Author's Note: This is a chapter I completed the other night and just finally got my internet connection back. Hope you guys like it.
All Star Young Justice
Chapter 3
Revolt
Back in Metropolis the Sportsmaster was loaded into an ambulance after suffering traumatic injuries in his battle with Superman. Black Canary, Flash and Green Arrow were the only ones left as firefighters put out the blaze that had engulfed a portion of Suicide Slum. The trio had seen the ambulance off leaving the three of them downcast.
"So do you think Sportsmaster is a metahuman?" she asked with arms folded.
"You mean as in an innate one? It's possible, hell of a time for him to discover it." Green Arrow replied surveying the damage.
"We'll look into it, just like like the reporters will." Flash responded.
"I guess that's all we can do for tonight then. It's a shame though." Green Arrow said turning away.
"We did the best we could." Canary told him.
"It's no consolation though, especially for Superman." Ollie replied.
"The media mouthpieces will love this, that's for certain." Flash added as they walked away.
His words were almost prophetic as one such media personality, political commentator G. Gordon Godfrey did later that night on Phox News Network. Other news stations picked up on it as well, each giving varying accounts of what happened. Some were straight forward, talking about the damage and devastation, while not being overly critical of the League. While other 24-hour news cycle channels lambasted the League for mishandling the fiasco. With the aforementioned G. Gordon Godfrey spearheading the movement, calling the Justice League murderers for allowing Sportsmaster's rampage to continue. All the while showing the image of Superman being thrown into a building and having it collapse on top of him, while Sportsmaster had the other Leaguers on the ropes and raining fire down on top of them. Godfrey then stood infront of the screen with a clicker emphasizing his point.
"Did you see that? Why was he going easy on him? Superman is supposed to be the strongest being out there. He should have nipped this in the bud before it got out of hand. Which in case you haven't noticed it did! This is the guy protecting us?" he said referencing Superman before the building's collapse.
"And where the hell is the rest of the Justice League? All we have are arrow guy and screaming girl. The only other Leaguer worth mentioning is the Flash. But even he was useless! All he did was run around in circles, literally!" he said showing an image of the Flash doing such.
"If you ask me the League should be held responsible for this travesty. They should have their UN charter ripped up for failing to protect the people of this ghetto. And their celebrity heads on a platter. And we have kids looking up to these people? What kind of role models are these? The League is arrogant; they don't deserve the attention we give them. The women on their team look like whores!" he said showing images of Black Canary and Wonder Woman.
"These are terrible role models! Why don't we put a cape on Jennifer Lopez and have her save the day? Or 'The Situation' from 'The Jersey Shore'? Maybe his rock hard abs will save us from a falling meteor? Hell at this point Snookie is a better role than these guys! How many other people must die before we realize that the Justice League isn't as good as we believe? People wake up!" Godfrey implored his audience as Leaguers viewed from the Watchtower.
"He had me up till he mentioned Snookie." Canary said sardonically.
"He's just blowing smoke." Flash told her.
"Maybe he'll give himself cancer." She responded earning a snicker from Green Arrow.
Back on Earth, in route to Metropolis General Sportsmaster lay in a haze in the back of an ambulance. The villain's eyes fluttered open as EMTs worked to stabilize him, his world awash with colors and the blurry forms of the paramedics standing over him. And could make out the form of a third female individual sitting behind them, that seemed out of place. Sportsmaster screwed up his eyes and could see Cheshire sitting behind the paramedics disguised as an EMT. His eyes widened with realization while Cheshire merely smirked and pressed a finger to her lips in subtle mockery.
Sportsmaster groaned and laid his head back on the pillow still out of it. An EMT ordered to remove his mask. The other paramedic nodded his head and reached for the edge of his hockey mask. Sportsmaster then grabbed his arm and looked back at him, Cheshire made her move and knocked out the one she was sitting behind. The medic yelled at the driver, Sportsmaster hit the paramedic in the face as the ambulance skidded sideways at an intersection; the rain soaked pavement loosened its traction and sent its side in the middle of the intersection. The back doors opened a second later as Cheshire and Sportsmaster emerged from it unscathed. Police sirens sounded in the distance as cruisers raced to the scene. Cheshire and Sportsmaster stood at the rear of the ambulance as they approached, with Cheshire firing a line into the air and sailed off as a cruiser closed in on them. The officer driving got out of his cruiser and looked up at them through the rain in disbelief.
The pair landed on a rooftop a moment later with Sportsmaster laying his weight on Cheshire's shoulder, groaned and looked back at the young assassin.
"Not that I'm grateful or anything. But what are you doing here?" he said.
"The higher ups want to know how you got those powers. In short, you have an appointment with the Light." she told him. Sportsmaster grunted shrugging off the pain of his fractured rib.
"Your guess is as good as mine. One minute I'm being transported to Striker's Island, the next I'm blowing shit up with my mind. And having a knockdown, drag out fight with Superman and the other Leaguers." He responded. Cheshire narrowed her eyes at this.
"Superpowers don't just manifest at random Sportsmaster. Your either born with them or your not." she told him.
"And yet that's exactly what happened to me Cheshire. It's strange though, I felt like I was being overshadowed by something. Something otherworldly." He said looking away briefly. Cheshire remained dour never breaking her glance.
"We have to get this information to the Light right away." She responded. The pair turned away from the rooftop before police could reach them.
Back at the Justice Cave in Happy Harbor, the members of the Team had seen Godfrey's rave on the Metropolis incident.
"Jeeze, Superman's really taking the heat for this one isn't he?" Robin commented.
"It is not just him but the entire League as well." Aqualad told him.
"You think they'll be able to ride this one out?" Robin asked. Aqualad put a finger to his own chin in contemplation.
"The public will be angry at the League for a while, but I imagine their reputations will survive. If not slightly tarnished." Aqualad responded.
"It's not really their fault. Sportsmaster's the one that tore up part of the town. Who is this guy anyway?" Artemis defended.
"G. Gordon Godfrey, an outspoken political commentator. He has been against them since the League's formation. Some people regard him as a nut job; others feel he's an advocate against superhumans. To others he just another political talking head. I would not take anything he says too seriously. Still the incident in Metropolis will likely give him some traction and damage the League's reputation for a while." Aqualad surmised.
"Especially Superman's." Robin added. Kaldur closed his eyes momentarily before facing him.
"Superman has weathered controversy before. The entire League has, as tragic as these circumstances are. I believe their reputation will recover." Aqualad told him. Robin sighed and hung his head.
"I hope your right Kaldur." He replied. Kaldur'ram placed a reassuring hand on the young boy's shoulder as he looked up at him.
"It'll be all right." he replied assuredly.
On the world known as Earth-1, a new day started as a scarlet rift opened in the sky above Jump City. In the city a girl with long blonde hair awoke from her night slumber, and sat up and stretched her long skinny arms above her head, wearing a pale blue night shirt. The young teenager threw the covers off and got ready to start her day. Showering, brushing her hair and teeth in the mirror she went back to her bedroom and got dressed putting on her school uniform and was standing at the bus stop a few minutes later as it pulled up. During the ride to school Tara sat near the aisle listening to music on a pair of oversized headphones, bobbing her head silently to the tune.
The bus let her off at Murikami High School a few minutes later and strolled into the schoolyard with her dufflebag slung over her shoulder. In said schoolyard a young man with medium length blue hair and light gray skin was talking with some of the students. It was clear he didnt go there since he was wearing a white tshirt and red jacket with the sleeves rolled up and dark jeans while all the others wore formal school outfits. And was passing out fliers to students that attended the school. Intreiged by this she went over to see what he was handing out. The young man had his back turned to Tara as she walked up to him.
"Hi." she said. The boy turned around to see her.
"Hey." he replied.
"What cha got there?" she asked pointing at the flier. He glanced down at the red sheet of paper and answered.
"I'm in a band, we're having a concert this friday night. You intrestred?" he asked handing her the flier. Tara examined the name on the scarlet page with black stylized writing.
"Scathing Revue?" she said.
"Yeah that's the name, we're also giving out bracelets and these press on tattoos to remember us." he said showing her a black rubber band bracelet with the same red lettering. Along with a small packet with the band's logo a red stylized 'S' that was broken into several pieces.
"You want one?" he asked.
"Sure." she said holding out her arm.
"Give you one of each. Double your fun." he joked slipping the bracelet on her arm. Before handing her the tattoo stamplet.
"Thanks." she said.
Party starts at seven at the old park near the woods." he told her.
"Okay thanks." she said.
"Hope to see you there." he winked and left patting her shoulder.
"Okay I'll be there." she laughed and blushed a bit. And with that he was gone. A teacher soon tried to catch up with the young man but left the schoolyard before she was able to reach him.
Seeing him out, she looked back at the new bracelet and tattoo he gave her and treasured them. The young man left the courtyard with a sinister smirk, hands shoved in his pockets as he ignored the teacher's calls. The bell rang a second later and Tara went to class. Inside the busy hallway, students shuffled past filling the corridor as most of them stood at thier lockers, while others stood out in the open chatting. Tara made her way past a group of girls that were standing in the middle of the busy hallway and stopped at her locker, and unloaded her dufflebag grabbing a few books and then shut her locker door. Her blonde hair flew free as she darted in and out every which way. The late bell rang a few seconds later just feet outside of her first class. Tara groaned and froze briefly infront of a padded wall that was the girl's gym and bolted around the corner where the door lay and was in class a few seconds later.
"Your late." the teacher said behind her desk.
"I know, the hallway was crowded." she explained and sat at her desk.
Two more students were late to class and quickly took thier seats embarrassed. The teacher went with it and began her lesson. Taking her place as the head of the class, she noticed almost all the students were wearing the band's tattoos and rubber bracelets.
Across town on a little island in the bay stood a 10 story tall, 'T' shaped building in Jump City Harbor. Inside a group of teens in colorful outfits were training. A girl with orange skin wearing a skimpy two piece purple outfit hurled blasts of emerald energy at a young man who was backflipping away from her in an equally colorful red and green short sleeved outfit with a long black and yellow cape. The girl came at Robin as he came out of his last flip, blocking the girl's punch with his forearm. The two continued to engage each other as Starfire threw several more punches at him while Robin dodged and blocked each hit, before throwing his elbow inches from her face. Starfire blocked and held her right fist behind her as it lit up with a Starbolt and fired at close range. The blast flew past his side as Robin threw up his knee and jumped back, using the wall as a springboard and flew back at her. Starfire fell back grabbing his arms and vaulted him over her with her legs.
The Boy Wonder recovered in midair and righted himself landing on his feet. Starfire came at him with a yell and forward spinning kick to his side, Robin grabbed it holding her in place before Starfire used her alien strength and flung him across. The Boy Wonder flew sideways in the air and tumbled saftely to the ground just short of a wall in a crouched down stance. While Starfire remained locked in stance with her leg still in the air. A smile played on thier faces as she came out of her stance and he got up.
"Good job Kori. Way to use your strength to your advantage." he congradulated.
"Thank you Robin, you too continue to be full of suprises." she replied.
"Hey I've had years of pratice." he said standing up.
In another section of the tower the living room door slid open as a sleepy and disheveled Raven stood on the other side, his robe wrinkled and her hair a mess. The violet haired empath moaned as she hovered down the short flight of stairs and into the kitchen where Cyborg was already eating breakfast. The mage hovered to the fridge and opened it as a curious Cyborg looked on.
"Hey Raven, rough night?" he asked from the table.
"Couldnt sleep." she muttered closing it with her powers and sat beside him with a canned soda in hand.
The pop can hissed as she opened it and started drinking.
"That bad huh?" he asked noting the absense of herbal tea.
"You have no idea." she groaned.
"So what kept you up?" he asked.
"Nothing special." she muttered massaging her temples.
"Anything you want to talk about?" he asked curiously.
"No." she replied. He raised an eyebrow and got up.
"Okay then, well if you need anything you know where to find me." he answered taking his plate and put it in the sink.
Once he was out of the room Raven groaned and leaned over the table with her forehead in her hand. The door opened a second later as Beast Boy came into the room wearing a white, short sleeved outfit with purple highlights on the sides.
"Hey Raven, what's up?" he asked heading to the fridge.
"Nothing." she muttered.
"Cool." he said taking a dish out that was shielded in plastic wrap. And kicked the door shut with his heel.
"Later." he said leaving her.
"Whatever." she groaned still out of it.
The door opened again a second later as he came back and grabbed a 2 liter bottle of pop from the fridge.
"You look terrible Raven." he said nonchalantly.
"Thanks for noticing." she muttered. And was even more annoyed when he sat down infront of her to eat breakfast.
"Rough night?" he asked.
"What gave that away?" she said annoyed.
"I was just asking, god." he said brushing her off without even looking at her. Raven groaned massaging her brow and got up.
"I'm going back to bed." she said to no one taking her pop can with her. Beast Boy merely waved unaffected and continued eating.
A few minutes later the teen was back in her bed, with the sheets cast off and barely covering her legs as she thrashed about trying to get to sleep. Out at Murikami High School across town, Tara continued to go through her lesson while writing notes, with the band's tattoo feautured prominently on the underside of her left arm while she continued writing. Her classmates sported the same tattoos on thier person as they did thier own notes. Along with the black rubber wristbands given to them by the band member from earlier.
Outside the school said band member stood around a corner a few blocks from the school with a sinister grin. The young man rolled up his sleeve revealing the same 'S' brand on his arm and pressed it. At the school the tattoos activated and the students were struck with debilitating headaches all at once. The teacher looked up at her students alarmed as they all started writhing in pain. Startled by the turn of events she asked what was wrong before bolting outside for help. For Tara the pain seemed especially excruiating as it affected her on a genetic level. And had somehow managed to unlock her dormant metagene and reactivated her power. Opening her eyes she looked in horror as her left hand started to glow the familar yellow. The rest of the students were affected in a simular though not exact fashion, as thier own eyes started to glow red. Overwhelmed by thier sudden power the students rose up and began overturning thier desks. While a girl threw her's against the blackboard smashing it.
While Tara remained cognizant of what was happening and struggled to control her own geokenetic power. Across the school other students were overcome by the bloodlust as thier marks activated and posessed them. Before long the students started to revolt and turned on thier teachers and principle. As the students descended upon his office the principle sitting behind his desk had no other choice and hit the fire alarm hoping it would deter them. The bell sounded throughout the school as the possessed students filled the hallways. Back at Titans Tower, Raven was writhing in pain on her bed as bolts of red lightning coursed through her body. The door flew off Raven's room as Robin and the others flocked to her side.
"Raven!" Robin yelled.
"What's happening to her?" Starfire asked.
"I dont know!" Cyborg said checking his arm monitor. At that same time the alarm went off above them, bathing the room in red signaling another crisis.
"What now?" Robin asked looking at Cyborg.
"There's some kind of riot at Murikami High School." he answered still looking at his wrist.
The communicators went off a second later as Robin went for his, telling of the distress. Forcing him to make a crucial decision.
"Robin what must we do?" Starfire asked. The Boy Wonder narrowed his eyes at the T-Com before looking up.
"Cyborg you stay here with Raven, see what you can figure out. You two with me. We've got a high school to save. Move out!" he ordered. Beast Boy and Starfire obeyed but were relucant to leave her side.
"Titans move!" Robin ordered from outside and they left. Flying out of the harbor, Robin relayed the police on his communicator.
"This is Robin, we're in-bound to Murikami High. We're a little shorthanded and may require backup if your already at the scene." he ordered.
"Roger that Robin, all units respond to Murikami High School. Requesting SWAT battallion. This is a Level 1 emegency, repeat Level 1." an officer said on police radio.
"Roger that all units are inbound." a female dispatcher replied. As police chatter continued over the airwaves.
An army of squad cars raced towards the high school with lights and sirens. And were soon joined by a fire engine blaring it's horn as it joined the chase along with ambulances as the emergency vehicles flooded the streets. In the skies overhead Robin, Starfire and Beast Boy headed in the same direction while helecopters followed. At the high school the chaos continued as possessed students destroyed the property around them and terrorizing thier faculty, while Tara tried to remain calm and worked against them. Though it did her little good with her own powers threatening to consume her. The trio of Titans appeared at the school minutes later and crashed through the window giving little regard to their own saftey.
The possessed students looked up at the fresh meat that had entered their midst. Starfire powered up her energy bolts hovering over Robin who drew his staff and a couple power disks, while Beast Boy remained unmorphed. The demonically infected students glared at the trio as some of them hissed, and seemed happy to have a challenge.
"Dont hurt them too much, we dont know what; if anything is controlling them." Robin ordered the others.
Scanning the battlefield Beast Boy caught sight of a familar blonde who was crouched down near the front. But was looking away from him and at the infected students.
"Terra?" he said.
"Oh Terra no, not again." Beast Boy said distraught. Tara's eyes widened hearing his voice and looked back at him. The only one of the students whose eyes wasnt red.
"Beast Boy it's okay I'm on your side." she stated still in the crouched down position. Starfire glanced down at Robin momentarily who never broke his gaze toward the enemy.
"What's going on?" Robin asked.
"I dont know, one minute we were in class and then all hell broke loose. I'm still trying to figure it out myself." Terra stated glancing around at her classmates.
"I'm not sure if it means anything but all of us are wearing tattoos of some band we met." she added.
"We'll worry about the why and how later. Right now we have to take care of this. You with us?" Robin asked.
"Totally." Terra answered as the students growled and roared.
"Titans go!" Robin yelled and went on the offensive.
Author's Note: So this new chapter took a little longer to figure out than I first thought. As it turns out it's easy to go from the Teen Titans Earth to the Young Justice one, transfering back in a way that made pratical sense to me was a little more difficult. So I balanced my friend's opinion and have decided not to tie it into my Teen Titans All Stars' series for simpliticity's sake. And will just use the show's regular continuity. Originally I was going to protray the Titans as being several years older than the YJ team but my friend Mike suggested that might make them unrelateable to the Young Justice team. In short I'm short I'm trying to write something that's different and distinct from other TTYJ fics including my own. You may remember that I wrote an earlier crossover called Teen Titans/Young Justice: Criss Cross Crisis and this was meant to be an 'improved' version of that earlier story. Thier not related in any way I just wanted to see if I could do a better version. Anyway that's all I wanted to say concerning that. I hope you guys like this chapter so be sure to tell me what you think. Because your imput means alot and let's me know if I'm headed in the right direction or not. Let me know what you think.
Please review,
The Green Gallant.