Watchtower
Later that Night
All the Leaguer's, with the exception of Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado, sat in the wide U of the boardroom, so many of them were talking and discussing about the recent events that the sound echoed off the walls bouncing back to them making it seem even louder than it was.
"We have no idea what sort that machine could do, what if they build another one?" Captain Atom addressed to whoever would listen.
"We do not know who this girl is, she could possess a great danger." Hawkgirl added.
"Hey Black Canary, didn't she throw up on your shoes?" Flash asked, and received cold glare from her in reply.
Only Batman was absent, still in the lab going over whatever it was that the detective did to get results.
Superman wasn't saying much, knowing that the conversation would go much better once their lead detective got back, but he received a radio to message to quiet everyone down and once he did so the Dark Knight walked in and stayed standing.
Superman, who had stood to keep everyone quiet, brought the meeting into session. "Now everyone knows why they're here, the Light has done something we thought wouldn't be possible for years to come, not to mention the girl who became here because of it."
They all nodded in agreement and while he continued.
"Now I have tried to reserve my opinion until we knew all the facts and I believe," He turned to the side to give more room for Batman. "That Batman has all what we need to make a rational decision about what to do next. I'd like to remind you all that we are Leaguers," He gave them all a hard stare. "And must act with the knowledge that what we do affects the world." He then sat down.
"Thank you Superman." Batman clicked a button and a blue screen appeared, big enough for everyone to see clearly, it showed images of the blackout, data, and newsfeeds.
"As you all know the Light's weapon caused major and lasting blackouts throughout the US and parts of Canada, Mexico, and even a few areas in Europe. This was due to the mechanism that they used to power it, which we believe to be alien tech from Apocolypse."
He clicked another button and the screen switched to some schematics of the device.
"What I managed to salvage from their computers were some of the blueprints that they used. Most of the elements are unknown to us therefore it is hard to examine."
Captain Atom [Reagan1] spoke up, "How did the Light get their hands on such technology?" He had been studying the notes that were on their own personal blue screens.
"We suspect the same way they received other tech in the past, Superboy's escapade with Forever People was an eye opener. By using a device they are able to open up temporary wormholes from one place to another. " Batman answered him, switching the view on the screen to another one showing a theory on how they believed the device to work.
They talked more about the wormhole device and the machine the Light made; could it be used again, more effective ways of disarming it, ways of preventing it. Questions about the other world arose too, Icon was helpful in supplying information since he had gathered it over the years before he landed on Earth.
About an hour and a half later, a time span filled with much discussion, arguments, and overflowing with scientific information that made Captain Marvel want to nod off, the subject was changed.
Green Arrow was the one who asked. "What about the girl?"
Everyone stopped the discussion as they remembered what the machine had produced.
"Yeah," Flash backed him up. "Shouldn't we decide what to do about her too?"
Batman answered. "The girl is staying with the Team as of right now."
"Is that wise," Aquaman inquired. "I know that she did not immediately get along with the Team, and hurt a couple of them extensively."
"I believe the Team is mature enough to handle the situation," Batman rebuttled.
Captain Marvel, now that the topic was moved to something that he could understand, spoke up. "Didn't she go all crazy at one point?"
"Captain Marvel does bring up a good point," Wonder Woman said gazing at Batman. "How do we know that she is on our side, or that she won't lose control again?"
"I've spoken with her," Batman's voice was gruff. "From what she and Robin have told me the machine that they used to perform 'tests' on her seemed to have upset her powers. Which brings me to this."
After a few strokes on the keypad a sample of Shadow's DNA and data collected were brought onto the screen, notes were beside them and Batman began explaining.
"This is information that I gathered in the lab. Shadow explained to me that in her world the people have in their DNA what they call an X-gene,"
Everyone leaned in eagerly to hear what he had to say. The discovery of a parallel world and learning the differences and similarities were things they only speculated about.
"In some cases it gives that person a power or superhuman ability. The tests they performed on Shadow seemed to have aggravated it, amplifying her power into a state to where she couldn't control it, which is why she attacked."
"This does not make her any less of a danger though." Hawkman told him.
"No it doesn't, which is why Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado have remained with the Team, in case something triggers her powers and she won't be able to control them. I'm also planning on having someone tutor her in controlling them further, to make sure that we no longer have any problems."
His posture and tone changed then as he added. "Do not assume that I have underestimated the danger she possess."
"There's something I've been wondering since this meeting has started." Captain Atom asked, he had been mostly silent during the discussion and now spoke up. "How did she manage to escape the Light? We found her in a town and the building she was held in seemed like someone tore through it, was that her?"
Batman paused before responding. "Yes, that was."
"So how did she do it?" Green Lantern, John Stewart, inquired.
Batman began explaining. "There were no cameras and the villains in recovery have not regain consciousness however on the file that I received from the computer there was a document that seemed to be about the event." He brought typed on the keypad and the document was sent to their screens.
The tests had produced an unexpected result. It seems as though we had the amplification to high and the subject responded…in a surprising manner.
After we had performed the third and final round the subject somehow broke the solar-bands we placed around her and began to attack. It was chaotic and we lost many men…including the subject.
"Is this all?" Aquaman asked, trying to scroll up and down in case there was more that he had missed.
"That's all that was on the file." Batman told him.
Flash spoke next. "So when it says, 'lost many men…' do you think that means she…." He hesitated albeit it was hard to notice since the pause was so short. "That she killed them?"
They waited for Batman's response although they suspected his answer. "There is not a sufficient amount of evidence to be sure but yes, we should proceed as if whoever wrote this meant that she had killed them."
This caused a breakout of outbursts among the leaguers, some wanting to lock up Shadow and others saying that they don't know for sure if she had killed them.
"We all saw what she did to the Team!" Green Arrow
yelled, thinking of Speedy.
"Miss Martian dealt with it and said that Shadow asked for her help!" Canary countered him.
Dr. Fate was actually the one to bring them all to order. He had been silent until now, picking this time to state his opinion.
Standing he called out. "Silence! Bickering will not help the situation." They quieted down allowing him to continue. "Ever since this Shadow had entered there had been an unbalance of Good and Evil in this realm. Though I have not met the Shadow in person I feel a dark power inside of her, I am not sure if she even knows of the potential that she has."
His words landed heavy on top of the Leaguers, one of whom spoke up. "So do we have another Klarion on our hands?" Hal Jordan more of demanded than asked.
Even Batman had thought about that; two people with the same destructive energy, if they got together for whatever reason the chaos would be nearly impossible to control.
"She can only use her powers at night," Batman informed them. "Something about the sun and light seems to affect them."
"So if we need to stop her, just turn on a flashlight?" Green Arrow asked, a tad amused.
"It may not be as simple as that, but yes, that is the idea." The Dark Knight was already thinking of various ways they could mimic sunlight with a handheld device, he had a list of scientists that could be useful in his search.
"What do we do about her until then?" Hawkgirl asked.
Captain Marvel proposed an idea. "What if she stayed with Dr. Light? Since he's all about order and neatness and we think she may be all about destruction."
"I fail to see how that would be a good idea." Hawkman countered.
"It's simple," He rested his hands on the table as he explained. "She could stay with him in that Tower, that way he will be able to keep an eye on her and if she gets out of hand, use magic to stop her."
Dr. Light was not so happy about the suggestion. "Or she could destroy my Tower and use some of the ancient scrolls and texts to give her more power. Order and chaos do not mix."
Captain Marvel shot out another idea before someone could say anything else. "Well then we could send her to Themyscira, with Wonder Woman."
Everyone turned in time to see the female warrior harden, she didn't like a kid playing a God volunteer her beloved island for her. "My home is not a place to send disreputable adolescents." She steely replied.
Taken back by the intensity of her gaze Captain Marvel took an uneasy drink of his water glass. However
"Well that sounds like an excellent plan." Flash declared, hoping that would solve all their problems.
"Themyscira is a sacred paradise for the use of Amazon warriors not a daycare for children who won't behave!" Wonder Woman practically yelled her face reddening some with anger.
"Wonder Woman, calm down, it will only be for a few days." Aquaman told her.
"Then why doesn't she stay at Atlantis?" She challenged.
"That is preposterous; it's at the bottom of the ocean!" He retorted.
"Enough." Batman silenced them before the heated argument went any further. He then turned to Wonder Woman, her face was set in ire and he could basically hear her daring him to say something.
Batman narrowed his eyes. "Would it be too much to ask you to at least consider that possibility?"
She ground her teeth and looked around the room.
The Leaguers were held in suspense to what would happen next; sure sending Shadow to Themyscira seemed like a great idea, but the real question was, would Wonder Woman directly refuse the Bat?
Finally she tilted her chin up and sniffed. "I hardly think it is worth a try. My mother is very careful about who she chooses to visit our island."
Superman leaned in, hopefully inquiring. "But you will at least ask her."
Wonder Woman resigned to glaring at the wall ahead saying aridly. "Fine. Yes, I will ask her." She then whirled to face Superman and Batman. "But that does not guarantee anything; you should come up with a plan B."
"I've already got one." Batman informed, and the meeting was brought to a close.
Bruce walked in his house at 1:38 a.m. tired from a last minute WayneEnterprises meeting he had to attend involving marketing scams that were affecting major business and then the Justice League meeting, having avoided Wonder Woman after said meeting, and needing to gather up his research before Plastic Man tried to 'help' him, and those seemed to be just the tip of the iceberg.
He still had to go on patrol and visit the hospitals to follow up a hunch he had about the latest medical outburst that's been in the city (he suspected Riddler, but needed more proof.) Not to mention the extra crime the blackout caused.
Bruce stripped himself of his tie as he headed for the kitchen where Alfred was waiting for him with a prepared meal.
"Ham and broccoli noodle casserole sir," Alfred declared and with a flourish and set the plate down while Bruce took a seat. The butler poured him a cup of coffee. "I'm assuming you'll be going out tonight."
That was Alfred's code for patrolling and he said it more as a statement then a question.
"Crime never rests Alfred, you know that." Bruce took a bite of the casserole, the food was delicious' as always, the ham thick and juicy, the broccoli fresh and the noodles soft, there wasn't even a need to add the available salt or pepper to it since it had the perfect balance between the two seasonings.
"I do hope that the meal is satisfactory, sir." Alfred stood by while Bruce swiftly took a gulp of coffee before devouring another bite.
"Delicious as ever," He replied, taking up the newspaper and scanning it with eyes, looking for anything out of the ordinary before flipping to the police reports.
"I found the recipe using a neat little website titled Pinterest that Master Dick introduced me to. It has been most entertaining and I believe I've found a new hobby." He headed for the kitchen to clean up.
"How is Dick?" Bruce indifferently asked him as he turned the page. After making sure that he was stable enough to be moved Bruce instantly had him back at home, and didn't want him out for another day or so, just to be sure.
"I'm afraid Master Dick had been acting a bit off, lately." Alfred picked up an expensive porcelain plate and carefully scrubbed it.
The news immediately brought worry to Bruce, as he thought that all the drugs in Dick's body had worked themselves out of his system. "What's wrong? Is he throwing up again?" He was already half way out of seat as he spoke before Alfred reassured him.
"No, no I don't believe it's that," The wise old man continued his meticulous work on the dishes. "I believe Master Dick is dealing with some, lady issues."
"Oh," Bruce sat walked back in the seating area, seeing as the situation wasn't as urgent as he thought, but he was still wondering what he should do about the problem. "Did he, say exactly what was bothering him?"
"Well," Alfred contemplated a moment as he started the sink to rinse off the dishes. "He said that his appetite eludes him, he has been breaking out into cold sweats of late, and has had trouble sleeping."
"Oh," Bruce responded again, still not sure what to do, luckily Alfred continued.
"It seems, as far as my expertise in the subject go, that our young Master Dick is experiencing his first 'puppy love' I believe is the term."
Bruce didn't say anything but sat for a minute processing what he was told, undoubtedly Zatana was the one on Dick's mind was, but he didn't really know how to approach the subject.
Dick had usually been a shy kid in elementary school, coming from a circus to a mansion and losing his parents, but now that he was a thirteen year old in middle school?
Bruce admitted that he had seen this talk coming, but had hoped that it would have been later on down the road.
He pushed himself from the table. "I'll go speak with him."
"I think that would be wise sir," Another Alfred code, this one meant that Bruce made the right choice. "I'll stick your meal in the microwave."
"Thank you Alfred." Bruce gave his gratitude back before disappearing down the hall and up the stairs to the wing where Dick's room was.
The door was cracked, which alerted Bruce as the first clue that something was wrong, Dick usually kept his door shut.
Bruce gently pushed it open to find Dick lying on his bed staring at a picture of Zatana on his hologram computer.
Bruce coughed and Dick jumped while simultaneously closing the frame and tossing his glove away. "Bruce? I thought we'd agreed that you would knock from now on?" He explained, his cheeks a little red.
"The door was cracked." Bruce said as he let himself in.
"Ya but, still." Dick finished lamely, and turned his head away and crossed his legs on his bed.
Bruce sighed and sat on the edge of the burgundy sheets.
The room was that of a teenager, albeit cleaner since Dick mostly keeping it so.
A Flying Graysons poster was framed in the middle of the biggest pale yellow wall which was facing another wall of the same color the other two were a light red. A wooden rotund desk was piled with homework. A table, used as a work station, was covered in some new project consisting of an old IPhone and picking it apart.
There was a second desk dedicated to three computers of the latest software and a door leading to a walk in closest stood by it. A pile of dirty clothing sat under the wooden chute that would send them directly to the laundry room, and a few socks and shirts were scattered amongst the room. There was a door shut at the opposite end of the room that led to a walk-in closet and next to that was Dick's on personal bathroom.
Bruce gazed at his ward, when it became evident to Dick that Bruce wasn't going to speak first he did. "Do you want to talk to me about something?"
"Alfred told me about your-dilemma." Bruce said brusquely.
Wide blue eyes turned on him. "What did he say?"
"That you were having…girl problems."
That seemed to have triggered something for tt was then that Dick jumped off the bed and started pacing wildly and combing his hair with his hands.
"Bruce what am I going to do? Every time I'm near her I clam up and my stomach hurts and I'm not sure what to say or if I sound like an idiot, but when I'm not by her all I think of is her dark black hair and things to say to her so that I don't sound like an idiot-"
He suddenly paused by the side of his bed and looked fearfully at Bruce. "Bruce, I'm not going to be like Harley Quinn am I?"
"Dick," Bruce rose and stood, reassuring him. "You are not turning into Harley Quinn; this is all normal feelings that you are experiencing."
The relief was evident in Dick's face and he jumped onto his bed landing with a loud "Phew! I was worried there for a minute."
Amused as Bruce was he knew that he had to make sure Dick had all his questions answered. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"
Dick contemplated the thought while starring up at the ceiling that was covered with posters of comics and a few of his favorite bands. "No thanks, I think I'm good for now."
Happy that Dick was satisfied and glad he didn't have to delve deep into the 'talk', Bruce was ready to go.
"I'm taking a thirty minute nap then heading out."
Dick lifted his head. "Am I not going?"
"No, I want to make sure that you're one hundred percent healed before take you out." He placed his hand on the knob of the door.
"But I'm fine." Dick protested and did a back flip off the bed and landing in a handstand so prove his point. "See, I can go!" He then sprung upright.
Bruce turned to face him. "I don't want you going out, it's too soon-"
"But-"
"And I can't risk you passing out."
"That's not fair!" Dick crossed his arms.
"Stop acting childish. You're not leaving this house and that's final." He opened the door to leave, but paused in the middle of the frame and looked at Dick, who had crossed his arms and stubbornly refused to look back. "And if you leave here anyways you won't patrol for a month." With that final threat he shut the door and Dick jumped back on the bed and through a pillow at where Bruce had exited.
Mom? Dad! I'm back!" Kid Flash, now dressed as Wally West, shouted as he entered his house.
Both his parents rounded the corner and he was hugged hard by his mother before she held him out at arm's length. "Wallace Rudolph West!" She scolded shrilly. "I thought I told you to call us whenever you got back from a mission, your father and I have been up all night worried sick!"
"I'm sorry mom, we got busy with the report and I was just tired and fell asleep." Wally explained while trying to wriggle out of his mother's grasp, but the stubborn woman held on tight and scowled at the excuse.
"Let the boy have some rest Mary," Wally's dad came up smiling and rubbed his hair, then frowned and rubbed it again.
Wally's brain instantly put two and two together; he had forgotten that his hair had been singed!
"Wally, what happened to your hair?" His dad asked. Mary looked startled and parroted him by asking. "Why? What do you mean what happened to his hair?" She then ran her own hand over the spot and felt where patches of it were shorter than the rest.
"Wally!" Her eyes grew wide.
Wally managed to break free and begun to back away. "Sorry mom, dad, but I'm really tired, like you said andsoI'mgoingtobednowbye!" The end of his sentence was all strung to together as he dashed to his room, avoiding a grab form his mother, and causing the napkins on the table to flutter then float down all over the floor.
"Wallace!" Mary tried to run after him but was held back by her husband.
"Let him go, he seems fine." He tried to reassure the worried mother.
"But it looked like his hair had been…burned." She pleaded looking up at him.
Comfortingly, yet firmly, he placed his arms around her. "But he's fine, it comes with the line of duty." Even though Wally seemed happy being a hero, it hurt his Dad thinking that his boy was facing dangers often worse than the men in the army at times, but he kept his voice strong as he said. "Let's just be glad that our boy is alive and that he came back home, just like he always does."
Mary rested her head against his shoulder. "Yeah," She sighed. "just like he always does."
Shadow woke up with a start heart pounding and covered in sweat. She leaped out of bed disorientated and trying to figure out where she was. Then it all came back to her.
She sat on the edge of the mattress and focused on controlling her breathing. On the bright side, I don't have memory loss and I'm not throwing up. On the down side I'm with people I attempted to murder and I'm still in a zveer-skee situation.
She stood and stared at the door thinking how she really didn't want to go out and face everyone at the moment, or any moment; so instead she sat on the floor and placed her index finger on her thumb and rested her hands on her knees before closing her eyes.
It had been a while since she meditated; a practice she found helpful to keep her mind clear and focused, keeping every despicable memory in her past from coming up and haunting her.
For the first time, she felt herself relax and calm down.
Then a person knocked on the door.
Shadow let out an aggravated sigh, and opened one eye. "Who is it?"
"Um, it's Miss Martian," A familiar sweet sounding voice came from the other side. "Actually, you can probably call me M'Gann now since you'll most likely be staying here a while. Unless you want to just keep calling me Miss Martian, which is completely fine, I don't want to make you feel weird but-"
"What do you want?" Shadow snapped and stood with her arms crossed, not feeling up to listening to her babble through the door all day.
""I made breakfast." She spoke a bit quieter than before.
Closing her eyes Shadow took a deep breath. It wasn't like she could avoid them forever, and there were no windows to slip through like she could at Xavier's , besides if she did that she was sure that they would locking her up in a constantly lit cell with video cameras.
"Fine." She told M'Gann.
"Uh, fine?"
Shadow rolled her eyes and opened the door, revealing M'Gann who wore a white apron over a small pink sweater with a matching skirt, white stockings and black shoes.
"I will join you." Shadow explained and the girl gave a wide smile and before Shadow could protest gabbed her hand dragged her down the hallway, speaking at a speed that made Shadow think if Sunshine.
"Oh great! I was hoping you would say yes. I didn't want things to be awkward from last night, everyone was tired and a little worn out from the mission, you know. Most of them aren't here, only a few of us stay at the Cave, oh which is where we are. I Guess I should explain that too if no had it explained to you already of course."
They arrived in the living room and Shadow succeeded in yanking her hand free and sent M'Gann a glare that went unnoticed since she was already drifting towards the kitchen.
"I didn't know what you liked so I backed pancakes, bagels' which of course I didn't back those, there's French toast waffles, breakfast burritos."
Shadow didn't listen to any of that, she got distracted by a giant gray metal ball that came in and stopped right in front of her. There was a dark purplish circle with three blinking pink lights that acted as if they were focusing on her specifically. Shadow didn't do anything expect stare back at it and ponder what in the world it could be.
"I set out a bunch of fruit, syrup, butter-" Finally M'Gann glanced over. "Oh, I see you met Sphere!"
"Sphere?" Shadow clarified and the thing beeped.
"Ya, she's one of Superboy's pets slash motor-bike thing. Come here Sphere!" M'Gann called it and it rolled eagerly over to her.
Once it reached M'Gann she patted the device. "Good girl, now go find Superboy okay? He needs to come out and stop brooding." The ball made a noise before rolling back out, it slowed as it passed Shadow and she in turn stared as it made its way down a different hallway.
M'Gann gave Shadow another brilliant white smile. "So, what'll have for breakfast."
"I do not believe that I am hungry." Shadow told her, giving her a wary look and suspicious of her cooking.
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Russian translation: zveer-skee means atrocious.
Gosh! It's been a while and I'm sorry! I've been trying to update once a month but then my beta got busy and I couldn't find another one also I did the NaNoWriMo challenge which is where a person attempts to write a novel in a month. I wrote a novel in a month plus an hour into December 1st so yeah. Also I've been caught up with The Bog Four which I recently discovered (It's Jack Frost, Rapunzel, Merida, and Hiccup for those of you who don't know.) and I just saw Frozen which is a great movie, I especially love the character Elsa!
I had this chapter written I just needed to beta read but I've also been needing to edit my novel then I've been writing drabbles about the Big Four but anyway enough about me. What do you think of Shadow possibly going to Themyscira? Will she meet Klarion? What will poor Dick do about Zatana? Also, how was your Thanksgiving?
Oh! And I've reached 50 followers which absolutely fills me with joy! So I've been thinking about doing a bonus chapter, maybe Artemis' first day with her tutor? Let me know what you want!
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