This chapter is basically entirely action so I hope it's not too repetitive. It's also the last chapter of the fic, so I really hope you guys enjoyed it! I really do appreciate every one of you, whether you review and favourite and message or just read the story and move on. Thanks so much again!
-RV
By the time Artemis and Wally meet the others in the conference room an hour later, they've already picked up Kaldur and Conner. Dick has a comment on the tip of his tongue but when he spots the choke marks around Artemis' neck and the deep purple bruise that spreads across Wally's chin and cheek, he swallows it back down.
Prince called them all to meet in there ten minutes ago and ironically, she's the only one who isn't present. Kaldur is leaning against the wall opposite of Dick and Zatanna and Raquel are seated at the table. M'gann and Conner are also at the table, M'gann bandaging a wound on Conner's hand. No one looks at each other in the face, too ashamed of their respective failures.
Wally and Artemis walk over and stop to stand next to Dick, Artemis leaning back against the glass wall. Dick and Wally perform the handshake they made up when they first met and Artemis rolls her eyes at the pair. The sound of their hands breaks the silence in the room, and everyone looks up at them.
"Good to have you back, buddy," Dick says.
"Good to be back," Wally responds with a grin.
Artemis uses her chin to indicate Conner's hand, "Sorry about that."
Conner looks up from M'gann's bandaging job, "Sorry about almost crushing your skull."
"Call ourselves even?" Artemis suggests. Conner nods. "This is Kid Flash," Artemis says next, addressing the entire room as she tilts her head towards Wally. She points to each person in turn as she introduces them, "That's Rocket, Aqualad, Miss Martian, and Superboy. You know Zatanna and Nightwing."
Wally walks forward to shake hands with each of them, having a comment for everyone. "Nightwing, I know you. You're kind of a Dick." Dick laughs. You'd think that joke would get old after a while. "Aqualad, king of Atlantis, right? Heard you can manipulate water too, pretty badass if I do say so myself. Zatanna, still kicking ass and taking names, I presume. Rocket, heard about your manipulation of kinetic energy, I'd love to talk about that sometime because, you know, science. Miss Martian, heard about that town last year. Let me just say, holy shit that's wicked. You know, in a terrifying, completely kickass way. Superboy, big fan of how you can turn into a angry rage monster." When he gets to Artemis, he takes her hand and kisses her knuckles instead and says, "Artemis, still beautiful and the biggest badass I know, as always." Artemis rolls her eyes.
Somehow, the tension in the room is lifted by Wally's goofy introductions. The atmosphere is lighter, friendlier. They aren't all too ashamed to look at each other again. Some even exchange smiles or glances.
Wally has that effect on people. He can make anyone smile, stranger or not, and is probably the most lovable, goofy guy that Dick knows.
Dick decides that he's really glad Wally's back. It feels like everything's in balance again, especially when Kid Flash goes to flick Artemis' ponytail and she elbows him in the stomach. But the way that Artemis lets Kid Flash lean an arm on her shoulder shows how worried she was for him and it hits Dick again with how easily his best friend was almost lost.
Kaldur stands once Kid Flash finishes his introductions and closes the door. "I have a confession to make: Prince did not call this meeting. I did. We need to regroup. When we were fighting in the lab before, none of us were in the right mind. I certainly did not mean what I said, and I believe that none of you did either."
Dick nods, "Klarion's scepter was affecting us, making us angrier than we were."
"He planned it," M'gann says. "He was trying to fracture our team, wasn't he?"
"I believe so," Kaldur says. "Because he knows that the only way for him to win is to eliminate the Avengers."
"If he wanted to divide and conquer he could've done it easily," Zatanna says. "We were sitting ducks, like it or not. All he had to do was kill the third engine."
"Why didn't he do it then?" Conner asks, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.
Raquel shakes her head, "He's too much of a drama queen for that. This is a game to him. He'd never let it be over so easily."
"So what was this, the first act?" Artemis asks.
"Exactly," Kaldur says.
"We need to ban together as a team," M'gann says. "Or we'll end up tearing each other apart while Klarion takes over."
"Yeah, no more of this macho bullshit," Rocket agrees. "We've all been too worried about standing out as individuals that we're forgetting to work together."
"Then I say we vote for a team leader," Artemis says, "Someone to remind us to get ourselves together." When everyone murmurs their agreement, she continues. "I vote Aqualad. When he gave orders, everyone listened to them. And he accounted for our strengths: sending me off to get the guy whose weaknesses I've known since I was sixteen, Dick and Raquel's team up. M'gann saved my ass after he sent her, knowing it would happen or not."
"I second that," Dick says, nodding. "He probably has the most leading experience out of all of us anyways. Who's for it, raise their hand." Everyone raises their hand without hesitation.
"It's decided then. Aqualad's our new leader," Conner says.
"I am very flattered with his honor. I will do my best not to let you down," Kaldur says, bowing his head.
"Now, back to Klarion," Zatanna says, "Before he tries to get our attention again, like back in Germany."
Wally starts to speak, "Klarion's a drama queen, right? And if this was only the first act can you imagine what he's actually planning? He wants fire and death and terror. He wants chaos," he says, "He'll chose somewhere in the public eye. Maybe somewhere that he knows one of us is connected to. Somewhere big with a large population and monuments built high in the sky that he can burn...Son of a bitch. I know where he's going."
They take two modes of transport. Kid Flash, Nightwing, Zatanna, and Artemis take a helicopter while Miss Martian, Superboy, Rocket, and Aqualad get in M'gann's Bioship and head off at once, ignoring the warnings over the intercom that they aren't authorized for departure.
They're lucky they're so close to Connecticut.
...
Dr. Adam Strange, eyes made of crystal, stands on top of Wayne Tower and fiddles with a large metal device. He adjusts the different settings on the machine before placing the tesseract inside with the kind of care you'd reserve for a newborn.
The doctor returns to the controls and flips a few more buttons and the tesseract is sudden lifted in the machine, suspended by blue light just as magnificent as that that comes out of itself. Strange's eyes take on a captivating glow. It won't be long now.
...
Artemis and Dick fly the helicopter closer to Wayne Tower with caution, Wally and Zatanna behind them, watching the progress.
"You know the plan?" Dick asks for what must be the thousandth time since they came up with it.
"I've got it, Dick," Wally says, pulling up his cowl. "I know what I'm doing." The helicopter settles over the tower, where Strange is working away on the top. There's some kind of blue energy field surrounding him and the device that holds the tesseract. They pull the helicopter to the side of the building, where Klarion is standing and waiting for them on the deck.
"You be careful," Artemis says, and it comes out as a warning and a demand, "Be in and out in three minutes time, or I'm coming in to get you."
"I'd expect nothing less, babe," Wally says before leaning down to kiss her cheek. He's already in the back of the helicopter when Artemis looks back at him. He smiles. "Wish me luck?"
"Good luck," she says. Dick opens the door and Wally leaps out, landing on the deck in a roll more graceful than the ones he usually executes (Barry, who taught him that move when he was just a teenager, would've been proud). He stands and looks inside, where Klarion has settled himself on a couch, scepter in hand. Wally hears the helicopter retreating and doesn't look back, walking towards the door coolly. Kid Flash stands tall.
He has to keep him busy for three minutes while Zatanna attempts to break through the force field. Just three minutes he has to hold out; Wally isn't too scared. He knows he can talk for a lot longer than three minutes. He just isn't sure Klarion will listen for that long.
"Please, tell me you've come to beg for your lives. I've always loved begging," Klarion says as soon as he steps in the door.
"Actually," Wally says as he lets the door close behind him, "I've come to threaten yours."
Klarion props his feet up on the table and Wally looks for the cat carefully out of the corner of his eye. "Oh this will be good," Klarion laughs.
Wally walks away from the door and doesn't take his eyes off Klarion or the scepter in his hands, not even as he walks to the bar and pours himself a drink. "Drink?" He offers. Klarion shakes his head and Wally shrugs, pouring himself a scotch on the rocks. Dick won't like that he's using the expensive stuff, but Wally figures he earned it.
"I'm curious to hear what you have to threaten me with," Klarion says. "Your little team? Because last I checked, they all hated each other."
Wally smiles and walks leisurely around the counter, sipping his drink. "Nothing a little Flash therapy can't fix," he says. "I wouldn't call the Avengers little either. That's what we call each other, by the way: the Avengers. Nice ring to it, don't you think?" He says the name with zeal.
"And I should fear you?" Klarion giggles, "That's cute."
"Yeah, you should. Fear us, I mean," Wally says. "Because, really, our starting lineup's pretty impressive. Let's do a quick headcount here: yours truly, the fastest man alive, a beautiful yet rather snarky master assassin, the wonder detective, an Atlantean king, the most powerful magician alive, a cloned super soldier, the champion of Mars, and a kickass fighter. And you've managed to piss off each and every one of them," Wally takes a drink, "You know, I think I like our odds."
"You think that can stop me?" Klarion says, standing. "A Lord of Chaos?" Wally nods easily.
"Earth's mightiest heroes, working together to defend earth?" He says. "I think we can."
"I have an army."
"We have Superboy." Wally can tell he's starting to irritate him and checks the clock on the wall behind Klarion quickly, nothing more than the shift of his eyes. Klarion is too busy glaring to notice.
"And if you fail? If Earth falls, what will happen?"
"You can be damn well sure we'll avenge it," Wally says. Klarion's standing maybe three feet from him now, facing him. Wally is hyper aware of how brightly his scepter is glowing.
Without warning, Klarion suddenly thrusts his scepter forward, hitting Wally right in the chest and the scepter...does absolutely nothing. Wally smirks.
"One of the perks of being a speedster? Super metabolism. Super metabolism makes for a super immune system, which means whatever to did to me before, can't happen again. Nice try, though. Good technique, I almost didn't even know you were going to come at me." Out of the corner of his eye, he sees his ride approaching. "Well, it's been a good chat, but I've really gotta head out. Planet to protect, you know, same old, same old." Wally shoves his empty cup in the villain's hands before he turns and runs. Klarion doesn't even realize what's happening until he's almost at the window. A jet of blue light streaks past him, but Wally keeps running, shattering the glass window and leaping, arms outstretched. He lands right on Zatanna's flying disc as she zips by, and holds onto the edge tightly.
"You get it?!" Wally yells. Zatanna ducks a streak of blue light before she answers.
"No! The force field is made of pure energy! It's too strong for my spells!" There's a loud boom just as Kid Flash gets to his feet and both look up to see a stunning blue light, shooting up into the sky and making some kind of black hole.
"You up for it?" Kid Flash asks. Zatanna smirks.
"Course I am. Radio it in," Zatanna says, and the disc changes directions to shooting up instead of forward as Wally presses in his com.
"This is Kid Flash. I'm fine, and so is Zatanna, but we're going to be taking a bit of a detour!"
"Yeah, we saw it," Artemis replies. "Nightwing and I are preparing for ground assault. Getting civilians in the subway."
"I will meet you on the ground," Kaldur says, "Rocket, I want you to aid Zatanna and Kid Flash. Superboy, help us on the ground too. Miss Martian-"
"I'm going after Klarion," she interrupts. Wally looks down to see the alien rushing Wayne tower, just a streak of green and blue that's heading straight for Wayne Tower.
"Very well," Aqualad says, "Kid Flash, I think you could be of best asset on the ground, helping civilians."
"I agree. Zat, can you send me down?" Kid Flash says. Her eyes glow bright blue and he says something he can't hear over the wind. The disc splits in half and the half that Wally's on speeds to the ground while Zatanna's continues in the opposite direction.
...
M'gann shoots up to the tower and sees Klarion on the deck, watching his army pour through the black hole as Rocket and Zatanna try to slow its progress with a series of flashes and explosions.
"Klarion!" She screams to get his attention, halting to float before him, eyes glowing. Klarion turns to look at her. "You can still turn yourself in, stop this madness, and answer for your crimes both here and on Mars! You can still do the right thing!" This is said out of kindness, not duty. The Lord of Chaos throws it back in her face.
Klarion laughs, "Stop this madness? Why would I want to do that?"
"Then you brought this upon yourself, Klarion," she says before making all the glass surrounding him explode, and knocking him off his feet. When he stands, M'gann uses her telepathy to pull the safety railing out of the deck and make it soar towards him, knocking him back through the only intact window. M'gann flies after him.
She watches his still form in the wreckage and is about to turn when she hears something to her left. She turns in time to see the real Klarion shoot her with a burst of blue light and it burns her side where it made contact. M'gann is knocked across the room from the impact, flying into and denting the elevator doors with her collision.
Klarion stands slowly from where he fell before, wiping the dust from his suit, wincing like he's more worried about it than himself. M'gann stands too, leaning on the elevator doors and looking at Klarion angrily. When he turns to her, he smiles.
"Aren't you a little...small to be the champion of Mars?"
M'gann takes the challenge. She floats up and it's not just her eyes that are glowing anymore. She's surrounded by an aura of green, some kind of halo of power, and her hair is blowing around her in a wind that seems to come from nowhere. Everything in the room begins to rattle, anything smaller than a lamp taking flight.
"Am I?" M'gann asks.
...
"TUP A DIL NO TI!" Zatanna yells, hands out. A golden cap materializes and settles itself over the wormhole, but doesn't last for long, smashing after seconds. Rocket takes two giant purple orbs filled with the creatures and smashes them together, causing a massive explosion that she only just manages to contain in the orbs.
"This isn't working!" Zatanna yells after casting another spell, "Too many are getting through!"
"Hear that Aqualad?" Raquel yells through her com, only just managing to throw up a shield in time to protect herself from sudden rain of lasers from the aliens' guns.
"Understood. Come to the ground, we'll take our stand here," his deep voice responds. Rocket makes one final orb and Zatanna holds her hands out to it.
"Edolpxe," she says and the entire thing blows, but they're halfway to the ground by the time it does.
Zatanna's disc disappears as soon as she steps to the ground. The streets are already half blown apart; dust covers everything and everyone and Kid Flash is carrying a couple kids away from a collapsing building when she lands.
He hands one of the crying children to Artemis, who runs with him while Dick covers them, shooting twin guns at any near aliens. Zatanna joins him, covering the two heroes as they hand the children to their parents then hurry them down the subway entrance.
Zatanna just begins to wonder where Kaldur is when she spots him down the street next to a broken fountain, water shooting up and out of it, knocking over aliens on flying carriages and sending them to smash into buildings.
Conner flies by on a carriage, pulling the alien off it and dropping it over the edge before following it, creating a crater where he lands.
"M'gann, we need you down here," Kaldur's voice says in the com.
"On my way," she responds in their ears, and she sounds almost winded.
...
Up in Wayne Tower, M'gann shoots out of the building and onto the deck, watching Klarion stand to follow. His legs shake from her previous attacks.
"Running away already?" He teases. M'gann just shakes her head and points up. Klarion looks up just in time to see the floor of the next level collapse down on him, courtesy of a combination of strategic foundation destruction and Miss Martian's telepathy.
The Martian doesn't wait another moment and flies down to meet her friends on the streets. It isn't difficult to find them; the Avengers aren't exactly discreet.
Rocket and Zatanna's last explosion seems to have slowed the aliens for a moment, and the team takes a quick breather. Kaldur seizes the moment to dish out assignments.
"Kid Flash, you're on civilian duty. Save any you find. Fight the aliens when you can, but civilians are your priority. Artemis, you'll be on a skyscraper shooting; you'll be our eyes. Take out any stragglers and tell us of any patterns you see. Miss Martian, Rocket, take to the air. Take out the carriages and any ships they bring through; turn them to ash. Zatanna, Nightwing, I want both of you on the ground. And Conner," Superboy turns to him, eyes red. Conner isn't completely sure who these people are, but he has a very black and white way of seeing things that makes it easy to distinguish who is who. The green one taught it to him on her big ship: humans and avengers good, aliens with guns bad. "Smash," Kaldur says and Conner smiles.
"What about you?" M'gann asks.
"I will be heading to the shore," Kaldur says, "They're been dropping pods into the water there."
Everyone splits off to their respective jobs; Kaldur hitches a ride in a purple orb to the shore, Zatanna and Dick run off down the street to an approaching fleet, Rocket shoots up into the air towards a cluster of carriages, Conner simply runs at a second fleet and barrels straight through it, and Kid Flash heads for the busier districts.
"Need a lift?" Miss Martian asks Artemis, who nods. The girls grasp each other's forearms and M'gann lifts her up, flying with Artemis hanging vertically beneath her while M'gann's own body is horizontal. She drops Artemis off on the nearest roof then soars to help Raquel.
...
Aqualad faces the shore, watching the approaching alien army with an air of harmony. His breathing is even, his heart beat calm. His hands are steady. The King of Atlantis feels strong. He is as ready as he will ever be.
Not many pods were dropped into the water before, maybe five or six, and each only has about twenty soldiers inside. The aliens do not seem to know what to make of the water, stumbling and splashing awkwardly and ungracefully. Some have adopted a slow technique, sliding their feet carefully, moving at a snail's pace. Others have adopted brute force, trying to run through the water; most of these fall quickly. Some do not get up again. They remind him of, for lack of a better metaphor, fish out of water. They flop and they fall and their weapons don't seem to be able to repel the liquid. Whenever an alien spots Kaldur and tries to take a shot, the gun explodes or shoots water or shoots out of the wrong end. Many learn that lesson the hard way.
Kaldur knows this won't take long. Maybe it's a grim thought but it's true. He grew up channelling the dark depths of the ocean; he could take down these monsters with his eyes closed, even if they were familiar with water. The aliens seem to have caught onto that too, because they've stopped sending pods into the water altogether.
Once he is finished here he will be able to join the others and help them in the streets. Poseidon knows they need it is what the young king thinks as he looks to the sky and sees the black hole, hundreds of aliens flying out, like black flies to blood.
Kaldur approaches the water and walks into it without hesitation. He feels the strength brush into his body with each gentle lap that reaches him from the aliens' struggling. The water is calm today, but it won't be for much longer; not with his battle to be fought.
As he draws his water bearers, he thinks of a girl with a heart braver and kinder than his. He thinks of the injustice of someone so good's premature death, and he lets it make him angry.
Not many know it, but Kaldur's calm hides a storm.
...
Nightwing swings the stolen alien gun to aim at the creatures that are on the buildings, shooting them all down. Then he whirls around and faces Zatanna, shooting at her. She holds out her hands and yells.
"YFINGAM DNA NRUT!" And the beam becomes ten times larger, redirecting itself to take out the first three lines of an approaching squad.
Nightwing spins around again and shoots at a telephone pole, knocking it over and crushing a line of approaching aliens. He takes a running start at a car and leaps onto it, dropping his gun in favour of jumping up and grabbing a hanging sign. Dick spins around it and uses the momentum to fly down and slam two aliens in the chest with his feet, knocking both clean over. He draws his escrima sticks as he runs, aiming for the neck, face, and chest.
Dick runs and jumps, catching an alien around the head with his thighs, and brings him down, landing in a somersault. He puts his escrima sticks away and keeps running, grabbing onto a light post to swing around it horizontally and knock over another alien with his legs before landing. Dick draws his sticks again and pauses for a breather, watching the foot soldiers walk towards him cautiously.
Their hesitation gives Nightwing the time to see carriages coming towards him, but they aren't being led by a soldier. Dick calls out to Zatanna.
"ZAT, I'M HITCHING A RIDE UP!"
She looks over her shoulder to see him point at the carriage holding Klarion. She nods once then turns back to the pack that's descending upon her. Dick runs at the aliens, but at the last second he jumps up, kicking off a building for leverage, and lands on a carriage.
It's not the one he was aiming for. The gunner turns to him, but Dick punches it and it falls off the carriage easily. Then he leaps onto the driver's back before it can realize what's happened, and digs two small blades into its shoulders, feet holding him up on the alien's hips.
The alien screeches but when Dick turns the blades, it gets the message and turns the carriage. Nightwing is hot on Klarion's tail by the time the Lord of Chaos looks back and sees him from his front carriage. He smiles.
Klarion turns sharply but Dick just matches him, gaining more air. When Klarion turns back again, Nightwing is in jumping distance.
He leaps off his carriage, taking his knives with him, and attaches himself to Klarion's back, arm around his neck. Klarion digs an elbow up his ribs and Dick lets go. Klarion turns and punches, but Nightwing dodges it and gets similar results when he tries to punch the Lord of Chaos. Klarion spins and hits Nightwing with his scepter, a hard blow to take. But Dick roles with it and grabs the scepter; the men wrestle over it until Dick pushes it back and knocks Klarion in his face. The crunch tells Dick he broke his nose. The scepter flies off the carriage, landing on the patio of Wayne Tower. But neither see what happened, or even notice that it's gone.
Klarion finally lands a punch to the gut on Dick, then boxes him in the ear. Dick staggers and Klarion kicks him, knocking him over the edge. Nightwing just manages to catch the back edge and holds on tight.
Klarion tries to stomp on his fingers but he just adjusts his grip, which is easy enough now but he can't keep it going forever. Nightwing spots an archer on the roof of a nearby building and takes a second to wonder at his luck.
"Artemis! A little help!" He says in the com.
"I've got your back, Nightwing," she says. Dick sees an arrow fly towards them and Klarion turns, lightning fast. He catches the arrow in midair, just above his heart.
"You might want to let go," Artemis says in his ear. Dick swings himself off the carriage and through the empty glass wall of an office building, shot out a second before by a green arrow. Dick slides across the ground before he rolls to a stop on the other side of the room. He lies on the ground a moment, trying to catch his breath. Dick looks back in time to see the arrow blow and the carriage become engulfed in flames.
"Nightwing, status," Artemis says.
Dick rises slowly, hands on his knees, "I'm good. Zatanna, I'll be right there," he says. Dick stands straight, cracks his back, then runs back out the window, leaping with his arms outstretched to grab another carriage.
...
Meow!
Zatanna turns around, expecting to find another cat to save. Along with fighting aliens and saving civilians, Zatanna has been summoning cages from a nearby pet store and putting any animals she finds inside. Then she sends them off to the subway, where a group of civilians has been gathering them and bringing them down to safety. Prince probably wouldn't approve, but Zatanna finds herself not caring what Prince thinks. She might have respect for the woman, but that doesn't mean she has to like her.
She turns, ready to summon another cage until she sees the origin of the meow. It is a cat. It just doesn't need saving. Because it's about the size of a shit brick house.
Zatanna swears, Klarion's cat has gotten even bigger since Germany. It's the size of a short bus now, snarling with slobber dripping down its fangs, making puddles in the street. Zatanna takes one look and it and sighs. She really doesn't feel like fighting a gigantic cat at the moment.
The cat hisses and winds up, butt in the air and tail swaying. Zatanna recognizes the move and prepares to dodge its strike, feeling a little ridiculous (really, the others are off fighting aliens from another galaxy and she gets to deal with a mutant cat? So not fair). The cat pounces and Zatanna dives out of the way at the last second, sliding across the road on her stomach and covering herself in the dust and rubble that's settled there. Zatanna looks up, blue fire in her eyes. Now she's pissed.
Zatanna watches the cat set up for another and stands slowly, fists clenched at her sides. She has to dive out of the way again when it comes near. She slams into a store front, head hitting the display window and hip hitting the brick edge beneath, sending dulls pangs in both areas. A claw catches her on the arm too and draws blood, extending from her shoulder to her elbow. Zatanna doesn't cry out, just draws in a sharp breath and grabs it instinctively. The cat may be big, but it's fast.
"Tlahpsa ot eci!" Zatanna says and the road the cat is on becomes a skating rink. The cat slides about it, trying to regain its footing without much progress. Teekl smacks its head against the frozen ground and it lets out an annoyed hiss.
Zatanna looks back down at the wound on her arm and uses a spell she's used many a time before, "Naelc dna dnib." She sucks in another sharp breath as she feels the wound get cleaned out, a strip of cloth flying out of the craft store she's leaning on, the cloth tying around her arm.
Wait. Craft store.
Zatanna looks at it thoughtfully, then looks back to the cat. She holds a hand towards the store and mumbles a spell she's never used before and hopes to goodness that it actually works.
The entirety of the shop's yarn flies out of a broken window, twisting and turning around itself until it becomes a large ball, taller than Zatanna herself. The ball rolls out onto the iced street and slides right back the cat. The cat snaps to watch it drift away, then slips and slides in an effort to chase it.
"Really?" Zatanna says, not believing that it actually worked. But she doesn't have long to take get over her surprise; she sees movement out of the corner of her eye and bolts to get the aliens that are currently dragging a civilian down the street. Her hands get a blue glow as she prepares a spell.
...
Superboy runs down the street, after the retreating aliens. He lets out a furious roar and stops to pick up an abandoned car next to him. He holds it up above his head and chucks it, knocking out the line of running aliens.
Conner sees a carriage coming and jumps up, bringing it to the ground with his body weight. He spins twice, arms straight, then releases it so it goes flying into another carriage and explodes.
Superboy's body straightens suddenly, hearing something. He listens closely, trying to tune out the sounds of battle. It sounds...young. Conner blinks, switching to heat vision. He carefully scans the streets until he sees them. There's a small pack of pups, just around the corner. They're yelping for their mothers. Conner takes off without a second thought.
He sees them, cowering in the corner of the steps of an apartment building. One of the pups screams and Superboy has to look around for the reason.
A group of aliens has somehow lifted a bus together, holding it up on their carriages. They zip towards the children and Superboy finally figures out what they're going to do.
In one giant leap, he takes the entire street, landing in front of the pups. His feet hit the pavement hard, making cracked indents that go a couple inches into the pavement.
The aliens throw the bus and it's coming straight for them. It flies through the air and the pups scream. Conner runs and jumps up, catching the bus on his shoulders. He drops to one knee as he bears the weight, sliding backwards from momentum. Conner takes in a deep breath and stands with shaky legs.
"GO!" He barks at the pups, the first human word he's spoken while Superboy. The pups don't hesitate and run for it, ducking behind another apartment's staircase. Superboy lifts the bus up so his arms are straight. Then, he throws it right back at the aliens.
They scramble to dodge the bus and some are hit by it, flattened between the bus and the front of the building behind them as the bus slides down. Superboy stands and looks at the pups, who are peering over the step at him.
Conner has this strange instinct to help the pups, an instinct that overpowers that to go chase after the aliens and tear them limb from limb. He turns away from the aliens and wanders over to the pups, who stare wide eyed at him for a moment. Then, one rushes forward to latch onto his leg in some kind of...embrace.
Conner blinks down, staring in confusion for a second before he reaches down to pat the pup's head. It looks up at him with wide bright eyes and Conner tilts his head, showing it to follow him. The pack follows after him dutifully, gathering in his legs and holding onto his jeans, shirt, and arms.
Somehow, Conner doesn't find himself angry about it. In fact, he's feeling something else. Something he hasn't felt while Superboy before. Something he doesn't have a name for.
...
Rocket flips back in midair, avoiding the gunfire that's aimed at her. Then she stops herself and assess the enemy before shooting forward once again. She dives into the squad of carriages she has teamed up with M'gann to take on.
Rocket soars towards some carriages and surrounds her fists with kinetic energy. She takes out an alien with an easy one-two strike and moves onto the next carriage, knocking both the driver and gunner in the face with a foot bathed in purple. She slips through the rider-less carriages gracefully, shooting towards more carriages, clothes lining the aliens on them.
Rocket watches Miss Martian destroy the last of the two carriages in the pack and barely has time for a breath by the time Artemis' voice is coming through on the com.
"Heads up!" Is all her husky voice says. Since she doesn't specify who, Rocket looks up. Her eyes go straight to the worm hole, and the thing coming out of it. It's a massive ship, larger than any other that's left the hole, and is twisting and turning as it flies, like a snake. It slithers through the air, gracefully spiralling down towards the earth at an alarming rate and suddenly, Raquel remembers why she hates snakes.
The monster machine disappears behind some skyscrapers and Raquel presses her finger to her com, racing towards it. "I'm on it," she says.
"You've got Superboy's support," Artemis answers and Raquel hears the unmistakable twang of her bow as she lets an arrow soar.
Rocket turns the corner and sees it, flying slowly towards her. Its great mouth opens larger than would be possible if it had a jaw and foot soldiers dive off the sides, where they'd been holding on on the outside. She sees Superboy on the ground, already ripping them apart. The great beast is metallic and seems to have long, sharp scale-like panels on the sides that make it look even more like a snake than before. Rocket gulps down some of the first fear she's had time to feel this whole battle.
Making up her mind, Raquel surges towards it. "Anyone ever hear of the tale of Jonah?" She asks through the com as she powers towards its open mouth.
A shield of energy materializes around her as she flies straight into its mouth, bursting through the inside, causing sparks to fly and static to erupt and electrical currents to reach and connect ragged fingers. By the time Rocket bursts out the other side, she's burned and scraped and battered but mostly burned. The monster machine is off much worse.
She turns in time to see it hit the side of a skyscraper, burning and twisting, this time in not in grace but in agony before it finally explodes, bursting with pink and yellow flames.
...
The aliens climb along the building like spiders, planting something much more deadly than webs. The bombs blink orange light and let out a high pitched shriek that makes dogs howl across the city and bats screech in return.
Beneath the awning of this particular building is a child, filthy with dust and screaming for his mother. He's holding the hand of a dirty teddy bear with arms that are too short to keep the bear off the ground. His blond hair is grey with dust, his red jacket that's just a bit too big it ripped on one arm. The rip is from getting caught on a fence when he was trying to run away on legs too short to go faster than a quick walk.
Above him, the aliens leap off the building, flying with limbs outstretched to catch the building across. Their departure is hasty and for good reason: the winking and the beeping of the devices quicken. Finally, the bombs do both for the last time, letting out one long, shrill beep and letting the light blink for just a second too long. The building's face blows with the devices, crumbling down. Just as the awning is about to fall and crush the boy, a streak of yellow zips by and picks up him, teddy bear and all, cradling the sobbing child.
"Hey buddy," Kid Flash says, dodging debris with a grin down at the child, who's stopped crying out of surprise and is hiccupping quietly, staring up at his savior with wide eyes. "I'm Kid Flash," he says. "What's your name? Hold that thought, buddy." Kid Flash drops to a knee, sliding with one leg straight in front of him as he slips under Zatanna's outstretched hands while she casts a spell (he knows firsthand that you do not want to get in the way of those things). Kid Flash stands back up and keeps running without pause. "Sorry about that," he says, "Like I was saying, what's your name, little man?"
The boy wipes a hand over his eye and holds onto to the teddy with his other one, "M- Mikey."
"Mikey? Aw, that's a great name, kid," Kid Flash says. "I'm going to give you to this nice police officer up here, okay? She'll bring you to a bunch of other little kids and find your mom and dad, okay?"
"Okay," Mikey says, tiny fist holding onto Kid Flash's suit.
"Awesome," Kid Flash grins down at him, then slides to a stop at the subway entrance, where a police officer is waiting. He hands the child to her. "His name is Mikey, found him on hundredth street." The officer nods and her partner writes the name and street on a notepad while she takes the child and jogs down the steps with him. The boy looks over and waves at Kid Flash, who waves back with a wink before zipping off.
It's mere seconds before he hears screaming again, and unsurprisingly, it's from the very building the bomber aliens just jumped on. Wally's back in seconds, finding that the doors are blocked from a car accidentally knocked there from either an explosion or Zatanna or both. Instead, Wally has to take a running start at the place and grab onto a window, then slip inside onto the second floor. It's a cafe, Kid Flash finds. There's a handful of aliens walking around the second floor's balcony, Wally counts seven, and there's a whole hoard of people on the first floor, clumped together and cowering at the aliens above them.
"Excuse me," Kid Flash says and all eyes are on him, both alien and human. He points to the nearest alien, "How would you feel if I came to your planet and just started blowing shit up?" He glances down at the children below and adds, "Pardon my French?"
The nearest alien charges him, but Kid Flash is gone before it takes a step. He runs around the conveniently circular second floor, doing one lap to grab all their weapons and drop them out the window, then a second to knock them all over. A third is to grab them and gather them all together, and a fourth and final is to tie them up with the long drapes that cover the windows. Once Kid Flash is sure they're all good and knocked out, he goes to the railing.
"I'll be right back," he says, "Get away from the door." The people obey him quickly and Wally hops back out the window. He stands up on the car and waves his arms like a maniac, forgetting about his com all together.
"YO! HEY, ZAT!" He jumps up and down and when she sees him from down the street, he points at the car he's on, still jumping, "WANNA LEND A HAND?!"
She gives him half a second before she holds out a hand and says a spell he can't hear. Wally's well across the street by the time the car goes flying, down the street and conveniently hitting an oncoming caravan of carriages.
Kid Flash bolts to the door and opens it, ushering people out with a chipper tone, "Alright, this way, good job, keep going, down to the subway, mmm Subway I'm kinda hungry, keep moving people and remember, the buddy system is a great system!" Once he's sure all the civilians have left and are safe down the subway, he runs back to the cafe and stuffs a couple biscotti in his mouth.
What? He's got a fast metabolism.
...
Miss Martian shoots faster than a bullet, metaphorically screeching to a halt when she finds a couple straggling carriages. She holds out both hands and claps them together before her, causing the carriages to smash together then plunge to the earth.
Carriages gone, M'gann switches her attention to the aliens that scramble up on the buildings on either side of her. She grabs them by their shoulders and rips them off the building, flying to the middle of the street before dropping them to the far off ground.
She turns to see a mass of carriages flying at her and she returns the favour, spinning in midair to dodge their fire. As she flies, she summons rope from a building nearby that's under construction and she sends one end to tie itself around a lamp post. She holds tight to the other.
The carriages, unable to stop or turn in time to dodge the taut rope, crash into it and each other, then fall to the ground. She doesn't waste a moment is turning around, dropping the rope but leaving it tied to the other post for future use.
"Miss Martian, you've got an ambush straight ahead. Up and over the next intersection will get you clear," Artemis says.
"Thanks, Artemis," M'gann says back, before flying straight to the indicated corner. At the last second, she flies up and over the trap, causing the aliens behind it to get caught in their over device.
Miss Martian finds a double squad of aliens creeping down the street, apparently trying to act in stealth. M'gann floats into their line of vision, sinking down low enough for them to notice but high enough to assert her dominance. Apparently, they don't get the last bit.
The one that must be the leader steps forward and clicks at her in its native tongue, aggressively gesturing its arms and legs. M'gann can understand bits and pieces and what she does understand makes her very angry. The alien threatens to attack Mars once they're done with Earth and slaughter all those on it if she doesn't stop fighting right at the moment. M'gann flies higher and responds in the clicking language.
"What is your reason for war?" The alien responds that there be no reason, only chaos and destruction and death. He repeats his threats and M'gann responds in kind.
"You will not command me. I am a Martian and Martians do not take kindly to threats." The leader demands who she is, and the aura of power from earlier returns, her green halo engulfing her.
"I am M'gann M'orzz, first of my name. I have competed for and am the Champion of Mars, an acknowledgement among the highest titles any Martian can receive," M'gann said, "Would you like to see what the real Champion of Mars can do?"
She holds a hand out without giving them a chance to respond and the buildings on either side crack, chunks fly out, and cars lifts and head straight for them. But that's not what they should be worried about.
The asphalt beneath them suddenly lifts in a large disc, getting ten feet above the ground before tipping them all off. Then M'gann turns it and it goes vertical, causing the oncoming snake machine to slam into it and fall, right onto the first aliens. M'gann drops the asphalt.
Miss Martian looks down to see Rocket weaving between buildings, a dozen more carriages on her tail. M'gann flies after them without a second thought. Her eyes glow.
...
Artemis presses in her com and shouts, "Aqualad, you've got a pack of uglies heading towards you from the East!" She lifts her hand to take out a couple stragglers with two flawless arrows, then jogs to the other side of the roof. A carriage passes and Artemis shoots out the driver, causing both the carriage and gunner to fall to the ground.
Artemis turns and knocks the two aliens behind her with a swift kick to the face each, and lets them both fall off the building. She hears a loud beeping and a carriage flies by, the gunner throwing a bomb-like device onto the roof. Artemis runs and jumps off the roof, sliding onto the one closest to her and ducking her head from the explosion.
Before the dust even settles, Artemis has an arrow notched and released, arrow flying towards the carriage the threw the bomb. The arrow blows on impact and Artemis scans the streets.
"Kid Flash, there's two men carrying a third injured man on sixty second. Zatanna, Nightwing, Aqualad looks like he needs assistance to the West of you. Head down ninety third and you'll corner a pack," she says quickly.
She turns to see an alien launch itself at her, tackling her to the ground. Artemis uses her bow to hold it back, right forearm across the bow, and pulls a knife from her belt. She turns her head away from its snapping face, then stabs it in the forehead, the creature going limp immediately. Artemis shoves it off her and puts the knife away, drawing another arrow. She fires off two more and senses something behind her, turning in time to see Klarion, burned and battered and filthy, standing there with a smile. All in all, his look makes him appear worthy of his title.
"That was a very dirty trick, back on the Helicarrier," Klarion says. Artemis watches him calmly, breathing slightly laboured. "I like dirty tricks." Artemis doesn't like his tone. There's some kind of catch, some kind of trick. She doesn't take her eyes off his staff as she reaches for another arrow.
Her quiver is empty.
Artemis doesn't let it throw her off and simply reaches up with one hand to press the button on her quiver strap that will drop it from her shoulders. It hits the ground with a soft thunk, rolling away from her. Artemis keep a tight grip on her bow.
"You're the one who's playing dirty, Klarion," Artemis says, tongue darting out to lick her dry and cracked lips, "You started it. First you sick Kid Flash on me, then Superboy. I'm guessing you don't like me very much."
"On the contrary, you're my favourite. You've killed the most. And you just don't care."
"I feel every life I've taken, Klarion," when she takes a step back, her heel hits her empty quiver, which rolls away again. "But I'm making up for it. Every life saved is one I've taken."
Klarion smiles, "I don't think so." He opens his mouth, like he has more to say, but he instead thrusts out his scepter and shoots a beam of light at her. Artemis is ready for it.
She drops down, dodging the fire, then gets back up again in a second. Klarion's already upon her and Artemis has to go immediately on the defensive. Artemis swings out to hit him but Klarion gets it first. She takes the blow like a woman, rolling with it and dishing another out as soon as possible.
Klarion has had the upper hand the whole time and both know it. It's no surprise that he knocks her to the ground first. He knocks her in the head with his scepter, not hard enough to knock her out but hard enough to daze her and slow her fight. He grabs her by her hair and drags her to the side of the building. Artemis is able to stand there, if a tiny bit wobbly, and knock him in the teeth with her elbow. She punches him twice more and for a moment, it looks like she's going to win this. Until he uses her own bow against her.
Somehow, he'd gotten hold of it in the scuffle. He throws it over her, trapping her arms against her chest in between the bowstring and handle. He pushes her backwards and Artemis's heels go off the building; she's completely reliant on the hand holding the bow and keeping her from falling. Unfortunately, that hand belongs to Klarion.
"I'm truly very sorry I couldn't keep my promises about your death," Klarion says, "But I think falling all that way will make up for it, don't you agree? Oh come on, now, why don't you just look down?" Artemis doesn't take her eyes from his face. She feels her balance failing her, and she wobbles. "I said look down," Klarion demands. Artemis spits in his face instead, quite literally.
In retaliation, Klarion lets go of the bow.
Artemis doesn't want to scream as she falls, doesn't want to give Klarion that satisfaction, but the sounds rips its way up her throat and bashes through her teeth, coming out high pitched and terrified. Her bow comes off during the fall and Artemis closes her eyes. The second she begins to fall she forces herself to think of Wally, of his stupid jokes and his stupid hair and his stupid eyes and his-
Artemis hits something hard, but it's not the ground because it grunts on impact and lifts her up a bit higher. Also, she's not dead.
She doesn't need to open her eyes to know what's happening, to know that she's travelling at what must be the speed of sound, that there's only one person in the world who could made a catch like that.
Artemis reaches shaking fingers to grab his suit and tries to slow down the hammer of her lion heart. "Oh god," she whispers into his neck, breathing ragged.
"No need to call me god, babe. Your handsomeness will work just fine," Wally says, but his voice is shaky. Artemis laughs quietly and it matches his voice in that it quivers.
"You've just saved my life," Artemis says, pressing her forehead to his shoulder, "Don't make me hurt you." Wally's laugh is more genuine this time, if a bit breathless and not from running.
She can tell that Wally is stalling, is running streets unnecessarily to give her time to calm down. Otherwise they'd be with the others right now. Artemis lifts herself up a bit it with a hand on his shoulder and squeezes.
"I'm good," she says, "Let's go kick alien ass." She doesn't need to open her eyes to see his smile; she can hear it in his voice.
"That's my girl," he slide to a stop, right next to where Aqualad and Zatanna are standing together, fighting side by side.
They're surrounded by aliens. The aliens click and screech and hold out their weapons, circling them and threatening them to come closer, to charge first. But the heroes hold their ground. Finally, the aliens charge.
Zatanna sends bursts of blue light that knock over any aliens in her path. Aqualad uses his water bearers as swords and Kid Flash simply zips around, knocking them all over and sending them flying from impact. Kid Flash grabs a gun too and tosses it to Artemis, who figures out how to use it in ten seconds tops, because really, guns are all the same. Point and shoot; just don't shoot yourself and don't press the wrong button.
"What happened to that cat?" Kid Flash asks. "I saw it before but it's disappeared."
Zatanna smiles, "Don't worry about it. I put that on ice." None of them realize just how literally she means it.
"Aqualad, we can't keep this up all day," Artemis says between aliens. She shoots one and when it doubles over, she presses her back to its back and flips over it to fight one on the other side.
"I agree," Kaldur says before pressing in his com. Zatanna covers him while he makes the call, "Rocket, I want you on the roof of Wayne Industries. The shield guarding the device and the tesseract is pure energy. Perhaps you can attempt to manipulate it."
"I'm on it," Rocket's voice calls back. An alien shoots for Zatanna and she only just manages to dodge it. Kaldur, on the other hand, is on the com just a second too long.
An alien smashes into him and knocks him over, spilling all the water from his water packs and his swords, which is immediately absorbed by the dust and dirt on the streets. Kaldur rolls out of the way of a gun that slams into the pavement, right where he was seconds ago.
Aqualad grabs the handle of the gun and wrestles with an alien over it. Kaldur wins the fight but instead of using the gun against him, he snaps it against his knee and throws both pieces away.
Kaldur hates guns.
There's this boisterous sound and both heroes and aliens look to where it's coming from. Conner has just ripped a fire hydrant out of the street and water is shooting high up from the hole where it used to be. He throws the hydrant at an incoming pack then turns to Aqualad. He points to the place the fire hydrant used to be.
"WATER!" He yells. Kaldur smiles.
"Thank you, my friend," he says before his tattoos start to glow.
One of the giant monster machines rounds the corner, turning and twisting in the same horrifying way the first had.
"Holy shit," Artemis says.
"I'm on it," Zatanna says, stepping forward, "Emoceb tsud!" The strength of the spell knocks Zatanna right off her feet. Dust that was once the monster rains down on them, the monster having exploded into itself.
...
Director Prince stands on the Helicarrier, arms crossed and lips pressed together tightly. She's in a black room, one that's surrounded by screens with people who sit just far back enough in the shadows to hide their faces. It's The Council, known by no other name. Prince gets a lot of orders from them and she follows a lot too. But she won't follow this one.
"We have made our decision. Now it is your job to carry out such decision," one threatens. Prince stands tall.
"Well I've decided that it's a stupid ass decision that I've elected to ignore," Prince challenges, "You want me to blow up the entire state of New Jersey with a nuclear bomb. And you want me to kill thousands of innocent people, which I will not do."
"It is not your decision to make. We are The Council."
"And since The Council has apparently lost their minds, I am overruling your decision."
"You do not have that authority," one of the councilwomen said angrily.
"So being on a council with a bunch of rich snots gives you the authority to take the lives of innocent people?" Prince says, glaring. "Interesting."
"That's it, Prince. You've overstepped one too many times and now you're not only blatantly defying our orders, but insulting us altogether. We will have to revoke your title as director." Prince raises an eyebrow.
"Alright," she says, turning, "Revoke me all you want. I will not send a nuke at New Jersey."
"No need, Ms. Prince," one of the counselors say. "We've already sent the orders." Prince snaps to look at them, then bolts down the hall. Wayne, who waited for her in the hall, follows after her.
"What's happening?" He says.
"Injustice," Prince says and she bolts to the exit. She grabs a bazooka from beside the exit and runs out onto the deck. Prince spots a plane starting to move down the runway and raises the weapon, shooting the plane's wing. The plane skids, stopping right next to the edge. The pilot hops out and deck crew rushes forward to puts out the flames. Prince lowers the weapon and lets out a breath.
A second plane shoots past and off the Helicarrier before Prince can even load the bazooka again. When she raises it, it's long gone.
"What do we do now, Director?" Wayne asks. Prince looks at him.
"I'm not director anymore. I've been demoted. You're the new director. It's your call."
Wayne clasps his hands behind his back and shuffles somewhat awkwardly on his feet, "All due respect, m'am, but I won't take orders from anyone but you." Prince smiles a little, then goes straight into director-mode.
"We need to notify the Avengers. Warn them of what's coming. We also need to try to get as many people out of the state as we can as a precaution."
...
Rocket soars to Wayne Industries, flying past any and all obstacles in her way. She lands gracefully on the roof and looks at the energy field contemplatively. She makes up her mind in a moment. Raquel bounces from foot to foot before she charges it, kinetic energy field surrounding her as she goes.
Raquel slams into the field and flies up in a large arch, falling off the roof. She doesn't even think about flying before grabbing the com out of her ear and ripping it out, throwing it to the ground. Her ear is raw on the inside and burned from the shock that the ear bud had let out at impact. Warm blood trickles uncomfortably down the side of her head, then her neck.
Raquel finally catches herself and slows to a stop, breathing hard. She reaches up and touches her ear, her fingers coming away smeared red. She doesn't have time for this now, though, and flies back up, wiping her fingers on her pants. Raquel lands gently and eyes the energy field warily. She raises her fists.
Raquel punches out twice, balls of energy flying at the field. She spins on one heel and kicks out. A third ball of energy soars towards the field. Rocket has to duck when all three shoot back at her and she stands, panting, to look at it once again.
...
"Avengers, listen up," Prince's voice breaks through the ear buds, "There is a nuclear bomb on its way to destroy the state. I repeat, there is a nuclear bomb coming to destroy the city. Arrival time is in two minutes. Repeat two minutes until it blows." The one person who needs to hear it, doesn't, because her com is currently on the street, stained red and sending out sparks.
...
Raquel is panting, leaning a hand on her knee. Her brute force attempts to damage the field have been futile, and she's getting pissed off.
Finally, Raquel notices that there's a man lying on the ground on the opposite side of the beam and carefully circles it to see him properly, turning her head to get a better look. He's sitting up halfway, leaning on his elbows, and he's blinking dazedly. Rocket recognizes him from a picture Prince showed her. He's the man who was kidnapped with Kid Flash, a scientist named Adam Strange.
Rocket kneels next to him, reaching out to touch his shoulder, "Strange? Strange, I need to know, is there any way to turn off the machine?"
Strange looks at her, blinking, "Uh..Yes. I-I wasn't in the right mind. But – but I remember. I put in a – a failsafe. The scepter. It acts like a key."
Rocket nods, then runs to the edge of the platform and looks out at the war zone of Gotham. Her only problem: Where the hell is the staff?
...
They all look up in time to see a jet fly over and release something large and white.
"What are we going to do?" Zatanna asks, blowing away some aliens, "I don't have enough power to contain that. None of us do."
"But I know something that does," M'gann says, "Let's teach these monsters a lesson." Miss Martian flies towards it without waiting for a response, going faster than she's ever flown before. She catches the bomb on her shoulders, feeling the impact. She sinks down a few feet before breathing out sharply through her teeth. Then she makes herself fly up, towards the black hole.
...
Raquel, still unaware of the message, has found the staff down on the patio below. She goes to the machine and stands outside it, pointing the scepter towards it. She takes a deep breath before she steps forward and plunges the lit end into the beam of light coming from the machine. When she looks up, she sees the black hole beginning to close.
And M'gann shooting towards it.
...
Miss Martian flies faster than she's ever done before, the exertion of flying and carrying the massive bomb starting to take their toll. But she can't give up.
M'gann forces herself up farther, flying towards the hole that's begun to close itself. She flies straight into space, where hundreds of aliens are just waiting to come in and destroy Earth.
She throws the bomb right at them, dodging gunfire, until finally one catches her in the stomach. M'gann cries out and clutches her stomach, falling back to the Earth through the worm hole just as it closes.
Her head spins from the sudden change in pressure. Her stomach is searing with pain. M'gann's eyes flutter shut.
As she falls between buildings, something slams into her and she changes directions, falling less quickly to the ground. M'gann opens her eye slightly, just a fraction of a centimeter, and finds that she's held with one arm against someone who's wearing a black shirt with a red symbol on the front. M'gann closes her eyes again.
The landing is jolting, but when he puts her down it's done so gently that you'd think she was made of glass. When M'gann opens her eyes, she finds the entirety of the Avengers gathered around her, looking down at her with looks of concern.
Superboy reaches forward with a large hand and carefully brushes hair out of her face.
"Are you well?" Kaldur asks. M'gann looks around her without moving her head.
"I-I'm okay," she says slowly, and the group around her seems to let out a collective breath. "Did-" she clears her throat, "Did we do it?"
"Yep," Rocket says, grinning. "Portal's closed."
"Oh, and uh, don't worry," Kid Flash says. He's leaning with an arm around Artemis' shoulders and is favouring his left ankle. "Nobody kissed you." The group laughs collectively as Conner helps her up. His eyes are no longer red and haven't been since she first opened her eyes.
"Now we have one more thing to do," Nightwing says and they all exchange glances.
...
Klarion stumbles down the street, looking for a way up. His bones ache and his legs quiver. Having a floor drop down on top of you is something that would slow even a Lord of Chaos. His scuffle with Artemis really didn't help. Not only that, but his familiar had taken a battering too, and he felt every moment of it.
All in all, Klarion feels weak.
When he turns the corner and sees the Avengers, they all straighten, going into battle mode. He blinks. How are they still standing let alone fighting? He underestimated them, and that annoys him. But there will be another day.
Klarion raises his hands slowly in his surrender just as his legs give out and he falls to his knees.
Zatanna holds out her hand, "Dnib dna gag." A guard that holds his mouth shut attaches itself to his face and his hands are bound together, both materializing out of midair. Klarion falls to his side and feels Aqualad grab his arm and tug him up without mercy. Zatanna creates a chain that they attach to his hands and ankle shackles and a collar around his neck. Aqualad pulls him along like some kind of animal while they continue down the road.
"You know, I'm starving," Kid Flash says as the funny little group hobbles down the street. "Anyone ever had shawarma? I haven't but there's this place just up ahead that has it. It's supposed to be really good." Wally continues to chatter away as they walk down the street, supporting each other and laughing with the occasional comment from someone other than Wally.
Fifteen minutes later finds them in the place Wally had been talking about, each eating large donairs. Except, of course, Klarion, who they'd chained up outside to a light post.
They're a rather strange looking band: they're all completely covered in dust and dirt and scrapes and blood, some red and some neon blue. Aqualad has a napkin on his lap, despite his disarray, and is trying to make as little mess as possible, so as not to cause the poor shopkeepers any more work. (Both of which are in the shop, sweeping debris and ashes.) Wally has his foot up on Artemis' chair, and Dick has a bandage on his wrist, courtesy of Zatanna. Dick, Wally, and Artemis are just going for it, diving into their food without a second thought. Conner has a similar approach, stuffing half of his donair into his mouth at once. He would be winning for having eaten the most out of all of them, but there is a speedster in the room. Raquel is ripping off chunks and tossing them in her mouth while M'gann is trying to strategize the most lady-like way to go about it. Zatanna seems to be trying to see exactly how much she can stuff in her mouth without choking.
After a while, everyone starts to exchange their different stories like excited teenagers. Maybe a few add a couple details or explosions here or there but they're still flying high from adrenaline and feel like they could save the world. Which, strictly speaking, they just did.
Wally nudges Artemis with the foot on her chair while Zatanna tells a particularly incredible story about turning a street to ice. Artemis doesn't think she believes it. She tears her eyes from Zatanna to look at Wally, who's leaning forward. When Artemis mimics him, he starts to speak.
"Let's go back. We've always wanted to."
Artemis smiles, "I think we deserve a month or two off." Wally grins.
...
It's hours after what will go down as the Battle of Gotham and Prince is headed to the council room once again. She was summoned twenty minutes ago; she doesn't like being summoned, like some dog. Waiting a while won't kill the council. Despite the shadows on The Council's faces, Prince knows that they're not happy with her.
One of the councillors clears her throat, "We have decided to reinstate you as director of S.H.I.E.L.D."
Prince raises an eyebrow, "Did you come to the realization that your decision was bullshit?"
"Careful, Director," one says. Prince crosses her arms.
"Now, onto other matters," yet another counsellor says. "Where is Klarion?"
"He's on his way to a more secure stronghold than we could ever dream of on Earth."
"You're letting him off our planet?!" The councilman sounds outraged.
"He has committed crimes here, yes. But he has committed even more crimes that he has to first answer to on other planets. Don't you worry, Earth'll get their shot at him," Prince says.
"Another question that begs for an answer," a councilman says, "Where are the Avengers?"
"I think they've earned time off," Prince responds cryptically.
"Meaning?"
"It means that I don't know," Prince says, "They're split apart. Gone their own ways."
...
They've all agreed to gather the next morning in a relatively undestroyed part of Gotham, all arriving from the hotels or ships or safe houses they stayed in for the night. It's kind of strange, how they all arrive at the same minute, just seconds after each other.
They're still riding high from their victory, and they all feel just as invincible as Conner is.
The square is small and clean, not far from the city hall. But it's out of the way enough for the privacy that the group needs. They're all in civvies, so as not to be identified. Even M'gann's skin is pale.
Dick hands M'gann a sealed container holding the tesseract, which she takes with a smile and a nod. Beside her is Klarion, who is still bound and gagged, though he now also has a blindfold and metal contraptions over his ears to prevent any hearing. Better safe than sorry. Conner holds Teekl, back in its small cat form, in a cage Zatanna created.
They stand in a circle together, talking amongst themselves like they haven't seen each other in years even though it hasn't even been twelve hours yet.
"So what's everyone going to do now?" Raquel asks, crossing her arms.
"I must return to my subjects," Kaldur says, "Though I think I will venture to the surface much more often."
"You'd better," Zatanna says, elbowing him lightly. "I have to get back to my show in a couple weeks but until then, Dick's offered to let me stay at Wayne Tower for free if I help him clean it up a bit."
Wally grins and punches Dick with the hand that isn't in Artemis' back jeans pocket, "You dog." Zatanna laughs while Dick replies.
"Yeah? Where are you two going off to?"
"Paris," Artemis says, leaning against Wally's shoulder.
"We've been wanting for get back for ages," Wally says before he turns his attention to M'gann and Conner, "We all know you're going to Mars, M'gann. What about you, Conner?"
"I'm going with her. To see the sunset." M'gann looks at him and smiles.
"And you, Raquel? Where're you heading off to?" M'gann asks.
"Home to Dakota City. I've got some friends I want to see."
After that, there's a lot of handshaking that turns to hugs and it's not all started by M'gann or Zatanna. Then they all depart, going their separate ways. It's a bittersweet ending; bitter because no one wants to leave, sweet because they all know they'll have a reason to meet up again. The latter of which is all bittersweet in itself.
"After you, mi'lady," Dick bows exaggeratedly while holding the door of his convertible open for Zatanna while she laughs.
Kaldur turns to walk towards the shore, moving slowly with his hands clasped as he reflects the events of the past few days.
"Now, off to lei vile lumelle!" Wally says, throwing his hands out as he butchers the French words.
"Don't you mean la ville lumière?" Artemis corrects, her own French flawless.
Wally grabs her hand and bumps into her side, "I love when you talk French to me."
"Ah bon? J'adore quand tu essaies parler français, et ne parviennent pas. Tu es un crétin, mais tu es mon crétin."
"You just insulted me, didn't you?"
"Bien sûr."
Wally kisses the top of her head before letting her go so he could walk around the car to the passenger seat. "I love you anyways," he says.
"Je t'aime aussi, mon cher," Artemis responds with a smile before she climbs into the driver's seat.
Raquel swings a leg over her motorcycle, and slips her helmet on. She revs the engine, then takes off down the streets with a smile.
M'gann turns to Conner, "Ready?" Conner smiles a little, nothing more than a quirk of his lips, and he nods. Conner places a hand on her shoulder and the Bioship lifts them and Klarion up.
...
"And what if we need them again? What if Earth needs its Avengers?" A councilwoman demands as Prince leaves, intent on leaving the arguing council to work their fight out themselves.
Prince looks over her shoulder to reply, "The Avengers will know, and they'll answer our call."
Cue INTENSE instrumental.
Translations:
"Ah bon? J'adore quand tu essaies parler français, et ne parviennent pas. Tu es un crétin, mais tu es mon crétin." : Oh really? I love when you try to speak French, and fail. You're an idiot, but you're my idiot.
"Bien sûr.": Of course.
"Je t'aime aussi, mon cher.": I love you too, my dear.
(I did this from my own limited knowledge of French so I hope it's right?)
My favourite line? ""What's going on?" "Injustice."" I just. The cheese is overwhelming it's fantastic. I cringe every single time. (I'm so sorry.) Hope you guys enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please review/ favourite/ whatever. Creative criticism is much appreciated!