Greetings once more, kind and gentle reader. Before we begin, I must as always make sure that all disclaimers apply-I do not own the Justice League, or any of the characters featured herein except any that I myself have created. Now, for a brief explanation: for those who remember Superman The Animated Series, there was a two-part story arc called "Legacy" that featured Superman being brainwashed by Darkseid-within the two episodes, it was implied that during his time on Apokolips that Superman and Lashina of the Female Furies became lovers. There were plans for a follow up story that would have revealed that Lashina actually gave birth to a son by Superman, who proceeded to take over Apokolips after Darkseid's death in Justice League Unlimited-but ultimately this episode was never produced. This fanfic is an attempt to draw this possible episode as it could have been. I hope you will all enjoy reading, and as always, reviews are welcome. Read on!

LITTLE BOY LOST

1

"At school they taught me how to be

so pure in thought and word and deed

they didn't quite succeed..."

The Petshop Boys

"Just relax dear-heart" Granny Goodness said soothingly, or at least as soothing as her basso voice could get. "You'll feel so much better once I'm done."
"I don't wanna!" the teenager seated in the great metal chair whined.
"Just be a brave boy, and you'll make us all so very proud!" Granny encouraged him as she started to fold the shackles down. He watched her, his eyes large and frightened, his breathing growing faster and heavier as panic set in. He heard a low snicker and turned his gaze to the Female Furies, who stood nearby. He glared angrily at Mad Harriet, the source of the laughter, who returned his gaze with a maniacal gleam in her eyes, her grin growing even wider. He then turned his gaze to Lashina, who stood as still as a statue, her face completely unreadable. His eyes took on a beseeching look, which she responded to by folding her arms and leaning back against the wall. His face sank, and then he clenched his jaw tight, his eyes shut, and his fists balled so hard that the veins stood out along his hands.
"Kid needs a spine transplant." Mad Harriet cackled lowly. Lashina only narrowed her eyes.
His breathing got faster and more shallow as Granny adjusted the various devices. When she placed a pair of electrodes near either side of his head his eyes followed, flicking back and forth with panic. When she placed the round disk-like contraption over his head he closed his eyes hard, as if willing it all to stop.
"Just remember, we are only doing this because we love you" Granny said as she moved to the control panel, "and because it will make you a big, strong boy. In the end you'll thank us."
As the humming from the device grew, so did his sense of dread. When the devices around his head began to spark he gave a low whimper. And then as the great machine fired to life he unleashed a scream of pain as his body changed.
Lashina watched through her narrowed eyes; it was unusual to observe. The boy's body did not so much grow as morph right beneath his own flesh. She watched as his arms and chest grew larger and more toned, his fingers and legs seemed to lengthen right before her eyes. The pain was undeniable as his flesh stretched, his bones reshaping within him.
"I think that's enough Granny" Lashina finally said, drawing confused states from Mad Harriet and Barda.
"Nonsense" Granny said with a dismissive wave of her hand, "he can handle more. And besides, he wants to be a big boy, don't you my little sugar drop?" she said, dripping with sweetness as placed her hand on the dial to turn up the power even more.
The boy groaned in agony, and then snapped his eyes opening, narrowing them with a white-hot rage. He glanced around for a moment and then settled his glare on the shackle holding his right arm down. He clenched his teeth and snarled with effort as he tightened the muscles of his arm and hand, pushing up against the restraint.
Lashina watched what he was doing, but remained frozen to her spot. The other Furies and Granny watched with growing disbelief as slowly the metal restraint stretched, groaning under the strain, and then finally the hinges popped from their casing, freeing his arm.
Growling with frustration and effort he reached across his torso and effortlessly tore the other shackle from his left arm. He kicked both legs up with ferocious ease, snapping the restraints holding his ankles without so much as a second's hesitation. He swung one arm with furious velocity, and then the other, smashing the metal chair to pieces beneath him. Then he finally rose and staggered, drained from the effort. He glared at Granny with horrid determination.
"Now, now deary..." Granny stammered as she backed away before his approach, "I wasn't trying to hurt you. I only wanted to make you strong and powerful, don't you want that my sweetie?"
"No more!" he snarled in response. "No more!"
"Of course, of course! We won't ever have to do it again! Clearly you no longer need it! Now please, let Granny just make everything all better..." she said desperately as she reached an arm behind her. She snapped that arm back around, clutching a club-shaped device, aiming to thrust it directly into his chest. But before she could react he brought his hand up, swatting it out of her grasp. Granny gave a great shout of pain and jumped back, her arm dangling limp at her side, snapped in at least six different places.
He reached out for her, but was instead rammed aside when Barda charged him, smashing her massive shoulders into his torso and knocking him across the room into one of the dark-stoned walls. He rose, rubbing the side of his head, only to be overcome when Mad Harriet pounced on top of him, coiling her legs around his waist and raising one of her arms high as her power-spikes drew from her gauntlet, ready to strike.
"I've been waiting a long time for this!" she cackled as she prepared for the killing blow.
"So have I!" he hissed in response. He met her downward swinging arm with his own, grasping her hand before she could land a single strike. He squeezed, and her hand crumbled like twigs beneath his grasp. He gave a powerful yank, pulling her away from his body without so much as a single ounce of effort, and then proceeded to club the charging Barda with her partner, smacking Mad Harriet hard across Barda's helmet-covered head. He then used Mad Harriet as a living-missile, throwing her across the room into Barda with such force that it sent both of them flying, knocking right into Granny, causing all three to tumble to the floor in a mess of tangled arms and legs.
There was a loud crack, and he raised his arm to meet the oncoming strike of the electrical whip. It snapped around his wrist, and he took a hold of it, giving a powerful yank. The owner of the whip fell forward with a soft grunt at his feet. He raised his fist to crush the attacker, but froze when he saw Lashina's eyes staring up at him.
His breath froze in his lugs, and a pained, confused look washed across his face. The two of them met each others gaze for a single heartbeat before he looked away, his face tightening with fresh anger. He turned his eyes up to the ceiling and then raised a fist overhead. His feet left the floor as he took flight, and faster than speeding-bullet, he shot skyward, bursting through the stone and metal roof into the dark sky of Apokolips.
"Great, now what do we do?" Mad Harriet grunted as she rose, rubbing at her bruised ribs. Already, outside, they could hear the snarl of Parademons as they flew to try to intercept, and the screams of the whelp-populace as they watched the impossible happening before their eyes.
Lashina simply gazed at the hole he had left, her eyes narrowing in consternation.