Before anyone reads this chapter, I would like to thank all of the people who favorited, followed, reviewed, and espesially those who sent me messages. As an Author I cannot describe how good it feels to know that people are reading and enjoying my story. The fact that they care enough to as me to continue and to not give up on me after my long period of inactivity means more than I can say. So to all of you, Thank You.

Gotham City. August 27. 6:17 EDT.

Grunts and battle cries sounded in the air, flashes of light shining through the windows of an old warehouse. Superboy lunged through his target, but achieved nothing more than getting himself covered in clay. Arcane rose up behind him, and swung his sword twice, launching twin arcs of light that instead of cutting, wrapped around their target, keeping it immobile.

"Aqualad, now!" Arcane sent over the mental link. But the dark skinned atlantean didn't move. In those precious few seconds the bonds Arcane placed on Clayface failed, and the muddy giant shifted his hand into a hammer and slammed it into Superboy's chest, knocking him off to the side.

"Move Aqualad!" Kid Flash said over the link, as he zoomed in and hauled the still out of it atlantean out of the way of a barrel that Clayface had thrown as soon as he'd caught sight of the young superhero.

"Get your head in the game!" Artemis snapped mentally, firing two explosive arrows into the villain's arm. The heads blinked red briefly before detonating, destroying the limb. Enraged Clayface charged at the archer with a roar.

"Robin, are you done?" Arcane asked, his eyes narrowing as he took in a birdseye view of the battlefield.

"Just finished!" the boy wonder confirmed, leaping onto a rafter near where his leader was floating.

"Good. Artemis, lead him over to the blue barrels. Miss Martian, make sure you get Artemis out of there as soon as they blow." the spellcaster ordered, "I want this finished."

"Understood." the green skinned girl replied, lifting her arms as her eyes began to glow.

"Anytime now guys!" Artemis shot at them, backflipping narrowly over another of Clayface's attacks, this time a mace. As if on cue, the explosive disks Robin had planted on the blue barrels exploded. The barrels burst and sent a torrent of water raining down on Artemis and Clayface. Miss Martian quickly lifted her blonde teammate out of the water. A split second later and a stream of white lightning slammed into the extra drenched mud man. The water amplified the already powerful lightning, and it wasn't long before Clayface began to melt, only to have the water rise up and freeze solid, trapping him in an airtight icy prison.

"You know, it's a good thing he doesn't have to breath." Kid Flash remarked, zooming up next to the frozen villain.

Arcane nodded. "If he did, then containing him would be a lot more draining. Now let's hit the showers." His statement was met with groans of approval by his teammates as they made their way back to the zeta tubes. As Aqualad passed him Arcane placed a hand on his shoulder. "We need to talk." he told the other boy, his eyes hard as steel.

"I am home." "I need to talk with Aqualad." Batman said as the team emerged, dirty and tired from their mission. "The rest of you, hit the showers and head home."

"Head home?" Superboy scoffed, walking past the Dark Knight.

"Just Aqualad." Batman clarified as both Robin and Arcane made no sign of movement.

Robin started walking but Arcane didn't budge. "I need to talk to him too." Arcane said, noticing Batman's glare. "And he's on my team, so you can cover anything I miss." It was a rare thing for someone to dictate terms to the world's greatest detective, and even rarer when he accepted. Batman nodded and let Arcane take center stage.

"I am sorry you had to alter the plan due to my failures." Aqualad said, his head bowed.

"You're lucky that I was able to put an alternate plan into action before your inaction got someone killed." Arcane said, clearly not willing to pull any punches in this regard. "I don't know what's going on in your head Aqualad, I'm not a martian. But you need to sort it out, so I'm suspending you from all further missions until you do." The dark skinned teen bowed his head even further, clearly feeling the weight of his shame. "That being said Kaldur," Rorek said placing a hand on his friends shoulder, but this time in a more comforting manner. "You have friends here. And the League is willing to listen. Tell us what the problem is and maybe you won't have to go through it alone."

Kaldur sighed. "Of late I am not even convinced I belong on the surface world. For so many years it filled my every thought. But now that I am here, my dreams are all Atlantis."

"Atlantis…or someone you left behind." Batman said, speaking up for the first time.

Rorek sighed. "You need to sort this out Kaldur. You're time can be spent in both worlds, but your mind has got to be focused. Anything else makes you a liability to the team, and I won't have you endangering yourself or others because you're unable to focus." Rorek told him.

"You need to make a decision Kaldur. And make it soon." Batman said before turning and following his protege out of the room.

Poseidonis. August 27. 13:00 UTC-2

"Aqualad B 02. Arcane B 07." the computerized voice of the League's Zeta tubes announced as the two members of the team exited the underwater gateway, Rorek summoning a white glow around his throat, allowing him to breath underwater.

"Kaieray, Kaldur'ahm." Aquaman greeted his protege in atlantean. "Anahast, Rorek." the underwater king said to the spellcaster.

"Anex Orin." the two teens said in unison, bringing a fist up to their brows in an atlantean salute.

As the three swam along Rorek was doing his best to marvel at the city around him, keep up with his teammate and his mentor, and focus on the conversation all at the same time. Frowning as he realized that his limited knowledge of the atlantean language would not be enough during his time here, Rorek sighed and cast a translation spell. "The Queen and I are hosting an intimate dinner tonight." Arthur was telling his protege. "You will attend?" he asked.

"Your Majesty…there is someone…special…I had hoped to see tonight-" Kaldur began, but Arthur smiled warmly.

"You may invite a friend. After all, you have already brought one." he said, glancing at Rorek.

"I would not want to intrude." Rorek said, shaking his head. "If you wish for this to be a night for you and your friends, with your permission, I'm sure I could survive on my own for one evening."

"Nonsense." the king told him, placing a hand on the shoulder of the white haired teen. "You are a friend of Kaldur'ahm, and so a friend of mine."

"Thank you, your majesty." Rorek said after a moment of hesitation.

"Yes, thank you, my king." Kaldur said, a relieved smile on his face.

"Until tonight." Arthur said, breaking off from the two teens.

"Come," Rorek said, laying a hand on Kaldur's shoulder. "I want to see this person who has you so distracted. And you promised to show me the conservatory." Smiling Kaldur nodded, and lead his friend away.

The conservatory was an almost Greek style of building, with many students, some mostly human, some for more sea-creature, casting spells and practicing magic. They swam by a green boy, who looked like a classic interpretation of 'The Monster From the Black Lagoon' and a young mermaid, with a purple tail whose spell made thick purple ink explode from her cauldron, then quickly fade away. "Did it work?" she asked. "I can't tell if it worked."

Finally they happened across what appeared to be a child like Cthulhu, who was working on some kind of mural. Moving his hands, the young atlantean placed a group of stone tiles into the picture with his magic. "Topo, the workmanship is magnificent." Kaldur said as they stopped behind him.

"Kaldur!" Topo gasped. "Wait, wait! Watch. Listen." And raising a hand, Topo summoned a swirl of water that began animating the mural. "Our beloved king was at the mercy of the vile Ocean Master." The picture showed, what could only be Aquaman, crouched as electricity covered him, coming from the man with a trident, who Rorek guessed must be the Ocean Master. "But two young students, Kaldur'ahm, and Garth, intervened, allowing the Aquaman to triumph!" Here the mural changed to show Kaldur and Garth creating a vortex of electrified water to strike Ocean Master, and Aquaman delivering the decisive blow. "Impressed with their valor, Aquaman offered both young heroes the opportunity to be his protege." Here it showed Aquaman, standing above a kneeling Kaldur, colored in red, and Garth, colored in blue. "Garth chose to continue his studies at the conservatory of sorcery." The mural changed again to show Garth practicing more magic, before shifting to show Kaldur standing with Aquaman off to one side. "But the brave Kaldur, accepted his king's offer and became…Aqualad!" As Topo finished his story, the belt buckle of the mural's Kaldur shone blue, before ending the story. "Kaldur? I mean, Aqualad?" Topo asked, seeing his hero lost in thought.

"Oh, it is very good." Kaldur told him.

"Oh thank you!" Topo said. "Um, do you think it's okay I put myself in? I mean I know I was not really there but-"

"It is fine." Kaldur said, reaching out and running a hand across the mural. "Do you know where I might find Tula now? And Garth."

"On the roof, at their studies." Topo told him.

On the roof of the conservatory two teens were engaged in an intense magical sparring match. Leaping back to avoid an incoming attack a black haired teen, dressed in blue raised his hands and shot out a blast of blue energized water that the girl with short red hair dressed in yellow, avoided, sending her own attacks at him. One was a small blast of blue, followed by a spiral beam. The black haired youth flipped gracefully over the attacks and landed in a crouch, erecting a shield of energized water just in time to block the next attack.

Standing behind the boy was a beautiful red haired woman dressed in green. On her head was a golden crown. :Your technique is excellent," the woman told the boy. "But your choices remain predictable. Combat sorcery…improvisation." Turning her head, as if sensing others approach, the woman noticed Kaldur and Rorek swimming up to them. "Kaldur'ahm!" she exclaimed. "Oh, so good to see you!"

Both of the teens turned to look in shock at their friend. "Kaldur!" the girl exclaimed happily, swimming up to him.

"Apologies my queen." Kaldur said, bringing his hand up in the same salute he gave Aquaman. "I did not mean to interrupt."

"It is well. I have another class. Will I see you at dinner?" the atlantean queen asked.

"Yes your majesty." Kaldur nodded.

"We shall talk then." she said swimming off into the conservatory.

Turning back around Kaldur was hugged around the neck by the red haired girl. "You look well Kaldur." she told him happily.

"Yes. Surface life agrees with you." the black haired teen nodded. "And who is this outsider you have brought with you?"

"This is Rorek." Kaldur introduced his surface friend to his undersea friends. "He is my comrade on the surface. But you speak as if I have been gone for years, but it has only been-"

"Two months." the other two said in unison.

"That long?" Kaldur mussed. "Then I must make up for lost time. Tula, will you accompany me to dinner tonight, at the palace?" The two atlanteans shared a look that was not lost on Rorek. "I wish I could invite you as well." he said placing a hand on Garth's shoulder.

"I made that choice long ago." Garth replied evenly.

"We, have another class." Tula said, grabbing Garth by the arm and pulling him away. "But I will see you tonight."

"You have to tell him." Garth told Tula as they were flying away.

In another part of the city a bald scientist was giving a report to a well muscled atlantean. "It is disturbing to say the least." he was saying. "The creature is frozen, has been frozen for millennia, yet somehow, it still lives. We have even detected brainwaves. Needless to say, Prince Orm, the study of this find has become the science center's highest priority."

"All security protocols are in place." a guard elaborated. "No unauthorized personnel get in or out."

"Excellent." Orm said, looking back at the specimen.

Back in the cave, Superboy sat staring at the television, with M'gann behind him in the kitchen, looking at a recipe book.

"Would you like me to turn that on?" M'gann asked him hesitantly.

"No." Superboy said, not shifting his eyes from the snowy screen.

"Well, would you like to help me make dinner?" she asked.

"No." the clone said, but he stood and strode into the kitchen anyway, making M'gann smile. "Let's see." she said happily. "We're gonna need some brown sugar, a little butter," Superboy ducked in surprise as the martian girl began taking out the ingredients with her telekinesis as she read them out. "Some salt, cooking oil, vinegar, a few eggs, a couple of tomatoes, some milk, a bowl of flower and a-" The sound of something clattering behind her cut her off. Superboy stood there holding a carton of milk, with a mixing bowl on his head, dripping with broken eggs, and other ingredients. "Oops." M'gann said, mentally grabbing a towel. She rushed forward, knocking the bowl off his head, and dabbing at his dripping shirt. Superboy stood there staring at her, expressionless. "I'm so sorry. I should have paid more attention. It was too much at once, too much at once. Hello, Megan! That's so me." she babbled. "I…uh…" her ramblings died in her throat as her eyes met his.

Red Tornado walked down the hall, leading to the kitchen and entertainment area. M'gann stood at the counter chopping onions, one part of the counter still a mess. Superboy was back in his previous place on the couch, watching the static, heedless of the milk and egg shells still covering him. The android turned on his heel and walked away.

On the outskirts of Poseidonis a drill burrowed up from beneath the ocean floor. A squad of black armored figures swam out of the hole, only to be spotted by an atlantean patrol. "Halt, Intruders!" one of the guards shouted. But the intruders turned and fired off several high energy shots that stunned the patrol. One of the guards managed to recover faster than the intruders had anticipated, grabbed the spear he had dropped when shot, and was about to lunge when a black boot slammed him into the ground.

"That was careless Alpha Squad." Black Manta chastised. "Don't let it happen again."

"No sir." Alpha Squad acknowledged.

"All squads, report." Manta ordered via radio.

"Beat Squad ready."

"Gamma Squad ready."

"Delta Squad ready."

"Epsilon Squad ready.

"Phase one complete." Manta said when he'd gotten confirmation from all his squads. "Initiate phase two."

The Black Manta troopers carefully placed advanced looking black devices at strategic points all across the city. One of the troopers hit a red button near the bottom of the device, indicating it was activated. "All squads report manta stings in place and ready. Phase two complete."

Gotham City. August 27. 20:04 EDT.

"Just Aqualad." Dick grunted to himself as he practiced his gymnastics. He hung from two suspended rings, flipping his body upside down and back again, even flipping into the air. Trying to do a backflip dismount onto a metal pole nearby the teen hero slipped and fell, rolling neatly until he hit the wall. Lashing out he punched a small crater in the wall of the gym.

In the Batcave Bruce Wayne sat in his Batman garb, for once, without the cowl, watching his ward on the monitor with his faithful butler Alfred standing just behind him.

The door to they gym opened just as Dick was opening a bottle of water. "Master Bruce would like to see you." Alfred said from the doorway.

Opening the door to the back of the manor, still looking dejected, Dick was surprised to see a basketball bounce towards him. "What's this?" he asked, catching the ball.

"Training." Bruce said, dressed in work out clothes like the teen. "Hand-eye coordination."

"One on one?" Dick asked grinning.

"If you think you can handle it." Bruce shot back with a smile.

Alfred had to smile as he watched the two play basketball together. It was bonding, no matter the excuse.

In the palace King Orin and Queen Mera a select few people were seated around the table having dinner. "A gigantic echinoderm." Orm was telling them. "Frozen, yet still alive. Of course right now our data is quite limited. But Dr. Vulko thinks that the creature is very promising.

"I am considering joining you at the conservatory." Kaldur whispered to Tula, who was seated on his right, making her eyes widen.

"You realize you left your studies some time ago." Queen Mera told him, having overheard his words. "Your sorcery skills have not kept apace. You would no longer be in Tula's class. Or Gath's."

"Perhaps I will require a tutor." Kaldur said, looking at Tula. Tula said nothing, but took a bite out of her dinner, smiling slightly. Rorek watched the interaction between the two atlanteans carefully, but quickly shifted his attention back to Prince Orm.

Central City. August 27. 20:05 EDT.

Three couples and one teen sat around a dinner table with a big banner hanging behind them that read Happy Birthday, all laughing and enjoying each others company. "Here, let me get that." Barry Allen said standing up, holding his own plate. "And that, and this, and those and these." he said speeding around the table to pick up the empty dishes. "How about that." Wally quickly ate the rest of his food, then stood up holding out his plate. "Oh, this too. I got it." Barry said racing from the table into the kitchen.

"Thanks Uncle Barry." Wally said walking into the kitchen.

"Your a lucky lady Iris." Wally's mother told her younger sister. "Our Wally certainly isn't that fast. Not when it comes to clearing the table."

"Mom!" the speedster protested from the kitchen.

"Neither is my Jay." Mrs. Jarick said, patting her husband's arm. "I know, I know." You're a retired speedster." she said as he was about to argue. "And since it's your birthday we won't argue." Jay looked appeased.

"Wally's fast enough when he wants to be." Barry said walking back in holding a cake with a candle on top. "We're suddenly out of ice cream."

"Wally!" Wally's mother scolded as her son froze with the spoon of chocolate ice cream still in his mouth, the empty carton tucked under one arm.

"Uh, happy birthday." he said sheepishly around the spoon.

We have an announcement." Aquaman said as he and Mera stood together.

"I am with child." the red haired queen told the guests, laying her and her husband's hands on her stomach.

"Oh that is wonderful!" Tula almost squealed with delight, rushing to hug the queen.

"Congratulations!" Kaldur agrees. shaking his mentor's hand. "An heir to the throne at last." Then his eyes fell on Orm who had just risen. "Apologies Prince Orm. I did not mean-"

"No fear Kaldur." Orm reassured him. "No one could be more thrilled at this news than I!" He exclaimed, swimming forward and grasping his brother by the shoulders.

"Thank you brother." Arthur told him. "Thanks to you all." The his lips met the queen, making Orm look away, smiling softly, Tula and Kaldur glance at each other out of the corner of their eyes and Rorek to look away, a frown on his face.

"Superman to Aquaman. League emergency at Tokyo Bay. Rendezvous at the Watchtower." the kryptonians voice cut through the intimate moment.

"Acknowledged." Aquaman said, pressing two fingers to his belt buckle. "It seems I must take my leave." he said to Mera who looked away. "Swim with me." the king directed Kaldur. The two swam in silence for a short way, "Batman has made me aware of your dilemma." the king told Kaldur after a while, making the darker skinned atlantean look away in shame. "I know from experience that it can be difficult to live there and love here."

Eventually they reached the zeta-tube chamber that he'd entered through earlier. A screen popped up and Aquaman deftly entered a set of coordinates, and the chamber began filling with light. "Recognized: Aquaman 06." the computerized voice announced.

Aquaman turned around, placing a hand on Kaldur's shoulder. "I am confident you will make the right choice." Kaldur saluted and Aquaman swam into the zeta-tube and disappeared in a flash of light.

In another part of Poseidonis a squadron of Manta Troopers peeked around their hiding placed behind pillars as a group of guards swam past. "Omega Squad is in position." the leader said into his helmet radio. "Initiate Phase three.

Meanwhile Kaldur and tula were taking a private swim through the palace gardens. Eventually they both stopped and said "There is something I must-" at the exact same moment.

"I-" Tula began, but Kaldur cut her off.

"Tula, please." he said holding up a hand. "I have made a decision…to stay in Atlantis with you, because of you." he said reaching out and taking her hand as he spoke. For a moment, a flash of happiness shone in her eyes, but was quickly drowned by a rush of sorrow.

"Kaldur, I'm sorry." Tula said pulling away and wrapping an arm around herself. "We wanted to tell you sooner, but Garth and I, we are…together. Kaldur stood there, shock evident on his features, replaced quickly by pain. But before either of them could say more the building above them was destroyed by a multitude of explosions. Buildings crumbled as sections all over the city were wracked with explosions. The two floated side by side, identical looks of horror on their faces as the city fell under attack.

The city guards quickly moved to evacuate the civilians. "Quickly, get these people out of here!" one guard directed the others as he held up a pile of rubble. The civilians quickly swam toward shelter. Before the guards could act further, they were ambushed by Manta troopers, hiding behind a wall above them. Several of the black armored soldiers kept up a rain of suppressing fire while one took aim with a rocket launcher and blasted a hole in the roof of a building above them.

Tula and Kaldur were about to take action, when a field of white lightning erupted around the Manta troopers. The lightning then formed an almost solid sphere around the enemies, before compressing and detonating. "What in the world?" Tula gasped. Kaldur just pointed down to where Arcane was pulling his sword, still crackling with power out of the ground.

Back at the palace, Queen Mera and Prince Orm swam out, accompanied by a squad of soldiers and were unsurprising to see Manta troopers descending upon them. The two sets of soldiers quickly started exchanging fire. Holding out a hand Mera made a purple magic circle appear in front of her to block the troopers attempts to hit her. lifting a hand she created another one, this one however released a swarm of eels, made of water that quickly wrapped themselves around some of the enemies, releasing devastating electric shocks. Orm, picked up a gun that had been dropped by one of the fallen guards and began returning fire. But it was no use. The much larger force of the attacking Manta troopers soon overwhelmed the atlantean soldiers, leaving Mera and Orm the only ones standing. Lifting both her hands, Mera created a purple manta construct out of water to shield her and her brother-in-law.

Suddenly a ball of blue lightning slammed into the ground at the base of the shield and exploded into a maelstrom of whirling water and lightning. Flipping backwards, Tula avoided the shots of an approaching trooper and batted him away with a wave of mystically enhanced water. A second, approaching from behind was wrapped in a tendril of water and slammed into the sea floor by Aqualad.

"This attack was precision-planned." Aqualad announced. "The initial explosions lured our patrols into ambush."

"But this isn't a powerful enough force to take the city, or even hold a small portion of it." Arcane said shaking his head. "They must have another objective, but what?" the white haired teen was pulled out of his thoughts by Tula swimming in front of him, pursued by a small group of Manta troopers. Swimming under a ping of stone supported by pillars, the red haired girl waited until the enemy was right beneath it, then fired two shots of high pressure water right at where the pillars touched the stone. The stone and pillars crumbled as one, collapsing on top of the Manta troopers. She swam in front of Queen Mera, who narrowed her eyes. Grunting, the crimson haired queen threw the manta shaped shield at another group of their attackers, sending them crashing through more pillars.

Arcane and Aqualad were darting all over the battlefield, as they were the ones best suited for close range combat. Before the soldiers that had been knocked away could recover they were sucked into a shaped tornado of water and were shot as projectiles at their comrades.

"Tula!" a voice rang out. Glancing behind her Tula was relieved to see Garth swimming towards them, until she noticed the black figure behind him.

"Garth, look out!" she screamed swimming forward, but before she could reach him, an arc or light flew past her so close she lost a few strands of hair and slammed into the trooper, sending him crashing through a wall.

"Pay attention!" Arcane snapped at the black haired boy. "This is a battlefield not a ballroom!"

"Are you two alright?" Aqualad asked swimming up to them.

"Y-yeah." Garth nodded.

"He is right," Aqualad nodded at the human, whose glowing figure was blitzing all around the courtyard. "Times like this are what we do, and distractions…cannot be allowed." he finished slowly.

"We understand." Tula nodded. Any further conversation was cut off by more shots fired by the ever increasing number of Manta troopers. With a yell, the glowing blue markings that were invisible on Garth, Tula and Queen Mera began to grow on the red haired queen as she put more effort into her magic. Now a massive purple octopus seemed to be emerging from the bedrock all around the palace, its tentacles both shielding the atlanteans and attacking the advancing troopers.

A streak of white slipped inside the writhing tentacles, and Arcane floated in the water near Queen Mera and Prince Orm. "We need to push them back." He said, his brilliant blue eyes taking in the situation of the city. "Gain the Atlantean forces some breathing room and they will be able to start pushing back the enemy. Can word be sent to the surface?" he asked Orm.

"No." the prince said, sounding worried. "Surface communications are down. We cannot reach King Orin. Summon more troops to the palace." he ordered Garth.

"The palace was not the only target." Garth informed them. "I witnessed explosions in sectors one, two, three and five."

"Nothing in sector four?" Arcane asked.

"Aqualad, what's in sector four?" Arcane asked, his eyes narrowing as Aqualad swam forward, in the direction of what he assumed was sector four.

"The Science Center." Aqualad told him. "Where the giant sea star is secured."

"Then it is all a diversion." Orm realized. "But with the king away, I must protect the queen, and the heir." he said solemnly.

"I need no protection. Go!" Mera ordered from where she still commanded the massive water construct.

"No, Mera. If you suffered any injury my brother would never forgive me." Orm refused.

"The prince is right my queen. Leave this battle to us." Aqualad said, nodding to Arcane. The white haired teen nodded his consent, and the two attacked as one.

Gotham City. August 27. 22:00 EDT.

Artemis sat on the floor of a run down home, the television on behind her and a roll of arrows on the floor beside her as she tinkered with one. Several toolboxes were open as well. She was wearing simple clothes, jeans, a white shirt and a brown jacket. She looked up as the television turned off behind her.

Holding the remote was a woman of asian descent, sitting in a wheelchair, holding a few pieces of paper. "This came in the mail for you." she told Artemis excitedly, extending the papers.

"You opened it? Mom!" Artemis protested, quickly taking the papers from her mother.

"Oh, just read it!" the woman laughed, too happy to be upset by her daughter's attitude.

On the paper was a large capital G surrounded by a coat of arms. Next to it were the words 'Gotham Academy' written in gold in a red box. A line below that said 'Office of Admissions and Financial Aid'. Then the real letter began.

'Dear Miss Artemis Crock,

I am delighted to inform you that you have been awarded a full Wayne Foundation Scholarship to the Gotham Academy. This will include TUITION and all EXPENSES.

Each year the Wayne Foundation selects a single student, who they choose with great care, taking into consideration both the candidate's academic achievements as well as the individual's character and extracurricular strengths.

Naturally, the final decision to attend remains yours, but we hope that you will choose to join us at Gotham Academy.'

It was signed by a man named Philip Wilcox, the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid.

"I've been awarded a full Wayne Foundation Scholarship to the Gotham Academy?" Artemis asked dubiously as she read the letter. "But I didn't apply." she said, sounding confused.

"It's not that kind of scholarship." Her mother told her. "You qualify or you don't." She wheeled herself closer to Artemis. "Gotham Academy is very prestigious. You should be thrilled!"

"Yeah…I'm not switching schools." Artemis said casually crumpling up the paper and tossing it over her shoulder so that it landed on the coffee table behind her. "All my friends are at Gotham North."

Her mother picked up the paper and unfolded it, then snatched away an arrow that Artemis had been looking down the shaft off. "You're going." She said with steal in her voice. "Or you give up your extracurriculars." She held out the the piece of paper.

"Mom, don't make threats you can't enforce." Artemis said with a grin, standing up and taking the arrow back. But as she turned to walk away her mother caught her by the wrist.

"Artemis, this is a chance to better your life!" she shouted, banging a hand on the arm of her wheelchair. Artemis paused. "A chance I never had." her mother finished, tears now leaking from her eyes.

"Okay, Mom." Artemis said softly, kneeling down and placing a hand on top of her mothers hand that still rested in her lap. "I'll go. I'll go for you." Her mother looked up, stunned, then smiled. Her eyes still shining with tears, she embraced her daughter.

In Poseidonis, an explosion rocked the Science Center as Arcane and Aqualad swam up. Inside, the old scientist who had been speaking with Prince Orm earlier and his guards, were quickly overcome by not only a squad of Manta Troopers, but the arrival of Black Manta himself. In the middle of the room was the massive sea star, still frozen in its block of ice. "Objective Secured." the black clad leader intoned. "Manta Sub, initiate Phase four." Above the building a sleek black submarine pulled up directly above the glass domed roof. From the belly of the craft a laser was fired, in order to remove the roof as an obstruction without potentially damaging the specimen.

Reaching a security doorway Arcane whirled around as Aqualad began working on entering the access codes, only to find himself facing Garth and Tula. "What are you two doing here?" Aqualad whispered when he noticed them.

"We couldn't just let you two have all the fun." Garth grinned.

"We aren't about to let you two go in there alone." Tula agreed. Aqualad glanced at Arcane who sighed and shrugged. Turning and nodding at his two friends, Aqualad lead the way through the door.

Meanwhile the Manta Troopers were busily attaching cords to the ice, making a harness. "Check the perimeter." Black Manta ordered a few of his troops. "As soon as the sub melts through the dome, we take our prize and go."

"So does your friend have a plan?" Garth whispered to Aqualad as the swam along, the glowing figure a little ways ahead of them with Tula bringing up the rear, only for him to realize that Aqualad was no longer there. "Kaldur?" he whispered, looking around for his friend. As he swam up to a gap between two pillars, he came face to face with the two Manta Troopers that Black Manta had sent on patrol.

An instant later the men were unconscious, and Aqualad floated between them, holding two maces made of solidified water. "I too have had my studies." Aqualad said simply.

Black Manta nodded as two of his men came back from their patrol. Nis eyes narrowed underneath his helmet however as he noticed the curved hilts hanging from the belt of one of them. The two men swam up to one of the links of the cords, marveling at the sight before them. "Impressive, is it not, Aqualad." Manta said swimming up behind them. Aqualad whirled, firing his new rifle as he spun.

Black Manta swam swiftly, avoiding the shots, and fired off two large beams of energy from the lenses of his helmet, destroying the firearms. He fired off another two beams that impacted on the wall behind Aqualad and exploded. Pulling his helmet off swiftly Aqualad drew his water bearers and formed sword blades to deflect energy fire. Seeing Black Manta fire off another energy blast from his helmet Aqualad quickly transformed one of his swords into a whip that he lashed around a Trooper's leg and pulled him in front of the blast.

"Such a waste." Black Manta said. "You really have no ambition beyond serving Aquaman? Aren't there schools of others willing to die for their king? This fool for example!" he said turning his head to face where Garth was struggling to get his damaged helmet off. Reacting just in time Aqualad wrapped his whip around Garth's body and pulled him out of the way.

They came to a stop behind a pillar where Aqualad gripped his black haired friend by the shoulders. "Garth, get your head in the game!" Aqualad ordered, before forming a shield and entering the fray. Before he could do more than block a few lasers however a ball of concentrated electricity shot through the hole in the roof Manta and his men had made when entering the room. It exploded sending bolts of electricity across the room. Taking advantage of the confusion Arcane flew out of the hole, sending out waves of light that slammed into the enemies. Seeing Manta as the enemy leader, the white haired spellcaster swiftly attacked.

Manta grunted in surprise as Arcane held out a hand and the red beams from his helmet splintered apart. The two engaged in a vicious duel, red and white light flying everywhere. Garth, still behind the pillar watched the two work in awe. He had always seen Kaldur as his friend first and Aqualad second. But now, seeing him in action, he realised just what that title meant. He spun, and kicked, the weapons coming from his water bearers changed so fluidly to fit his needs. Garth's eyes narrowed. Holding his hands out he began channeling magical power. Soon he had a writhing mass of mystically empowered water between his hands. "I summon the power of the tempest!" he yelled, thrusting his hands forward. The ball became a cyclone of water, powerful enough to throw any Manta Trooper who got too close to it clear across the room and into any wall or pillar that got in their way.

Sometime as the fight raged the Manta sub finished melting its way through the dome. Soon a cable was being lowered, ready to attach to the harness around the ice. "Tula!" Arcane shouted, "Destroy that sub!"

"On it!" the atlantean girl cried out, swimming out of the hole she had been resting under since her magical grenade had drained most of the power she had left. Dancing around the shots being fired at her, Tula fired off several bolts of mystic water at the sub that forced it to move or risk being destroyed.

"NO!" Manta roared as he watched his sub get chased off. He snarled and caught Arcane in a bearhug, firing his lasers strait into the teens face, stunning him. "If I can't have it, no one can!" he shouted in rage, arming one of the shoulder mounted rocket launchers in his suit, and firing it at the ice.

"Get down!" Garth shouted, leaping in front of both Arcane and Aqualad as the massive explosion rocked the Science Center. As the smoke cleared the ice shell that Garth had erected broke into shards. Aqualad helped Arcane to his feet. Looking up they saw Black Manta swimming off into the distance, before being reached by his sub and disappearing.

"I'm sorry." Tula said, landing beside them. "I couldn't catch it."

"It's fine." Arcane assured her. "We might not have protected the sea star, but we made sure that Manta didn't get it, for whatever reason. I count that as a win."

"Indeed." Kaldur nodded. "We should get back to the palace. Now that Manta's operation has failed, it is likely that his forces will be pulling out."

Poseidonis. September 3. 21:08 UCT-2.

"Our city was heavily damaged and many atlanteans were injured." Aquaman was saying to the assembled core fighters. He stood with his arm around Queen Mera's shoulders. Standing before him were Kaldur, Garth, Tula, Orm and Rorek. "But it could have been far worse." he said, leaning down and placing a hand on Mera's stomach. "I am grateful to you all."

"This is all that survived." Orm said, holding up a small container, housing a small chunk of the creature. "It is already regenerating. The creature required further research, but with the dome compromised and the Science Center in ruins, we cannot safely secure or study it here in Atlantis. Perhaps the surface world can do better." he said after a moment.

"I'm sure they will be eager to try." Aquaman said, though whether that was said with sincerity or scorn Rorek couldn't tell. "Kaldur?" he asked the dark skinned teen.

Kaldur stepped forward and saluted. "Call me Aqualad, my king." The blonde king smiled.

As it was time for them to go the two teenage superheroes stood facing the atlantean couple."Kaldur, I, we, that is," Tula began, but Kaldur stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I wish you both nothing but the best." he said, placing another hand on Garth's shoulder. Then he accepted a hug from Tula and walked into the zeta tube. He paused as the light shone from beneath him. "Have you ever wondered what would have happened if I had stayed behind, and you had become Aqualad?" he asked Garth.

"Never." Garth said.

"No. Neither have I." Kaldur replied, walking further into the zeta tube.

"Recognized. Aqualad. B 02." the voice said and Kaldur was gone.

"Remember what I told you." Rorek said walking into the tube. "And we still have spots open on the team should either of you change your minds."

"We'll be sure to remember that." Garth laughed.

Rorek nodded. "Recognized. Arcane. B 07." And he too, was gone.

They arrived at the cave in the customary whir of the zeta tubes and a bust of light, completed by the computerized voice announcing their presence. Batman was standing in the combat training arena, holoscreens pulled up around him. "Made your decision?" Batman asked.

The decision is made. I am here. One hundred percent." Aqualad replied. Arcane nodded and lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Just in time for your next mission." Batman said, as the rest of the team filled in. "The watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialian desert.

Somewhere underneath the ocean, Black Manta stood in his submarine, in an audience with the Light. "I was unable to secure the objective, and was forced to execute plan B." he informed them.

"You did well." A cultured voice came from the screen directly in front of him. "Everything falls into place."

"Greetings, Kaldur'ahm."

"You as well, Rorek."

"King Orin."