Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays
I do not own X-men or Young Justice
*Mount Justice: October 25, 16:58*
Black Canary watched with pride as the Team went through a successful training session. All except for Wally, who was watching from a reclining chair, while Captain Marvel waited on him hand and foot.
"Good work everyone" said Canary, ending the training session. "It's been a productive week."
"Yeah, for everyone except Kid Malingerer" said Artemis, taking a jab at Wally.
"Hey! Arm broken in combat against the Injustice League here" the young speedster argued, waving his cast for emphasis.
Black Canary chuckled at the display.
"I've really enjoyed being your uh, den mother this week" she said sincerely.
"Recognized: Zatara 11" the computer suddenly announced, getting their attention, as the League member arrived in a flash of light. The magician then brought up a holographic computer screen, and typed in a command, reactivating the Cave's zeta tubes. "Access Granted: Zatanna, Zatara. A-03"
The Team watched with interest as a girl with long black hair dressed in what appeared to be school uniform.
"Zatanna, this is the Team" said Zatara introducing the girl. "Team, my daughter, Zatanna."
Always eager to make a new friend M'gann went over the meet the clearly nervous new girl.
"Hi, I'm…"
"Robin!" the boy wonder interrupted, jumping in front of Miss Martian, before regaining his composure. "I mean, I'm Robin. She's M'gann, and that's Wally, Artemis, Kaldur, and Connor."
"Welcome to the Cave" said Kaldur.
"Uh, thanks" Zatanna said hesitantly.
"So, y-you joining the Team?" asked Robin, uncharacteristically nervous.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves" Zatara interjected. "This is strictly a visit. Though I am sorry we missed the training. It's something from which Zatanna could benefit."
"Do the rest of you get the impression we're still on probation with Zatara?" M'gann psychically asked her teammates.
"Not just Zatara" saidConnor. "I mean, why is Marvel still hanging around?"
"Because we like having him around" said Wally.
"You like having him around because he waits on you hand and foot" Artemis snapped.
"And your point is?"
"It almost makes one nostalgic for Red Tornado's tenure as our supervisor" Kaldur commented.
"Yeah at least he trusted us" said Robin.
"If you ignore the fact we shouldn't have trusted him!" Connor raged. "He was a traitor. That machine nearly got M-all of us killed!"
"I wonder what Laura would think about this?" said M'gann, bringing up the continued absence of their former teammate.
Noticing the not so subtle way they kept looking at each other, Zatanna called the Team out. "Are you guys having a psychic conversation? Cause I can't decide if that's cool or really rude."
With Zatara and Canary's attention now on them, the Team had no choice but to come clean.
"Alright fine. We were talking about Red Tornado" Connor admitted. "It's been weeks since his attack and the League hasn't told us anything."
"The League is searching for Tornado. As well as the other androids that invaded the Cave. And their creator, T. O. Morrow" said Black Canary. "Batman's made tracking them down our highest priority."
"But you've found none of the above" said Robin.
"Not yet. But Tornado is Justice League. The Team is not to pursue this."
"Why don't you all take Zatanna on a tour of the…uh…" Zatara trailed off, as he realized his daughter was no longer standing by the Team, but instead petting Superboy's latest pet, the generically named Wolf – a genetically enhanced animal he picked up from their mission in India.
"You're giving a tour?" Captain Marvel asked, entering with a plate of nachos for Wally. "Cool!"
"Actually, I was hoping you'd take Wolf outside" said Connor. "He needs the exercise. We'll join you in a few."
Captain Marvel was all too eager to oblige, leading Wolf outside, taking the nachos with him, much to Wally's displeasure. The speedster didn't have long to dwell on this though, as Connor roughly dragged him into the kitchen with the others.
"We're not really taking a tour, are we?" asked Zatanna, who had somehow changed into a tank top and jeans, much to Robin's confusion.
"No. We're hunting that robot" said Connor.
"Yes, we are" Kaldur agreed.
"Oh, wow. Out loud and everything" Zatanna joked.
"What about new girl?" asked Artemis.
"I'm sure she won't tell" said Robin.
"I can't tell" Zatanna smirked. "Not if you kidnap me."
"Oh, she's going to fit in great" said Artemis.
Telling Black Canary and Zatara that they were taking the bioship out to show Zatanna around Happy Harbor, the Team successfully snuck away. There was just one problem, they had no idea where to look.
"Batman is the world's greatest detective" said Robin. "He's searched for Tornado and Morrow in every logical location. If we're going to do better, we need an illogical solution. A truly dumb idea."
Everyone immediately turned to Kid Flash.
"As a matter of fact, …"
*Belle Reve: October 25, 18:35*
"Warden Strange owed us a favor for stopping last month's prison break" said Miss Martian. "He's given us 5 minutes with you."
The Team sent stern looks at Prof. Ivo, who looked unimpressed by Miss Martian's attempt at intimidation.
"Spill, Ivo. How do we find T.O. Morrow and his Reds?" Superboy demanded.
"Now, why in the world would I know how to find Morrow?" asked Ivo, completely unaffected by the Kryptonian's glare.
"Because – and here's a truly dumb idea – you're Morrow's biggest competitor in the evil android game" said Kid Flash. "Who better to keep track of what he's up to, and where?"
"Ah. I see your point. Let me rephrase – why would I tell you how to find Morrow?"
"He knows" Aqualad turned to Miss Martian. "Do what you must."
M'gann stepped forward, her eyes glowing as she tried to pry the location from Ivo's mind.
"Oh, please" Ivo sneered. "As if I've never faced a telepath before."
Zatanna stepped forward said something in a strange language to the professor and suddenly "Morrow's in a secret underground base beneath Yellowstone National Park, 100 meters south of Old Faithful" Ivo was blurting out everything he knew.
"Wait, what just happened?" he demanded, as the Team left him behind and returned to the bioship.
"Block out all external communication" Aqualad ordered, Miss Martian. "Soon, Canary and Zatara, Batman too, I imagine will know of our visit with Prof. Ivo."
"Look, I'm trying to be all nonchalant here" said Robin, turning to Zatanna.
"Why? Be as chalant as you like" she smiled, bringing a smile to the boy wonder's face at their shared wordplay.
"I think we're all just trying to get a handle on your powers" said Artemis. "Could you teleport us to Tornado, or Morrow to a cell, or force his bots to surrender?"
"Or create peace on Earth for all time?" Zatanna asked sarcastically. "Zatara couldn't even do all that. I'm nowhere near my dad's level. I need to know a spell cold, or else have time to prep it. Plus, all magic requires energy, which usually has to come from within. I just can't make the impossible happen at will."
"What's our E.T.A. to Yellowstone?!" Superboy snarled. "I'm way past ready to stuff Tornado into a trash compactor."
"Are you so certain he betrayed us?" Aqualad asked calmly.
"Aren't you?!"
"I am not convinced. And even so, that makes him the victim of his creator's programming. Certainly, he deserves the chance to prove he's more than just the weapon others designed him to be."
Having touched a nerve, Superboy backed down, turning to quietly look out the window.
"If we're going to be giving people second chances, maybe we should try and get one?" said Miss Martian.
"What are you talking about?" asked Kid Flash, earning a punch in his good arm from Artemis. "Ow, really?!"
"She's talking about Laura, genius" the archer snapped.
"Who's Laura?" asked Zatanna.
"A friend" said Kaldur. "One we have failed. I agree with M'gann, she should be there to finish things with Red Tornado."
"Except we have no idea where she is" said Kid Flash.
"Batman, last tracked her to somewhere in New York" said Robin.
"Which is one of the largest cities in the world! By the time, we find her, Morrow could be long gone."
"I could probably find her" said Zatanna. "If it's just one person, and have an idea of who I'm looking for, I can try a locator spell."
"If it's no trouble" said Kaldur.
"No problem, I just need a map. Oh, and her full name."
Robin pulled up a map on his wrist computer, just managing to keep his composure as Zatanna leaned into him to get a better look. "Etacol Arual Yennik!" a spot on the map lit up indicating Laura's location.
"Guy's you'll never guess where she is" said Robin.
*Xavier Institute for Higher Learning: October 25, 21:10*
Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, a place to allow young metahumans to learn how to master their powers. Here they could learn and grow without fear of losing control of their abilities, allowing them to just be children. A concept that Laura was struggling with as she had gone through the entire day taking care not to draw attention to herself.
Not a difficult feat given her background. For now, she was content just to watch the students interact with each other from her hiding spot on the roof of the mansion.
"You going to hide up here all day?" Logan asked, having tracked her down.
"No I spent the class hours in the bunker" said Laura, getting a small chuckle from Logan.
"Smartass. Listen Laura, I get it ain't easy. I've been there."
"I am having second thoughts, Logan."
"I've been there, kid. But you got to give it an honest try."
Laura considered Logan's words but before their conversation could continue the bioship arrived, hovering over the mansion.
"You know what that is?" Logan asked, moments from popping his claws.
"It's the team I was on for the Justice League" Laura explained, as the Team dropped down on to the rooftop.
"You've got three seconds" Logan snarled, popping his claws.
"Guess now we know where she got those from" Kid Flash whispered to Robin. Unfortunately for him Logan's heightened senses easily picked it up.
"Yeah and their just as sharp" Logan threatened, waving his claws in Kid Flash's face. "Now what are the Justice League's brats doing here? Had a few more things to accuse Laura of."
"That is not our intention" said Aqualad, stepping up before things could get more tense. "We simply wish to speak with Laura."
Laura nodded, signaling Logan to back off, much to KF's great relief.
"Back at the Cave, we spoke out of anger" said Aqualad. "We were confused and angry, but that is no excuse. Canary explained that the mole intel came from Sports Master. An unreliable source."
"But you still had to tell Batman just in case" said Robin. "We get that but we want to hear it from you. Why didn't you tell one of us?"
"I did consider the possibility" Laura admitted. "But as you said Sports Master is an unreliable source, and there was no proof that there was in fact a traitor."
"But he knew about our other missions" said Kid Flash. "How does that not suggest a mole?"
Laura and Logan, who was content to stand to the side gave the speedster a look of disbelief, as the answer should've been obvious.
"She's saying you left your enemies alive" said Logan. "Hard to keep a secret if everyone that knows is still breathing."
"Yes" Laura confirmed. "We left our enemies alive and many of them are imprisoned together in Belle Reve. They could easily trade intel and deduce the Team's existence and learn of its exploits." And Kimura could've possibly told Sports Master about San Francisco she told herself.
They may not like it but the teens had to admit that what Logan said was true, there was a security risk in leaving their enemies alive.
"And bringing up baseless accusations would've destabilized the team" said Aqualad, which Laura confirmed. "I apologize, we should've trusted you."
"I'm sorry too" said Miss Martian.
"Yeah sorry" said Artemis.
"Me too" said Robin.
"Yeah" Superboy mumbled.
"You don't know me, but sorry they messed up" said Zatanna.
Everyone looked to Kid Flash, who was reluctant to apologize, but a glare from the Wolverine put him his place. "Right, sorry."
"Laura, we found Red Tornado" Miss Martian, explained. "We were hoping you'd at least want to find out the truth about him."
Laura looked to Logan for advice.
"You ask me, kid, it's best to settle things" he advised. "Whatever happens after is up to you."
While not sure if she'd return to the Team, Laura agreed to join them at least in bringing in Red Tornado.
*Yellowstone National Park: October 25, 00:00*
"Stealth mode" Aqualad ordered as soon as the bioship landed. "I recommend you stay behind" he told Zatanna.
"Is that an order?" she challenged.
"No, you must do as you see fit."
"Good" reciting another spell, Zatanna's clothes changed into a feminine version of her father's magician outfit, minus the top hat.
At the display, Laura made a mental note to ask Zatanna if she was familiar with Jason Blood and Raven.
Racing out of the bioship the Team made their way to the edge of the forest.
"Ivo was right, something's down there" said Robin, checking his computer.
Aqualad was the first to enter the clear but didn't get far before Laura stopped him.
"Tornado is here" she warned.
By now having learned to trust her senses, the Team watched as Red Tornado descended upon them – riding on a twister. With a gesture, he generated for tornados in a semicircle around the Team, trapping them.
"Why Tornado?!" Miss Martian cried out over the sound of the wind. "Why are you doing this?!" In response, Red Tornado created more twisters. "Message received" she said over the mind link.
Superboy nodded, "Who cares why? Nail him!"
Superboy and Aqualad charged forward to challenge the android. "Maneuver 7!" Superboy turned, clasping his hands together, giving Aqualad a boost – throwing him at Red Tornado, who quickly sent him crashing into Superboy, with a blow to the face.
Artemis then stepped up, firing three arrows at the android, as Robin ran to her side. Tornado using his control over the wind currents, redirected the arrows back at them – their explosive tips going off mere feet away, sending them flying into the dirt.
"That does it Red!" Kid Flash snapped. "You're not the only spin doctor around here."
Spinning around at highspeed Kid created his own tornado to challenge Red's. With the android distracted, Miss Martian flew up behind him for a surprise punch. But Tornado saw her coming, turning quickly to catch her fist, and throw her at Kid Flash's growing tornado, crashing into the speedster and leaving them both eating dirt.
Zatanna stepped forward attempting to attack Tornado with magic, but the fledgling sorceress had trouble forming a spell. Left wide open, Tornado was on top of her, hand around her throat. Laura tried to come to her rescue but the android created a vacuum around her, robbing her of her oxygen supply and causing her to pass out, with Zatanna doing the same seconds after.
With the Team defeated, Red Tornado flew into the sky to survey his work, just as another Red android arrived on a pillar of rock.
"Quite a performance, brother" said the new android, Red Volcano. "But we both know that's all it was. I have all your memories, Tornado, plus a next gen processor. I know your next move before you do."
With their ruse discovered the Team quickly climbed to their feet, as Volcano raised a chunk of earth from the ground, showing the words PLAY DEAD written out on the rock.
"Blowing a message into the sand" Volcano mocked, as he crushed the chunk into smaller boulders and fired them at the Team.
Laura, Superboy, and Aqualad leapt at the oncoming boulders, destroying them with their respective abilities, while Miss Martian telekinetically deflected several of them away, leaving Robin, Artemis, and Zatanna to dodge whatever got passed them.
"Zatanna?!" Robin called, concerned as he saw the magician barley dodge one of the stone.
"I'm good" she assured him. "But the Red Tornado's getting away" she looked up to see Red Tornado flying away.
"Is he abandoning us?" Artemis asked incredulously, as she notched another arrow.
"I don't believe that!" said Miss Martian.
"You stand no chance against me, humans" Volcano remarked, as he dodged a punch from Kid Flash, and countering with one of his own, landing a sold blow to the speedster's side.
"We're not human!" Miss Martian and Superboy shouted, as they lunged at the android.
"Apologies. I suppose the properly inclusive term is-" two giant rock hands suddenly burst from the ground, smashing into the two aliens. "-Meat bags." With a wave of his hand, Volcano created a fissure beneath Aqualad and Artemis.
Thinking quickly the archer fired line, grabbing hold of Aqualad, Artemis swung them out just before the entire thing collapsed on them. Using the newly formed jagged rocks as leverage, Robin launched himself at the android, throwing a batarang at Volcano, who easily caught the weapon – and was completely unfazed once it exploded in his hand.
"Tornado's memory files and my superior processing speed allow me to anticipate your every move."
While Red Volcano was busy mocking their efforts, he failed to notice Zatanna casting another spell, causing the smoke from Robin's explosive to wrap tightly around the android's eyes, like a blindfold.
"Tornado never knew my moves" Zatanna smirked, as Robin ran up to her.
"And I bet you've got some good one." Robin quickly backtracked when Zatanna gave him an odd look. "Whoa, sorry. That might've come off a little too Wally."
"I don't mind" she smiled.
Taking advantage of the opening, Laura charged forward digging her claws into the android. Savagely tearing into Volcano's chest, Laura exposed the android's power core. But before she could end him, Volcano fired lasers from his eyes, destroying the blindfold and blasting Laura away.
At the same time a massive pillar of lava shot up from the mountain behind him. Setting of a violent eruption a large plume of rose up into the upper atmosphere, while lava flowed down the sides of the volcano, creating a moat of molten rock around the android.
"He's activating a stage 2 eruption" said Kid Flash. "It gets to stage 3, kiss the hemisphere good-bye."
"Hit him from all sides" Aqualad ordered.
Armed with his water bearers, the Atlantean leapt at the android, only to be swatted by a chunk of earth. Backing Aqualad, Superboy leapt at the android, arm cocked – only for Volcano to catch his fist and throw him aside. Using her telekinesis, Miss Martian threw the android off balance, making an opening for Laura, who charged at Volcano.
But before she could land at strike, Red Volcano opened a large fissure creating an intense thermal vent underneath Laura's feet, leaving her severely burned, while the heat caused Miss Martian to pass out.
"M'gann!" Superboy cried, rushing over to help, only to find his path bared by Red Volcano.
Sending the Kryptonian flying, Red Volcano turned on the unconscious Miss Martian, picking her up by the cape.
"Ekoms dna srorrim... Etaerc Dik Hsalf snoisulli!"
Volcano turned to see Zatanna had changed the smoke from the volcano into an army of Kid Flash clones.
"I use a scaled down version when I want to sneak out of the house" she explained excitedly, as the KF clones took off running.
Waving his free hand Volcano fired molten rocks at the Kid Flashes, each clone disappearing upon contact. But the android soon had to end its attack, looking down to see where Laura – rapidly healing from her burns – had stabbed her claws through the side of his legs.
Unable to balance Red Volcano couldn't stop the real Kid Flash from zipping by him, snatching up both Laura and M'gann and returning them to the rest of the Team's side.
As Red Volcano attempted to create a brace for himself a water spout suddenly rose up blasting him into the lava.
"Nice hit" Robin complimented, turning to Aqualad.
"The hit was not mine. Look!" Aqualad pointed to where they could see Red Torpedo directing the wave from the geyser. Creating a rock pillar, Volcano attempted to escape, only for Red Tornado appear, smashing it to pieces, and dropping Red Volcano back into lava, where Red Inferno emerged grabbing hold of him.
The Team watched as Inferno, Torpedo, and Tornado teamed up against Volcano keeping him submerged even as the lava melted away their bodies. The only one to survive was Red Tornado thanks to some last-minute intervention from Superboy, who grabbed the android hero before the lava could eat away at the top half of his body.
But even with the evil android destroyed the volcano continued to rumble, threatening to burst at any moment.
Kid Flash turned to the currently legless android hero. "Tornado listen! We're on the verge of a stage 3 super volcanic eruption! There's no turning back from that. We need to vent the pressure fast, but the ash cloud will bring upon worldwide nuclear winter unless you divert it!" Red Tornado nodded. Turning to Robin, KF ordered "Triangulate around the pressure locus!"
"Right" Robin replied, as three dots appeared on his digital model of the volcano. "There, there, and there!"
Artemis stepped up, firing a trick arrow at the volcano, releasing three separate rockets, blasting the volcano and creating a pressure vent, releasing a massive cloud of smoke into the sky. Tornado despite his damaged state, flew into the air and created a giant tornado, venting the smoke out of the upper atmosphere, as the lack of pressure put an end to the erupting volcano.
"Yes!" Kid Flash exclaimed triumphantly, as Tornado roughly landed.
Locating Morrow's lab, Robin and Kid Flash managed to use some spare parts to repair Red Tornado.
"There, that should do it" said Robin.
"Yes, I can speak again" Red Tornado confirmed.
"You were willing to sacrifice yourself to save the planet" said Aqualad.
"The planet would have survived. It was humanity that was saved. Though not by me. My sister and brother were the true heroes this day."
"My point is this – you were never the mole, never a traitor."
"No. I left you from further attack. And to find my creator, Morrow."
On the other side of the room Kid Flash and Robin started going through more of Morrow's spare parts, thinking they could some of them to repair the rest of the damage to Red Tornado.
"Reddy, we can rebuild you, better than you were before" said Robin.
"I do not believe I should be repaired" Tornado replied.
"Why'd you volunteer to be our den mother in the first place?" Superboy asked abruptly.
"I was the pragmatic choice. I do not require sleep. I have no secret identity or second life to live."
"But you do have advanced A.I. programming" said Kid Flash. "Designed to learn, adapt, evolve."
"Hello, M'gann" Miss Martian exclaimed. "You wanted to become more human."
"And you couldn't do that with the League" said Artemis. "They're stiffs."
"You're sure not going to learn emotion from Batman" Robin agreed. "Trust me."
"Then the Cave was not a proving ground only for us, but for you as well" Aqualad concluded.
"I do not know if these statements are accurate, but perhaps they are true" said Red Tornado. "And if I understand the term correctly, I believe I have come to…care about you all."
"Human" Laura commented, referring to both herself and Red Tornado. She could see they were on the same quest to be more than what their creators had planned for them. Red Tornado might've just proven it was possible.
"Yeah, practically a 'meat bag' already" Superboy said warmly.
"Which reminds me" said Tornado.
*Xavier Institute of Higher Learning: October 26, 3:00*
Red Tornado went to visit a hospitalized T.O. Morrow, leaving the Team to return Laura to the Xavier Institute.
"Are you certain we cannot change your mind?" Kaldur asked, as the bioship landed in on the school grounds.
"I am sure" said Laura. "My time with the Team is over." The Cave was Red Tornado's proving ground and the Institute was hers. This was where she would prove she too could find humanity.
With that, Laura left the bioship, where she found Logan waiting for her, arms crossed and with a smirk on his face.
"Got everything settled?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Good. Then you'll be in class tomorrow. No excuses."
With the loss of one teammate Robin couldn't help but inquire about the possibility of gaining a new one.
"So, good kidnapping?" he asked Zatanna.
"Actually, yeah" she smiled. "Best ever."
"First of many, I hope."
"If my dad doesn't ground me for life" Zatanna frowned.