of strange things as a writer."
"Speaking of," Black Canary said, "was the pre-teen orgy really necessary in 'It'?"
John sighed. "I'm going to be explaining that one forever!"
OoOoOoOoOo
"Now, I have your word you won't be recording this and trying to recreate the formula, right?" John asked seriously.
"My hand on it," Wonder Woman said holding a hand to shake.
John clasped forearms with her and smiled. "Alright." He turned to Artemis. "Why are you stripping?"
"I thought I'd have to strip because I'd be swelling up," Artemis replied, pulling her sweat shirt back down.
"You won't be getting huge or anything, just… about Wonder Woman size," John said after considering it, "and it's not like tight clothes are going to hurt you if bullets won't."
"Science has advanced far in Man's world," Wonder Woman said.
"Nah, this is alchemy, just like the speed formula," John said as he assembled the chemicals he needed from what they'd provided, ignoring two thirds of the chemicals, as they were just there to confuse matters.
"Alchemy?" Black Canary asked looking surprised.
"The magic version of Chemistry," John replied as he took out four auto injectors and loaded each of them with a quarter of the prepared formula. He dumped varying amounts of chemicals down the drain before returning the containers.
"Making it harder for anyone to figure out the formula?" Wonder Woman asked with approval.
"A little paranoia never hurts," John said. He turned to Artemis. "Ok, drop your pants and bend over." He rolled his eyes as she pulled down everything, but didn't comment, as he passed a pair of injectors to Wonder Woman. "When I say go, inject her right arm and the back of her right thigh while I do the left."
"Just say when," Wonder Woman said, amused as the young blonde archer blushed, realizing she was mooning them for no reason.
"Now," John said, injecting Artemis' left leg while Wonder Woman did her right arm and then her left arm while Wonder Woman did her right leg."
"Can I pull up my pants?" Artemis asked.
"A bit too late for that," John said as Artemis groaned as her muscles cramped up, the stainless steel bending under her fingers.
"Four hours?" Black Canary asked as Artemis whimpered.
"Lots of pain, lots of gain," John replied. "I cried like a wuss while going through it, but that was at least partially because I did a single injection site and I am indeed a wuss."
"So, four injection sites will cut down on the time?" Black Canary asked.
"Couldn't make it worse," John said with a shrug as he peeled her fingers out of the metal and pulled her up on the table. "You massage that side, I'll get this one," he told Wonder Woman.
"You don't know?" Black Canary asked.
"Not a clue," John admitted as they used their super strength to work on knotted muscles that were rapidly taking on the consistency of iron. "This is all just common sense stuff, so naturally it's never occurred to anyone before."
"By spreading the injection sites out you decrease the time it takes the formula to spread throughout her body and by massaging her we help with that, as well as allowing the muscles to relax quicker," Wonder Woman guessed.
"That's the idea," John agreed as Artemis moaned, a combination of pain and pleasure in her tone.
"I'm either going to kiss you or kill you when I get up," Artemis gasped out, as the two worked on her slowly swelling frame. "Someone kill me!"
"That's the spirit," John said cheerfully, trying to distract her. "If it makes you feel any better your ass is going to look really good."
An hour later
"I think… the pains stopping," Artemis said, interrupting the joke John was in the middle of telling her.
"How long since injections?" John asked Black Canary.
"An hour and three minutes, seventeen seconds," she replied, consulting her watch.
"Hours ahead of schedule," John said, removing his hand from Artemis' thigh and grabbing a glass.
"So that's what the cherry syrup was for," Black Canary realized as the drink he was mixing began to fizz.
"Here, drink this," he said, passing it to the prone archer.
"What is it?" she asked as she sipped it through the straw.
"Hydrogen cyanide," John said.
Artemis froze.
"Make me one too please," Wonder Woman requested, "I haven't had a good cherry phosphate in decades."
"And if I'm the one mixing it you won't be having a good one now," John said with a grin as he passed one to Wonder Woman, mixing another two.
"What's this for?" Artemis asked.
"It tastes good and helps settle the stomach," John replied, before taking a sip of his own.
"It's good," Wonder Woman told him.
"Why'd you say it was cyanide?" Artemis asked.
"Because part of it is," Black Canary replied, enjoying her own, "just not enough to matter."
"It's part of the chemical reaction," Wonder Woman explained.
"Do we need to do anything else?" Artemis asked.
"Nope," John replied, "you are now a fully fledged superhuman. Use the straw and don't try to pick up the glass because you'll shatter it."
"Ok," Artemis said, relaxing and enjoying her drink along with the lack of pain. "Do we have a mirror in here, because I want to see how much I've changed."
John wheeled a full length mirror over and Artemis carefully got up and shredded her pants and underwear trying to pull them up. With a chuckle she ripped the rest of her clothes off and examined herself in front of the mirror.
"Do you mind turning around?" Black Canary asked with a frown.
"Why?" Artemis asked turning so her back was to the mirror. "Wow, you were right. My ass really does look good."
John raised his glass to Wonder Woman's and they tapped them together. "To a successful experiment. Her empowerment went better than mine did and there is zero malformation of her musculature keeping to her slender build."
"I'm the only one who cares about nudity in here, aren't I?" Black Canary realized.
"My culture lacks your nudity taboo," Wonder Woman reminded her.
"I was raised by assassins," Artemis pointed out, "nudity was just another weapon."
Black Canary turned to John.
"I'm a writer," he replied cheerfully.
Typing by: fyrewolf5
TN: Yeah, Batman is definitely super prideful and arrogant, and while I agree that he has done amazing things that he should be proud of, the blatant ignorance towards magic, which has screwed him over in the past, and subtle disdain towards anyone with super powers/metahumans is rather telling. His immediate assumption that John was a murderer/cannibal because he had powers and wasn't a confirmed super hero is pretty much par for the course for him. Either you're a hero, a villain, or are going to become a villain any day now, honestly with his paranoia that causes him to have takedown plans for every single hero he knows of, and his attitude towards anyone with powers, I'm surprised he hasn't made more empowered people villains or at least have the goal to kill him. Thinking about it, that's probably at least a subconscious reason he hasn't had any of his proteges trained in magic or looked into empowering them, he doesn't want to make it any harder to take them out if it becomes necessary, the whole "Just because I taught you everything you know, doesn't mean I've taught you everything I know" mindset.
