I do not own Young Justice or any of the characters. Sorry this is so late.
Weapon
"Your mission is to find a weapon they have kept hidden and destroy it," the general told Artemis as she would be leading the mission as Wonder Girl and Robin were both still wounded and unable to go. "Our new recruit will handle demolition but the rest of you have to make sure you keep him safe while he works. We cannot let this weapon get into the enemy's hands."
"Yes General," Artemis nodded. "We'll handle it."
The screen went black and Artemis walked over to Robin, sitting beside him silently. He took her hand and she leaned on his shoulder, closing her eyes and sighing. Neither particularly liked her going to Star City territory without him. But he couldn't do anything.
"You'll come back," Robin smiled making her sit up and look at him. "And when you do, we're taking a vacation."
Artemis smiled and nodded then kissed him. He kissed her back for a moment before she pulled back and stood.
"I'll see you soon Richard," Artemis smiled.
"Yeah," Robin nodded. "See you soon."
She turned and walked over to the others waiting for Superman, who was busy kissing Wonder Girl. Apparently they had finally figured out how the other felt. All it took was Wonder Girl nearly dying, imagine it. Finally he walked over and the ones that were going left. They got on the vehicles they had stolen from Star City and sped off, the new guy leading them. He was a dark-skinned boy, roughly eighteen, with short black hair and a blue scarab-looking device attached to his back. When activated, it spread over his body, creating armor for him that could also generate things from energy cannons to giant staple guns, to blades.
"So what do we call you?" Artemis asked.
"Blue Beetle," the boy stated. "Superboy!"
He tossed a small metal box to Superboy and Superboy opened them to see several small, red, five-sided-diamond-shaped stickers inside. He took one out, looking at it and Blue Beetle explained that it would allow him to use his latent abilities but at the same time would increase his anger to levels that were impossible for him to control. Superboy thanked him and put the sticker back, closing the box and putting it away. Just as he did, a train whistle sounded.
"That's us," Blue Beetle reported. "Artemis, I need two of you to protect me."
"We'll handle it," Guardian stated indicating Rocket. "You guys handle the bodyguards that we all know will be waiting."
Artemis nodded and they all sped up, catching the train easily and boarding it, finding it to be unique. Mostly because it was well over fifty feet wide. Their vehicles crashed and exploded behind them and an alarm sounded.
"Alright," Blue Beetle sighed. "Now that they know we're here, we'll need to move quickly."
They all nodded and hurried forward. The first three cars were empty. The fourth, was not. Tempest stood in the center of the car, swords drawn and a knowing smile plastered onto his face.
"Damn," Aqualad snarled. "I was hoping you'd be dead. Well, let's see about fixing that, shall we?"
He and Tempest charged, Tula moving to her right, planning to stay and help Aqualad while the others all hurried through the door, finding Red Arrow waiting.
"Go," Artemis snarled. "I'll handle this."
The others continued, Red Arrow not bothering to stop them.
"So, one last rematch?" Red Arrow invited aiming at her as she did the same.
"Yeah," Artemis nodded. "One last rematch."
They both fired, smashing the other's away with their bows and drawing another arrow.
Aqualad slashed Tempest's swords aside then ducked as Tula's swords passed over him, nearly hitting Tempest. He avoided the attack then kicked Tula away, slashing downward at Aqualad. Aqualad blocked it and stood, shoving the blades away and stepping forward, stabbing at Tempest. Tempest spun, sweeping Aqualad's blades aside, followed by Tula's. Then, he slashed Tula across the stomach. She staggered away and Aqualad grabbed Tempest by the throat, lifting him into the air and squeezing while electrocuting Tempest.
"Fuck...you!" Tempest managed to choke out, kicking Kaldur away.
Tempest landed on his hands and knees, picking up his swords. Aqualad had lost his when he was thrown but didn't care at the moment. Tempest charged forward and slashed at Aqualad but before he could hit him, Aqualad tackled Tempest, beginning to slam his fists into his face repeatedly.
Red Arrow ducked under a taser arrow, firing three pointed ones at Artemis before spinning aside from a pointed arrow of her own. He fired a boxing glove but missed just as a taser arrow hit the side of his chest. He grunted as he collapsed, twitching and reaching for the arrow. Artemis began to walk forward but stopped a distance away as Red Arrow ripped it off and stood, firing a taser of his own at Artemis. She stepped aside firing a pointed arrow. He dodged it but crashed into a table, as they were in what appeared to be a dining car.
"Dizzy Red Arrow?" Artemis grinned. "Just rest then."
She fired another taser arrow but he batted it aside, standing and firing a pointed arrow. At the last second, her bow smashed it, the arrow head barely scratching her shoulder and the shaft bouncing off of her. She drew three boing gloves and fired them, the three hitting him at once, one in the stomach, one in the chest, and one in the face. He flew backward, crashing into the wall of the train car and fell to the ground, groaning.
Superboy and the others finally reached the first car and stopped. They could see the weapon and beyond that they could see Star City out the window. Blue Beetle ran to the weapon, which looked like a stasis pod, and began to push buttons too fast to track. After a moment, the sheet of black glass lightened and Superboy's mouth fell open. It was a stasis pod. The actual weapon was inside. It was a creature, of some kind, that had stony grey skin, bone spikes on his shoulders, elbows, knuckles, knees, and jaw, long white hair reaching its waist, black shorts with armor plating over the groin, and black combat boots. The thing stood about nine feet tall and seemed sleeping, and Superboy wanted it to stay that way.
"Shit," Blue Beetle cursed.
"What?" Superboy asked.
"It's set to a timed release," Blue Beetle stated. "It's a creature of pure destruction and it's going to be released in...in the city."
"It's meant as an attack on Star City?" Superboy blinked. "I don't understand."
"You!" a voice above them snapped making them all look. "We won't let you destroy our new weapon."
Above them were two more soldiers. One, looked exactly like Superboy except in a white body suit with a five-sided diamond emblem with an "S" in it on his chest, the symbol Star City had chosen for its army. The other was a football player sized man in a suit of armor like Blue Beetle's except black.
"Who are...you?" Superboy gaped staring at his double.
"You mean you don't know?" the second snorted. "Why do you think you can't age? You're an android, idiot. A creation of Star City. A failure. I am the perfected version. You can call me Match."
"Match?" Superboy blinked. "That's gay."
"I'm made to match that thing in there," Match stated. "Thus, I was called Project Match."
"I see," Superboy nodded pulling out of the stickers out of the ox and putting it away. "Then let's test these things."
He stuck it on his shoulder and his vision flared white for a moment before he shook with anger and leapt at Match, tackling him out of the air and crashing down into the ground off to one side, slamming his fists into Match's face in a blur. Blue Beetle leapt at the other soldier, who had the name Black Beetle spray-painted in white on his armor's chest, and formed a blade out of his right arm, slashing at him only to have the other one block it with a similar blade. Blue Beetle flipped over Black Beetle, kicking him toward the ground. Just as Black Beetle neared the ground, he stopped, putting his hands together and forming an energy cannon and firing. Before it could hit, Superboy flashed between the two after having been thrown by Match. The blast hit him in the back, giving Blue Beetle enough time to form his own energy cannon and fire at Black Beetle. Black Beetle easily avoided the blast and fire at Blue Beetle again. Blue Beetle flew out of the way of the blast then fired several blasts at Black Beetle. The first two missed and the third found its mark, blasting Black Beetle into a crater in the ground. Blue Beetle turned, flying back toward the train, intent on stopping the creature from being released.
Superboy stood, dusting himself off then sprinted forward a few steps before flying into the air, smashing both fists into Match's face. Match flew downward so fast he caused a sonic boom then exploded into the ground, blasting a massive section of it. He flew out of the crater and swung at Superboy but Superboy caught his punch then planted both feet in his chest, blasting him back into the ground. This time he flew after him. Just as he neared Match, Match planted both feet into Superboy's face, blasting him skyward again. Superboy flipped over and flew down at Match as Match flew back up at him. Match threw a punch at Superboy and Superboy leaned out of the way then smashed his own fist into Match's face, blasting him into the ground and following. He crashed down hard, blasting Match and the ground around them with the force. Match swiveled his head around, lasers shooting out of his eyes and hitting Superboy in the face, forcing him back and burning him but not doing any real damage. Superboy stepped forward again, punching Match and sending him spinning through the air.
Red Arrow ducked under a taser arrow, shooting a boxing glove arrow and hitting Artemis in the chest, blasting her backward. Artemis crashed into the wall and slid down, landing just as a pair of red lasers suddenly carved into the train car on one end, swiftly traveling toward them in an uneven and rigid line. Red Arrow ducked under it and Artemis did the same, allowing the laser to pas over them, cutting the car into two pieces, the upper of which was suddenly ripped upward by Superboy, who was now in a white bodysuit, and then promptly smashed into a second Superboy, dressed like the one they had brought. Red Arrow and Artemis watched the two fight for several moments, the fight destroying basically everything they came near, before Artemis drew and fired a taser arrow, hitting Red Arrow in the side of the head, incapacitating him.
Aqualad dove to the floor with Tula as the red lasers passed over them fading just beyond them and just before Tempest. Tempest charged forward but before he could get there, Aqualad grabbed one of his handles and used it to form water from his pack into a spear, which he jabbed at Tempest. Tempest leapt back as Tula tossed the other handle to Aqualad and he formed both into his swords and charged. Tempest blocked them with one blade and slashed with the other only for Tula to block it. Both placed a hand to his chest and electrocuted him. After one second, he was launched backward and out through the side of the train.
"I doubt that's the end of him," Aqualad sighed.
"For this mission at least," Tula groaned standing and holding a hand to her bruised side where she had been slammed into the wall. "Come on. Let's see this weapon."
Blue Beetle reached out toward the stasis tank, still airborne, and suddenly found himself crashing into the ground with Black Beetle on his back. he drove his elbow backward, smashing Black Beetle in the side of the head, flipping him off. Then, he stood, forming a staple gun and pinned Black Beetle to the ground with massive blue staples that each weighed a hundred pounds. Then, he turned around just as the mission ended.
When Blue Beetle left, Rocket and Guardian both sprinted forward, Guardian standing guard as Rocket, brilliant scientist that she was, typed away on the control panel. The screen lit up and the release timer was displayed with thirty seconds left. Then, the timer froze.
"I got it!" Rocket cried out happily.
"Great job!" Guardian cheered just as steam began to shoot out around the door of the stasis tube.
"No!" Blue Beetle shouted, fear clear in his voice.
Then, the door sailed away from the stasis tube. Rocket and Guardian both backed away as the extra steam inside the tube escaped and a growl emanated from inside. Then, a large, grey hand reached out, gripping the edge of the tube and crumpled it like paper. Guardian stepped up in front of Rocket as the creature stepped out, lifting the tube like it was made of cardboard and hurling it sideways off of the train where it crashed into Superboy and Match both, smashing them into the ground. The creature sniffed then turned, forked tongue licking its lips as it looked at Rocket. Guardian stepped forward, raising his shield but before his foot had even hit the ground, the creature backhanded him in the side of the head, his neck breaking loudly as he cartwheeled through the air away from the train, already dead.
"Malcolm!" Rocket screamed.
She looked back at the creature as it raised its hand. She screamed again but it was cut short when the creature's hand drove her spine up through her skull.
Aqualad and Tula stepped out the door and froze. The creature sniffed and turned, chunks of Rocket's flesh still in its mouth, her blood staining the creature's front. It chewed loudly for a moment before swallowing and standing. Aqualad and Tula both staggered backward, bumping into the door.
"What is that thing?" Tula shrieked.
"I don't know, but I don't like the way it's looking at you," Aqualad stated.
Then, he shoved her off the train. She landed hard and rolled to a stop. A moment later, Aqualad jumped off as well, landing harder than she had and impacting with a tree shortly afterward.
Artemis heard Rocket scream, as did Red Arrow judging by him jerking awake and scrambling up.
"Shit, he's early," Red Arrow cursed.
"Who?" Artemis asked.
"Run," Red Arrow ordered pointing away from the front of the train. "Run now!"
"From what?" Artemis asked.
Then, the back of the car ahead of theirs exploded open and the front of their car followed. A massive grey thing with bone spikes walked toward them, blood covering the front of its body as it sniffed, eyes locked on Artemis.
"What is that?" Artemis asked.
"It's the weapon," Red Arrow stated. "It's got a nasty habit of killing everything around and eating women. I guess it finds them nice and tender. So if I were you, I'd run."
Red Arrow drew and fired his last taser arrow. The electricity raced across its body and it continued walking, not slowing down in the least. Artemis fired a pointed arrow and it shattered on the thing's skin.
"RUN! ! !" Red Arrow shouted shoving her at the door. "I'll slow it down!"
Artemis turned and leapt over the remains of her car's wall, kicking the next door open and sprinting through the next one and away from the creature.
Superboy shoved the stasis tube off of himself and Match, glancing at the other clone who shrugged. Then, they both flew toward the train.
"I'll kill you after we shut that thing down," Superboy stated.
"Deal," Match nodded.
They crashed into a train car just behind the one Match had destroyed and together grabbed the creature by an arm, dragging him out seconds before he had caught Artemis. They threw it, stopping as it crashed down. It flipped over several times before landing on its feet, plowing the ground up before leaping at the pair. They snorted and flew forward, slamming their fists into his face, launching him backward. Then, Superboy fell. His patch had run out. The moment his feet hit the ground, the patch was off and he was pulling out another. He put the box away just as the creature tackled him, smashing through the train and derailing it. He smashed Superboy into the ground, slamming his fists into Superboy's face rapidly. After a moment, Match's feet crashed into its side and blasted it away from him. Match tossed him the sticker he had dropped and Superboy stuck it on turning in time for the creature to grab him by the face, slamming him into the ground and plowing it up with him. As it did, Match had his arms wrapped around the creature's neck, pushing against him with his legs, trying and failing to strangle him. Finally the creature stopped, grabbing Match and hurling him away, followed by Superboy. Superboy managed to top himself and jumped off of Match's feet as Match gave him a boost, blasting him back at the creature. Superboy fired his laser vision at the creature as he did but the lasers did absolutely nothing. He switched his vision up to the creature's eyes, making it stumble back a step before it turned sideways out of the way of Superboy's fists and smashed both fists down into Superboy's back so hard blood sprayed out of Superboy's mouth. Then, the creature raised its left hand, catching Match by the face and smashing him into Superboy.
It leaned back, releasing Match and roaring in triumph, just before Match's left fist collided with the underside of its jaw, making it stumble back a couple steps before Match's fist crashed into the front of its throat. It staggered back, coughing up blood then stomped its foot and a massive chunk of stone broke free of the ground under both the creature and Match, flipping up and smashing Match away. Superboy leapt forward, smashing through the stone and into the creature's fist. He was blasted backward through the top half of the chunk of stone and into a tree, exploding out of the other side. He flipped over, landing on his feet then flying forward again.
The creature roared and charged. Both threw a punch and when their fists met, the ground below them exploded, hurling them both skyward. As the creature flew upward, Match appeared over it, punching it downward into the ground. It landed in a massive explosion, forming a huge crater. Then, it leapt back out. Match flew down at it as Superboy flew upward to meet him. They slammed their feet into the creature's torso at the same time, collapsing its torso before Superboy kicked it away and punched Match in the face. Just as he did, the creature leapt past them, grabbing them both and smashing them into the ground.
"Truce?" Match asked, unimpressed as the creature's hand covered the top half of his face.
"Truce," Superboy nodded as his sticker wore off. "But I need to get another one out."
Match nodded and punched the creature in the inside of the elbow, forcing his arm to bend before planting both feet in its face, launching it away. Superboy put another sticker on and flew around behind the creature, kicking it back at Match. Mach punched it back at Superboy. Superboy kicked it back again but this time, it flipped over Match and smashed him toward Superboy. Superboy caught him by the arm, spinning and hurling him back at the creature. The creature threw a punch but Match flipped over it and punched it, blasting it away. This time, it sailed past the trees on the far side of the field. Superboy readied himself but instead of going toward them, the creature leapt over the trees heading away from them, and away from any city they could think of off the top of their heads.
"That could have gone better," Superboy growled looking to Match. "I don't think this field can take much more fighting with us."
"No it can't," Match agreed. "We'll continue next time. Hopefully without the interruption."
Superboy nodded, removing his sticker and ripping it into shreds. Match turned and flew to Star City and Superboy turned to the train, seeing Aqualad, Tula, Artemis, and Blue Beetle all present. Black Beetle had escaped but Red Arrow was being supported on Artemis's shoulder with a broken leg.
"Meet the prisoner," Artemis introduced. "Turns out, he didn't know what the creature was, but that's the thing that killed his parents. If Star City has that thing, he wants to be on our side. Star City said that thing served Gotham."
Superboy nodded and looked around. There was no sign of Rocket or Guardian's remains.
"How we getting home?" Superboy asked.
"We'll walk," Artemis said.
Superboy sighed but stood and they began to walk back the way they had come.
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