Disclaimer: All Characters/settings/trademarks referenced from Dragonball/Z/GT/Super DC entertainment are the respective properties of their original creators.
A/N: See you at the bottom
"The Sun And The Moon"
Chapter Seven: The Unraveled
Kara sat, stunned, as she listened to Batman's tale of the horrifying events that her cousin apparently took part in. According to him, it all began in the latter half of summer. In the wake of the Justice League's triumph over the Worldkiller threat, which Kara was shocked to learn there had been more than just Reign, the general public's fervor had been split between praising the team's heroics and condemning the near catastrophe as proof that superheroes and their ilk were tantamount to the greatest threat the earth had ever been exposed to. The logic behind that school of thought was thus; as superheroes continued to emerge, so too would beings that served to counter them. Proponents of that ideology argued that the escalating violence would eventually cause the unraveling of human civilization as everyone knew it. The support for the League had endured the critics, though, for a time. Despite that, her cousin had uncharacteristically began to express a growing resentment for all of the flak their efforts garnered soon afterward. Batman had doubts about whether or not that had been enough of a warning sign of things to come, though.
And then came the arrival of H'El. He and Kal had apparently colluded with each other at some point prior to launching their attack because it had been too well orchestrated to be anything other than a result of premeditation. Kal, having been with the League since the beginning, knew exactly which of his peers possessed abilities that could counter his power or even disable him and so had gone about quietly disposing of them (with the help of H'El) before revealing his dark intentions. Martian Manhunter and Doctor Fate (a powerful psychic and formidable mage, respectively) had gone missing only days apart in the week leading up to the tragedy. When Kal had deactivated the Watchtower's security protocols to allow his wicked ally access, no one had been equipped to mount a sufficient defense. The two full-powered Kryptonians had shredded the space station from the inside out within minutes; killing almost everyone that had been aboard.
Wonder Woman told of how she had been present for the worst of it. After watching most of her comrades be burnt alive by eye beams or sucked into the vacuum of space from a decompression, she and a surviving colleague, Shazam, had managed to briefly engage the two in close combat to buy time for a few others to evacuate via the same boom tube transporters that Nightwing had used to bring Kara, Trunks, and Martha into the mountain base. In her short exchange, she had tried to get Kal to explain himself but it was like he was a different person. He had told her how humanity had become unworthy of his service and that people like them, those with power, should be revered as gods by the masses. He had made an offer of her to join he and H'El in restoring Krypton; saying that it was the only chance she'd get to be a hero of a world that deserved it. She had refused, of course, but it had left a scar too deep for her to put into words. Her particular expression of emotion left Kara wondering exactly what her relationship had been with her cousin.
The plan to revive Krypton necessitated the sacrifice of humanity and the bearers of that burden had pushed their agenda on two fronts. The first was to crash a fleet of war machines into the earth to keep it's defense busy and the second was to implement a Kryptonian star forge which would have sapped the sun's energy to provide power to H'El's time machine. The price for the duo's plan to travel back in time and save Krypton would have been a ravaged earth orbiting a dying star.
Such a monumental crisis, although narrowly averted, proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back when it came to getting the public to overwhelmingly support a new bill that outlawed all forms of vigilante justice. The Alien, Metahuman, Vigilante Registration Act ensured that any costumed hero not operating at the behest of Congress and the White House would be targeted, apprehended, and sentenced without due process. It had already poached a significant number of those individuals and now had several former heroes (and some villians) added to the ranks of some newly formed government sanctioned teams. The ones that refused to serve were sent away to an experimental super prison whereabouts unknown.
H'El may not have succeeded in his plan to destroy the earth, but he had managed to handicap it's defenders handily.
The details surrounding the Kryptonian interloper's origins and how exactly he had gotten Superman to join him still eluded Batman since a lot of his resources had been destroyed in the conflict. The Watchtower's database went up in flames with it's central computer- along with the communications satellite they had had in orbit. That, coupled with the fact that it had become dangerous for them to operate out in the open, meant the investigation into uncovering the truth of the matter was slow and arduous. The dark knight had spent most of his time since the big event organizing covert ops for his younger associates to follow up on leads and gather intelligence but his ranks were thin. That's why Kara and Trunks were so readily accepted.
When Kara inquired as to how they had managed to repel H'El and her cousin, Batman had given her an answer she least expected. Lex Luthor, her cousin's arch nemesis (and the same man who had attacked her and Trunks), was the mastermind who had implemented a plan so clever and swift that one could be forgiven for thinking that he had somehow been prepared with foreknowledge of Superman's defection. Luthor, who was now revered as an international hero and on the verge of being elected president, had used a special device to poison the atmosphere with kryptonite dust. Kal and H'El were nearly killed and forced to evacuate.
Trunks, being the concerned boyfriend, had to be reassured that Kara wasn't in any immediate danger from breathing the air. Kryptonite was also toxic to humans, albeit to a much lesser degree, and long term exposure could negatively impact health so the atmosphere had been scrubbed after things had settled down. Still, it was abundantly clear that Luthor's ability to manipulate and deploy kryptonite was something Kara needed to be on guard for. Her very public arrival and confrontation with the man also meant it was likely that he would be equipping law enforcement with his array of krypto weapons. It was also likely he would be putting a bounty on her head.
"This Luthor guy would really go that far?" Trunks asked.
"Without a doubt," Batman replied. "He's had an obsession with Superman since long before any of this happened. I recommend Kara avoid future confrontations with him if at all possible. To help with that, I'm going to have disguises and new identities prepared for each of you to use while out in the public. Footage of your arrival has been playing on the news almost non-stop. So, if you want to participate in our operation, we have to reduce the risk of you being identified."
"I understand," Trunks replied before closing his eyes and exhaling a seemingly held breath. His gravity defying blond hair responded by falling into lavender locks that framed his face. "Will this do?"
Batman and Wonder Woman were momentarily rendered silent by the spectacle. Kara took the opportunity to interject. "It's part of his Saiyan heritage – a kind of transformation. Not a big deal, really."
Batman seemed to growl under his breath before responding. "I don't like surprises. Why didn't you say something about this ability when Wonder Woman had you under the spell of the lasso?"
"It doesn't change what I can do," Trunks replied. "Going super just amplifies my power and makes me a more effective fighter."
"The blonde hair is just a side effect," Kara added.
"Perhaps we've been a bit hasty and skipped a necessary step," Wonder Woman said, while resting her hand on Batman's shoulder. "Asking about someone's power isn't the same as witnessing it. I think a practical exercise is what's needed."
Batman replied with an affirmative grunt.
OoooooO
The core of the hollowed out mountain base was something to marvel at. The space, which was several stories high and more than a hundred meters in diameter, was the team's training arena. A domed ceiling consisting of sharp stalactites served as a deterrent to aerial combat while the perimeter of the sparring chamber was lined with force field emitters meant to contain any collateral damage.
Trunks stood with his arms crossed over his chest while Kara lingered close by. At the opposite end of the chamber were a group of young adults who could be none other than members of Batman's team. Among them was Nightwing, who he had been acquainted with earlier. The young man had replaced his street clothes with a dark suit marked with an insignia reminiscent of wings across his chest. Directly beside him was a scantily clad young woman with tanned skin, red hair, glowing green eyes, and a higher than average ki level. Beside her was a younger teenage boy in black and red, who had a ki signature that felt quite similar to that of Batman – perhaps a blood relative of his. The remaining member of the assembled group was without a doubt related to Wonder Woman. The young blonde woman not only had the stylized letter "W" emblazoned across the chest of her black shirt, but also had the distinct energy of Batman's trusted associate radiating off of her spirit.
"Starfire will be your opponent for this exercise," Wonder Woman said from across the chamber as she and Batman stood behind a control console. "She's one of our most capable members, so be prepared to defend yourself seriously."
Trunks, channeling a bit of his father, couldn't resist the smirk that crept onto his face. "None of you guys has the capacity to make me get serious – no offense."
"Cocky much?" Nightwing quipped.
"Not really. You'll see," the Saiyan replied before shedding his Capsule jacket and handing it off to Kara. He took his place at the center of the arena while Nightwing whispered something into Starfire's ear. The statuesque warrior woman nodded to the young man before giving him a peck on the cheek and joining Trunks at the center of the chamber.
"I am called Starfire by many, but my friends have the privilege of knowing me as Koriand'r. It is my hope that you too will come to be a friend," she said as she slid into a wide combat stance.
"I'm Trunks... my friends call me Trunks. I'd like that," he replied before slipping into his own relaxed stance. "Come at me however you'd like. You don't need to be afraid of hurting me."
Koriand'r's green eyes flared with energy before an aura of the same color sprung to life around her body. She lifted a hand and fired off an experimental star bolt straight at the lavender haired boy's chest. Said boy responded by extending his arm and catching the bolt of energy in his open hand. He casually tossed the energy back in her direction a moment later. She took to the air to avoid the blast easily and let it impact on the force shield behind her.
"I see now why they chose you to face me," Trunks said, mirroring the young woman by taking to the air. "But can you keep up with me?" he asked before speed flickering behind her. His palm strike succeeded in finding it's place on her mid back and she was thrust across the length of the chamber. She caught herself just short of slamming face-first into the force shield. "Not bad," he added.
"I am among the strongest of my race," Starfire replied as she reoriented herself. "It will take more than one sneaky blow to fell me."
"I can see that," Trunks said. "You've got talent, to be sure. But I think you've got wasted potential as well. With some more training, you might be able to challenge me."
"If a challenge is what you want, then prepare yourself," Starfire replied, her voice brisk and serious. She extended both palms forward and flared her green aura before launching a furious salvo of continuous star bolts at her Saiyan opponent.
Trunks' arms blurred as he used pure speed to deflect each and every one of her blasts. As the smoke from the explosions grew into a cloud, he felt her ki move to take advantage of the cover and decided not to defend. His curiosity about her physical strength was answered when she landed an uppercut to his chin which had enough force behind it to rock his head back a few inches. A thundering resounded in conjunction with her blow and the force was enough to clear most of the smoke away. He smirked down at her as he saw the expression of shock and disappointment play across her face. She removed her fist as soon as she gathered her wits and back-pedaled to a safe distance. Trunks brought his hand up to his mouth and wiped away the trail of blood that was flowing from his bottom lip. "You did good," he said to her before shifting his attention back to where Batman and Wonder Woman stood at the control console. "You guys ready to call it quits?"
"You aren't going to transform?" Wonder Woman asked.
"Well, you've already seen what it looks like. Besides... I don't need it to defeat her."
"Humor us," Batman interjected. "Unless you still have something to hide."
Trunks shrugged before replying. "Alright, you asked for it." He could've simply popped into his Super Saiyan state without any pomp and circumstance since his mastery was such that he could sleep without letting the transformation fade. However, he could sense that they were expecting a show and so a show is what he was going to give them. Deciding to take it slow, he clenched his fists, hunched forward a bit and grit his teeth before igniting his base aura at full strength. Immediately, a tropical storm force wind filled the chamber which resulted in a few unprepared individuals stumbling backward.
Kara immediately sensed what he was intending and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Boys love it when they have an excuse to show off, she thought.
The heir of Capsule Corporation grinned as his hair started to defy gravity and the trademark golden light filtered into his blazing aura. Purposely loosing his usually tight control, he allowed his power to spike and flare enough to cause seismic tremors. Dust began to rain from the ceiling and a few stalactites broke away to fall to the floor. With one final push, he burst into the full glory of his Super Saiyan state before reeling in the excess ki he had allowed to get out. When the peripheral effects of his sloppy transformation settled down, he noticed more than a few of the spectators still on guard and worried that he had inspired fear rather than awe. In Batman's case, he could sense a great deal of ire. "Aw crap..."
OoooooO
"It was reckless," Batman growled, steepling his hands as he rested his elbows atop the stainless steel surface of the oval tabletop. Wonder Woman, Nightwing, Starfire, Robin, Wonder Girl, Martha and himself were assembled in the conference room detached from the main chamber while Kara and Trunks were left to wait in the team lounge. "He could've brought the entire mountain down on top of us and for what? To be a show off? That kind of behavior can't be trusted on an operation."
"Agreed," Nightwing said. "We can't afford anymore of us to be killed or captured. The risk outweighs the benefit, in my opinion."
"Now hold on a minute," Martha cut in. "It was you who insisted he transform. He objected and then you twisted his arm. Have you considered that he was simply responding to the challenge to his ego that you initiated? He's just a boy, remember? This might not have been a problem otherwise."
"We had to see the full extent of his abilities," Wonder Woman replied.
"That doesn't change the facts," Batman added. "Just based on what little we've observed from him, it's clear he possesses control enough to regulate his empowered state down to safe levels. He demonstrated a level of maturity below what I'd call satisfactory."
"Well, I think it's incumbent on the adult to exercise a higher level of maturity when dealing with teenagers. It's called leading by example. As the eldest adult here, you'd do well to respect my wisdom, Bruce," Martha said.
Batman was, uncharacteristically, at a loss for words. Wonder Woman, however, was not. "I'll have you know that I've lived longer than anyone in this room. Your claim to have a monopoly on wisdom is false."
"An eternally young Amazon's wisdom can hardly be compared to that of a mother who's experienced the rigors of aging. And I never claimed to have a monopoly," Martha replied. "What I do have is a unique insight with respect to understanding the hardships of an adolescent growing up with the kind of power that transcends humanity."
"She's right. I think you're being too hard on him," Robin added. "I know you thought I was reckless during my first year with you. I wouldn't say I actually was, but that your refusal to understand and accept my high level of conditioning from grandfather left you misinterpreting my actions. I've always known what I was capable of even if it seemed like I was out of my element. I get the sense that Trunks was actually in complete control despite appearances and he was merely making a point – like Martha said."
Wonder Girl glared first at Robin and then Martha as she cut in. "Even if he knew what he was doing, that kind of power in the hands of someone with so little regard is just terrifying. By his and Kara's own admission, it would take at least a Kryptonian to actually challenge him. As it stands, we have no Superman and none of us really knows if his cousin can be counted on in a pinch. I mean, it's pretty obvious the two of them are lovers. If you think she'd side with us if he became a liability, then you'd better think again."
Starfire, having remained conspicuously quiet during the heated exchange, had a solid expression of consternation fixed upon her face. Nightwing, looking for support, gently nudged her in an effort to prompt a response. She lifted her eyes to his, briefly, before addressing the rest of those gathered. "As you may know, Tamaranian culture encourages individuals to embrace their emotions. That trait also plays heavily into our reputation as skilled warriors. To us, sparring and battling can be just as intimate as having a philosophical conversation. Because of this, I believe I have a greater insight into the true intentions of Trunks. My honest opinion is that he is a gentle soul who fights more out of need than desire. He is a strange combination in that he has pride in his abilities and yet is unwilling to lead with the overwhelming force that he possesses. The show that he put on for us all, as dangerous as you may have interpreted it, was not nearly the extent of his power. To put it simply, it is likely he could obliterate all of us without breaking a sweat. The fact that he has gone so far to restrict himself around us suggests he is well aware of the frailties of those around him and accustomed to dealing with them. It is a level of care you would not find in anyone who would disregard his own capacity to inflict harm on friends or allies while proving a point. We were never in any real danger."
Nightwing, having not expected her to contradict his position, opened his mouth but found no words of rebuttal.
A thoughtful silence overtook the room as those present considered Koriand'r's well-articulated assessment. It was Batman who finally broke the collective reverie. "The trust and respect I have for your insight carries a great deal of weight, Martha. Starfire, as well; your perspective is unique and valuable. It's not enough to dissolve my misgivings, but it is good enough to warrant giving him the benefit of the doubt. Trunks will be granted a place on the team on a provisional basis."
OoooooO
Kara rested her head against Trunks' chest as they sat on one of the sofas inside the team lounge. There was a pool table, darts, and more than one arcade machine available to provide distraction, if they had wanted, but it had been too long since they'd had enough of a respite to just bask in the enjoyment of being close to each other. The mission to close the space rift, the rough landing and subsequent confrontation with Luthor, followed shortly by the introduction to the reality of a horrible situation by Batman and his team had left the couple feeling considerably drained. Kara squeezed the hand of the arm Trunks had draped over her shoulder and sighed into his neck as he rested his chin atop her head.
"You think I over did it?" he asked her.
"No, not really," she replied. "But I'm madly in love with you, so an objective observer could rightly accuse me of being biased."
Trunks' chest vibrated with constrained laughter and Kara smiled. "Cute," he replied, after a moment. "Were you able to hear what they said?"
"No... the room they're in is soundproofed," she replied. "I'm not worried, though. Whatever happens, it's not like we can't handle it. As long as we stick together."
"Sticking with you is my number one priority so I guess we'll always be okay," he said.
Kara peeled herself away from Trunks' chest and straddled his lap so she could look him in the eyes. "Flattery will get you everywhere," she replied. Trunks secured his grip around her waist while she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. They locked lips without hesitation a moment later. The affectionate display was just in time for unwelcome company to enter the team lounge and make things awkward.
Nightwing cleared his throat, breaking their embrace and gathering their attention. "Erm... we, uh, have a verdict."
Starfire, who stood beside him, managed a prominent blush despite her tanned complexion. "Yes, it is good news," she added.
"You're exonerated," Robin said, choking back his gag reflex. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go purge lunch." He really didn't like public displays of affection, apparently.
Nightwing rolled his eyes while Starfire failed to hold back a giggle. "Welcome to the team, officially," he said. "Now, if you'll follow us, we'll show you to your temporary quarters."
"Uh, thanks," Trunks replied, as he and Kara separated so they could get to their feet.
"It's not me you should be thanking," Nightwing replied before casually jabbing a thumb toward the Tamaranian standing beside him. "Starfire really stuck her neck out for you. Seems you made quite the impression on her."
Trunks made eye contact with the woman in question and conveyed his gratitude with a sincere expression. "Well, then, I'm in your debt. I'll do my best not to disappoint."
"We both will," Kara added with a resolute nod.
"I am confident that we will do great things together," Starfire said. "And, also, I am eager to do more sparring in the future. With both of you, if that is acceptable."
"Of course," Kara replied.
OoooooO
To be continued!
OMG! Shoes is alive and still dirty. A new post? Say whaaaat? Lol. Sorry for the wait, everyone. I can assure you all that this story is nowhere close to being dead. I have been merely biding time while also dealing with some economic changes IRL. My situation has stabilized now so I'll be slowly ratcheting up my focus on continuing the adventures of Kara and Trunks.
Chapter 6 reviewers, see your much appreciated recognition (in order of review) below.
Aramus13
Touzoshin
TaitanoRules555
Jackalope89
Percival Black
TDNRYCON
The Last Z Fighter
Thugs Bunny 009 (still the funniest screen name I've seen, lol)
Radio Driver
Guest (I guest it wasn't worth the effort to login for a review)
Rocco13
Uberch01
itheone
OoooooO Response time! OoooooO
Aramus: Explosive entrance to DC, thankfully nobody get hurt badly. Evil Superman huh? This will be interesting.
DS: Superman is evil? News to me. Wait and see.
Touzo: Another fast update, wow. You had previously warned that everything wouldn't be peachy once Kara returned home, and you're right. I was not expecting the plot twist at the end of this chapter. I figured some kind of Kryptonian invasions had happened, but not one spearheaded by Superman. Really hyped to read the next chapter now!
DS: I'm glad my twist was able to surprise you. There's more where that came from.
Taitano: Will tien play a big role in this story?
DS: There are currently no plans for Tien to have a standout role in this story. Sorry.
Jack: Well, that's an unpleasant surprise for Kara.With Trunks and Kara now in DC Earth, their troubles have only increased.Just what, or who, made Superman go rogue?Will Kara be able to find it in herself to fight her baby cousin?And, who is going to feed Trunks!?Find out next time on Dragon Rao Z!
DS: Troubles indeed. I can't elaborate on Supes right now but Kara will be fighting him.
Percival: Don't listen to the flames if you get any, you are writing one badass story and I hope you finish it, I am glad it has started again.
DS: So far, there are no flames that I'm aware of. Florida is cold AF right now, though, so a flame or two would be nice.
TINDER CON: Now this is very good story. The only problem with this is the updates cause I keep worrying that this story will be dropped. But I guess the next one will take while as there IS a hurricane on your way. So stay safe and here's hoping for another chap.
DS: Swipe right for updates
Z Fighter: The potential of a Kryptonian with Sayain blood would be absloutely bonkers. But that aside, good chapter and please stay safe. I'd hate for anything to happen to you and yours.
DS: Thanks for the well wishes. Kyrpto-Saiyan = Beast Mode!!!
Thugs Bunny: Oh! Dayum. What a cliff-hanger to leave us on. You're evil, you know that? :D Leaving us on such a devastating cliff hanger. As per usual, your grammar was flawless as it was in the previous chapters and your writing style's incredibly tasteful. I haven't got much to say here so I leave you on this note, please update soon. This story's a blast.
DS: I love serving up cliffs as much as Stallone loves hanging from them. Does that make me evil? Perhaps.
Radio: Good going, Shoes. Keep on keepin on.
DS: Stay turnt up!
Guest: where is the new chapter meng
DS: I guest I forgot to post it
Rocco: Nice freaking fanfic.
DS: Nice freaking review. Much love
Uber(lyft): I like the flow and speed of this fanfic
DS: I like the flow and speed of merging into an available turning lane
itheone: Going rogue is in fashion this year, I guess :-pI WANT MORE ! Please update ASAP !
DS: I saw Rogue One in the theater and thought exactly the same thing!
Thanks again for sticking it out peeps! Stay tuned.
To all the new readers seeing this, don't forget to smash the favorite, alert, and review button to show your support and rank this story up where it belongs. Lets crack 100 across the board