[Chapter 7]
[6 AM Next day]
"Love, it's morning", came Solor's voice, as he gently held his beloved in his arms.
Raven groaned a bit. "Just because you wake up at the crack of dawn doesn't mean everyone does", she grumbled. "Come back in an hour... I'm still tired..."
Solor gave a gentle smile, kissing her cheek. "Very well... I'll come for you later." He crawled out of bed, grabbing a pair of jeans and slipping them on before silently exiting the room, letting her rest. He immediately headed upstairs, going to the roof for his usual ritual of recharging. Though he was also doing some slight meditation.
A short time later, Edward joined Solor and Solor said, "You could not have gotten enough sleep, Edward."
"Oh, why do you say that?" Edward replied with a smirk, "Even at my age, I don't need more than 6 hours.
"You and Raven kept the rest of us up," Solor said, enjoying watching the smirk fade and replaced with an all too human blush.
"Oh..." Edward groaned.
"This isn't Lair where other dragons don't care if you are satisfying your wife," Solor said gently, "And not all of the rooms are soundproofed. I think I heard Susie grumbling about shipping you to the Trash Hole. I don't know about the others since I'm not telepathically linked to them."
Nightwing walked up at that moment, and saw the very bright blush on Edward's face. "Let me guess... Edward enjoyed his night with his wife?"
"Indeed", Solor said gently. "Not all of us have soundproofed rooms, like you and Starfire. I actually have to remind Ruuvak to put up the spell at night if we're feeling in the mood."
"Crap," Edward said, "Back home, our room is sound-proofed. She never needed a spell to block sound...I'm a dead dragon walking, aren't I?"
"if she truly minded, she would probably have figured out from our own mental signatures on our side what was going on", Solor said. "I can't speak for your wife for certain... but in all honesty, the only reason why I have Ruuvak put up our soundproofing is to either allow us to sleep when Beast Boy and Terra go at it... or to be considerate when we're getting intimate. We've been together for a while, and during our early years, I knew she was a little more private about things like that... but when she asked me why I wasn't embarrassed about being affectionate to her, I told her that dragons usually don't care about others seeing their affection. Over time, she stopped caring about the others teasing her. Of course, things like going to the beach and other instances like that have their own complications... but I love her no matter who jeers or teases. Is it embarrassing? Yes, but that is a natural feeling as well. If she loves you the same... yeah, she might be a little mad for a while. But she won't send you to the trash hole for something like that."
Edward sighed as he watched the sun peek over the far mountains to the east of Jump City.
"Maybe that trip to Metropolis may be a good idea after all," he mused, "Depending on how many others here give Raven and I a glare of doom."
"You'll have to make that trip yourself, I'm afraid", Solor stated sadly. "Superman doesn't give too kindly to unwelcome visits from me or my daughter. If you need to, you can ask someone else to join you... but he may easily figure out what you are, and will have questions for you."
"That is what I would be counting on, actually," Edward said, "Even if he also forgets, I can try to impress upon him that not all dragons are angry beasts. On some level, he should know this, but, he is prejudiced as well. It's worth a shot, I think.
"I know you are not a fan of the idea, and, I will take that into account before I decide one way or the other. Maybe Gotham City would be better."
"I wouldn't bother, but you're more stubborn than me", Solor teased a bit. He moved towards the door to the kitchen. "Wanna help me with breakfast? I think we could make an 'All You Can Eat Breakfast Explosion' as BB and Cyborg said before they were banned from cooking ever again."
Edward raised an eyebrow, "Why banned? They didn't blow up the kitchen, did they?"
Regardless, Edward and Solor headed downstairs and started making the "All You Can Eat Breakfast Explosion".
"No, they didn't", Solor said, frowning. "I just got sick of hearing them argue every single night about 'meat and veggies' and all that bull crap. So I challenged them both; if I can cook better than them, they'll give up and shut up about it, and if I lose, then I'll let them argue all they want. They attempted to dispute the rules after I beat their butts, so I banned them from ever cooking again... with permission from Robin."
Edward broke out laughing his tail off, "Damn! I had to teach Starborn how to cook when he dropped into my life. He would have caused a fire cooking a banana, pickle and mint frosting pizza. It was the first thing he and I actually worked together on, come to think of it. After that, I gave him many cooking lessons and now...he's also quite good at it. Since I took over most of the cooking duties back home, the arguments actually stopped on their own, since I can do a vegetarian version of my other dishes at the same time as the higher meat protein stuff. Well, sometimes, they get into a friendly teasing match, but, after nearly 15 years, that's all it is, a friendly verbal spar. Garfield is more tham pleased at the arrangement and so is Victor.
"Maybe have a cook-off of our own before I leave? It might be interesting. If I win...Bragging rights going home. If you win, everyone enjoys a good farewell dinner...unless I get further instructions from home."
"A light dragon back home taught me while I was working for Lair, actually", Solor said. "In between missions, I was forced to learn, since my undercover jobs required I pass off as a human in order to take down Dark agents. One of my teammates was kind enough to teach me the basics, and I learned advanced techniques from watching others on YouTube.
"And, you're on, old-timer."
"Heck," Edward said, "Before I joined the Titans, I was a guest a few times on Emeril's shows. He especially enjoyed when I'd do 'Emeril Live' and 'Essence of Emeril' We'd both teach one another some tricks of the trade. I was kind of disappointed when both shows folded. But, the network wanted me to do a show of my own and I just couldn't squeeze it in at the time...sometimes, I wonder if I should, if they ask again. I guess it would depend on how busy I am with Lair business. I still have a long way to go before Grand Fire decides I am ready."
Solor shrugged. "Go for it. It might be part of a nice break from being a hero. You mentioned you were on vacation before you came here, right?" He was working on a pancake batter, planning on making a few stacks while Edward was working on some bacon and eggs. He then looked over at the clock, and started a kettle of boiling water, knowing he'd have to leave soon to wake his wife up. "It might be a good time for you to do a show or two while you're on break."
Edward gave it some thought, "Might be a good idea to do some guest spots after all. There's always a need for some good cooking shows and with my shapeshifting, I've filled in for some more exotic animals at times. Even can do some of the Japanese Kaiju films, but, I draw the line at three headed dragons! It's bad enough looking like Trigon with four functional eyes...Three heads and six eyes...No effin way! With three fully developed brains in play, all it would take is for one head to not want to merge back and I'm screwed."
Solor let out a loud laugh at that. "Oh, I hate the idea of it! I would be so confused at that point!" The two worked hard on the breakfast, but during a slow point when he had to wait for the food to cook, Solor moved away. "Hey, I'm gonna go wake up Ruuvak. I'll be back in a few minutes."
"All right," Edward said with a smirk, "I got this."
When Solor left, Edward decided to wake his wife up as well.
[Raven, sweetheart,] he said, [Wakey Wakey, time for eggs and bacey! And Sausage...And Waffles...and Pancakes! Also, I will have your morning tea ready...Turns out that's a constant. You and your counterparts have the same likes in the tea department.]
The answer was a groan, [Sure, you wake up with lots of energy after exhausting me!]
[You two should talk,] Susie griped, [Seriously...you two 'lovebirds' kept me up half the night! Learn to dampen the link, for First's sake! I heard way more than I should have!]
[Sorry, kid,] Edward said, [Come on down for the 'All You Can Eat Breakfast Explosion'. Will that get us off your 'Trash hole list'?"]
[...Maybe,] she replied, [Lots of protein?]
[Of course!] Edward replied, [Young dragons and even older ones require as much as they can eat...Even I know that.]
[Alright], she said through the link. Then there was a pause. [Wait... Dad's really perky, too, today... OH, FIRST! DAD, WHY?!]
[I have needs, too!] Solor defended. [Now, quiet! I'm trying to sneak up on your mom!]
Edward laughed out loud at Susie's reaction.
Edward sent a burst of soft static through the link to hopefully prevent Ruuvak from waking up. Thankfully, it worked; when Solor arrived at his room, his wife was still asleep soundly in bed. He gave a sinister grin, before slowly climbing into bed. "Honey, it's time to wake up."
"No, it's not", Ruuvak groaned. "I'm staying asleep."
"No, you're not", Solor countered, darting his hand to her side and tickling rapidly. The poor empath didn't stand a chance, and soon was giggling wildly, trying to stop him. After a moment, she finally gave up.
"Okay, okay, I'm awake!" she said in her laughter, getting him to stop. She shot a mock glare at him. "You and your evil fingers!"
"You wound me, my love", Solor said, picking up her discarded nightgown and laying it on the bed. "Now, you might want to put some clothes on; Edward and I are working on breakfast."
"Fine, fine", she said, waving at him to get him to leave. In her head, she sent Edward a glare. [Thanks for warning me], she groused.
[I'm already in the doghouse, Raven...] Edward said, [You, I can deal with. The others here are going to be glaring at me through breakfast.]
[No harm on our side], Ruuvak said. [I put up a soundproofing spell on our walls... though, mostly, that was for us. Is your wife awake yet?]
[Yes,] Raven replied, [I won't tell you what happened, but, with you married to Solor, you can put the clues together.]
[What? The fact that you two kept the Tower awake half the night isn't clue enough?] Susie griped [It's bad enough having to tolerate Terra and Beast Boy...or...]
[That's quite enough, Soskrein,] Solor said, a slight tinge of annoyance showing, [Just because you're little Miss Prude when it comes to certain things does not give you a right to berate our guests.]
Edward tuned out the rest of the conversation as he focused on preparing enough tofu eggs, bacon and soy milk for Beast Boy to enjoy as well as vegan based waffles and pancakes on one side of the large stove and more animal protein based stuff for the rest of the crew on the other side.
Eventually, Solor, Ruuvak, Rachael and Susie all entered the kitchen, with Susie wearing her hood over her head again. Edward was getting vibes of embarrassment, and he knew that the teen was chastised.
Eventually, Solor spoke up again. [Susie, you've been extra touchy lately about this stuff, before Edward even arrived... is there something wrong?]
There was a reluctant sigh, as Edward could see her cheeks lighten up. [Well... there is this guy at school...]
[Tell me what he did wrong so I can burn him], Solor said in a dark tone, and Edward could hear his anger at a full one hundred percent. He was serious about that.
[Honey, don't], Ruuvak said. [She's embarrassed enough about telling you she has a crush on this guy. Now is not the time for the overprotective father shtick.]
[It's not a shtick, I'm serious about this], Solor stated in the link. [If that human has done anything to hurt my girl-]
[Dad, he didn't do anything!] Susie called out, her face turning bright red. [He's really nice, he doesn't care that I'm a dragon... he's one of my best friends!]
[Then how come you've never told me about him before?] Solor asked, exasperated.
[Probably because she knew you'd react like this], Edward told him.
[My daughter, Edward, is my most precious treasure. I don't want her to be hurt by some... some... boy!] It was obvious Solor was upset about this. [Plus, Soskrein, you are too young to be thinking of that! He is mortal, and you're still a hatchling! You have hundreds of years to find a mate!]
Edward chuckled, [This is one thing that is certainly the same. Starborn is most defensive with his girls as well. I don't really blame him at all. I am the same with my two girls, and, since Soskrein is still a niece/goddaughter, I am protective of her as well. Maybe not as much with her. This is nothing compared to Maldriin's counterpart. She was crushing on me really hard for a while. She still is, but, it's no longer an obsession with her. I will admit that there is an attraction as well. But, she has agreed to wait to lay a formal claim until after Rachael's death. Saves both from the Trash Hole!]
[Sweetheart, you're lucky that I do not mind this,] Rachael reminded him, [I simply do not want to see you suffering for decades or centuries. Mally's a good fit for you and I know you and her will have many whelps to carry on the Barnes name and legacy.]
[That's...awesome!] Susie said smiling.
[Solor. I certainly cannot stop you, even if I wanted to,] Edward said calmly, [Just don't frighten this boy too badly. Susie's capable of defending herself.]
[Can I help it if I am protective of my daughter?] Solor defended.
[I would be concerned if you were not,] Edward replied, [You are Susie's dad. You're supposed to be protective of your baby. Like I said, I am just as protective, but, also know that my girls, given their training, can kick the crap out of anyone if they are forced into combat. Rachael here has also taught them that fighting is a last resort when other solutions are there. So, even in their lives, they are being trained to be a potential heiress.]
[What about your oldest son?] Susie asked, [Why are you not considering him?]
Edward replied, [I have discussed this with him at length, actually. His lifespan won't be long enough, I fear. We think he may be lucky to reach 1000 years, but, his mutant half is the wild card. Callisto may have that same basic problem being half-Dragon, quarter human and quarter Trigon. Yolstav being full Fire Dragon would have the longest life-span and an inside track to being named the future heiress of Fire. But, should Mally and I have whelps, that might change. If those future whelps have even half of my true strength...]
[I do not envy you that choice,] Solor said. [Of course, you are allowed to choose your own heir from other families, if necessary. More likely than not, though, you may have to choose someone other than Yolstav; it takes almost a thousand years to train an Heir, and I think that the others in the Circle may not want you to choose an Heir until your term is almost over. Of course, your term may be lessened by a thousand years or more, considering you're already older than the other Heirs... the limit that a dragon should reach is around 5,000 when you become a member of the Circle.]
[Hence,] Edward replied, [why I am devoting some thought to the selection. I want to try to keep it in the family, yet, keeping an open mind towards someone who impresses me enough to rise to the level required to be an heir and eventually my own replacement. I realize that I am jumping a little bit, but, if I have several candidates in mind, I can be ready. My term, would be short unless I am able to maintain my sanity until I am 6000 or so. But, there will be a day when something slips and either my heir says that it is time to consider stepping aside or that Starborn and the others in the Circle tell me that it may be time to step aside. I really do not desire to live for millions of years and leave my loved ones waiting for eternity.]
Finally, everyone was gathering in the kitchen, the scent of breakfast rousing them from bed. Cyborg walked in first, and he initially shot a glare to Edward and Rachael. But he sighed, resigned. "You know... I understand you haven't seen her in a couple days and you love her a lot... but maybe you two should learn a soundproofing spell."
Beast Boy and Terra came in next, with Terra looking more rested than Beast Boy. He didn't say anything about the night before... only laying his head on the table, closing his eyes in a desperate attempt to catch up on his sleep. Terra looked a little embarrassed that he was doing that, nudging him lightly. "Gar, wake up", she whispered.
Edward chuckled and got a glint in his eye.
[Don't you dare zap him,] Rachael warned her husband. [Let him rest up a bit.]
Solor lightly placed his hand on Beast Boy's shoulder. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine", Beast Boy said, groggily. "Just... that reminded me of when you and Rae first spent a night in the tower after you told us you were mated..." That made the native dragon blush, along with his wife, but they both gave him an apologetic smile.
"Well, to make up for it, we made a Free Form Breakfast Explosion. I hope you'll forgive Edward and his wife for that", Solor suggested.
The changeling opened his eyes, smirking a bit. "I think I can forgive you guys for that." He got up, moving over to the tofu products and beginning to gather what he could onto an empty plate. Edward had sampled the tofu products and judged them to be excellent. When Beast Boy took a taste, his eyes widened.
Cyborg also helped himself, getting a couple plates and loading them up with everything that wasn't vegetarian based. Then again, even he had to admit there were several vegetarian dishes he'd enjoy. He was willing to eat that once in a great while.
"You guys will love this," Edward said, "Two dragons with First knows how much cooking experience between them equals one awesome breakfast. It's to make up for any hard feelings from overnight."
Starfire was the last to enter, smelling the cooking, and quickly moved along, grabbing her own plate. She didn't know why they made it today, she just knew she had quite a few options. Everyone, in turn, grabbed an empty plate, getting their breakfast. Solor licked his lips, looking at his huge pile of eggs, six strips of bacon, seven sausage links, and a chopped steak like a hunter.
Before he could take his first bite, the alarm went off.
Solor let out a bark of anger, stabbing the food back down onto his plate. He approached the computer, seeing who was on the alert today, before glaring. "It's Gizmo, Mammoth, and Wykkyd", he said with a sigh. "I shall handle them; continue your breakfast. Feel free to watch if you want to, as well." He stretched his wings out, heading to the roof so he could fly off.
"You think they would learn by now", Susie groused, before covering her father's food with her magic so it would stay warm.
"They're still as persistent as ever?" Rachael asked. "Even after fighting Solor?"
"They never give up", Nightwing confirmed. "Or, at least, Mammoth and Gizmo don't. Wykkyd eventually learned that surrendering leaves him with a lot less injuries when Solor's involved. In fact, he and Solor have the common sense agreement: He gives up, Solor leaves him unharmed. It's the other members of the HIVE that tend to walk away bruised and battered. Gizmo really hates Solor...every time they meet, his tech gets shredded."
Edward opted to monitor the battle from the computer and was watching intently, just in case.
The native dragon, however, arrived on scene quickly, sighing as he scratched the back of his head. "For the First's sake... I hate this group", he grumbled.
Wykkyd took one look at the dragon, and paled a little bit, before he took out a white flag from his cape, waving it in the air. Gizmo turned, staring at him. "Oh, come on! You promised you wouldn't give up this time, you ass!"
"At least my ass will be intact," Wykkyd retorted.
Solor glared angrily at Gizmo and Mammoth. "Surrender yourself, or I will force you to give up. I don't have time for this; I have guests back home."
"Oh really?" Mammoth said, smirking. "Then we better let you go; no need to delay you with your family!" With that, the giant swung, but Solor was ready, and blocked his punch with his claw. He then spun around, using the momentum to strike the giant in the face with his tail, before kicking him hard in the gut, sending him flying. He then took a deep breath and unleashed a torrent of violet flames behind him, shielding himself from Gizmo's attack from behind.
"Violet flames?" Edward asked, raising an eyebrow. "He still breathes emerald flames back in my home."
Solor glared at the midget, spreading his wings and rising up into the air as he flapped them hard. He then flew down, moving faster than Gizmo could react and grabbing a hold of his backpack, rendering him useless.
"No fair, you bastard! I tweaked the mechanics, and you're still faster than me!" the midget yelled out as the machine was ripped apart. Solor then threw Gizmo into a wall, knocking him out swiftly.
Kid Wykkyd, however, was left unscathed while Mammoth recovered and tried again to attack Solor only to be countered by the Light Heir again and this time, Mammoth was sent flying into a thick wall.
Edward was watching the battle, content to let Solor have his workout. He watched as he approached Mammoth, who looked like he was going to be getting up again, and put his foot down on the giant's chest, keeping him down effortlessly. "When I say stay down... you stay down!" He then lashed out with his tail, hitting Mammoth repeatedly in the face until eventually he was knocked out. He then turned to Wykkyd, who merely offered his wrists for handcuffs. "Why can't your friends be more like you?" the Heir stated softly before walking over, handcuffing Wykkyd before finding other ways to bind Mammoth and Gizmo, to ensure that they wouldn't escape.
"A good fight," Edward remarked to the others, "He was merciful, even kind to the Kyd. Ripped Gizmo's tech apart much like I usually do. And Mammoth is as dumb as they come. He should have stayed down like Solor said. Thing is here: For Solor, this was a mere workout and a quick one at that. But, it certainly would be one to let him release any aggression...if there was any to begin with."
It didn't take long for Solor to return. Once he was back, he moved immediately back to his plate, with Susie dispelling her magic so he could get back to eating. The bronze dragon stabbed his food quickly and finally took that first bite, a slow grin forming as he chewed up his breakfast. "This is all I needed", he said with a smile.
Edward said, "Good, quick fight. I really don't see anywhere that you could improve upon. Kyd stood down right away and you respected that and even hinted to Mammoth that had he stayed down, additional force would not have been needed. I have no complaints. And, the choices of food for breakfast...Pretty sweet." He also took a bite of the steak and eggs.
Solor smiled, "Glad you like it." He then noted a particular topic Edward wanted to touch up on, and decided to say, "I'm... not particularly sure why my flames are violet now, Edward. Shortly after Ruuvak and I became an item, my flames started burning in this color. Perhaps some latent growth or something of the like? I shall have to ask my father about it..."
Edward didn't like that answer, but accepted it. Couldn't really learn much about it if no one else knew, after all. Instead, the team continued to munch on breakfast, relatively quiet as everyone enjoyed their breakfast. Finally, Nightwing decided to break it.
"So, Edward, are you still planning on going to Metropolis?" he asked. "If you are, you might also want to go to Gotham, as well. I'm certain a few people will question who you are if you go to one, and... well, Batman doesn't like not knowing everything he can."
"Oh," Edward replied, "I know all about Batman. He and I get along in the other universes and there is a mutual respect, something he doesn't give out easily.
"But, I probably should consult with my leadership about going to Metropolis or Gotham City regardless. There was a lot of leeway in my mission briefing, but, I should consult with them."
"Good idea," Solor thought after a moment, "Then again, the more data the Circle has on your mission here will work in your favor. Though... I have an idea." He pulled out his communicator, chirping it loudly. "Father, I would like to ask you a question."
"This is Feyfil", came the response after a moment. "Go ahead, Filkiin."
"Hypothetically... would you want an ambassador to another universe to visit other cities besides Jump? Edward is hoping for a trip to Metropolis and Gotham today."
There was a pause, and eventually the Grand Light responded. "I would allow such a mission... especially if I knew it was in capable hands, like it is with Edward." That got a smile out of Solor, until his father spoke up again. "However... I want you to accompany him and his wife. And before you retort, hear me out; this Last Son of Krypton has shown his disdain for our people before. I want you to go with, and promise him that any minute risk of attack from an enemy, no matter how random it is... will be dealt with by you personally. This will show that you are willing to work with him, and maybe finally get that stick out of his alien ass... no offense, Starfire."
"None taken", Starfire said, her mouth slightly full.
Edward smirked, "Can't refuse now, can you?"
That got a glare out of Solor, "If he and I fight, I blame you, Edward."
"Superman needs to see, at least for a day, that not all of OUR people are angry dragons, though," Edward rationalized, "He also needs to see that you have tamed your own issues.
"Your thoughts, Sol?"
"Superman should know that we will not tolerate a mortal, albeit an alien one, attacking one of our own", Sol said. "Barring any villain attacks, it should go smoothly. Besides... there's plenty of dragons that he might not be aware of living in Metropolis. We've been sending our agents to different cities with heroes in them, to monitor their progress. Mortals are as unpredictable as Dark Dragons; we must ensure that there is no residual hatred if our peace talks are going to work." He then sighed. "You have no idea how many hoops I had to jump through like some kind of show-beast to get different governments to okay this plan..."
Solor sighed. "Fine... I will go... willingly... to Metropolis."
"I could stop Superman for a moment, but, even with my strength," Edward said, "He is far stronger than I am. But, I will not seek to provoke him. That would be foolish on several levels. I would rather be able to assist him in something and undermine his opinion of dragons. I would probably laugh if Solor or I had to rescue Ms. Lane and kind of force Superman to acknowledge that Dragons can be trusted.
"I've had to rescue her a couple of times, cementing Superman's trust. But, here, it's an uphill battle."
"Solor, just show him what I have seen in the last two days if he shows up. Even if he tries to provoke you, show him that you're not going to stoop to that level."
"Believe me, I don't intend to", Solor said. He spoke a soft goodbye to his father, who gave them his blessing, before standing up. "Very well... Edward, we leave shortly. I shall get ready... and I know your wife will want to come with us." He turned to his own mate. "Ruuvak..."
"I'll stay behind", Raven stated. "Don't need to give him another target, after all."
Solor nodded, before heading to his room. He knew that dealing with the Man of Steel was not going to be pleasant... he would much rather deal with Batman.
Edward turned to Raven to ask what she meant, but she shook her head. "We'll tell you after you've met with him. Now, go get ready; Nightwing will contact Superman and let him know that you're going in for a visit."
It didn't take too long for them all to be ready. Rachael had brought civilian clothes with her for Edward to wear, so he wasn't stuck with what Solor had worn in the past, in a smaller body. Solor was waiting on the roof once more, this time in a slightly more formal outfit. He was wearing a black shirt with a grey button-up cover on it. His jeans, this time, where a dark shade of blue, and he wore the same sneakers he had worn the other day. He grumbled a bit, running his fingers through his hair. "I haven't dealt with him since our last battle in the dragon war... I do not want to go through with this", he muttered to himself.
[You heard your father, dear], Raven pointed out. [You can't ignore an order from the Circle, no matter how lenient they've been lately.]
[I know], he said wit a grumble. [Doesn't mean I like it... he never trusted me during the war, and with everything that was said during the meeting before the final battle... I'm not sure I want to forgive him. I know I don't want to ask for forgiveness.]
[Solor,] Edward noted, [whatever was said between you and Superman is between the two of you alone. Sol would not have ordered you to come along without a reason, after all.]
The bronze dragon sighed. [There were... insinuations that dragons are violent creatures by heart... and I may have responded by bringing up how often his own battles involve damaging a lot of property before the villain is even properly subdued... among other things from both of us. It was... embarrassing, to say the least... Batman called us both children and told us that we can have our little spat later... I've avoided Superman since.] That wasn't the whole story but that was all he wanted to share right now; if he shared the rest of it, Edward might not like what he heard.
The older dragon hummed a bit in the link. [Well, he's not wrong. This was before you fought Oblaan, right? Then you were raiding Mount Olympus, and needed to focus on that. Holding onto such a grudge, though, is very childish... and perhaps the Man of Steel has changed his mind.]
[He wouldn't have held such a grudge for so long... you've been working hard to prove to not only him, but the rest of the human race that dragons are trustworthy, after all], Rachael noted. [We're both ready, by the way... do you want to go by Tear or other means?]
[Come up to the roof], Solor told them. [I'll open a Tear... no doubt the Man of Steel wants me to arrive in front of the Hall of Justice or some other important place so that he can apprehend us publicly... though I may be off on where that building is... I think it's in D.C...?]
[I dare him to try,] Edward said coldly, [I have done nothing wrong. Yet, I would suggest ceding the home field advantage if that is what he wants. Let Superman make the first move, but, I might prefer a more neutral location regardless. Maybe a coffee shop?]
As the couple arrived on the roof, so did Nightwing. "Alright, I've cleared it with Superman... surprisingly, he actually wants to meet up in a park. And he said to look for Clark... I guess he's going incognito, then."
Solor nodded. "My Tear should take me right to him, then. Thanks for the heads up, Nightwing." He turned around, opening a path to Metropolis easily. "Shall we?"
"Let's not keep him waiting, then", Edward said with a smile. Then he stepped through and emerged in the park.
Edward looked around and saw Clark standing there.
"Mr. Kent?" Edward asked him.
"Just Clark, please", the reporter said. "Nightwing told me that you three were coming... I'm guessing you must be Edward Barnes, then?"
"I am," Edward replied, extending his hand, "You may call me Edward, if you'd like. And, I thank you for the courtesy as well."
"The pleasure's all mine", Clark said, before his smile faded as he locked eyes with Solor. "How've you been?"
"Oh, you know... fighting crime, protecting Jump City... the usual hero stuff", Solor stated, a twinge of annoyance on his tone.
Clark nodded, sighing. "Look, Solor... I know it's been... difficult, working together..."
"Difficult?" Solor asked, staring incredulously. "You said that maybe I'd convince my people to attack humans after the war was over! You honestly believe that even when I went against MY OWN LEADERS to WARN you about what was going to happen at Gotham that I'm so ready to stab someone in the back? I risked being banished or executed for treason."
"I know, I know", Clark stated. "I was... upset after the trial, and the fact that you admitted to those random killings..."
"They were Dark targets", Solor pointed out.
"The POINT is", Clark said suddenly, silencing the dragon, "that I'm sorry. I should never have said anything. I was petty and angry... and none of it should have been said. Can we just... start over?"
Solor eyed the Kryptonian, raising a brow slightly. "Are you sorry for what was said about my mate and child?"
"I am. One hundred percent."
The young Heir stared at Clark for a moment, making absolute sure that he was being sincere. Then, finally, he extended a hand. "Very well... I apologize for what I've said, as well. I promise that this won't happen again."
Edward smiled, "As a neutral observer, I am pleased to hear this. But, as Solor's friend and, well, yours as well Clark in two universes, I couldn't be happier. Clark, you've shown Solor why you're the Man of Steel. It takes strength to admit fault... and bigger strength to be forgiving."
"Two Universes?" Clark asked.
Edward nodded, "It's a long story, but, yes, I call two alternate realities home. I've known you in both for a long time. In fact, one of your counterparts dressed me down once. Not because I killed enemies, it was more to remind me that we have to be careful sometimes in what we do. It was sage wisdom.
"In the second universe, I got to know Superman in a different light and am proud to call both trusted friends and allies in the fight against those who would do harm."
"Is there a Solor in these alternate realms?" Clark asked.
"Yes," Edward replied, "Starborn inhabits one universe and is also the Heir to the Light Clan. He is also my brother, to head off another question. A brother I am proud of as well."
"Was he like this one?" Clark asked.
"Does everyone have to ask this question?" Solor groused a bit, but he smiled anyway.
"Yes, he was," Edward said, "Solor, hush for a moment. Clark, there he had me to mentor him and teach him many things. For example, how to size up someone and determine the amount of force needed to cope. But, he also learned what it means to have someone else to fight for. Like here, Solor and Starborn were tested in the fires of true battle and learned that the greater honor is not fighting for himself, but, someone they care about. Here, it's Raven. There, Starborn is mated to and married to Starfire. I certainly cannot take all the credit for calming Solor there. His Starfire is the one he loves deeply. Here, Raven holds that honor.
"Dragons are not the angry beasts this world seems to think they are. Not without a reason. Yes, Starborn, Solor and even myself can get royally angry if there's a reason. Sometimes, it's really ugly and a price is paid. And, it's not fun."
"Never really fun to get angry", Clark stated, "but I can see what you mean. I think it's because he eventually opened up to his team in this universe that he settled down a lot. And I've been known to occasionally lose my temper myself. I see a lot of good traits, though, in both him and you. I was wrong to say anything about dragons being violent by heart. And I apologize to you as well, Edward."
Solor sighed a bit. "I'm glad that that's all behind us now... I was actually really worried about coming here."
"You were worried? I had to calm myself down before telling Nightwing you guys were okay to come over", Clark said calmly. "I was so nervous, I was afraid of how much damage this park would be in if I said the wrong thing."
Edward actually laughed, "I could have held Solor back. Superman, on the other hand, is stronger than I am. But, Clark, I am a mere visitor here. I accept your apology, but, it is not necessary as you have not offended me. I am honored regardless."
The hero nodded. "Well, you're still a dragon, and I had the wrong opinion for the longest time. I'm sorry for being a bit selfish, but I just needed to get that off of my chest."
"It's never selfish to say 'I'm sorry'," Edward said.
Solor smirked, "I've been holding this grudge for too long as well. I was angry at that hearing with the League. But, not at the members of the League. I was angry at myself for being captured and for letting that anger violate not just my leaders warning, but, breaking the trust of my friends. Please, let the others know that I am sorry as well." He averted his eyes for a moment.
Clark remembered what the gesture meant, and gave a warm smile. "I'll be sure to pass it on." He then looked at his watch. "Whoa, is that the time? Well, sorry I have to cut this meeting so short, Edward, Solor, Raven... but I have to get back to work really quick. Feel free to explore Metropolis, though. Maybe you'll find something you don't have in your world?"
"Maybe," Edward said, "I know Metropolis. I can teleport you to wherever about as fast as Superman. It's up to you, though."
"That's OK," Clark said, "The Planet's not too far from here." With that he headed off with a friendly wave.
"That went well," Raven said.
"That went amazing", Solor stated. "I never thought this would happen... An actual, sincere apology... man, Ruuvak's gonna be shocked when I tell her."
"What was it he said about Raven and Susie?" Edward asked. "You mentioned he said something about them...?"
Solor frowned at that. "Again, this was years ago... but he made a jab at Raven first. Stated he wasn't sure if I only treated her like a treasure, or if she was the 'owner' in this relationship. Then he said he wasn't looking forward to having another 'me' in this world... and I knew he was speaking of my daughter. Honestly, I think I under reacted, still trying to keep from maiming him, but I was pissed beyond all reason at that point. It was thanks to Batman I didn't do anything stupid." He sighed a bit. "After that, we fought Oblaan, and you already know the after effects. Dragons are working hard to show that we can be trusted, but our own society is hated because of so many reasons; our longevity, our ancient traditions... even the fact that we can look however we want is targeted viciously by not only government officials, but those younger than them, saying all sorts of nonsense I do not understand."
"This is why I had to hide in plain sight," Edward mused, "For centuries, I went from place to place. Sometimes, I would be able to hang around for years or even a few decades with gradual aging effects, but, if someone or several people, especially in the small hamlets of Europe got too curious, I'd have to bug out. Once I was able to get to the New World, I was able to disappear into the forest."
Edward sighed, "They fear us because of all that you said, and then some. Back home...my home that is...I was able to go public fairly easy in the late 1880s into the early 20th Century. Once the governments realized that I have no interest in ruling over them, getting permission to overfly or even land wasn't that hard to get. But, there are several places where I would have to be very careful, even today. I really do not like the idea of being called a witch and some folks try to murder me. If someone takes my head, Rachael's a widow. Then again, whoever did that would have a for-real witch to deal with and given our respective wives' powers, the Trash Hole would be merciful."
Solor paled hearing that bit of news before recovering, "Dang, and given your powers now, someone would have to get really lucky. But, I think we should go for a walk and see the sites. This is the first time I've been welcomed by Superman/Clark to his home turf. Hopefully Batman will be as welcoming."
"Depends on who meets us," Edward said, "If it's Bruce or Jason, we'll be OK."
"Who?" Solor said, "The new Robin isn't this Jason."
Edward raised an eyebrow, "Damian is Robin?"
Solor nodded, "That's what I've heard. But, why would Batman take another Robin?"
"To carry on the legacy, I suspect," Edward said as they walked, "You know that Damian is Bruce's son, right?"
"I see," Solor said with a smirk, "No, I didn't know that. But, it makes sense now."
As they walked, though, Edward's hearing picked up the sound of a scuffle.
"Hold up," he said as his eyes started glowing white as he reached out with his added senses.
It took a moment, but, he picked up the vibrations of a woman in distress.
He morphed into his hybrid form and took to the skies, followed by Solor and Rachael.
"I'd know these vibrations anywhere," Edward said, "It's Lois. And she's been gagged, if the panic I'm picking up is any indication."
As Edward flew, though, the vibes he was getting were on the move and Edward snarled, "Heading for the bay. This might not be good."
Edward banked towards the bay with Solor and Rachael racing to keep up.
[Yacht]
"Well, Ms. Lane, we've heard that you are planning on writing an expose on our boss and his various legitimate business interests," one of the henchmen sneered at Lois as she was tied to a rather large cement block, "I'm afraid that we cannot allow this. And, we can't permit Superman to interfere with this hit, either, so, we've embedded Kryptonite into the cement. He comes to save you, he'll drown as well."
Lois' eyes widened in fear as she was not only bound with some rather sturdy chains that were deeply embedded into the cement, but, she was well and truly gagged so she couldn't yell even if she wanted to.
That was the fear Edward was picking up miles away and was drawing him like a moth to a flame, it was so strong.
The pilot of the yacht slowed and stopped at the deepest part of the bay, where the water was a good 150 feet deep.
By then, the two racing dragons were closer and one of the henchmen pointed and say, "What the hell is that?!"
"No matter, Ms. Lane will be keeping her appointment with Davey Jones," the leader said, "She'll be overboard before those things get here, if they even do."
They got the cement block with a struggling Lois on the edge of the yacht unaware that Edward was observing this and his scales started to grow darker by the second, a fact that Solor noted.
"Those bastards!" Edward snarled, "Solor, take them down while I get Lois. Rachael, get hold of Clark and the police."
On the yacht, the henchman said, "No sense struggling. It will only hasten your desire to breathe. Good-bye, Miss Lane."
He gave the block a hard shove and with a splash, the block hit the water.
"NO!" Edward roared and teleported. He emerged a second later and dove into the ocean, following the trail of bubbles downward as fast as he could.
He heard a faint thud and knew he only had seconds. He found the cement block and grabbed it. He covered Lois's face and sped to the surface.
In fact, as soon as he surfaced, he crushed the cement block into powder and snapped off the chains.
Lois gasped for air and looked at her benefactor.
"You're going to be just fine, Ms. Lane," Edward said, "Raven will take you back to shore. I'm about to put the fear of the Almighty in those guys."
"Thank you," she said.
Rachael came over and said, "I got her, sweetheart."
She covered Lois in her soul-self and they disappeared.
Edward heard some gunfire and decided that a much larger form was required.
So, he enlarged to his full size form and waded to the now tiny yacht and as he was still in his Dark Dragon form roared in such a way that the henchman looked up as a black as the deepest cave head lowered itself.
"Drop the weapons," Solor suggested, "I don't know if my friend is in control of his Darkness." It was truth as Solor had not seen Edward's Dark side emerge.
[Relax, Solor,] Rachael reassured him, [My husband's in control. I'm not really sensing a lot of anger.]
[Plug your ears, Child of the Circle,] Edward said, his mental voice also much darker in tone and sounding dangerous, yet, Solor realized it wasn't dangerous towards him.
Solor complied and Edward loosed a much deeper, animalistic roar before lifting the yacht out of the water and took to the air.
[Interrogation, Barnes style,] Edward said, [These guys will be singing a new tune.]
He flew to about 15,000 feet and morphed to a smaller size.
"OK," Edward said, "Time to talk. Or, I ask, you answer truthfully. I can tell when one is lying and seeing that we're a good 15,000 feet above the bay, you lie or withhold information...it's a long fall."
"W-w-what do you want to know?" one guy asked.
"For one, I will ask the questions," Edward snarled, "Who sent you as if I didn't know? Luthor, right?"
"We got our orders from someone else!"
"Sure, that way you don't have much information to spill should you be held 3 miles above land," Edward said, rolling his eyes, "Who gave those orders?"
"We'd rather die!"
"Vow of Omerta," Edward mused, "OK, then."
He gave it some thought and noticed Superman heading up to meet him.
"I think I'll let Superman take care of you," Edward said.
He was puzzled at the sudden laughter, then, his instincts started to flare.
"Superman!" he called out, "Stay back, I think these guys are packing kryptonite!"
Sure enough, Superman slowed his flight and he scanned the yacht with his X-Ray vision. He saw several chunks of the planet Krypton, glowing green.
[Sweetheart,] Rachael said, [Solor is heading up to help. Clark cannot get any closer.]
[Works for me,] Edward noted as his Darkness retreated and his scales returned to normal.
Solor arrived a few moments later and said, "Think we can get a little lower?"
Edward nodded, "That's fine, follow me."
He went into s steep dive, causing those henchmen to fear for their lives as Edward was basically in a free fall.
As the water got closer, Edward waited until he was about 1500 feet up and his wings shot out as he pulled out of the dive.
"Give your weapons and Kryptonite to Solor when he boards your vessel, unless you want a repeat ride," Edward said, "And, trying to fire upon Solor is a really, really bad idea. You may end up in another dimension when his mate exacts a terrible revenge, she hasn't sent anyone alive to Trigon, yet."
The group paled, and immediately surrendered... all but one. When Solor approached to confiscate them, one of the men attempted to stab him in the stomach... only to stare in shock as his blade bent and broke under the strain. He slowly looked up at the bronze dragon, who was shaking his head with a "really?" look.
"Did you honestly think that would work?" he asked, before decking the man so hard in the face he was knocked out from the single punch. He then turned to the others. "Anyone else wanna be a Dragon Slayer? No? Then GET ON YOUR KNEES WITH YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD! NOW!"
Once the thugs were compliant, Solor walked over, glancing at the weapons and kryptonite. He removed them, throwing the Kryptonite into the water so that Superman could approach, then flagging him down once all the chunks of rock were gone. "All yours, Superman."
The Man of Steel nodded as he landed onto the boat. "Thanks, you guys. If it weren't for you two, I'm not sure how that would've ended."
The thugs heard a snarling from Edward who had obviously heard the commotion, but, stood down when Superman landed on the boat. He headed for shore and the waiting police.
Edward landed as Superman and Solor escorted/carried the thugs off. The yacht would be searched for other evidence and the captain was also arrested.
"All in a day's work, Superman," Edward said as he morphed back.
"I'm impressed," Solor stated, "You certainly have control over the Darkness."
"It cooperates with me, that's all," Edward said smirking, "Vicky and your twin showed me how to control the Darkness as well. It beats doing something that causes it to take over totally."
"That was interesting," Superman said, "I thought for a moment that you were going to kill those thugs."
"I try not to kill mortal enemies," Edward said, "I knew you'd want them alive and questioned. They didn't come out and say it, but, I believe Luthor was behind this. Sadly, I also think there are many levels at play. Lex is in a position to deny everything if he played this smart, and, I know that he's not going to be that stupid as to tell these low lives to kill Lois directly."
"Thanks for respecting my rule," Superman said with a smile.
"I've lived by that rule for a long time," Edward said, "Is Lois all right?"
"Raven took her to Metropolis General as a precaution," Superman said, "Perry and Jimmy are heading over there to see how she's doing. Last Clark heard, you got to her in time. There wasn't any water in her lungs, but, she's got some redness from your talons."
"Tell her that I am sorry for those minor injuries, I had to make sure that she didn't drown," Edward said.
"Considering the alternative," Superman said, "I don't think she will mind. How did you know she was in trouble?"
"I felt a sudden strong wave of fear and panic," Edward said, "I've spent so long with my Raven and the Raven in another universe, my empathic abilities have become enhanced. I tracked the mental vibrations leading me to the yacht. Those bastards threw her overboard with a large enough cement block that she would never have been recovered."
Superman showed a momentary hint of the anger he spoke of, but, clamped down on it.
[He's livid,] Rachael said.
[I don't blame him. Solor, is Clark married to Lois in this universe?] Edward replied.
[They are,] Solor said, [Nightwing was invited to their ceremony.]
[Then, I can at least believe that we saved First knows how many people from Superman's wrath,] Edward said, [But, if this history re-writes itself in this manner without you two here...Lois will die and Superman may go mad with grief...and there's no way to suggest that you and your Raven be here on this day, at this particular moment. May the First have mercy on a lot of villains should Lois ever be murdered.]
Solor nodded in agreement.
"Please give her our love," Solor said. That got a smile out of the Man of Steel.
"I'll let Clark know as well," Superman replied, "Edward, thanks for the warning about the kryptonite!"
"These guys were prepared for you, but, they gave away their intentions by laughing," Edward replied, "Had they not been chuckling about their trap, you might have had serious trouble."
Edward thought about something and he did a facepalm for a moment.
"Those sneaky sumbitches!" he said, "I didn't pay it much notice at the time, but, they had more of that stuff than I thought. There was some in that cement block! Had you gone to retrieve her..."
"We'd both be dead," Superman said. Edward nodded, "I'll be back in a few minutes."
He headed back to where he pulled Lois from the water and dove back in. It took several minutes of searching, but, he spotted the tell tale green rocks where the larger chunks of cement landed. He picked up one with a very small fragment of the green rock and headed back.
He got as close as he dared and called out, "Confirmed, Superman. That cement had kryptonite in it."
He turned the piece to let Superman see the fragment with his telescopic vision and nodded.
"Let the police have that fragment," was the reply, "And, thanks for staying a safe distance away."
[Honey? Is everything alright?] Solor's wife called out suddenly. [We're seeing on the news that there was a disaster averted or something by two dragons?]
[Oh, that's us], Solor confirmed. [There was some drama here, but it's all handled, everyone's safe.]
[Good], Raven said with a sigh of relief. [Good thing I decided to watch TV today...]
That got the Light Heir to smirk, knowing Lois would be safe even after the history was rewritten. [Yeah... lucky, huh?]
[You don't know the half of it, Raven,] Rachael interjected, [Lois was almost killed. Some thugs chained her to a large block of cement and tossed it into Metropolis Harbor. Edward managed to bring her to the surface in time. The thugs got a taste of my husband's Dark heritage. The disaster averted was a Man of Steel possibly losing his moral compass or worse. Edward discovered that the thugs were ready for him and embedded kryptonite into the cement.]
[Oh my!] Raven replied, [That would have been a disaster all right.]
[I would not want to fight Superman in a state like that] Solor said. [I've always wanted to spar with him, but I know he can defeat me with the strength he has. Him, Wonder Woman, and Batman would be the only mortals I would never want to fight for real.]
[Batman, like Nightwing, has to rely on his utility belt, his mind, and training,] Edward noted, [but, agreed. I would not want to fight anyone in the League for real. Oddly enough, I have not sparred with any of them. I will have to rectify that soon. Maybe a team spar?]
[An interesting idea,] Raven said.
[Thing is,] Edward said, [the only one in the League who could stop Clark in that sort of state is Batman. He keeps a chunk of Kryptonite in a lead lined pouch in case Superman did go rogue. It's a last resort and Batman knows it. So does Clark and if he were to go off the rails, Batman would have to sneak up on him...hard to do with the opponent has super hearing. I could do it via teleport, but, that would also be risky.]
[Let us not forget, though, that had we not been here, we do have dragons in many cities all over the country. There are five in this one alone; one of them might have done something if we had not intervened, and while Superman can eventually defeat us, dragons are still hardy as hell, and won't go down without a fight. That should distract the Kryptonian enough for Batman to do what he needs to do] Solor pointed out. [Speaking of which... should we give him a call? I do know of his identity as well; he revealed it to me during the war, so that if he passed away, I could continue donating to charities that he would be unable to continue. Sort of a mutual agreement thing.]
[Please do,] Edward said, [And, I should talk to Bruce back home as well. My 'stash' and wealth over the centuries would be able to contribute after he dies. That's a great idea! And, Solor...this is a great thing that you're doing. It will prove that dragons are indeed quite intelligent. As for the five dragons stationed here, if they are under deep cover on orders of the Circle, they can't break that cover, even to save Lois' life.]
"I know you three want to head out," Superman said, "Before you do, I would like to thank you properly for protecting Lois."
Edward looked to make sure that they were the only ones in earshot before putting up a shield, just in case.
"Clark," Edward said, "You already have. Like you, I do not require more than a heartfelt thanks. Lois is your moral compass and keeps you human. I've learned how vital it is to have that person in my own life. This woman here is Raven, yes, but, the Raven from my primary world. She is the love of my life, and she is my rock when things go south. There was an incident in that center realm where she had been killed...I lost it that night. I won't bore you with the details, but, it took a very special 2 year old whelp who was no where near me in physical strength to literally slap some sense into me. And, one of the Life clan gave Rachael a century off her life to restore my rock. I've been forgiven by the other dragons, in spades. They know I have worked to redeem myself, but, the stain on my honor, while faded greatly, remains. Susie over here said something though that sunk in. I have to let go of the remaining anger I feel towards myself, and let go of the sorrow as well.
"Clark, I fear the day when one of your counterparts finds Lois murdered for I will be forced to fight him to keep him from destroying the people's trust. But, to protect the balance, I would fight a Superman. To protect his honor, I would fight him with the greatest of regrets...and hope that Bruce can help stop an enraged you or if Kara can help. She's something else, though."
"That she is," Superman said with a smile, "She has her own issues and path to forge, but, she's doing very well in National City."
"I've been keeping tabs on her in my realm," Edward said, "Your twin there asked me to help out in that area. She wants it to be her story, but, she knows that if she cannot handle a problem, to call me. She's got a good mentor in her civilian life."
"Cat?" Superman asked.
"Oddly enough, yeah," Rachael said, "Your cousin's melted Cat's icy heart to the point that Kara may let Cat in on the secret voluntarily."
Superman smiled, "That's on Kara regardless of realm. Just keep doing what you're doing with her."
Solor nodded, reaching over to Superman as well. "If your cousin ever needs some help, or just someone to listen to... feel free to send her over to Jump City for a day. I'm sure all of the team would be more than happy to lend a helping hand... or a willing ear."
Superman nodded to the dragon, accepting his hand in a handshake. "I'll pass the info along."
"Kara's a good one to have on our side," Edward smirked, "I've already made that offer to her in my universe. She knows that I will not direct her life path, but, that like Solor said, she is welcome to visit and get advice. But, I have to admit that Cat Grant is probably most suited to be a mentor, as least to Kara's civilian identity. I must take a trip to National City when I get home. CatCo there has some shows that I would be willing to do a guest spot on."
"Cooking shows?" Solor asked.
"Yep," Edward replied, "It's not just all news, but, Cat's branched out there. Having Kara there is a blessing in disguise for Cat. Having Jimmy there really does help."
"That's why I sent him," Superman said, "Clark and Perry were happy to recommend him to Cat. Perry hated to see him leave, but, knowing that he would grow more with Cat was the deciding factor.
"It's going to be pretty late by the time you get to Gotham. Bruce will meet you at the Manor for dinner."
The two dragons and Raven smiled hearing that one.
"Then, we best be going," Solor said, "Please give your wife our best for a speedy recovery as well as our love."
"I will do so this evening," Superman said using Clark's voice, "They admitted her overnight for observation. Edward, Lois does understand why you gripped her a little hard, so, please don't think anything more of it.
"I will be having words with Intergang, though."
"Not Luthor?" Edward asked, stunned.
"No," Superman replied, "She's doing an expose on their leaders, not LexCorp. That's why they tried to silence her."
"If I were able to stay, Superman," Edward growled, "Intergang would find out that to mess with a friend of yours is messing with me as well. And, on that note, we should depart."
Superman said, "Something tells me that you're a lot nastier when you're dealing with a personal affront."
"You don't know the half if it," Raven said smirking, "When it's strictly business, my husband is willing to not only forgive, but, will help the person when that guy wants to make an honest break from their bad choices and becomes an honest citizen. Make it personal and Edward's liable to flatten the creep first and ask questions later. But, even then, if Edward sees a reason to show mercy, 9 times out of 10, mercy is given. That's what happened with the Vilea in Edward's birth universe. He had every reason to execute her, yet, stayed his hand and offered forgiveness and redemption. Now, they are true family. I couldn't be happier."
Superman raised an eyebrow, "Another reason to start really trusting your people, then. Mercy is one of the most advanced traits in any intelligent species. You've given me a lot to consider." He took off then, heading back to his civilian job.
Solor smiled gently, looking over at Edward. "Well, you've helped us out yet again. Though I do think that even if we weren't here, there would have been someone to save Lois. Perhaps one of the dragons, inspired by my past actions, would have stepped up?"
"There's no guaranteeing that", Edward stated. "Though it would be ideal, rather than having a very angry and truly broken Superman to fight. Only reason we were able to help was the panic that she was feeling was quite strong. She truly feared for her life and what Clark would do if she drowned. Not all dragons are empaths and it was only due to being so close to two Ravens reawakened my empathic senses. Also, her vibes were going crazy, drawing me in like a neutron star's gravity. That's part of my Life heritage."
Solor nodded, before pulling out his communicator. "Solor to Nightwing. We're almost done here in Metropolis. Is Batman expecting us in the front door or the back?"
"The front", Nightwing told them. "There hasn't been a lot of crime, so he's at home, waiting patiently."
"Gotcha", Solor stated, cutting communications. "Shall we get going then? I certainly do not wish to make our host wait any longer than he has to."
"After you," Edward said with a smirk, "Bruce is not a man to keep waiting."
Solor opened a Tear and said, "This will take us to the front gate."
With that, the trio stepped through the Tear.
After they left, one of the undercover dragons, who had been watching said aloud, "Interesting. The Light Heir, his wife and this visitor I heard about have intervened to protect a close friend of Superman. The Circle would want to be appraised of this."