R. Vital: Well even the best of us can fall in a moment of weakness.
drakefireice28: They aren't gonna give up on him that easy.
Shooting Star Dragon 3000: He's not a changed boy. Just a moment of doubt. Time for the heroes to start helping... IF they can.
B.E.A.T.N: That IS what happened last chapter.
Here are some Review's answered by Ghost:
Arraia and jasongd: Thanks very much, here we go! smiles
R. Vital: Um... Happy birthday.
drakefireice28: Considering what Zoom puts people through, it's not gonna be pretty.
Shooting Star Dragon 3000: No, Cass won't be. And yeah, the Universe is a dick.
B.E.A.T.N: Yeah, things are coming ahead in this coming chapter. Let's see if they can get free.
Artist: GhostKaiser23, he goes by Hangman12 on Deviantart. Either look him up, or go to my profile to see links to all of his official work for this story
Disclaimer: Cartoon Network owns Ben 10 or Teen Titans
AUTHORS NOTE
Heyo guys!
We are back!
And yeah, this is gonna keep... 'going', haha!
Next chapter time!
James' Harem 2
Chapter 75
Enter Kid Zoom
Bart was running as fast as he could, coming from Titan's tower. He arrived at the Garrick family house, where Jay and Wally where sat in chairs. "How're you feeling?" Bart asked nervously.
"Sluggish." Jay admitted. "My age has caught up with me." He joked to deal with this.
Wally however was sighing heavily. "What happened with him?"
"Lost him." he responded
Wally sighed heavily as he held his head. "What are we going to do?"
"Don't worry, I've asked the Titans." Bart responded.
Jay span his helmet lightly, sighing softly "Damn it, Thaddeus." he hissed
"Why did he do all this?" Wally grumbled, removing his cowl "Just... why? HOW?!"
"We checked. He had nothing. No way to access V9. Velocety 9 is no where NEAR this city!" Jay explained darkly
"Someone else HAS to be involved." Bart agreed
"That's the only answer... but who'd be insane enough to give him the V9?" Wally asked, holding his head.
"Someone who... who wanted him to become a Speedster. I guess." Bart answered.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"We'll be fine, Bart. We're drained but we'll get our speed back naturally." Wally responded.
"Who did you get?" Jay asked.
"Any... anyone who could help. The first people I could think of." He answered
ZZZZZT!
"I TOLD you guys this would happen!" Jessie Quick snapped as she arrived in a storm of lightning
"Jessie." Wally sighed as he saw her.
"Any Thawne is bad news!" Jessie continued.
"Excuse me?" Bart frowned.
"... I didn't mean it like that." Jessie apologised.
"Can we not argue?" Jay asked. "We need a plan and a team."
"They should be here any second." Bart frowned
Ding
Dong~!
Jessie went to the door and opened it. Revealing the Titans whom Bart called upon.
James.
Superboy.
Wonder Girl.
Cass.
"Sorry for the intrusion and delay." Wonder Girl apologised.
"We got here as soon as we could." Superboy commented.
"What happened?" Cass asked
"Thad's turned back to V9." Wally answered seriously.
...
"No..."
"It's true. He drained our speed." Jay explained. "But we don't know who gave him the drug."
"Who'd benefit from this?" James asked, trying to be helpful.
"Very few." Wally admitted "And we haven't seen them for forever."
"Any names that pop into your mind?" Superboy asked.
"Reverse Speedsters or Evil Speedsters. Eobard Thawne, Savitar." Jessie listed off.
"But those two wouldn't bother using others for their plans." Wally answered.
"What about that bad guy group of yours?" Superboy asked.
"You mean 'The Rogues'? No, can't be them." Wally shook his head. "They have rules that they follow."
"'Rules'?" Cass asked.
"'Don't kill children' and 'Don't kill Speedsters'," Wally stated simply. "Adults, fine. They're fair game. Kids haven't done anything wrong and have their whole lives ahead of them. And the second one? Pardon the language but... who the fuck's going to mess with someone who runs faster than light?"
"Wally!" Jay frowned.
"It's true." Wally responded with a 'matter of fact' toe to his voice.
"Where would Thad go?" James asked, trying to think about where he could go.
"Me? He'd find me?" Cass suggested.
"That's certainly one suggestion." Jay answered. "We can't help right now."
"But-But, why?" Cass asked in concern
"Thad stole our speed. It's like draining a battery, we need time to recharge and get it back naturally." Wally explained.
"What can we do?" Garth asked seriously, having taken in all this information about Speedsters.
"Hold him off, stop him. Whatever you can." Wally admitted
"Well, we'll have to do something soon." Bart answered, pointing outside. "That storm's getting pretty bad."
"Storm?" Wally and Jay asked
"I saw it. A green lightning storm. I think it's a Speedforce Storm." He answered.
"Oh no. That's not good." Wally whispered.
"I can possibly dissuade this storm." Garth offered.
"No, it's not a natural storm, Garth. It's a 'Force Storm'." Bart admitted.
"Good thinking though, Garth." James commented as he complimented the younger man
"Damn it. A force storm is never good." Wally hissed
"Who knows whats happened." Jay added
*with Thad*
Thad was laughing as he was running around, the feeling of True Speed without the hindrance of the V9 coursing through his veins and the threat of him being burned out. Lightning sparked around him like never before. He finally felt whole again!
No, better!
He felt like he could run forever without stopping, that he had all the time in the world.
'Wait; I wonder if I can?' Thad thought to himself as he began to vibrate and try and phase through a car only to realise he couldn't vibrate his molecules any more. He came to a stop, as he realised that he wasn't a Speedster. Not the kind he was use to. These powers where... Different. "What? What is this? I don't understand." Thad spoke as he saw everything around him was frozen
"You're seeing things how I do. OUR speed is based on Time!" Hunter responded as he appeared behind him "Our power is so much different than what you know."
Thad was stunned, having Hunter appear behind him and having much more mastery with it. However his voice... It was no longer distorted!
"How? How can I-?" Thad asked, before realising. "I'm... on your wavelength. Aren't I?"
"Exactly." Hunter nodded. "A time-based speedster. We can move throughout time as easily as walking down the street!"
"This is amazing. What skills can we do?" Thad asked, gripping his hands before flexing them only for Hunter to grab him by his shirt
"You need to calm down." Hunter said seriously "My power is like nothing you've dealt with before! Can you feel it? Time itself flowing like a river around us, but so slow it's like tar."
Thad noted this and nodded, realising... that he wasn't in control as he thought he was.
"You need to grab it. Time is like a wild animal. You need to FORCE it to obey. FORCE your way into 'normal' speed." Hunter explained, while also raising his hand "However. You can also force it all IN. Pull as much into one moment you can and skip it. With just a little..."
SNAP!
Hunter clicked his fingers... and it happened
KABOOM!
That explosion, such a massive amount of infinitesimal time compressed down into a singular point... and exploded into something so disasterous.
Thad looked as cars around them where melted, the concreat bellow their feet being ripped apart and the buildings all around them having their glasses shatter and warp. It was like... time and space warped to Hunter's whim from that one attack. "What... The... Hell...?" Thad blinked
"This. This is what we can do. Make 'small big bangs' and distort time itself." Hunter answered.
Thad was stunned in shock, this power was beyond the laws of physics.
"We'll start small. You'll learn and then become a better Speedster to make *them* better." Hunter commented.
"Alright; can you teach me?" Thad asked.
"Why'd you think I brought you here?" Hunter responded
Thad felt a little ashamed. He felt like a babe compared to this Speedster, relearning all he had lost into a new powerset. It was like he was starting at Zero... No, LESS than zero.
"You'll need to crawl before you can run, Thaddeus."
Thad lowered his head, nodding to himself as he followed Hunter, keeping pace with him. Which was surprisingly easy, now. And soon, he would know what it meant to use time on his side.
*time skip*
James was flouting in the middle of the room, having transformed into a new alien. He had turned into a humanoid bat creature, three-tailed with round ends like they were clubs, his feet were clawed and made for perching, his arms were actually its wings. Glowing yellow eyes with light brown fur on his body and his matrix was on his chest.
"So... New guy, James?" Wonder Girl asked.
James turned around and showed its face to her, nodding as its response. For whatever reason, this form could no communicate with words.
"Oh, a non-verbal alien?" She asked, wondering how this was going to work.
James raised his tails and began to clack them having some idea that they were weapons and means of communication.
"So... what does THIS one do?"
James gave a 'shrug' with his wings, giving the indication that this might not be the most useful alien to deal with. Or that he didn't quite know what this form would do in this situation.
"Then... WHY did you turn into it?"
PEW!
"Training. Learning more about the species in my Matrix. There are over a million aliens in here and I need to know." James answered, having transformed back. "And trying to find something that can help. Speedster's are troublesome, after all."
"Yeah, I know. They naturally BS the laws of physics just by running." Cassie sighed in agreement. "... No offence to Wally or Bart."
"True." James nodded, messing with the Matrix again ... "Does it feel like we are interfering?"
"You mean 'getting involved with Speedster politics'?" Cassie asked.
"Sort of, yeah." He nodded.
"Considering that this involves all of us? No. No, I don't think so." She shook her head.
"It's also a family matter as well." he laughed weakly
"Yeah, that too." Cassie agreed. "God it seems like we don't get rest most days."
"Well, that's hero work." James shrugged "At least it was normal stuff for half a month. The wedding was crazy."
"Yeah, some low-level thugs trying to rob stores. It's a nice 'run down' to the bigger stuff. You know?" the younger blonde shrugged
"He's in Keystone!" Superboy suddenly called
"We better move!" James and Cassie nodded together, knowing that it was 'on' now. He smirked. The Wonder Girl was clearly growing into a leader. And quickly to.
"We should get Cassie and Bart. They'll need to be-." Wonder Girl started to order quickly
"They already left." Superboy answered. "We've gotta go now!"
"Shit!" James exclaimed and chose one of his fastest aliens to get there quickly. He quickly became a cat-like alien, shorter than the two young teens beside him. James' fur was red mainly with silver lightning streaks on his wrists, ankles and upper arms. His shoulders and kneecaps had jutting bone claws and a strange silver chestguard with eye-like markings on his chest.
"Wow, what the hell is that?" Superboy blinked
"Err. I think my dad called this guy 'FastTrack'. But for me?" James spoke as he looked at himself. "Velocity!"
"... Little on the nose. But I'll take it." Cassie commented.
"Come on you two, we gotta go!" Superboy called out as they ran/flew out.
James looked at his form as the two left, thinking. FastTrack. WHY did it have to be FastTrack?!
From what he knew of the species, which wasn't much, this guy was slower than XLR8 and was not much stronger to compensate.
What could THIS guy do?! Especially speed wise?!
"Seriously, of all the aliens." He asked himself as both Cassie and Connor flew off. "Can't be any slower, right?" He asked himself. "Sorry, gotta go, later!"
"Err...What did he say?" Jay asked, only seeing and hearing a blur of that red-furred alien.
"Not sure."
*With Bart and Cass*
Cass was silent, holding onto Bart as he ran towards Keystone. This was serious.
...
She had to help somehow.
"Alright, we're here." Bart spoke as he skidded to a stop as they arrived in Keystone City.
Cass nodded, readying herself for the fight. Whatever may come their way. The Batwoman adjusted her costume, as the streets shook. "Bart?" She felt the ground as it felt like an oncoming earthquake.
"This isn't normal." Bart commented. "Get behind me."
"Okay." She nodded as she did so, her back against his incase of a sneak attack as Thad and Hunter entered the city. "Plan?" She whispered.
"Yeah, don't get caught."
She simply nodded and readied her weapons for a fight.
"Caaaaaasssss?" Thad spoke with a strange delayed tone as he came to a stop before them, revealing he was in a new costume
"Thad? What're you wearing?" Bart asked in shock, seeing him dressed like that.
Standing before them, wearing a malicious purple suit with sickening orange boots, gloves and domino mask with orange lightningbolt and head wings; was Thad. The polar opposite of what Bart was.
"Heeeeee's wearingthecolours offfff aHero-Maker." Hunter responded.
'Bleck.' Cass groaned internally as she saw the outfit her biyfriend was wearing. "Who are you?" Cass glared
"He's Hunter Zolomon. A Speedster who's been terrorising us for years." Bart explained before rushing at the older Speedster.
Hunter saw this, raising his hand and stopped Bart before he could strike him. He backhanded the speedster, seemingly faster than any imagined
Bart's face seemed to distort as he was slapped to the side, his face like he was in a ripple effect, slowed down for Cass to see.
CRASH!
"Bart!" Cass called out.
"Sssseeeee? Notgood eeeennnnooooouuuugh." Hunter remarked.
"Thad. Why?" Cass called to him, hoping that he would listen and she realised..
His voice...
His body...
It was nothing.
Like static!
'Oh no.'
"H-hnn...Cass." Bart grunted as he got back up.
"... I..."
Why was she scared suddenly?
"Makehim beeeetteeeeeerrrr." Hunter ordered Thad.
"Riiiiiight."
'Monster.' Cass thought as she saw Hunter giving orders to her boyfriend.
Bart got up and tried to rush at Hunter once again, only for Thad to tackle him into the ground again.
'What can I do?' Cass thought as she saw her two boyfriends fighting.
...
Damn it. She needed to deal with that Hunter guy!
She ran at Hunter, hoping to catch him off guard as she leapt at him from a blind spot. She gave a flying kick... And he disappeared. 'Huh?' She thought as she almost crashed to the ground as her momentum kept going. "Wow!" She gasped quietly. As she landed, she expertly rolled to her feet so she didn't hurt herself.
This person was moving like Thad.
Like stattic.
'How? How can I hit him?' She thought.
"Paaaaathetic." Hunter jeered, before seeing blurs coming at them.
...
Cass threw a Batarang suddenly, seemingly missing him... And smashing Hunter across the back of his head.
"AAARRGH!" The Speedster screamed as he was struck. She... She hit him! "How? Hooooow didyou dooooo that?" Hunter glared, his wound healing quicker than a normal person's would.
"Predictable." She smirked as the others arrived
"'Predicta-'? I'llshow you preeeeediiiictaaaaabllllleeeee!" Hunter snarled only to be blasted by beams of pink energy
The Tempest was flouting in the air, smirking "Sorry for the late arrival." Garth apologised "I was at Atlantis!"
WHOOSH!
"Took a left turn at Albuquerque." James added as he and the others arrived.
"Reverse Flash?" Superboy asked
"NO! I ammmmm notThawne! I ammmmm Zooom!"
"Never heard of you, dude." James remarked as he flexed his claws 'Okay. Need to change out of Velocity.' he thought
"IwillSHOWyou whooooo I aaaaaam." Hunter glared
James flashed, transforming back into his bat like form
"Whaaaat is that?" Hunter questioned. "Someformof aliiiiien?"
As this alien could not speak, James just smirked. He used RattaBat's power, sensing out vibrations. It was the obvious counter to speedsters, he realised! James rose his rattling tails and began to clack them, the vibrations and loud sound affected the area.
crash!
"Ow!" Bart yelled as his vibration frequency was countered, tripped and went crashing into a wall.
"Huh?" Cass gasped as she saw that.
"Huh?" Both Thad and Hunter questioned.
'Huuuuuh?!' James internally screamed as he unintentionally countered Bart's speed. It was his plan to cancle out super speed, since Speedster's powers was all vibration based from the Speed Force. But Thad and Hunter where uneffected, immune to the power. How?
"Whaaaat kiiiiind ofattackwas thaaaaaat?" Thad asked in confusion.
'Counter vibrations.' James thought 'Why didn't they work? Alright then, let's go speed!' In another flash James transformed into Blurr and rushed forwards.
Hunter saw the oncoming flash of light coming towards him, seeing a strange alien wearing a motorbiker's helmet rushing at him. Too bad speed was no match for time.
THWACK!
CRASH!
"ARGH! Hnn!" James grunted as he was karate chopped to the ground.
"James!" Wonder Girl called out.
"HA!" Superboy roared, throwing a punch at Zoom
Whiff!
"Huh?" Superboy gasped as he was inches away from punching Zoom, only to be hit about fifty times within the span of a second.
click
Superboy screamed and was buffeted back, flung away by the rapid hits.
"D-damn it." Bart grunted, his hair being pulled by Thad before being hit again.
Kid Flash grunted as his lightning sparked to life, blocking Thad's attacks. But no matter what he did, it seemed as if Thad was faster!
"Youuuuu! Woooon't! Beeeeee! Fasterthanme,Bart!" Thad proclaimed.
"Is that... All you're thinking about?" Bart hissed
"Yoooouuuuu donnnnn't deeeeseeeerrrvvvveeee yourspeed!" Thad glared as he felt pain stab in his heart ... And his jealous rise.
Why?!
Why?!
Why did everything have to go Bart's way?!
He tried to block but no matter how hard he tried, it was almost like Thad's hands teleported around his own so they smashed into his flesh
Thad was holding back his tears as he continued his assault! Why?! Why?! Bart had the happiest life! Their gransmother risking her life to save Bart, while Thad was ignored! Lost! For HUNDREDS of years!
Bart had the support, had friends, while Thad was stuck with a robot to urge his hatred!
Bart got Cass, while Thad was a third damn wheel!
Bart WON by trying to make Thad better!
...
Thad was always second best.
'... I should stay in my place.' Thad thought as he threw Bart away 'Get better, Bart! Beat me! BE BETTER!'
Bart crahsed across the ground, quickly pulling himself to his feet while spitting blood from his mouth "Wonder Girl! Now!"
A golden lasso came up from the ground, wrapping itself around Thad "Gotcha!" she smirked
"Alright!" Superboy cheered
"Gah! Hnn!" He grunted as he tried to wrench his way out of the lasso.
"Thad..." Batwoman frowned as she walked towards knew him. She knew Thad. He was... so strange right now. But because she knew him, she was starting to understand.
"I! AMMM! KID! ZOOM!" Thad roared, curling his fingers
"Look out!" Garth called, quickly casting his magic
click
KABOOM!
"Stayyyyy down." Zoom smirked, kicking Blurr to the floor
"Okay, so speed doesn't work." James hissed, slapping the Matrix "Well, let's see if the Martian Guardian could be of help!" he called, in his evolved Green martian form
In a flash of yellow, James transformed and began to attack, starting with a large fist to try and punch the 'speedster' followed by a mental scan to get a gleam into this person...and what he felt was a torrent of thoughts! A normal person would have at least 30 thoughts a day... but this was like thirty thousand! All intermingled with voices of anger and frustration coursing through.
"GAAAAAHHHH!" James howled in pain
"Tryyyyyying tooooo reeeeeaaaaaad mymind,boy?" Hunter glared.
"What... The hell?!" James coughed painfully
"Youcan'tcomprehend whaaaaat IIIIIII aaaaaaammmmm." Hunter continued.
FLASH!
Hunter turned away from that flash again "Aaaanoooootheeeeerrrrrr triiiiiiick?" he smircked mockingly
James rushed forth, now in the form of Gigasaur, as he tried the brute strength route.
"Ssssssorrry, youreallythinkTHATwillllll wooooorrrrk?" Hunter rolled his eyes, running at James and began to pummel into his armoured body.
"Gah!" He yelled in pain
"Aaaaaallllll aaaaaarrrrrrmmoooooouuuuuuurrrr willweakenifhithardenough!" Hunter proclaimed. "Aaaaaannnnnndddd yoooooouuuuurrrrrr bulkyformisjustabiggertarget!"
James grunted, the hits were coming faster than his natural armour could keep up with, large dents were being formed as he was getting beaten like a piece of sheet metal with a hammer. "Damn it." James grunted as he crouched down, reaching for his chest "Seems like... like I'm bad at choosing right now. Let's let luck decide!"
James spun the dial of his Matrix, waited a moment before slamming his palm down onto his wrist and let fate choose his alien and in a flash of yellow light he transformed once again.
...
"Velocity?! What is with you today?!" James called
"Afurrycatlike aaaaliiiiiieeeeen?" Hunter remarked. "Pathe-!"
James saw this oncoming attack, defending himself, something inside of his body clicked as he wanted to move. 'Huh?' James thought as he dodged out of the way in a shocking turn of events, leading to Hunter crashing to the floor.
"ARGH!"
'No way, did-? Did I just skip over that?' James thought to himself. "It's like... I was unaffected by cause and effect." James mind went to a rush, quickly working out how this power worked. "... Oh hell, yes!" He whispered with a smile. He rushed forwards, vanishing as he ran.
"Stop! Where-?" Hunter turned and tried to hit him, only to be pummelled himself. He was sent flying back, as James had reappeared in front of him.
"Alright!" James cheered as he realised the powers this alien had, and what it's advantage was. And that had also given him what he needed. He worked out how Zoom's powers worked.
"How? How did you do that?" Hunter spoke, James hearing him on his wavelength.
"Simple. Time isn't just your weapon anymore, Zoom!" James smirked as he staretd running.
Time around James... stopped.
Everything gained a strange shift in colour, almost looking inverted, as they started to move again while the normal people stayed where they where.
Hunter stayed there on the floor, while the inverted 'clone' of the evil super speed criminal stood tall.
The inversion leaned forwards, right hand on the floor. Pinkie finger slightly curled up. He rolled his body forwards a bit as he shifted his legs. Left leg first, firmly in place on the ground. Right leg scrapping against the ground before getting into position on the ground. And then he stood up. The Inverted Zoom looked up, looking where James had been standing, and rushed forwards.
Their paths intersected, the Inverted Zoom approaching. Closer, closer, closer... and he throw a punch at James as if to clash with someone in mid-air..
...
However it passed through James like a ghost.
James just kept moving counting a total of five seconds to him as he moved as he appeared behind where the 'real' Hunter was still crouched on the floor. And then... the inverted versions vanished.
Time resumed as Zoom began to stand, however he was clearly shocked that James was gone.
…
And he began to get up EXACTLY how the inverted version of himself did.
His right hand on the floor. Pinkie finger slightly curled up. He rolled his body forwards a bit as he shifted his legs. Left leg first, firmly in place on the ground. Right leg scrapping against the ground before getting into position on the ground. And then he stood up
…
"Hi." James smirked
"Huh?" Zoom blinked as he turned around, only for a fist smash against his jaw
Zoom was flung as blood shot from his mouth, the momentum causing a 'boom' of sorts as James' fist flung Hunter into the air.
The world once again shifted weird. James ran, seeing the Inverted version of Zoom falling.
The arc he would take, the way his body moved. Where we would land.
James crouched lightly, his body twisted and his hand curled into a fist.
Time moved again, the Inverted Zoom fading. While the real Hunter began to fall towards him
SMASH!
And another mighty right hook came crashing across Hunter's face
"Let goooo ofmeright nowww!" Thad snarled as he fought against the lasso wrapped around him
"Thad! Snap out of it! Please!" Bart called "This isn't you!"
"Yeah, this isn't you!" Wonder Girl frowned "You aren't Inertia anymore!"
"No!" he growled "I'm not! I! AM! KIID! ZOOM!"
snap
KABOOM!
Another explosion went off, sending the young heroes flying
"GAH!" Superboy yelled, having tried to use his tactile telekenisis to fight against the explosion but he was sent soaring back with Bart and Cassie
"Thad..." Cass urged as she approached him through the explosion, glad it was over
"Cassssss..." Thad mumbled as he turned, looking at her
"Thad... stop. Please." she urged
"Cass..." he muttered, looking away "I-I'm... Imsorry..."
"It's not too late.." she urged softly
"This... isn't good." Hunter hissed angrily. They needed to get out of here! And Thaddeus... damn it! He began to focus his power, black lightning surrounding him
"The hell are you doing?" James glared
"Simple." Zoom smirked as he and Thad... began to disappear
"WHAT?!" James yelled as he rushed at Zoom.. and passed through him "W-What?"
"But youdon'tunderstand our powerslimits..." Zoom mocked
"NO!" Cass yelled
Zoom and Kid Zoom where now gone, leaving the heroes alone
...
"DAMN IT!" Superboy yelled, punching the ground
"Oh come on!" Bart yelled "They ran away?! Seriously?!"
"I really do not like this." Wonder Girl frowned "My lasso does not force people to tell the truth like Diana's. But I sensed no lies in Thad."
"You mean he really did go bad?" Superboy frowned
"No." Cass said strongly "He is hurting. He does not want this."
"So he's being blackmailed?" James asked
"Maybe." Cass nodded
"So Zoom is forcing him? Alright then!" Bart growled "We just have to take him down! We are saving my brother!"
RingRing!
RingRing!
"Oh, what now?!" Bart snapped as he pulled out his phone "Hello?!"
"Bart! Diana is in the hospital!" Wally called from down the phone "She is giving birth!"
...
"WHAT?!"