No, you're not dreaming. This is a legit update. Your thoughts have been heard, and your prayers answered. With this pandemic loosening its grip and a more calm summer semester for me, it's time I finish this once and for all.
Chapter Fifty-Five: Justice League Vs. The Beast
It took only one second for Raven to lose her calm. "YOU BITCH!" The demoness ran at Zatanna to floor her with her cuffed fists. It didn't matter that she couldn't use her powers. Zatanna would pay!
"Ekam a Reirrab!" Zatanna quickly chanted.
Bam!
Raven ran right into a glass barrier that appeared between them. She fell back onto the floor gripping her hands to her head.
"Pord eht reirrab."
The glass barrier between them disappeared. "There's no need for you to lash out." The sorceress said.
"You influenced Batman to have me separated from Garfield," Raven said in a calmer, but still angry tone. "There is plenty of reason for me to lash out!"
"Yes. I told Batman to separate you two, but for good reason."
"Why, so you could gloat over defeating me?" Raven rolled her eyes.
"Hmmm... That is rather tempting right now," Zatanna said snidely.
Raven stood back up, her face lined with suppressed anger. "Isn't it bad enough that I'm going to Outer Perdition for your lies? Did you really have to separate me from the one I love just so you could gloat over how you're finally going to be rid of the daughter of Trigon?" Raven asked, her voice filling more with emotion as she delivered each word.
Zatanna put a hand up. "Okay first off, I didn't 'lie' telling the others you were evil. You kind of did that on your own summoning Trigon there, 'demoness.'" Zatanna said calmly. "Second, I'm not here to gloat, or to fight you... for once."
"What are you here for then?" Raven angrily asked. "I know I deserve hell, but why Gar too!? Why does he have to be damned with me when he did nothing!" Raven screeched in anger.
Zatanna stayed surprisingly calm. "No one will be going to Outer Perdition today if things work out the way I want."
…
Raven appeared slightly surprised by her statement. No… hell? But, then… why was she out here-
Thmmm.
The doors slid open again behind Zatanna. A new, golden-robed figure walked in. Raven looked even more surprised when she recognized who it was.
"Greetings, Raven of Azarath. Daughter of the demon, Trigon the Terrible, and the human Arella Roth. I have wanted to meet with you for quite some time." Doctor Fate said in a calm polite tone.
...
Raven looked back to Zatanna. "What's going on?" She asked in her normal monotonous tone.
Zatanna breathed in deeply. "What I've wanted to have happen since this all started." She looked Raven in the eye.
"I want you to become the next bearer of Nabu."
...
Raven was absolutely floored by her statement.
'Gar and I have been on the run from Zatanna and the rest of the Justice League for months. We've had to deal with many sleepless nights. We've gone hungry on others. We've had to watch our backs wherever we've gone. We've lived in a constant state of fear. And this is what Zatanna wanted. The whole, freaking, time!?'
It looked like her anger appeared on her face, because Zatanna put her hands up in defense. "Look, I can try to explain-" She started to say.
"You better explain it well for me bitch! Because if you think I'm going to leave everything and everyone in my life behind just to become the next Doctor Fate, then you have another thing coming! I'd rather choose hell than-"
"Alright!" Zatanna cut her off desperately. "Alright... I guess you deserve an explanation." She said defeatedly.
"You think an explanation will clear this all up?! I'm going to need one hell of a good excuse for you to explain why you've purposely ruined my life, Gar's life, Robin's life, and everybody elses' lives with this whole fiasco!" Raven yelled at them.
"You mean besides having you fear being exiled to hell?" Zatanna snidely asked again in her regular tone.
Raven opened her mouth to retort that when Zatanna deflated completely. She looked oddly human as she looked Raven in the eyes. "No, enough jokes. The reason I've gone so far…"
"Is because Nabu is using my father as his current bearer." She finally admitted.
Beast Boy sat on the cot in his cell. His head was drooped between his knees. He had no tears in his eyes, but the fight in them had long since disappeared. Only defeat filled his green irises.
The best way to describe it was that he looked lonely. Painfully, and utterly lonely.
"And I thought I couldn't feel lonelier than the time Raven was mad at me." Beast Boy sadly grumbled to himself.
'Which time? You've angered our mate more times than I care to track.' The Beast chuckled good-naturedly in his mind.
"Pbth." Beast Boy almost chuckled along with his beast.
'At least this piece of cloth doesn't keep me from communicating with you master.' The Beast continued.
Maybe a few months ago he would have wished to have the Beast in him silenced...
"Freaking Batman." Beast Boy grumbled. His hand formed a fist in the restraint. "It's just like, so stupid dude. We're already going to be sent to hell for whatever they're blaming her for. And they separated the two of us because they think we'll 'somehow' come up with a plan to escape without being able to access our powers." Beast Boy said mockingly. "I can't believe I idolized him before."
The Beast was silent in his mind for a moment. The loneliness returned.
…
'I'm sorry master.'
Beast Boy groaned at that. "I've heard that too many times from Rae already Beast. You don't have to say it."
'No Master. You put it on my shoulders to break us out of that cage. And… I failed you. I failed our mate.' The Beast said simply with a tone of sadness. 'I'm sorry for getting us into this mess.'
Beast Boy wished he could facepalm. "Beast... It's not your fault. It was my fault me and Rae walked right into that trap."
'Well… That is true… plus you did ignore when I was trying to warn you of the incoming trap.' The Beast commented.
"Would it have made a difference?" Beast Boy asked.
… 'Probably not.' The Beast admitted. 'We were already surrounded before I noticed because they were masking their smell with one of your man devices…'
The two were silent for a moment again…
"Well, we didn't have much time to be together on Earth. But at least we'll get to be together in hell." Beast Boy commented.
'There won't be any nature there for us to run around in though.'
"Lava and brimstone are supposed to be a part of nature, right?" Beast Boy jokingly asked.
'The red flowing hot rock is not what I want to see or swim around in all the time master.' The Beast commented dryly.
Beast Boy thought about it for a few more seconds. "You know, if we were in hell, there would be nothing for Raven's powers to destroy. Plus, since we'd be considered demons, we'd be able to do whatever we wanted since our morals wouldn't matter anymore." Beast Boy said.
…
The Beast pondered on that statement.
'Maybe this hell full of flowing red rock and smelly stone isn't such a bad place after all.' The Beast finally said.
It uplifted them for a moment. Beast Boy almost even laughed at the Beast's comment.
Bam.
Beast Boy looked up in slight surprise at the sound.
'What was that master?'
Bam.
Beast Boy looked at the energy field. The sound was coming from the other side. "I don't know." He muttered.
He looked closely.
Bam.
That was when he finally noticed the three outward dents in the doorway. "What the-"
BAM! Kshshsh!
The locked sliding doors blasted off their hinges across the room into the energy field. Beast Boy looked away in surprise, and then turned to face the open doorway… his eyes widened even more at what he saw.
Kschhh!
A red heat vision laser went up and down the middle of the blue energy barrier. Then the barrier shimmered and disappeared entirely; revealing a flying, majestic, black t-shirt wearing Bonafide awesome Superboy.
Not Superman. Superboy. If his hands were free, he would have rubbed his eyes just to make sure.
"Dude!" Beast Boy yelled in disbelief as he stood up off his cot.
"I'd turn around if I were you," Superboy said.
Beast Boy wasn't sure what he meant by that, but then he turned around.
Ksch!
One quick laser blast went up and down his back, and then the straight jacket he was in fell off onto the floor in front of him. Beast Boy turned around, rubbing at his now free arms. He could already feel the animals screaming in him once again. Eager to run, soar, and everything once more.
Before he could say a word of gratitude though, he was enveloped in a tight embrace. "Garfield. I'm so glad that you're okay."
It was Rita. She was there too.
Words couldn't describe Beast Boy's growing confusion or his growing sense of relief and happiness. Tears filled his eyes. It was probably the greatest miracle he could think of seeing his mom standing right there in front of him. "But, but how-" He tried to ask. How were they there!? Where were the others?!
Did Batman know they were there? Had they outsmarted even him?!
"I'll explain it in full another time," Rita said as she quickly released him. "Blue Beetle and Cliff worked together to hack the Zeta Tube mainframe and granted us permission to get up here."
"Hahaha! I can't believe Robodude managed to do that!" Beast Boy genuinely laughed.
"Now we just need to find Raven and get you both off the WatchTower," Rita said. "Do you know where they put her?"
"Wait, did you just say we're on the freaking WatchTower!?" Beast Boy asked in shock. "Robodude's even more impressive than I thought!"
His mother smiled. "I'll take that to mean you don't know where she is. Come on!" Rita started running down the hall. With no other choice Beast Boy followed behind her with Superboy flying alongside.
"Can I at least know how Superdude here is flying and using heat vision now?" Beast Boy asked. "I thought that was more Superman's thing."
Superboy raised his sleeve a little bit, revealing a triangular patch on his bicep. "Just my annual gift I receive from my other dad. I don't know why he tries sending me these still since I'll never join him. But they suppress my human half and allow me full access to my Kryptonian powers for a short time. I just don't use them often since I tend to be more enraged when I fight." He said, his face contorting to a scowl as he held back some inner rage inside him.
Beast Boy blinked, and it wasn't because a simple patch allowed the young hero to become Superman.
'Did he, just say, other, dad?' He mentally asked the Beast.
'Methinks it'd be best not to question the workings of nature there, Master.'
'I'm starting to think it'd be better not to question any of this dude.' Beast Boy shook his head to clear it.
'We might be in for more surprises than this, Master.'
Shortly after running into the hallway, the Beast's statement proved prophetic.
Boom!
Blue Beetle was blown back into a wall in front of them. He groaned as he got back up. "Alright. I'm starting to understand what the veterans meant about fighting the Justice League a little better now." He muttered as he got back up.
Hawkman and the Green Lantern Hal Jordan came running out of the hallway. Hawkman was carrying a mace in his hands, and the Green Lantern was wielding a large green hammer. "Ahhhhh!" He screamed out a war cry.
Pow!
Hawkman was suddenly sent flying down the hallway out of sight. The others gaped in surprise at the large green Beast that had suddenly taken root in the hallway.
"Sweet pile of chimichangas! The green Beast got loose-!" Hal Jordan yelled while running away in fear.
Whack!
Superboy backhanded the Green Lantern into the wall. The large man slumped back down onto the floor unconscious. The green beast lowered its fist, before morphing back to Beast Boy. He looked at his hand in awe. "Whoa, that transformation was more… fluid?"
'Yes. We'll need to work together if we want to rescue our mate.' The Beast spoke in his mind.
'You mean, we're going to work as a team?!'
'For now. Don't stay in the form too long though. Otherwise, it'll be hard to hold back my primal urges.'
'Dude! Sweet!'
It was Elastagirl's turn to speak. "When the **** were you capable of turning into that!?"
Beast Boy immediately grinned at her. "A story for another time mom. Now let's get moving! We have a Raven to find and a Zeta Tube to catch!"
Superboy helped Blue Beetle back up. "Thanks for the assist." Blue Beetle said sarcastically.
"Anytime," Superboy said, though he put a hand to his head as if he was holding back a headache. "Just don't expect me to fight off too many others." He added.
Pow! Boom! Wham! Thump!
The sounds of fighting filled the halls all around. It was like a full-out war was being fought right within the tight confines of the WatchTower's hallways.
'Holy moly!' Beast Boy and his group finally turned a corner and saw more of what was going on up ahead.
Mento was personally dueling Batman. The mental waves coming off his helmet were clearly visible in the air as Mento fought the Dark Knight with his mind and with his fists.
If Batman hadn't been so under the influence, Mento would have most likely been creamed by then. But Batman wasn't acting fully like himself, and his thinking on trying to end the fight kept on being interrupted by the need to finish the portal. So Mento was gaining ground in Batman's weakened mind, while he did his best to dodge Batman's physical blows in the real world.
"Give, up. You, won't, win." Batman said slowly through gritted teeth as he tried to throw a series of uppercuts.
Mento jumped back to avoid the attack. "I don't have to beat you." 'Negative Man already destroyed the ingredients and set up you had for making that portal. Even if you beat me, you'll have lost when you can't send my son and his girl to hell.'
Further down, Cliff was tag-teaming Captain Atom, Nightwing, and Starfire with none other than Kole. Cliff mainly tore pieces of wall to use for various purposes. Like throwing, or deflecting starbolts, etc. Kole put out her hands and formed crystals in the hallways.
"You traitor!" Starfire screeched at Kole.
"You were never a good hero! You'll make an even worse villain when we put you behind bars!" Nightwing yelled as he tried to jab at her with his Bo-Staff.
Kole blocked the attack with a shield of crystal. Her eyes narrowed in slight anger. "You're right, I am a traitor. But at least I know who the real heroes are!"
"Gnnark!"
A large fist slammed into Nightwing from behind, launching him with a look of surprise and pain on his face over Kole. Kole flashed a smile at the grinning caveman that had sneaked up from around the corner. "Great sneaking Gnnark! Now let's deal with the mad fiancé." She said as she jumped into his hands and turned herself into a crystal.
"You, you klorbag!" At that moment, Starfire overcame her shock at seeing her fiancé hurt and flew towards Gnnark.
"Gnnark!" Gnnark yelled as he swung Kole like a bat.
The fight shifted to Larry who was further down a side hallway as an ethereal shadow. He was busy distracting the Flash while one of the Kid Flashes (Teen Titans) and Jinx faced down Green Arrow, Speedy, Hot Spot, and Argent. The other Kid Flash (Young Justice) with Artemis was taking on Black Canary, Red Tornado, Kaldur, and Bumblebee.
"Seriously! Not cool man!" The Flash yelled as he kept on speedrunning after Larry's shadow. Which conveniently, kept on going through wall after wall. Forcing the Flash to run around extra corners and extra hallways trying to keep up with him.
"I have the power. I might as well use it." Larry replied blandly before disappearing into another wall.
The Flash groaned but ran on using the speed force to try and keep up with his target.
Green Arrow and Speedy nocked three arrows at once side to side and fired them down the hallway.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The arrows exploded against the walls, floors, and ceiling. Covering the hallway in front of them with smoke. "Do you think that got him?" Speedy asked.
Pow!
Before Green Arrow could respond, he was nailed in the gut by a red gloved fist at subsonic speeds. Then Speedy was kicked back into the wall by an equally red foot. "Sorry, missed again! Be back in a Flash!" Kid Flash yelled behind him before running off. Avoiding the blast of heat and silver energy that came from Hot Spot and Argent.
"Damn it! Hold still!" Hot Spot yelled after him.
"Believe me. You have no idea how many times I've told him to do that." A bored voice said behind them.
They both turned at the sound of the voice. Jinx stood in the hallway, looking as bored as could be. She examined her pink fingernails like they were more interesting than the two heroes. "I mean seriously. He shakes around so much. It's like watching a little kid hyped up on too much sugar. Doesn't help that it makes things awkward in bed too." She said in a bored tone. She then sighed. "Oh well, I can't help that I fell in love with him."
While the two heroes stared at her in confusion, the floor beneath them crumbled in a sheet of pink energy.
"Oof! Urgh…" The two laid groaning in pain on the floor below.
Jinx looked down into the hole and gave her signature smirk at them. "Oooh, bad luck for you two. Now have fun down there. Just not too much fun." She said, before her pink powers brought a slab of ceiling from above her down onto the hole, covering it.
The two looked around and found that they were alone in a broom closet. Hot Spot crossed his arms angrily. "I freaking hate witches. Always using their freaking energy powers to wipe the floor with me." Hot Spot groaned in anger.
…
"Do you think that I'm a witch?" Argent asked.
Hot Spot looked caught off guard at his girlfriend's statement. Then he realized the meaning behind his girlfriend's words. 'Oh yeah, she uses energy-based powers…' He facepalmed.
'****!'
Argent's cold stare told him this was one argument he wasn't going to win. Then again, he had lost every other one with her too.
The small group ran past the different skirmishes. Beast Boy was busy either looking around in amazement at it all or morphing into the Beast to intimidate one hero or another to not fight them. It worked about every time to his satisfaction.
"Wha- the Beast's getting away-" Batman tried to blast Mento away with a device from his belt, but Mento was quicker on the draw, slamming Batman into a wall with his mental powers. "Go!" He yelled at Beast Boy as he ran past. "I'll catch up after I'm done dealing with him!" He scowled as he faced Batman again.
Stars appeared in Beast Boy's eyes. When had his father gotten so cool?!
"You all came up here to fight the Justice League, just to save me and Rae?" He asked Rita when no one was attacking them.
"Of course. We weren't going to just stand by and have you and the great girl you fell in love with get sent to Outer Perdition." Rita said.
Beast Boy blushed. "But- but I never told you I was in love with her Rita."
"Oh, darling." Elastagirl had the nerve to give a motherly pinch to his cheek as they ran. "It was obvious to me the moment you two first entered the room." She paused a little bit to smirk at his bewildered face.
"Oh, by the way, I highly approve of her. She seems like the type of girl who'd make a great mom. She even has the child-bearing hips needed to bring kids safely into the world."
If possible, Beast Boy's blush deepened at that. "Just make sure to wait a few years before making me a grandma. You two are still underage and shouldn't be engaging in such activities until you're married to each other."
Beast Boy had now officially reached overripe tomato status with the way his green face looked. "MOM! NOW ISN'T THE TIME FOR THIS TALK!" He yelled indignantly.
Rita had the nerve to laugh at her son's embarrassment.
"Yo, you seriously didn't put all this trouble to get into the WatchTower just to free one little green-"
Ksch!
Blue Beetle blasted Cyborg out of the way with his sonic cannon down another hallway. Yet somehow Cyborg's yelling managed to still break the moment between mother and son. Even under mind control he still fulfilled his role as the classic ruiner of moments.
"Focus up. We're almost to the Main Room amigos. We just have to get around the next corner, and then-" Blue Beetle was saying.
A figure materialized from out of the ground in front of them. The group of four stopped in their tracks.
The Martian Manhunter got in an offensive stance. "I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you all to leave my Tower." He spoke calmly.
Beast Boy shifted into the Beast again, as Blue Beetle and Superboy took up positions beside him. 'It's only one Leaguer. We totally got this-' Beast Boy was thinking as he took an intimidation stance.
Pow! Ksch! Pow!
Superboy charged forward through the air at the speed of sound, and he was punched faster than the eye could follow into one of the side walls despite going so fast. Almost in a fluid motion, the Martian Manhunter flew forward under Blue Beetle's outstretched sonic cannon blast, and side kicked him into the other wall. The Beast barely managed to grab Rita and jump back to avoid a kick that would have hit him hard in the face, potentially knocking him out.
The Beast set Rita back down and morphed back into a surprised Beast Boy. He looked quickly from the Leaguer to his two downed friends. 'But, but-'
"Turn yourself in Beast Boy. This is one fight you aren't going to win." The Martian Manhunter said as he retook an offensive stance.
Beast Boy overcame his surprise and tried shifting into the Beast again. But he found his body wasn't changing this time. In fact, he was starting to wonder if he had really shifted back into himself out of surprise or not. 'Beast, what's-' He tried to think.
'Can't, talk. Trying to, keep invader, out of our mind.' The Beast said in a strained voice.
It was then he realized it. The green alien's eyes were glowing a deep red, and no one else was moving from their positions. Only Rita seemed to have some movement, though she appeared to also be straining under the mental attack being unleashed.
'Seriously!? If he could do this, why haven't me and Raven met him earlier?!' Beast Boy was amazed at how easily the other green hero had incapacitated him and several others.
'Less, talking. More, helping.' The Beast said through the great pain and strain he was experiencing.
Superboy struggled in his mental bonds. Even with his Kryptonian powers unlocked for a brief period of time, he couldn't free himself.
"How, are you, doing this?" Elastagirl groaned out slowly as she tried to approach. Not that she'd be much use other than as a distraction. Beast Boy found he could still move normally, but he couldn't shift without messing with the Beast's focus.
"I am a Martian. My powers go beyond even your husband's. Not even a son of Krypton can escape my grasp."
Beast Boy growled. It was suicidal, but he hadn't come this far just to be stopped. If he had to, he'd charge this powerhouse of an alien in his human form. He didn't know if he could win or not, but he had to try. He had to.
"It's a good thing I'm not from Krypton then."
Martian Manhunter turned towards the voice but froze mid-turn. His already glowing eyes took on a darker shade of red as his mental energies shifted from offense to defense. The others became free to move again at the same time. Most of them looked surprised at their sudden freedom.
"What, are, you, doing M'gann?" The Martian Manhunter gritted out.
As Superboy was getting up off the floor, Miss Martian appeared from the wall beside him. Her eyes were also glowing a deep red. "What I should have done the moment my friends came onto the WatchTower." She simply stated before her eyes glowed with a brighter intensity.
Martian Manhunter struggled after being briefly surprised by the mental attack, but then he went still. So still that you could barely see his chest rising and falling with his breaths.
"I have him fully committed. He won't be able to try and stop you now. Keep going." She said calmly towards Beast Boy. She didn't look at him whilst all her focus was on one of the most powerful Justice League members.
"Miss- Megan." Superboy tried to say in surprise.
"Go. I won't be able to hold my uncle off forever Connor. But I'll do my best to convince him about the truth while fighting him." She said while keeping her eyes on her mentor. "Just like you convinced me."
Superboy's face, which had been scowling all the way up to this point, softened somewhat. "Megan, I'm sorry for before." He said sincerely.
"I'm sorry for not believing you Connor. Can... can you forgive me?" Miss Martian asked.
Superboy shook his head again, and then he smiled genuinely. "How could I not?" He asked sincerely, gripping one of her hands in his.
Miss Martian smiled, which quickly turned to a pained strain. "Then don't waste this opportunity! Go!" She ordered.
"Yes ma'am." He said before he continued flying on ahead. Blue Beetle followed closely behind, and Beast Boy only paused briefly as he passed the green alien. "Thank you." He whispered.
She didn't give any indication that she heard him. Other than her eyes narrowing on Martian Manhunter and the mental battle happening between them.
"Do you think she'll be alright? That dude literally incapacitated all of us in like, one second." Beast Boy asked Superboy when he caught up to him.
"She'll be fine. If there's anyone who can take on the Martian Manhunter, it'd be her." Superboy said. "Hell, I'm certain she could beat Mento and him together." He added.
"Let's try to avoid something like that happening in the future please," Elastagirl commented.
Just before the group was in the clear, Superman appeared from another side hallway. "Damn it! Why are we having a battle now-"
Bam!
This time, Superboy's super-speed managed to catch the older Kryptonian off guard as he closed the distance and landed a solid punch to Superman's face. Launching the large figure back down the hallway into the hangar area he had just come from.
"I'll make sure the big guy doesn't bother you either. Go!" He said to the group before flying off after Superman.
Superman was just starting to get back up off the ground when Superboy's next kick launched him into one of the walls of the hangar.
"Okay. That patch is beyond overpowered." Beast Boy told the Blue Beetle. The joking comment was meant to hide his worry at seeing all his friends taking on the bigger foes this time just so he'd remain safe.
"Yeah, they're essentially on the same power spectrum for now. I just hope that patch lasts him a while longer, otherwise that's going to be one short fight." The armored man said.
"I just hope he and the others will be able to escape." Beast Boy said.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, amigo. We all knew the risks when we came here. But regardless, we don't plan on leaving anyone else behind." Blue Beetle said determinedly.
Beast Boy looked like he wanted to ask how that'd be possible. But he instead kept his mouth shut. His instincts were telling him to focus on one thing at a time.
Blue Beetle's armored face developed a scowl. "No! We will not blow up the WatchTower to help everyone escape! That'd kill us all!" He yelled at himself.
Beast Boy's instincts also helped to hide his confusion. 'I guess all of us are weird in some way.' He thought as they ran away from the main source of the fighting.
In the mental fight
"Why? Why are you doing this?"
The Martian Manhunter in his true Martian form stood floating in the midst of what looked like space. All around were white pin specks of light like stars. Down below, a sea of red like a pulsating nebula was fighting off a sea of green. Both sides pushed and clawed at each other, seeking dominance.
"Why did you betray the League? Why are you helping the two fugitives to escape? I know you're better than this." He asked again in a calm mental voice.
Opposite him by only a few feet was a white-skinned Martian. Her eyes glowed as bright red in this mental landscape as they did in the real world. "Because we're supposed to fight for Justice. We're supposed to fight for what's right. And what we were planning to do to those two heroes was not justice, nor was it right." Miss Martian thought. The green below intensified in color.
"And I agree with both statements. I have had my own ill thoughts towards the punishment Batman declared for them when this all started. But I cannot change his mind, nor do I want to. Not after everything those two have done since." He again thought calmly to her. The red intensified against the green. Miss Martian struggled, not wanting to be swept away.
"But hasn't there ever been any thought that any of what they've been accused of is false?" Miss Martian asked.
...
The Martian Manhunter remained silent. Down below though, both sides stopped fighting each other. In the real world, Miss Martian took a deep breath as she realized that her uncle was finally listening.
"Please. I don't want to fight you. I don't want to fight any of you. But I'm tired of fighting for the wrong side. Haven't you ever thought about looking deeper into what they've been accused of? Have you ever considered the chance that we were wrong?"
There was a long pause.
"I… I can't remember." The Martian Manhunter finally replied in an unsure tone. "It never seemed necessary before." The red below dulled in color.
"Then do you think I'd be doing all this if I didn't believe those two were innocent? Please, let's stop fighting. Let me tell you what I know. Then, you can judge if I'm wrong or not." Miss Martian begged.
…
The sea of red down below sunk down in submission, and the green wave passed over it. As it did so, it glowed brighter and brighter. Drowning out the two in the impending wave of green light.
When this happened, the subtle, but still influencing power that had been making the Martian Manhunter unquestionably loyal to Batman's orders finally shattered.
"I am tired of blindly following orders. Show me what you know, child, and then we'll see in the end who is right and who is wrong."
The green light of Miss Martian's consciousness consumed the whole landscape. In the real world, Miss Martian started to smile. "Thank you, Uncle John."
"Thank me after you tell me what's going on. We don't have a moment to waste."
And so, she did.
In the hangar area
Pow!
Superboy was slammed into one of the walls by Superman. The older Hero held his two arms in a tight grip.
"Seriously?! Wasn't it bad enough when I had to fight you while I was being controlled?!" Superman asked as he let go of his… half-son?
It was still a weird situation for Superman to still think about.
Superboy got back up off the ground. His shirt was ripped in a couple of places, but besides that, he looked just fine. "I don't know. I'd still say part of the League is being controlled, dad." Superboy said, sounding somewhat angrier than normal with the comment. It was most likely the patch if anything.
Pow! Pow! Whack!
The two exchanged a flurry of blows with each other. Superman was only slightly surprised that his half-son was keeping up with him. "Let me guess. You pulled out one of Luthor's secret patches in preparation for this attack."
Superboy clocked the older Hero across the face. "Of course. It would've been suicidal for me to attack you without any Kryptonite. And unfortunately, neither Batman nor Dick is in the right state of mind to lend me any." He avoided a powerful downward punch from his father.
Superman backed away at last into a defensive stance. "Still, you must know you can't beat me even with that patch helping you out. Soon, you'll run out of time, and then I'll be able to easily apprehend you."
"Either you're hoping that you'll be lucky and get a knockout punch on me, or you're trying to distract me long enough for those two heroes to escape." He said.
Superboy also backed up into a defensive stance. "Well aren't you the master of the obvious. I would have sworn that Bats had all the brains in the partnership." He stated through gritted teeth.
It was taking everything in him to not give in to the burning rage the patch unleashed in him. The rage was only being kept in check because of his humanity.
"I have to ask why then?" Superman said. He dropped his stance. "Why are you doing all this?"
Superboy dropped his stance too. He put a hand to his face in pain. "Why does it matter? It's not like you've ever believed me-" He was saying.
Superman suddenly sped forward, and Superboy, distracted by his anger, tried to raise his arm to defend himself. Surprisingly though, he didn't feel any punches. Instead, he felt a tearing sensation from his right arm.
Superboy's rage instantly evaporated. He also fell down to one knee tiredly. His father stood to the side, tossing away the patch his son had had on. "Because right now you're powerless, and you'll have to be very convincing if you don't want me to throw you and everyone else here in a cell," Superman stated matter of factly.
Superboy looked up at his father figure. "You already beat me. You know I betrayed the League. Why would I have anything to say to you?" He asked in defeat. He'd hoped to distract him for long enough so everyone else could escape. Yet, he'd failed...
"Because I'm willing to listen now," Superman stated.
The older hero actually had a look of guilt on his face, catching Superboy off guard. "I, I know I haven't been the best Father to you. And as much as I want to be mad at you for betraying the League…" He paused to think on his next words. "I get the feeling you wouldn't do this without a good reason."
Superboy still looked stunned. "You mean, you'll actually listen to me?" He asked in surprise.
Superman took a seated position in front of him. "If I'm being honest, I don't like what we've been doing the last few months. If what you have to say proves that you're in the right, then yes. I'll listen to you."
Did... did his Father actually want to...
It took a few seconds, but then a smirk finally came onto Superboy's face. "You just don't want to fight the Beast again." He teased.
Superman's shoulders sunk. "Yes, that too. He packs quite a punch." He admitted. It was rare to meet something capable of hurting him.
Superboy laughed. "Well, let's just say it started back in Midway City when I was fighting them head-on." Superboy started to explain.
Back to the group
Elastagirl, Blue Beetle, and Beast Boy ran into the large circular main room of the WatchTower. To the side of them was the Zeta Tubes. On the other side of the Tubes were two different hallways. One that led into a large room meant for the Justice League's meetings. The other down led to other parts of the WatchTower. The sounds of fighting throughout this portion of the WatchTower.
"We made it, but I don't see Pantha's team," Elastagirl said as she looked around.
"Were they supposed to be here already?" Beast Boy asked.
"Shazam informed us before we snuck onto the Tower that you two were separated. He assumed she was put in the other set of holding cells last time we talked." Blue Beetle said before he worriedly pulled out a communication device from the armor in his arm. "Team Bravo! What's your status on locating Raven?!" He yelled into it.
"… We ran into a problem." Pantha's thickly accented voice said on the other end.
"Aghhhh!" POW!
The sound of a war cry followed by a heavy punch came from the other end. "Make that two problems." She clarified.
"Did you find Raven?" Blue Beetle asked.
"No. Raven was not in the other group of containment cells. And I am afraid that Hawkgirl and Rocket broke off from all the fighting to trap us here."
"Oh, you're totally getting it now-" A female voice was yelling on the other end. Presumably Rocket's.
A trumpet sounded. "Oh, come on! Not another portaler!" Rocket's frustrated voice yelled.
Pow!
"Me and Herald might need back up." Pantha finished.
"I'm on my way." Blue Beetle said before closing the comm. "Elastagirl, Beast Boy, guard the tubes. They're our only way out of this Tower! I'll see if I can locate where Raven is on my way to Pantha!" Blue Beetle ordered them, before flying off back down the hallway they had come from.
Beast Boy looked worried. "If Raven wasn't in the other group of cells, then could that mean that they already-" He started to say.
"No." Elastagirl interrupted him. "Mento's first priority was to have Larry destroy the ritual and ingredients needed to form the portal."
Beast Boy still looked worried. "Then where did they…" Beast Boy's nose started to sniff. "Take her…" He turned to face the hallway on the other side of the Zeta Tubes. Now that he was out of where the main bulk of the fighting had been taking place, he was better able to discern the scents around him now. And one of them was…
"What is it-" Elastagirl started to say.
"Raven!" Beast Boy yelled before he ran down the hallway. He could place her jasmine and lavender scent anywhere. And it was coming from the hallway that led to another part of the WatchTower. Along with two other worrying scents. "She went this way! And she has two other Leaguer's with her!" He yelled in worry.
"Garfield! Wait-" Elastagirl yelled as she tried to follow.
Pow! "Oof!"
Elastagirl fell back onto the ground when a coil of solidified water slammed her in the chest. She quickly got back up though just in time to see Beast Boy disappear around a corner.
"Wow, she's tougher than she looks," Aqualad said as he appeared from the Justice League's meeting room. "Too bad we couldn't get her and the green pest together."
"We'll let the others worry about it. Right now our job is to bring her down." Aquaman said as he appeared beside him. The two of them got in fighting stances to face Elastagirl.
Elastagirl looked livid. "I did not come this far just to be stopped by two freaking water lovers!" She yelled.
"And just what are you going to do about it?" Aqualad asked in an almost snide and confident voice to the normal-looking woman in front of him. The woman he had never had the chance to meet face to face before.
Elastagirl started to grow. She wouldn't have been able to use her powers this fully in the tight confines of the hallways of the WatchTower. But in this room, where the ceiling was far, far up above. She was allowed to grow and expand. Steadily towering over the insignificant insects down below her. The look on her face in her 50+ ft. giant form perfectly captured the look a short loving mother could give to those who had threatened the lives of their children. And boy, did it look far scarier on a giantess.
Aqualad and Aquaman both visibly paled. A wet spot appeared on Aqualad's uniform as Elastagirl focused her motherly glare squarely on his slack-jawed face. "I didn't think somebody could grow that tall." He said in a squeaky voice.
"I swear, you and your big mouth," Aquaman said, already seeing this was a fight he wasn't going to win without the entire ocean at his command. And an army of laser sharks.
He was going to put in an order for them after this was all over.
"AARGH!" Elastagirl yelled as she brought her fists down.
BOOM!
On the balcony
The three's positions hadn't changed. Doctor Fate still stood calmly beside Zatanna. His arms crossed in front of him as he observed the girl who could become the next bearer of Nabu. With all the mental conversations he'd had with 'Zatanna' over the last couple of months, he'd started to wonder if all the disorder and chaos that had been caused would really be worth it for her to replace his current vessel.
He knew this was one of his fatal flaws, being tempted by the greater power that could be out there for him to wield for order. That hadn't kept him from wondering though if it would all be worth it in the end.
Now that he was finally up close, he could tell that it would be worth it. Zatanna hadn't been exaggerating to him. The amount of magic capacity that was in this half-human, half-demon girl was far greater than anything he had ever seen before. In some ways, she even eclipsed Zatanna's power. And despite the dark stain to her soul that he could easily see with his magic sense, he could tell she really was fit to be a powerful bearer. One that would make this brief period of disorder and chaos an acceptable sacrifice for the greater order she could bring with him at the helm of his powers.
As for Raven herself, she didn't look angry. Rather, she looked like she was processing what Zatanna had just told her.
'Doctor Fate… I remember now, he has to use people with magical capacity in order to be able to fight on the physical plane. And the people who become his bearer…' She looked from Zatanna to Doctor Fate, and back. 'Are devoted wholly to that for the rest of their lives.'
Doctor Fate really was a strict master. He was hardly known for allowing those he used to bear him around time off to be with family. To become his bearer literally meant that you were giving him the rest of your life. And if he was currently using Zatanna's father…
In some sort of twisted way, she could see why Zatanna would stoop the way she had. Especially if it had been Beast Boy, or another one of her friends that Doctor Fate was using then as his bearer.
Zatanna took in a deep breath. Finally, after months of waiting. Months of failures. Months of frustration and headaches, tiredness, and fatigue galore; she was finally here. She was finally at this pivotal moment. All she had to do was push her anger and hate away, blink that damn tiredness that had been plaguing her for so long out of her eyes, and not mess up this one chance she had to get her Father back.
Though, as she stood there thinking about it, maybe she could understand where that anger and hate came from. Not just because of Raven being the daughter of a demon. But because she had been the only one 'Nabu' had told her in her mind that would be a powerful enough replacement for him to consider. She had been placed on a scale more powerful than her by him. Her, the mistress of magic…
Maybe it was a prideful thing to think. Actually, it was.
She pushed it all aside though. It didn't matter now. Her father was far more important than any hatred or pride she had for anyone.
Even if that someone had left her a note calling her an evil bitch.
"All I wanted was for you to come so I could have my father back. I swear on my magic that that was my only intention when we came to the Tower that night. It was supposed to be a clean extraction. That's all it was supposed to be." She said with sadness in her voice.
Raven's face lost the thoughtful look, and she glared at Zatanna. "If it was only supposed to be a clean extraction, why did you use your powers to influence others in the Justice League? Why was Beast Boy also a target? Why did you cause all this unnecessary trouble, when you could have just asked!?" Raven shouted angrily at the end.
"Because I didn't think you'd consider it!" Zatanna shouted back, silencing Raven at the sincerity in her voice. "As for what happened, I only influenced Batman at first so I could have the Justice League's support in extracting you! You had just opened a portal for Trigon and his forces to enter our universe, for crying out loud!"
"That was done against my will! And newsflash, I was also the one that banished him back to where he came from!" Raven yelled back.
"And we didn't know what had happened because we lost all surveillance on the Earth until an hour or so after Trigon was defeated! We only had surveillance up to the moment that you became the portal, so we all assumed!" Zatanna yelled.
"So if it was all my fault, why did you and your teammates also target my boyfriend?! What did he have to do with anything-" Raven was yelling back.
"He had nothing to do with it!" Zatanna yelled over Raven, silencing her. "I thought at first that we were hunting him down with you since he was protecting you. But later when I snooped into Batman's mind again to gather the information he had gathered himself… I saw he had been specifically targeting him too. His logic for it was so fractured though that I couldn't understand why… And then from there it was a bunch of damage control on my part. I've been trying to only do things that'd make this end more quickly!" She yelled.
Raven's glare didn't lessen. "No, a lot of what you did was to also cover your sorry behind from getting into trouble." She scowled.
Zatanna finally let the tears fall from her eyes. "Yes, and I'm sorry for letting my pride with this whole thing get carried away." She whispered.
Raven didn't respond to that. She was staring blankly at the two strong heroes, giving them no facial expression to tell them what she was thinking or feeling.
"I should have realized that Batman had been too caught up in the number of worlds destroyed by Trigon. That Artemis would be angry that she couldn't find where her sister had disappeared off to after Trigon's appearance. That Superboy, in wanting to avenge the Earth as quickly as possible, would make a bull-headed move attacking you both head-on instead of sticking to the original plan of waiting till you were all asleep." Zatanna almost whispered all to herself.
"Then Starfire and Cyborg tried to escape. Robin was hell-bent on wanting to fight the League if necessary. Then when I thought I'd taken care of that the best I could to prevent a superhero civil war from happening, Wonder Woman and several of the others started to question… and now the heroes are divided, and I'm so tired, and so ragged trying to do good when I've been feeling so guilty for living a lie the last few months... All I wanted was for this moment to happen. I just wanted to be able to ask you, Raven, to please take my Father's place so I can have the one person who loved me back in my life."
Tears, genuine tears fell from her eyes. "I didn't want it to become a huge war." Raven recognized even without her powers that Zatanna wasn't trying to manipulate her. She was telling her the honest truth. "All I wanted was for someone to take my father's place. I just want him back." She said, her voice breaking as she cried. "I want my Daddy back."
Raven blandly stared her down.
"If I may speak." Doctor Fate stepped forward in front of the sniveling Zatanna. "While Zatanna will receive a fair punishment after this is all over for all the chaos that has been caused, she is right. You are one of the only magical users in this dimension powerful enough, capable enough, and worthy enough to replace her Father as my bearer." He said in a calm tone.
Raven looked up at him. Her face was still bland, hiding her emotions on the inside. "What about my friends? Could the damage done to their minds be reversed?" She asked.
Zatanna looked afraid at that moment, and then ashamed. 'I know the incantation I used on them. I was told by Nabu that there was no reversal for it-'
"Yes." Doctor Fate said, surprising even Zatanna. "I recognized the incantation that Zatanna used on them the moment I saw them. You have no need to worry. Their minds can be put back to normal, and their former memories, as heavily damaged and distorted as they are, can be restored."
Raven finally had a look resembling shock. If she hadn't been taking his offer seriously before, she was now. "They, they can be returned to normal?" She asked hopefully.
Doctor Fate nodded his head to her. "They'd be missing their memory of the last several months, but they'd be their normal selves. With no memory of any of this, or of you if you desired."
Raven couldn't hide the surprise at the latter part of his comment. But then her face fell as she realized what he meant. If she did accept his offer, then she'd be taking Zatanna's dad's place. She'd be devoting the rest of her existence to being Nabu's host as Doctor Fate.
The second part of his offer was a mercy he was offering. She knew if her friends could be put back to normal that they'd all miss her if they remembered her…
"And Garfield?" She whispered.
If it seemed possible, the eyes of Nabu's bearer softened behind his helmet in sympathy for her. "I'm sorry. I have had many hosts who gave up everything they loved to take on the mantle of Doctor Fate. I can sympathize with the pain you'd feel to leave him behind." He said more softly.
Raven had tears appear in her eyes. "But, if I accepted your offer, how could I do that to him? How could I leave him to think that another girl he loved chose to leave him for his safety?" She asked. 'It'd be like Terra all over again… no, worse than that. It'd be so much worse than when Terra left.'
Zatanna had to look away. She couldn't bear to see her most hated enemy in front of her, crying of all things. It made her look more human. Zatanna wanted only to think that she was an end to a means. But it was taking everything in her not to cry as well as more of the hurt she could be causing with her decisions.
"If he would be so hurt by it, then I would be willing to alter his memories for his sake." Doctor Fate finally said. "I can keep the joy and happiness of his memories there. I can leave him as he is. To him, the last few months would be only a dream. Only, you would be gone from his memories all the way back to the time the Titans formed." He said.
...
Raven had to think about it. "Would he be kept safe, and out of Outer Perdition despite his Beast?" She asked.
Doctor Fate nodded. "I swear it. By the Grand Lord of Order himself."
Raven knew this wasn't just any oath Doctor Fate was swearing by. To break such an oath as he had just made… to break it would not be pretty. He was willing to not just swear his life, but his existence to make sure Gar would be kept safe after it was all said and done.
Did he want her to be his bearer that badly?
Or maybe, like her, she wanted to end this mess once and for all.
'Do any of you think I should do this?' She tried to ask her emoticlones what she should do. She got no response though. She didn't know if it was because of the handcuffs, or if they had been rendered silent by the whole conversation.
One thing did come to her mind though. One thought.
'I love you more than I love myself.'
She knew what she had to do to keep him safe. Even if it was in a way her making the ultimate sacrifice. Just like when she gave her teammates everything when she became the portal to protect them.
"Then… I accept." She finally said. "I willingly give up control over my body and allow it to be used to better the cause of Order for the remainder of my days." She finished dryly. A single tear escaped her eyes after the last word.
'As long as it keeps my friends... as long as it keeps Gar safe and happy. Even if they won't remember who I am after this. It'll be for their good.' She lowered her head.
Nabu nodded his head using Zatanna's Father one last time. "Then our deal is sealed the moment the Helmet of Nabu rests upon you." He said before his hands gripped his helmet.
A golden light appeared all around, almost as bright as the morning sun. Zatanna had to turn her face away as the blinding light illuminated the balcony. When the light dimmed somewhat, she turned her head to look at where Doctor Fate had been standing.
Giovanni Zatara, Father of Zatanna Zatara, stood shakily in his spot. Besides hair that was whiter than she remembered and wrinkles that hadn't been on his face before, he looked almost exactly the same. Dressed in the same magician's suit and bowtie he had been well known for wearing. The same soft look in his eyes and smile. The only difference was the glowing gold helmet in his hands. The helmet which he looked down at in shock as if he couldn't believe what was going on.
"D-D-Daddy?" Zatanna asked nervously.
Her dad's eyes left the helmet to look at his daughter. "Zatanna." He said softly. All his focus now on his daughter. The helmet left his hands and started floating over to Raven. Who bowed her head to receive it.
Several things happened at once.
Boom!
The locked doors to the balcony came bursting down, and Beast Boy came in mid-transformation from the Beast. "Raven!" He shouted looking around frantically.
Raven was as if she hadn't heard him. Her head was still bowed, the golden helmet almost to her now. Glowing beams of light came from it, arcing around her small form.
Zatanna and Zatara stood to the side. Both of them were looking at Beast Boy, and his eyes fell on them.
They never saw the field of red that surrounded the helmet. They never saw the glowing helmet that wasn't going towards Raven anymore.
Not until it was far, far too late.
"YES!"
The four heroes quickly turned at the sound of the voice, just as the helmet flew quickly through the air to be grasped by a pale hand. The only problem… it wasn't Raven's pale hand.
Nor were the chuckles that started to come from the figure from her either.
Zatanna then slouched down, her eyes becoming empty. "Zatanna!" Her Father said worriedly. It was as if a switch had turned off in her mind.
Raven looked genuinely confused, and then surprised when she saw not only the laughing figure, but Beast Boy standing in the doorway. 'What?'
Poor Beast Boy, he had no idea what was going on either.
Zatara looked up from his daughter, only for his eyes to widen in recognition of the evil figure holding the helmet of Nabu. The figure who'd been lying in wait for months with his familiar. Planning, plotting, whispering to Zatanna in 'Nabu's' voice, simultaneously whispering 'Zatanna's' voice in Nabu's ear, turning all the heroes on each other;
All for this one, ultimate, moment of triumph.
"It's mine! The helmet of Nabu is finally mine!" Klarion the Witchboy, Lord of Chaos extraordinaire, yelled happily.
Author's Notes:
And of course, cliffhanger! Booyah!
Some of you guessed it, but here's the big reveal of who the main antagonist was all along. Sorry it took so long. Hopefully, it won't be as long for the next chapter.
Till Next Time
Allen
