[18th September 2010]
[Mount Justice, Happy Harbour, Rhode Island]
Artemis had stormed off with barely a word after exiting the Zeta Tube; just a yes she knew the news, a pale faced glare of rage, before she vanishing off into her room and slamming the door behind her loudly. Richard Grayson wasn't surprised really, at least compared to how the others were by the reaction as they all gathered around the living area. Smart of the League members to get their mentors to break the news individually rather than telling them all together and whoever got to do that duty would have shouted down, or encountered angry protests.
Richard guessed it would be Red Tornado with him not having the emotions to care, and being the Justice League's favourite 'babysitter' of choice for the Team. Or at least all of them other than Superboy of course; he'd gotten his...father?...and Wonder Woman to break the news of the 'Changes to the Team Roster' in regards John after the incident as they put it. Well Bruce had put it that way, but Richard could tell he wasn't happy with the decision as best he could tell. It was a dumb move in his own not so humble opinion, even if after seeing the footage he could guess why some of the Justice League would be really, really, made at his teammate.
"Bet Green Arrow just got an earful before she came back" Wally muttered glancing after the retreating blonde haired girl loudly marked her desire not to be involved in their conversation. Unlike the others he knew exactly why, beyond the obvious anyway, his teammate was probably crying in her room right now. Or breaking things, considering what he knew of the archer he guess it could be a combination of crying and breaking things. Good thing the rooms were pretty good at being sound proof he figured glancing back at his friend.
"Dude, don't let her hear you say that today or you'll probably get an arrow to the face. Don't think she's in the mood to talk..." he told him honestly, and Wally just nodded awkwardly without arguing or joking back for once. Richard glanced around at the others "...so you've all been told the bad news I guess?"
'Don't break the divider, don't break the divider' he thought to himself as an angry Connor slammed his fist down into the reinforced stone and metal of the dividing table/cabinet between the kitchen and living room area of the mountain. Thankfully the combination of this place being built with superhuman strength in mind, and Superboy being better at managing his anger after the few weeks together meant that it was merely a loud thud than a broken kitchen fixture like a part of Richard's mind had feared. It was pretty impressive really, the progress his Kryptonian teammate had made, as Connor was at barely concealed anger rather than roaring berserker rage right now.
"They can't just decide like that on who fights with us!" something, something, growling "...why is getting punished! I was...he knocked me out without even trying! He didn't even know me and M'gann were there, and he just took us down like that! The mission got completed and criminals taken down and put back in their cells...and their punishing him for doing it!"
Kaldur nodded placing a hand upon Superboy's shoulder to encourage him to be calm down a little. Something Richard could support, and guessed why Superman had finally bestirred himself to talk to his teammate "Indeed my friend, it is a dark tale to hear such from my King. It was not an outcome which should be aspired to, but all I have been told by my King makes me believe that our friend had little choice in his actions. We should have told him of the mission; it is a failing on my part not informing all of us. As a team"
"He killed someone didn't he? That's...that's...not, something we're...supposed to do right?" M'gann stated in a combination of seeming nervousness and unhappiness as she hugged herself almost, fidgeting on the spot. It had been good idea, maybe, to try infiltrating Belle Reve and finding out whatever those who'd deliberately got themselves were planning...but M'gann really hadn't been ready for it in Richard's opinion. Not because she wasn't able keep up the disguise, but because when it went wrong like it had she was on the verge of freaking out about how things have gone.
Richard winced slightly at that, unlike the others he'd seen the security camera footage of the whole incident back in the Batcave. Something that had come along with a very, very, firm advisory to not mention his knowing about her past, and involvement in this, to the rest of the team from Bruce as well. Not that he would have said anything because it was also pretty clear his teammate...former teammate now...was of the same mind and trying to keep her involvement in this mess hidden too.
And what mess it was with the killing of Blockbuster...something Richard was still shocked Fortune had managed to do rather than just the killing of someone itself. Blockbuster had been tough, Superboy level strong, and had taken himself, Aqualad, Kid Flash and the then freed Superboy to taken down when they'd escaped Cadmus...and Fortune had blown/cut his head off somehow with his magic. Of course Fortune had been on the verge of being squished at the time too, so...
"I don't think he'd much choice in the matter M'gann from what Bats said..." that was...mostly...true Richard answered as Connor glared at the Martian girl. He opened his arms in a helpless expression "...and I'm not happy about it. Cuz whelmed here over it let me tell you M'gann, but I think it was him and the hostages getting killed and...and well you know John. Freaky scary magic murder powers, bad guys, and trapped in a prison like Belle Reve..."
He trailed off as M'gann looked at them all imploringly "But...we...me and Connor were there...and...and he used his magic on us! And it hurt...if he'd fought with us, instead of giving people guns..."
"Uhh...weren't you two in disguise and Kaldur just said he didn't know you were there?" Wally said then looked defensive as the green skinned girl gave him a hurt look "...look I'm not saying Skulls wasn't wrong in what he did...but Unc...Flash explained that this is to give him time and stuff to get over it than been a real punishment. But...is this okay with you guys? Like they didn't even talk to us about takin' Skulls off the Team...not that me and him are best buddies but..." he motioned towards the rooms further into the mountain "...Pink Arrow's really pissed off, and..."
Wally milled his arms about in confusion "Well...is sending him off on his own a good idea? Like are we going to wake up one day and find out he's gone off and build a secret magical doom fortress, create a private army armed with magic guns to guard it, and have like Wonder Woman and Black Canary chained to his skull throne in bikinis...turned into cats maybe...or other animal themed thing"
Richard sighed, shaking his head at "Dude, not the time to be makin' jokes"
Wally start "Whose joking? He already conquered a small island with us keeping him mostly superhero-y. It's not right...like for him, or us, or...they didn't even talk us other than to tell us they'd made a decision! They...didn't even ask us what we thought about it...Just 'Sorry Wally he's off the team' and that's that. It just doesn't seem right"
"Because they can't just boss us around like this!" Superboy snapped "They can't just decide whose on the team and who doesn't get to be!"
'Am I next?' was the unasked questioned there Richard knew as tried to speak first before someone opened their mouth and pissed off the angry kryptonian even more. Sadly he was too late as M'gann decided to fill that momentary void instead of him.
"I...I think Uncle J'onn is right Connor! John...he's not bad, but...but he's always doing stuff like he shouldn't...the members of the Justice League all think...and you all do too at times! And he...he...he's always hiding things and not telling us! If he told us this wouldn't have happened!"
Superboy snarled something quiet and incomprehensible to nobody before pausing, before turning and stomping off towards his room. In a way that was probably for the best Richard guessed despite M'gann looking distressed and gesturing after him. Connor didn't seem to see anything wrong per se with what Fortune had done, and the fact the magician had helped the clone a great deal in the past few weeks probably factored in as well. M'gann though didn't really get on to well with Fortune and his...
Connor stopped suddenly, turned around and growled loud and angry "You're just mad he won't let you snoop around his thoughts like the rest of us! And he... I don't care what you think! Stay out of my mind!"
Or at least that's what it sounded like to Richard as with a face even more resembling a thunderstorm his teammate resumed his loud stomping march. He sighed as the green-skinned girl hugged herself, then dashed off in the opposite direction. Wally was fidgeting and he brought a hand on his friend's shoulder with a shake of his head in a 'not now' gesture.
Both of his teammate would have been unhappy after the events in the prison regardless of the extra mess of Fortune's actions. And, in his own opinion, the situation between M'gann and Connor was complicated enough right now without Wallace sticking his head in and saying something that could make it worse. Best to let the two cool their heads a bit, like with Artemis, before getting back to...things like restoring teamwork.
"Well that's..." he started and Kaldur nodded interrupting as Richard let the words hang a little while he tried to think of something witty or smart to say. And largely failing so it was good his Atlantean friend had done so he thought.
"Yes indeed, a problem as you could say. One we shall fix in time. Though there is nothing they can do to stop us aiding our friend, or he us, if the situation demands it of us as is the case with Red Arrow"
Richard agreed with that. Bruce had too...partially, in a tangential totally- not-going-against the rest of the Justice League's decision sort of way...that it might be best to try keep their now former teammate on side with them into the future. Fortune had managed to create, alongside his mentor, effective anti-metahuman weaponry after all.
Unlike so many of the big flashy energy weapons many people had come up with these were simply normal weapons with magic that made them powerful enough for regular people with training to take down a super-powered threat. Sorta of like the Atlantean tech Kaldur had mentioned from time to time, but actually available here on the surface world. It was...
"Bee-Zero-Eight. Fortune" echoed out in the computer's feminine voice along with a faint humming as their soon to be former teammate stepped out from the Zeta Tube dressed in jeans and jumper with a large white box of sorts held in his hands. He glanced around, then saw them sitting at kitchen area divider, and walked towards them with a fairly more confident and happy tone than Richard had been expecting.
"Hi Guys! Guess you got the news, sadly have to head off later today I'm afraid sooooo...gonna have a little chat about some stuff before I do. Anywho I brought Cake! With Jam and Cream! Who wants some?"
--