Omarnosian10: Here it is, the 10th chapter.
Dick: What's gonna be special about this version of Bereft?
Omarnosian10: Well, two different tropes will be added, semi-inspired by DCAbridgedUniverse's Abridged version of the episode.
Conner: People are gonna get body-swapped?
Artemis/Wally: Please don't do it with me and her/him?!
Omarnosian10: Oh don't worry, it won't be anyone from the DC Universe. On another note, I would've gotten this chapter out sooner, but my new job got in the way.
Wally: What happened to your old one?
Omarnosian10: It was seasonal/temporary. ON WITH THE SHOW!
Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or Power Rangers. All rights go to Brandon Vietti, Greg Wiesman, and Saban. Before editing, portions of this chapter belongs to JokerCyclone and The Incredible Muffin. I only own Josh, his OC upgrades, and most of his rogues. Ownerships of OC Power Ranger teams are in Profile.
Chapter 10: Bereft
(Bialya Desert)
The first thing Javier "Javi" Garcia did when he regained consciousness was groan in pain and hold up his head. If this is what a hangover feels, then he'll stay away from alcohol.
'Wait.' Double-checking his head, he found the right side of it warmer than usual. Looking to his right, he found—
"What happened to my arm?!" Gone was the prosthetic Billy and Solon built. In its place is a flesh and blood right arm. Javi would've been happy if he didn't find something puzzling. Not only is it more muscular than before, but it's also lighter in skin tone. Frantic, he looked over himself. Not only is his body different, but so are his clothes.
"What the… (taps wrist out of habit) Solon, do you read—" Javi froze again. In place of his Cosmic Morpher is a different, albeit familiar Morpher; one with a green-eyed, red dinosaur head with the upper half of a knight's helmet lowered to the jaw. "My old Morpher? But those powers were—"
"RRRRRAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" An inhuman roar in the distance cut off his thoughts. Worry coursed through his veins.
'Questions later, help now.'
(Meanwhile)
When M'gann awoke, she had no idea where she was. She wasn't on Mars, that was for sure; the sands around her were not red, and no buildings were burning, no strange, white creatures roaming the area for Martian refugees.
She tried reaching out telepathically, but no one responded; she was alone. Then she looked up and saw the white, full moon, and knew that it was neither Phobos nor Deimos, Mars' moons. The only place she could think of that had a moon like that would be…
"Hello, Megan! I'm on Earth!" face-smacked M'gann. While she was still confused, M'gann was also more relaxed. After so much time living in fear of the invaders, it was nice to be somewhere that didn't have things trying to kill her. Granted, she did want to know why she had shapeshifted into a black bodysuit and blue cape and why her head hurt so much, but still…
"RRRRRAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" Her reminiscing was cut short as an object impacted next to her, the upturned sand temporarily blinded the Martian. When the dust settled, she saw a young man in a black t-shirt and jeans, a wild expression on his face.
"Who…?" (notices familiar red 'S') Are you… Superman?" questioned M'gann. Apparently not, judging from how the boy's face twisted into an expression of rage.
"Grahhh!" He ripped off the 'S' and charged at her. She barely got into the air in time to dodge as he impacted the ground where she had been, only for a crippling headache to hit her.
"Stay out of my head!"
"…Superboy?" The name just came to her, but if Superboy recognized it, he gave no indication. Instead, he roared and leaped up at her.
"HYAH!" A black blur came out of nowhere and jump-kicked Superboy away. The Boy of Steel got knocked into a boulder. Her savior approached her and kneeled by her side. Now that she got a better look at him…
'Hel~lo, Megan.' He is quite the looker, with that muscular body, those unique yet fascinating red/brown eyes, and his sense of fashion.
"Are you alri… (looks over M'gann) Whoa, are you a Martian?" asked her 'newest' crush.
"I am! (smiles) You know my Uncle J'onn?" asked M'gann. Her crush's eyebrows crunch.
"As in DC's Martian Man—WHOA!" He jumped out of the way of a super-leap. Crashing afar, Superboy turned and snarled at the two. Out of nowhere, a sword with a red blade, a gold/silver dinosaur head for a guard, and a black handle, appeared in her savior's hand. "Quick question, can you turn invisible?"
"How did you—?"
"Questions later." Taking out a small lime key-like trinket shaped like a Megalosaurus head, he slid it into his sword. Right when Superboy roared and lunged toward them, he swung it around, creating a dust cloud. Once Superboy landed, it dispersed and his opponents were nowhere in sight. Looking around in frustration, the Boy of Steel growled.
"Grahhhh!" The Kryptonian began leaping off. Once the two were certain he was gone, they shimmered into existence, dismissing their invisibility.
"Man, I forgot how much I love these things." sighed Javi, removing and looking at the Invisi Dino Key.
"Thanks for the save earlier." thanked the Martian. Dismissing the Chromafury Saber and Key, Javi looked at the girl.
"No problem. Now… (frowns) I think we both have questions we need answered," noted Javi.
"Like what?" tilted M'gann.
"You mentioned an 'Uncle J'onn'. By any chance, do the names Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman ring any bells?" asked Javi.
"You mean three of the founders of the Justice League? (Javi's eyes widen) And… (looks at where Superboy left) I don't know how, but… I think that was Superboy that just attacked us." hummed M'gann.
"No wonder that kick hurt so much," grumbled Javi, shaking phantom pains out of his leg. Comics and TV weren't joking about Kryptonian power.
"Why did you ask about them?" tilted M'gann. Javi looked at her, internally debating. Eventually, he sighed and lowered his head.
"Let's just say I'm not from around here…"
(Meanwhile)
Robin picked his way through a field of stones without a sound. Or rather, he was trying to. It was difficult to be stealthy when the other person who had been tailing him didn't possess the same levels of stealth that he did.
He had woken up a few hours ago, trying to get his bearings when he found himself in a desert; he had been more confused by the older mixed-heritage girl who was waking up beside him. Once they laid eyes on each other, the girl complimented her costume. He took it in stride… until she asked which Robin he was. Confused, he asked what she was talking about, and not only did she know his secret identity (and maybe his successors), but by the sound of things, she might be from the future or an alternate universe with their own Justice League, but ahead of his time. She somewhat confirmed the latter but with shocking details; not only is the Justice League and almost everything associated with them fictional in her universe (she verbally provided bits of evidence), but she believes that he's a cosplayer and not the real deal. Sadly, since he's one of the few protégés without powers, he has no way to dispute her claims.
With nowhere else to go, the sassy girl, who had identified herself as Izzy (although judging from her reaction to a reflection on a birdarang, she might not be in her own body), had begun following him. The sound of nearing engines made Robin hide in the shadows of a large boulder, Izzy a few seconds behind him.
"What is happening?" whispered Izzy.
"I don't know, that's why we're hiding." retorted Robin. A few moments later, a small convoy of military vehicles drove past but never noticed the two hidden heroes. Once they were gone, Robin stood up and activated his holo-computer. "Those were Bialyan troops!"
"Uh, you do know Bialya's fictional, right?" asked Izzy, eyebrow raised. Robin held a groan.
"Believe what you want, that's where… we are?! Okay, better question: what are we doing in Bialya!? (checks elsewhere) What? We're in September?! What happened to March!?" shouted Robin.
"What are you talking about?" asked Izzy.
"I don't remember the last six months!" worried Robin.
"Hmm… The last thing I remember, Fern and I were packing for Oakdale after the schools recovered from Zedd's invasion. The next thing I know, I'm here in a new body. Now I know how the others feel with Boneswitch," frowned Izzy. Robin schooled his face to hide his growing confusion at the names.
"This is making less and less sense. (sighs) I'm gonna call Batman," informed Robin. Just as he raised a hand to his ear, a brief, but vivid flashback of Batman along with a few mechanical lifeforms filled his mind.
"Maintain radio silence."
Robin slowly lowered his hand.
"Or maybe not, (lowers hand, then looks at Izzy) Well, at least I think I can trust you," noted Robin.
"Why makes you think that?" jested Izzy. Robin pointed at her ear.
"You've got the same type of communicator that I do. (Izzy feels ear) Batman made mine, so he must have made yours. I bet that we know each other, we just don't remember!" realized Robin.
"So I became friends with a cosplayer? (groans) Having amnesia sucks." frowned Izzy. Robin's frown deepened… before his eyes widened at something behind Izzy.
"I don't know… Do those look like cosplayers to you?!" pointed Robin. Turning, Izzy is greeted by the sight of a platoon of six-foot-tall, muscular, dark gray/black, samurai-like robots. Izzy might not watch as much TV as her brother (who does it for theme music and such), but even she could recognize the Techadons from the Ben 10 show. Her doubts about her situation were erased the moment one of them shot finger bullets at Robin, who dodged and let the sand under him turn to glass.
"OK, so you're not cosplayers after all. (conjures Chromafury Saber and deflects bullets) And stronger than I thought…" winced Izzy, her grip almost loosened from the force of the blasts.
"Got any idea what these things are?!" shouted Robin, maneuvering through more shots.
"Robots from a different universe than DC! (glances at Morpher, then Robin hesitatingly) Listen, if you're right about us knowing each other, then promise not to tell anyone about this." pleaded Izzy. Throwing a few bolas that tied some Techadons together, Robin glanced at her.
"If it can save our butts, go for it!" nodded the Boy Wonder. Nodding back, Izzy took out a green Dino Fury Key based on a saber tooth tiger.
"Dino Fury Key… (unfolds key) Activate! (holds up Morpher before inserting Key). Link to the Morphin' Grid!" cried Izzy, flipping the metal part of the Morpher almost 360 degrees counter-clockwise.
~Dino Fury: Green Morphing Sequence~
The background changed into a mult-blue void with a black floor. Izzy (clad in a black bodysuit) slammed her right hand into the ground, glowing blue cracks coming forth. She then took a stance with her hands held like claws while blue lights swirled from the ground below her, then headed upward. Reaching the apex, it formed a giant green spectral sabertooth tiger around her, which roared. With incredible agility, she jumped high into the air, and a night sky with hundreds of stars and unknown constellations. From her feet up, several streams of light entered her body, with the suit glowing green. Once she landed, the glow was dismissed and revealed a new suit in place. Looking forward, Izzy's head was then encased by a helmet from opposite sides.
~End Sequence~
"Tiger Fury, Green Ranger!" Izzy is now clad in a green bodysuit. Her left arm and the left side of her chest are clad in silver. She has a black logo on her chest resembling a mix of a lightning bolt and a sword. Like her suit, the helmet is green, with a silver grilled visor resembling a sabertooth tiger/knight hybrid with yellow eyes. Around her waist is a skirt.
"Whoa…" awed Robin. The way she puts on her suit reminds him of the Green Lanterns.
"A skirt?! (looks down) I thought I got rid of the thing years ago!" growled Dino Fury Green. Quickly, she tore it off, then threw it to block a bullet. Dashing through the smoking fabric, she then used the Chromafury Saber to cut a Techadon in two.
"Man, that thing is sharp." winced Robin. Without looking, he backflipped onto a Techadon that was about to charge at him. Cackling, he slapped a birdarang onto its back. Right when he jumped off, the Techadon turned and aimed its gun fingers at him… only for the birdarang to emit an electrical pulse that overcame it, short-circuiting it.
"Guess you ain't a cosplayer after all, Boy Wonder!" noted Dino Fury Green, slicing a Techadon's arm off. Chuckling, Robin joined her.
"Right back at you, Tiger Girl."
(Meanwhile)
"…And that leads up to now." After encountering a group of Bialya soldiers in the middle of their conversation, Javi quickly hid and morphed before joining his 'partner' in fighting them off. His suit's like his sister's, but black instead of green. Also, his helmet's dinosaur theme is a stegosaurus, sharing the same eye color as his sister. Javi identified himself in the suit as Dino Fury Black. When a bullet grazed M'gann (or Miss Martian), he inserted the Shield Dino Key (a cyan Key modeled after an Archelon) into his Chromafury Saber and equipped his right arm with the same colored armor and an Archelon-like shield attachment. Recalling another multiversal adventure, he conjured force fields while Miss Martian used her telekinesis to knock the soldiers out. Once the debatable military retreated, the two continued their conversation, only recently finishing.
"So… you even know about…" frowned Miss Martian, hugging herself.
"Your heritage, yeah. (Miss Martian lowers head) M'gann, half my team was made up of aliens, our mentor's a cyborg dinosaur, and the Blue Ranger was poisoned into being evil twice. I'm not gonna judge you… and if they are your friends, they won't either." assured Dino Fury Black, keeping the Shield Boost in case of snipers. Smiling, Miss Martian hugged him.
"Thanks. (gets hugged back) And what do you mean, 'they'?" asked Miss Martian.
"It's been a while since I've read anything about your universe. Umm… Most versions of you are members of the Teen Titans, so you might be too," revealed Dino Fury Black, the two separate.
"The Titans… (frowns) Sorry, but the name doesn't feel familiar. (Dino Fury Black sighs) Do you have any Dino Keys that can help with my memory?" pleaded Miss Martian.
"…I might have something. (dismissed Shield Boost and takes out chartreuse Dino Key modeled after Edmontosaurus) The Truth Dino Key; Zayto told me this protects the user from getting lied to or acts like a truth serum, but my team never got a chance to use it. Fair warning; this is my first time using it, so you'll have to bear with me." cautioned Dino Fury Black. Worried Martian eyes gazed over the Key, then into the Ranger's visor.
"Do it." Nodding, Dino Fury Black inserts the Key into the Saber, then had it 'chomp' a few times. Chartreuse energy surged around his right arm, spectral armor following. Soon, it solidified and attached, an Edmontosaurus-like gauntlet included.
"So far, so good." hummed Dino Fury Black, flexing his fingers. Soon, he held it over the Martian's head, chartreuse energy coming off the palm. Miss Martian's eyes glazed over. "For a test drive, tell me your name."
"My Martian name is M'gann M'orzz, my Earth name is Megan Morse, and my codename is Miss Martian." answered the girl absently.
"So far, so good… (nods) Now, do you have friends? If yes, who are they?" asked Dino Fury Black.
"Dick, Kaldur, Wally, Conner, Artemis, Josh, and Jasmine." Javi frowned under his helmet. All but the last two names were familiar to him. By the sound of things, his arrival to this universe is very recent.
"Do you know where they are?"
"Aside from a general direction where Conner went, no." Sighing, Dino Fury Black dismissed his Boost, Miss Martian snapping out of her trance.
"Well M'gann, looks like we got a lotta work to do to find your friends." noted the Ranger.
"Actually… Josh might be closer than you think." blushed Miss Martian, looking away. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together.
"I'm in his body, aren't I?" realized Dino Fury Black. At the Martian's nod, he sighed. Just what has he gotten himself into?
"Hello? Can anyone hear me?!" shouted Miss Martian.
"Man, this feels different than Rafkonian mind stuff." Aside from her partner's comment, the link was silent.
"They're outside my range." sighed Miss Martian.
"I don't have a Key to help with your telepathy, but I do have something to give us eyes in the sky. (takes out cyan Dino Key based on a Pterodactyl) Freeze Battle Armor, Activate!" Dino Fury Black inserts it into his Saber, then has it 'chomp' a few times. Instead of just his right arm, his other arm and torso are covered in cyan energy, with spectral armor following. Soon, it materialized and equipped, a pair of pterodactyl-like wings extending from his back along with a red-eyed Pterodactyl head on his right shoulder and its tail on his left. Emblazoned on his chest armor is a silver Pterodactyl head with red eyes. Mist is emitting from the armor, which Miss Martian shivered at.
"Cold…" commented the Martian, smiling.
"Since your kind hates fire, you're welcome." nodded Dino Fury Black before taking off, Miss Martian following. While the two stayed together and surveyed below, the Ranger couldn't help but let worry fill his body. If he's here, who knows who else is?
"Down there!" Snapping out of his panic, Dino Fury Black followed his partner's finger and saw Kid Flash (his suit colored in desert camo) and someone from the Arrow family (likely Artemis) facing a platoon of—
"Techadons?"
"You know those robots?" asked Miss Martian.
"They're from a cartoon that isn't associated with DC. Looks like they're based on the UAF design. (shakes head) Doesn't matter, we gotta help your friends." assured Dino Fury Black, descending. Right on time when a Techadon prepared to punch Artemis from behind while she destroyed another with an explosive arrow. Dino Fury Black cuts off the Techadon's arm before it could.
"Huh?" Hearing something metallic fall behind her, Artemis turned around… and was greeted by the sight of a black-clad stranger firing a freeze ray from his hands at the robot that almost sneak-attacked her, freezing it.
"Are you alright?" asked Dino Fury Black after also freezing the arm. Having seen the debut episode, he doesn't want someone stumbling upon the limb and becoming a Techadon cyborg against their will.
"Hubba-Hubba…" whispered Artemis. That dino armor might be covering most of the guy's torso, but from what little she can see of his lower stomach and the rest of his body, the guy is ripped!
"A little help over here!" called Kid Flash, a Techadon having got in a lucky shot and caught him in a bear hug. The speedster can feel his ribs breaking one by one. Before they could be completely crushed, an invisible force pulled off the Techadon's head. Deactivated, the robot fell onto its knees and forward. Kid Flash would've been squashed between it and the sand below him… if that same invisible force hadn't pried the arms open, letting him loose. Quickly, he fell and rolled away in time for the headless robot to fall into the sand.
"Thanks for the save… uh… (Miss Martian floats down) J'onn? I mean, I dig the new look, but it doesn't really scream 'Manhunter'." commented Kid Flash, standing and shaking off the sand on his suit. Miss Martian tilted her head, memories still fuzzy.
"You know my Uncle J'onn? (slaps forehead) Hel~lo, Megan; of course you do! You're Kid Flash, Wally! (turns to blonde) and you're Artemis!" smiled Miss Martian.
"The Martian Manhunter has a niece? How come I don't know about this?" blinked Kid Flash.
"Let me answer that with another question, what month do you think this is?" retorted Dino Fury Black, freezing all the Techadon parts around them. If Kid Flash didn't know any better, the guy's freeze rays looked like Ice Beam from the Pokémon show.
"March," answered Artemis, out of her daydreaming. Kid Flash nodded.
"Hate to tell you two, but it's September and from the sound of things, you lost six months' worth of memories," explained Dino Fury Black. Kid Flash and Artemis' eyes widen in shock.
"And not just you two, but me, and the others on our team," added Miss Martian.
"There are others? How many?" asked Artemis.
"Three of them," answered Dino Fury Black.
"Three people in a desert. Sure, they'll be easy to find." sighed Kid Flash sarcastically.
"How did you find us?" asked Artemis curiously.
"We flew." Dino Fury Black flared his wings for emphasis.
"Aw, if only we had Superman's super senses, the others can be found in a jiffy." groaned Kid Flash. He would've offered to run and scout, but given that this was unknown territory, that's a death wish.
"Super senses… ugh! (helmet-palms) I can't believe I forgot about them!" groaned Dino Fury Black. Before the 'newbies' could ask, he ejected the Dino Freeze Key from his Saber (his Battle Armor dispersing in mist) and replaced it with a hot pink Allosaurus-themed Key.
"Sonic Dino Key, (inserts it into Saber) ready!" Chomping the Saber a few times, a different Boost armor covered his right arm, matching the color of his key and equipped with an Allosaurus head attachment.
"What's he—" Miss Martian shushed Kid Flash before he could finish. Cupping where his ears would be, Dino Fury Black slowly turned his head around. He ignored the faraway sandstorms, the marching of Bialyan soldiers, the machinery of Techadons, and the UAV drones he and Miss Martian were lucky to avoid, then finally…
"Izzy?! (points away) My sister's there… and sounds like she's fighting with someone against this place's soldiers." informed Dino Fury Black, worry in his voice.
"No time to lose, then!" nodded Kid Flash, then dashed off in the direction the Ranger pointed; Dino Fury Black equipped his Freeze Battle Armor, carried Artemis (much to her joy), and flew after him with Miss Martian.
They arrived just in time to see Kid Flash, Robin, and Dino Fury Green (wearing yellow Battle Armor with a cyan-eyed Spinosaurus head as the right shoulder guard) fighting a platoon of Bialyan soldiers, the only girl releasing waves of lightning that the soldiers' armor conducted. However, even those men were unable to stand against so many skilled superheroes. Once the fight was over, Kid Flash gave Robin a high-five.
"Hey, Rob, Good to see a familiar face." smiled Kid Flash.
"I know the feeling." nodded Dino Fury Black, approaching his sister.
"Bro… your arm?!" gasped Green, looking at her brother's right arm.
"Sorry to disappoint you, sis, but this isn't my body." sighed Black.
"You got Freaky Fridayed too?!" commented Green.
"Yup." sighed Black.
"Glad you have your brother back (looks at girls) but who are they?" frowned Robin warily.
"Let me guess, you got six months' worth of amnesia?" noted Artemis. Robin nodded.
"Join the club." sighed Kid Flash, waving to the others. Robin mimicked him, then gestured to the soldiers.
"Let's hogtie these creeps and compare notes."
(Few minutes later)
"Man, I should've used Battle Armors more often." laughed Green, having swapped Battle Armors with her brother and trapping the soldiers in ice after they were tied up.
"Too bad once this is over, we'll be back in our own bodies… and you'll be back to being skirtless." chuckled Black, sabotaging the weapons with electricity. Gasping, Green looked down at her waist… and the cloth surrounding it.
"I thought I got rid of this thing again a while ago." growled the Green Ranger, ripping it off and tossing it aside. Laughing at their antics, the group then refocused on the task at hand.
"So we're a team?" asked Robin, gesturing to everyone. While tying the soldiers up, he and Miss Martian telepathically talked about the unintended bodysnatchers' knowledge. They decided to shelve the potential existential crisis for later.
"All of us along with Superboy and—"
"He wouldn't happen to be tall, lots of muscles, black hair, and really angry?" described Artemis
"Yes! (nods) Have you seen him?" asked Miss Martian.
"You should call him Feralboy. He attacked us!" scoffed Kid Flash.
"He doesn't know who we are. I don't know who we are!" defended Artemis.
"I remember Batman ordering radio silence. Our team must work for him!" noted Robin.
"Hey, how d'you know that we don't work for my mentor?" scoffed Kid Flash, jabbing his chest with his thumb; as soon as he touched the lightning-bolt emblem on his chest, his outfit became the familiar yellow/red. "Whoa! That is so cool!"
"Huh?" Raising an eyebrow, Robin looked at everyone's emblems. Kid Flash began changing his costume back and forth between desert stealth mode and normal. The rest of the Team, save for the Rangers and Miss Martian, tried doing the same, getting similar color schemes.
"I doubt Flash has the budget to make this stuff," commented Artemis; her and Robin sticking to Desert Stealth while Kid Flash kept flickering modes.
"Maybe those robots Batman was with had something to do with this," added Robin.
"You mean like Red Tornado?" asked Artemis, swatting Kid Flash's hand to stop him from flickering.
"N—Well, one of them was red, but none looked anything like Tornado." hummed Robin.
"Man, do they remind you of anything Javi?" asked Green.
"You mean when Slyther used his amulet to mess up our memories? Yeah." nodded Black.
"You mean you've had your minds messed with before? Any way to fix this?" asked Robin curiously.
"That depends on how we got to this mess in the first place; otherwise, we'd be sitting ducks." sighed Black, dismissing the Electro Battle Armor.
"I… might have a way. (gets everyone's attention) Judging from the flashes we've all been getting, I don't think our memories were erased. It's more like they're… scrambled. All jumbled up." explained Miss Martian.
"Like a jigsaw puzzle." compared Green.
"Exactly. (nods) Since that's the case, I may be able to help us remember." offered Miss Martian.
"So, you think you can reach inside our boxes and put the puzzle back together?" asked Robin.
"I can."
"Wait, so we're just going to let a complete stranger reach inside our heads and poke around our deepest darkest secrets?" frowned Artemis. "I think I'll pass."
"She might not have to. (looks at Miss Martian) Do you think you can work your way backward? Put together only the pieces that are the most recent. Once we find out how we got into this mess in the first place, there's a chance I can finish the rest without invading anyone's privacy." suggested Black. Robin tapped his chin.
"I'm not seeing any other option. Wandering around the desert without any idea of what we're doing is pointless," commented Robin.
"Are we really gonna bet our minds on a gamble?" asked Artemis warily. Feeling a clothed hand on her shoulder, she turns to see Black.
"If you guys are anything like my team, I know you can pull this off," assured Black. Unknown to him, he's displaying the same leadership traits that Amelia and Zayto imprinted on the team. Feeling confident, Artemis nodded and looked at Miss Martian.
"Fire away." The Martian nodded before her eyes glowed green, and everything turned white.
(Mindscape)
Suddenly, the group found themselves in some sort of dark space, with flashes of the past six months swirling above them.
"Whoa…" gasped Robin, looking around with everyone.
"You're telling me." The group looked at the Dino Fury Rangers removing their helmets. However, their faces are completely different from before. Javi's a mix of Native American, Mexican, and Caucasian with the top of his dark brown hair dyed blonde and brown eyes. Izzy on the other hand is Spanish with long black hair reaching over her shoulders and hazel eyes.
"You guys might wanna look at yourselves for a bit," commented Kid Flash. Before the Rangers could ask why, Robin offered them a birdarang. Curious, Javi took it, and the two looked at their reflections.
"We're back in our bodies!" gasped Izzy, cupping her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, but you're not. (opens eyes) I've constructed a mind space for us to share; here, you'll look like your original body and not the one you're in. (Izzy frowns) Anyway, it'll allow our minds to communicate and help fill in what we're missing. Once we start, it's all going to be coming back at once. It might be… overwhelming for some of you." warned Miss Martian.
"I trust you, Megan." nodded Javi, putting a hand on her shoulder. The Martian blushed while Izzy teasingly grinned. Artemis cleared her throat, breaking the moment. Awkwardly coughing, Miss Martian conjured a large glass screen, the memories playing before them.
"Team, report to the briefing room."
The Team (with only Josh and Jasmine out of costume, the latter in green clothes Izzy would wear) entered the room to find Batman and the Beast Bots waiting. Batman wasted no time getting started.
"The Watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialyan desert. Spectrum analysis revealed it to be extraterrestrial in origin. Afterward, Titania and Zatara felt brief surges of dark magic pop up in the area. Find out what happened at that site, and what landed there. Bialya is a rogue state, ruled by Queen Bee, and no Jasmine, this is not the same one from your and Josh's universe, nor is she a counterpart or holds any relation to her," Batman brought up a holographic image of a beautiful, dark-skinned woman wearing a wide tiara and a gossamer shawl over a tight-fitting, leather bodysuit. Kid Flash gave off a wolf whistle before Josh ribbed him.
"Continue." requested Aqualad.
"Bialya is not a member of the League's UN charter, and all communications are subject to interception. Maintain radio silence at all times…"
Then, they were in Qurac. Jasmine and Artemis watched as Superboy and Josh carried the device from the Bioship, the girls enjoying the eye candy. "Remind us what this is?"
"It's a mobile scanning station made by the Beast Bots and Axel. The Watchtower satellites were able to narrow down the energy signal to within a few clicks of here, but that's still a lot of desert to check," explained Josh.
"And there is no way I am running around the desert," commented Kid Flash.
"So once we get this up and running, it'll be able to pinpoint the exact location," added Robin. Several minutes later, the device beeped. "And we are in business. I'm picking up traces of Zeta Beam radiation, as well as… something I've never seen before."
"And unless the League set up a Zeta tube here recently, that sounds like our site." nodded Kid Flash. Josh turned to Miss Martian.
"Miss Martian, (Jasmine clears throat) and sister, you two will scout ahead. The rest of us will follow," ordered Josh. Jasmine grins.
A short while later, the girls came up over the hill, where they saw a large tent. Jasmine is clad in a Dino Fury suit, except this one is pink with the helmet having an ankylosaurus theme and blue eyes.
"Aw, we're too late," whined Dino Fury Pink.
"Champagne Ranger, the Bialyans already have control of the site."
"Stay in stealth mode," instructed Josh, looking down at the tents from below with Aqualad. His current suit is champagne-colored and highly resembles a Dino Fury suit, with the helmet having a red-eyed T-Rex theme and similar boots. However, that's where the similarities end. Gold armor plating is present around his collarbone and on top of his helmet. Silver armor covers his forearms, right hip, and shoulders, a white cape draped from the latter. On his left wrist is a silver brace with a red-eyed gold dinosaur head on top and lightning bolts by the sides. In his hand is a long white/silver staff with red highlights and a slight resemblance to a scepter. This is Cosmic Fury Zenith or Champagne. Josh prefers to be called the latter.
"There's an opening right there. Should be enough for you to sneak through."
The memories then jumped to Miss Martian infiltrating the tent in camouflage mode, effortlessly sailing past the Bialyans and Techadons and into the tent. The first thing she saw was a large, metal sphere in some sort of contraption. "Guys, I'm in the main tent. The Bialyans are experimenting with some sort of device while some robots are guarding them. I think… it's ali—"
"Well now, who do we have here?" A new voice said through their mind link, and Miss Martian's eyes widened as she spun around to see a man with his brain encased in a glass dome on his head looking right at her. "Seems like we have a peeping Tom on our hands. What to do about you?"
"I've been spotted! Everyone get out—"
"Psimon says… forget."
"M'gann? M'gann, what's—" Cosmic Fury Champagne tried saying aloud, only for all of them to cry out in pain as they were hit with blinding headaches. Catching Aqualad when he fell and piecing everyone together through the pain, he raised his Master Staff high into the sky, a champagne light coming from the tip and blinding everyone in the area. "Dnim Ruo Tcetorp!"
(Reality)
"Oh my god, we forgot about Kaldur!" exclaimed Kid Flash, looking around the site they were at. "He's not here… he must have been captured."
"So that's why we're in the wrong bodies…" realized Green, helmet on. "That psychic attack messed up the spell, so instead of protecting those two's minds…"
"It pulled a Freaky Friday and likely chose us because of the suits they used." finished Black, looking at his right arm.
"Who was that guy? The one with the weird brain head?" asked Artemis. Robin and Miss Martian looked at the Rangers. Kid Flash and Artemis followed suit.
"What are you looking at us for?" asked Black.
"Well, you're the better DC expert between us, so there's more of a chance you can recognize the psycho," commented Green. Sighing, Black looked at her, then the others.
"Well, I don't know too much, but here we go. The guy's name is Simon Jones AKA Psimon; he was a physicist who tried multidimensional communication experiments. His work got a demon's attention; I forgot its name. That same demon is the one that gave him his psychic powers; telepathy, telekinesis, the whole package." explained Black.
"So he isn't a natural psychic like me," noted Miss Martian.
"Guess that explains the dark magic Batman mentioned," added Artemis.
"Yeah. (nods) The good news is, since Psimon's powers are created from magic, we have something that can fix your brains." noted Green.
"Light Dino Key, (holds up white Velociraptor-based Dino Fury Key) Ready!" Black unfolds the Key into Knight Mode and inserts it into his Chromafury Saber. After chomping it a few times, a new Battle Armor formed. This one is white with a cyan-eyed Velociraptor head as a right shoulder piece. "Light Battle Armor!"
"Doesn't look that light to me." joked Robin. Some of the Team groaned or rolled their eyes.
"Oh no, the armor gets its name from this. (Chromafury Saber glows white) Spell Breaker!" Black raised the Saber high, a white energy wave coming off it and engulfing everyone aside from the Rangers. They groaned and held their heads.
"You think that could get us back to our real bodies?" asked Green.
"Not too sure. (lowers Saber) And considering this is somewhat Godly magic at work, I'd rather not risk turning the original owners into vegetables." answered Black.
"…Good call." winced Green. She is suddenly grateful that Slyther's amulet wasn't that strong.
"I… remember everything," noted Artemis… before paling. 'Oh god, I told Kid Flash stuff about my dad! I know this is gonna come back to screw me over.'
"Second. (looks around) And I'm guessing you too?" asked Kid Flash. Miss Martian and Robin.
"Including those robots in the memory. (brings up holoscreen) You were kinda wrong, Iz. Those weren't Techadons, those were Protodons; variants mass-produced, less advanced, and mainly used for grunt work. Josh said he faced these a lot in his first year with his powers, but according to him, the factory that built those was destroyed." explained Robin.
"Looks like someone built a new one here," commented Green, arms folded.
"And from the looks of things, these Protodons are made with materials exclusive to our version of Earth," added Robin, dismissing the holoscreen.
"Wonderful…" drawled Kid Flash sarcastically.
"Anyway, once we find Aqualad and Superboy, I can restore their memories too," noted Black.
"But how can we find them without our brains getting scrambled again?" asked Artemis worriedly.
"Come to think of it… How'd he get all of you? I'm not an expert on demons or aliens, but I thought telepaths in general have a limited range." asked Green curiously.
"I… think that's my fault. (looks down) Psimon must have picked up on the telepathic link we were using and… I guess he hacked into it." surmised Miss Martian.
"I thought the whole point of the mind link was that it was supposed to be unhackable." retorted Robin.
"I didn't even think about what would happen if a powerful telepath picked up on the link. (sighs) He found me, and he used our link to try to make all of you forget… everything." realized Miss Martian.
"But the link must have, I dunno, diluted the mind blast somehow," suggested Kid Flash.
"Robin, any chance Batman is paranoid enough to teach you contingencies for telepaths?" asked Black.
"The best I've learned was some mental shielding, but since the only thing I remembered earlier was 'maintain radio silence', I don't think it'll be enough." shook Robin.
"Any chance you could build something with the scrap around here?" asked Green, gesturing to the Protodon pieces around them.
"Not with the time we have now," sighed Robin. He made a mental note to do so with the materials in Mount Justice when this mission was over so something like this wouldn't happen again.
"Don't worry. (gets everyone's attention) Now that I know about Psimon, I could prepare myself for next time." assured Miss Martian.
"Good. (nods) The question is, how are we gonna find a dehydrated Atlantean and a mindless clone in this whole country?" questioned Black.
"I might have something. (brings up holoscreen) When the P—Morphers are activated, they emit a unique energy signature. If I can just access the nearest satellite… (holoscreen turns to map with Aqualad and Superboy logos) There! Looks like we'll have to split up; they're too far apart from each other." explained Robin.
"But only one of us can use the Light Battle Armor." denied Green. Artemis perked up.
"I might have something. (brings out arrow with magenta crystal-like tip) Josh helped make this with a crystal he got from a friend; he says that it's not only reusable, but it can absorb energy and disperse it on impact." defined Artemis.
"Like the energy from my Battle Armor! Genius!" chuckled Black, grasping the tip. A white glow takes over him before traveling to his arm, then his hand. A moment later, it dimmed down. He lets go, the crystal now having white highlights.
"You only get one shot with this, so make it count," warned Green. Artemis nodded, putting it in her quiver.
"I will."
(Bialyan Outpost)
The demon-powered telepath Psimon watched the relationship between the two captives. The strange, man-sized sphere seemed to feel pain whenever the recently captured Superboy felt pain, thanks to the empathic connectors they had used. Granted, they required the electricity of a small town to cause the clone any real damage, and his healing factor quickly reversed it, but it was worth it for their experiment.
Though Superboy had destroyed over a dozen tanks, sent five times as many soldiers to the hospital, and scrapped twice as many Protodons, Psimon had been able to take him down with a telepathic assault. After that, they had dragged the unconscious clone to the outpost, where they had caged the Sphere. As soon as Superboy had been brought into the tent, the blue 'eye' on one side of the Sphere had tracked him, almost like it was worried.
As Superboy yelled in pain, and the Sphere spun in place helplessly, Psimon grinned sadistically.
"Fascinating," murmured Psimon sadistically.
"Indeed." Turning around, he was greeted by the Keyblade Avatars Aqua and Ventus. "Any complications recently?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle, just a fletching telepath and friends. As of now, they're likely wandering around aimlessly like the children they are." chuckled Psimon.
"Really? (conjures Rainfell) Because if our ally wasn't mistaken, a large surge of energy was felt in the area recently. If what you say is true, then our plans can continue undisturbed. Otherwise…" threatened Aqua, aiming her Keyblade at a soldier. In an instant, spikes of ice came out of the glowing tip. The sound of a fallen body echoes throughout the outpost. Gulping in fear, Psimon nodded.
"Understood."
(Team G)
Robin looked over from behind the rock he was crouched behind, watching as a Bialyan patrol drove by.
"Alright, we're clear." called the Boy Wonder, and turned Artemis and Green in Freeze Battle Armor. They had found Aqualad passed out behind a rock. Green was holding his head up and slowly flapping her wings, sending gentle, chilling breezes that created snowflakes that melted on Aqualad, rehydrating the Atlantean. Seeing the SIC slowly open his eyes, Artemis quickly, but gently tapped his temple with the Light arrow, the white highlights vanishing and going into Aqualad briefly.
"How… long…?" whispered the SIC, his memory restored. Satisfied, Artemis put away the crystal arrow.
"At most, a day. (Aqualad prepares to sit) Save your strength, man. Izzy's temporary ice powers haven't completely hydrated you yet. (Aqualad raises eyebrow) Long story." commented Robin. Nodding, Aqualad closed his eyes, resting.
"Out of curiosity, I get that you can fly and carry one of us, but how are the other two supposed to catch up?" asked Artemis, gesturing to the native heroes.
"Not a problem. (lifts Morpher to mouthplate) Dino Fury Cycle, Rev Up!" A large motorcycle modeled after a yellow-eyed green sabertooth tiger rushed to their side in mere moments.
"Sweet wheels." whistled Robin. Artemis nodded.
"Huh. (tilts head) Guess Solon or someone made new versions modeled after everyone's Zords," noted Green.
"I'll drive!" Robin and Artemis raised their hands, rushing to the machine.
"Robin, let Artemis drive unless you wanna make Javi's host angry," ordered Green. From what she's seen, Josh is like TMNT's Leonardo mixed with Fairy Tail's Erza. Robin gulped, remembering all the punishments Josh gave Wally.
"…You'll drive!"
(Team B)
Outside the camp, Miss Martian, Black, and Kid Flash approached the edge, looking down at the tent.
"Is he in there?" asked Kid Flash. Miss Martian nodded.
"Psimon would sense me if I did a probe, but I can just feel the rage and the anger coming off of Superboy. He's in so much pain, and he doesn't even understand any of it… Do you think the others have found Kaldur by now?" asked Miss Martian worriedly.
"If anyone can find Aqualad out here, it's my sister," assured Black.
"They've tightened security since last time, but I think I see a few spots where we can get in," noted Kid Flash, looking over the camp.
"Uh huh…" nodded Miss Martian absently.
"You nervous?" asked Black, concerned.
"I… yeah. More than a little. I was careless last time. I didn't even think that another telepath could pick up on the link, and we all lost our memories." admitted Miss Martian dejectedly. Before Kid Flash can say anything to cheer her up and attempt to get in her pants…
"Did Josh tell either of you about the Dino Fury team?" asked Black. His teammates looked at him, confused.
"Not much… just that they're the fourth dinosaur-themed team in the main timeline," answered Kid Flash.
"And what you told me before we caught up with the others," added Miss Martian.
"Our team leader at first, assumed he was the last of his kind; a Rafkonian. When our Gold Ranger and his old friend popped up, it was both pleasantly surprising and horrifying." started Black.
"Sounds like how Martian Manhunter was until he found survivors." hummed Kid Flash, remembering the Leaguer's biography.
"What do you mean horrifying?" tilted Miss Martian.
"The Gold Ranger told us about how Rafkon was destroyed… and how our leader could've stopped it. (teammates gasp) But that's not my point. M'gann, life is full of curveballs. You can't let one surprise stop you from helping people. The best we can do when we face the unexpected is to push past them." advised Black.
"…Are you sure Red's the leader of your team? Your little speech sounds like it could come from one." smiled Kid Flash.
"I'm not leader material, I just took cues from the Reds I know." shook Black.
"Still, you're right. (puts on hood) Let's get to work." nodded Miss Martian, turning invisible. Entering the tent was simple enough. Two well-placed superspeed-powered hits dispatched the guards guarding one entrance, allowing the three to slip in unnoticed. The boys ducked behind a group of machines, while Miss Martian approached the captive Superboy. The scientists and Psimon had turned their attention to the Sphere, and the Martian reached out to Superboy's head.
"Well well well, looks like someone's a glutton for punishment," Miss Martian's skin crawled. Psimon looks in her direction. "Hm, I seem to be losing my touch. Psimon says…." The telepath removed his hood, and M'gann braced herself. "For—"
"Spell Breaker!" A wave of light came out and struck both Psimon and Superboy. While the former is disoriented from the anti-magic energy, the latter feels…
'I remember…' His first four months in Cadmus, being rescued by the sidekicks, meeting Superman, joining the Team, fighting Amazo, Josh's birthday, everything else, even… 'Jasmine…'
"[Open fire!]" Bullets hailed from the soldiers and Protodons and struck the clone. Sadly for them, Superboy is back, and the raging blank slate is gone. Letting the bullets bounce off his body, once Miss Martian undid his restraints, he leaped into action. He grabbed one soldier and threw it into another before another tried in vain to unload his clip into the Teen of Steel. The clone grabbed the rifle from the soldier's hands, effortlessly twisting it into a useless heap of metal.
"It feels good being me again." Superboy couldn't help but smile a bit and looked at the captured Sphere.
"What is that thing?" called Kid Flash after disarming some soldiers. Superboy narrowed his eyes.
"I don't know, but I know it's tired of being tied up." scowled the clone, destroying the machine and freeing the Sphere. It chirped in gratitude and began rolling around and knocking down the soldiers and Protodons that approached. Black was about to cut one of the latter with his Saber, when he felt an invisible force wrap around his throat, lifting him off the ground.
"That…" growled Psimon as he picked himself up off the ground, directing his glare at the struggling Ranger. "...was playing dirty."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Let me brighten things up. Light Flash!" jested Black. His Battle Armor started glowing white. Hissing in pain, Psimon subconsciously released him. Black landed on his feet… in time to cut down two Protodons that were about to sneak attack him.
"How… (Black turns head) You aren't a psychic like me… How can you resist?!" growled Psimon.
"If you were a normal psychic, you're right that I would have trouble. Unfortunately for you, my Armor negates magic, including the demon one fueling your powers," explained Black smugly.
"How'd you know about Trigon?!" gasped Psimon. Black froze.
'Trigon…' Even though it had been years since he'd seen the movie and longer since the cartoon, he could never forget one of the most dangerous villains in this particular universe. If he'd had to scale it, he'd put the demon somewhere between the Nemesis Beast and Master Zedd. Seeing the hero distracted, Psimon levitated a Protodon torso. He threw it at the Ranger, only for it to go off course.
"I'm the one you really want, aren't I?" asked Miss Martian. Psimon devilishly chuckled.
"It's like you read my mind." taunted the psychic. Their words snapped Black out of his daze.
"Martian, stay away! (Miss Martian flinches) If Trigon's really the demon that gave him his powers, then he's much more dangerous than we thought!" warned Black. As if to prove his point, Psimon evilly smirks before conjuring a telepathic tornado, the debris and scrap surrounding him. Miss Martian and Black shielded themselves from the winds given off.
"Oh, I'll show you how dangerous I can—" Psimon got cut off by a superspeed sucker punch. The psychic tornado died down.
"Don't forget about me!" taunted Kid Flash, blurring around and knocking soldiers away.
"Kid Flash? When you get close to Psimon, don't stop running."
"Why?"
"If I remember right, Flash has a resistance to mind attacks because his thoughts are as fast as his body."
"So if I keep my speed up, my mind will follow and Psimon won't mind blast me again! Genius!"
Growling, Psimon tried to track the speedster's mind. But every time he thought he had a grasp, it slipped out faster than he could do anything with it. Deciding to change tactics, he levitated himself, high enough that the speedster couldn't surprise attack him anymore.
"Reach me now, Speedy!" taunted Psimon. It backfired when various objects were thrown at him in superspeed; Protodon scraps, gears, rocks, etc. Hasty, Psimon deflected some while others struck. While Kid Flash kept up the barrage, Black looked at Miss Martian, the girl frustrated.
"You wanna finish this, do you? (Miss Martian's eyes widen) Then here you go." offered Black, handing her the Chromafury Saber, Light Dino Key still loaded. Smiling in gratitude, the Martian took it, reading the mental instructions her teammate was giving her.
"Hey, Psimon! (psychic looks while Saber chomps, gaining white aura) This is for giving me and my friends amnesia, hurting Superboy, and every other horrible thing you've done! Light Fury Slash!" declared Miss Martian, swinging the Saber forth. A large slash of light came off it and sailed towards the demon-powered psychic. The villain doesn't know if he's imagining things or if the Martian is projecting, but the roar of a velociraptor echoes.
"No… No—NO!" wailed Psimon when the attack struck. An explosion of light occurs, and then the psychic falls onto the ground, unconscious and wounded.
"Psimon?" gulped a scientist, looking at the outcold leader.
"RUN!" screamed another scientist. They scrammed into the exit… only for the Sphere to run them over.
"You're lucky I told my new friend to hold back on you." scoffed Superboy to the down scientists, two deactivated Protodons in his hands. He carelessly dropped them.
"Found some rope!" said Kid Flash, slowing a bit now that the main threat is down. Quickly tying up the scientists and soldiers into one group, he prepared to do the same to Psimon by himself when…
"Blackout!" Nothing but black is in their vision… and they're still conscious.
"What happened?!" shouted Superboy.
"I can't see anything! (flickering is heard) Night vision's a no-go either!" added Kid Flash.
"Let me try. Light Flash!" A flash of light fills their eyes before the darkness and light is normal. However…
"Psimon's gone! (looks at previous location and taps temple) And I can't sense him anywhere!" gasped Miss Martian.
"It must be those Avatars!" realized Kid Flash, scolding himself. He should've recognized that spell the moment he heard it. The Sphere beeped, rolling between them and the tied-up Bialyans.
"Sphere's right; we saved her, stopped the Bialyans, and got our memories back. A win's a win." understood Superboy. The others shelved the gender and name for later, agreeing with the clone.
"Good point, Supes. Also…" smiled Kid Flash, zooming and sitting on top of Sphere. "Souvenir!"
(Minutes later, Bioship)
"…And that leads us to now." recapped Robin to Aqualad, gesturing to Sphere roaming around, likely examining their ship. The SIC hummed.
"You've all had an… interesting time while I was unconscious," commented Aqualad, looking at his teammates; Artemis sending glares at Kid Flash while he nervously devoured the food they confiscated from the outpost, Superboy watching outside, Miss Martian piloting the ship with Izzy regaling her with her teams' adventures, and Javi playing a harmonica (he didn't even know Josh had a harmonica, or any instrument for that matter).
"That's an understatement." snorted Robin. Aqualad sent putting looks to Javi and Izzy.
"Miss Garcia, Mister Garcia. (gains siblings' attention) I apologize that my comrades and I put you in this predicament. Rest assured that we will do everything in our power to get you both home in your proper bodies." ensured Aqualad. The determination in his voice gained sad smiles.
"Thanks, but I doubt you know anyone that can un-Freaky Friday us." shrugged Izzy. Aqualad blinked before Robin mouthed 'later'.
"There's only one kind of person that can, but it's not like a Morphin Master is gonna pop in and solve our problems." As if the heavens heard Javi's words, a blue star-like portal popped up in the middle of the ship. Stopping it, Miss Martian stood and watched it along with her teammates in caution while the siblings looked surprised. Soon coming out of it is a tall figure clad in regal white/silver armor over a black bodysuit. His face is metallic, with empty white eyes under a black visor. In his hand is a Master Staff accommodating his size. Draped over his back is a champagne cape, and on his left side is a champagne cloth. The coloring of those items along with the crest on the chest, belt buckle, and head, are a dead giveaway to the figure's identity to the Rangers.
"Zayto?!"
"Zayto?! As in your leader as Dino Fury?!" gasped Miss Martian.
"Greetings, Young Justice." greeted Zayto.
"Uh, we're just 'the Team'." corrected Robin, a bit intimidated. If what their misplaced friends said is right, the guy in front of them is equivalent to a god, and he does not wanna cross him.
"You'll bear that name someday. Anyway, it is good to see you again, Javi and Izzy, despite the circumstances," assured Zayto.
"Us too, Zayto." smiled Izzy sadly.
"Wait, what happened to our friends?! Are they OK?!" asked Artemis impatiently. Superboy nodded rapidly, about to ask the same. Both their worries overshadowed their fear of a god.
"Sadly, when your leader borrowed my Cosmic Fury powers to protect you, he and his sister didn't come out unscathed. In your universe, when their minds arrived, your bodies went into comas, reminisce to Aiyon's when he entered the Grid with me," informed Zayto. The news shocked everyone.
"A coma…" echoed Miss Martian. Having seen telepathy as a gift for most of her life, it's hard for her to see the potential misuse of it.
"No worries, my old friends have tended to them to the best of their ability and they're physically as healthy as you both were before this mess," assured Zayto. Everyone sighed in relief.
"Does that mean we can go home?" asked Izzy hopefully.
"Indeed." At Zayto's nod, the siblings hugged. "If you have anything to say to your new friends, now is the time."
"Sure." smiled Javi, standing beside Zayto with Izzy.
"Gotta admit, today's been one of the craziest days I've had in a while. Not to mention unforgettable." smiled Izzy.
"I'll miss having a flesh-and-blood right arm again… but I'd rather be home with everyone. That said, I won't forget the time we had here. When I return home, I'll be sure to write a song dedicated to you guys." smiled Javi. Robin and Miss Martian exchanged knowing looks.
"And when Halloween comes around, I'll be sure to dress up as you, Boy Wonder," added Izzy.
"Appreciate it, Tiger Girl." teased Robin. Soon, Javi and Izzy began waving goodbye. Zayto raised his staff, a bright, champagne light coming off the gem. The true selves of Javi and Izzy floated out of the bodies and then entered the portal. Not a moment too soon, Josh and Jasmine's souls came out and entered their bodies. The returned siblings fell to the ground, and then groaned, slowly regaining consciousness.
"My work here is done. May the Power protect you, Young Justice." With that, Zayto entered the portal before it vanished. The Team, having stayed silent the whole time, only had one word to say in response to everything that happened.
"Morphinomenal…"
(Unknown Location)
Psimon was the perfect picture of remorse as he reported his failure to his masters, who surrounded him in the form of several monitors.
"The Martian and Power Ranger escaped with both the sphere and the Superboy," informed the psychic.
"That hardly matters. What matters is the successful test of our new partner's delivery system." assured a female voice. Behind a surprised Psimon, a screen activated, showing a recording of a white portal opening in the Bialyan desert; in the recording, Sphere was roughly deposited onto the ground. "More tech will come. Tech that will put both the sphere and perhaps even Superboy to shame."
"Your failure is forgiven, but do not let it happen again." ordered the leader. Psimon bowed, before exiting the room.
"As successful as the testing was, I am more concerned with what we observed. (screen began displaying grainy drone footage of Dino Fury Black with the Light Battle Armor) As if the Justice League's Hawk couple's Nth metal maces weren't troublesome enough, now we have an opponent with the power to repel magic rather than a weapon. If they continue to grow like I believe they will, then they shall become more troublesome than we initially anticipated." noted the second male voice.
"Oh don't worry. With the data the Protodons transmitted, we can create something that can negate the effects of the ironically named Light Armor." assured the third, male voice.
"Indeed. It shall be done quickly with the resources at hand." added a male voice with a French accent.
"Bah, I have no need of such a contraption. If he or the girl uses it against me, I'll break it." scoffed the childish voice.
"And yet, the boy has defeated you without such a handicap. What does that say about your usefulness?" chuckled the fifth male voice. The childish voice growls.
"Enough." bellowed the first voice, instilling silence in the transmission. "The children are a nuisance; we are all in agreement on that, but that's all they are. Nothing more, nothing less. For now, our focus should be on making sure all the proper conditions will be in place."
Conner: Not bad for a 'special' chapter.
Wally: So meta?
Dick: Wait, won't there be consequences or something from Megan and me now that we found out about our fictional origins?
Omarnosian10: That's for the next chapter, and no, it's not an original, it's gonna be a take on "Targets" with the school parts taken out.
Kaldur: You are using that episode? Will everyone aside from me not be at school?
Omarnosian10: Oh no, you will be getting help, but not from the siblings.
Kaldur: Who could—
Omarnosian10: Spoilers! Also, before anyone asks, the Protodons are a 'canon' concept of Josh's first-year footsoldiers. And Psimon's rescue is a way to keep 'canon' on track since no psychic battle ensued. Don't worry, there'll still be one in my version of "Image".
Megan: Glad to know.
Omarnosian10: Any more questions about this chapter will be answered in the upcoming "Targets". SMOKEBOMB!