I do not own Young Justice or any of the characters.
Beach Brawl
Cassius looked up as Cassandra and Tim returned to the Cave from their date. Cassandra gave him a hug, both remaining there fore several seconds before she pulled back and walked away. Cassius returned his eyes to the small stones he was slowly carving using his goo claws. They were nothing fancy, and they weren't going to be anything fancy. Just a couple of small pieces of Moonstone he'd found at Lake Sevan during a recent mission. He was in the process of shaping and polishing them with his goo. Both were about as close to perfect as they could get. They were blue Moonstone at the center, and a clear stone around it that turned milky white when viewed from the sides, allowing the blue to always be visible and the sides to always look white. He was cutting and polishing them into either spheres or whatever a three dimensional oval was called. He sighed, absorbing them into his hand for safekeeping just as Nightwing walked over.
"More gifts?" Nightwing asked.
"They both have a birthday coming up soon," Cassius said.
"Cassius, their birthdays are January twenty sixth and Valentines day, otherwise known as February fourteenth," Nightwing said. "It's currently March."
Cassius rolled his eyes. "Belated birthday presents, then."
Nightwing shook his head. "Just admit it."
"It's not like that," Cassius said.
Nightwing chuckled, shaking his hand. "Briefing's in roughly thirty."
"Unless Artemis and Wally want to go at it one last time before she joins us on a mission, in which case she'll be late," Cassius said.
"Dude," Nightwing said. "Seriously?"
"What?" Cassius asked. "If Barbara or Zatanna were going on a mission without you, which had a high likelihood of the entirety of the League of Assassins showing up and killing everyone, and you weren't going, wouldn't you want to say goodbye properly, just in case?"
Nightwing gave him an unimpressed look.
"Oh don't even," Cassius said. "You and I both know that you still fuck both of them every once in a while."
Nightwing rolled his eyes. "Yes, I have two...off and on girlfriends."
"Who you fuck equally regardless of which you're actively dating at the time, and who both are somehow okay with it," Cassius said.
"I'm getting an awfully judgmental attitude from you for someone in love with two fourteen-year-olds," Nightwing said.
"And we're done here," Cassius said, turning and walking away, flipping Nightwing off over his shoulder as Nightwing grinned victoriously.
"You sure you wanna be a part of this, Artemis?" Cassius asked. "If the Light is opposed to this, like we suspect they are, there's a high chance of the Shadows showing up. Including your family."
"And there's a chance Nemesis will make an appearance," Nightwing added.
"Let me worry about Nemesis," Cassius said. "Back to the original question."
"I'm sure," Artemis said. "My family won't stop me from helping my friends, and I won't let them stop this rocket."
Cassius nodded and they all fell silent as they flew. Finally, they reached Cape Canaveral, the Team spreading out to be ready for an attack while Megan went to take questions from the press while disguised as Martian Manhunter and levitating Connor, who was in one of Superman's suits, to make everyone think he was Superman. Once they were finished, Megan linked them all and Nightwing promptly denied La'gaan permission to join Megan in the Bio-Ship, instead telling him to stay in the water, since he was the only person on the Team besides Cassius who could fight underwater normally, and Cassius was currently on land, fully expecting to see Nemesis.
"So, if he does show up, how're you supposed to fight him?" Beast Boy asked. "Isn't Nemesis supposed to be, like, Superman level?"
"A little below, but with more annoying party tricks," Cassius said. "However, he doesn't go all out against me, and will focus on me exclusively, allowing me to keep him busy, even if not beat him, while you fight anyone else who shows up."
"Whoa," La'gaan said suddenly. "Heads up minnows, we got bad guys. Black Manta's troopers, working some kind of platform beneath the surface just off shore. I'm takin' 'em down."
"Belay that," Nightwing said instantly. "Wait for backup."
"Nightwing, that's probably an underwater missile platform," Cassius said. "If they want to take the rocket down in one surprise strike, it's either that or a laser, but a laser probably would have fired by now, and the Bio-Ship would be able to detect the energy buildup."
"I'll scrounge up a rebreather from the cargo hold and help the rookie out," Connor said, sounding grumpy and condescending.
"Rookie?" La'gaan asked. "Neptune's beard, I don't need any help from the Boy of Steel!"
"Lagoon Boy, stand down!" Nightwing snapped.
"Sorry, you're breaking up," La'gaan said, making static sounds in his mind.
"There's no static on a psychic link!" Nightwing snapped.
"I'll go," Cassius said. "Let me know if he shows up."
He turned, launching himself out to sea, then dove in, forming himself gills like Kaldur's. Instantly, he saw the platform and the Manta Troopers that La'gaan was fighting.
Cassius formed webbing for his fingers and toes and kicked off, forming scales over his skin to make himself slide through the water much faster. He shot past La'gaan in time to punch a trooper that was about to shoot him, smashing him into the ground. Several troopers opened fire at La'gaan and he used a trooper to shield himself before tearing into the troopers. As he did, Cassius dropped several with quick punches, making a beeline for the platform. it was a large flat platform with four short legs, two track-like sections standing up on the top, and a a missile on the underside of each rail.
"Nightwing, definitely a rocket platform," Cassius said, sending him a quick image of it. "Moving to try and take it down. Be ready for it to fire."
Several troopers grabbed him from behind and he spun, slamming a roundhouse kick into the first one's head, slamming his head into the next, then that one's into the third's. All three released him and he spun, kicking off of the middle one's chest and streaking forward, only for several blasts to slam into his chest.
"Superboy, you got that rebreather?" Nightwing asked.
"Negative," Connor said. "La'gaan didn't restock."
"Then take the helm," Nightwing said. "Megan, gill up and help Lagoon Boy and Void. Superboy, we need covering fire on the beach."
"Understood," Connor said.
"Controls reconfigured for manual control," Megan said. "I'm coming La'gaan."
She dropped into the water and shifted her legs into a green tail like a mermaid.
"What about Void?" La'gaan asked, slamming two troopers together. "I'm not alone down here."
"Does it look like Void needs help?" Megan asked knowingly.
La'gaan slammed the trooper he was holding into the ground and looked over at Cassius just as he spun in a circle, swinging a trooper by the foot and smashing six more away before hurling his captive into a seventh that was about to shoot, making his shot hit an eighth. He took off toward the platform again and when four shot up at him from below, four goo arms erupted from his chest, slamming a punch into each of them before retracting. La'gaan huffed, slamming a trooper's gun into his head.
"Freak," La'gaan said.
"Oh, just wait until we get home, La'gaan," Cassius said, smirking as he extended his arms as goo, smashing a trooper into the ground. "You're going to be my sparring partner after this mission."
"We'll see how confident you feel after I prove you're not special without those powers," La'gaan said.
Cassius actually laughed, grabbing a trooper and spinning, hurling the trooper into the one at the platform's controls. "I've reached the platform."
He spun, deflected Kaldur's electrified hand and slammed a fist into his chest, hurling him away.
"Launch!" Kaldur ordered.
The trooper behind Cassius hit the launch button just before Cassius's goo hand hit him, only for two more goo hands to catch the rockets, holding them motionless.
"How long can you hold them while defending yourself?" Kaldur asked, using his Water Bearers to form a pair of blades.
"Plenty," Cassius said, allowing the rockets to move out of their rails as he used a pair of goo wakizashi to fend off Kaldur's blades.
Then, he flipped the rockets away from land and let them go, shouting in pain as the goo arms holding them were burned off about halfway. He retracted what was left and spun around Kaldur's blades, throwing a kick only for him to spin under it, then slam a kick into his gut, throwing him backward through the water for a short distance.
"He's here!" Nightwing shouted suddenly.
Cassius spun, rocketing up out of the water and formed a pair of wings, flapping hard once as he shifted into his goo form, streaking to the beach and arriving just in time to drill a punch into the side of Nemesis's head, launching him away, just before he could slash Cassandra. Cassandra nodded once and turned, running back to where Nightwing, Artemis, and Rose were fighting off a group of troopers.
"There you are," Nemesis smirked. "I had hoped to draw you out by killing the two most important people in your life, but this will suffice."
"You're not going to kill anyone ever again," Cassius growled. "I don't care what type of alien you are. You're going to die here."
Nemesis laughed. "You remembered a bit! Very good! But how much, I wonder?"
"Plenty," Cassius growled, crouching.
Nemesis laughed, putting his two wakizashi away. Cassius shot forward, punching at Nemesis, only for Nemesis to deflect his arm and slam his own fist into Cassius's body. A ripple ran over Cassius's body in a wave before he shot backward, bouncing across the sand before crashing down in the water. After a moment, he pushed himself up, narrowing his eyes.
"Not bad," Cassius growled.
"Is that all you can do?" Nemesis asked. "You were more of a threat the last time we met. What, so you remember I'm a threat and in exchange you forget how to fight me? Or are you just getting soft and complacent because of how weak your recent enemies have been? Do I need to bleed you into shape again, just like I used to?"
Cassius narrowed his eyes, crouching and readying himself again. He'd lost more power than he thought losing the goo from the rockets' thrusters. He'd lost almost a quarter of his power. Nemesis grinned and exploded forward, drilling a fist into Cassius's jaw. Cassius staggered away, then ducked under another fist, slamming an uppercut into Nemesis's jaw, knocking his helmet loose. Nemesis swore harshly, staggering away, and Cassius shot forward, slamming a fist into Nemesis's gut, then the side of his head. He staggered to the side, and Cassius threw a roundhouse kick at his head, only for Nemesis to duck under it, pulling his helmet back down into place before spinning, slamming a fist into Cassius's gut, launching him up the beach into the cement wall that was supposed to mark the minimum safe distance from rockets' thruster burn.
Cassius began to stand, only for Nemesis to slam a fist into his gut, lifting him into the air before grabbing him by the throat and slamming him down on his back on top of the cement wall, perfectly placed to be roasted alive. Then, to hold him there, he drove one of his wakizashi down through Cassius's pelvic hurdle, staking him to the stone.
"Do you remember what fire does to me?" Nemesis asked. "Let me refresh your memory. My species has three abilities. Ability bolstering, which gives us our strength, speed, and durability, matter control, which allows us to transform any non-organic substance within a specific range into weapons and control them telekinetically, and then our third ability. Can you remember?"
Cassius threw a punch at Nemesis, but he caught his arm and snapped his elbow, then slammed a fist into Cassius's face, sending his head spinning.
"You're right," Nemesis smirked. "That was a long time ago. I'll just tell you. My species absorbs fire to heal or regain any strength we've used in a fight. So sitting right here, how do you think this fight will go?"
"Fuck you!" Cassius said, spitting in one of Nemesis's eyes.
His head jerked backward, and suddenly Cassius wasn't alone. Cassandra's sharpened katana slashed Nemesis across the back before she spun, slamming a windmill kick into the side of his head, knocking him away from Cassius just before Rose opened fire on him with one of the Manta Troopers' laser rifles. He shouted in pain, staggering away as blast after blast slammed into his torso. However, Cassius could see the burns healing almost instantly, the gash Cassandra had given him also healed already. Cassandra ripped the sword holding him down out and hurled it at him, the blade slicing from his left shoulder to his diaphragm before stopping. Cassius's wounds sealed almost instantly and he shot forward. He passed Rose just in time for his goo wakizashi to block Nemesis's, stopping him from killing Rose. He flipped over Cassius and Rose gasped, pushing Cassius aside before spinning the other way, narrowly avoiding Nemesis's blades when they buzz-sawed through the air between them. Then, just as he landed, Cassius slammed a windmill kick into his chest, hurling him backward.
"You saw that attack coming," Cassius said.
"Yes," Rose nodded.
"Good," Cassius nodded, forming a pair of swords identical to Rose's, but sharp, handing them to her before reforming his wakizashi. "Cassandra, head back and help the others. Rose's ability will be better for this fight than yours."
Cassandra hesitated, but nodded. "Please."
"We'll be okay," Cassius said. "I promise."
She nodded and turned, running toward where Artemis and Nightwing were fighting Manta's troopers still, now including Kaldur. Above them, Connor was in the Bio-Ship, using its laser to destroy rockets as they were fired. Cassius wanted to ask La'gaan why he hadn't taken out the platform yet, but before he could, Rose stepped past him, deflecting one of Nemesis's swords before Cassius slammed a fist into Nemesis's face, rocking him backward. Rose stepped forward instantly, slashing Nemesis several times before stepping back and to the right just before Nemesis slashed upward, missing. Cassius stepped forward, slashing at him, only for Nemesis to deflect the blade, then stab at Cassius. Cassius deflected it and slammed a spring punch into Nemesis's face, sending him exploding backward across the sand. As he flew, however, his helmet spun away. He crashed down hard and Cassius smirked, starting forward, only to leap backward as several bullets slammed into the ground at his feet. He looked up as Deathstroke landed beside Nemesis's helmet and picked it up, then walked over to Nemesis, kneeling and putting it back onto Nemesis's head.
"Looks like he underestimated you," Deathstroke said. "That's my girl. You, on the other hand, Cassius, are very disappointing. You had to be saved by a little girl, and only won because Rose was splitting his attention."
"That wasn't why," Cassius said. "He froze."
Deathstroke shrugged. "You still couldn't beat him without a little girl's help."
Cassius shook his head in annoyance, crouching. "Fight or beat it."
Deathstroke chuckled. "Oh, you and I'll get to go at it again soon. For now, though, I'm just here to collect our asset." He slung Nemesis over his shoulder before a Boom Tube portal appeared behind him. "Be good Rose. Oh, and Cassius, for the record, I think she's better off with you. She'll live longer."
Then, he turned, walking through the portal. Cassius sighed, retracting his goo swords, and Rose handed back the ones she was holding. Cassius absorbed those too, and turned to the remaining fight just as Artemis moved to attack Kaldur. However, his left water hammer batted her bow aside as he spun back toward her from his attack against Nightwing, who was just barely crashing to the ground off to the side, before the right turned into a blade and stabbed her through the chest.
"Welcome back," Kaldur snarled before pulling his blade back.
Cassius exploded forward instantly, reaching Kaldur with a blunt goo greatsword at the same time as Cassandra did, wielding her blunted wakizashi. Kaldur swore, struggling to fend them off, having to ignore a blow from one of their blunted blades one after another before Cassius finally slammed a goo fist down on his back, flattening him into the sand. However, as he moved to finish him, Rose shot a grappling hook through his abdomen and yanked him back just as Cassandra tackled him backward. A moment later, a bonfire erupted to life between Cassius and Kaldur, allowing him to retreat into the water. Cassius ripped the hook out of his back and shouted in pain.
"I fucking hate it when you two do that!" Cassius growled, then turned, running to Artemis, where Nightwing was trying to resuscitate her, shoving Nightwing aside. "Move, I can use my goo to..." He stared at the red staining her undamaged costume in the front, not a single wound marring her. "Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me. Nightwing, you and I are going to have a very long conversation after this."
"Why are you just sitting there?" Connor asked over the communicators.
"The blade severed her aorta," Cassius said.
"So?" Connor asked. "Can't you stitch it back together with your goo?"
"A severed aorta is an instant death," Rose said. "She's gone."
Cassius reached down, lifting her upper body and using his goo to make a slit in the front and back of her uniform to sell the illusion, then a small scratch in her skin where the wounds should be.
"Take her," Cassius said. "I'll go and get Megan. Our link's dead, so she's probably unconscious."
"You weren't monitoring during your fight, I think," Nightwing said. "She said they took Lagoon Boy."
"Great," he sighed. "I'll be back in a bit. And I meant it. We are going to have that conversation."
Nightwing nodded, and Cassius headed out into the water after Megan, only for her to meet him part way, both turning and returning to Nightwing and Artemis. After a moment, Connor had landed the Bio-Ship and everyone loaded up, Cassius sitting with Artemis's body to keep her from being thrown around during the flight.
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