An Apprentice's Future
By: Malaizjan Dejesus & Reina Grayson
Author's Note: This is the climatic installment of the Batman Beyond Saga. Everything is coming together and this is the crossover fic. If you're a fan of either this series or Young Justice, than you will enjoy this! I am going to list the theme songs to various DC tv series and most of the theme songs can be found on Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary, which is available now, and the YJ Theme song is on its own album titled: Young Justice, which is also available. So if you don't have them, I suggest you go and buy them both!
Also, I had lots of help with this story. Reina Grayson deserves half the credit in getting 80% of this fic done.
Chapter 4
Music Playing: Justice League Unlimited Theme Song
At LOD HQ in Coon Rapids, MN...
The Slade Bots scrambled as explosions rocked the prison section of the secret HQ of the Legion of Doom.
As the Bots ran out of the holding cell area, Shock, Robin, Airhawk, Eclipse and Miracle ran to the cells undetected.
Cyborg was the first to see the five kids run in and to the cells. "Shock!?"
"Hey Uncle! Beta Squad to the rescue!" Virgil Jr. then shocked the lock to the cage. It broke away after a minute.
Eclipse went to the cell holding Wildcat (Ted Grant's son), Impulse and others she didn't know. Luna shifted into her wolf form and took the lock into her mouth. With her power jaws, she broke the lock.
Airhawk swung his mace at the next cell's lock, breaking it into pieces in a moment's time.
Robin picked the lock to the last cell. It was an easy one as he got the heroes freed.
Miracle stood before Raven, who was still trapped against the wall. Molly threw every weapon in the Red X arsenal to free her to no avail.
"Let me try." Donna Troy stepped up to Raven, grabbed the dark vines holding the half demon hostage. She pulled with everything she had.
"You need help, Wonder Woman?" Cassie asked smugly.
Donna Troy pulled the vine she had almost out of the wall. "Don't just stand there, Wonder Girl!" Donna bit out.
Cassie Sandsmark went to Raven's other side and pulled on the vines as well. With the combined Amazonian strength, the vines were ripped from the walls and Raven was free.
Starfire was the first to hug Raven and she allowed it. Outside of Robin (Nightwing I), Starfire was the first female friend she had.
"Let's go," Raven said softly.
Molly nodded, wondering if they were going to get out of this without and hiccups. SHe led the way, going back almost the same way they came in.
The exit was within feet of them 10 minutes later but they, rescuers and prisoners, got caught.
Darkin, Star Sapphire, Drow, Talia, Yami, Luthor and Slade/Ian blocked their exit. "Did you all think you'd just waltz on out of here?" Yami asked.
"You want a fight?! You got one!" Cyborg cried.
Bart zipped by, knocking Darkin backed into a wall with a speed that caught Ebon off-guard.
An All-Out war began...
Back in the Past...
Vincent comforted his "sister". He knew she and Mona didn't mean to lash out at him, or at the JL in the past. He knew better than to challenge them both.
"What the HELL is going on?!" Roy Harper, aka Red Arrow came into the conference room. He looked around and saw Vincent and Meygan. He honestly didn't think he would see them again. "Vincent?"
"You know them too?" Conner asked.
"Yeah, when I was visiting the Bat Cave." But Roy never took his eyes off of the red clad younger archer.
"Dad?" Vincent said.
"DAD!?" cried Cassie.
"Roy?" said Kaldur.
"Vincent is my son from the future and I found out I also have another daughter in the future. Like I said I knew about him when I visited the Batcave about a month ago."
The 15 year old archer couldn't contain his happiness at seeing his dad again and ran over to him; hugging the man that would be his father. Roy didn't know what to do, but to see his third child again gave him great joy and so he returned the embrace.
Everyone but Meygan, Nightwing, Flamebird, and Batman was shocked at this. They all knew that Red Arrow had a little girl, but what the heck was going on with this young archer. The two red haired archers released the embrace and Roy looked Vincent right in the eyes.
"I'll ask again; what the hell is going on…..why are you and Meygan here?" Roy asked.
"Something happened a month ago….your time that shouldn't have, and we have to stop the Legion of Doom before they take over our time forever." Vincent told his father.
"Is Areina alright?" Was Roy's first question as his second child entered his mind.
"Those of us that could had to retreat to Watchtower. Areina's safe; but a lot's happened to us." Vincent told his father.
Everyone looked at him, he was hiding something else and Roy could feel the questions in his friends' eyes. "I met Areina too."
He stopped there as he caught the Bat family staring at him. He knew that Reiena didn't want it known that the two of them had a child TOGETHER.
"Also, Vincent; I'll help….no matter what." Roy said, and Vincent's smile could have rivaled Joker's.
"So here's the deal at the moment…They got half the heroes captured. The other half is trapped at Watchtower. If we don't go and save Uncle Wally in 3 days, they win. And right now, the JL is on Oa helping the Lanterns protect it. The timing was too good." Meygan hoped that halted questions about the JLU.
Vincent looked worriedly at his sister. "You ready sis?"
"Of course. Let me set the bracelets up..."
At that point Nightwing grabbed Meygan's arm and pulled her out of the room
"You're not a Speedster," he told her in a hushed, fatherly tone.
"Why did you pull me out, DAD?" She looked annoyed.
"Whatever you're thinking, it's too dangerous. What if Wally is in another dimension, he could be dead there."
"He's not. I know." Meygan started up the bracelets. "Besides, I'm the Fearless One. Ask Vincent about it." She turned her back on her future dad.
"Meygan...is there really no one else that can go after Wally?"
"Uncle Bart's been captured, and Brian's comatose. I had to do that to keep him alive. I'm the only other one." She took two steps away from her dad. "I got this. I'm...demon possessed, so I'm protected."
Dick couldn't help but let his paternal side take over. He wanted to know why his future daughter was demon possessed, but Batman was right, he shouldn't know. "Promise me you'll be careful, alright...fearless one?" It was said uneasily.
Meygan smiled his smile. "I'm always traught." Then a gray glowing aura covered her and she was gone.
Dick couldn't help but smile at the thought of her using his play on the English language.
Some things had made it to the future.
Dick returned from talking to Meygan a few minutes later and Vincent smiled. "You tried talking her out of it."
"Did she have to get so much of me in her genes?"
"If you think she's bad, you should see your son, Uncle Dick. They are co-leaders, you know." Vincent saw that everyone had questions, so he sat down. This was going to be trouble.
"She said…she was called the Fearless One. To ask you about it," Dick continued.
"Oh, it's what the original team, us guys, call her. She was the first girl born with us. Pretty much, she launches head first into EVERYTHING."
"I have to know...who IS your mom?" Roy asked.
"Sorry. Spoilers."
"Hey that's my line!" cried Bart. "But hey, how come I didn't go after Wally?"
"You sacrificed yourself to save some of us kids, Black Canary, AND your time's Batman."
Batman raised an eyebrow at that.
"That is so crash!" Bart exclaimed. He saved Batman!
"Meygan mentioned a Brian," Dick said. "Is he a speedster?"
"Yeah. He's my best friend. And Uncle Wally's son."
Everyone looked at Artemis. It made her uncomfortable.
"But when Uncle Wally vanished from the timeline, Brian was dying. Meygan had to put him in a coma to keep him alive."
"I have a son?" Artemis asked.
Vincent wanted to tell her the truth; that Brian was not hers, but he couldn't. Vincent blushed. "Yeah. You're VERY protective of him."
Bruce got it in 5 seconds. He was rather shocked but he said nothing.
"Vincent, do I have any kids?" Beast Boy asked.
"I don't know. But only because you weren't around."
"I'm dead!?" Garth cried.
"No way, you actually form your own team on the pacific coast. I meant you weren't around us kids."
"Oh. Hey, I got my own team!" he cried. That was great to know!
"Meygan...she has a boyfriend," Martian Manhunter commented. "I read her mind so I learned."
"Yeah. Actually, it's more like a mate."
"Mate?" both J'onn & Clark said.
"Yea, Even with him being half -Kryptonian, he went kinda crazy because she was his true love. Uncle Conner, you better be careful; from what I hear it hit you HARD."
"I don't understand," Conner said.
"It's a mating heat, and that's all I'm saying."
"What!?" cries Clark. He eyed Conner. Conner was blushing.
Kaldur was curious, as he knew that Atlanteans experienced the same thing that this young archer was talking about. "You mentioned I had a son; did he go through a similar thing?"
Vincent nodded. "With my sister. They're engaged now, and when this crap is over with, they want to get married. I've already told him to be weary of breaking her heart." Vincent remarked with a smile.
Roy & Kaldur looked at each other.
Reiena smiled.
"And Meygan?" Reiena asked.
"Her mate doesn't have to worry about me; Uncle Dick will get to him before I ever could."
"Why?" Batman asked but he knew that answer.
"He & his son already tried killing both Kaldur AND Conner's sons because of a little incident…of the teenage kind."
Seeing the fathers' reactions had everyone laughing.
"Well you know what I mean, they're just protecting the girls; and I wouldn't be laughing, Superman. Meygan & Kevin mated at YOUR fortress."
Superman fainted.
"They did WHAT!?" cried Tim. "Man Nightwing, you need to lock her up until she's 18."
"It wouldn't work; trust me." Reiena remarked, knowing how Greysons are when they get 'locked up'.
"Yeah, it won't." Vincent knew why but he didn't say. "Not even the end of the world would have kept them apart."
"How come only some of the team stayed together?" Batgirl asked.
"I was told some of you won't or couldn't forgive Uncle Dick." It was true; he didn't know all the details.
"Crap, I need to go see Lian." Roy walked over to Vincent. "Let me know if you need anything, Vincent." Roy then walked out of the conference room.
Vincent watched his dad go. He wanted to see Lian but he held his tongue.
"So did we all have kids?" Bumblebee asked.
"As far as I know, nope."
"Meygan told me that Wally took her into the Speed Force before. Have you ever gone?"
"No, Uncle Dick. Meygan can handle the gravity. No one else could."
"But why can she?" asked Artemis.
"She just can."
"Spoilers?" Bart questioned.
"You're lying," said the entire Bat Family at once. It was freaky.
Vincent nodded at Bart's question but he was freaked. "DAMN IT, I hate it when you guys do that! Anyway, I can't give details about it." Vincent remarked.
"Why is she demon possessed?" Dick asked.
"She told you!?" Vincent cried.
"Yeah. How is she demon possess?"
"I can't say. Besides, she will kill me." Vincent shook his head. He felt odd.
"You okay?" Artemis asked.
"Yeah. It was…I just felt odd." But he mentally could hear Meygan panic internally. Something was wrong but he put on a brave face. Whatever it was; she wasn't able to shake it. Then the sudden rush of agony hit Vincent like he just got tackled by Bane and Blockbuster all at once. He fell to his knees, pain in his eyes.
Dick was there at his side.
M'gann & MM backed away from him. They felt the intensity of his pain.
"Vincent!" Reiena cried. She felt helpless.
"Meygan..." he whispered. "She...stopped...she wasn't supposed..." Tears came from his eyes.
"What's wrong with Meygan?" MM asked.
"She...stopped. She has Uncle Wally but...she... I feel her pain. The Speed Force is tearing her...apart..."
"Why do you feel her pain?!" Dick wanted to know.
"We...have...bonded." he said through gritted teeth.
"What?" Artemis asked.
"We...we went...through hell...a few years ago... Us against...Deathstroke's army. We won...but we bonded. She and I are empathic to the other..." He groaned.
"Why did she stop!?" Barry cried.
"Sorry, Gramps. Can't just stand here. I'll get them." Bart ran off to the Zeta Tubes. He needed running room.
"BART!" cried Barry. But he was already gone through the Zeta Tubes.
"Does this have anything to do with her being demon possessed?" Dick asked.
Vincent felt like his eyes were on fire... He nodded. "As...long...as she...never stopped...moving..." Vincent got out.
"Batman, knock him out." Reiena pleaded. He may not have been her son, but she was Areina's half-brother.
"NO! As long as I'm conscious, she'll...survive." Vincent knew Reiena didn't want to see him in pain but he had worse. "Meygan...is going...to beat...me silly...but she's not just demon possessed. She's part demon. Mona is the...only reason...Meygan's still alive..."
"The demon's name is Mona?" Artemis asked.
"Demona is her name translated from Demonscia (demon language)" Vincent then screamed as a searing pain tore through his lungs.
Then Bart sped in from the Speed Force, exiting the Zeta Tubes with panic and fear. In one arm was Wally, panting as he stared in wonder, in the other, Meygan. Blood trickled from the corners of her eyes. Her nose bled. Blood covered her lips. Even her ears had blood coming from them.
There was a panic as Vincent suddenly was free of the pain. Archeron leaped to his feet and ran to take Meygan into his arms. "Meyg!" He lay her gently down onto the floor. "Mona!" He reached into his quiver, pulled out a first aid kit and started to wipe away the blood. "Mona, speak to me!"
"Wally!" Artemis ran to Wally and hugged him to her, never wanting to let him go.
He was back home. Like home that he knew. He felt more powerful, more...mature.
He didn't feel right. He had gotten zapped. He remembered fading away...
"The Speed Force...you were in the Speed Force." Wally heard in his head.
"Who are you?" he asked in his mind.
"I'm you..."
"No way." It was official: he had lost his mind.
In his mind, Wally West saw the incoming image of an older him. A mere hint of gray was over his ears but he looked young still. Then the Flash costume came to the older Wally. The 21 year old Wally came face to face with his future counterpart. "Yes way. Listen this is temporary. I won't stay long. But you have my memories and I have yours."
"Sweet!" The younger Wally soaked up all the memories...but one stood out... "No way!"
"What?"
"Roy & Artemis!?"
"It wasn't like they were dating," his older self said to him. "They were trapped in Antarctica for a week. Stuff happened."
Wally wasn't sure if he wanted to tell or not.
"You can't tell."
Both versions of Wally sighed. "I know," said the younger version.
Artemis was worried as she noticed, after releasing him, that Wally suddenly looked as if he were messed up in a 3D videogame, like the angle of the screen was wrong or something. Everyone else saw this too, but Martian Manhunter received a mental message.
"He is alright everyone; it is just an after effect of him being within the Speed Force and having been erased from time." The elder of the Martians said.
The league and team calmed down a bit, but they were still worried. It was then that Flamebird walked over to him.
"Wally, you okay?" The first generation fire controller asked.
"Yea, just…..I don't know how to explain it other than I'm getting some memories from my future self." Wally said, looking at his 'sister'.
"Oh Wally; I missed you so much." Artemis said as she started hugging her boyfriend again.
"Hey, I'm grateful to Meygan for getting me out of there, but is she going to be alright?" Wally said as he hugged his soul mate back and then released her and looked over to Vincent.
"I don't know, even with Mona she's never been this bad." The young archer said, tears in his eyes. "She must be at her limit..." he added quietly.
"Vincent…" An echoy voice said, and everyone followed it to see that Meygan's eyes were open but the problem was that they were glowing as red as M'gann's eyes would be at times.
"I'm here, Mona, Bart went in and got you AND Wally out. Why did Meygan stop?" Vincent stated, then asked.
"She lied to your sister and Batman; she's not fine, we still have fear toxin within us." Mona told her charge's friend/bond brother. She was trying to sit up but Vincent wouldn't let her.
Vincent took a deep breath and remembered what happened when Mordred had captured her. Areina had seen him killed, and there was no telling what Meygan had seen, well for him he knew, but he wasn't saying anything. "I thought she finished the ENTIRE cure?"
"No, Meygan stormed off after a small argument with Red Bird and Batman and never finished the second bag." Mona said, and with that Meygan's eyes returned to the beautiful blue eyes that her father had.
"Why didn't you finish the bag?" Vincent asked, but it almost sounded demanding.
"I thought I could handle it, and that grandpa was just being senile." Meygan said, her voice also back to normal but very weak. She once again fell asleep to rest and begin healing.
A VERY faint purple glow came around the young girl, but nothing seemed to be happening. Nightwing was worried about his future daughter, but inside he knew that she was a Grayson, and the Graysons in the hero business always pulled through in a tight spot. With a gentleness only a father in ANY time could have, Nightwing picked up Meygan and carried her out of the room; the Bat family, Wally, Roy and Vincent right behind him.