Welcome to the Justice League
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Justice League. Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and the Justice League belongs to DC Comics. The only character I own is Karin. I make no profit off this fanfic. Please don't sue me.
Chapter 24: Who Are We to Judge?
Two Months Later
Karin sighed in the cafeteria of the Watchtower. She was playing with her food and stabbing bits of it with her fork. After being grounded, she expected life to return to normal for her but after what happened today at school, it looked like that wasn't happening.
"Hey their sweetie," said Flash as he sat next to Karin with three trays of food for himself. He took one look at the annoyed look on the ten year old's face and knew something wasn't right, "What's wrong?"
Karin stopped stabbing her food, "Riku-kun made me mad today." Riku was in her class almost every year since she started school. They were together all the time and they had fun together but lately, Riku has been acting strange.
"What did he do?" Flash asked curious.
"Well, I was talking to a classmate, Mori-kun," Karin began to explain, "We were just talking, but Riku-kun got in front of Mori-kun and shoved him away from me. Then he told me to never talk to Mori-kun again. I yelled at him and we got in a huge fight." She took a deep breath to calm herself down, "He was being such a jerk to Mori-kan and I don't know why."
It took every bit of self-control that Flash had to keep a straight face, "Well, d-does Riku have trouble with your other classmates?"
Karin shook her head, "I have a friend named Yuki-chan, she's really nice and he doesn't have a problem with her."
That did it. Flash began to laugh out loud. It was pretty obvious that Riku has feelings for Karin and she was oblivious to it.
"Why are you laughing?" Karin asked confused.
Flash shook his head, "I-I'm sorry sweetie," he said as his laughs died down, "But maybe this is something you should talk to your mom or dad about."
Karin nodded and went back to stabbing her food, still upset by what Riku did.
"Hey, you want to go play Brawl N Box with me?" Flash asked to change the subject, and to help get her mind off being angry.
Karin looked up and smiled at her hero uncle, "Okay."
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Twenty Minutes Later
"Is it so much to ask for a little respect?" asked Flash, who was playing Brawl N Box with Elongated Man after Karin lost against him. Now, she was watching both of them play.
"Tell me about it," said Elongated Man, "I've been at this longer then you and I'm still treated like comic relief."
"Is that bad?" Karin asked.
"Yes it is," Flash answered, "I get treated like a teenage side kick and I was one of the original eight. Tell me, do I seem that immature to you?" he asked Karin.
She shrugged, "Hitomi-san says you are sometimes."
"What!" Flash yelled before his robot knocked out Elongated Man's robot's head off, "Ha bopped your Block."
"That's not fair the green ones arms are longer," complained Elongated Mans.
"Are not," whined Flash.
Karin raised a brow, "Yea, that's mature."
Flash stuck his tongue at her before he looked over to see two people heading toward the communications room, "Hey isn't that Mr. Miracle and…what's her name? Big Birtha?"
"Barda," Karin corrected.
"I didn't know they were in the League," said Elongated Man.
"They're not," said Flash as he got up to follow them, with Karin right behind him.
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"And this Granny Goodness picked the both you because?" J`onn asked as Flash and Karin came in the room.
"I was the only one to escape the X-pit on Apocalypse," Mr. Miracle explained.
"What's that?" Flash asked.
"Please Flash," ordered J`onn, not wanting the speedster to interrupt, "And if you refuse her request to go retrieve Kalibak?"
"Oberon dies," said Big Barda getting right in the Maritain's face, irritated that he kept asking stupid questions.
"Down Dear," Mr. Miracle soothed his wife, "We need help," he urged J`onn.
"I could," Flash began to say.
"Super-fast AND invulnerable help," Mr. Miracle corrected.
J`onn thought it over, "Superman is on a mission in deep space…but even if he weren't, we can't help you. We won't aid a dictator on Apocalypse who could eventually attack the Earth, just as Darkside did. Let them fight amongst themselves"
Flash and Karin looked at J`onn shocked at his coldness.
"Why you green skinned, beetled browed, arrogant son of a bitch," Big Barda was about to pound J`onn for what he said but Mr. Miracle stopped her. J`onn didn't' even twitch at the insults.
"What she means is, what about Oberon?" Mr. Miracle asked.
J`onn looked down in regret, "I'm sorry."
Big Barda stormed out of the room and punched a hole in the door way on her way out, her husband followed her.
"I thought we helped people," Flash asked confused.
J`onn went back to work on the monitors, "You want us to help three people at the expense of billions of others?"
"No but," Flash tried to defend.
"You need to look at the bigger picture, Wally," J`onn explained.
Flash got angry at the way J`onn said that. It's been going on like this for a while. League members not treating him with respect. The only people who did now a days was his girlfriend, Kagome, and Karin. "Well excuse me for opening my big dumb mouth," he said while storming off in the direction of Mr. Miracle and Big Barda.
Karin was silent throughout the exchange, she didn't like the way her father treated those people when they were here but after hearing what he said to Flash, "Do you have to make decisions like that every day?" she asked curious.
J`onn nodded, "More or less."
Karin was saddened by this, "I'm sorry, Outo-san."
J`onn stopped what he was doing and rubbed her head affectionately, "It's alright, dear one. Someone has to do this, and I'd rather it be me."
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Gym
Kagome was currently on the treadmill, with Hitomi in the one next to her and Shayera lifting weights next to them.
Shayera had returned to the team a little over a month ago after her ordeal with Solomon Grundy being resurrected from the grave. Not a lot of the heroes looked or talked to her but she was glad that Kagome and Hitomi were always there.
"So, how are you and Wally-kun been lately?" Kagome asked her grand-daughter.
"He's been upset because of the way others treat him here," Hitomi answered. Wally had been teased by the other heroes for the past few months, mostly on his behavior. Sure he was a little immature, but that's what Hitomi loved about him, being in the League was tough and it was nice to have him around to make a bad day seem great.
"He shouldn't take it so personal," said Shayera, "He's a better hero and man then some other people I can name here."
Kagome and Hitomi nodded in agreement.
Karin walked in the room a few minutes later, after spending some time with her dad, "Kaa-san can I talk to you?"
"Of course," Kagome stopped the treadmill and walked over to sit next to her daughter. Karin explained what happened at school today with Riku. When the woman in the room were finished hearing the story, they came to the same conclusion as Flash.
Riku liked Karin
Kagome rolled her eyes at the end, "My Kami, that boy is more like his Otou-san every passing day."
Karin tilted her head confused.
"Nothing," Kagome told her, "Kar-chan, I think Riku-kun is acting like this because he's noticing what the other boys in your class are noticing."
"What?" Karin asked.
Kagome smiled, "That you're pretty, sweet, and smart."
Karin still looked confused, "I don't get it."
The other woman laughed, "You will one day sweet heart," said Shayera.
"He'll apologize tomorrow," Kagome reassured, "Trust me."
Karin nodded.
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A Few Hours Later
Hitomi and Kagome weren't surprised when they heard form J`onn that Flash went to help Mr. Miracle and Big Barda on Apocalypse. They weren't surprised when Flash came to J`onn for help when he knew that there would be double cross with Granny Goodness. They weren't even surprised when Flash said he didn't regret going behind the League's back.
What did surprise them, was when they saw Wally and J`onn playing Brawl N Box after the whole ordeal was over.
"Maybe it's a guy thing," Kagome guessed to Hitomi, who shrugged as they continued to watch both men playing with the old children's toy.
"Yes!" Flash cheered when he bopped J`onn's robot's head, "Still the champion!"
J`onn glared and pouted slightly at the Brawl N Box, "I still say that the green one's arms are longer."
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One Week Later
Karin was at school when she saw Riku. He did apologize the next day after their fight like her mother said, but Riku had been avoiding her like a plague ever since. 'That's it,' Karin thought annoyed when he didn't make eye contact for the third time that day.
She went up next to Riku and grabbed his long sleeved arm and dragged him to an empty classroom.
"What's the big idea?" Riku complained.
"Why won't you talk to me?" Karin asked, "You've been avoiding me ever since the whole thing with Mori-kun."
Riku growled at the name and looked away from her, "I have not."
"Yes you have," Karin said getting angry by the minute, "You can't even look at me right now. What did I do to make you hate me?"
That made Riku look back at her, "I don't hate you."
Karin rolled her eyes, "It seems like it," Riku said nothing to defend himself, "Fine, when you're ready to tell me the truth, come and find me," she stormed out of the room.
"The truth is…I like you," Riku whispered a few moments after Karin left.
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Watchtower
After having a little chat with Amanda Waller earlier that morning, Batman urged that the original eight members have an emergency meeting.
"How long is this going to take?" Flash asked Batman, "We have an island to evacuate."
A volcanic eruption was happening in the island of San Baquero. The League offered their help in evacuating citizens and possibly stop the volcanic eruption.
"The first team is already down there," Wonder Woman reassured, "We'll join them after this."
"So, how bad is it?" Kagome asked the Dark Knight.
"Project Cadmus is in the business of developing weapons. Specifically to fight us," Batman stated. By 'us' he meant the entire Justice League.
"Their worried we've grown too powerful," J`onn concluded, "And want to even the odds."
"Exactly," said Batman, "They were behind the business with the Ultimen and the Supergirl clone."
"And they're worried about 'us' going out of control?" said Kagome offended.
Flash nodded in agreement, "What are they so worried about? We'd never tried to take control like that."
"The Justice Lords did," Batman reminded, "What's to stop us from doing it?"
"Me and Miko of course," Flash said obviously, "The Lord went nuts when their Flash and Miko died. So as long as you stay focused on keeping us alive, that won't happen."
Everyone stared at him with a raised brow. Although, J`onn subconsciously grabbed Kagome's hand under the table, she squeezed back, "I don't like thinking about it either," she told J`onn in his mind.
"We'll explore that theory another time," J`onn responded a few moments later.
"I've seen the federal budget," Superman interrupted, "There is no funding for a 'Project Cadmus'. Where is the money coming from?"
"Isn't it obvious," said Kagome, "Who else would pay for something that could stand against us?"
"Luthor," Wonder Woman nodded in agreement.
"He is the clear suspect, but if he is funding for Cadmus, he's doing an excellent job hiding his tracks," Batman stated. "I got The Question looking into it."
Everyone in the room groaned, The Question is a paranoid investigator, most considered him crazy for all the conspiracy theories he's come up with.
"Not him," whined Green Lantern.
"If anyone can find a hidden link between Lex Luthor and Cadmus, he can," said Batman.
"Riiight," said Hawkgirl unconvinced.
"What about you?" Kagome asked Batman, "Couldn't you find a link if you wanted to?"
"I'll be following from Waller's end," answered Batman.
Everyone nodded understanding.
"We better get going," said Superman, "We got an island to save."
J`onn nodded in agreement, "Wonder Woman, Superman, Flash and Miko will be sent down for crowd control with the others."
The League nodded knowing their assignments.
Kagome knew she would be needed, in case there were any severely injured civilians, 'Nothing too bad should happen if we're their though.'
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A Few Hours Later
'I justt had to say something,' Kagome thought as she sat with the original members, minus Batman who was in the medical bay, in the meeting room.
The evacuation of the island was going fine, until a creature named Doomsday interrupted Superman in his attempt to stop the volcanic eruption. To top that off, Cadmus launched a nuclear missile at San Baquero to destroy Doomsday, to cover his existence. Batman had to use one of the Javelins to throw the missile off course, roughing him up in the process. Superman was eventually able to take down Doomsday by throwing him into the volcano, causing the magma to imprison the Cadmus made creature once it cooled.
"Did Cadmus create you?" Superman questioned Doomsday. The creature refused to speak, causing Superman to sigh, "J`onn."
The Martian attempted to get the answers they wanted telepathically, "I can't read his mind, his brain was altered to prevent me from doing so" he said in regret.
"You owe them nothing," Superman said trying to reason with Doomsday, "Cadmus tried to kill you."
"…I will get free," Doomsday finally spoke, "And I will kill you," he said to Superman.
The Kryptonian sighed again, "We have no choice," he said as he reached down for a machine on the ground, "This can send you to another dimension, I only use it as a last resort. You won't be hurt and you won't hurt anyone else."
Doomsday smirked unfazed by the threat, "You'd wish you had killed me."
With those final words Superman shot at Doomsday, sending him to the Phantom Zone.
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Medical Bay
"You're starting to make a really bad habit of this, Batman-san," Kagome scolded as she began to heal his wounds.
"He'll do anything to avoid monitor duty," Wonder Woman teased.
Batman remained cold faced, "You sent Doomsday to the Phantom Zone, didn't you?" Batman asked the Man of Steel.
"He left us no choice," Superman defended.
"Spoken like a true Justice Lord," Batman said indifferently.
"Banishment is still tamer then killing," said Kagome, expressing her opinion.
"We're passing judgment like Gods," Batman continued, "A super powered army orbiting with a death ray…Cadmus has a right to fear us."
Kagome stopped healing him, "And 'we' have a right to be wary of 'them.' It was only a few free minded Cadmus members that unleashed an uncontrollable creature and launched a missile, nearly killing over thousands of people. And they don't seem to have any regrets after doing so."
She stormed out of the room in anger, 'The more each side arm's themselves against the other, the more likely innocent people will be harmed.'
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A Few Weeks Later
Kagome yawned behind her mask as she made her way to the monitor room.
J`onn turned and smiled, "You're finally awake."
"How long was I out for?" Kagome asked not fully remembering when she passed out in their room. She came back from a mission where she had to fight against some super villains who escaped from prison and use her healing abilities on the team she had been assigned with. By the time Kagome got back she was exhausted and went straight to her room.
"About five hours," answered J`onn.
Kagome's eyes widened, "Kami, not again. I've been doing this for the past few days."
"You're tired," said J`onn. "Maybe you should take a break from the field."
Kagome shook her head, "No, if I'm needed on a mission, I won't let the League down."
"You're only human, my dearest,"J`onn reminded her telepathically.
Kagome smiled at him with her mouth and eyes, "And you love me anyway."
J`onn grabbed her left hand and kissed her ring, "With all my heart."
Their tender moment was interrupted when the faint sound of an explosion reached their ears and the Watchtower began to shake. J`onn reached out for Kagome to steady her from the aftershocks, which caused a small black out on the Watchtower for a few moments.
"What was that?" Kagome asked when the lights came back on again.
"Thiers a breach in the Reactor Room," answered a Watchtower personnel named Vance. "We're getting radiation alarms from several lower floors." J`onn looked at the monitors to see what the personnel was talking about. "It looks like a reactor overload," Vance concluded.
J`onn noted the conditions radiation and sounded the alarm. "Calculate the time needed to gather all Watchtower personal. Begin to seal all lower levels to contain the radiation," J`onn ordered the personnel around him. Once he was done giving orders he activated the announcement speakers, "Attention all Watchtower Personal, evacuate the Watchtower immediately. Head for the Javelin bay or the bridge transporter only. This is not a drill."
Personnel members began to form around the hangers and transporters in a panic. Kagome ran down to the hanger bay to help the personnel, 'Thank Kami, Karin is at the shrine for the weekend.'
J`onn turned off the announcements and activated the com-links, "Captain Atom, report to the reactor room, see if you can absorb the radiation."
"I'm on my way," reported Captain Atom.
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Fifteen Minutes Later
"The evacuation is going too slow," said Vance. "Only a little over half the personnel have exited the Watchtower. The radiation will be here before the tower is cleared."
J`onn thought for a moment, he called Green Lantern on the com-link, "John, we need you to use your ring to transport large groups to the Watchtower Annexes," J`onn ordered.
"Will do," said Green Lantern.
J`onn changed the communication, "Captain Atom report."
"It's a real mess," said Captain Atom from the Reactor Room. "But I think I can hold it off till everyone is clear. And J`onn…this wasn't an accident."
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"Everyone, keep moving," Kagome ordered the personnel as they entered the Javelins. Only a few dozen personnel remained, 'Almost got it.'
"Miko," said Vigilante threw the com-link, "Intruders sabotaged the Reactor Room. They're trying to take the Annihilator."
Kagome's eyes widened in fear, the Annihilator was a God made weapon that was once owned by Ares, the God of War. According to Wonder Woman, the weapon was charged by rage.
"Oh we're in trouble," she groaned.
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"I'll have the radiation contained in a few minutes," Captain Atom reported to J`onn.
The Martian acknowledged the report.
Suddenly, a small crash brought his attention to the Transporter Bridge. A group of people were running to the bridge, along with the Annihilator. A quick sweep of their minds and J`onn identified the members as Rick Flagg Jr., Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and Plastique.
He flew down in front of the group stopping them in their tracks, "Ask yourselves: Is being here with me what you truly desire?" J`onn asked threateningly, as his orange eyes began to glow.
"Get out of the way Martian," said Flagg.
"Allow me," said Deadshot as he began to fire his new guns that he 'borrowed' from Vigilante.
J`onn phased threw the bullets with no problem and charged at Deadshot knocking the gun out of his hands.
Plastique attacked next, by throwing exploding disks at the Martian. J`onn dodged the explosions and shape shifted to a serpent creature to wrap around her body. He squeezed her form till she collapsed to the ground and phased down the floor.
Captain Boomerang readied himself, knowing that Martian Manhunter could appear anywhere.
J`onn phased back up right behind the Caption. Once the boomerang user realized this he tried to strike the Martian with his sharp boomerang. J`onn caught Captain Boomerang's arm, squeezing it ever so slightly, breaking a bone or two with his super strength.
Captain Boomerang screamed in pain, Flagg tried to run to help him, but J`onn though the Captain at Flagg causing them both to collapse to the ground.
Normally, J`onn wouldn't have been so hostile, but after endangering the lives of hundreds of people and his wife, he was angry.
The Annihilator picked up on the rage that was coming from the Martian and automatically began to attack J`onn. The God made weapon grabbed J`onn in both its hands and stretched the Martians body till it eventually tore apart, and though it into the monitors nearby.
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Kagome came in just in time to see J`onn collide with the monitors, "J`onn!" She knew he wasn't dead but he was definitely hurt.
The group of people who were dressed as personnel were trying to make their way to the Teleportation Bridge.
"They're the intruders," J`onn informed her as he morphed himself back together.
Kagome charged at the personnel began to fight the man, Flagg, who was trying to work the control panel. She leapt into the air and aimed for the man's side, Flagg blocked the attack and attempted to throw her to the railing next to him. In mid-air, Kagome grasped her katana and struck the man's shoulder with its hilt causing Flag yell out in pain and let her go. She landed somewhat gracefully in front of him and was about to strike again.
"Don't," said Plastique who was holding one of her exploding disk in front of an unconscious and very large Atom Smasher, "You and the Martian better back off or this guy eats it," she opened the large man's mouth and placed the explosive right above it, to prove her point.
J`onn stopped his assaults on the Annihilator and Kagome sheathed her katana and took a few steps back from the intruders.
Captain Boomerang activated the transporter and gave his boss a signal that they were good to go.
"Come here," Flagg ordered the Annihilator. Kagome and J`onn could only watch as the God made machine now fell into the hands of an enemy. Once the Annihilator was on the Teleportation Bridge, Flagg turned to his team mate, "Let's go girly."
Plastique activated the timer on the explosion, "You have thirty seconds to disarm it," she informed the Martian, "Or not," she said as she began to place it in Atom Smashers mouth.
"Now that's not very nice," said Captain Atom who appeared behind her and made her let go of the explosive.
"Oh well," said Deadshot as he pulled out his 'borrowed' revolver and shot the explosive, causing it to explode right in front of Plastique, Captain Atom, and Atom Smasher.
The rest of the intruders used that moment to escape, taking the Annihilator with them.
"Damn it," said Kagome as the smoke cleared and she saw them gone.
J`onn flew to the controls to try and find out where the intruders have gone. The controls overloaded and blew up in J`onn's face, "They thought of everything."
A groaning noise caught Kagome's attention, she looked down to see Captain Atom attending to a very burnt Plastique. Kagome ran to the injured woman's side and began to heal her.
It took only a few minutes for Plastique to get fully conscious again, completely surrounded by heroes, "Oh great."
"How did you get into Watchtower?" Kagome asked the woman sternly.
"Like I'd tell you bitch," Plastique responded.
With that J`onn began to search the woman's mind, "That group of hers is called Task Force X, they were founded by Cadmus."
"Of course they are," said Kagome.
"And they got in by," J`onn paused before continuing, "A mole in the Personal."
"Who?" asked Captain Atom.
J`onn continued to search Plastique's mind till he got his answer, "Vance"
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A Few Hours Later
The League personnel returned to the Watchtower once the radiation was fully gone. Plastique was taken back to Earth and arrested by the authorities.
Now, Vance was in one of the few interrogation rooms, looking really nervous.
"I can't read his mind," said J`onn frustrated.
"How is that possible?" asked Green Lantern.
"Cadmus must have given them something that can mask his thoughts," J`onn concluded.
"What do we do with him?" Kagome asked. They have no way of knowing just what else Vance may have told Cadmus.
"I would like to go in there and clean the last two years of his memories," J`onn said furious.
"What?" said Kagome surprised, 'I've never seen J`onn this upset.'
"Isn't that a little harsh," said Green Lantern.
"He's a liability," J`onn said simply, "We can't trust him."
"J`onn we can't trust anyone now," Green Lantern corrected.
The League had hundreds of personnel around the clock on the Watchtower. Any one of them could have been a spy for Cadmus.
Kagome shuddered at the thought.
J`onn walked away from Green Lantern and headed to his resting quarters, Kagome followed him.
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"J`onn please calm down," Kagome urged in his mind as he broke a table in their room. She loosened her mask so that he can see her face.
"Why should I?"he asked her, "I sense you are just as upset as I am."
"Of course I'm upset,"she said, "But we can't do anything about it now. Vance-san already gave him all the information that he knows."
J`onn's fist tightened as he paced around the room. Cadmus had not only endangered the lives of every innocent person on the Watchtower but his wife as well. If Karin had been on board, 'I don't even want to think of that possibility.'
"Neither do I," Kagome said after hearing what he was thinking. The thought of Karin being in the middle of all that fight frightened her. A few tears, which she didn't know she was sheading, escaped her eyes.
J`onn stopped his pacing and saw her distress, "My dearest, it's okay," he said as he wiped a few of her tears away, "Our daughter is safe."
"I know," she said out loud, "I'm sorry, I'm just…emotional right now." She knew that the fear itself was rational but the crying was surprising her, 'what's going on with me?'
Three episodes in one chapter. I didn't think I was gonna be able to do it but, I did. Sorry it was just filler though. So what do you think? Next time: It's the final count down for Cadmus and the League and the future of our favorite couple changes.
Till then my readers