The Hunter
M'gann stood silently within the central chamber of Mount Justice, Superboy and Robin either side of her. By the monitors, J'ohn stood, talking with Batman and Hal Jordan. J'ohn glanced towards his niece, a glimmer of worry flashed across his expression as Batman turned, Hal alongside him.
"Miss Martian, Superboy, Robin. We recently received a request for help in dealing with an uprising on mars. You three will accompany Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter and get to bottom of this uprising." The Dark Knight said.
Robin blinked. "If the League was called in, why not just take Miss Martian alongside several Leaguers?"
Batman frowned. "I believe once of these Grey Knights may be behind the sudden White Martian rebellion. Which is why I'm sending you and Superboy. And the League is spread thin trying to hunt down the Dark Knights that have arrived so far." He explained
Robin nodded. "I'll head back to the Batcave, get my space suit ready." He said, taking towards the Zeta Tubes.
M'gann turned to face J'ohn. "Uncle J'ohn, what do you think will be the outcome of this uprising?" She asked.
J'ohn sighed. "I fear our White Martian brothers and sister will be driven off Mars unless we can gather prove that someone manipulated them into acting out." He replied.
M'gann nodded. "I worry from my brother."
J'ohn placed a hand upon her shoulder. "I am sure your parents wouldn't let him get mixed up in this uprising."
Hunter hovered in the air, pieces of machinery floating around her as she slowly started building some machine. "Hunter, why do we hide in this cave while others fight for what we should have?" A male White Martian questioned, coming to a stop as he observed what Hunter was building.
Hunter didn't bother to turn her gaze, merely continued to build her machine. "M'comm M'orzz, The fighting is but a distraction for our real goal, this device here, once complete, will allow us to bring in one who will ensure that we are treated with the respect we deserve." She replied, moving parts with ease.
M'comm narrowed his eyes. "I sense you have an ulterior goal in mind as well."
Hunter smirked knowingly. "You are perceptive, yes. I am hoping that the fighting will draw out the heroes of Earth, M'gann in particular." She responded, turning around as she fell to the ground.
M'comm rolled his eyes. "Why don't you reveal you true form? Are you ashamed of it?" He asked.
Hunter shook her head. "I am proud of my true form; however, it is no longer as magnificent as it once was." He answered, pausing as she glanced back at her machine. "Given time, I shall reveal my original form. For now, we must prepare." She finished.
M'gann glanced over her home, Martian moved about, each of them minding their own business. J'ohn lead them through the streets, towards the chambers of the high council. She glanced at the many weary looks sent towards Robin and Superboy. She glanced towards her uncle, watching as they came to a stop before the large building.
"J'ohn J'onzz, welcome back to Mar, the council is expecting you."
J'ohn nodded. "It is good to be back, if not on such unpleasant matters." He replied, heading inside with the others.
Once inside, the group stood, glancing up at the council. A mixture of Red and Green Martians stood around them. "It is nice to see that our cry for assistance was answered J'ohn J'onzz, the White Martian's have become persistent in their attacks on our farms and storage holds."
J'ohn nodded. "May I present to you, Robin, Superboy, my niece, M'gann M'orzz and Green Lantern Hal Jordan." He said.
M'gann shifted slightly, Conner grabbed her hand, reassuring her that everything was ok, or at least, was going to be ok.
"M'orzz, as it appears you have been absent for the past few months, we will not count you as a part of these rebels, though the same can not be said for your brother. We believe that M'comm is the one in charge of this rebellion. How he managed to convince the other White Martians to come together is a mystery."
M'gann glanced at Robin and nodded. The Boy Wonder stepped forward. "If I may, recently, we've seen a lot of strange things, the fact that a rebellion here on Mars coincides with the appearance of several evil versions of myself is concerning." He said.
"You suggest that someone from Earth has caused the White Martians to rise up against us?"
Robin shook his head. "Not from Earth, when I first laid eyes on these Grey Knights, I noticed that each of them seemed to reflect a member of the Justice League's team. We believe that the on who reflects M'gann may have initiated an uprising." He responded.
"So, we hunt down this human and end this rebellion."
Robin glanced at M'gann. "It isn't as simple as it seems, so far, we've faced off against four of the Grey Knights. Each of them seemed to have another goal in mind apart from just hurting whomever they reflect on my team."
"You believe this rebellion is to hide their true goal here on Mars?"
Robin nodded. "Yes, whichever Grey Knight is on mars, is most likely preparing to summon someone else, some evil version of my mentor. With everything that's happened so far, we suspect that this is just the beginning of the what's to come. We that whatever's coming, will affect everyone, not just on Earth, Mars, and many other worlds."
The council seemed to process, telepathically discussing everything they'd just heard. "Robin, you make your point know, however, theories will not convince us that this is a simple thing."
Robin closed his eyes. "Every Grey Knight we've faced has mentioned something about a Dark Multiverse and some other master. We fear an invasion is coming, one we won't see coming till it's too late." He replied.
The council members were all silent. "We shall ponder what you've said. In the meantime, we offer you hospital…"
"We've located their base of operations!" A Martian cried, entering the chamber.
"And?"
"There was a large amount of Earth tech, alongside our own Martian tech. They appear to be building something, a weapon of sorts."
Robin widened his eyes. "Not a weapon, something far worse, a portal to breach the borders between universes, to bring someone here." He said, gaze moving towards the heroes. "We need to move at once." He said, racing out with Hal Jordan.
M'gann glanced towards the council. "Apologies for how Robin acts, he has taken everything very personally, these Grey Knights are evil versions of him." She said. "It would be best to believe what he says, he wouldn't have revealed all this is he didn't believe it to be relevant." She added.
"We understand, humanity is different to us, they are weaker and fragile compared to ourselves. The need for them to show strength is strong."
Superboy shook his head. "Robin and his mentor may be human and without powers, but their mind is their greatest weapon." He said, leaving with M'gann.
J'ohn glanced as they left. "J'ohn J'onzz, anything to say?"
J'ohn nodded. "Yes, I have seen firsthand what Robin and his Mentor can do, most of it comes to their ability to adapt to any situation. It is best not to judge humanity on what you know, and instead, base if on what we can learn from them." He said, leaving the council to ponder what was told.
M'gann glanced at Robin as he scanned the cave. She could sense her brother close by, if not, closer then they knew.
"I know you're there sister, come out with your friends." M'comm cried.
M'gann nodded at Robin as they emerged from their hiding place. She eyed her brother closely. "Why do you fight against your own?" She questioned.
M'comm rolled his eyes. "You think I care anymore, those who bullied me fear me now. I tormented them, and Hunter, she offered us White Martians something we couldn't refuse, respect, equality and honour."
M'gann closed her eyes. "So now you stand against me? Why?"
M'comm narrowed his gaze. "You're trying to get me to give up, to come home to those who wouldn't care what happens to a White Martian. If you stand against me, I'll show you fear and torment." He said.
M'gann glanced at Superboy quickly, her gaze quickly rested upon her brother. She hovered into the air, ready to fight. "I won't let you destroy others because of your own hatred and bitterness."
M'comm growled. "Then so be it sister." He said, shapeshifting his body into another form, that of a Ma'alefa'ak.
M'gann backed up slightly. "Why that form brother?"
"It inspires fear to the others, which is why I use it." M'comm replied.
Robin chuckled. "Dude, you say that inspires fear, I've seen far worse, we all have." He began, glancing at M'gann. "I can show him fear if you wish?" He said over the mind link.
M'gann nodded. "Do it." She said.
Robin reached for his pocket, quickly, he grasped a small tube. "This tube contains something far worse than what you think inspires fear." He said, throwing it to M'comm's feat where it exploded into a puff of brown gas.
M'comm breathed it in. "That was supposed to scar me?"
Robin smirked. "Just wait for it." He said, close to a chuckle.
M'comm felt something different. Images began to flash within his vision, images of other others ganging up on him, turning into creatures of different shapes and sizes, Red and Green Martians shapeshifting into other forms, all of them to torment him. "NO!" He screamed, reverting to his true form as he backed up against the cave wall. "Get away from me!"
M'comm narrowed his gaze as he saw Robin. "What did you do to me?" He yelled.
Robin chuckled. "Fear Gas, created by a villain I have to fight. It brings you greatest fears to life. Don't worry, it'll wear off in a few hours." He said, turning to face the others. "Now we go and find the Grey Knight." He said.
Hunter turned to see the heroes enter. She smirked as she fell to the ground. "So we meet at last M'gann M'orzz." She said, smiling sinisterly.
M'gann narrowed her eyes. "You manipulated my brother."
Hunter shook her head. "Oh no, I merely gave him hope that he might one day be respected and treated as an equal, not that it mattered. He'll be one of the leading figures of Mars when it is reformed by Dawnbreaker." She said.
Superboy growled. "We've already heard what the others have to say about themselves, what about you?" He questioned.
Hunter smirked. "I'm glad you asked. You see, back in my universe, I was bullied, cast aside and ignored by the others, because I was one of the very few White Martian's left in existence. I was bitter and angry, but I found an escape to Earth. But before I came to Earth, a race known as The Reach arrive, they devastated Mars, I was the only survivor."
"On Earth, I became a hero, known as Robin, a member of the League covert team. I had found family that accepted me, welcomed me as one of them. Then The Reach arrived. I warned them about The Reach, about how they couldn't be trusted. And humanity, in their arrogance at meeting new life, welcomed The Reach with open arms.
Hunter backed up. "I broke away from the heroes, began my crusade against The Reach. I fought alone, against an army. And in the end, I was victorious, though it wasn't without consequences." She said, her form shifting to reveal her White Martian form. Half her was brunt, flesh torn off to reveal the bones beneath. Her face was disfigured.
"I suffered greatly, and would've died, had it not been for Dawnbreaker." Hunter finished, pressing a button as the machine she'd built came to life. From the portal that formed, a voice spoke.
"With darkness black, I choke the light! No brightest day escapes my sight! I turn the dawn into midnight! Beware my power… Dawnbreaker's might!"
A Batman flew out, his body glowing with green energy. The Green Lantern corps symbol rested upon a bat. Two tubes came connected to the back of his cowl; two green googles rested upon it. In his right hand was a Green lantern ring. "The Green Lanterns have met their end, for I shall cast them into darkness." He said, using his ring to carry himself, M'comm and Hunter away.
Robin glanced towards the others. "We need to tell Batman."
Hal nodded in agreement. "I need to inform the Guardians of what's coming." He said, taking flight.
M'gann glanced towards her uncle. "We need to warn the council of Dawnbreaker, and what's happened with Hunter… and my brother." She said sadly.
Finally, I got Hunter's origin done, now to ponder on the origins for Warlord, Warlock and Torpedo, speaking of which, Torpedo is the next Grey Knight.