Greenhorn Hero
Chapter 3: Surprises
Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or any of the characters involved except for Guardian F Forest and Guardian N Nature.
Kid Flash dodged a few of the creatures as they lunged for him, and Aqualad threw one of his attackers into the wall before being attacked by Guardian. Root lifted his hands up, crossing them at the wrists, they began to glow with a pale-gray light.
"Seeds of power that rest within me, grant thine strength that I might slay the enemies of light that stand before me, grant your power mother nature!"
His body was soon covered with the light as he threw his hands apart and a flail appeared in his hands. The weapon was pretty simple: Wooden handle with a steel-looking head and chain. The gray light didn't seem to spread to the weapon however. He swung it in an upper-cut blow at a creature that leapt toward him and it launched up to the ceiling of the room.
Kid Flash darted past him however and made his way toward the exit. Root looked over at Aqualad to see him shock Guardian into unconsciousness and throw him aside before making a run for the exit, he turned over his shoulder and saw the creatures standing back up, preparing another charge. He followed his friends and took off toward the exit, the gray light slowly fading from his feet upward as he ran.
Kid Flash turned a corner, spotting Robin hacking into an elevator console. "Thanks for the help buddy," he said as he dashed over.
"Were you not right behind me?"
Aqualad meanwhile found the turn and went right, but stopped when he heard a thud on the metal floor, turning back he saw Root was passed out on the ground. Running back for his friend he picked the young man up and threw him over his shoulders before rushing back down the turn and toward the elevator. The creatures were right on his heels as he slid into the small compartment with his friends and the doors shut. The slamming sounds of the creatures could be heard on the metal before it began to descend.
"Wait, we're going down, that's the wrong way, escape is up," Kid Flash argued.
"Project Kr is down on sublevel 52, we need to check it out," Robin argued back.
"Listen, you both need to calm down and- what's wrong with Root?"
The trio turned to their unconscious friend and were quickly surprised. His hair was much longer, his frame much thinner, and long billowing pants were now a full-length skirt. Small mounds had begun to appear under his top.
"What happened to him?" Kid Flash asked.
Root stirred and opened his eyes, seeing the three surprised looks on his teammates he sat up and stood, tripping slightly as he did.
"Root… are you feeling ok?"
"I'm feeling fine, why?" his voice was now noticeably higher in pitch.
"It's just… you have… uhm…" Aqualad started.
"You're a girl!" Robin shouted accusingly.
Root looked down at his body then back at the three sidekicks in front of her.
"Well, obviously, haven't you heard of mother nature?"
"Well yeah, but… how does that explain anything?" Robin asked.
"The incantation I recited before we came down here… well… it's a lot farther back then than… Nature Guardians are blessed directly by Mother Nature. We are given seeds of power through her, however her power… isn't exactly the most form agreeable," she was blushing now as she explained what had happened. "Normally I can manage without needing to access the seeds of power inside me, but I panicked, and after those creatures kept attacking my mind I just used it,"
"So… are you stuck like this?"
"No, I'll change back to normal after I get some rest, but, my magic is far stronger now than before, consider it a… side-effect, but my martial prowess is gone, this form isn't designed to wield a weapon," She explained.
The elevator dinged as they reached the designated floor.
"You'll have to give us a more in-depth explanation later, right now we have a mission to finish. Can you continue?" Aqualad asked.
She nodded,
"Good, come then, Leaf,"
"But I said my name was Root,"
"I think a name change is in order," He said with a grin as he led the way out of the elevator. Kid Flash smiled at her before taking off as well, she and Robin taking up the rear. The group exited the elevator and entered a series of hallways that looked like they were inside some kind of beast.
"Wow… which way do we go?" Kid Flash asked.
"Good question, weird hallway one or weird hallway two,"
Leaf ran in and put her hand on the ground, "This feels… organic… and after trying to identify these creatures so many times I've got a grasp on their lifesigns… but there's something odd-"
"You there!" A voice cut her off and the group looked up to see one of the genomes standing before them, it was tall and thin, with much larger horns. They glew red as it picked up a few barrels with telekinesis and threw them at the group.
Leaf looked back to the ground and grunted with exertion as pieces of the floor rose up and blocked the attack.
"Which way?" She shouted.
"Right!" Robin replied as he and the others took off. She followed suit, letting go of her grasp on the floor it collapsed back into shape and the group took off.
Kid Flash ran ahead and turned a corner, spotting a scientist in front of him he tried to slide to a stop but still ended up running into her. They both collapsed and as he recovered Kid Flash noticed a large sign on the door the woman had just exited and was closing up. Kr. Looking around he saw a large tank of something, lifting it up he slid it into place, blocking the door. Aqualad, Robin, and Leaf turned the corner and had more of the agile, razor clawed Genomes on their tail.
"C'mon, in here," Kid Flash said as he entered the room. The trio leapt through and Aqualad kicked the tanker out of the doorway allowing it to shut. Robin hacked the console nearby and a lock inside the door signaled it had closed.
"I've enabled security, it's locked and we're safe,"
"We're trapped," Aqualad said.
Leaf collapsed near the wall gasping for air.
"You ok?" Kid Flash asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine… just… not used to all this physical running," she replied.
"I get that your body isn't as strong as before, but are you really that weak?" Robin asked.
As she recovered she nodded, "Like I said, this is meant as a side-effect from the seeds, I get to be far more powerful than normal for a brief period, my body has to become weaker to adjust back to equilibrium,"
"Friends, you may want to see this," Aqualad said from the far side of the room. Kid Flash sped off and Robin offered Leaf a hand to stand up.
They approached and were amazed at what they saw: A young, black haired boy was entrapped in a pod.
"Great," Leaf said as she blew a tuft of hair out of her face.