The following chapter is a flashback, providing some additional information before the story continues. I will be using these throughout the story to retell crucial points of the story: Artemis' Betrayal, Roy and Jade's death, etc. if there are any scenes you want to see, or any characters you want me to explore in more depth, please let me know via review or PM. I will do my best to accommodate! Thanks for reading!
EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO
"If you want to turn your back on the League and lose yourself in a life of villainy, that is your decision Batman. But I will not stand by and allow you to corrupt the children into following your distorted sense of justice!" Superman shouted. The argument had carried throughout the halls of Mount Justice, luring the curious teenagers to the mission room where they found the Justice League's two most prominent members in the midst of a heated debate.
"They are not children Clark. They are old enough to make their own decisions about who to follow." Batman countered, only succeeding in angering the Kryptonian further.
"Of course you would say that. You, the man who forced his own sons into this life when they were nine years old!"
"Yeah, because you were 'Father of the Year'." Connor's sarcastic comment made the two mentors suddenly aware of the audience they had attracted. Most of the Young Justice members were now filed into the mission room, surrounding the two heroes with mixed expressions. Some completely agreed with Superman's stance that Batman had lost his right to mentor the Team the moment he murdered the Joker. Others fully supported the vengeance against the madman that had killed three of their members and sold the fourth to her villainous father.
"I may not always have been there for you, Connor, but I never let my own agendas put you in harms way. I never used you as a weapon for my own gain. I was never reckless with your life."
"What are you implying Clark?" Batman growled as his eyes narrowed into the famed Batglare, directed at his former ally.
"All three of your sons are dead, Batman. I think that's proof enough that you are not fit to be a mentor to these children."] The room erupted as the gathered teens reacted to Superman's words. Gasps of shock, cheers of agreement, and angered shouts of protest filled the meeting fight was no longer just between the two heroes, now it was inclusive of the entire Young Justice Team!
"Whoa, easy guys! There's not need to be hasty here!" Bart jumped in, sensing that the situation was quickly spiralling out of control.
"That's not fair! Batman was off-world when the boys were killed! He was on a mission for you!" Batgirl snapped back, taking her stance beside the Dark Knight.
"But he did teach them. Nightwing did dangerous things like that all the time. He always said that the mission was more important than anything else. Red Hood and Robin were the same. All three of them risked their lives for the mission. They learned that from Batman." Zatanna said, feeling a stab of guilt for betraying Nightwing's mentor, but she couldn't help feeling that Batman's teachings were partially responsible for her friend's death.
"Batman is not to blame for the tragedy that befell his proteges. The fault lies solely with the Joker, and although I do not condone Batman's lethal tactics, I cannot deny that this Team is safer now that the clown has been permanently dealt with." Kaldur added his voice to the debate.
"But at what cost? If we allow ourselves to become killers, how are we any better than those we fight against? What Batman did to the Joker and to those other villains was wrong, and I fear he will not stop there. This Team needs a mentor that can keep us on the right path.I believe that Superman should be responsible for this Team. Don't you agree Connor?" M'Gaan stated, reassured by nods from Gar, La'gaan, Zatanna, and Cassie.
The clone clenched his jaw in frustration and turned his eyes one side, his father and his girlfriend, on the other side, his beliefs and his Team.
"No." M'Gaan wasn't the only person who was shocked into silence by the clone's response.
"I'm sorry M'Gaan, but I don't agree. Nightwing was our brother and now he's dead. All three of the former Robins are dead and Artemis hasn't been seen in weeks! We lost four of our Teammates because of those creeps, and if Batman hadn't put a stop to this, we could have lost more! I won't watch any more of my friends die." Connor announced, stepping away from M'Gaan to take his place beside Batman. Taking cue from Superboy, many of the young heroes slowly gravitated to their respective sides of the room, gathering closely behind either Batman or Superman. Only a small handful of heroes - Impulse, Blue Beetle, and Rocket among them - remained in the center of the room, unable to choose sides.
"This is your choice Connor? You would rather side with a murderer than with your mentor?" Superman demanded, poorly hiding the disappointment and betrayal in his eyes.
The clone's silent assurance finally pushed the Kryptonian over the edge. His eyes hardened into a stern glare and he straightened his posture, facing his former allies as he would face the rogues from Metropolis.
"The Young Justice Team is hereby disbanded by authority of the Justice League. Those of you who wish to honour our values will be inducted into the Justice League. Those of you who will allow yourselves to be corrupted by Batman's guidance are dismissed, effective immediately." Superman announced, hearing the eruption of shock, anger, and defiance spread throughout the crowd.
"You have no right to strip these heroes of their position, Superman. They've done nothing wrong." Batman retorted. He had not expected so many of the children to stand loyally by his side, and now they were facing the consequences.
"But you have. You are a murderer Batman; a villain. And I'm placing you under arrest, by order of the Justice League." Superman declared, taking a menacing step forwards, only to be halted when Connor and Kaldur stepped between him and Batman.
"Forgive me Superman, but I cannot allow you to take Batman into custody." Kaldur stated, standing firm despite the unnerving sight of Superman clenching his fists at his sides.
"No wait!" M'Gaan cried out, seeing something in the heroes' minds that scared her. Within moments of the outcry, Kaldur had drawn his water-bearers, Connor slipped into a fighting stance, Roy drew his bow, and the Bats each grasped their bat-a-rangs. Zatanna readied her magic, Gar shifted into a tiger and paced at his sister's side, and La'gaan readied himself for a fight.
"No! No, you can't fight!" Bart screamed out as flashes from his past echoed through his mind. The Justice League divided, the world in peril, the protectors of the Earth becoming the very force that destroys it! He thought he had prevented that future when he saved his grandfather, but it seemed as though fate would have her way after all.
No one was sure which side attacked after the speedster shouts, the mission room became a battleground. The two sides, heroes who had been allies mere hours before, were now locked in combat, both fighting to defend their own beliefs and their freedoms.
La'gaan picked up the heavy conference table and threw it at Connor, who shattered the desk with a single, powerful punch. Roy shot a trick arrow as Gar charged towards him, trapping the tiger in a layer of immobilizing foam. In her brother's defense, M'Gaan lashed out with her telepathy, flinging the archer back into the stone wall and knocking him unconscious. Aqualad whipped his water-bearers, attempting to create some distance between the opposing side, but a sudden force struck him in the chest, sending him soaring back into the wall next to Roy. Cassy pinned Kaldur against the stone, slamming him against the wall with enough force to cause the ceiling to crumble. Connor tackled La'gaan, unintentionally taking out one of the support beams in the process. Pieces of the stone ceiling began to loosen and rain down upon the crowd, adding more chaos to the scene, and right at the center of it all was Batman and Superman.
Under normal circumstances, it would seem impossible for a mere human like Bruce Wayne to challenge A super-strengthed Kryptonia like Clark Kent, but Batman had a contingency plan for everything. He knew Superman's moves, he had analysed every techniques, and used his experience, gadgets, and surroundings to his advantage. Every time Superman lunged towards him, the Dark Knight flipped out of the way, causing the Kryptonian to crash into the surrounding walls, only succeeding in slowing himself down and compromising the Mountain's structure. Occasionally, Bruce would use his enhanced perception of his surroundings to lure Clark into the path of one of the children's attacks, causing harm to the alien and protecting his loyal proteges at the same time. As the battle blazed on, however, Clark was becoming more frustrated and far more dangerous. In a sudden lapse of control, he shot a powerful blast of his heat vision towards the Bat, not noticing the flash of yellow and red until it was too late.
Bart let out an agonizing cry, loud enough to ring out over the sounds of the ongoing battle. His costume (the one he inherited from Wally) was singed and torn, exposing the vicious burns beneath. Burns alone would have been little concern for the speedster's accelerated healing, but the force of the blast had left him temporarily crippled on the ground, unable to move on his own. Panicked screams were heard from both sides as the ceiling finally gave out, and the young speedster disappeared beneath a mound of rubble.
"Superboy, Blue Beetle, Aqualad, get him out of there! Batgirl, alert the Flash!" Batman shouted over the gradually ending battle. With Superman halted by the shock of what he had done, there was no one to argue against the Dark Knight's orders. Despite the fight, each of the young heroes still truly cared for their teammates, and seeing one of their own buried beneath the cave in had effectively ended the struggle.
The strongest of the heroes worked at shifting the rubble while others stood by in shock and fear. When Bart was finally uncovered, he was broken, bloody, and motionless. Batman lifted the young speedster into his arms and turned towards the Zeta Beam to bring the young boy to the Batcave for medical attention.
"Batman, you can't take him! I can't let you…" Clark started, silenced instantly by the fiercest glare he'd ever seen from beneath that cowl.
"You claimed you would never put these children's lives in danger. Bart Allan's blood is on your hands now. If he dies, I am holding you responsible. I may be a murderer Clark, but at least the people I killed deserved to die. Can you say the same?" Bruce growled darkly, before stepping into the light of the Zeta Beam and disappearing.
Following several seconds of shocked silence, Barbara turned to follow. Kaldur and Jaime supported Roy and helped him stagger after Batgirl, followed by the other Young Justice members who had chosen to ally with Batman. Connor hesitated at the Zeta BEam, turning for one last glance at his former Teammates. As his eyes lingered on M'Gaan, he hear the familiar voice in his mind, begging him to stay.
"Stay with us… please Connor…"
With a heavy sigh and a broken expression, Connor shook his head and disappeared into the light. Young Justice was dead. This was the beginning of the end of the world.