Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Young Justice.
A/N: Remember to vote if you haven't!
Beta: Chaos-PSD.
Chapter LVIII: Beyond The Grip Of The Gods!
Last Time.
A fog formed before a Caucasian hand touched his shoulder. Conner then turned to see Lex looking down before he spoke. "Red Sun."
The Watchtower July 04, 10:01 EDT.
Kaldur in his civilian clothes stood in the grotto with Canary before he spoke as he glanced at Kid Flash and Superboy's holograms. "It was ten years ago today. Of course. Robin, Artemis, Kid Flash, and I did something rather stupid."
"Something that nevertheless, I have spent a decade regarding with overweening pride. We rescued Superboy and Wonder Girl from Cadmus, and being the ones Naruto chose that became a turning point in my life. The Team. And now, ten years later, So many of my teammates have paid the price of my hybris."
"Tula is dead. Jason is dead. Wally is dead. Conner is dead. These are sorrows, I must come to terms with… If I am ever to return to the life I have led."
Now.
Dakota City August 24, 06:47 CDT.
"So that's the plan, my love. Okay?"
Raquel said to Amistad wearing a red shirt and black pants. Amistad had his arm crossed wearing a green shirt with a white stripe and jeans.
"Okay, Mommy." He replied before tapping her hand with his.
"Okay. (Sigh)" She picked a bag from the coffee table spinning one of the toy cars that was upside down.
She put it right up before Amistad spoke. "Stop! That's not how that goes."
"Sorry. Sorry, I forgot." She replied as he held the car upside down and spun the wheels. "Amistad, come on. We've got to go."
"Wait." He said finishing spinning. He then stood and grabbed Raquel's hand. "I want a black-and-white cookie."
"You just had breakfast. It's time to go see Daddy." She replied as she opened the door to her apartment.
And had Amistad stop. "Wool hat."
"It's August. You don't need a hat. You'll be too warm in that hat."
"I can't go to Daddy without my wool hat." He replied pulling against her.
"Fine. We'll look for the hat." She sighed before looking around for the hat.
"No hat. No hat. No hat. No hat."
"Sorry, baby, I couldn't find it, but Daddy can get you a new hat." She said picking him up and having him thrash. "No! No! No, no, no!"
"How about that black-and-white cookie?" She asked, getting him to stop.
"OK."
"OK."
Raquel handed Amistad a black and white cookie, getting him to calm down. She then walked to the door having him speak.
"Wool hat!"
"No, Amistad. That's final." Raquel said, having him calm down and nod as he started breathing fast before screaming.
Later as they take the subway, Amistad, with a wool hat, says the older lady sitting next to them smells bad. Raquel apologizes but Amistad doubles down, leading to an argument between Raquel and the woman.
Later, they got to an apartment where Nobel lived and answered the door. "Uh, we need to talk."
"Hey, little man. Now, go inside. I left your cars out." Nobel said to Amistad
"Wheels up?"
"You know it," Nobel replied before Amistad taped his hand and went inside.
"Hard morning?" He asked, taking Raquel's bag.
"It was fine. You have the Justice League codes to reach me if there's a problem, right?"
"Uh, about that. We've got Amistad's school conference next week to go over his IEP." Nobel said to her.
"Can we just stop with the acronyms? And no, I won't be back in time, but I don't see the need for that, and it's pointless anyway. They just don't get him at that school. They don't understand how intelligent he is."
"No one's denying he's intelligent, Raquel, but that doesn't change the fact that the specialists have diagnosed him with autism. He has outbursts in class that his teachers can't handle. Not while trying to wrangle other kids. We have to face this, deal with it, and get him the help he needs." He said before she walked in
"Not today. I'm already late." She walked up to Amistad who was spinning the wheels on his car and kissed his head. Bye, my baby. I love you. "I'll be home soon."
He tapped her hand before she got up and walked to the door.
New Genesis August 26, 20:16 UTC.
In a Javelin, Rocket was looking down as Kage and Jay in a costume looked at her.
His costume is a simple uniform, consisting of blue pants, a red long-sleeved shirt emblazoned with an upside-down lightning bolt, red boots with small stylized wings, and a tin doughboy helmet that also sported stylized wings on the side.
"Lost in space?"
"Hmm? No, we're right on course." She replied as Naruto stood.
"He meant you were lost in your thoughts… Anything you want to talk about?"
"No." She said as Flash sat down in a chair.
"Frankly, after being cooped up on the Javelin for two days, I'm ready to stretch my legs."
"Is Flash ready to stretch Flash's legs for Flash's first mission as a Justice Leaguer?" Forager asked, walking into the cockpit.
"Yes. Nice being the new kid for a change."
"Oh, Forager can see Forager's old Forest Hive from here," Forager said as they saw the planet.
"Well, you'll have to give me a tour when we get down there," Flash said smiling.
"This isn't a pleasure cruise. We're here to represent Earth at the Summit, get a treaty signed if we can." Rocket said as Naruto waved her off.
"Can't be stiff though, that could put them off."
"Justice League meets the New Gods meets the Green Lantern Corps. Big old Hero Summit. A sure-fire hoot." Flash said as Forager and Rocket looked at him.
"Hoot?"
"Another way of saying it'll be fun," Naruto explained to them. "Spend a lot of time with Jay you pick up how the slang was in the 50s
"Any last-minute advice on navigating New Genesis?" Rocket asked Forager who clicked.
"Forager is unsure what to tell Rocket. Forager has not been to Forager's home world in over a year. And Forager has never been to Supertown before. Forager is unsure how useful Forager will be."
A buzzing alarm went off before Orion came up on a holo-screen. "Nos Kemnos, Kagenna Danjar…" He stopped before pulling up a Motherbox. "The New Gods welcome the Justice League to New Genesis."
"Thank you."
"Technically, Forager is an Outsider," Forager said, clicking as Rocket spoke.
"Ready to receive landing coordinates."
"Coordinates will not be necessary. Simply follow the Lightray." Orion said before the screen shut off showing a man outside tapping the glass.
He has fair skin, short red hair and is glowing with metal around his head and neck, leaving his face bare. He's wearing a white shirt, with a black circle and red arrow pointing down on his chest, red pants with a gold belt, and boots.
They followed him to a dock in a large city.
Supertown August 26 20:20 UTC.
They saw Orion stand outside with a man and a woman in purple royalty clothing. The man has fair skin and white hair and a beard holding a gold staff. The woman has dark skin and white hair done up in a dress.
"Welcome, honored guests. I am Solis, called Lightray. Allow me to introduce Highfather Iyaza the Inheritor, Highmother Avia, the Wisdom... Bringer, and their son Orion, Dog of War." Solis greeted and introduced themselves.
"Dog of War?" Rocket asked as Naruto leaned down.
"He's... In the military so to speak."
On the other side, a woman with dark skin in gold and red armor stood guard outside a building before a man in blue clothes came in on a floating dolly with a chest. "What brings you today, Antinoos?"
"Another delivery of drained crystals, Captain Celestia."
She checked the box and saw crystals inside before closing it.
"Enter."
He went into the large warehouse and dropped the box beside several others before it opened with a hand inside.
With the Leaguers, Forager looked at Iyaza and bowed. "Forager is honored to meet Highfather."
"Welcome to Supertown." He smiled, raising his staff and having a ball glow at the top inside the hook "The first Bug to be so welcomed, and... (Ahem!) High time, too."
"The representatives from the Green Lantern Corps will arrive tomorrow. In the meantime, I will escort you to your quarters." Orion said stoically to the group as they got on the floating platforms and left. His Motherbox pinged before picking it up and glanced at Rocket's belt. This is unknown technology. It should be confiscated for study."
"Kid, you're going to want to rethink that policy," Flash said to Orion before Avia spoke.
"My son, Rocket, is our honored guest."
"Fine, request withdrawn."
In the warehouse, a purple Forager Bug with blue eyes dodges the patrols, searching several crates before finding a device that causes some crystals to glow. The Bug attempts to escape with the device but bumps into Celestia.
With the others, Orion's Motherbox pings again before he picks it up. "How unusual. A thief has broken into our secured warehouse."
Apokolips Armagedda August 26 20:43 UTC.
On the fire planet in a bar, a man stands on a table and addresses his fellow Hunger Dogs, urging them to use their superior numbers to rise against the New Gods of Apokolips. The barkeep interrupts him and orders him out, lest they all be killed or reeducated. While most of the patrons mutter in fear and disgust, a girl follows Graggin outside and asks him about what he had said. Graggin tells her he knows others she should meet, and takes her away.
He brings her to a remote building where they are ambushed by Parademons. Graggin reveals himself to be Ma'alefa'ak, who had been searching for rebels. Jovita insists she had never considered rebelling until she heard Graggin speak, but that just proves her susceptibility. He orders her taken to the Reeducation Center.
A man with white hair and purple skin in black armor emerges from the shadows and praises Ma'alefa'ak's work, telling him Darkseid is pleased and summons him. Grayven has his Fatherbox open a boom tube.
Supertown August 26, 20:46 UTC.
"I can help."
Rocket said to Orion who materialized his floating device. "That's not protocol."
"Come on. It'll give you a chance to see my unknown technology in action."
"My priorities do not include…"
"(Ahem.)"
Orion grunted as his mother cleared her throat. "Help would be appreciated." He grunted before Naruto flew up in his gold cloak.
"I'll come too."
They went through a boom Tube and came out to see the Forager Bug roll it the woods below and gave chase.
"Impressive. To time one's descent with Supertown's trajectory and speed to drop into the lake below required calculation worthy of Motherbox." Orion said before Naruto flew ahead.
"I'll look downstream."
After flying down for several moments, he heard Orion yelling before flying back to see the two come out of the water in one of Rocket's bubbles.
Unknown -;-.
Conner jumped onto other rocks holding Phantom Girl before Lex appeared in front of him. "Who are you?"
"I am the Superboy," Conner replied, landing.
"Who are you?"
"A genomorph."
"Who are you?" Lex asked him, appearing in front of every jump.
"A clone made from the DNA of the Superman."
"Why?"
"To replace Superman should he perish. To destroy him should he turn from the light."
"That's right, my boy. Very good." Lex nodded as Conner landed from another jump.
"Thank you, Father."
Supertown August 26, 21:01 UTC.
"A capable female."
Forager said looking at a large hologram picture
"How do you know she's female?" Flash asked Forager.
"Is not the Bug's gender obvious?"
"Why is a Bug privy to this meeting?" Lightray asked having Forager look down
"This is not the Bug that committed the crime," Orion said to Lightray. "And this Bug may be able to help us catch that Bug."
"Do we know what exactly was stolen?" Highfather asked before Lightray looked over.
"A Radion-powered Ruction Cell."
"It must be ancient," Highmother said after him. "Five or six thousand years old at least. No wonder it was warehoused. It's both obsolete and dangerous."
"Does the other Bug know that?" Naruto asked as the picture went to one of the female Bug rolling away.
"I think not. We must retrieve this Cell before someone gets hurt."
"We must search the hive near the lake," Orin said before Forager shook his head.
"No. Notice the Bug's markings. This Bug is of the mountain hive."
"Mmm, I thought you might be useful."
"We can all be useful," Rocket said to Orion.
Mountain Hive August 26 21:58 UTC.
"If Hive can harness this device, Hive can bring power to the entire Mountain.
The Forager said to others and other bugs before a tall orange female Bug looked at her as she showed the device on the crystals.
"Forager has brought a great gift to the Mountain Hive."
"Kadan, Forager! Forager, Kadan!"
"Warning! New Gods approach the Hive." A male Forager came in, having the others leave as the female gave two kids Bugs the device.
"Stay here."
"But Forager…"
"Forager trusts Larvae will keep this great prize safe." She said as they nodded.
"Yes, Larvae will!"
Outside, The others stopped at the hive. "Motherbox is Radion-blocked. The Ruction Cell must be in the vicinity."
"Don't suppose Motherbox is blocked in any particular direction?" Rocket asked Orion before Flash spoke.
"I could check all those tunnels pretty quick. Not Barry-Allen-quick, but still..."
"'Barry Allen' does not translate, yet I get the gist and I am with you," Lightray replied before Orion looked back.
"No. Highfather has a rule against entering Bug Hives without permission."
"A wise rule indeed."
They looked to see the Queen Bug and the others walked out.
(A/N: I'll put G beside the Female Forager when she shares a scene with Forager.)
"Bugs of the Mountain Hive, Orion has come to retrieve the Ruction Cell stolen from the New Gods," Orion said to the Queen
"Bugs know not of any Ruction Cell."
"There is no point in feigning ignorance. We know one of this Hive's Foragers stole our property."
"But do not all Foragers look alike to New Gods? How can New Gods know that a Forager of the Mountain Hive stole the New God's important Cell."
"Hello. Forager is Forager." Forager walked up to Forager G as Rocket told them of the dangers.
"Hello, Forager. Forager is also Forager. New Gods always believe New God technology is too advanced for Bugs.
"And yet Forager's friend Rocket speaks the truth about the Ruction Cell."
"If Forager did forage Cell, then Cell is Forager's. Or has Forager spent so much time with New Gods, Forager has forgotten what it means to forage." Forager G spoke at Forager
"Forager rolls with Forager's Hive. Forager assumes Forager does the same. But if Cell explodes, Forager will have no Hive. No Elders. No Foragers. No Larvae to roll with."
"Highfather has a rule against entering Bug Hives without permission. But an exception can be made to protect life." Orion said before the Queen clicked.
"If New Gods even break faith with New God rules, Bugs will defend Hive!"
"Forager will bring New Gods to the Cell." Forager G said as Flash looked at her.
"He will?"
"Forager will not. But Forager will." Forager explained as Naruto sighed.
"No, this isn't going to get confusing at all."
"Come." Forager G said having them walk away
Unknown -;-.
Conner started having visions of him in a white bodysuit with the shield on replacing Superman Later, Luthor praises his new Superman. As Toyman operates a giant robot in the streets, Dr. Desmond wonders if it is a job for Superman, but Lex says no, as Toyman is doing them a favor. He wants to save Conner for more important work, such as when he took out Batman and destroyed the Watchtower.
Luthor is overall very pleased with his son's progress but tells him he has yet to reach his full potential. To do so he must shed useless attachments, indicating Phantom in his arms before Donna replaced her
Mountain Hive August 26 22:00 UTC.
"Many exits emerge from the Hive. Larvae could have taken anyone, making Larvae's current trajectory hard to predict."
Forager G said as they looked at the numerous tunnels.
"I'll run a search pattern," Flash said dashing ahead as Lightray flew.
"Good idea. I'll fly one."
"Around Forest Hive, Larvae favor common Larvae trails. Where would Mountain Larvae go?" Forager asked Forager G.
"Follow Forager."
Apokolips August 26 22:06 UTC.
"Lord Darkseid. I have done all I was tasked with. Having proven my worth, I ask you to fulfill your promise."
Ma'alefa'ak said to Darkseid as Kalibak stood with him.
"Darkseid is neither amused nor impressed with Ma'alefa'ak's impudence. But complete one final task for your Dread Lord, and you shall be granted your boon." Grayven said to the Martian.
"I await Darkseid's command."
"Mantis, approach, with the Kaizer-Thrall."
Mantis walked up with a large metal box floating beside him. "I assume you observe. Show yourself."
The honeycomb ship appeared and opened showing a teen boy inside. He has dark skin, brown eyes, and dark hair styled in dreadlocks with the right side of his head shaved. He's wearing a form-fitting uniform of black and gray, with a Z sigil on his chest.
"Uhm, what is it you want me to do?"
"Darkseid instructs both Mantis and Ma'alefa'ak to follow this one's orders as if they were Darkseid's own," Graven said as the two and the box went into the ship before Ma'alefa'ak looked at the teen.
"I know Mantis. Who are you?"
"I am Lor. Lor-Zod." Lor-Zod said as he sat in his chair.
New Genesis August 26 22:09 UTC.
The group saw the larvae playing with the device having it shoot a beam out.
Orion and Rocket get there first and ask the Larvae to return to the cell, but the red Larva refuses. The cell then malfunctions again and the blue Larva accidentally blasts Orion, knocking away his helmet and Motherbox. Rocket makes a force bubble to protect herself and the newly arrived Foragers, while the cell discharges uncontrollably.
Forger G and Rocket warn the Larvae to leave the device, but Orion with red eyes goes berserk and attacks them, knocking them away from the device. Rocket moves the force bubble around the cell, but warns it will not hold for long. Orion begins to punch at the bubble, before turning on Rocket, who encases him in a second bubble, as Orion becomes even more enraged.
Flash and Lightray arrive, and Flash rushes the larvae to safety. Lightray tells Rocket to release Orion, explaining that he is claustrophobic and that holding him may do irreparable damage. Rocket hesitates before Naruto nods at her. Lightray stops Orion from charging and holds up Motherbox, who pings to reassure Orion. Orion takes the Motherbox, who continues to ping and emit light until Orion has calmed.
"Apologies."
Later, the group is sitting in a room in Supertown before Flash speaks. "It seems the Ruction Cell is dormant now but still dangerous. Metron, over there, is supposed to take it to his "Interdimensional Vault' for safekeeping."
Naruto saw Metron take the device and leave before hearing Orion speak to Highmother.
"I lost control again. Another inheritance from my biological father."
"You are not him and never will be."
"I wish I had done good as well."
Naruto turned to see Rocket walk up before Flash spoke. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Everyone's safe after all."
"That doesn't cut it. I've got to lead negotiations tomorrow… And I'll be negotiating with a monster."
"He's not a monster," Naruto said, getting her attention. "He just has something from his biological father… I know what it's like to lose control. Besides you're alright with me. I had a similar episode where I almost destroyed my home."
Unknown -;-.
"It's time to shed this last burden."
"I just don't know," Conner said, looking at Donna in his arms.
What don't you know?"
Conner looked back to see another man that's the same color as the area with a beard wearing a bodysuit with the Z that Lor-Zod has.
"Talking to yourself or someone else?" He asked Conner. "I'm guessing the latter. Which means you're suffering from Zone-Sickness. Hallucinating. We all go through it."
"How do I know you're not a hallucination?
"Because we've never seen each other before. At any rate, I don't recall ever seeing you. Do I look familiar?"
"No," Conner replied.
"Well, that's because I'm real. Or as real as anything gets around here. I'm real. You're real. And that girl you're carrying is real." Conner looked down to see Phantom Girl in his arms. "Anyone else is just the sickness talking. I can teach you how to survive, um..."
"I am the Superboy."
"If you say so. My name's Dru, by the way, Dru-Zod. General Dru-Zod." Zod replied with a nod.
The Phantom Zone - -, -:- -.
The Watchtower August 25, 21:10 EST.
Superman stood with Black Lightning looking at pictures of every hero they've met that isn't part of the League or retired from it.
"Every candidate up here would make a fine recruit into our new Justice League reserves. Oh, and I couldn't find any clear pictures of them, but the recruitment committee should also consider Peacemaker, Etrigan the Demon, and the Phantom Stranger. Plus, in a real planetary crisis, Russia has more Rocket Reds, and China has, well, whatever it is they're not telling us they have." He said to Black Lightning before continuing.
"Orin and Diana have both indicated that Atlantis and Themyscira are potential untapped resources, too. We've barely scratched the surface in either kingdom. Same for Geranium City, perhaps. We also want to create cooperative plans of action with Mars and maybe Thanagar. And if Rocket's negotiations go as hoped with New Genesis and Oa as well. The real question is Markovia."
"There are heroes there, but can we be certain Geo-Force and his Infinitors will abide by Justice League standards? The last thing we want or need is for a reserve mission to cost us the trust we've worked so hard to build."
To Be Continued.
A/N: Thanks for reading and let me know of any mistakes.
Beta: Chaos-PSD.
Remember to vote if you haven't!
Next to be updated will be Maelstrom Huntsman
Nothing else to say.
Talk To You Later,
Lone Wolf Out.🐺