DC Elseworlds 1. Prologue for Part 1

Many villains fight for dominance in the world.

Many are held at the pantheon; the greatest and most deadly. Lex Luther, the Joker, Zoom, Sinestro, Deathstroke.

Others, others have been the source of constant ridicule, the Mad Hatter, Tweedle-Dee & Dum, the penguin.

While others still, were once dominant, able to come within a hair's breadth of defeating their foes, but are now forgotten. Forced into the realms of the obscure.

We deal with such a man.

His name is Professor Amos Fortune, and he is mad. Amos was once a renowned scientist, discovering glands in the human body that produce luck. He constructed a device to that end and, terrifyingly, launched a campaign against the Justice League.

But all the luck in the world could not have saved him. He has tried again, and again, but each time is met with failure. He is a laughing stock among his peers. The cell across from his own is occupied by the Tattoo man, and he laughs at Amos whenever he feels down on his luck.

"Hey Amos, you are one lucky guy there. You got maybe an extra pinch of salt on your gruel. Hahahahaha!"

Amos sneered at him through the bars as the guard walked by. Soon, he thought, soon, I'll be luckier than that. He watched the guard and concentrated intensely. He focused all his willpower into his luck glands. A piece of paper, just a scrap, floated out from the guard's pocket and through the bars into Amos' cell.

He sniggered at his great luck. Luck nothing, he made his own luck. In his glands. That nobody but him knew they had. Those fools on Oolong Island should have taken him in.

He took out a small machine from under his pillow. Luckily, the guards hadn't found him.

"Hey, what do you got there Lucky? Something that makes four leafed clovers?"

He glared at the buffoon in the opposite cell. "Silence oaf. You shall rue the days you've antagonized me."

Over the Tattoo man's laughter, he attached the small slip of scrap paper to his device, in what looked like careful origami. He set it in the center of his cell's floor, and focused intensely on it with his glands as he pulled the lever. A small whirring noise emitted, and the small light on top of it glowed with life.

"Ahaha. Hahaha. Ahahahahahaha!"

"Guards!! Amos made a bomb! He has a bomb in his cell!"

Tattoo man grinned behind his bars. Amos stared at him in shock, then quickly tried to put his machine back in its hiding place, but he forgot to focus. With a crash his delicate machine exploded.

Blinding light of every color poured out of the cell, before turning blue, then white, then with a final shriek, disappeared. Amos got up in a daze. The bars of his cell had been blown off of his hinges. The guards came in and quickly, put him in cuffs to take him to solitary.

"Why?" He moaned. "All of that luck, why?"

"Hey, easy come, easy go I guess." Tattoo man smirked. He was eligible for probation in two days, and he would probably get points for good behavior thanks to this. As he was being led away, Amos Fortune glared at him with all his might. The next day, the tattoo man got into a fight with Crazy Quilt. He was put into traction for the next two months, sporting broken bones, a broken rep., and a broken chance at parole.

The machine wasn't a complete failure. Amos Fortune doesn't know that, but then, he is very distracted lately. His device had been constructed for one purpose only: to destroy the Justice League, and to let him watch it. He was fine with being stuck in jail, just so long as he could have proven that, even in jail, all of the mad scientists of Oolong Island were no match for him. Unfortunately, when the device broke, it sent it's bad fortune to another dimension. Earth 45, wherein this tale takes place.


	2. Chpt 1 Heroes Falling

Jor-El sat at the launch bay, calculating the coordinates to launch his son into space. He didn't want him to escape Krypton only to perish in the Red Sun, or to collide with some meteorite.

He felt a slight tremor, and paused. Lara came running down the hallway with their baby in her arms. "Jor-El, is it time?"

He stood. "It can't be yet, my calculation say it will happen tomorrow, at the end of the day. It is just a tremor my dear. We still have time before we send Kal-El into-" Another tremor shook the room, far more violent than the first. Jor-El looked out of his window, and saw the columns of fire leaping out from the ground, the crystalline cities of Krypton crumbling into the ground as he watched.

He was shocked. "No, no, this is impossible." He snatched his infant son out of his mother's arms and raced toward the launch pad. "I needed more time to plan, more time to make sure he's safe." The room rocked and he tripped face-first onto the floor. Young Kal-El started crying, but his parents had no time for sympathies.

They ran with him toward the rocket. And tucked him in firmly. Lara wrapped the boy in a warm red blanket, with their family symbol on it. Jor-El typed in what he could only pray were the right coordinates based on his previous if short calculations. He closed the small rocket, and began the countdown sequence.

"Will he be alright?" Lara cried.

Jor-El took her in his arms. "We don't know. But as long as he's off this planet, there is hope."

They kissed passionately, and then the world turned into green fire.

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A lone crystalline rocket escaped the doomed planet Krypton. It soared through space, dangerously close to the lethal green chunks of what was once the planet Krypton. As it soared through space, two pieces of red crashed into it from either side, killing anything that could have been in it, and knocking it off course, to reach it's destination twenty years later. If Kal's parents were watching, they definetely would have been crying.

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Bruce Wayne was probably the happiest child on the planet. Having wealthy parents wasn't the key to that, no, it was having his parents. The best parents in the whole wide world.

It was the day after Christmas, and a very peaceful night. The three of them walked home side by side, with Bruce in between, holding his parent's hands. He was thinking of the dog his parent's had given him for his birthday. Ace. He would play fetch with him and his dad when they got home. He was so busy thinking, that he didn't notice the man in dark clothes walking up to them.

By the time he did, the gun was already out.

"Your wa-wallet." He said in a shaky voice. "A-and those p-p-pearls."

Bruce hugged his daddy's knees.

John Wayne raised his hands, and then slowly took out his wallet. "Just relax okay." He said in a calm deep voice. "No need to do anything rash, I'm going to put my wallet –"

Two bangs shot out through the night. The mugger stood in shock over the bodies. "Oh man." He moaned. "Oh manohmanohman."

Bruce knelt in the slowly growing pool of blood. "Mom! Dad!" He cried. He bent over to try to listen to his dad's final words.

"Bruce… "

Unfortunately, those words which would have transformed his life, were interrupted.

The mugger stepped into the lamplight. "Hey kid, are you okay?"

Bruce looked up, and glared at him with all the power of an eighty year old man, who had seen all the horrors of the world. The poor criminal stared into those eyes, those ferocious eyes, placed on the face of a kid not yet ten years old.

He saw his worst nightmare in those eyes.

He screamed in pure terror and fired. Bruce dodged, the bullet lodging in his shoulder. Bruce ran screaming at the man, knocking him to the ground and tearing the gun from him with his good hand.

"YOU! KILLED! MY! PARENTS!" He screamed, accentuating each word with a blow from the end of the gun. The man screamed, and begged for mercy. He wouldn't get any. He was already dead, he just didn't know it.

When the police arrived at the scene, they found Bruce Wayne huddled in the light of the streetlamp, crying beside his parents. They found Joe Chill's body in the gutter just off to the side. They only recognized him because of his old, outdated driver's license.

Bruce was put in Arkham Asylum for treatment. Time would show that he would retain homicidal tendencies to anybody with a gun or a gun-shaped object, or anybody who made 'yo momma' jokes or bullied weaker kids.

Alfred Pennyworth, already thinking about leaving, rejoined the military and took Ace with him. He turned the company over to Lucius Fox for safe-keeping, and he himself stayed in Wayne Manor. Until the day Bruce would return to sanity.

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In the uncharted regions of the ocean a war was being fought.

Circe, a pink-haired witch, left the main sortie to infiltrate the Amazonian throne-room. Her rebels were being massacred, with those warriors Artemis and Diana in the lead of the Queens forces. But soon, it wouldn't matter.

She would be the queen, and retain the forces who survived.

There was one guard on duty by the main gate. By the time Circe reached it, there was only a chicken.

She summoned a mighty wind to blow the gates open and scatter the royal guards. The only woman standing in the room was queen Hyppolyta. Circe drew her twin sickles and bowed in a formal declaration of challenge. The Queen didn't bow back.

Circe grimaced, and swung her sickles through the air, so fast that they carved the electrons off of the atoms they passed through. Hyppolyta countered with equal force, if not greater.

The two women dueled through the room, swinging their weapons with no equal in man's world. Hyppolyta scored many hits on Circe, but she had only scored one.

"Yield Circe." The Queen said. "Yield and I will yet spare your life."

The witch smiled. "I have no need for your grace your highness." She whispered. "Although I have struck but one blow, it will be the blow that undoes you."

The Queen of the amazons glanced down at where she had been cut. Her skin around the wound was bubbling and covered in boils. But she could take that. The venom would still take time, and she would kill Circe before she would need the antidote. The wound wasn't what worried her.

The cut had also cleaved her sprig of Moly.

She immediately charged at Circe again, but was too late. Circe sidestepped her easily as she tripped over her rapidly shrinking legs. Her hands, now incapable of holding anything, dropped her sword. Soon, and without much ceremony, the Queen of the Amazons had become a crow.

Circe smirked and picked up the crown from among the empty clothes on the floor. She was about to put it on, when she heard someone scream "NOOOOO!"

It was that princess Diana. Ah well. She ran up to attack her, the one person between her and the throne.

She barely had time to blink before her head was cut off.

Diana pried the crown from Circe's cold, dead, fingers, and placed it on her own head. Her mother flew to her shoulder and rested there, cawing. Diana turned to the crow, tears running down her face.

"I know mother, I know. I'm so sorry I killed her, I let my anger get the best of me." She sniffed a bit more. Then, she became resolute. "I know that we can never have you back as Queen mother. I hope that you can help me fill your crown."

Artemis ran up the steps. "The rebels are decimated Diana! Where's your mother?"

She gestured to the crow on her shoulder. Artemis gasped in shock, and then knelt humbly in front of her friend. Diana at age thirty was the youngest Amazon to ever be Queen. She was almost a teenager biologically. Artemis decided she needed to show her friend as much support as she could muster.

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Carol Ferris pushed to the front of the crowd with her dad, the owner of Ferris airlines. Her daddy's new plane was being tested today, so she wanted to see it. As the plane took off of the runway she was determined to cheer the loudest. Somebody else was louder than her.

She looked around and saw a boy in a dirty flyer's jacket. She walked over to him. "Nice Jacket." She said scornfully.

The boy turned to look at her. "It's my dad's jacket. He's flying the plane."

He might as well have said his dad was the president. For an eight year old, having a pilot for a dad was cool. Not to be one-upped, Carol said. "Yeah? Well my dad owns that plane."

"Cool." Said the kid. "My name's Hal. What's yours?"

"Carol." She said.

Suddenly, people all around them started screaming and pointing and running in terror. They looked up, and the plane was flying towards them, thick black smoke belching out of the cockpit.

"DAD!" Hal cried.

The crash would make front-page headlines the next morning. Among the dead, was listed the heir to the company and the son of the pilot.

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"Aaarrgh!" Cried Atlanna, as she clutched onto the rocks around her. She was going into labor, alone, in the cold emptiness of the Adriatic trench. A hundred brilliant and beautiful fish swam by, but not a one of them could help her.

"AAAHHH!" After one final heave her child was born. She was exhausted, but she picked it up. It was a boy. He looked very much like a surface-dweller, her husband. She cradled him in her arms, cooing at the precious infant.

A shadow crossed her vision, and she looked up to se a tentacle.

She screamed and tried to swim away, to protect her baby, but she was just too weak to do anything.

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On mars, J'onn J'onzz was happy. He and his wife were celebrating Handoria, a special holiday where families spend the whole day together, and never tell lies. Telling lies on Handoria is a capital offense.

They were decorating the Flayem pit, when J'onn first felt it. A tugging. He ignored it, but then it got worse and worse, until it felt like he was on fire. He screamed.

"J'onn? J'onn what is wrong?" His wife asked, terrified.

He took one last look at his family, and vanished.

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On earth, Dr. Erdel slapped his teleporting device. "Cursed machine." He muttered. "Shorted out in the middle of the transfer. My mars rocks are stuck in limbo now. I thought I had it all worked out." He left his lab for the night, muttering.

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Guy Gardener was playing with his soldier action figures by the pool. He decided to see if his marine diver could actually swim. It sank to the bottom. He tried to get it but he fell in. He realized he couldn't swim either.

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John Stewart was playing blocks with John Irons. They wanted to be like Bob the Builder when they grew up. Somebody in a white hood and white robes broke the door to his house down and pointed a flamethrower at them.

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Ted Kord was trying to put his dad's lawnmower back together before his dad came home. In his rush, he accidentally connected two wires and started it early. His feet got in the way of the propellers.

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Daniel Carter died in a car crash when he was eight. His descendants Michael and Michelle would never exist to become Booster Gold and Goldstar.


	3. Chpt 2 New Origins

Twenty years later….

Dick Grayson flew through the air with his parents. This is what he did, flying. He and his parents were the best trapeze artists in the world. The only ones he knew of that could do a quadruple somersault from a standing start. His dad wasn't just the trapeze artist even… he owned the big top they worked in. His dad was the coolest.

They finished up the routine they were performing that night, and landed. "How was that mom? How'd I do?"

"You were incredible Dick." She said smiling. She always smiled. "For a moment there, I actually thought you were flying. Like a little robin."

Dick Grayson beamed. He was going to be the best someday. He climbed up the top with dad to make sure the ropes were ready for tonight's show.

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Barbara Gordon was angry.

She was in karate class, fuming. Her instructor was a bully. A good karate teacher, she had learned a lot from him. But he was a bully. He had just called her out on the mat to demonstrate how to incapacitate somebody. She could handle it, but he wasn't calling her because he thought she could. He was calling her because she was the only girl in the class and the smallest person too.

She silently fumed as her sensei explained to the rest of the class what he was about to do. She wanted so much to just rid the world of people who thought they were better just because they were bigger. Bullies, criminals. But her dad explicitly stated that he would allow no such thing. He said it was because he didn't want her to have his life, and that was part of it. But she wanted his life, and he was scared she was too fragile for it.

Her sensei came forward to put the hold on her. He was on his back on the mat within five seconds.

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Barry Allen worked in his lab.

He was a police scientist for the C.C.P.D. Tonight; he was working with various chemicals, while trying to puzzle out this new criminal who called himself 'the turtle'.

He sighed. He wished he could be out there trying to catch him himself, but his friends and family forbade it. Ever since he was a kid, Barry was followed around by several near-death-experiences. Luckily, he was fast enough to escape most of them, relatively well off. He knew what would probably happen if he placed himself in harms way.

He put down the beaker he was working on and went to the window. His fiancée Iris would be coming over tomorrow, with her nephew Wally. He wondered if their plane would be able to land during the storm.

Lightning struck nearby and he flinched. Don't be ridiculous, he told himself, the odds of being hit by lightning while in a building are just astronomical –

Barry was right, the odds were quite high. Didn't stop it from happening.

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The police burst through the door.

They were acting in response to a phone call from a concerned neighbor. She said she had heard screams coming from Professor Palmer's house. They spread out through the house. Calls of "Clear!" rang out. And one "$%*#*$!"

Officer Crawford had found the bedroom. A girl was standing on the bed over the professor, holding the piece of chicken wire that had strangled him and cut his head off.

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Wally stood off to the side at the funeral.

He didn't know Mr. Allen, and he never would now. He was only here because his aunt was engaged to the guy. She was at the head now, saying her piece in front of the coffin.

"He… He was the best guy a girl could ask for. He was nice to everyone he met, he was smarter than Einstein, and he was dedicated… to good winning over evil." She wiped away the tears in the corners of her eyes. "He was…Oh he was always late. If we didn't bring him here in his casket, he'd be late for his own funeral" She tried a feeble attempt at laughter, but the tears broke through, and she started crying. Wally helped her off the podium.

Later on they stood under the shade of a yew tree. "Aunty Iris?"

"Yes Wally?"

"I don't want to die like that."

"Everybody dies Wally."

"I know, but I don't want to die alone in a room." Wally looked up at the sky. "I want to see the world before I die."

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Lieutenant Gordon was looking over his case files as Barbara came home. She glanced over his shoulder and her photographic memory took it all in. "Eel O'Brien."

Lieutenant Gordon looked up. "What?" He asked.

Barbara pointed to one of the pictures. "Look at that safe. Definitely O'Brien's work. But I wouldn't say he's working alone either. That playing card," She pointed to the ace of spades in an evidence bag. "Red Hood. Whack job. You already knew that, right? You're going over the evidence to see if there's anything you can use to catch him? Eel O'Brien. Get him to talk, and he'll lead you to Red Hood."

Her dad picked up the picture of the safe and held a magnifying glass to it. "Huh, you're right. O'Brien. Thanks Barbara."

She shrugged. "It's what I do. I guess I'll make a great detective one d–"

"Absolutely not Barbara, we've been over this."

She sighed. "Just because you don't want me to be a detective doesn't mean I'll never be one. One day I'll be a legal adult and then–"

"And then I'll spread your name around to police departments the world over saying 'DO NOT RECRUIT THIS GIRL."

She frowned and crossed her arms. "You won't stop me dad. One day, I'm going to be a detective."

"This isn't the life for you Barbara."

"How would you know what my life is?"

"Just… Barbara please, just stick to your computers."

She stormed upstairs to get her homework done. It would probably take five seconds. He couldn't stop her. And he knew it. It was only a matter of time.

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Jimmy Olsen was taking pictures.

That was what he did. And better, he earned money off of it.

He worked for the Daily Planet, and he was currently taking pictures of eminent scientist Dr. Erdel.

"I have perfected the teleportation device that I had built long ago, and now I shall use it to summon a meteorite! By my calculations, this particular meteorite will collide with earth ahead of schedule and destroy Smallville Kansas if something isn't done." He drew himself up to his full unimpressive height and said heroically; "I propose to bring the meteorite here early, and in a way so that it will not destroy anything in doing so." He waited for applause.

Jimmy clapped. He was the only one there, as everybody else thought it was ridiculous. But Dr. Erdel was on the Avenue of Tomorrow for a reason, and Jimmy thought that if it worked, and he took pictures, and maybe wrote an article, he could get into Perry White's good books.

Dr. Erdel bowed to his audience and started adjusting knobs and levers in rapid succession. A low humming filled the room, slowly building, as a vacuum opened up in the 'telechamber'. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the room, and Jimmy fell back in his fold-down chair. There was silence.

Jimmy peered over the chair, and saw Dr. Erdel standing near the controls, clutching his heart and staring at the meteorite. Jimmy had expected it to be bigger, but not this beautiful. He slowly stood up.

The meteor was as black as ash at midnight, but it shone like a new car. It looked aerodynamic, like some sort of small spaceship. And where the cockpit would be, there was a crystal.

Jimmy took a picture and walked slowly, almost reverently, toward it. The crystal shone in every color of the spectrum at once, sometimes being mostly green, sometimes blue, sometimes orange. Jimmy touched it and several red spots formed under his fingerprints. It was as cold as ice.

He turned to Dr. Erdel. "Doc, this is amazing." He didn't reply. Didn't even look at him. He just collapsed.

"Doc!" Jimmy tried to move to help him, but his hand was stuck to the meteor crystal. The red spots under his fingers were slowly spreading to cover the whole crystal. A crackling like fire began to emanate from the rock.

Jimmy tried frantically to pull his hand away as it slowly started to turn red. "Help me!" He screamed. "Somebody help me!"

The second explosion rocked the street.

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The lawyer was tapping her pencil on her desk. It was annoying. Wally waited for a while, and then decided he had to remind the lawyer to speak.

"Excuse me Ms. Dawes; aren't you supposed to be telling us something?"

Iris gave Wally a sharp look, but the lawyer came around. "Oh yes, sorry. It's just; one of the people involved was a friend of mine." She shook her head. "So, this is a slightly unusual case, in terms of wills."

"How unusual?" Iris asked.

"Well, at first it seems fairly straightforward; Barry has no family and only two friends, a professor Ray Palmer in Ivy Town, and you. He has sent Professor Palmer some of his items and the will states that everything else belongs to you. But, here's where thing get tricky. The good professor has also died."

Iris jumped in her chair. "How?"

Ms. Dawes hesitated. "A friend of mine, Jean-Loring, went insane, and strangled him."

Even Wally was impressed by this tale. There was an awkward silence.

"Anyway," Ms. Dawes continued. "Professor has left everything to Barry. So now we have a conundrum. You get everything Barry owns except the items he would have sent to Palmer. But he owns all of Palmer's items. So, where do the items he sent to Palmer go to? I'm inclined to think to you, but we will sort that out later.

"Among the items you are now inheriting, you gain a sum total of six-hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Most from Palmer, who was a very prominent scientist."

Wally and Iris gaped.

"You will also inherit all of their possessions, including two houses, three cars…"

Iris looked at Wally and he looked back. They were rich.

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"So, the doctor died of a heart attack did he?"

Jimmy nodded. The doctor's lab was nothing but a black hole now. He still had no idea how he survived. When the police came he told them everything; everything except the meteorite.

"And then his machines blew up?"

Jimmy nodded.

"And when the neighbors said they heard somebody screaming 'Help me?'"

"That was me trying to haul Dr. Erdel's body out of the building before the second wave of explosions."

The police officer put down his notepad. "You couldn't have done anything else kid. I'm surprised you even thought to try to carry him, instead of getting out of there yourself. You did good."

Jimmy nodded. "Can I go home now?"

The officer smiled kindly. "Sure Jimmy. Take five."

"Thank you officer Harper."

As Jimmy went to his apartment, he saw Lois Lane covering the event for the Planet. He sighed. There went his chance to get into Perry's good books.

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Donna Troy walked along the beach of Amazon Isle. She sang a little. Life was good on Amazon Island, she reflected.

She was still singing as she found the body.

A body was washed up on the beach. It had a mane of bright red hair.

"Oh no." She whispered. "Oh, no oh no oh no."

She ran to the body and recoiled in shock.

It was still breathing.

Worse, it was… a man.

She rung her fingers, and looked to see if anybody was around. She had to help this poor man. She had to. But if her sister found out, she would kill them both. She slung him over her shoulders, and began to sprint home.

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After selling the houses and the cars, Iris and Wally decided to move to Gotham. Ever since Lex Luthor had bought out Wayne enterprises, the town was taking a decided turn for the better and Iris wanted to be a part of it.

They bought a house next to Wayne Manor, and met their new neighbor Colonel Pennyworth on their way in. He seemed a generally amiable man, with an impeccable British accent and a nice looking dog.

The mansion the Wests had bought was enormous. Nothing compared to their neighbors, but it was large to them nonetheless. Wally wasted no time in exploring every inch of the grounds, while Iris organized the workers and tried to figure out where to put their stuff, Barry's stuff and Palmer's stuff.

While Iris was ordering pizza, Wally checked out the room where she had put the experiments and scientific stuff. Wally looked into an open box, and found a red and blue belt with an atom symbol on it.

He wondered for a moment, what it had to do with science, and then he shrugged and put it on. It was a cool belt.

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Abin-Sur's ship landed roughly, shaking and almost coming apart at the seams. He clung on desperately, blood dripping out of his many wounds. Momentum carried the craft forward and it came to a shuddering stop as it hit a large rock in its path.

Exhausted, Abin-Sur climbed out. Or crawled, as is more accurate. He was missing a leg and the other one had its bones crushed.

"Ring," He whispered. "Find me, the next green lantern."

[-NO AVAILABLE RING BEARER ON PLANET IN ACCORDANCE WITH AGE REGULATIONS AND MENTAL HEALTH STANDARDS-]

"Hurrgh." He was dying. He needed to find a replacement. "Disregard Age regulations and mental health standards. Give me a line-up."

[-GREEN LANTERN ABIN --]

"Just give me a line-up! Ahack, hurgh urgh."

[-SUBJECT: BRUCE WAYNE. CURRENTLY IN LOCAL HEALTH FACILITY HARBORING HOMOCIDAL TENDENCIES.-]

[-SUBJECT: JASON TODD. CURRENTLY AT THE AGE OF FIVE EARTH YEARS AND IS UNDER SET AGE LIMIT-]

[-SUBJECT: HARVEY DENT. CURRENTLY SHOWN TO HAVE A LATENT SPLIT-PRESONALTIY DISORDER.-]

[-SUBJECT: BARBARA GORDON. CURRENTLY AT THE AGE OF FOURTEEN EARTH YEARS AND UNDER SET AGE LIMIT-]

[-SUBJECT: KYLE RAYNE --]

"The girl. Barbara Gordon. She's the one.

[-GREEN LANTERN ABIN-SUR, SUBJECT: BARBARA GORDON IS BELOW STANDARD RECRUITMENT AGE BY 3 OAN YEARS AND 2 EARTH YEARS. YOU CANNOT -]

"I can, and I will." Abin-Sur said forcefully. He focused all of his ring's remaining energies into bringing the girl to him.

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Barbara and her dad were in another face-off. She had gone with him to a crime scene and solved the case. Detective Bard had congratulated her. Her dad had grounded her.

"Young lady, I will not have you mixed up in this business."

"I'll mix myself up in any business I want to."

"Fine. Alright. You're right, I can't stop you. But not in Gotham. Go to Star city, or New York, or Miami for all I care. But not Gotham."

"Dad, Gotham's my city as much as yours."

"It doesn't have to be."

"Dad, you really don't have to worry about me. I can handle Gotham. I am not afraid."

A large green hand burst through the wall of their apartment, and picked up Barbara.

[-BARBARA GORDON. YOU HAVE SHOWN THE ABILITY TO OVERCOME GREAT FEAR.-]

"No!" Lieutenant Gordon screamed. "Leave my daughter alone!"

But she was already gone.

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Barbara sped through the sky, to wherever the hand was taking here. If somebody wanted her then oh, they'd get her all right. More than they could handle. Then she realized what was ahead of her and gasped.

She had gone over America, and was in the Arizona desert. In front of her was an alien in a green uniform. "Bab'ra, Gordo- ahack cough, cough. Urrgh."

She ran to him and knelt next to him. "Oh no, oh no, are you okay?"

He grunted. "No… dying."

"Oh no oh no. Can I get help?"

"Hunnh. No. You… are replacement."

"What? I'm what?"

"You… must take my –cough– ring. I… am Abin-Sur, Green Lantern of Sector…" He broke out into more coughing.

"Okay, okay, I'll take your ring," She moved to remove it, but he clenched his fist.

"No… not yet… still… need to talk." Suddenly, a large green lantern appeared in front of Barbara. "Green Lantern… swear oath… to protect the, universe. Ring… powered by will…oath will recharge. No effect… on yellow." He gasped, and died.

Barbara was in shock, trying to understand what had happened.

Then the ring floated off Abin-Sur's finger.

[-BARBARA GORDON. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO OVERCOME GREAT FEAR. DO YOU ACCEPT THE DUTY OF BEING THE GREEN LANTERN OF SECTOR 2814?-]

She hesitated. "Uh… yes?"

The ring slipped on her finger.

[-AS A MEMBER OF THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS, YOU HAVE A SWORN DUTY TO PROTECT THE SENTIENT BEINGS IN YOUR SECTOR. THE RULES ARE: 1) TO PROTECT LIFE AND LIBERTY WITHIN YOUR SECTOR;2) TO FOLLOW THE ORDERS OF THE GAURDIANS;3) TO NOT INTERFERE WITH THE PLANET'S CULTURE, POLITICAL STRUCTURE, OR COLLECTIVE FREE WILL;4) TO ACT WITHIN THE LOCAL LAWS AND AUTHORITY, WHEN THEY DO NOT INTERFERE WITH THE RULES OF THE CORPS;5) TO TAKE NO ACTION AGAINST ANYONE OR ANYTHING UNLESS THEY ARE PROVEN A THREAT AGAINST LIFE AND/OR LIBERTY;6) TO NOT USE THE EQUIPMENT, RESOURCES OR AUTHORITY OF THE CORPS FOR PERSONAL GAIN;7) TO SHOW RESPECT AND COOPERATION WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CORPS, AND THE GAURDIANS;8) TO SHOW RESPECT FOR LIFE, WHICH INCLUDES RESTRAINT OF FORCE UNLESS THERE IS NO REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE;9) TO GIVE TOP PRIORITY TO THE GREATEST DANGER WITHIN THE SECTOR; AND 10) TO UPHOLD THE HONOR OF THE CORPS. GREEN LANTERN BARBARA GORDON, DO YOU SWEAR TO UPHOLD THESE RULES?-]

Barbara was beginning to understand. This was an intergalactic police force. The best of the best of the universe, and of all people SHE had been chosen to protect her 'sector' whatever that was. She would be an officer of the law, and there was nothing her dad could do about it.

"I swear to uphold the rules of the Green Lantern Corps."

[-WELCOME TO THE CORPS. PLEASE RECHARGE YOUR RING.-]

"How?"

[-RECITE THE OATH.-]

"What oath?"

[-YOU ALREADY KNOW IT. YOU ONLY HAVE TO SWEAR IT.-]

She thought, and found out she did know her oath. She picked up the lantern and began to recite it.

_In brightest day, In darkest night,_

_No evil shall escape what's right, _

_Those criminals who rule by might,_

_Have justice done by Green Lantern's Light!_


	4. Chpt 3 Fall Of A Robin

Dick Grayson and his dad were checking the ropes before their performance. They always did it together, because Dick new as much about ropes as his dad did and he'd have to do it himself someday. Of course, the maintenance man always came in after to see that the ropes were done properly.

The main reason was that they just liked being together.

* * *

The man woke up.

Donna stood in the corner, scared out of her mind.

Not just scared of the man, but of her sister, Diana. Queen of the Amazons.

The man stirred and looked around the room. He saw Donna. "Am I in heaven?" He asked.

Donna, shocked, just shook her head.

The man sat up on the table. "Because the last thing I remember is my plane crashing in the ocean, and now I'm in what looks like heaven and talking to an angel.

"I'm not an angel." She whispered.

He looked at her quizzically. "But you're too beautiful to be normal."

She smiled. "My name's Donna Troy."

He held out his hand. "Terry Long."

She looked at his hand for a while. Then she took it.

* * *

Wally was on his fourth slice of pizza by the time Iris noticed.

"Wally, you're shrinking!"

Wally looked down at himself and realized that his feet weren't touching the ground. His clothes were getting loose around him. "You're right! What's happening!?"

He jumped onto the table, and Iris saw the belt. "What's that belt?"

"I found it in Dr. Palmer's stuff."

"Take it off! Take it off!"

"Aunty Iris, what if I take it off and I'm stuck this way forever? Maybe there's a way to reverse this."

Wally started to touch the belt buckle. "Wally!" Iris cried. "Don't!" He suddenly disappeared out of his clothes.

* * *

The ring sat on the table between Barbara and her father. The police had left the crime scene by the time Barbara had flown home. She'd figured out how to fly! She was so thrilled that she almost forgot how great she looked in her uniform. This was better than any beat she could have imagined walking.

Her dad was less than enthusiastic. When she had disappeared, he had called the police immediately. He knew that people would think he was crazy if he told them about the hand, so he said that a group of armed masked gunmen had blown through the wall and taken her. They were less than exited when they couldn't find any footprints in the debris. Apparently, these guys were so good they didn't leave footprints. By the time they had gone, Gordon was almost insane in fear. Then, his daughter had flown out of the sky to explain herself.

There was an awkward silence. Gordon was finding this story hard to swallow, but it was the only one he could swallow.

"So…"

"Yeah."

"Intergalactic peace corps."

"Yeah."

James Gordon hesitated for a moment. And then said; "Barbara, I know, that ever since you were a kid, you've wanted to be a police officer, or a detective, or just some hero that puts bad people behind bars. I haven't been very supportive of you. I…

"This job is the reason I lost your mother. And your brother, little James. I've dedicated my life to cleaning up the streets, and in return, I've lost most of my life. I wanted better for you. I wanted you to live, love, have a family, be successful, and never have a worry. I can see now, that this is your destiny. This is what you were meant to do. Some people, they were meant to live boring lives in cubicles. Some people were born artists. Others are entirely geared towards athleticism. You? You are a detective. That's what you were even before you were born. You always knew things you weren't supposed to. I mean, you knew your mother and I were getting divorced before either of us did! You didn't skip grades, you leapt clear over them!

"I guess what I'm trying to say is… I'm sorry. And I'm proud of you."

Throughout this speech, Barbara's eyes had started watering. Now, as she threw herself around her father in a bear hug, they both started crying. They were a family again, and all was forgiven.

"Now," Her father said, wiping his eyes. "I don't fancy spending the night in this drafty place. Why don't you change out of your uniform and we can go catch some pizza. Hey! I hear the circus in the town!"

"Sounds great." Barbara rushed upstairs to get changed.

* * *

Wally slowly grew bigger again.

"Wally, what happened?" Iris asked.

"This belt is so cool!" Wally said. "It lets me control my size, and when I'm small, I'm super-strong! I went on an adventure, with Jargo! He's a guy that lives in our pizza! We fought off the evil fungus people!"

Iris noticed that he was wearing a golden suit. "Wally West, I don't want you doing that ever again."

"But Aunty Iris!" Wally exclaimed. "I can see things nobody else can! I can do things that other people only dream of! You can't take this away from me! Besides, you can write books about my adventures and sell them! We'll be rich! I'll be the greatest adventurer in all time!"

"Absolutely not!" Iris exclaimed. "You are putting that belt back where you found it, you are putting on normal clothes, and we are getting out of this house!"

* * *

The circus was bright and full of activity.

Iris had gotten last minute seats. 'This will keep his mind off of that belt.' She thought. She wasn't thinking very clearly. It's understandable. She's been through a lot.

The Gordons had gotten front row seats. They were happily munching popcorn as they watched clowns crowd into a car smaller than themselves. Neither of them liked clowns very much. They had seen the freak show and the magician's act, now they were just discussing the Riddler cases as they waited for the acrobats to come on.

The acrobats in question were having a last helping of pizza. It was important to keep up calories for strenuous work-outs.

"And now!" The ringmaster announced. "We present to you our star attractions! Performers who can authoritatively claim to be the best acrobats in the world! The family who will perform for your pleasure, without the safety of the net! Ladies and Gentlemen! Children of all ages! I have the honor and the privilege to introduce! The Fearless! Flying! Graysons!

A cheer rose from the audience as Dick and his family leapt out from the entrance to the tent and did a break-dancing and trampoline routine in their colorful costumes. They made it look easy, effortless. Then, they leapt and swung their way to the top of the tent, where they began their dazzling acrobatic display.

Then a ruckus came from the entrance and an army of people came in, wearing ski-masks and red hoodies. Leading them, was the Red Hood, a man who wore what Barbara thought looked like a red waste-basket on his head. Red Hood was the first of a new type of criminal, and had been followed closely by the Riddler, the Penguin and the Turtle.

They ruled by intimidation. Not a terribly old idea, thugs have given themselves nicknames like 'razor' or 'chicken wire' before. Only, these new 'super criminals' took their shticks to extreme levels in an attempt to prove they were better than everybody else. In a way, they've succeeded. Nobody's caught them yet, and that has improved their mystique to the level where people begin to believe they can't be stopped. Like the Red Baron in WWII.

Lieutenant Gordon called the police, as Red Hood strutted into the limelight and grabbed the Ringmaster's megaphone. "Attention ladies and gentlemen! Children of all ages! I am the red hood! I am a professional criminal! If you resist my men's efforts to steal your wallets, jewelry, Rolex watches etc., you will be shot. I hope you've enjoyed yourselves this fine evening."

Dick's dad looked down on the criminals. "We have to do something."

Dick's mom was shocked. "But honey, they have guns."

His dad shook his head. "That doesn't matter. They can't get away with this. I have a plan."

Dick jumped forward. "I'm coming with you dad!"

"No Dick! You stay behind."

They leapt off the platform leaving Dick behind.

His mom landed near the knife thrower and threw one of his tools to his dad. He landed near Red Hood and held a knife to his throat.

Grabbing the megaphone from him, he yelled, "Hey thieves! Stop looting our customers or we'll cut your leader's throat!"

Some of the ski masks smirked. The all shot him. Some bullets went through the Red Hood. They shot Dick's mother next.

"Dad!" Dick yelled. "Mom!" All guns pointed at him.

Then Barbara took out the ski-mask next to her. Her dad pulled out his pistol, and fired a couple of times at the tent roof. "You didn't bring that ring of yours with you, did you?"

"No," She cursed herself. "I left it at home." From now on, she would bring it with her wherever she went.

They went on to the next guy and beat him up too. One of the ski-masks yelled, "They're fighting back! Let's get out of here!" and they all ran for the exit, as the crowd, encouraged, began to actually fight back. Wally tripped up a ski-mask that was running past him.

Dick didn't join in with the bad-guy kicking. He leapt down to his parent's bodies. And he cried.

* * *

Outside the tent, the police led the ski-masks to the police vans. And they loaded the corpses into an ambulance to take to the morgue.

Barbara saw Dick sitting on a bench. She sat next to him.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked.

"No." He answered shortly.

"I'm sorry about your parents."

"So am I."

Wally sat down on Dick's other side. "Hey man, sorry about your parents. That's got to be rough."

"Yeah. But I'm going to find out who did it and make them pay. Not who shot him, there are too many there to count. But somebody planned this. And they will pay."

"You can't take the law into your own hands." Barbara said. "No matter how much it hurts."

Dick looked at her. His eyes seemed deep. "Weren't you the one who started a fight with the gunmen in a crowd of innocent people? How much did you get hurt to pull off a stunt like that?"

"Touché." Said Wally.

"Well, that's… yeah. I know I shouldn't have done it." Barbara shrugged.

Wally snapped his gingers. "Dude, I'll tell you what. If you teach me some acrobatics, I'll help you catch the guy who planned this."

"How can you help me?" Dick asked.

"I have a belt that makes me shrink." Wally said proudly. "The more I shrink the stronger and faster I get."

"Really?" Dick and Barbara asked.

"Oh yeah totally." Wally said. "I wouldn't make stuff like that up."

Dick thought about it. "All right." He said. "I accept."

Barbara sighed. "A circus performer and a guy with a shrink belt. You two are going to need my help."

"I can fight by myself thanks; I don't need another person's help on that."

Barbara bristled. "Actually, I'm a member of the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic peacekeeping society armed with rings that can make anything I want. I'm also a detective, with access to resources like police files. But, if you think I can't help you…"

"No no, if you really do have that ring you can come with." Dick quickly said. "But…if you did have a ring why didn't you use it…"

"I am so sorry. I left it at home."

Dick looked at them both. "Why are you making fun of me?"

"I'm not!" Exclaimed Barbara.

"Neither am I!" Said Wally. "You need a place to stay right? You can stay at my place. I'll show you my belt when I get there." He turned to Barbara. "The address is 133 Wayne Rd. Come after lunch tomorrow and we'll start to look for the guy who did this."

Dick nodded. "Alright then. I beleive youe for now. But if this is a joke, you won't belaive how much I could hurt you."

Then an old lady approached him. "Young man, I am so sorry for the loss of your parents. My name is Dr. Leslie Thompkins. I'm from child services. It's my job to help you in any way I can after the death of your parents. Do you need a place to stay for a while?"

"No." He looked at Wally. "I'll stay at my friend's house."

"Ah. I thought this was a travelling circus. I didn't know you had freinds in Gotham." Her unasked question lingered in the air, before she dropped it and turned to Wally. "I'll need your address, phone number and name."

"My aunt is right over there." Wally said, pointing. "I live with her." Dr. Thompkins left to talk to Iris.

"Oooooh. I probably should have asked her if you could come over. It's a big house, and she's really nice. I hope she does."

Dick smiled. "It's okay. As long as you and your magic belt will still help me."

"It's a scientific belt, actually." Wally said, smiling. He held out his hand. "I'm Wally West."

Dick shook it. "Dick Grayson."

Barbara stuck her hand in. "Barbara Gordon. Don't worry Dick. We'll avenge your parents."


	5. Chpt 4 Calm Before The Storm

Jimmy woke up floating a foot over his bed.

He was confused for a while, then decided he was dreaming and may as well get some dream sleep. When he didn't, he pinched himself. He still didn't wake up. He got out of bed and walked around for a bit. In the air.

He walked to the bathroom to splash some water in his face. Looking in the mirror, he found out he was handsome. His dimples and freckles were gone, and his hair was where it was supposed to be. Well, as supposed to be as it could be in the morning. His previously non-existent muscles were showing through his red pajamas. His skin was even a healthy tan!

He shut his eyes to block out his reflection. That was when he found out he could see through his own eyelids.

He decided to take a sick day.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Barbara flew down to the house. This was the address. She knocked on the door. Wally's aunt opened it. She looked like she was scared out of her mind.

"You must be Barbara Gordon." She said smiling.

"Yes, yes that's me." Barbara said nervously. "Are Dick & Wally home?"

She winced. "Not… really."

Barbara's eyes widened. "Ms. West is something wrong?"

She hesitated, and then shrugged. "You may as well see it. Come on in."

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Jimmy flew through the skies, ecstatic at his newfound ability.

Looking down, he could see each person individually as is he were just inches above their heads! He was zooming across metropolis so fast that he should have been feeling at least a rash, but he was impossibly fine!

Everything was so much more beautiful by sky.

Suddenly, the air exploded around him! He cowered into a ball, until he realized that whatever had hit him, he didn't even feel it.

He looked around, and saw that an airplane had collided into him and he'd taken out one of its wings! It was going to crash into Metropolis! He had to fix this!

He rocketed past the airplane faster than a speeding bullet. He held out his hands to stop the plane and they dented the front, before continuing its descent.

Jimmy tried, by whatever strength he could muster to slow the plane down, and it was slowing down. He looked into the cockpit and met the captain's frightened eyes. He realized slowing it down wouldn't be good enough. He had to land it.

He looked around for a stretch of land for a runway. The new highway running above Metropolis ground-level would do. It would be a tight fit but…

He pulled at the airplane's nose, steering it towards the makeshift runway. Then, when it was aligned, he flew around to the underside of the plane, and pushed it forward, so that it would keep flying while he was gone.

He quickly flew over to where the plane parts would land. And picked them up out of the air before they could fall on the people below. He tossed them in a junkyard before returning to the plane.

The Highway wasn't deserted! The construction workers ran screaming out of its path, but fore manager was trying to start his car and drive away! Jimmy raced down ahead of the plane and picked up the green car, pushing it ahead of him as he flew frantically away from the jet, screeching towards them on the newly constructed highway. He flew down to street level, gently putting the on the ground, and then he raced back up to the plane, bracing himself against the nose and digging both feet into the pavement. The massive runaway plane slowly ground to a halt.

Jimmy took a deep breath of relief before realizing what he'd done. He'd just survived a collision with a jet! He'd flown faster than a jet! He'd almost lifted a jet!

He stood proudly with his chin up. Then he realized that some of his pajamas had torn away.

He quickly flew off home.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Later that day, Jimmy handed in a report on the incident along with pictures of the man responsible. He'd discovered that he had photographic memory and something he liked to call 'photovision'. He could summon any picture from his memory and burn it onto a surface in Hi-Def color quality. He'd managed to use his telescopic vision to catch a reflection of himself standing heroically in one of the many skyscrapers' windows.

He didn't want the publicity yet; he worked with news people and he knew if his identity got out he'd have a full-time paparazzi chasing him night and day, never giving him a moment's rest. So, he wore a wool vest over his shirt to cover his muscles, painted his freckles back on, and wore a set of thick plastic glasses.

He was instantly promoted. Lois Lane didn't like being one-upped, especially by a nerd photogrepher, but hey. She'd tasted success. It was his turn now.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"ATTACK!!!!"

Jargo gave the cry with all of his might. His loyal Jargonauts leapt forward, led by his new friends Wally and Dick.

The one known as Dick seemed to fly, leaping off the Fungiji troops as he kicked at them, never staying on the ground for long.

Wally charged into the fray wearing his Jargonaut battle-suit. It allowed him to make flexible leaps, while still deflecting the Fungiji projectiles. He had earned it on his last visit. He'd single-handedly decimated a troop of Fungiji berserkers. Jargo had adopted him into his kingdom for his chivalry, and dubbed him, Tom-tum. He plowed into his foes, bowling them over with the strength of a giant.

The borderlands were almost spotless thanks to these two, and Jargo himself swung his blade mightily against the Fungiji leader's poleax. They mighty prince of the Jargonauts beat him down, until one of the Fungiji's projectiles caught him in the head. He fell, and almost lost hope as the Fungiji leader raised his axe for a killing stroke.

But it never came.

All battle ceased as a dozen or so green bars shot through the field and ensnared the Fungiji troops. They all looked up in the sky as a human female (or so Jargo assumed due to her close yet not perfect anatomical resemblance between her and his new human friends) dressed in green flew down.

She made a giant green megaphone with her ring and called out. "Everybody cease and desist killing!" Immediately the Fungiji let go of their weapons and started chanting and moaning.

Barbara was shocked and flew down the rest of the way. "What are you all doing?" She asked Wally and Dick.

"We're helping my friend Jargo to save his pepperoni land." Wally answered. "How did you get here? Do you have a shrinking belt too?"

Barbara shook here head. "The ring let me make a wormhole down her that shrunk me while it took me here."

"Amazing!" Dick said, wide eyed. "You two really weren't kidding!"

"I thought we'd agreed on that a while ago when Argo gave you that collapsible Horizonite staff."

"Well yeah, but now I know that she isn't lying either."

Barbara crossed her arms. "You know what else this ring can do? It can translate languages. I can understand every species and they can understand me. That makes sense of course, if aloens are in the same corps as me. So imagine my surprise when these… er… Fungiji? Yeah, these Fungiji are worshipping me as their god of war Grot and asking me to smite you for your trespasses. What trespasses?"

"We did not trespass." Argo said, standing up and walking over to Barbara. "The Fungiji's sole purpose is to eradicate all other organisms. They are a walking pestilence, and I am vowed that they will not take my pepperoni."

The three humans stared at each other and laughed. "What's so funny?" Argo asked.

"Oh… nothing." Wally answered, still chuckling. "It's a human thing. You wouldn't understand how ridiculous you sounded to us."

They quickly sorted out matters. Barbara would take the Fungiji to a block of cheese where they would be beneficial. They all unshrank, and Wally fell into his aunt's arms.

"Oh Wally, are you alright? Are you hurt? "

"I'm fine aunty Iris."

They all gathered into the garden after Barbara had deposited her loyal worshippers onto some cheese.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Donna was really getting to like Terry. He was a college student studying Philosophy and Ancient Greek Literature. "I just like Greece I guess."

Donna was making him pitas. "Well then, you'll like it here, if you don't get killed." She had already filled him in on the parts of Amazonian culture that focused on boys.

He shuddered. "Thank you for not getting me killed."

"It's not a problem." She smiled. "I'm very glad to meet you. Maybe boys aren't as bad as they seem."

Suddenly, a rapid knocking came from the door leading down to the room.

"Oh, no it's my sister!" Donna hissed. She pushed Terry under the bed.

"The sister who wants me dead?" He whispered.

"No, the sister that wants me to be happy." She answered as the door opened. She really needed a lock for this room.

Her sister Elysium glided down the stairs. Since her mother had been turned into a crow, she'd met some interesting male birds. Elysium was hatched soon after her other sister had taken the throne, and looked a lot like a small Diana or Donna except for the pair of oversized black wings.

"Hey Donna, what are you doing? Why haven't you come out of this room all day, OH MY GODS! What's under the bed? Is it a pet? Did you get a new pet? Is it a fairy –?" Donna clamped her hands over her sister's mouth. She had truly exceptional eyesight among the other advantages of being part-bird.

"Listen Ell, yes I have a new pet. But you can't tell Diana, okay?"

She nodded enthusiastically. Donna slowly removed her hands. "What's her name?"

Donna thought a bit. "I haven't decided yet. Do you want to name her?"

Elysium clapped her hands in joy. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Can I see her?"

Donna frowned. "No Ell."

Elysium pouted. "Just a teensy peek?"

"No, just name her."

"How can I name her if I don't know what she looks like?"

"That's half the fun!"

She thought a moment. "Let's name her… Luna!"

Donna smiled. "All right, her name's Luna. Now, leave us alone Ell, and don't tell anybody."

Her younger sister nodded enthusiastically, and bounded off up the stairs, flapping some of the way.

Once she'd left Terry came out from under the bed. "Luna? I'm your pet now?"

Donna smiled. "Hush little kitty, or you won't get any food tonight."

Terry bowed his head in mock repentance, and Donna let out a high, musical laugh.

They spent the rest of the day discussing how the Disney film _Hercules_ got the whole myth wrong.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Wally jumped, and crushed the rock into pebbles when he landed.

"Impressive." Dick said.

"Yeah." Said Wally. "With a smaller surface area, I hit harder when I'm small. But I can also make myself lighter when I need to climb up stuff."

"I wonder if you can grow bigger." Barbara said.

Wally shook his head. "We tried that already yesterday."

Dick nodded.

Barbara thought for a moment. "What about that suit?"

"Well," Said Wally. "As far as Jargo has explained to me, this suit should help me survive in any element. It creates its own air for me to breath through my skin, and when I'm in space or underwater, or somewhere without much gravity, it can propel me like I'm flying. Also, it protects me from all except most hot heat, the coldest cold, and every form of radiation except on the microwave frequency. He didn't know what electricity was, so I couldn't ask him if it would protect me from that."

Dick held up his hand to stop him. "Wait, wait. We're talking about a guy whose civilization lives on a slice of pepperoni. How, does he know about microwaves?"

Wally shrugged. "You saw how smart Jargo was. I'm guessing that his race is super-smart. The only reason they don't invent cars is because if we don't eat them, then they're too busy fighting the Fungiji. But we didn't eat them and we helped stop the Fungiji, so He's smarter than average. I bet he'll be making cars within the month."

Dick stared at him. "That makes a… kind of sense. How are you so smart?"

He shrugged. "I wanted to know more about the belt. So I read some of Dr. Palmer's stuff. He has a lot to say about microscopic organisms."

After a small pause Dick turned to Barbara. "So, your ring. What are its limits?"

She shrugged. "I don't think it has any limits. I've figure out that it's activated using willpower. Whenever I wear it, it makes this shield around me, a lot like Wally's shield. But I don't think it has any weaknesses. Just that if my will or concentration is broken, it would stand to reason that my ring wouldn't work.

[-THAT IS CORRECT GREEN LANTERN BARBARA GORDON-]

Everybody jumped. The ring had spoken. "Oh, that's right. I forgot my ring could talk."

"Seems like a rather odd thing to forget."

Barbara ignored Wally and spoke into the ring. "So, you are powered by willpower then?"

[-THAT IS CORRECT-]

"Ah, so, how do you talk?"

[-I AM LINKED TO THE MAIN GREEN LANTERN DATABASE ON OA. I CAN ACCESS EVERYTHING IN THE COMPUTORS AND RELAY IT TO YOU-]

"So, what can this ring do?"

[-THE USAGE IS ONLY LIMITED BY YOUR WILLPOWER AND YOUR IMAGINATION-]

"Okay, so, basically I have the one ring to rule them all. Does it have any weaknesses?"

[-THE COLOR YELLOW-]

"Err… clarify?"

[-THE POWERS OF THE GREEN LANTERN RING CANNOT EFFECT ANYTHING IN THE YELLOW END OF THE COLOR SPECTRUM-]

Everybody stared at the ring. "You… have the galaxy's most dangerous weapon." Dick said. "And if somebody takes the time to paint their bullets yellow, you are a dead person."

"Um… wow. Okay." Barbara said. "That's… interesting. At least I know it now instead of figuring this out in the field. Anything else I should know about ring?"

[-THE GREEN LANTERN POWER RING MUST BE RECHARGED EVERY TWENTY-FOUR EARTH HOURS BY RECITING YOUR OATH. A BACK-UP CHARGE WILL BE RETAINED BEYOND THIS POINT SO THAT YOU MAY SUMMON YOUR LANTERN TO RECITE THE OATH OR FOR DIRE EMRGENCIES-]

"Huh. Okay. How much time do I have left?"

[-YOUR RING IS CHARGED TO 3%. YOU HAVE 43 EARTH MINUTES UNTIL YOU RUN OUT OF CHARGE-]

"Well then." Dick said. "You'd better recharge. How do you do that?"

"Like this." Barbara said summoning her lantern.

_In brightest day, in darkest night,_

_No evil shall escape what's right_

_Those criminals who rule by might,_

_Have justice done, by Green Lantern's Light!_

_........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................._

Alfred Pennyworth was outside bird-watching, when he saw a flash of green light. He went to investigate.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"All right," Barbara said, "now that that's done, let's go hunt a crime lord."

"What have you found out?" Dick asked.

"I've found out two things; one, that the guns those guys were using were very high-tech. Specialized armor piercing rounds too. Two; Red Hood was just some bar comedian who couldn't even make the C-list. He had the suitable deep voice and manageable acting skills, so his family was threatened by some mob, until he was forced to put on the hood. I think we should ask his wife what she thinks. Myabe she'll say more to us than the police."

Dick nodded. "Well, you have the most experience in detective-work." He said. "Let's go."

"Wait." She said. "I've been thinking. There are other people like us. Well, not exactly like us. There are criminals who make false identities for themselves. That way, they keep their identities secret when the police come knocking. Also, it gives them an air of mystique. Criminals aren't going to be scared by Dick, Wally and Barbara. They were plenty scared of the Red Hood though." She hesitated. "I think we should make names for ourselves. You know, to make ourselves symbols."

Wally stared at her. "Are you kidding? I'm the amazing shrinking kid! Why shouldn't the world know who I am? I should have my own reality show!

Dick put a hand on Wally's shoulder. "Wally, we're going after a major crime boss. Do you really want them to know where you or your aunt lives?"

Wally was quit for a moment. Then he said; "Call me Tom Thumb."

Barbara nodded. "I'll be Green Lantern." They looked at Dick.

He was silent for a long time."My parents used to call me a robin." He muttered. You could cut the tension with a knife. Finally he looked at them and said, "My name will by blackbird."

Wally cheered. "Hee-haw! Get on your stage costume and a mask Blackbird! We're going crime-fighting!"

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

While Dick was getting changed, Barbara flew over to Wally's aunt Iris. "Ms. West?" She asked. "Where are Wally's parents?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "They went on an African expedition with the Hals and the Olsens. None of them have come back."

Barbara's eyes widened. "Wally wants to be an adventurer doesn't he?"

Iris nodded.

Barbara sighed. "You're scared because you're afraid if Wally leaves, he won't come back."

She nodded.

Barbara put her hands on Iris' shoulders. "Ms. West, my dad is a lieutenant in the G.C.P.D. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be an officer of the law like him. It was just in my blood. Whenever we talked about it, he'd forbid me to and we'd get angry at each other. I've been angry at my father for a long, long time now. When he found out that I was an officer of the law, and an officer superior to him… He was proud.

He was so afraid of what would happen when I got what I wanted, that when I finally did, he realized there was nothing to be afraid of. Every day we take risks. You take a risk every second you spend in a car. You could get struck by lightning anytime you go outside. Unlikely," She added seeing Iris' expression. "But still a risk. You can't live your life without risk, and neither can Wally. But at least this way, he can live like he wants to, and maybe even make a difference in the world. If anything, you should be proud of your nephew. And don't worry," She added. "We'll take care of him.

The two of them hugged and Iris started to cry. "Shhhh. Shhhh. Don't cry. Not with your nephew in the same yard. It's alright. Don't cry." The left each other's embrace. Iris smiled.

"Thank you."

"Alright." Dick said coming out of the house. "I'm ready."

They all gathered together. "Wally." Barbara said. "You're going to have to take off your boots if you want me to carry you. My ring doesn't work on yellow."

"No worries." Wally said. "I can just shrink and stand on Dick's shoulder." He jumped, shrinking in mid-air, and landed perfectly without shattering Dick's shoulder.

"Nice one." Said Dick.

"Please be careful Wally." Iris whispered.

"Don't worry Aunt Iris, I will be." He said back.

Barbara enveloped them in a green bubble, and they flew away.

They were teens on a mission.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Alfred Pennyworth couldn't believe his eyes. He watched the three of them fly away through his binoculars.

Ace barked roughly at his side.

"Yes," Alfred muttered. "If I report this, they'll think I'm senile and retire me. Best keep this to ourselves until it plays out." He heard his cell phone ring. It was from Arkham.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Lex Luthor strutted down the sleek hallway of his Metropolis division.

"A flying man." He muttered. "Think of it! Strong enough to steer a jet from a crash." He ran his hand through his hair.

Mercy, his secretary/bodyguard/assassin came up behind him. "Our man in Arkham got to Wayne." She said. "He won't be making any miraculous recovery any time soon. Do you want me to terminate the link?"

Luthor grinned and shook his head. "No, I'm in a good mood today. Give Professor Crane the grant as promised, with an extra ten grand for his silence and a retainer."

"Sir?" Mercy asked.

"I've decided that I want to play with P.R." Luthor said. "What a frenzy the media will have. Lex Luthor, multi-trillionaire, the most successful entrepreneur in the history of America, head of his company, and he still has time to adopt an orphan."

"I'll get right on it." Mercy said.

"Yes. Better make it from Star City. That's where I plan to release my cure for cancer first. One of the most run-down cities in America's history, and no wonder with that playboy oaf Queen in charge. Yes, Star City. Oh and Mercy? Try to get one that's reasonably skilled and intelligent. Oh, also, fire Mr. Shugel. His experiments with those albino gorillas are attracting attention from animal right's groups."

"Yes Mr. Luthor." She hurried back down the hall.

Luthor reached his spacious office and grinned. This was turning into a very good week indeed.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Snapper Carr had just finished putting Lime on the lawn. His coat was soaked in the stuff, but he just had to drive his convertable anyway. It was a hot day. He was already halfway to the nearest cuty when he looked into the sky. Thunder rolled across the gloomy clouds.

_There's a storm coming_. He thought. _There goes my wax job_.

He did a U-turn and drove his car back down along the lonely stretch of road.


	6. Chpt 5 Rage And Love

Jeannie was in shock.

She tried to keep herself occupied making lemonade as she sneaked glances at the three kids in her living room. The girl in green… Green Lantern… she wore spandex pants and a sleeveless turtleneck, patterned green and black with some sort of logo in the center of her chest. She wore goggles that hid her eyes and obscured her face, and white gloves with green stripes. And the ring. The ring seemed to be glowing radioactively and she tried to keep her baby out of its faint light.

Then there was the kid in the circus costume… Blackbird. At least, she thought it was a circus costume. It was a red polo shirt with yellow straps lacing up the front. He wore green gloves, pixy boots, and underwear (he wasn't wearing pants). He also wore a black cape and domino mask, that made him almost look like kid Dracula when the cape covered what else he was wearing. He was lean and wiry, with tousled black hair, practically pouring with danger. He had never set foot on the floor or stopped staring at her since he arrived.

The third kid… Tom Thumb… was friendly enough. At least, he'd asked to help her with the lemonade. But she still couldn't get over the fact that he was _less than an inch tall._ When he moved he bounded like a grasshopper. He was wearing some sort of golden spacesuit, with a hump on his back. He'd assured her it wasn't deformity, just an in-suit backpack. He was wearing a visor like Gort in _The Day the Earth Stood Still._ She thought maybe he was an alien.

She was just baking a cake… just… baking a cake. Baking was therapeutic for her, she'd baked a lot after her husband's death. And they had just… flown up to the window and… knocked.

She'd jumped out of her skin.

The three had tried to calm her down, but she was still nervous. What would they want? What would they do to her if she didn't give them what they wanted?

She entered, carrying the tray of lemonade. She set it down on the table, and sat down on her moldy recliner, keeping her stomach away from Green Lantern.

"Thank's Mrs. Napier." Said Green Lantern. She and Tom Thumb both took a glass. Blackbird just looked at her.

"What do you want?" She whispered.

Green Lantern looked up. "We wanted to ask you about your husband. Do you know who he was working for?"

She shook. "No."

"Liar." Blackbird announced.

The room went silent. Everybody looked at her.

She shook under Blackbird's glare and started to cry. "He wasn't an actual criminal. He just put on a costume to make people scared of him, and distract them from the other crime-bosses. He was free-range. Everybody hired him. But he wasn't a criminal! Honest!"

"Do you know who he was working for last night?" Blackbird snapped.

Jeannie started bawling. "No! I don't know! Don't hurt me! I don't know! I don't know! I don't know!"

Green Lantern came to the side of the chair and shushed her. "It's okay Mrs. Napier, it's okay. We're not going to hurt you."

She pulled back. "Stay away from me!" She screamed, covering her stomach and running to her bedroom door. As it slammed Barbara turned to face Dick.

"What was that?"

He shrugged. "I was just asking."

"No, no you weren't. You've been glaring at her ever since we got here. And the way you snapped that last question… what was that?"

He hesitated, and his face twisted into regret. "I'm sorry. I suppose I wasn't thinking. I just thought…" He bowed his head. "I guess I wasn't thinking."

Barbara shook her head. "You can't make this personal Dick. Not if you want to do this the right way. Come on. Let's go investigate the scene of the crime."

* * *

Rain battered against Snapper Carr's windows. His wipers were working overtime.

He zoomed through the stormy roads hoping to get home before dark, when suddenly he swerved off the road.

He screamed, as his car flew of the road into the air, and smashed into a telephone pole.

Then the lightning came.

Time froze for an instant, as the lightning coursed down the pole, down its wires, and into the ungrounded car, where Snapper, his clothes dusted in lime and his stomach full of Gingold, screamed. Lightning arced through his muscles, coursed through his veins, channeled through his bones, flew through his brain. Carr felt like he was on fire.

Then the moment was over and the car crashed into oblivion.

An explosion rocked the countryside as Snapper's gas tank blew.

It covered up a different explosion.

There was a sonic boom, the smell of burnt lime, and suddenly Snapper was on the other side of the highway, looking on as his car turned into nothing so much as a smoldering heap by the road.

* * *

Lex Luthor was working at his desk when Mercy finally called in.

"Yes Mercy?"

"I've found a kid I think is good."

"How smart is he?"

"Nowhere near your level sir, but smarter than the other kids. Straight A student, with a few A plusses."

Luthor raised his eyebrow. "Any other skills of note?"

"He can shoot a ball bearing from four hundred feet with his bow and arrow."

"Really? Where did he learn to use a bow like that?"

"He was raised to be a brave in the local native American tribe sir."

"Oh, well done Mercy. A bonus in P.R. for getting a Native American."

"Thank you sir. I try sir."

"Get the papers in order, I'll meet you at the cure for cancer reveal. I want to announce this to the world."

* * *

Wally sped through the grass, using his now super-strong leg muscles to run like the wind through his miniature world. Barbara and Dick walked behind him. Barbara was using her ring as a searchlight to scan the ground as Wally kept his eyes peeled for forensic evidence. It helped that the ring seemed to work in binary, and automatically divided the ground it shined on into grids of tiny ones and zeros making a search pattern for Wally.

"I'm sorry about… back there." Dick said to Barbara, breaking the silence.

"You lost your temper." Barbara said, not taking her eyes off her ring's forensic search. "It happens to the best of them."

"The best of who?" Dick asked.

"Police officers." Barbara said. "I've seen the best officers on the force lose themselves when their partner gets killed."

"But we need to be better then the police." Dick said. "Otherwise, why are we here? We'd have no better chance of finding the people behind last night's robbery than them."

"We're all only human." Barbara said. "They might make some mistakes, sure, but we might too."

"Then why are you doing this?" Dick asked.

"Because I took an oath." Barbara said. "To help people fight injustice."

He shook his head. "There are other people you could be helping."

She grinned. "Yes, but you're one of us Dick. A seeker of Justice. And when somebody tries to go after a police officer, you can bet their partner will back them up."

Dick smiled. He liked the idea of being a part of something. Being somebody's partner. "Did you actually say seeker of Justice?" He asked.

"It's what we are, aren't we?"

"Well yeah, but try not to make it sound so corny."

"How about… A champion of Justice."

Silence. She turned to look at him, but he wasn't there.

* * *

The man had blonde hair and a scar running down his cheek. His teeth seemed… off. He wasn't part of the circus.

Dick followed him to the carnival master's tent. His dad's tent. He leapt onto the ceiling and leaned in through the skylight. George Petrovitch the ringmaster was sitting in his father's chair, talking to the guy!

"I just think you should understand your situation here Mr. Jones."

"I know my situation. Moxon wanted a piece o' dis circus, and your audience felt de need to refuse him of it. Don't seem fair." Jones talked with a cajun accent.

"Look Mr. Jones, I would have given Moxon what he asked, but this circus works for Zucco. Now, I'm going to thank you because the Graysons were getting in the way of our operation. We were going to have them killed anyways. But that said, my thanks is giving you the choice of doing the smart thing." He pulled a shotgun from out behind his desk and pointed it at Jones. The smart thing for you to do would be to walk away and tell your boss to take his troubles up with Zucco."

Jones snarled animalistically. Dick gritted his teeth. They were going to kill his parents anyway. They just died a week early. He wanted them both now. He wanted Moxon and he wanted Zucco, and he wanted to bring them both to justice.

"Blackbird!" Barbara called as she flew towards him. "What's going on?"

He looked at her, beckoned for her to follow, and leaped into the room.

He landed on Jone's back,making him collapse on the floor. Using his back as a springboard, Blackbird whipped out his staff and leapt into George's throat, pinning him to the wall. He gasped for breath as his adam's apple bobbed against the cold metal.

"Where is Moxon?" He yelled, making his voice as menacing as possible.

"Where is Zucco?"

* * *

Donna was in the Amazon's library.

She was looking for every book that could describe man. Every book that would tell her what man was. Every reference she had found so far, was of death, wars, destruction, illness, slavery, cruelty, but these didn't describe Terry. There had to be more to Man than this.

She opened up a scroll marked _woman in a Man's world._ She started to read.

_Before the Amazon's set out to their own island, Woman and Men lived together peacefully. It is widely acknowledged that this was a mistake, and Amazonian culture would have benefitted greatly from leaving earlier. When it came time to leave, most Woman refused. The main cause for this, is love. Amazons love everybody as one; all are sisters to each other. But the crucial difference is what has been termed 'romantic love' or 'true love'. This is the love that kept most Women in Men's world. _

_Romantic love is defined as a strong emotional and physical affection and caring towards another human being. However, this is not the only definition. This is a very complex relationship to have with somebody, and one of the reasons the Amazons chose to leave. Man tends to dominate such relationships toward Women to the point of using them or physically abusing them and manipulating the women to tolerate it in the name of romantic love._

Donna wondered a while. Was she feeling love? She cared deeply for Terry, and he was very affectionate to her. She didn't understand what physical affection was, so maybe she wasn't in love, but the scroll did say it was a complex relationship and there was more than one definition.

She wondered.

* * *

Barbara glared at Dick.

"Sorry." He finally mumbled.

"Sorry?" She repeated. "Sorry? This is just like at Mrs. Napier's house. You've scared the daylights out of those people Dick."

"They were criminals. Maybe I scared some sense into them."

"You almost broke that guy's neck."

"He wanted my parents dead!" He yelled at her.

She was silent. "Dude." Wally said. "This shouldn't be about revenge." They looked at him. "I mean, what are you going to do once you catch them?"

Dick glowered. "I'll rid the world of one more gangster."

Wally shook his head. "Then how are you different from them man?"

Dick started. "What?"

"Come on, they killed your parents, you kill them? That makes it even right? That's fair? Maybe, but if your even with a crime-boss, well, that's nothing to be proud about."

Dick was silent for a while, then he turned and left."Ridiculous."

"Where are you going?"Barbara asked.

"I'm going to find Moxon and Zucco."

"Revenge is a fool's quest Dick." She said, angrily.

He just waved over his shoulder, and they stood there, watching him leave.

Wally sighed. "You made crime-fighting sound exciting."

"It is." Said Barbara. "But there's fighting crime, and there's fighting with friends."

"So, what are you going to do?"

She thought about that. "I'm going to ask my dad."

* * *

Snapper was having a ball.

He ran around America a couple of times, just for the fun of it, and then he ran around the world once. He was jazzed.

He found out he could keep being fast even when he was standing still.

He pulled a prank on his ex-girlfriend.

He beat every video game he owned.

Life was indeed, good.

* * *

Donna flew into her room.

Terry was trying to prepare some Pitas, but he was burning the ground beef.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

He looked up apoligetically. "I thought, you've been so kind to me maybe I could make dinner. As a surprise."

Donna laughed, and took the frying pan and spoon from his hands. "Just relax Terry." She said. "You're my guest. And from the state of my kitchen your cooking could burn Themiscera to the ground." She rapidly began to undo the damage.

"So, how was the library?" Terry asked. "Have you decided whether I'm the font of all evil yet?"

She shook her head. "There is absolutely nothing in Amazon literature to indicate any shred of goodness in Man. I've decided that you couldn't be what they described, so they must be biased." She started grinding the cheese. "I did come across one thing I'm curious about though; when the Amazons left for Themiscera, some Woman stayed behind, because Man had made them love them. The book wasn't very clear on the definition of true love. Do you know what true love is?"

He nodded. "True love is different for everybody, you'd have to feel it to be able to describe, and even then it isn't fully describable." He tilted his head. "Haven't you ever felt it?"

She started to chop the lettuce. "No. At least, I don't think so. Maybe." She stuttered.

Terry smiled. "To me, true love is when I'd give up eveything I had, even my safety, for my love."

"That sounds, foolish."

"Not if you've felt true love."

She paused, and then reached for some spices. "Tell me more."

* * *

There was a great commotion, as a flying girl in a green uniform showed up at police headquarters with two people in tow, held captive by green handcuffs.

There was a brief interrogation where the two told the police everything the police were spurred into activity. They hadn't been able to catch a super criminal yet, but now they'd catch the people who were behind the Red Hood.

And now, they had a superhero on their side. They cops who weren't dirty were dragging the cops that were into their cruisers with them. Even the dirty cop knew who was going to win this one.

Vicki Vale sent out the news all over the world. The mysterious supercriminals, who had counted on their uniqueness to save them, were about to be outmatched.

* * *

The two brutish thugs dragged the kid into the room.

It was stylish and elegant, bearing stolen artistic masterpieces and forgeries on its walls. The large window showed the pinpoints of light that was Gotham city from above, where you forgot about the scum that lurked below. The furniture was Red oak, and either really old, or really well forged. The occupants of the room, were dressed just as elegantly. Save for the gun-shaped bulges in their pockets they could have passed for civilized company in any American drawing room. At the head of the table, just laying down his royal flush, was Lew Moxon. A balding old man wearing sunglasses and sipping from a quarter-full flute of red wine.

The thugs pushed Dick to the ground, as Moxon looked on annoyed.

"Gary, Wesly, I told you that I wanted to enjoy my poker night. And you interrupt it for this? Who's this kid, why's he wearing that getup, and why's he bleeding over my expensive floor?"

"He broke my gun." Mumbled Gary. Lew looked at Wesly incredulously.

Wesly straightened up. "This kid came in and Started trouble downstairs. After causing a ruckus, he started busting us up. Took out Lou, Merv, Harry, and Pinky before we nailed him. Said he wanted to bring you to justice. After that green gal brought in Jones, we thought maybe he was some kind of freak too."

Lew was taken aback momentarily, and then laughed. His laughing was like lightning striking copper, and he continued until he was crying. Then, he took a sip of his wine to clear his throat, and took off his sunglasses so he could glare at Dick. His smile looked vampiric.

"Is this true punk?" He asked. "Are you here to bring me to justice? Really? Are you a freak with special powers, who thinks he can save the world?"

"No," Dick whispered. "I don't need powers to save the world from you."

Lew laughed again, rising off of his seat and walking over to him. "Well, normally I would agree with you. I'm a feeble old man, and you had the gumshoe to take out a few of my men." He leaned in close. "I would point out however, that you really only did take out a few. Not enough to get through to me. And you are now kneeling on my floor, bleeding to death from a bullet wound. Good try though." He laughed as he started kicking Dick, spilling more blood over his carpet.

He stopped after hearing the crack of a broken nose. "Heh heh. Like I said, good try kid, but you need to be better than good to beat somebody who's been running Gotham since before you were born." He gestured to Wesly, who gave him his gun. He aimed it at Dick's head.

"You know, I've got to admire your moxy kid. Do you have a name?"

"Blackbird." Dick grunted.

Lew laughed. "Man, is that supposed to be scary? Is it? Were you trying to scare me with some stage-name?" He cocked the gun. "Any last words Blackbird?"

Blackbird coughed up blood on his shoe, and whispered hoarsely, "A few." He looked up. "First, you're right, I only did take out a few of your men; I left these two conscious because I broke one of their guns and the other one is out of bullets. I didn't know where you were staying in the hotel, just which hotel. I am now in your penthouse, being held by two unarmed men, and being threatened by an old man with a gun that's out of bullets. Second, you kick like a girl. And third," He grinned. "say hello to my little friend."

Tom Thumb grew as he leapt off of the table, hitting the men in the jaw with a double-kick Blackbird taught him before they came in. Blackbird spun around, knocking his captors off their feet and breaking their noses on the way down. He did a double somersault over Moxon's head and landed on a man who was about to shoot Tom Thumb.

Tom Thumb spun around, plowing through the armed men, hitting below the belt or tripping them up. Blackbird covered him, somersaulting into the air, and breaking bones.

He looks like a vampire, Lew thought as he wet himself. He scrambled to the elevator, but was interrupted by a staccato of gunfire, and he ducked. He hazarded a look up. Blackbird had grabbed a gun that his buddy Maxwell had pulled on him and shot the elevator controls. He ran for the doors to the stairs and shook them, willing them to open. Then he remembered that Dave kept the doors locked unless Lew said otherwise. Dave was in the middle of a chokehold by the Blackbird.

Lew's heart was thumping against his ribcage as Blackbird threw his men around like they weighed as much as a bunch of kittens. He and his friend made short work of his entourage and slowly advanced on him.

Lew screamed and ran to the window. Maybe he could escape along the precipice. He felt the kid landing on his back and screamed in horror as he was pushed out of the window. He landed on a gargoyle, almost slipping off into the darkness except he was pinned down by the feet digging into either of his shoulders.

A police helicopter hovered nearby, shining it's spotlight onto the two of them. Green Lantern hovered next to it, staring on nervously.

Blackbird flipped Lew around and growled. Moxon cried in terror as the rage filled face leaned in close to his. "Moxon, you're a coward, making your money by having your men kill people weaker then you in your name. It's time you saw justice."

He shoved Moxon off of the gargoyle.

He screamed and covered his eyes as every second of his cruel life flashed in front of him. He was going to hell.

"Hurk." Something caught the back of his Italian suit, and he stopped mid fall. He looked up, and saw Blackbird tying the rope to the gargoyle.

Moxon passed out.

Blackbird stood proudly on the gargoyle's head, cape flapping in the helicopter's turbulence. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked Green Lantern in the eyes.

"Bring him to justice." He growled, and then he stalked off, out of the light, and into the shadows.

* * *

Donna stepped into her sister's chambers. The windows were draped with black curtains and the only light came from a single candle in the center of the room.

She proceeded cautiously. "Diana?" She whispered. "Artemis said you wanted to see me."

Torches flared to life, and Queen Diana stepped out of the shadows. She wore a long dress, the black one with stars on it. Their mother was perched on her shoulder, preening her feathers. The room was full of all manners of potions and spellbooks.

"Dearest sister." She whispered. She was unused to noise in her silent room. "I haven't seen you around and about recently."

Secretly, Donna was scared of her sister. She loved her, but she was scared of all the dark magic she practiced to try to get their mother back into Amazon form.

"I'm sorry Diana, I haven't had reason to visit lately."

"Oh nonsense Donna." Diana said soothingly. "I've heard from your sister that you have a new pet."

Donna stiffened in fear. "Yes Diana. A little lost kitten, washed up on the shore. I found her in the middle of that wreckage a few days ago. Her name's Luna."

Diana frowned. "Really?"

Donna nodded.

Diana leaned forward. "Sister, I know when people lie to me."

Donna had to force herself not to shake. "I'm not lying."

Diana shook her head. "Then why didn't you show our young sister your new pet kitten.

There was a scuffle out in the hall, and Donna turned in horror as Artemis entered with Terry.

Diana glared. "What is that… that… that MAN doing here!"

"I found it under Donna's bed your majesty." Artemis reported.

Diana turned fiercely to her sister. "Luna I presume?"

"No Diana!" Donna fell to her knees and groveled. "He's not like Men in our books. He's –"

"Silence!" Diana bellowed. "You will address me as your highness or your majesty, is that understood!"

"No Diana!" Donna cried. "No!"

Diana picked her up by the hair and dragged her, screaming, out of her room.

The screams of Donna and Terry echoed through the corridors of the palace, and maids peeped out of archways to see the Man. They were dragged unceremoniously to the court of Themiscera, where Diana began to cast a spell.

A large stake rose from the center of the courtroom, and was engulfed by flame. Chains shot out of the splintered wood and grabbed Terry, drawing him towards the burning stake.

"NO!" Donna screamed, tearing a sword from Artemis and lunging at the chains. Diana caught the blade, and backhanded her adopted sister.

"Watch Donna! Watch as Man burns!"

"Donna!" Cried Terry. "I lo –" He screamed as the red hot chains bound him to his fate.

Donna understood what Terry meant now. About love. She'd give anything to have him back.

The screams mingled with Donna's lament and Diana's triumphant laughter, as Ell watched the horrific events unfold from behind a pillar. A single tear ran down her cheek, and she flew off into the night.


	7. Chpt 6 The Beginning

"_This is Vicki Vale on channel 53, coming to you live with Gotham Watch! Tonight in breaking news, several people with extraordinary abilities have helped Gotham P.D. arrest suspected crime-boss Lew Moxon."_

Actionman? Nah, too aggressive.

"_One of the individuals calling herself Green Lantern, has the ability to fly and showed up at G.C.P.D. just hours ago, with two criminals in tow. A mafia hit man Waylon Jones, and a drug dealer named George Petrovitch."_

Wonderman? No, that just doesn't fit.

"_The two were involved in the Grayson Circus Hostage situation two nights earlier, and G.C.P.D. has confirmed the link." _

Powerman? Too intimidating.

"_The other two heroes responsible for the arrest, was a man known as Tom Thumb, with the amazing ability to control his size, and Blackbird, who was only shown in this footage from a police copter before he disappeared."_

Jimmy Olsen looked up from his desk at the T.V. He shuddered at the image of Blackbird pushing the man off a building, even if he was a crime boss and Blackbird had already attached the rope to his belt, that wasn't nice. He tore the scrap of paper out of his notebook and threw it in the trash where a small mountain of paper was growing.

The Sentry? Just a little too high and mighty.

"_Police officers on the scene are calling these extraordinary people Super Heroes. Similar to the term going around for so-called 'super villains'. Criminals with strange tactics and motifs distinguishing them from the regular crminal."_

Jimmy perked his ears up. Superheroes? His pen scribbled over his notebook, and added an S to the man in a red and orange costume and cape.

Superman? Hmmm… A little Nietzsche, but, it might work.

* * *

Barbara flew to Wally's house. They were having a barbecue.

Wally waved. "Hey Babs, come join the party!"

She glided down to the ground and used her ring to change back into her civilian clothes. "What's the occasion?"

"We came, we saw, we owned! That's the occasion!" His plate was full of hot dogs.

"Are you really going to eat all of those?" She asked.

He shrugged.

She looked around. "Where's Dick?"

He looked pointedly over at a tree. She looked in its branches, and Dick quickly avoided her gaze, munching on the hamburger he'd brought with him. She flew up to join him.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

He shrugged.

Barbara shook her head. Guys could get so touchy about their feelings. "Why didn't you kill that man?"

"Why didn't you stop me?"

"I saw you put that rope on him. I would have saved him if you'd cut the rope. Now, don't avoid the question."

He glared at her.

She winced but stood her ground. "That glare won't work on me. I'm not some superstitious criminal."

He sighed. "I didn't kill him because… that's not who I am. I don't… I'm not a killer."

"You sure sounded like that back in the circus, after you'd finished scaring those guys so badly that they wet themselves."

"I needed you to think that I was going to kill them, because I still hadn't decided yet, and I wanted you to stop me from… losing control when I went to get him." He smiled. "Buy the way, that was a nice touching calling the police. I would've just left him hanging until somebody noticed and cut him down, but now he's going to jail."

"That's Justice Dick."

He nodded. "Justice."

She sighed and looked at the stars. "So, we caught Zucco too just so you know."

"We?"

"The police and me. We went to arrest him and he died of a heart attack. Also, Moxon was shanked the hour he went into prison."

"So they're both dead."

Barbara nodded.

Dick grinned. "Justice."

Barbara nodded. If not justice, then at the very least karma.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

Dick started at the question, and then shrugged. "Ms. West has offered to adopt me."

"That's great!"

He shook his head. "I'm still not sure; I'll have to think about it."

"What?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'd like Wally as my brother, and Ms. West seems… cool." Dick took another bite from his burger. "But I don't think I can just yet. Besides, I still have a lot to learn."

Barbara stared at him in shock. "What would you want to learn?"

"Well, I know how to fight, among other circus tricks, but I think I need to know more about fighting crime."

"You seemed like a natural today. Like you were born to do it."

He shrugged. "I was lucky. I need more than luck."

She put an arm on his shoulder. "You have more than luck."

He smiled at her. "I'm already packed. Say goodbye to the Wests for me, I don't think I can."

He leapt out of the tree, and into the night. The only trace he had been sitting in the tree, was his paper plate.

* * *

Donna was in a locked tower on a small island just off of Themiscera. She was lying in bed, all finished crying. The room was magically enforced, so she couldn't escape. Her sister was starving her to death. No, she wasn't her sister anymore. She'd been disowned.

There was a tapping on the window. She looked to the side to see Ell smiling at her. She slipped a bowl of fruit through the bars and flew away.

Donna sighed and didn't get up. She didn't want any food. She wanted to die.

There was more tapping, coming from outside the door. Then it swung open and Ell walked in the room. "Wake up Donna!" She said in an almost sing-song voice. "Time for your mysterious jailbreak."

Now Donna rose. "How did you open the door?"

Ell held up some metallic tools. "I picked it. I am part magpie you know."

"It was magically reinforced."

"Duh. That's to stop you from smashing through them. Nothing in the spell against lock picks." She picked up a peach and offered it to Donna. She refused.

Ell was shocked. "You've been in here two days Donna, you must be starving."

Donna shook her head. "I want to starve."

Ell sighed. "Oh don't be so dramatic. You really want to die?"

Donna nodded.

Ell sighed. "Oh well, I guess you didn't like that Man as much as I thought."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Donna snarled.

Ell shrugged. "Well, I just thought since he died to save you, and you tried to kill Diana to save him, you would want to be together. I was watching when he was taken. He fought tooth and nail against Artemis, and when she was interrogating him, he claimed he didn't know you at all, that he was just hiding in a room."

"He didn't want you to die as well. He died trying to save you. That's the death of a hero." She perched herself on the window sill, looking down at Donna, and acting as if she were about to take a bite out of an apple. "Heroes go to Elysium Donna. Suicides go to the grey fields."

Donna's hand shot out and grabbed the apple inches from Ell's mouth. She took it, and took a deliberate bite. "I'll just have to die a hero then."

Ell clapped her hands happily. "Alright. You can't kill Diana. Not shouldn't kill, just can't. I think you should go to Man's world. Tell that Man's parents or family what happened to him, and then start fighting monsters."

Donna nodded. "I can do that." She said.

Ell opened the bag she'd brought with her. "Here, I've brought you some clothes. Also these." She lifted the golden lasso and the silver bracelets and tiara out of the bag. "They were in the temple of Hera. The lasso can make anybody tell you the truth. These bracelets are unbreakable. And the Tiara looks really pretty."

Donna gasped. "How did you convince the templar to give them to you?"

Ell smiled. "I didn't. I'm part magpie, remember? It's not like you're going to get into any more trouble if they realize you've stolen from them, so I'm going to be telling anybody who asks that I think you did it. Now get going."

* * *

Grace opened the door to the laboratory. She was annoyed.

When Lex Luthor fired somebody, they were expected to stay fired. Not sneak back into their old laboratories. It was time to fire Mr. Shugel the hard way.

She took out her magnums and headed into the dark room.

Several things hit her at once. First, there was a crate marked: _Experimental personal force-field inducer_ and it was broken, left lying on its side without its contents. It was Luthor's force-field generator project. Second, Dr. Shugel's body was lying on an operating table with his head carved open and his brain missing. Third, there was a robot in front of the head with several appendages that looked like an ideal lobotomization robot. Fourth, there was another operating table next to Shugel's corpse. A bigger one, with blood where the head should be. And lastly; a massive white gorilla fist in the back of her head.

* * *

The trucker was shipping a full truck for Barq's root beer. He was going along the highway out of Blüdhaven when he saw the kid sticking out his thumb.

He pulled over the eighteen-wheeler and opened the side door. "I'm heading to Star City." He said.

The teen climbed in. "Then so am I." he grunted.

* * *

"Olsen." Lois Lane said icily.

"Lane." Olsen countered smugly.

"The boss says he wants you to report on the Luthor thing in Star city."

Olsen froze. "Uh, weren't you taking that one?"

She smiled. "No, I've got the superhero story in Gotham."

Olsen groaned as Lois Lane left, laughing. He'd wanted the Gotham story. He wanted to meet the others like him.

* * *

Lex Luthor was backstage preparing himself for the press conference when the call came in. Grace stated the facts in a slightly perturbed tone, and immediately decided that this problem became top priority when he came back from this P.R. stunt.

Star city's mayor Oliver Queen came to shake his hand. He was young and handsome, but his health was betrayed by the pouch on his stomach. He dressed like a cowboy, and Luthor wondered how he could have ever become the mayor. "An honor to meet you Lex Luthor sir." He said. "A real privilege."

Mercy stepped up and separated them, though it was hardly necessary. Anybody could see Mr. Queen was no threat to anybody.

"Yessir Mr. Luthor, I have a few green ideas I want to run by the smartest man in the world before he leaves. I want to invite you to my yacht, the Queen Star II. We're taking it out on its maiden voyage tonight, after that tragedy with the first Queen Star. I'm just glad I wasn't on that ship. My best magician, Zatanna I think her name was, drowned when it sunk."

On second thought, Queen could easily bore Luthor to death. "I'm sorry Mr. Queen." He said, walking to the podium. "I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

Cameras flashed as he walked onto the stage. He gave his best smile, dashing, intelligent, with a hint of roguishness.

He stopped at the front of the podium, taking a sip of the natural spring water that Mercy had refrigerated and placed on the podium before the news crew had arrived, and began his presentation.

"Good day to you all, ladies and gentlemen, and what a good day it is. I have the great privilege of coming before you today to announce two joyous occasions. I'll start things off on a personal note, if that's alright with you."

There was a hush murmur through the crowd. He'd caught them off guard. They thought they were just about to witness Luthor's next scientific breakthrough. He chuckled inwardly.

"Allow me introduce, my new foster son, Roy Luthor!"

There was a stunned silence as a ruddy boy of thirteen walked onto the stage, in a red T-shirt and jeans, carrying a duffle bag slung over his shoulder. Luthor had met with him before the press conference of course, and had encouraged the boy so he wouldn't be shy. He wasn't now, and he waved into the stunned audience. They realized they were staring and got back to taking photographs.

Roy walked up to Lex and they shared a hug. Their red hair clashed against the backdrop, but Lex made sure the photographers got his good side.

They separated, and Mercy came to help Roy off the stage. Luthor began to get down to his point.

"On the other note, the reason I have called you all here…"

Suddenly a crash came from the door. They were in the lobby of the five star Starlight Hotel. The revolving doors had been torn off by an albino gorilla. The ape was wearing Luthor's personal force shield prototype and several weapon-looking attachments on its arms. It had a bazooka strapped behind its back.

"Luthor!" It howled.

Luthor took stock of the situation, and linked what he knew from Grace's call to the present. "Hello, Mr. Shugel." He said calmly, decidedly not losing his cool in front of an international television audience. He motioned to Mercy who began to shoot at the ape.

He roared and charged through the crowds, knocking anybody who didn't get out of his way, out of his way. He backhanded Mercy clean through the backdrop.

"No Luthor! Not Mr. Shugel! I am not a man anymore! I have transcended man! I am an animal! I am the Ultra-Humanite!"

He roared savagely and lunged at Luthor, who dodged out of the way.

Suddenly, an arrow bounced off of the air surrounding the Ultra-Humanite. He grunted in confusion and looked over to see Roy. He'd taken his bow out of his duffel bag and had shot at him.

He turned back to Luthor, but he wasn't there anymore. He was behind him, holding a laser pistol to the back of his head. "Well, Mr. Shugel. Not very impressive. If it's any consolation, I'm sure any normal human would be more than cowed at the sight of an albino gorilla in high-tech armor and weaponry charging straight at them. But you are dealing with Lex Luthor here, the greatest mind since Stephen Hawking. And if knowledge is power, than a god am I."

Ultra-Humanite grinned. "You took the words right out of my mouth Luthor." His lower left thumb pushed a button on the sole of his feet, and an electric current coursed up his body, and conducted itself along the barrel of the gun short circuiting it. It also propelled Luthor away, though he wasn't singed.

_Of course,_ thought Luthor. _He modified the suit himself so he could take advantage of his extra hands, it was naïve of me to think he would not modify it further._ Then the Ultra-Humanite backhanded him with his left foot. He flew a short distance, before crashing into a wall. Luthor calmly got up, and walked out of the debris, pulling open his white jacket. His force-field generator was working too, and it was of a much better design than his foe's.

The Ultra-Humanite roared with rage and charged at Luthor. He pinned him to the ground and started to beat into him. "Your force shield can't save you forever Luthor!" He yelled. "Something has to give!"

Luthor had to admit he had a point. Then, the Ultra-Humanite stopped, and grabbed the shield around Luthor's arm, spinning him around. Oh, Luthor should have anticipated this. The force-shield protected him from outward damage, like falling or being hit by steroidal gorillas, but it couldn't protect him from inward damage. The Ultra-Humanite twisted hard, and Luthor grunted in pain as his shoulder was dislocated.

Another arrow fired, more to distract than to hurt. It grazed the strap of the bazooka Ultra-Humanite wore just outside the field's boundaries and the weapon clattered to the ground.

Ultra-Humanite turned at Roy, and roared. He threw Luthor at Roy. Thankfully, he dodged and Lex was on his feet again in no time. He checked the charges in his field cells. One of them was almost empty. He cranked it up to full power and gave it to Roy.

"Put this on one of your arrows and hurry!"

Roy took out some duct tape as Lex charged the Ultra-Humanite. He was hit by one of his massive fists and went flying, but he wouldn't really be hurt; his force-field wasn't a modified prototype like the one Ultra-Humanite was wearing. His charge was only a distraction. Roy hastily attached the cell to his arrow and took aim.

Luthor got up from his latest fall and saw what he was doing. "Aim for his cells!" He called. Ultra-Humanite had modified the inducer prototype, made it weaker. If the arrow were to reach him, generating a field around it from one of the power cell of Luthor's own inducer, it would breach the field deep enough to cause an explosion. It wouldn't hurt the Ultra-Humanite, but it would shatter his inducer's power cells and weaken his force field enough so somebody could just shoot him.

Roy nodded and fired. One of the Ultra-Humanite's cells exploded and he fell backwards. Lex tossed another one of his cells to Roy, who quickly attached it to his arrow and blew another one of the Ultra-Humanite's cells.

Then the massive gorilla got up, and he grabbed Roy in one hand and Luthor in the other. He squeezed and he crushed Lex, pounding him against the floor, until suddenly…

A flash of light and a bang like a popgun! Luthor cried out in pain as his force-field generator, running on two cells, had ran out of energy to take the abuse. The Ultra-Humanite grinned and tossed them both on the floor, as if they were nothing but ants. He walked back to where his bazooka had fallen off, picked it up, and aimed.

"Goodbye Luthor." He said. "There is only room for one genius in this world."

There was the sound of a sonic boom just as he pulled the trigger. Suddenly, a man in a red cape flew in front of them and the flame engulfed them all.

Lex and Roy writhed on the ground screaming, as the fire singed their clothes and burnt their hair. The man in the red cape flew away and pulled a fire extinguisher off of the wall, spraying them with it.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

The Ultra-Humanite grabbed him from behind. "Well, well, what do we have here? Another of Luthor's stooges? Some fellow scientist deciding to make the transition from mere man? Or another flunky in a costume?"

The Man pried Ultra-Humanite's fingers open and flew out of the way. "My name is superman." He said. "Don't forget it." He took Ultra-Humanite by the hand, and spun him around and around and let go, sending him flying out of the lobby and into the streets.

Ultra-Humanite got up groggily, and sent a punch to Superman as he flew at him. Superman's flight was toppled in midair and Ultra-Humanite didn't waste his advantage.

He took a laser gun from his belt, put it to Superman's head, and fired.

Superman yelled. Even though it didn't kill him, it still hurt. A lot. Ultra-Humanite noted his reaction, and kept up shooting him. Again. And again. And again.

Superman saw something behind his opponent, and kicked Ultra-Humanite out of the way. A golden rope circled around him, and Donna Troy commanded, "The truth!"

Lightning coursed along the ropes, and the giant albino gorilla shrunk down into a bald, weasel looking man. He screamed, and stomped on the ground, activating his electric defense, which coursed up the rope and electrocuted her.

She fell to the ground, and the Ultra-Humanite picked up a car, throwing it at her. He spun, and kicked Superman as he tried to sneak up on him.

"I am the Ultra-Humanite" He roared. "None can stand against my vast superior intellect!"

"Wanna bet?"

He turned to see Green Lantern wielding a very large green S.W.A.T. shield, and firing a green grenade launcher at him. He roared and tried to attack, but the projectiles turned into some form of sticky, heavy substance when it hit him.

Wally leaped off the green goo and shrank through the atom-sized gaps in the force-feild.

He put his shoes back on and tried to crawl up and hit him in his vulnerable face, but he was having a tough time crawling through the Ultra-Humanite's fur. The fleas that drank the gorilla's blood became mutant fleas when they sucked mutant gorilla blood. They weren't very dangerous, but enough that they could keep him occupied. And there were a lot of them too.

Ultra-Humanite had had enough. He pushed a button on his side panel, and an arc of lightning pierced through the moldy green muck covering him. He raised his arm cannon and fired at Green Lantern. She screamed as her body radiated with yellow energy for a moment, and then she fell.

Ultra-Humanite let out a loud laugh as the green constructs faded away. He set his arm cannon to a higher setting and prepared to fire at her again, but when he took aim Donna came up behind him and put him in a chokehold.

He wasn't affected thanks to his force field, and he reached behind him to counter. He managed to get a firm enough grip and flipped her over, finishing her with a single punch to the face, pounding her into the sidewalk. He aimed again, and Tom Thumb dove out from the fur on his neck, growing in size breaking the device with a solid kick. Ultra-Humanite grabbed him, and tossed him to the side.

Tom Thumb flew in the air, spinning like a leaf in the wind. He guessed that he'd survive the fall but it would probably hurt.

A sonic boom echoed through the streets, and Tom Thumb was caught. The newcomer wore a green T-shirt and jeans and a black leather trench coat. He also wore a domino mask. He set Tom Thumb down, and sped over to Ultra-Humanite.

"Hey monkey boy!" He yelled, mockingly.

Ultra-Humanite's fist flew forward, only to hit empty air. The newcomer was standing on his head now.

"Too slow!"

Ultra-Humanite was infuriated. All he wanted was revenge on the person who had denied him his ability to continue his experiments. And now out of nowhere, these colorful miscreants were attacking him for seemingly no other reason than he was a giant talking monkey.

"And what is your colorful stage name you impertinent youth?" He asked, swatting the air above his head, only to discover, as predicted, that it was empty.

The speedster zipped back in front of him. "The name's the Snap. 'Cause that's how long it's gonna take for me to beat you. A snap." He snapped his fingers to demonstrate. It caused another sonic boom, and shattered nearby car windows.

Ultra-Humanite covered his ears to stop the ringing.

"Oh, so that fancy force-field thing… it can stand the lightning but not thunder?"

The Snap ran around the Ultra-Humanite with dizzying speed, snapping his fingers and causing sonic booms. The cells on Ultra-Humanite's generator shattered, and blew up. His fur was singed, but the worst was the amplified noise. He took a flash-bang grenade out from his belt, and set it in front of him, closing his eyes.

A flash and a bang later he looked up and saw the Snap in front of him. Groaning, he thought. He couldn't tell because he was still deaf from the grenade and the repeated finger snapping, though thankfully not blind.

He picked up the insolent young man, and laughed in his face. The Snap seemed to smile, pointing to something behind him and saying something.

The Ultra-Humanite raised an eyebrow, and looked behind him in time to see the headlights of a Barq's root beer truck.

He released the Snap just in time for him to get Blackbird out from behind the driver's seat and away from the killer ape. The car exploded. Snap fainted in Blackbird's arms.

Superman and Donna were awake by now. They watched as the Ultra-Humanite climbed out of the wreckage slowly.

"You cannot allow the fire to spread." Donna said.

"That's kind of the least of our worries right now." Blackbird replied as Superman picked up the end of the truck holding all of the root beer and shook it up. There were already a few leaks from the crash, but leaks soon turned into geysers.

"Hey, 'Ultra-Humanite'!" He yelled.

The ape looked up.

"Barq has bite!" And with that one-liner, Superman tore off the van's doors, sending a geyser of root beer and tin cans down on him. Assisted by gravity, they packed a wallop. And also put out the fires.

Superman flew down to join Donna and Blackbird in front of the maniac gorilla-man. He was panting heavily and swaying back and forth.

"Bad monkey." Superman smirked. As if on cue, Blackbird whipped out his collapsible staff and smacked Ultra-Humanite as hard as he could across the face.

He toppled backwards, and closed his eyes.

Superman looked at Blackbird. This was the man he had found so scary on television. Now that he'd fought next to him against a mad scientist mutant gorilla, he didn't find him so intimidating. He held out his hand.

"High. I'm superman."

* * *

Blackbird regarded Superman warily. He didn't think he could trust somebody that made one-liners or bad pop culture references. But then, he had fought next to him against a mad super criminal.

He shook his hand. "Blackbird."

* * *

Donna regarded the two curiously. They didn't seem like normal Men after she'd experienced Man's world. But they weren't like Terry either. Then again, they did best a monster, so maybe they were heroes, and if they were she'd have to get to know them to be a hero herself.

She held out her hand. "I'm Donna Troy."

The two stared at her.

Blackbird coughed. "Ahh… you're supposed to have a name other than your real one when you do stuff in costume."

Donna revised her opinion and decided to leave the question of Man's sanity for a later date.

"Fine. Call me Wonder Woman then."

As the heroes helped their fallen up, the crowd cheered. They looked at each other, and took their bows for the press.

* * *

Lex Luthor was furious.

Firstly, he'd been interrupted. Secondly, he hadn't been able to best that brute with intellect alone, and had dislocated his shoulder in the attempt. Thirdly he'd been shown up by super powered infants. And last… his hair. It was burnt off. All of it.

Those heroes would rue the day they showed up Lex Luthor.

Especially. Superman.

He felt a tugging at his sleeve. It was Roy. "Are you okay… dad?" He asked hesitantly.

Lex felt a wave of disgust. Now that the boy revealed his special talents, he could not reliably manipulate his genetic structure. Normally, if it went wrong Luthor could hide the evidence and call it an accident. If it went right, his powers would be a birthday gift, and he could reserve the right to keep his secrets to himself. But now, he didn't need a birthday gift like that because he was already a hero. Luthor had no human guinea pig to test the inventions that would one day grant him godhood!

Or perhaps... perhaps this was a fortunate turn of events after all. Yes... his reaction was hasty. This unforeseen turn of events could be most beneficial if he could twist it the right way.

He hugged Roy and tried to give his sincerest family smile he'd practiced for an hour in the mirror before this press conference. "Yes… Son. I'm alright. Let's just get out of here okay?"

They struggled to get up. They should have been surrounded by the media in that little family moment, but instead, the cameras were outside gawking at the heroes as they recovered from their grade A whipping.

Mercy hobbled out from the debris she had landed in. "Are you all right Mr. Luthor?"

He glared at her. "Yes, no thanks to you. Please relocate my shoulder now." He bit his lip as Mercy expertly fit his arm back in its socket. "Thank you. Take Roy to the helicopter. We're leaving. Now. I'll be right behind you."

He waited until Roy was out of hearing before he made the call. "Grace? Destroy any evidence that we ever had a cure for cancer." He shut his phone off and hobbled after his 'family'.

* * *

Amanda Waller looked at the news grimly. She picked up the phone.

"Yes mister president, I've heard. Yes, I'll brief you on it tomorrow."

She hung up. "It's a good plan. You'd better be quiet about it, or the media will be down your throat.

The contrast between Amanda Waller and the tall skinny British man with impeccable manners was almost comical as he stepped out of the shadows. "Don't fret Ms. Waller. All will be arranged. It will be a strictly surveillance only operation unless one of them gets out of line. An insurance, if you will."

Amanda eyed the man. "I'll have trouble pitching this to the secretary of defense. The media is turning them into heroes."

The man smiled. "They are heroes madam. But the minute they stop being heroes, we'll know what to do. I doubt even your suicide squad could match them now. What if their numbers swell? What if they attack?"

Amanda nodded. "Carry on Special Agent Pennyworth."

The Wayne's former butler bowed, taking his assignment seriously. He knew that the people on the telly were just what they claimed to be; heroes. The only reason he decided to start this initiative was the fact that, it would start someday regardless and be headed by somebody far more trigger-happy than he.

* * *

**One Month Later…**

Henri Ducard Walked along the streets of Paris and turned into a corner. He waited, and then, when the kid rounded the corner, he grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the wall.

"You've been shadowing me for seven days. It's become annoying. Who are you and who sent you?"

The boy was calm as he replied. "You're the best secret agent in France, am I correct?"

Henri Ducard nodded.

Dick took a deep breath. "I was wondering if you could use… and apprentice."

Ducard stared. Then, he burst into laughter, and dropped his stalker, leaving the ally.

He didn't say no. Dick followed.

* * *

**Hello everybody! This is your host, the Clown With A Chainsaw!**

**Wow, This is the end of the first story arc. Hope you all enjoyed it.**

**The setting for the next Story Arc will be about four to five years after this one. Simply because, there are so many aliens, and weird adventures in the first few years of D.C. comics, that I will go insane if I try to look them all up. **

**You'll see the return of Blackbird in this one. He takes less time training than Batman did because a) he already pretty much knew how to fight well, b) he finished his training early to see some real justice done, so he won't be as awesome as Batman. I'll try to make him close though (even if there's no more driving root beer trucks into giants apes). If you want to know more, take the poll on my profile for a story about him.**

**The second arc will also feature the Challengers of the Unknown, and all the characters from Teen Titans too. How do they fit into this new world order of mine you ask? You'll have to wait and see. But almost nobody is the same. The butterfly effect Amos Fortune created is going to change the world.**

**The one thing I have to dislike about writing, is that it lacks music. Unfortunately, this is a medium where there is none. However, if you want to know the Justice Champion's theme song, it is an amalgamation of the Justice League Them song from the T.V. show, and Rohan's theme song from Lord of the Rings. It is awesome, I wish you could hear it.**

**Until next time true believers!**


	8. Prologue for Part 2

**Hello! Clownwithachainsaw here!**

**I'm now beginning the second book of the two part origin story to the heroes of the Justice Champions! **

**This takes place five years after part one. The Justice Champions have new members and the Teen Titans (or their approxamite versions) are about to be formed.**

**I hope you enjoy this new chapter in the Justice Champions Saga.**

* * *

When evil people died, they went to Tartarus. When boring people who weren't good or evil die, they go to the grey fields.

When heroes die, they go to Elysium.

When Ell was born, half amazon half bird, Queen Diana named her after the place where all heroes aspire to. Maybe it was because she was the first Amazon born in a long while. Maybe Donna wanted Ell to be a hero.

But if she had to guess in her current predicament, Ell would say she was named Elysium because a name was as close as Diana wanted her to get to any heaven.

Ell twitched uncomfortably as she waited. She was chained up in a small cell in the Themisceran prison tower. It had gained many occupants since Donna had been jailed almost five years past. Ell had been up here for three days for high treason. The mad queen Diana, her sister, was consorting with the powers of Tartarus. Ell and other like-minded Amazonians felt she should be stopped.

When her shadow finally became longer than her, she flexed her wings and a sharp metal tool dropped into her right hand. After several more minutes of struggling, the lock on her hand opened with a click. She pulled it free, and after a few experimental flexes began to work on her other manacle.

She was freeing her wings when she heard a chirping at the window. It was her mother and her father, Queen Hyppolita of the Amazons and Allanu the Crow.

"We've come." Her mother chirped. "And we have the rope."

"Some of my best work." Her father sang proudly. "Never stole so much in two days."

"Borrowed." Her mother cawed angrily. "We will return it once we are done with it."

Ell rolled her eyes and took the rope from her mother's talons. That was her parents. They really loved each other, but their philosophies were so different. Mother was a firm believer in honor, discipline, and feminine superiority. Father was a Magpie who got lost on his way from someplace called New York, who only believed in having fun and living in the moment.

She finished tying the rope to the bars on the windows and moved onto the bars on the door. "That's weaved together from the hair of forty amazons." Her father chirped. "Only twenty of them were in prison and knew that you sent us. And I actually got hair from two amazons. Most of them were from combs and brushes and such."

"I still don't approve of stealing." Her mother cawed sullenly. "But I suppose it does have its place. We will still return all the hair."

Ell finished on the door and came back to the window, giving her parents a light hug each. "Thank you so much." She said, almost crying.

"Just be safe, and tell Donna to hurry." Her mother chirped. "We haven't much time before Diana puts us all in peril." She flew out into the night.

"And remember kid." Her father said, following her. "You're about to leave the nest; rule number one is always look before you leap."

Ell heard footsteps coming up the passage. She hurriedly ran to the door and began trying to pick the outside lock.

"Good luck with that." Said a familiar, scornful voice. Ell looked to the side and saw her sister, Queen Diana, followed by a guard carrying a plate of food. "I knew you'd try to escape." She said. "The lock is bewitched against your little hobby."

Ell pressed her face against the bars and glared defiantly at her sister, spreading her wings like a swan trying to make itself look bigger. "Yeah? And how's your hobby going? I don't see mother as a human, or Themiscera as a peaceful place."

Diana's smile widened. "Themiscara will be much more peaceful with your little insurrection dealt with. It's time for your last meal." She unlocked the door and pulled, but it stayed fast. Ell was grabbing the bars to make it look like she was holding the door closed, and her wings shielded the rope from view.

Diana glared at her. "Cute. But you were only ever half an Amazon." Ell quickly jumped out of the way as Diana tore the door off of its hinges. The rope held fast, and as Diana pulled the door out, the window broke from its moorings and flew into her face.

_You should really try making prisons reinforced against brute force __**and**__ lock picks._ Ell thought happily as she flew out of the large hole in the wall to her freedom. The guard dropped her meal and launched a spear, but she dodged with ease. She was home free!

And then Diana started chasing her.

Ell gulped. She'd forgotten that her sister could ride air currents. Ell could actually fly, but if her sister used magic to boost herself…

_Hera give me strength._ She whispered, and she flew with all the strength in her wings into the wind current. Diana was blown back for an instant, but then she used her magic. She flew forward with ease and grace, until she suddenly realized her sister was gone.

She flew in every direction, looking as far as she could. "Elysium!" She called. "Elysium! I will find you! No matter where you run, doomsday is upon us! We Amazons shall rule the world! You cannot escape that!" She flew back to the island.

Ell his above the clouds, listening to her sister's rant. When she finally stopped she whispered a silent prayer of thanks to Hera, before starting the cold, long, journey to man's world.


	9. Chpt 1 We Are The Champions

A small child ran out of the toy store waving his box around. "Mommy mommy look!" He yelled as his mother as they walked towards their minivan. "The Sergeant Rock action figure includes moveable limbs, action talk, and a real gun that shoots bullets!"

The mother sighed but patiently grinned. "I think you read that wrong Charlie. It probably said 'realistic gun' that shoots darts."

The action figure punched through the wrapping and pointed its gun at the kid. "Sorry darlin', but you'd be dead wrong there." It grinned as it pulled the trigger. There was a loud bang and Charlie's mother shrieked and knocked the box away, turning around and picking her son up.

"I'm gonna get ya fer that darlin'!" It yelled. Then she heard the crunch.

She realized what had happened, and why her son wasn't dead in her arms, and turned around. Standing right next to him was Superman, tiny bullet in one hand and crushed Sergeant Rock action figure in the other. Her son was cheering. "Yay! Superman! Superman saved me! I can't believe it! This is awesome! Wait 'till my friends at school hear about this!"

"Is he all right?" Superman asked. He walked closer. "Good job knocking the box away when you did." He said, pressing his hand against a shallow bullet wound that grazed Charlie's shoulder. "Otherwise this might be a lot harder." Red ribbons of energy flowed through the red streak on his arm, fixing it instantly.

"Oh, thank you so much Superman." The mother almost cried.

Superman smiled at the her, nodded his thanks, and flew away. He soared through the air, scanning the city for any more toy trouble below, then returned to the task at hand; the giant Puppet doing a King Kong impression at Kord towers. "It's over Toyman!" He yelled. "I just destroyed the last of your toy soldiers! Let the hostages go!"

The hostages inside the building began to cheer, regardless of the Tommy-gun toting Jack-in-the-boxes holding them at gunpoint. "Spoilsport!" Toyman yelled. "I don't want to play with you any more!" Superman saw through the puppet inside its cockpit and to his horror, Toyman pressed the button that sent out the signal for the Jack-In-The-Box army to open fire.

He flew forward, trying to remember anything in his training sessions with Green Lantern that could help. "We have to explore all of your abilities." She said. "You're potentially the most powerful person on this planet. We need to know exactly what you can do, so when the time comes you'll know you have the options."

Jimmy was just starting then, and he'd just fought his first few super-villains. Before them, it had all been just a game. But he was beginning to take things more seriously after the Parasite and Metallo had almost killed him. If it weren't for the arrival of the Hood, he probably wouldn't have survived, but the Hood was still out there, and he was armed, smart, and dangerous. The last thing he wanted was to run into any more surprises unprepared. "Well then, let's not waste any time." He'd said.

The first thing Green Lantern wanted to know was how he was so strong and indestructible and able to fly. After a lot of experiments, they'd discovered that he had a small force field that surrounded his body. It was powered by miniature solar batteries in his skin that absorbed the sun's rays and powered up a small portion of his brain.

"It's amazing." Tom Thumb tried to explain to him. "Your brain's mutated a whole new lobe. Just like your skin cells. Of course, we still have no idea why you'd mutate to… um…"

"Asymmetrical features? Tamable hair? Super-handsomeness?"

They never did find out why the accident that gave him his powers changed the way he looked. He did manage to learn how to manipulate his force-field, and project it away from his body to protect other people. He'd even learned how to make a whole separate forcefield, while keeping up the one around his body. But the coolest thing he'd discovered was his 'tactile kinesis', his ability to extend his force-field onto anything he touched, find it's 'shatter points' and break it. Or, like with the boy he'd just healed, fix it. He rarely used this ability though, he was still getting the hang of it. Not only was it dangerous, but it drained a lot of his energy, and he needed a full battery in case he was needed at night or underground.

The next things on the list to study were his eyes. He'd already discovered several of the features, including the X-ray vision. But he soon found out that he could access every spectrum known to man and then some. He could even see radio-wave frequencies.

His mind also worked super-fast now when he wanted it to, and now he quickly thought through his options. None of them seemed to work, and he watched in a panic as the radio-waves slowly travelled through the air…

That's it!

He frantically flew in front of the puppet, into the path of the radiowaves. They were fast; he had to fly at mach 3 just to brush his fingers against the waves in time. But just that touch was enough. He focused on the waves,watching as they almost reached the Jack-In-The-Boxes, pulsing through the air molecules, and between the concrete walls of the building. He felt the wave against his finger, vibrating with energy. He focused on the vibration, timing it, feeling it's highs and lows… feeling it's shatter points. With a focused thought, he forced his power into those points, straining as the feeling of a jackhammer ran down his arm. He had no idea if this would work, but he had to try. He sent his tactile kinesis into the signal, praying at the back of his mind.

Like a speedboat cutting through the sea, his power disrupted the signal's waves. The Jack-in-the-boxes stayed as they were, and he quickly used his laser vision on the Toyman's remote before he started pushing the button again.

Superman sighed with exhaustion and leaned against the building."What's the matter Superman?" The Toyman asked. "Do you want to stop playing too?" The puppet reached down and swatted at Superman like a cat. He slammed into the ground, crashing through a lamp post on the way down.

When the dust cleared, Superman was back on his feet. Superman gritted his teeth and extended his force fields around his fists, into boxing glove shaped energy fields. He flew through the air, dodging Toyman's next attack and closing the distance between them easily. He began to pound away on his machine, sending it stumbling back slowly until it lost its grip on the building and collapsed into the street. Superman swooped down, the streets already cleared by the police, tore into the robot's cockpit after Toyman.

The robot crashed into the ground and burst into flame around them. Superman extended his field around the Toyman, waited until theflames had died down a little for effect and suspense before he shot out of the ruins. He was sure to look into a reflected surface while he did it, so he could get another picture for the bugle with his photo vision. This one might even be the Pulitzer he dreamed about. Lois would be so jealous.

* * *

Donna Troy walked home from school talking to her friends Allen and Joyce after a perfectly ordinary day at school.

When she'd first arrived in man's world she'd been instantly welcomed into the group of young adults who had powers above the ordinary. She'd stayed with Barbara Gordon for several days, and her father, learning the strange customs of the world so as to better fit in. Barbara had also been able to help her in tracking down Terry Long's parents.

They had heard about the plane crash, and expected the worst. When Donna told them about how their son had died they wept, but had already accepted his death. After a few days, she accepted an offer to stay with them. She was now Donna Long. She went to school with ordinary people, and also protected the world from danger with her extraordinary friends.

She had made fast friends with her classmate Betty Kane; a true example of the Amazon way, even though she'd never been to Themiscera. It had been hard keeping her secret from such a good friend, so she eventually told her. Betty was thrilled to be in on it and had not told anybody about Donna's origins. Not even her childhood friend Allen.

Allen was completely in love with Donna. She had to admit, he was very nice. But he wasn't a warrior, or a hero. He did excel at thinking, but only in the rare moments when he thought at all.

"So Donna, would you like to go to the fall formal? You know… with me? Maybe?"

"You have got to try to assert yourself more Allen." Betty said, rolling her eyes.

"We've been through this Allen." Donna sighed. "You're a good friend and very nice, but you're not…" She looked to Betty.

"Her type." Betty finished for her. "You just aren't her type."

"I have to go now." Donna said. "My book club."

"Why can't I join again?" Allen asked for the fortieth time.

"Ignore him Donna. Just remember to be there for the concert tomorrow night."

"Wild dragons couldn't keep me away." She said, winking a silent thank you to her friend. She had only just gotten introduced to thinking about relationships in 'types'.

As she walked away she heard Allen say, "So Betty… her type wouldn't happen to be…"

"No."

"I didn't even…"

"No."

* * *

Barbara Gordon sat in Oa's main mess hall with her friend Jack T. Chance.

Jack was in charge of guarding the worst sector in the universe. Almost thirteen Green Lanterns had died before the last one realized the depths they'd have to sink in order to protect it. Thus, Jack T. Chance found the ring and used it in his own… unorthodox way. The Guardians had removed the rules from him that applied to other Green Lanterns, but until recently he'd been banished from all other sectors but his own.

But thanks to his help saving the universe with her, Barbara managed to pull some strings. Not that the guardians had them of course. Officially.

"And then…" Barbara said, laughing. "Then he charged at me, but he slipped in a pile of one of his hunting dog's poop!" They both roared with laughter.

"I'll bet I can do one better than Havicticus the Hunter." Jack said. "One time, I was chasing a perp through the ghettoes of Apokolips, and somebody comes out of the shadows. Without looking, I swing my fist and knock him out. Turns out it was one of Darksied's elite, Reverend Good."

Barbara leaned forward. "How did you get out of there alive?"

"Well, the perp was a real nasty piece of work; mass murderer, terrorist, kidnapper… also, shapeshifer."

Barbara gasped. "He didn't…"

"He got the jump on me, took my ring, and he was going to kill me and impersonate me, when out of nowhere Kalibak comes in and beats the ever livin' daylights out of the guy."

There was a brief silence, then they both broke into laughter. "I shouldn't find that funny." Barbara gasped.

"In this job you take your kicks where you can." Jack said. "A little black humor never hurt anybody..." They both burst into laughter again.

A robot came and deposited their food. "Hmmm…" Jack grunted, sinking his teeth into a blue bug's gelatinous abdomen. "It's been so long since I've had a taste of Mugel III wind-bug. It is the most delicious thing I've had in my life."

Barbara ate some herself and shrugged. "I've tasted better, but it sure beats Kraft Dinner."

Her ring beeped. [[GREEN LANTERN BARBARA GORDON, THIS IS YOUR REQUESTED ALARM. IT IS TWO HOURS UNTIL THE JUSTICE CHAMPIONS ANNUAL MEETING.]]

"Thanks ring." She said, wiping a speck of blue lower intestines off the corner of her mouth.

"So Babs." Jack said, leaning back. "How about we go to the fourth moon of Krigeli this weekend? It has a kicking dance club."

"Sorry Jack, no."

"Oh come on! I'm an exotic alien bad boy, which from my study of earth literature should attract Terrans." He said. "I'm also a detective, like you! What more could you want?"

"Somebody who doesn't end a sacred oath with; 'Yowza!'"

"Well, you can't blame a guy for trying!" He half joked as she flew off.

* * *

Tom Thumb sat in the crystal libraries, reading up on crystalline technologies.

He had found his calling when he decided to become an explorer. He'd gone on several treks over the years, into jungle wilderness, and miniature landscapes. Over the past several years, he'd became an honorary citizen of Gorilla City, despite being eventually turned back human (some crazy gorilla ray, don't ask). He'd saved several shrunken cities from an alien who called himself Brainiac. Well, he wasn't a slouch with grey matter either.

After studying Professor Palmer's notes thoroughly, he'd deduced that his brain capacity was increasing as a side effect of the belt. Somebody like Palmer probably wouldn't even notice it. But to Wally, it was the coolest thing ever. He got straight A minuses in school (he didn't want to show off) and could calculate speed, angle, trajectory, momentum, balance, and more factors that he'd made up to make better skateboard moves. And of course, despite his brain only growing in terms of mechanical and engineering potential, he had also picked up a whole lot of things during his adventures. He was still learning about all of the cultures from the jars he'd rescued from Braniac.

Knowing things was so cool.

He was now the gadget guy for the Champions, supplying several little toys to their arsenal from the various worlds he's discovered, as well as some he'd invented himself. He was an inventor! His life was just so awesome.

A small hoverbot floated near him. "Wally." Said his aunt's voice through it. "Hurry up; you don't want to be late for the annual meeting."

"Thanks Aunt Iris." He said into the bot. She was still a little overprotective, so he'd made the hoverbot for her so she could come along with him on his adventures. He called it I.R.I.S. and he was still trying to figure out whether this was a good idea or bad idea.

He put the crystal back on the shelf, and thanked the Librarian of Kandor for his assistance. He held the hoverbot close, and teleported out. Teleportation was a fairly new science, so anything bigger than he was at the moment, was out of the question. But he was working on it.

The flash of light disappeared, signaling that the teleporter had done its work. He began to grow, until he was normal sized and back in his lab. It was filled with whole shelves of petri dishes and a few cities in glass jars. There were several screens, which he used to communicate with his friends down in the cities.

The whole room was completely sealed off save for a tiny hole in the wall only he could fit through. It was earthquake-proof, lead lined, and sanitized, so no monster germs could kill his tiny friends. And, in the case of the Jargonauts (who were still living on the pepperoni after all these years) extended family.

He picked up his skateboard and shrunk through the hole in the wall with the bot. His aunt was on the other side with fresh baked brownies. "Where were you? It's going to start in half an hour." She said, attaching the brownie pan to the underside of the hoverbot.

"Relax Aunt Iris, I'll get there in time." He shrunk and landed on the bot. "This thing can go Mach 5, and it only has to go to the other side of town."

"Just make sure it doesn't drop the brownies." She said, pulling up the bot's G-field on her laptop and flying it forward.

* * *

In a flash of a camera, the Snap was everywhere.

He made five poses all at the same moment for the camera's slow shutter, and all centered around one thing; Eau du Snap.

Where ever he went, Snapper Carr was followed by the faint aroma of slightly burnt lime. As Green Lantern had pointed out, this could wreak havoc on his secret identity, so he was marketing a new men's cologne based off of his scent.

"Brilliant!" The photographer cried. "Bloody brilliant Mr. Snap. You were a born showman!"

"I do my best." He replied trying to keep his ego in check. "I'm on a deadline here Mr. Winnson; can you make do with what you have?"

"Sure thing Snap." He said. "I'll show you the finished product tomorrow at seve –"

The Snap ran off without listening to the end. Somewhere in between Utah and Texas he stopped a tornado, then he made it back home to New York and went into Giant's stadium. He was in such a rush, he almost bowled over Coach Brigham.

"Yer late kid." Coach Brigham growled.

"Sorry Coach." Snap said. "I had to stop a twister on the way over."

"A Twister? Is that your excuse? You're the Snap boy! Was Atlanta ever late? Was Coyote ever late? Was Johnny Appleseed ever late?"

"No sir." Snap mumbled.

Coach whapped him in the back of the head with a clipboard. "Wrong. Johnny Appleseed was late a couple of times. But you want to be better than him. He was just a no-good Lazy punk." Snap rubbed the back of his head. He'd met the coach a while ago on a journey through time, and he'd agreed to let him coach him to be a better hero. So far, the going was much, much tougher then he'd imagined. Which, he guessed, was the point.

"All right, three things before we begin. First; I was there, you weren't, so if you don't know ask me but don't guess. Second; don't be late again. If a little ol' twister will slow you down, then how can you beat up baddies? Third; why in tarnation did I just hit you in the back of the head?" He swung his clip board again, this time Snap ducked. "Good, yer learning. Now give me twenty laps around the world and come back when you've found a country that doesn't have McDonalds."

"But what about the Justice Champion's annual meeting?"

"Yer the Snap kid; you won't be late. Now shoo, before I make it thirty. And no cheating; I'll know if you skip laps." Snap didn't doubt it.

* * *

Hank and Don Hall sat in the crowd watching the Thirty-fifth annual Star City air show. They applauded and clapped with the rest of the crowd, but they weren't too excited. They'd flown several times, and these jets were child's play to that.

Hank and Don were secretly the superheroes known as Hawk and Dove. They were gifted with powers by the lords of Order and Chaos, as an experiment to fight crime. Well, they'd fought crime, but if they weren't related they'd probably have killed each other by now. After they became superheroes, they went with Tom Thumb and Superman on an adventure to look fortheir parents and a pair of missing archeologists, Carter and Shiera Hall. They'd found them, but they were all dead. They were in the ruins of an Egyptian tomb, where Tom had found something that surprised even them.

Past all of the standard booby traps, there was a spaceship, and some alien weapons. When Green Lantern was brought in, she identified it as Thanagarian and read the hieroglyphs. They told the story of a hawkman and a hawkwoman falling from the sky and bcoming great pharaohs, constructing great wonders. The stories told that a hawk would come again to claim what was his, and since Hank happened to be named Hawk, he and Don took the alien spaceship.

But better than a spaceship were what they found inside it. Two sets of wings. After strapping them on, the brothers were flying like birds. After that, they didn't find the air show all that exciting. The only reason they were there was because Hank's girlfriend Dawn wanted to go.

Hank yawned. "Hey Don, could you hold my hot dog for me?"

"Sure." Don said. "Where are you going?"

"Guess." Hawk walked sown the isles.

Don sighed. "Awe, cheer up Don." Dawn smiled. "The rest of us have never flown at all, except in a crowded plane."

"Yeah, I just wish I could leave like Hank."

She frowned. "He's leaving? He said he was going to make this show worth our while."

Don sat up. "No… He wouldn't…" A cheer rose up in the crowd as the next wave of planes were led by Hawk, smiling and waving at the crowds below. When he saw Don and Dawn, he actually winked.

"That show-off! What does he think he's –"

"Calm down Don." Dawn said. "I think it's exciting, and so does the crowd."

Don struggled with words for a moment, then finished his soda and got up. "You hold his Hot Dog then. The Hawk and Dove team isn't a one man show." He went off to go flying next to his brother.

* * *

Susan Dibny landed behind the police barricade in her uniform. "Commissioner Roland." She called, landing. "I'm here. What's the situation?"

The Commissioner turned, and acknowledged her. His face was a mass of burns and scars, dating back to when she hadn't saved him in time from the twin city's crimelord the Turtle, and almost drowned in a vat of toxic sludge. As a side effect, he was now more indestructible then Superman, which would have been fine considering his career choice. Except now plastic surgeons couldn't operate on his face.

"The Rogues have taken the entire symphony orchestra and audience hostage. From what we could gather before Mirror Master took out surveillance footage, the Pied Piper was making the audience give them anything valuable of theirs. It's going to be a nightmare to give them back to the right people. We have Captain Cold, The Trickster, Weather Wizard, and Captain Boomerang confirmed as well."

"The Top and the Mr. Element aren't in there?" She asked.

"Might be. We haven't seen him yet though. Piper's sent out the children, and he says he'll send out the women too after they've emptied their purses. They're demanding a helicopter full of gas be on the roof in half an hour. S.C.A.T. is going to be ready to go in fifteen minutes. That's how long you have to diffuse the situation if you can."

She nodded, and flew in through one of the balcony windows.

"Ah ah ah Red." With a flash the mirror stationed at the corner of the balcony sucked her in like a black hole. She fell on her face in the mirror dimension, and looked up. Captain Cold and the Trickster were sitting down in the mezzanine, watching her through the icy wall they'd Captain Cold had set up.

"You're getting sloppy Red Rover." The Trickster smirked.

"Score one for you." She said, tossing their lucky coin at him. It twirled through the mirror and he caught it with one finger. As he began twirling it around in his fingers she cursed her father for the umpteenth time for putting her through this.

She should have known something was coming, when he asked her where she'd bury a time capsule if she was in the past. The next day the spot in their garden was dug up, and her father called her into his study.

He was looking out over the city of Sydney, particularly the opera house. "Did I ever tell you I've been to that opera house?" He asked her. "Back when people were still singing in it?"

"Not today you haven't." Susan said, exasperated.

He sighed. "Susan, I've been getting complaints about you. From the police."

"Well it's not like you didn't know about the parties already." She said. "Mr. Worlds-greatest-detective and all."

"Susan, I don't like your self-destructive attitude. Parties, boys, V.R.D., rioting, it's going to get you into some very big trouble someday."

"Dad, I'm not your little girl anymore. I'm nineteen, I can do what I want."

"Not if it involves what the police have been telling me you're up to."

"What do you even care?"

"I care." He pressed a button on his desk, and a large translucent bubble floated into the room, big enough for three people to fit inside. "I don't believe I've ever shown you this, or told you the full story of my coming here."

Her eyes widened as she walked up to it. "No, you haven't. Is this… a time sphere?"

He nodded. "I was eight years old at the time, and had run into a string of extraordinarily bad luck. I was being attacked by mob hitmen, demons, sewer gators, you name it. Every dangerous thing within a mile radius would inevitably run into me and begin a conflict. I was lying in a hospital, recovering from a close encounter with a time-traveling demigod when this… time sphere appeared. Inside, was a man who called himself Rip Hunter."

"Rip Hunter the inventor of time travel? Guardian of the time stream?" Susan asked.

He nodded. "The same. He told me that I was destined to be a hero. That when I was all grown up, I'd be the greatest detective in the world, and a member of a team called the Justice League."

"That kind of sounds like the Justice Champions."

"It does, doesn't it? He then informed me, that the entire League's other members, were either being killed off, or not experiencing the incidents that made them heroes, thanks to the machinations of a mad scientist. Thus far, I was the only one who was both still alive and with my heroic tendencies." He grinned. "Because I'm naturally heroic, and just too smart to die."

"But, eventually I was going to die. Even if a nuclear missile had to malfunction and fall on my head. I didn't want to be a danger to those around me, so I had Rip take me to the future, where the Justice League would never exist because I wouldn't be around. And as long as I don't go back in time, the bad luck won't follow me."

"You know the rest of course. Everybody does. I showed up in the middle of the Great Schism, I begin to lead the Justice Champions against the Luthorclan and their L.E.G.I.O.N., and the Cloak's Shadowpact. Building a new society here in Australia, and ending the war."

"Wow Dad, that is awesome." Susan said. "Truly inspirational. I've totally learned my lesson. No more V.R.D.'s for me. In fact, the girls and I were going to go to acharity fundraiser gala. Could I borrow the Unicorn?"

In retrospect, that was probably the wrong thing to say. "I'm sending you to my parents to learn some responsibility Susan." He said. "I've found your uniform, and your memoirs in the capsule you buried. Don't worry, we'll meet again."

He pushed her into the bubble. "Ouch! Daddy!" She yelled, as he waved goodbye from outside the bubble.

"You'll thank me someday!" He yelled, as she vanished through time.

It rocketed away, into some sort of tunnel with plasmatechnic swirls. She screamed, and tried to push the buttons on the control panel, but they all came back red. Light flashed from all sides, becoming so sporadic that the walls of the bubble began to dim to protect her eyes.

That was when she saw the uniform laid out for her in the time bubble.

It was Red Rover's Biosuit. The first Red Rover. Susan Dibny. Oh wow. Susan always thought Red Rover was her mom or something… but… Oh no! She was Red Rover! She was going all the way back in time to when the Justice Champions first started! She was going to have to protect Central City from the Rogues!

She really wished she'd paid better attention in history class.

_This one's for you daddy_. She thought. She tapped into her suit's holographic displays, reversed them, and increased the output by 400%, shining bright light onto the villains. Then she used her biosuit's main power, and transformed into mirrormist.

"She's up to something!" Captain Cold yelled, shattering the mirror.

"Ouch, that hurt." Mirror Master said, stepping out from the shards.

"No!" It was too late. Red Rover flew through the shard in her mist form in Mirror Master's wake.

"It was a clever idea Trickster." She said. "Distracting everybody by demanding a helicopter then getting the Mirror Master to make reflections of you guys to drive it away, leading the police on a wild goose chase while the Top and Mr. Element dig an escape route underneath." She absorbed the metal from the balcony with her Biosuit, and it transfigured her genetic structure so when she hit the Mirror Master he went out like a light.

"Well done." Trickster applauded as Captain Cold fired an icy blast from his gun. "What put you onto it?"

"Well, first off you asked for a helicopter." She flew through the orchestra, dodging Captain Cold's blasts until she hit the Mezzanine's support column and Captain Cold fell down, making an icy slide for himself. "Why would you do that when you knew they'd try to track you? You obviously had an ace up your sleeve."

"Good, good." The trickster nodded, walking through the air in his special shoes. "But what about the tunnel?"

"Well…" She said, dodging Captain Boomerang's boomerangs. "The two Rogues that the police couldn't see on surveillance were the Top and Mr. Element. They had to be there, since they weren't in prison and Rogues tends to travel in packs. Therefore, they must be up to something. I just put your lack of an escape route and your lack of two teammates who are capable of tunneling together." She flew down and crashed into Captain Cold's slide, sending him tumbling into Boomerang, and sending them both crashing into the grand piano.

"And I suppose you meant to be captured?" The Trickster asked.

Pied Piper began to blow on his specialized flute, the shrill blast reverberating through Red Rover's metallic eardrums. She dropped out of the sky like a stone, then punched through a wall and dug her hands into en electrical socket. "In a word; yes." She transformed into electric energy, and charged at the Piper, electrocuting him.

"But why? And in more then one word?" The Weather Wizard shot a bolt of lightning at her. She was knocked back through row D until she crashed into the wall. She was already in the air before he could fire another bolt, and she shot a bolt at the rope keeping the bag of sand hanging over his head from falling. He ducked out of the way as the bag came crashing down, splitting floorboards. He tried to get up, but Red Rover was already on top of him with a Cello. She swung it around and knocked him off his feet into the wind section. She slowly exhaled, and transformed back to normal, flying in front of the Trickster.

"Well where would the fun in that be James?"

His smile broadened. "Where indeed?" He took out their lucky coin and tossed it to her. "I surrender. Score one for you."

She pocketed the coin and floated closer. "Score on for me."

They met in mid air and kissed passionately.

"We really should stop meeting like this Susan." He smiled.

Suddenly they heard a bang, and the rumbling of footsteps.

"Well, 'til next time James." She smiled.

"I'll bet you a hundred I can escape Iron Heights in a week."

"You're on. I'll warn the warden."

The doors banged open, and Commissioner Roland lead the way with his shotgun. He saw Red Rover in the air, holding the limp Trickster by his collar. "I've wrapped this up Commissioner." She said, lowering him to the ground. "Mr. Element and the Top should be coming out from underneath the Grand Piano in a tunnel to help them escape in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks for your help Red." He said. "It looks like you did a number on them."

Trickster peeked through his bruised face and winked. "Yeah, sure did Commissioner." She smiled, holding in a laugh. "I hope you can handle the other two by yourself. I have to go to the Justice Champion's meeting." She flew away, leaving her boyfriend to go back to prison.

* * *

"You cannot run from me. I am the spirit of god's vengeance." The Specter whispered hoarsely.

_"Yeah? Well, my vengeance works for the other end of the scale."_ Grinned Harvey Dent, a.k.a. El Diablo. He was a menacing figure, wearing a black mask that covered most of his face, a long black trench coat, and a blood red skull t-shirt. In one hand he held a sig saur, in the other, a Claymore. Both were alight with demonic flame.

Specter raised a hand launched a torrent of green flame at El Diablo, only to have it countered by his flaming sword. He fired a spray of shot from his sig saur, and Guardian raised his shield. When they hit, the exploded and he flew backwards. He landed in a crumpled heap on the floor, bleeding green fluids.

_"You cannot possibly beat me."_ He said. _"Besides, you know the man I killed was corrupt."_

"Corrupt or not, he was still a member of the M.C.P.D." The Guardian stepped out of the shadows. "And not even the anthropomorphic personification of hell's fury kills a cop in my town and gets away with it."

Harvey fired another spray at the Guardian. Instead of trying to block it like the Specter had done he ran forward, tilting his shield at an angle to make the flaming bullets ricochet off course. He flew up the steps towards El Diablo, dodging the flaming sword and hitting him in the head with his shield.

El Diablo fell down off the pile of crates, turning in midair and slicing them before he reached the ground. Each one was filled with various arms and their ammunition. He drove his sword into a crate, forcing the fire to spread along the stack of crates. The Guardian's eyes widened, and he leaped off just before it exploded.

_"Jim Harper."_ El Diablo said through the inferno. _"You are obstructing vengeance."_

The Guardian dodged as the bullets sprayed the warehouse, cutting through crates and making similar explosions. It wasn't long until the entire place was on fire.

The Guardian grimaced, and breathed in deeply. Then, holding his breath, he ran into the blazing fire. Instantly he felt the heat, though his suit absorbed most of it. He plowed through, heading towards the sound of gunfire. He rammed into El Diablo, and kept running. El Diablo roared with rage as he tried to twist around, suspended on the Guardian's shield like a figurehead. He pointed his sig saur at the Guardian's helmet.

_"I'll see you in –" _He didn't finish the sentence, because the Guardian plowed straight through the warehouse's wall, Diablo-first.

He exhaled deeply and dropped his unconscious body on the pavement. "Not likely." He said.

He turned to see the Specter emerging from the fire. "Well done Jim Harper." It said. "Now, I will exact vengeance for the men he has killed."

"No." The Guardian said. "He'll get a fair trial."

"… Harper…"

"He. Will. See. Justice."

The Specter took a step backwards. "So be it." He said, waving his hands over El Diablo. A pair of green handcuffs appeared around his wrists. Then the specter vanished into thin air.

The Guardian checked his watch, then his commlink. "Hey, Hawk? Dove? I'm late, could you guys come pick me up?"

* * *

Garfield got out of his limo and put on his sunglasses. He weaved his way through the crowd, hoping nobody would recognize him as the famous movie star Gar Logan. The crowd was thick, and he had a hard enough time getting through without people mobbing him.

The people of Gotham were celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Justice Champions. Thanks to Green Lantern the city was voted the fourth safest in the country, so they decided that this should be the place to locate J.C. headquarters. Funded and constructed by Kord industries, and overseen by Tom Thumb and Green Lantern, the headquarters was a marvel of architecture and home security. He couldn't wait to see what was inside.

Cameras were flashing everywhere. Most of the Justice Champions were already there on the Watchtower's front steps, smiling and waving at the crowds. The mayor was making a speech in front of the red ribbon about how the Champions have saved the world time and time again and how he's honored to blah blah blah blah blah. Gar noticed that Babs wasn't among the heroes at the base of the tower and as he made his way through the crowd he spotted her talking to her dad.

"It's magnificent Barbara." He said. "I am so proud of you."

"I wanna go inside!" Her little brother yelled.

"Maybe some other day kiddo." She said, ruffling his hair. "I have to go now dad. I'll see you later."

Gar followed her as she went down the street, and slipped into an alley. She climbed up a fire escape and onto the roof of the building. She turned and saw Gar following her.

"Hey Gar. How's it going?" She helped him up the fire escape and onto the roof.

"Not so bad." He grinned, hoisting himself up. "Had a little trouble with my secret identity last week, but it's all cleared up now. All standard work when the town you protect is Hollywood."

She looked down at the eager crowd. "I can't imagine what we'd do without our secret identities. Look at that mob. I really don't want them knocking on my door asking for an autograph."

Gar nodded. "I get that a lot." He said. "All of these people begging me for autographs and they don't even know I'm a hero. If they actually knew that you're the J.C.'s linchpin, I couldn't imagine what kind of trouble you'd go through."

"What?" She asked, scoffing. "That's ridiculous. I'm not a linchpin for anything."

Gar shook his head. "Come on Babs. You were the one who suggested we all work together in the first place. Without you, the Question would still be on the streets, and he'd never have his sidekick. You trained all of us to be at our full potential. You kept on insisting that Superman hadn't gone rogue, even when all evidence proved to the contrary, and managed to exonerate him when you uncovered the Despero conspiracy."

She blushed furiously. "Not all evidence pointed to the contrary. And anybody could see the Question would be more useful as a centralized source of information on the internet. Computers are becoming more and more prevelant these days."

Gar shook his head. _If I were five years older, I would so ask her out._ Her thought. "Face it Babs. You're special, even by our standards."

Barbara sighed. "I just got lucky." She said. "I was in the right place, at the right time, with the right amount of willpower, and I got a super-ring. I wasn't even the only contestant, I got picked at random."

Gar shrugged. "Sounds just like my origin story." He said. "But I don't need the Wisdom of Solomon to see that you didn't just get lucky."

Barbara noticed that the mayor was wrapping up his speech. She summoned her lantern. "You ready?"

Gar grinned. **_"SHAZAM!"_**

A bolt of lightning raced across the sky, and struck the rooftop. The crowds below all gasped and pointed as Captain Marvel flew over their heads with Green Lantern. They began to clap and cheer.

Superman joined them. "Hey Green Lantern. I just did something totally awesome with my powers. I'll show you later."

Captain Marvel gave Green Lantern a wink and mouthed 'linchpin'.

Wonder Woman flew up and the four stopped in front of the tower, posing for the cameras, then Barbara threw her Lantern into the air. It landed on a special place they'd prepared for it over the Watchtower, and the lantern began to shine on the crowd below. The crowd cheered as she made a giant green pair of scissors and cut the ribbon in front of the tower.

"Thank you everybody!"

The inside was more magnificent than the outside. They walked past the grand main entrance and the trophy halls. All of the magnificent achievements of the year… plaques, awards, statues… a robotic T-rex… The Red Hood's mask… Mongul's battle gauntlets… Dr. Light's light zone transmitter portal... the Riddler's rubik cube trap... Metallo's arm...

As they made their way up the tower each of them were acutely aware of all the good they'd done. The walls were lined with newspaper clippings of their exploits, and there had to be hundreds. And there was still room for more. They made it to the conference room, under the place where Green Lantern's lantern sat, shining light out into the world. There were ten seats in total, each with an emblem and a name on it.

Superman

Wonder Woman

Green Lantern

Captain Marvel

The Snap

Guardian

Red Rover

Tom Thumb

Hawk

Dove

And the seat off to the corner that read Blackbird, just in case he came back.

" Are you there Question?" Green Lantern asked.

The monitor in the room came to life, displaying a question mark. "When am I ever not?" A voice asked.

"Alright then." She said, "The fourth annual meeting of the Justice Champions is now in session. Let's get to work saving the world."

* * *

Deep in the bat caves underneath Wayne manor, Major Pennyworth and his team were trying to figure out what was wrong with their computers.

"We should be able to hear them." Pennyworth said. He was sweating. "We know that the bugs are on and working, so why can't we hear anything?"

His dog Ace looked up and barked. A Ziploc bag fell from the stalagmites in the ceiling. Through the clear plastic, Pennyworth could see the bugs that were supposed to have been planted during the construction of the watchtower.

He looked up, as a dark shape fell from the ceiling. He pulled out his gun at the shadow. "That won't work." It said. Pennyworth considered for a moment, and then checked the gun. It was empty.

"I thought it felt a little light." He said, holstering his weapon. "Who are you, what do you want, and why shouldn't I have Ace rip you to shreds?" His dog growled.

The figure stepped out of the shadows. He wore a mask like the ones you could find in Italy or at Mardi Gras, it was black, and had a long beak. He wore what looked like a high-collared Inverness cape, and a full black body-suit underneath. He had a belt with several pouches on it and had a large red bird-shaped logo on his uniform.

"My name is Blackbird. I wanted to introduce myself. I can help you."


	10. Chpt 2 Raven

Kyle Rayner walked along the beach humming the theme tune to Power Rangers. He picked up a stick and begun to swirl around in the sand, pretending to fight evil monsters. When he grew up, he wanted to be just like the power rangers; fighting monsters and saving the world.

He continued to make his way along the beach. He was on the top of a sand dune when he saw it. He slid down the sand and went over to it. It was an angel. He flipped it over, and realized it was a girl angel, about his age.

He poked it with his stick a few times. It didn't move. He felt for a pulse. It felt like there was one, but it was faint.

He ran over to his friends. "Hey guys! Hey guys! I found an angel!"

* * *

"I'm sorry, but I just think Adam Strange wouldn't cut it." Green Lantern explained. "He goes from earth to Rann in an instant; he's got enough on his hands being a hero for two worlds. If we let him join, it would have to be as a part time member at least."

"But he's had almost as much experience adventuring as I have." Tom Thumb said. "And that's a whole lot of experience we can use."

"No, I think Green Lantern's right." Wonder Woman said. "I think we should focus more on the people who have the potential to save the world like we do on a daily basis. Adam Strange may be smart, but he's not nearly as powerful as, say… Storm-man."

"Storm-man? Really?" Captain Marvel asked, his mouth full of Aunt Iris' brownies. "Well, he's powerful alright but he's naive. He's barely a year old. Why don't we just ask Red who the next Champion is?"

"Because I failed history." Red Rover said, blushing embarrassingly. "Would you be willing to risk a time paradox just to get this meeting over with?"

"Yes!" Hawk moaned exasperatedly. Dove elbowed him in the ribs.

"Sorry to interrupt." The Question said. "But I have breaking news. There's just been a break-out at Iron Heights."

"What already?" Red Rover asked incredulously. She blushed and looked down. "Uh… who's escaping?"

"Psimon, with the fearsome five. From what I can gather, they have alien help." Red Rover let out a small sigh of relief.

"Why would aliens be helping Psimon escape?" Superman asked.

"Meeting temporarily recessed." Green Lantern said, relieved. "Tom Thumb? Have you fixed the Javelin?"

He grinned. "No. I've upgraded it."

* * *

Question shut down monitor link to the J.C. Tower. A question mark icon replaced it. He accessed the database and began going through the records of the fearsome five. As if he hadn't memorized them already.

Psimon, their leader. Powerful telepath, and telekinetic. Powerful enough to wrest control of the group from the powerful Dr. Light. As of yet, has unclear motives. Possibly alien?

Axel Storm, a.k.a. Brainstorm. Powerful helmet which draws on stellar energy capable of warping reality itself. Fortunately, the helmet is dependent on stellar energy storms crossing over the sun's path, and he has absolutely no control over how he warps reality. Due to his lack of control, he built a reset switch into the helmet. It's a handy design flaw to exploit.

Cornelius Stirk, a.k.a. Bogart. Powerful hallucinogenic powers, but limited in that he can only appear to be somebody else's worst fear. Cannibal, eats human hearts. Can scare people so much that their hearts stop.

Mikron O'Jeneus, a.k.a. Gizmo. Evil genius, creator of several inventions used to steal technology to make more inventions. Particularly skilled in small gadgets, but also a robotics expert. Possibly schizophrenic, and very superstitious.

Mammoth. Powerful super-strong being. Strength level yet to be measured. Intellectually and emotionally underdeveloped, and unstable since the death of his sister.

Nothing new in there since the last time he updated the files. He had to admit though, he enjoyed having all of this information at his fingertips. If Green Lantern (a.k.a. Barbara Gordon, daughter of James Gordon, commissioner of the Gotham Police force) hadn't given him the idea, he'd probably still be out on the streets looking for some of the information he'd found by now. Beating up small time crooks to find their bosses. He looked out the window. It was raining.

He sighed, and walked over to the counter and poured himself a cup of coffee. He took a slow sip through the mask, then spun suddenly around and smashed the glass pot against the head of a little girl in a black cloak.

She yelled, and backed away, but he already had her in a mantis hold. "Who are you?" He asked.

"R-raven." She croaked. Blood trickled down her face where the glass had cut.

"How did you find me?"

"You have to listen, I –"

"Answer the Question!"

"I don't know." She glared. "I was looking for the Justice Champions. I don't even know who you are."

He loosened his grip. "Well, I'm only an honorary member. My name's the Question. Why were you looking for the Champions?" He asked.

"My – uh, an evil demon is…"

"Hold that thought." The Question took out a radio. "Answer?"He asked. "I know you're out there. I need you now." Eddie Bloomberg was a kid he'd found, working as a gopher for a Hollywood blockbuster. Unfortunately, the director had actually managed to find a real magical book for the main actor to read from as his character summoned a demon. The poor man got eaten by the time the Question arrived and put a stop to it. The kid helped, and ever since he insisted on being his sidekick. After telling him no for a couple hundred times, he got bored and decided that if he couldn't beat him, he should join him. Eddie named himself Answer, because he was still young. He thought he had all the answers, and if he didn't he could find them. Still, Eddie had his uses. He was a pretty good mechanic, and he was able to fashion himself a hydraulically powered strength-enhancing suit based off the designs of one of the stuntmen. It even fit under his costume and came with an LCD display on the jacket. Impressive, to say the least. And Eddie knew a lot about the occult. More than any kid ought to know. That last little skill set would prove useful if the girl was telling the truth and a demon was involved. Eddie was currently hunting down a cult known as 'The Church of Blood' in San Fransisco.

"So, who are you?" The girl – Raven – asked.

"I'll ask the questions." The Question said, sitting her down in his swirly chair. "Tell me more about this supposed demon."

"His name's Trigon. And, he's evil." Raven shifted in the chair uncomfortably. "He wants to conquer the universe."

Question nodded. "Anything else?" He asked.

"I think the Justice Champions could stop him." She said.

Question nodded. "Alright then. I'll call it in."

* * *

The Javelin was Tom Thumb's newest design. It was made from a fusion of Motherbox tech and the remnants of a thanagerian battle ship he'd found in Egypt. It had underwater, interstellar, and hypersonic travel capabilities, with top speeds coming just under light speed. It had shields based off of Green Lantern and Superman's energy fields, and several added features.

They were coming in on Iron Heights when the Question called in. "How does it look?" He asked.

"…Good." Superman answered. "The guards have set up barricades against the aliens and the prisoners. I'm not sure how long they could hold though."

"Well, If some of you can handle this one your own, I have a little girl here who just broke into my place undetected." He said, straight to the point. "She said her name was Raven, and that she wants our help getting rid of some demon who wants to take over the world. Does that name mean anything to anybody?"

"Is she wearing a blue cloak?" Tom Thumb asked.

"Yes."

Tom shook his head. "That sounds like the Raven I know."

"You know her?"

"Raven comes from a pocket universe I've been to, called Azarath. She's the high priestess for a demon called Trigon, hellbent on world domination. Don't trust a word she says."

* * *

Raven's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was trying to warn them that her father was going to destroy them, and this man was trying to pass her off as the villain. Why? Maybe… maybe she was dangerous. But definitely not as dangerous as Trigon. And she had to stop him, even if the Justice Champions wouldn't.

The Question spun around, a set of handcuffs in his hands. He was in time to catch a last glimpse of Raven before the shadows swallowed her up.

* * *

Raven reappeared outside of a flower shop. She stood under the awning, looking out into the rainy night. She felt like crying, but she had to repress her emotions. If she couldn't control herself, how would she stop Trigon?

"Hello Raven." Said a voice behind her. "Don't run away from me now."

She turned with a start, to see the Question walk towards her. She brought her soul form out to take her away again, but he grabbed her arm quickly and came through the portal with her.

"Don't be afraid." He said. "I'm not the Question."

She stopped outside of a hospital and took another look. Now that she considered it, the person in front of her was too small to be the Question, and his suit was whiter, with grey pinstripes.

"Any reason you chose to stop in front of this hospital?" He asked.

"How did you know my name?"

"I know a lot of things." He said, taking out an LCD screen and tapping buttons on it. "One of which, is that several years ago, the Church of Blood, a cult dedicated to a being known as Trigon…"

Raven shivered involuntarily.

"Preformed a ceremony that would bring him into our plain of existence. Fortunately, he arrived at only a fraction of his strength, but he managed to seduce an Angela Roth, marrying her and impregnating her before he was banished by three priests."

She could feel him staring at her, even though he had no eyes. "He's coming back." She said. "He's going to come back again, but the Justice Champions won't listen to me."

"They won't?" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"No. I need help…"

"My name's Answer." He said. "And of course I'll help. I've been trying to bring down that cult for a while, and you're offering me a chance to take a swing at their deity. How could I say no to that?" He clapped his hands and rubbed them eagerly. "Now, why did you turn up in front of this hospital?" He asked.

She thought for a bit about how she could tell him in terms he'd understand. "My soul-self takes me wherever I want to go." She said, simply. "I wanted… I wanted to find help."

"Well then, I think you found it." He held out the LCD screen. It was full of hospital information. "Two hours ago, a girl was checked in suffering from dehydration and severe exhaustion. And apparently, she has wings." He shrugged. "Do you think an angel might come in handy?"

* * *

Ell threw a bed-pan against the wall. "I am leaving right now!" She said.

"But dear, you can't be feeling better already." The doctor said, calling in orderlies. "You need to rest. It's for your own good."

"I don't need to rest; I need to find my sister!" Ell tried to get out the window, but the orderlies grabbed her and forced her back onto the bed.

"This is for your own good dear." The doctor said, readying a needle.

Suddenly, a giant black bird emerged from the shadows of the room and unfolded its wings to reveal Raven and Answer stepping in. "Back away from her." Answer said, pointing.

"How dare you." The doctor said indignantly. "This is a hospital!"

"Yeah, and we're superheroes, so back off now lady." Answer stepped forward and pushed the two orderlies aside. "My name is the Answer." He told Ell, tipping his hat. "Her name's Raven. Who are you?"

"What business do you have knowing my name?" She asked furiously. "You have no face, and she obviously practices the dark arts!"

"We only want to help." Answer said. "You want to find your sister? I'm good at finding things. We can help each other out."

"Help each other." Ell scoffed. "You would have me make a deal with a practitioner of the dark arts. I know how this works; you lure me with my heart's desire, and I am forced to do something for you in return. A dark and twisted thing which would banish me to Tartarus for my folly. Know this; I am Elysium, princess of Themiscira. And your charms won't work on me. Goodbye!"

She launched herself at the window, but Answer quickly blocked her path. "Just listen alright! We –" Ell backhanded him across the room,

Raven's eyes glowed black and she wrapped Elysium in chains of darkness, but she merely shrugged her way out of them and leaped out of the window. She turned and knelt next to Answer. "Are you okay?" She asked.

He sat up rubbing his head. "No." He answered, before he stalked over to the doctor. "Let me see her medical records."

The doctor hesitated, then gave him the clipboard. Answer took one look at the sheet then gave it back. "I'm going to need a concentrated adrenaline shot."

* * *

Victor Stone took shelter behind a car as several members of the infamous 'third fist' gang opened fire. "Get out of here!" He yelled at a woman and her child as he tore off his shredded shirt. The little girl screamed and the pair ran away. "Yeah, that's right. Run." He said grimly.

Over ninety percent of Victor's body had been replaced with experimental robotic prosthetics. He was Cyborg. Guardian of San Francisco. Not that it wanted him, or even wanted to look at him.

His right fist shifted into a gun, and he vaulted over the car, firing a sonic pulses at the third fists. The majority ducked back, and he dove straight into them, swiftly kicking and punching his way through. In five minutes, it was all over.

"Now, why don't you all just make things easier on yourselves and stay down." He said.

Elysium was flying over when she saw it. "Oh no, a monster!" She hesitated, torn between saving the helpless young people from the monster and finding her sister as quickly as possible. She decided to do the right thing, and flew down to save the poor young men from the monster.

She flew straight into it, knocking it away. "What the –" Cyborg stared at the girl.

"You stay away from them!" She yelled.

He recognized the look in her eye. He saw it almost every day walking down the street. She was scared of him. And since he knew for a fact that the third fist gang didn't let girls into their ranks (the gang only admitted Chuck Norris look-alikes) then she... was just trying to protect them from him.

"Alright. Fine. Have it your way." He said, in a soothing voice. He backed up slowly, trying not to look intimidating.

Ell saw the monster raising it's arms, and charged in a panic. She swooped at him, knocked him back into a wall. "Okay, if that's the way you want it don't say I didn't warn you." He swung a fist at her, and she ducked, pulling the fist along and throwing him across the street and into a car.

"What the –" He climbed out of the engine and came face-to-face with the girl again. "I don't know how you did that but –" She picked up a tire and swung it, knocking him down again.

"It's on!" He yelled. His fist expanded, transforming into a sonic cannon. Several hundred decibels of white sound pulsed out of his arm… and hit empty air. She was flying again, swooping through the streets, dodging his blasts. "Hold still." He muttered, before she swung past him again, clipping him with the tire and sending him spinning.

* * *

Cynthia Reynolds drove her heel into the man's back and he cried out in agony. "What have we learned here today?" She asked him.

"That I shouldn't live a life of crime."

She twisted her foot around and he screamed. "What else?"

"That I shouldn't drink so much."

She sighed and lifted her foot, bringing it down again, hard. "And what else?"

Tears ran down the tough guy's cheeks. "Just because I think a cute girl is totally into me, it doesn't mean she is. And I totally shouldn't try to force her to be into me."

"Very good." She kicked him one more time, and then threw him in a pile with her friends. She looked at the pile thoughtfully, then chose the cleanest leather jacket and put it on. It was loose, but it would do. Winter was coming.

Suddenly, she heard a loud boom. She ran out of the alley, and straight into Cyborg. "Victor? What's happening?" She asked.

With a scream, Ell flew out of the sky and hit him again. "She's happening." He told her. They'd met some time earlier, and had grown quite close since. She was a runaway, trying to survive on the streets. She'd helped Cyborg sometimes; she had the ability to turn invisible, and even without that she was very good at being stealthy.

"Well, what's her problem?" She asked.

"Lexcorp." Answer and Raven stepped out of the shadows. "Lexcorp pharmaceuticals is run by a doctor named Dr. Maru, a very skilled poisoner. Every single drug that Lexcorp supplies works for humans and humans only. Anybody with even a remotely strange genetic signature is killed within a matter of days, after hallucinations that make them cause as much damage as possible."

He held up a needle. "This is the cure. I need to get it inside of her, and then we need to save the world. Are you in?"

Ell's breathing began to pick up. She was so frightened, scared out of her mind. The monster was there with the faceless fiend and the witch! She yelled in horror, as the girl next to them vanished. They'd made her vanish!

She dove forward, swinging her weapon at the monster, distracting it, as she went to tackle the faceless one. With a hiss, the witch surrounded her with her black chains. But she escaped, wriggling through them. Nothing could hold her. She made it through the chains and the faceless one dodged to the side and stuck out his arm. She flew straight into it, and fell onto the ground.

She turned expecting to be eaten –

Suddenly, the skies turned normal again. The monster seemed… more human. In fact, he did look part human now, instead of the golem she was fighting before. And the witch, she was just a little younger than her older sister, and she looked so scared. And the one without a face… looked completely normal except for his head.

He stretched out his hand. "Are you okay?"

She was about to get up and say yes she was fine, but then she vomited.

"Easy there, I've got you." Cyborg helped her up. And Cynthia came back into view.

"What…"

"You were poisoned." Answer said. "Delusional. We just gave you the antidote."

She threw up again. "Uuurgh, thanks." She stood up by herself. "Who are you?"

"My name, is the Answer." Answer said. "This is Raven, Cyborg, and… I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Call me Gypsy." Cynthia said.

"My name's Elysium." Ell said. "But you can call me Ell. Thanks."

"It's not a problem."

"I have to go now. I have to find my sister, and warn her."

"Warn her of what?"

Ell hesitated, then decided to tell. "I come from Themiscera, Paradise Isle. I'm part Amazon, a race of warriors long divided from man's world. The other Amazons are lead by my sister, Queen Diana, who has fallen under the sway of dark magic. She recently made a deal with an ancient evil known as Trigon, to invade your world."

"Trigon?" Raven gasped.

"Raven and I are trying to stop Trigon from taking over the world." Answer explained.

"Seriously?" Cyborg asked. "Some ancient demon's trying to take over the world?" He shook his head. "Whatever you guys are going to do to stop this guy, you can count me in."

"And me." Gypsy said.

"I don't know what can stop my sister." Ell said. "Our entire race has been trained since birth in the art of war, and even if by some miracle you have armies capable of defeating them, Diana has always been the strongest, and now she is reinforcing herself and our people with dark magic."

"We should call the Champions." Cyborg said.

"I tried that already." Raven said. "They didn't listen."

"I find that hard to believe." Answer said. "But, I think it's best if we avoid the Champions for now. We do need some help though, and I think I know just where to find it." He turned to Raven. "Let's go.


	11. Chpt 3 Blackbird Returns

"She's gone." Question said. "Disappeared."

"Well then, we'd better find her fast." Tom Thumb said. "She's very powerful. There's no telling what she might do, or whether she's already done it."

"First thing's first. We're coming up on Iron Heights now." Green Lantern said, as the prison came into view. Half of Iron Heights was blown up, rubble and debris littered the courtyard. Hovering over it, was a large spacecraft that looked like something H.P. Lovecraft would have made if he was into science fiction. An army of lizard troopers were flying out on jetpacks, attacking the prison guards and the prisoners.

"What aliens are interested in America's most wanted?" Hawk asked.

"My Ring says it's… a Gordanian slave ship!"

Red Rover gasped. "They're trying to enslave the inmates?"

"Not while we're around." Superman opened the ship's door. "I'll lead the air team." He said. "Red Rover, take point on the ground team." He flew out, followed by Captain Marvel, Hawk, and Dove.

Green Lantern picked up Snap, Wonder Woman, and the Guardian with her ring and flew out behind them. Tom Thumb closed the door behind Red Rover and began manipulating the Lance's controls. It slowly morphed into a giant robotic knight in midair, and landed in the courtyard, shaking the ground.

"Well well, took you long enough!" Commissioner Roland yelled at Red Rover, the Top tucked under his arm. We have five men down already, and the convicts are just getting warmed up. I need Snap to round up the minor convicts, the rest of you hold the barricade!" He shot out the Top's knees and went back to work on the other escapees.

A diminutive man in a green suit scurried across the rubble. "Gonna get you this time Tom Thumb." He muttered, firing a bazooka from behind a rock. Tom's robot fell back as the rocket hit it square on the chest. The two rockets that followed bowled it over completely. "Score!" Gizmo Cackled. Then Tom's robot got back up. "Slag it." He muttered, and he threw several razor sharp discs that flew through the air, cutting down a prison guard or two on their way to Tom's robot. It extended a mechanical arm and launched several miniature ground-to-air missiles, turning the discs into so much shrapnel.

Green Lantern set down her team by a barricade made by the prison guards, and was immediately attacked by the Bogart. "**Your heart are mine!**" He screamed, diving from the roof with a pair of butchers knives. She dodged out of the way and caught him in a cage, but the knives in his hands turned yellow and he hacked through. He landed in front of her, screaming "**All your heart are mine.**"

Snap bolted out of the barricade and through the prison's courtyard too fast to see. Captain Cold raised his freeze gun and found himself flying against a wall. The Pied Piper suddenly choked and fell down as he felt somebody punch his throat. Captain Boomerang was just running out of the hole in the wall when he tripped and landed face first in the dirt, tied up in telephone wires. Snap reappeared between the Guardian and Wonder Woman. "Heads up you guys." He said. "Incoming powerhouse. Anybody who is not a superhero may want to clear a path."

Mammoth charged through the fine layer of dust clouding the guard's vision, his feet pounding at the gravel beneath it. The barricade of guards fell apart and Snap disappeared in a blur to deal with other prisoners. "I'll take this." Wonder woman said.

"No no, this one's mine." The Guardian raised his shield and charged at the rampaging juggernaut. Wonder Woman shook her head and began to follow him, when she tripped over something.

"What the…" She looked under her feet.

"Get off!" Snap said.

"Snap?" Wonder Woman looked around confused. "Where are you?"

"He's right under your feet Wonder Woman." Said Brainstorm strutting up to them. "Of course, he's invisible. My idea. It's got to be at least a little difficult moving when you can't see your feet."

"Only a little." Snap's voice said. Then a dust cloud rose up, tracing the path where Snap was scrambling towards Brainstorm.

"Snap no!" Wonder Woman yelled, too slow to stop him before plumes of dust shot out from the earth, and Wonder Woman heard Snap screaming.

"Giant invisible man-eating worms." Brainstorm mused, stroking his goatee. "Truly inspired, don't you think?"

Wonder Woman yelled out in fury and charged.

* * *

Red Rover slammed a dark fist into Shadow Thief, hitting him with his own medicine. "You're good Rover." Shadow thief mocked, slamming into her in return. "But I'm… Hyurk!" Red chopped him across his 2-dimensional windpipe and slammed his face into the ground.

"Well, I was going to offer my assistance, but it doesn't look like you need it." Red turned to see Trickster standing in the air above her.

"Yeah yeah, score one for you." She tossed their coin at him, smiling. "Now get out of here goofball, before I have to save your neck."

"No chance of that!" He faded away like a Cheshire cat, the last thing to go was his smile.

"Now…" Red Rover flew towards Green Lantern. She couldn't actually see her; just the green flashes her ring was making through the Bogart's mist. She crept into the mist, and found herself stepping on cobblestone streets.

"Seriously?" She scoffed. "Jack the Ripper nightmares are so retro."

"Is that you Red?" Barbara asked. She shone light from a green flashlight at her. "Look out!"

Red spun around. She didn't see anything, until Green Lantern swung a bo staff at her. She dodged to the side, and the staff connected into something with a loud thunk. The mists and the cobblestone streets disappeared, and the Bogart was lying in front of her, unconscious.

"How?"

"My ring's a psionic dampener." Green Lantern explained.

"How fortunate for you, Green Lantern." Psimon walked up to them. "But your friend is not so lucky."

"Ah!" Red Rover yelled, as she swung at Green Lantern. She blocked and countered, sweeping her off her feet. Red used the momentum to heave her away, tossing her into a pile of rubble and getting up. "Sorry! It's not me!"

The rocks lying around the courtyard began to float, and spun menacingly around Green Lantern. "Psimon says, die painfully." The rocks launched themselves at Green Lantern, and crushed themselves against her shield.

"Look out!" Red Rover yelled, as she used Shadow Thief's powers to slip into the energy sphere. Cracks began forming in her shield as Green Lantern's concentration split between keeping it up and fighting with Red Rover.

* * *

Each of Captain Marvel's punches hammered down on the Gordanians like thunder. Behind him, Hawk and Dove flew through the air. Hawk swung his mace, obliterating the Gordanian ships, while Dove flew lithely (almost like he was dancing) through the ships, slicing through them with the edge of his shield and sending them crashing to the ground. The Gordanians swarmed around the three of them, trying to shoot them out of the sky.

Superman watched them draw fire as he plowed through some Gordanians himself. He burst through the wall of the mother ship, and into one of the slave's cells.

She was beautiful. She stood in a fighting stance, as lithe and lethal looking as a tiger. Her long hair flowed behind her, almost touching the ground. Her eyes shone through the dim orange light, as green as Christmas lights.

"… Don't worry, I'm here to help." He said. He moved forward, but the alien girl backed up, spouting something unintelligible. Her eyes glowed brighter, and she swung her fists forward, shackled in some sort of metal case. He caught her fists in one hand.

"Help." He said, wishing he could speak to her. He took her shackles in his hands and broke them cleanly in half, then shattering the remains. "Help." He scattered the shards on the floor.

The alien girl stared at her free hands, then looked into his eyes. She reached out to him with one hand, gently grabbing his hair and pulling him forward, into a kiss.

Superman froze, uncertain of what he should do… he'd never been kissed before, especially not by a beautiful alien.

Then she pulled back. "You'd better get out of here." She said. "I admire your bravery, but you won't like what they do to escaped prisoners."

"I'm not escaping." Superman said. "I'm freeing you, and all of the other prisoners."

She shook her head. "No. Run. I'll do it, and I'll fight off Goronn. I have to, after what he's done to me. But you've shown courage, and it should not be wasted. Run."

"I'm not running anywhere." Superman said. "I'm Superman, and I fight for freedom. Whoever this Goronn is, wherever he is, I can deal with him."

The door to the cell opened, to reveal a monstrous alien. He had chalky grey skin, almost like stone, and he wore an iron hood. In his hand, he held a staff with a battle axe on each end. Fiery red energy flowed from the eyeholes in his hood, and a bright red tattoo glowed on his enormous stomach.

"Goronn!" The alien girl growled. She flew at him, and he hit her with the broad side of his axe, knocking her into the wall.

"Now now princess, I wouldn't want to hurt such a trophy. Accidentally."

Superman boiled over with rage, and his eyes exploded. His laser vision knocked Goronn off his feet, through several cells. The klaxon sounded, but there was a sense of quite as the prisoners in the cells looked through the gaping holes in the walls with awe.

"K'litchna." The alien girl whispered in awe.

"What did you say your name was?" Superman asked.

"Princess K'oriander." She said. "In your tongue, my name would be Starfire."

"Well, Starfire, can I count on your help freeing the other prisoners and taking over the ship?"

She nodded. "Yes. Anything for the man who has slain Goronn the merciless."

Just then, they heard the screams of prisoners coming through the hole in the wall. Followed by a whirring sound. Superman looked down the path of destruction his eyes had carved then yelled "Duck!" And pushed Starfire aside as Goronn's axe spun through the air where she used to be, burying itself in the wall behind her.

The prisoners began to flee towards them, and Superman saw Goronn far behind them, pounding his way back like an angry rhino, killing the prisoners on his way.

"He's not out of the running yet." Superman said.

"So it would seem." Starfire said, angrily. She moved forward, but Superman put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her.

"Let me take care of him. I'm stronger, and I need you to free the other slaves while I distract him."

She pulled her shoulder away angrily and grabbed an alien that looked like an owl. "Lolo Mano kolia gno, sinow ossus. Jumuno loki xox." She said. The alien ran off and she turned to face Superman. "Mano will handle the others. I am going to fight Goronn."

Superman could see him getting closer. "He might kill you." He said.

She glared at him. "That is not your concern."

The escapees fled from the corridor as Goronn stepped out of the hole with a roar.

* * *

Captain Marvel cried out in pain and clutched at his forehead.

"Dude are you alright?" Dove asked, fending of some shots with his shield.

"No." Captain Marvel said. "The wisdom of Solomon is telling me to get off of this planet. Some eldritch evil is coming to earth."

As if on cue, a side of the alien ship exploded, and Superman and Starfire flew backwards out of the fireball, pursued by Goronn. His fingers twirled his weapon so rapidly it looked like a helicopter blade. As he brought it around on Superman, he hit Goronn with a blast of his heat vision and flew around behind him. Goronn soared uncontrollably through the air for a while, then spun around to face Superman and landed perfectly on the front of one of the Gordanian fighter ships.

"I had hoped you have enough sport in you to make this more interesting." Goronn said. He drove his weapon into the hull of the ship. The eerie flames from the weapon spread across the vessel, reshaping it. The pilot was thrust out, burning and screaming until he hit the ground. The flames cleared, revealing the black charred skeleton of the ship, only the engines still intact and running. Where Goronn stood, the hull shone like polished glass, and fastened itself to his boots. "Let's go."

Superman flew forward, and Goronn did the same on his dead ship. Superman made a blade out of his red energy, and their weapons clashed in midair. Like a medieval joust they turned around for another run, and this time Goronn's blade sliced through Superman's and nicked his arm.

Superman realized he couldn't keep doing this; whatever that weapon was made of it could get past his shields. It was night, and the stars were fueling him but not as much as the sun would. He had to end this now.

He flew straight at Goronn this time, and just as he was about to be run through, he used his laser vision to cut his weapon in half. Goronn momentarily fumbled with the weapon, and that was enough for Superman to get close and punch him in the guts.

The skeletal ship plummeted to the ground as Goronn and Superman exchanged blows. Goronn was giving as good as he got, and Superman's powers were beginning to wane. They crashed into the ground, making a small crater where they landed.

"Impressive." Goronn grunted, prying himself off the ship. "But you cannot hope to face pure evil alone."

"He is not alone!" Starfire flew behind Goronn, searing into his back with her starbolts. "And we will not just face you! We will beat you!"

* * *

"Aaargh! Get it off me! Get it off me!"

Wonder Woman watched, amused, as Brainstorm waved his arm around, one of his own giant invisible man-eating worms attached to it. "This can end whenever you want." She said, examining her nails.

"Never!" He half-screamed. "Never I say! Oh god, get it off!"

Wonder Woman looked away and saw Superman and Goronn plummeting to the earth. "I think I'll go help Superman okay? Sit tight."

"No! No! Alright, fine, here!" Suddenly, Snap became visible again. "Now get this thing off me!"

Wonder Woman grabbed the monster's jaws and firmly tore it apart.

"Ah. Ah. Thank you. But now my dear, you are at my mercy –" Wonder Woman backhanded him. He flew across the courtyard and collapsed, unconscious.

* * *

Mammoth finally managed to pin down the Guardian, when something pinged across his back. He looked behind him, at commissioner Roland.

"Now see here." He said. "This shotgun? It's been in the family for years. Used it to hunt down elephants back in the day when that was legal. And I've made a few modifications myself. I'm not scared of how strong you are, or how big you are. I'm not scared of your screams and roars. But you should be scared of this gun when it is in my hands. I've honestly lost track of whether or not it has any ammunition left, but you'd better walk back into your cell, or we'll figure out together – you, me, and my gun, - how lucky you are."

Mammoth sneered. "Right. You think you're tough little man?" Mammoth left the Guardian and moved over to Roland. "I'm going to mess you up so bad, I'll – Jeez, what happened to your face?"

Roland frowned. "What happened to yours?" He fired.

"OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!" Mammoth howled. "You shot my eye! You bastard! You shot my eye!"

"Well what do you know, you aren't lucky." Roland fired again. "No, not at all."

"Kill you!" Mammoth grabbed Roland and started pounding him blindly. "Kill you!"

"I tried that already." Roland said. "It doesn't work."

"Unlike his distractions." The Guardian hopped onto Mammoth's shoulders and clapped his head between his hands. The Mammoth staggered, and the Guardian kicked his legs out from underneath him. On the way down, he jumped up and drove his shield down into Mammoth's face. Mammoth went down hard, cracking the stone beneath his head.

* * *

Green Lantern pinned Red Rover's arms behind her back. Her attention wavered, and a rock broke though her shield, striking the back of her head. She winced, but kept holding on.

"Whatever you're doing, do it fast!" Red Rover yelled, as she swung around, kicking Green Lantern. She dodged, but Red Rover spun around again, and managed to sweep her on to the ground. Green Lantern didn't move, a look of intense concentration on her face. Rover picked up the rock and was about to bring it down on her head, when suddenly her suit depowered, and she turned back to normal. They both gasped for breath, and Rover put the rock down. "How did you do that?"

"I couldn't use my ring's psionic dampeners on you, because it uses green color energy, and you'd just absorbed a shadow." She said. "So I hacked into your suit with my ring and turned it off."

"I didn't know you could do that." Rover said.

"Me neither." Green Lantern got up. "You've got some impressive firewalls on that thing." She pushed her shield out, shattering the wall of rocks Psimon had made. "Where'd he go?"

Rover looked around and saw a shadow fly over them. She looked up and her mouth dropped. Unable to speak, she tapped Green Lantern's shoulder. She spun around and smiled.

"Well, look who it is."

* * *

Psimon rushed over to Goronn. "Goronn! We are being overwhelmed! We need to retreat!"

Goronn snarled, getting Superman into a stranglehold. "You always were weak Psimon. We shall press forth, and our enemies will fall before the might of our master."

"But your purpose here is done! I am freed! Let us regroup now, and come back to defeat the Justice Champions later."

"You should listen to him." Superman grunted, firinf a laser beam at Goronn's foot.

Goronn snarled, and swung Superman around like a slapjack, using him to hit Starfire. Superman twisted around and fired another beam from his eyes, leaving a smoking hole in Goronn's hand. He roared and let go, and Superman punched him back into Starfire, who blasted him with her starbolts. Psimon shook his head, and telekinetically grabbed a device from Goronn's belt. "What are you doing?" Goronn yelled.

"What do you care?" Psimon snorted. "You have a massive space ship, you can go anywhere, anytime. I'm getting out of here while I can." In a flash of light, he was gone.

"You would have done well to go with him!" Starfire yelled, smashing her fist into Goronn's face.

"Enough!" He yelled, summoning a half of his broken weapon. He drove it into the ground, and fiery chains shot out of the ground, wrapping around Superman and Starfire. "I will not be underestimated! I have seen planets laid to waste, I have seen cherished heroes executed, I have seen nightmares from your darkest childhoods! I am Goronn the merciless! I will make you watch as I tear the life off of this mudball and burn your families in ways you will wish you did not know! I –" He paused as he heard a small phut, and felt something wet trickling down his forehead. He reached up, wiping some of it off, and examined it on his fingers. Somebody had shot him with a pink paintball, right between the eyes. "Is this your last resort? I am insulted! Who has dared to attack me so pathetically?"

"That would be me." Blackbird's cape spread behind him like wings, and he landed gently behind Superman.

"What could you possibly hope to accomplish with this?" Goronn hissed, waving his fingers. "What sort of insulting assault is this on the being who would destroy this planet?"

Blackbird held up a small microphone and spoke into it. "Night-wing, fire two on marked target." A dark ship uncloaked, shimmering into view. It was smaller than the Javelin, but sleeker, more menacing. The undercarriage opened up, and two missiles launched themselves at Goronn, one at his head directly between the eyes, and another at the two fingers on his right hand tipped with pink paint.

His eyes widened and he brought his arms up to defend himself. They exploded, and when the smoke cleared, Goronn was surrounded in a small mountain of ice.

"Chill out Goronn." Superman smiled.

"It's been five years, and you still haven't stopped making bad one-liners?" Balackbird asked, as the chains around Superman faded.

"Blackbird buddy!" Superman pulled him into a hug and clapped him on the back. "Good to have you back. How's it been going?"

"It's been alright. And I'm glad to be back."

"Blackbird!" Green Lantern flew over and hugged him. "It's been ages. I thought you'd never turn up."

"Who's this?" The Guardian asked.

"That's Blackbird." Tom Thumb said, walking his mecha up with an irate Gizmo in hand. "Nice ship. Where'd you get it?"

"I made a few friends here and there." Blackbird said. "It looked like you guys could use some help, so I decided to fly by and see what' up."

"We're glad you did." Green Lantern said. "Psimon's gone though. Who's this?" She gestured to the alien frozen inside the ice mountain.

"He calls himself Goronn." Superman said. "He says he wants to destroy earth. This is Princess Starfire." He gestured to the alien princess. "She knows him more than I do."

Starfire nodded and walked towards the frozen alien. "Yes I do. Goronn the merciless. He is aligned with the Gordonian slavers, and a malignant deity named Trigon. He is intent on ruling or destroying the universe. When he captured me, I escaped. Once. Then he caught me, and made an example of me by destroying my home world. I never tried to escape again, so I could bide my time to do this."

She stood in front of his frozen glare and matched it with her own. "Goronn, as princess of Tamaran, I hereby judge you to be guilty of multiple counts of wanton murder, slavery, attempted genocide, and genocide. In the name of the people of Tamaran, who you slaughtered without care, I hereby sentence you to death." She raised her fist. "I hope you can feel this."

She plowed her fist supercharged with a starbolt through the ice. The mountain shattered, and so did Goronn. Into a million shards of frozen meat.

Superman raised his hand to object, then he saw the tears on her face and backed down.

Captain Marvel and the Hall brothers touched down. "Hey guys, the aliens left." He said.

"Mano must have gotten control of the ship." Superman said. "Are you… going to be alright princess?"

She wiped her tears away. "Call me K'oriander. Or Starfire. Or whatever you will, but not princess. Not anymore. That was my last act as princess. I have no kingdom any more."

Wonder Woman put a hand on her shoulder. "We're sorry." She said.

"Who was this?" Captain Marvel asked, kicking a large shard of hand. "He feels like a part of the magic that's permeating the air."

"What magic?" Wonder Woman asked.

"I don't know exactly." Captain Marvel explained. "But the wisdom of Solomon is telling me to run as far away from earth as I can, and there's a general air of foreboding and inevitability. Surely, you've noticed?"

Wonder Woman had noticed, and so had Hawk and Dove.

"Something big is coming. Something that began with Goronn."

"If it has anything to do with him, count me in." Starfire said.

"Hey Tom?" Snap asked. "Those guys you keep talking about… the Challengers of the Unknown? Do you think they could help?"

Tom thought a bit, but Captain Marvel nodded immediately. "Yes. They might know what is going on."

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Snap asked.

"Tom, set the Javelin back to normal, I'll see if the Question knows where Psimon is." Green Lantern said. "Are you going to come with us Blackbird?"

He nodded. "I'll fly alongside you in the Night-wing."

"Are you sure you can keep up?"

"Try me."


	12. Chpt 4 The Will of Trigon

"So, you never did tell us about Blackbird." Captain Marvel half asked while they were flying. "I mean… I know Green Lantern insists on having a chair for him, but I don't know a thing about him."

"You wouldn't." Tom Thumb said. "I only knew him for a short time before he dropped off the face of the planet. G.L. tried to find him, and I always had my eyes and ears open on my adventures, but there just wasn't any sign of him."

"Until now." Superman said. "The only time I ever met him was during the Star City conference."

"The thing with Ultra-Humanite?" Dove asked. "I read about it, but I don't remember…"

"The news didn't talk about me very much." A voice said over the radio.

"What… how did you hijack the communication frequency?" Tom asked. "Superman discovered it, and I'm one of the only ones who know about it."

"Really?" Blackbird asked over the radio. "This is a frequency that my friends used. One of them was a tenth level intellect. Same guy who built my Night-wing."

"So, why didn't the news talk about you?" Dove asked.

"Because, I didn't stick around. I came, I helped beat Ultra-Humanite, and I left. The media was more focused on you guys. I got maybe a footnote in an article, and my picture probably showed up, but nobody knew that much about me and I didn't stick around to make a name for myself."

"Where did you go?" Green Lantern asked. "I was looking for you sometimes."

"Here and there. I learned how to properly hunt criminals from a French masterspy, whose name will be withheld. Then I travelled to Asia and honed my fighting skills. I left my skepticism there, after fighting off Dracula and his evil minions."

"You fought Dracula?" Green Lantern asked.

"Long story. The point is, I wasn't accessible for a while. Now I'm back, and more than capable of fighting the good fight. So, where are we going exactly?"

"To the Challengers of the Unknown." Captain Marvel said. "A group of explorers, intent on going where no man has gone before. The only adventurer with more experience is Tom Thumb, and he's thinking of joining them."

"They've actually extended an invitation every other month for a year now." Tom said with a smile. "It's not like it'll make much of a difference. We have each other on speed-dial as it is, I just have enough on my plate without having to be a full time member."

"We're coming up on their H.Q. now."

The two jets and their passengers zoomed across the ocean, homing in on the small abandoned oil rig. As they approached, the rig's sensors detected them coming in, and scanned the ships. The Javelin was cleared to land, and the signal was sent to the rig's occupants. The Night-wing went undetected, as if it wasn't there. None of the twenty-four hidden anti-aircraft turrets stirred from their peace.

The ships touched down on the landing pads, and the Challengers of the Unknown came out to meet them. Their leader and founder Professor Doom rolled forward in his wheelchair. He was the one who founded the operation. He was the greatest doctor and surgeon in the world, but he was suffering from a downfall in publicity, and thanks to Lexcorp, retained only a small fraction of his wealth. But he sunk all of it into the Challengers, so it was put to good use.

Following him, was the Doom patrol's field leader Professor Logan. He was a world renowned Zoologist, who one day took his family into a Brazilian rainforest and was attacked by a rare species of primate. The monkey attacked his son, who fortunately held the power of Captain Marvel. Unfortunately, after being rebuked by his son Garfield, the primate turned on him and his wife. His wife died within the hour, but with his dying breath he was able to make a formula concocted from a pyramid strand of D.N.A. he was working on, which it held the foundations for the genetic codes of the entire animal kingdom. It negated the poison of the primate's bite, and gave him unparallel shape shifting capabilities, letting him transform into any animal in the world. With the side effect of his skin and hair being a permanent shade of green. He called himself Professor Changling, and his experience in Zoology proved invaluable against the monsters that the Challengers of the Unknown would face.

The two other members were known as Robot-man and the Monsieur Mallah. Robot-man used to be Doom's coworker, until a terrible lab accident disintegrated most of his body. The Professor managed to save him, and place his brain into a robotic body. Monsieur Mallah was a silverback gorilla, which he had used as a test subject for his intellect enhancer. Strangely enough, the two of them fell in love.

While the other members have genius level I.Q.s and were widely acknowledged as the best minds in their fields, Riptide was no more intelligent than any man on the streets. He was Garth, the young leader of the Atlantean Resistance Movement, one of five factions trying to claim dominance over the seas. He'd joined the Challengers in several undersea adventures, and eventually they'd made him a full time member.

The last full time member of the Challengers was Mouse-man. Not a lot was known about him, other than the fact that he used to be a criminal. He was permanently shrunk at two inches tall, and had a telepathic control over rodents. He was a Kleptomaniac, unable to help himself from stealing small items on a whim, which had come in handy on some adventures, as had his knowledge of diamonds and precious gems.

And the last person to come out and greet them on the landing pads was only a person in a loose sense of the word. Rex. The Wonder Dog. Rex had led a long life starting in World War two with the K-9 training unite. He'd earned distinction as the most intelligent and resourceful dog on the force, outrunning tornados, bullfighting, fighting anything, taking out whole tank unites, taking out Hitler's bodyguard while under heavy fire, rescuing children from a burning building, etc… After a while Rex discovered the fountain of youth and became immortal and capable of speaking English. It became his goal to do absolutely everything, be it nuking a Tyrannosaurus Rex, killing an Eldritch god of war by playing amazing grace on a piano hooked up to two hundred speakers, or going back in time and fighting off aliens with President Roosevelt. All of the above, by the way, he had already done (Roosevelt was kind enough to teach him a special nerve pinch technique that was lost during WWI. Now Rex is the last master of the technique).

"Ho!" Riptide leaped forward, drawing his rapier and touching its tip to Blackbird' neck. "And who is this roguish knave who sneaks into our home like a thief in the night?"

"Well met Riptide." Blackbird responded. "I am Blackbird. It's not my fault that your sensors couldn't pick up this roguish knave's ship, so point your blade somewhere else."

"Oooh, Burn." Mouse-man whispered to Rex, as the two stood in silence, taking stock of each other.

Then Riptide laughed, and put his rapier away, clapping Blackbird on the back. "Well met indeed Blackbird." He laughed. "Ho! Justice Champions! I think introductions are in order!"

Tom Thumb stepped up. "Hello Challengers. This is Blackbird, an old friend of ours. And this is Starfire, from the planet Tamaran."

"A pleasure to meet you Starfire." Professor Doom rolled up and shook her hand. "I hope you like Earth. If only Adam Strange was here, I'm sure you two'd get along famously."

"Your ship is fascinating Blackbird." Robot-man said. "I've never seen stealth capabilities like this before. Where did you get it?"

"A friend of mine built it." Blackbird said. "You've probably never met him, he's from an alternate dimension."

"I've met a lot of people from alternate dimensions young man."

"His was destroyed."

"Ah. Sorry."

"Ah, Tom Thumb." Professor Changling shook Tom's hand. "Good to see you again."

"Likewise Professor." Tom said, smiling. "We're looking for some sort of handle on a… possibly mystical situation."

"Ah, magic." He nodded. "Our magic machine has been acting up lately. Let's see what the wisdom of Solomon makes of the situation."

"Sure thing." Captain Marvel said, and the two teams walked into the base.

* * *

Captain Marvel fidgeted nervously.

"It's okay." Green Lantern said. "We're almost there."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Captain Marvel muttered.

They'd managed to trace the epicenter of the mystical disturbance to Paris, France. The Question had found out that the Eiffel Tower was the site of Psimon's first appearance, so that was where they were headed. Once they got that close, Captain Marvel would be able to pinpoint the source of the disturbance, and the combined forces of the Champions and the Challengers would be able to fix the problem.

The problem was, Captain Marvel was looking like he hadn't slept in days.

"Just hang in there. We'll fix this soon enough."

They hovered the Javelin and the Quadjet over the Eiffel tower, while Blackbird took the Night-wing around for a recon.

"Where is it?" Tom Thumb asked.

Captain Marvel shook his head. "It's not a continuous signal… it comes in waves, like a lighthouse…" He held his head in one hand and pointed. Tom steered their jet in the direction of his finger, until Captain Marvel stopped him. "We're right… over it…"

They were over the Louvre museum.

The three planes touched down, and the heroes walked out. The head of security met them on the way in. "Hou là, quel est le problème ici?"

"The problem is, that there's a great disturbance in earth's magical fields coming from inside your museum." Green Lantern said, using her ring to translate.

"Oui, j'ai été dit cela. Mais les autres costumes ont dit qu'ils pourraient contrôler le problème." The man said.

"Other costumes…" Green Lantern's eyes widened. "Stay sharp everybody, we've been beaten to the punch."

They quickly went into the silent, empty museum. "That way… I think…" Captain Marvel led the way down the halls, through the long corridors walled on each side with priceless paintings.

They quickly reached the Mona Lisa's room.

"Of course, it would be from the most valuable painting…" Mallah muttered as they heard voices coming from the room.

"No… this is not one of the vessels." A girl voice said.

"Awe… it's usually the most valuable ones." Another voice said. "Or the ones with the most historic value."

"We're in the Louvre." A loud voice said. "Everything here is valuable."

Green Lantern walked into the room. "Nobody move!" She said, pointing her ring at them, then lowering it in surprise.

Gathered around the Mona Lisa, were seven teenagers, three girls and four boys. One of them was her sidekick, Jason Todd the Kid Lantern. She also spotted the Guardian's sidekick, Herald and the Question's persistent fan boy Answer. There was also a girl with wings like and angel, a girl cloaked in shadows, a cyborg kid, and a girl dressed as a gypsy.

"Kid Lantern? Herald? Answer? What are you doing here and who are the rest of you?"

"Herald?" The Guardian ran into the room. The Justice Champions followed, and so did the Challengers of the Unknown.

"Hey G.L." Kid Lantern said with a smile. "We're saving the world."

"Allow me to make the introductions." Answer stepped up. "This is Cyborg, local hero of San Francisco, and his friend Gypsy. And this is –"

"Ell!" Wonder Woman flew forward.

"Donna!" Ell cried with joy, flying up and hugging her long lost sister.

"What are you doing off of Paradise Isle?" Donna asked.

"It's Diana." Ell said. "She was mad before left, but now she's leading our people to destruction. I tried to lead a rebellion, but we were snuffed out like candles. Diana's been delving deeper and deeper into dark magics. She's made a deal with a devil named Trigon. They're leading an invasion force as we speak!"

"Then what are we doing here?" Donna asked. "Let us go meet them in battle to defend this world."

"Not yet Wonder Woman." Answer held up a hand to wait. "Allow me to answer what we're doing here, in Paris' most overpriced museum, instead of waiting to rough up some invasion in Manhatten." He gestured to the girl behind him. "Allow me to introduce Raven."

"What is she doing here?" Tom Thumb asked angrily.

"She has information on Trigon." Answer said.

"That's because she's in league with him!" Tom said.

"I am not!' Raven yelled. "I'm trying to stop him from coming here."

"She's lying." Tom Thumb said, starting forward. "We have to –" Captain Marvel reached out and pulled Tom back by his collar.

"We have to listen to her." He said.

"If it will make you feel better Tom, I'll put the lasso of truth around her." WonderWoman wrapped the golden cord around the dark girl. "Alright Raven, tell us about Trigon."

She took a deep breath and began; "A long time ago, many hundreds of years, there were a peaceful people on earth. They decided to forgo war, and live lives of peace. To that end, their mystics brought their mighty city into a new world, a world between worlds. And it was known as Azarath."

"But these people were still not content with their new peaceful lives, and wished to become truly rid of all concepts of war, conflict, pain. They cast out these base parts of themselves, out of the Great Door of Azarath, and into the Nether Realms. And so they were happy, and at peace. But at what cost?"

"Soon after on a distant worlds, a cult summoned forth the excess evil, all of the darkest thoughts of the people of Azarath were coaxed out of the abyss in which it had waited for many long years and placed inside a vessel. A child, newborn and innocent. A child named Trigon."

"In the years that followed, the child killed the cult that gave it birth, including its own mother. In six years, it had singlehandedly conquered and destroyed that world. In thirty years time, he had done the same to countless others, billions, devouring his entire universe. But he was not satisfied. He had still yet to conquer his true point of origin; Azarath, and by extension, Earth."

"Trigon could peer across the cosmos, and manipulate events, but he could not cross the barriers between universes. Not without help. And so he enlisted the aid of a cult on earth. They tried to summon a devil, but what the rank amateurs accomplished by accident was far, far worse. Trigon was brought into the world, but they fell short of his will, and he slaughtered them, for he was not powerful enough to take this world, and already the nether was calling him back. But he stayed long enough to accomplish one goal to set him free; he sired an heir to act as a gateway."

"This heir was raised in Azaroth, where she would be safe from harm until he needed her. Over time, she learned of her fate and ran. He was furious, and again schemed to break into this world, but three strong mystics discovered him, and bound him with their magic."

"So Trigon sent his servants after them, a fearsome five. And they were stopped by earth's champions, but the mystics knew their time was at hand and they sealed the doorway to earth into three artifacts, and hid them across the globe, to send out a beacon for help if ever they were to be in danger. And Trigon's heir heard the beacon, and recognized its intent. And she called for help in protecting it, but was turned away from Earth's champions, and instead gathered a group of unlikely heroes."

Raven looked at the Justice Champions, tears beginning to gather in the corners of her eyes. "I am Trigon's daughter, and his portal into this world. One of the seals are about to be broken, a seal here, in this museum, and I only want to stop Trigon from destroying this world, as he has so many others."

"She is telling the truth." Wonder Woman said, untying Raven.

"Are you okay?" Answer asked. She nodded.

"Now all we need to do is find –" Captain Marvel's head swiveled around, in unison with Raven's and Tom's. "This way!" Captain Marvel yelled, and he flew through the now empty museum, leading the three teams. They arrived in a room filled with beautiful silverware, furniture, and jewelry. Antique wonders that the aristocracy used to use.

"There." Raven pointed, at a long string of pearls. "That pearl on the necklace; it has the mark of the three mystics."

"Looks familiar." Herald muttered.

They started forward, but Blackbird yelled, "Wait!"

"If we want to protect the seal, shouldn't we remove the threat that's making it trigger its beacon?"

"We'll get the seal to a safe spot first." Green Lantern explained. "Then we'll deal with Psimon."

"Not that threat. This one." Blackbird swung his quarterstaff, and it whipped Tom Thumb across the face. His visor flew off, and the others gasped.

Instead of two eyes, he had four. And they were lit with demonic fire.

"Clever child." He whispered hoarsely with a smile, and it disappeared.

"What just happened!" Green Lantern yelled.

"He had a shadow parasite!" Raven gasped.

"A parasite that forces its host to live its like exactly like he would if he didn't have the parasite, until the parasite's owner takes over when certain keywords are activated." Captian Marvel explained, turning to Blackbird. "How did you know?"

"About the parasite? I didn't. About him not being himself? He spread a blatant lie about Raven being Trigon's high-priestess, revealed by Wonder Woman's lasso. He also responded like you and Raven when the magic beacon pinged on your radars."

"Everybody keep an eye out, and protect that necklace at all costs." Green Lantern shielded it with her ring.

"Aren't you overestimating him a little?" Captain Marvel asked. "All he can do is shrink."

Barbara shook her head. "Tom Thumb is one of the first heroes, and I think only I have more experience. He's fought genius gorillas, super-alien warlords from a phantom prison, and an evil space robot that bottles cities for a hobby. I don't know what this parasite can do, but even if Tom's fighting it, even if it uses a quarter of his abilities, do not under any circumstances underestimate him."

"Where is he?" Iris yelled through the hoverbot. "Where is he!"

"Don't worry Iris, I'll find him." Professor Thing said, transforming into a bloodhound.

Green Lantern put up a shield around the necklace. "There's no way it can get the necklace now. He can shrink around particles of matter, but not energy. All we need to do is find him and get rid of that parasite Trigon's controlling him with."

"Then what would Trigon's strategy be I wonder…" Blackbird thought, then his head snapped around and turned to Kid Lantern. "Lantern! Take off your ring!"

"But –" Suddenly, a flash of green erupted around Kid Lantern, shaping itself into a four-eyed demon with a sword in one hand and a mace in the other.

"NONE CAN CONTEST THE WILL OF TRIGON!"

"Hooboy." Answer muttered. A tiny Tom Thumb was sitting on Kid Lantern's ring.

Jason focused his willpower, trying to stop it, but the emerald monster lunged forward, snapping the bond between Green Lantern and the cage she'd created around the pearl and swung his mace at her, knocking her into the wall. He picked up the necklace, but Superman and WonderWoman tackled it, through a window and out into the streets of Paris.

It reached for the Necklace, but Blackbird grabbed it and dance out of reach. It spun around and grabbed Superman, slicing his sword through the air at him. He caught it between his hands, and deftly snapped the green blade in two, as WonderWoman came up behind him, and wrapped her lasso around its neck, cutting his head off with the golden rope.

The head and the sword grew back, and the monster glowed a deeper green. Superman suddenly gasped for air, as all of his strength left him, his muscles slowly cramped up. The monster threw him away, into the Siene.

WonderWoman charged forward. "What did you do to him?" She yelled, throwing her lasso around it.

"I used the ring to emit radiation on several different levels. One of them must have gotten through his defenses." The monster said in Tom's voice as it swung its mace at her. "And I'll get you next." The next swing connected, and mace transformed into thick green chains wrapped around her.

"Coming through." Blackbird somersaulted past the two, pulling WonderWoman's lasso out away and spinning around in midair, using it as a whip to strike Kid Lantern's ring. The golden chord sliced through the green monster, and wrapped itself around the ring, annihilating the construct.

Tom Thumb leaped off of the ring, flying towards Blackbird, but Blackbird whipped out his paintgun and shot Tom Thumb out of the air.

"How did you do that?" Tom Thumb asked.

"I taught Tom that somersault." Blackwing said, taking out another gun. He adjusted the setting quickly and pressed the trigger, and lightning arced out, straight at the superconductive paint covering Tom.

Tom grew to full size, and the lightning bounced off of him, only enough volts in it for the miniature Tom Thumb. He leaped at Blackbird, who jumped into the air and landed gracefully on his back, pushing him into the ground. But before they even touched the ground, they both began to shrink. When they landed, they were ant sized.

Tom grinned under Blackbird. "I'm smaller, but I'm still just as strong." He jumped backwards, and Blackbird went flying off of his back. "You? Not so much." He leaped after him, and found Blackbird waiting in the grass. He jumped forward and landed a spinning kick on Tom's chest, which was completely ineffective. Tom grabbed Blackbird by his cape's collar, and backhand slapped him twice, knocking him unconscious. He opened Blackbird's cape and pulled out the pearl necklace.

"At last I will be free." He intoned, taking it in his hands.

Then Blackbird's leg shot out and kicked the necklace away. "Now!" He yelled, and a green ant shot out of the grass, picked up the pearl, and left.

Tom Thumb growled and chased after it, bounding through the grass with practiced speed and ease. "You can't keep me away from my prize Professor." He called, landing in front of the ant.

It was a normal black army ant.

Tom crushed its skull between his hands in frustration.

The Professor grew to his normal human self and handed Snap the pearl. "Get it away from here so we can focus on removing that parasite."

"You got it professor." Snap started forward, then tripped up and tumbled to the ground. His shoelaces had been tied together. Tom bounded over him and grabbed the pearl in his hand, but he was attacked by a swarm of rats.

"Sorry about this mate, but you're not yourself." Mouse-man loomed over him. Tom punched his way through the attacking rodents, picking one of them up by the tail and swinging it at Mouse-man. Mouse-man flew back, but the rodents still attacked him, and he grew to two feet tall, kicking the rats away.

"Aha!" Monsieur Mallah and Rex each grabbed an arm, and Robot-man pried the pearl from his hand. Tom snarled, and shrunk out of their grip.

"Alright, let's – bzzzt!" Robot-man suddenly froze, and Tom leaped out of his wiring, snatching the pearl in his hand.

"Nooooo!" Raven yelled, and he closed his fist around it and crushed it into powder.

"Now…" He glowered, his four eyes glowing, "Earth's Champions… if you truly wish to die, now we may fight." He stood with his arms raised, ready for them.

"Honey…" Iris' hoverbot floated over. "You aren't yourself. Please, fight it."

"Tom Thumb has been fighting me for months." He sneered. "If you wish to grovel before me, by all means do so, but he is not coming back."

The hoverbot whirred. "Honey… this'll hurt me as much as it hurts you."

Iris shot at him with the hoverbot's weapons, exploding the world around him. He dodged, spun whirled, but Iris never let him regain his balance. She kept on firing, some blasts managing to scorch his golden armor. He was too busy dodging to notice when Answer yelled; "now!" He was too busy running to notice the shadow descending over him. By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late; Ell had her lasso around him.

"Nooooo!" He screamed as his true form was revealed. A dark shadow spread over Tom's armor, completely covering him, staring out with four eyes of fire. He struggled and writhed, trying without success to break the magical rope. Herald moved in, raising his trumpet to his lips and blowing. A portal appeared behind Tom, and the shadow parasite screamed one last time, before flying into the void like a puff of smoke.

"Tom lad, are you all right?" Professor Changling asked.

Tom shuddered. "I am now. Sorry for… you know…"

"It wasn't your fault dear." Iris said.

"Yes it was." Tom said. "Curiosity killed the cat. I was just trying to test out the interdimensional rift machine I'd taken as a suveneir from Egg-fu. I wanted to see what was on the other side... when I saw him, I thought I could handle..."

Professor Changling patted him on the back. "It's over now." Iris said. "You're back. That's all that matters."

"No, it isn't." Raven said. "One seal has been destroyed. There are two seals left, until Trigon will be able to use me as a portal into this world. And then he'll take over, and kill everbody who gets in his way."

"We're not going to let that happen." Answer said. "Ell, I'm pretty sure you can let go of Tom now so he can unshrink Blackbird, and undo whatever he did to Robot-man."

"I can still feel a disturbance." Captain Marvel said as Tom fixed the damage he did. "No, two disturbances. One's farther away, and the other's closer."

"I'm the second one." Raven said. "The other must be the next seal. It's sensing Trigon's going to try and break it."

"Alright." Green Lantern said. "We need to find the other two seals and protect them."

"The first one's in Manhattan." Answer said.

"How did you know that?"

"Because I told him." Ell said. "It's where Trigon is sending Diana. I saw it in one of their meetings. He wants her to destroy some statue of a green lady with a torch in one hand and a book in the other. Do any of you where it us?"

The Justice Champions exchanged glances. "The Statue of Liberty."

"Makes sense." Blackbird said. "The first seal was a needle in a haystack hidden in the most well protected haystack in the world. The next one is a gigantic statue that would take an army to destroy, which is apparently Trigon's strategy. The last seal will probably be similarly protected."

"Alright" Green Lantern nodded. "Answer, you and your team come with us. We'll protect the Statue of Liberty. Challengers, go back to your base and figure out where the last seal is. Protect it. Take Captain Marvel with you."

Professor nodded. "Don't spare it another thought. We'll find it, guaranteed."

"And if anybody wants it, they'll have to go through us to get it." Rex growled.


	13. Chpt 5 The Battle of Liberty Part 1

"I found it!" Superman yelled. He flew up to the torch. The mark of the three mystics was inscribed around the ring finger.

"Well, now we know for sure." Green Lantern said. "Snap. Take the rookies and help get everybody off the island."

"Will do." Snap ran off, ushering the tourists to their boats.

"Tom Thumb!" She sat cross legged in front of the statue. "I need you to protect me in case the Amazons get too close."

"Why, what are you going to do?" He asked.

"They're coming!" Hawk yelled above them.

"They're hidden in that low dark cloud!" Dove pointed. The cloud took up a large portion of the horizon, obscuring the sunrise.

"I'm going to concentrate." Green Lantern said, closing her eyes.

"They're going to be here in ten minutes." Blackbird, Superman, and Wonder Woman gathered at the waterfront where they were due to land.

"How can you tell?" Superman asked.

"I calculated the time based on wind, Amazon arm strength, the distance from here to Paradise Isle…"

"How did you know all of that?" Wonder Woman asked.

"The same way I know there are five Triremes each full to bursting with Amazons and each one carrying a catapult."

"How…"

"I don't think he's going to tell us." Superman said.

"Sorry." Blackbird smiled. "Force of habit. I was raised in a circus, and the first rule of being a showman is not to tell the audience your tricks."

"So you're a magician?" The Red Rover asked, flying back from scouting with the Guardian.

"No, I'm an acrobat, but the same rules apply. If you want people to marvel about how easy you make something look, don't tell them that you're really working hard to make it look easy."

Rover nodded appreciatively. "Okay, but how do you really know?"

Blackbird grinned. "I'm listening in on military frequencies. They've engaged the Amazons and… well, they're really getting pummeled. Wonder Woman…" He turned to Donna. "Is there anything you can tell us about Amazons before they get here? Like… do they all have the same powers as you? Strength? Flight?"

"They're all as trained and strong as me… some might be less, some might be more. Only me and my sisters can fly, but the rest can glide on air currents, which is a problem with this wind…"

Superman flew away, up to the torch. Starfire was there, looking out over New York city. "Hey." He said, flying next to her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She said.

Jimmy sighed. "It never gets any easier, losing a home. And I can't imagine how it feels to lose a planet. But you shouldn't hold in your emotions."

Starfire was silent. "Goronn's death… didn't make me feel any better."

"Death never makes anybody feel better." Jimmy said. "Listen, I know it's probably strange and confusing for you on my planet… but… if you want to stay, I'd be happy to make my place your home."

She looked at him. "You would?"

"Sure." He smiled. "Everybody needs a home." She cut him off with a hug, her eyes moistening. Superman returned it.

Then he suddenly noticed the metal behind Starfire was beginning to glow. She noticed at the same time and turned around. "Look out!" She yelled, firing a starbolt behind him, shattering a house sized rock with flames streaming from it. The little chunks fell across the island, and Superman turned around to see where it'd came from.

The Amazons had arrived.

Queen Diana was in the lead ship emerging from the magical mists. Psimon was attached to the helm like an ornament, iron knives piercing through his hands, the glass orb protecting his brain shattered. Queen Diana waved her sword and the catapults fired in unison, launching at the statue. Superman and Starfire flew down and began pushing and punching the missiles out of the way.

Tom Thumb grew agitated. "Not everybody's off the island yet Babs." He said. "If you're going to do something, do it fast."

She opened her eyes.

Green lines shot out of her ring, spreading across the island and out into the sea. The lines formed hexagon patterns, mapping out the area into a grid. A hex on the shore lit up, and the green construct of her father grew out of it.

"Attention Amazons!" It yelled into a megaphone across to the ships. "We don't want to fight you! Whatever your reasons, we invite you to a parley to discuss you leaving in peace! We are aware of your abilities in combat, and of your leader's powerful magics! But you are not aware of what we can do! I will only tell you this once: if you insist on fighting us, we will win!"

The Amazons yelled their battle cries and somebody shot an arrow through the construct's head.

"If that's what you want then." The construct of Jim Gordon disappeared, and hexes all along the shore lighted up. Five battalions of Gotham's finest emerged from the lighted zones, raising their green plexiglass shields up and readying the latest S.W.A.T. gear. Police cars lined the shore taking up eight hexes each, forming a barrior that the Amazons would undoubtedly go over with ease, but they wouldn't notice the sharp green tacks on the hexes directly behind them when they touched down. Green Lantern surveyed the scene set out below her with a focus unachieved by even the greatest chess masters. Nothing could distract her from the fight about to be played out along the hexes.

"Amazons! Charge!" Diana yelled, pointing with her sword. The Amazons leaped off the boats, gliding on the air currents towards the shore.

Wonder Woman took out her lasso, the only weapon she needed. Red Rover pressed her hand against one of the green soldiers and turned herself into green energy. Blackbird took out a staff, and held it in ready position for the fight. The Guardian dropped into a fighting stance. Hawk and Dove got ready to strafe the beach.

The amazons landed on the shore and leaped over the barricade. The ground beneath their feet exploded, and the green soldiers surged forward, placing green handcuffs on the fallen. The ones behind them covered them as the next wave of Amazons attacked, cutting through the soldiers. The Justice Champions dove into the fray, defending the beach.

Diana glowered. "First those monsters, and now this." She gestured to Artemis' boat. "Go and break through their ranks! Attack the green woman, she is the backbone of their force!" With a quick spell, the wind surged forward and Artmeis' triream surged ahead.

"All hands ready!" She yelled. The triream surged onto the shore and plowed straight through a complement of green warriors. Artemis leaped off ot the ship and charged toward Barbara. "Amazons, attack that woman!" Tom Thumb and the Gaurdian saw the advancing warriors, and broke off to fight them.

Tom leaped forward, prepared to use techniques he'd learned from the gladiator pits of War World to the lost land of Hybaki. After slipping up and being forced by some demon to fight his best friends, he wasn't going to let the Amazons distract Babs and win the fight with her army.

He rolled off on the Amazon's shields, swinging it around and disarming her with a sudden kick, then he jumped out of the way, breaking the jaw of another Amazon while his aunt fired a barrage from the I.R.I.S. at the one he'd disarmed. Then he plucked an arrow from the Amazon's quiver and danced around, using it as a spear and jabbing at her, before jumping out of the way again as the Guardian took over, rushing at her like a bull and sending her flying through the air with the force of his charge.

"There's starting to be too many of them." The Guardian said, blocking and angry spear thrust from another.

"I know!" Tom said, leaping in front of Green Lantern and catching an arrow headed for her. "But we have to keep this up."

Suddenly, and spear flew through the air catching him in the chest. It didn't penetrate his armor, but it knocked him back and sent the wind rushing out of him. He wheezed and tried to get up, to protect Green Lantern from the Amazon warrior heading for her. He tried to stand, but his knees gave out. "No…" He croaked hoarsely as the Amazon lowered her sword…

And got knocked back by a green explosion. "Miss us?" Tom Thumb turned around, and saw the rookie heroes coming up behind him, Kid Lantern holding a green bazooka. "The island's clear. Now let's treat our guests like the ladies they are and go to town with them!"

They rushed into the fight, Elysium at the forefront, helping the Guardian with the group of Amazons that got through.

A wave of water rushed out among the boats, and suddenly the Snap was behind Queen Diana, tapping her shoulder. She swung her shield around, reflexively, but it hit nothing but air, and the Snap was already half a ship away.

"Hey, about these catapults…" He patted the side of one. "They aren't instrumental in your plans to destroy lady liberty, are they?" The two amazons operating the catapult tried to grab him from behind but he was already gone. Where he was standing was a pile various wooden and iron joints. Suddenly, the catapult behind them collapsed into a pile of wood beams, and the catapults on the other ships followed suit. The Snap reappeared with Psimon slung over his shoulder. "Because, you know, if they were, I probably just singlehandedly foiled your plans just then. My bad. You can send me the bill." He ran off, leaving Diana red with rage.

Superman and Starfire finished off the last of the projectiles. "Let's go have a talk with the Queen." Superman said, and they flew down to her.

She seethed as they approached, then regained her calm expression. She even smiled, just a little. She'd had her plan, and now these… infidels had thwarted it. They would pay… but first, she would destroy that statue, singlehandedly. And then, Trigon would allow her to remake the world as she saw fit. A perfect world. A world free of men, and free of war, where the only violence that existed were in games and her mother was no longer a bird.

Superman and Starfire hovered in front of here. "You're losing your highness." He said. "Your warriors aren't going to destroy that statue. Your demon friend isn't going to destroy our world. And you are going to go back to where you came from."

She shook her head. "I will concede." She said. "I will concede that I have underestimated your warriors. I will concede that my warriors have failed me, and they won't destroy that statue. But I will not concede that you have won. I will not go home, and I will tear that statue which you so openly mock womankind with, even if I have to tear it down one beam of steel at a time."

Superman shook his head. "You're mad."

She snorted. "Of course, anything I say would sound like madness to you. You are only a man. You wouldn't have the ability to comprehend a word I say. But you…" she turned to Starfire. "You are valiant, and I would offer you a chance to join my side. Rest assured we will win this battle, and once we do I will remake this world. You can be a part of it, if you want."

Starfire's eyes glowed. "The only way you could remake a world, is to destroy it. And you will not destroy my new home!" She flew forward, and knocked Diana through her ship, straight out the other side into the water.

"That was some punch." Superman congratulated her.

"Well she's not the only one from a warrior culture." She said, blushing slightly. Suddenly, the trireme erupted from the water, spraying seawater in their faces. It rose in front of them, carried over the head of Queen Diana as she flew out of the water.

"You punch like a man." She said, throwing the ship at Starfire. It connected with the solid crunch of wooden beams breaking, and Starfire sank into the water, with the broken ship on top of her.

"Starifre!" Superman yelled, and then Diana was on him.

The sword she used was magical; is almost pierced his skin. And she was fast. By the time he could through a punch she was already gone and attacking him from a new angle. He couldn't even out fly her. She attacked relentlessly, and it wasn't long before he fell into the water, drifting into unconsciousness.

She smiled, and touched a talisman around her neck. A yellow creature with sharp claws and red eyes emerged from the boiling water. "Demon." She said. "Attack those who oppose me."

It lunged, knocking Wonder Woman away, and the two fought, pinned on the ground. Hawk and Dove dived forward and began attacking Diana. Diana moved faster than the eye could see, and their battle quickly took them into the clouds.

"This isn't good." Tom Thumb said.

Above the clouds, Hawk was laughing.

"Would you be quiet?" Dove asked, stressfully. "I'm trying to fight here."

"What's to worry about bro?" Hawk asked, swinging his mace at Diana. "Are you telling me you might get creamed by a girl? Uh-uh."

Diana froze. "What did you just say?"

Tom Thumb tripped another Amazon into Cyborg's fist, when suddenly Hawk and Dove fell out of the skies and onto the battle field. "Oh no." He muttered.

Diana flew down in front of the pair. "No. More. Fighting." She said. "No more wasting my time on your games. I will destroy you all. Now." She threw her shield away and took out a wand. "Bracchium, avi amendos, suture!" A bright light shot out of her wand, and Hawk and Dove transformed into the birds they were named for. "Now, Hawk, kill your brother."

Hawk looked at Dove, and Dove looked back. Dove nodded. Then Hawk flew up to Diana, and attacked her, clawing at her face.

She screamed and howled, and tore him away. "How?" She yelled. "How could you have disobeyed me?" She felt the side of her face, realizing she couldn't she out of her left eye. Her hand came away wet with blood, the left side of her face around her eye now a bloody mess.

"You cannot understand my dear, what you have never known./ You think you are the greatest, but these two have clearly shown/ there is a force more powerful than your strength and witchery,/ 'tis brotherhood, that noble trait, that lets them conquer thee."

Diana turned with a rage, and saw Dove sitting on Etrigan's head, holding that talisman in his mouth that had just moments before been tied around here waste. Hawk flew around, and landed next to Dove. And then they flew off, as Etrigan charged at Diana.

"Foolish demon." She cleaved his head off. "I cannot be conquered."

Then something hard hit the back of her head and she stumbled forward. Spinning in a rage he turned to Blackbird. "I meat somebody else like you a while back." Blackbird said. "He claimed he wanted to make the world a better place. But he made three mistakes. The first was trying to build a paradise off of the blood of people in his way. The second was his inability to see that he was wrong, letting his pride stop him from quitting before it was too late. And the third… was killing one of my friends."

Diana stabbed at Blackbird, and he leaped up, landing on the tip of her sword. She grunted and tried to throw him away, but he'd already leaped off, kicking her in the head, before coming down behind her firing his grappling hook. He swung it around and the chord encircled her, trapping her, before she stretched and snapped it. She spun, swinging her blade, and he cartwheeled back, grabbing a sword from one of the fallen Amazons and blocked, then parried, and began to duel with the queen.

"You do not know who you are fighting." She said. "I am the Diana, queen of Paradise Isle. I was granted power from the gods of Olympus, I fight with magic beyond your comprehension. I! Cannot! Lose!"

Blackbird parried a vicious swing, and spun gracefully, taking a fist full of needles out of his belt. "Well, I guess you don't know who you're fighting either. I trained for four years to stop people like you. I defeated Lady Shiva, Ras Al Ghul, and anybody else who would fight me. I earned three names, each of them striking terror into the hearts my enemies."

He swiftly darted past her, sliding across the ground. As he swung past, he threw the needles like darts. She blocked one, but the other three got through, pouring tranquilizer into her. "I am vengeance." He leaped, somersaulting over her. As he did, he took a bola out of his belt and pressed the clasp of his cape. He landed behind her, throwing the bola as the cape fell over her. "I am the night." The bola wrapped around her legs, tying her up in his cape like an old sack. He pulled, and tripped her over, pressing buttons on his costume's arm.

"I'm Blackbird."

The Night-Wing shot through the sky down to him. He tossed the line attached to the bolas up, and it attached to the front of the Night-wing via a series of magnets. Blackbird entered in a combination code into his armpad and his ship flew away, dragging the queen behind it.

"Impressive." Starfire said, helping Superman up.

"Thank you." Blackbird knelt in front of Etrigan's head. "Etrigan? Are you alright."

It opened its eyes. "Her metal stung, but I persist,/'Twas naught, after all, but steel./Thank you Blackbird, for your assist/I must go now to heal." He disappeared in a burst of flame.

"How do you know a demon?" Tom asked. Blackbird waved the question away.

"Well I think we stopped this little attempted doomsday." Red Rover said with a smile, looking back at the shore. The Amazon army were on their knees, struggling to get out of green handcuffs.

"I'll talk to them." Donna said. "Convince them of the truth."

"Justice Champions." Professor Logan called over the radio. "Come in Justice Champions."

She opened up communications. "Have you found out where the third seal is?" She asked.

"Yes, and you won't believe it. It's right there with you. The two seals are exactly where you are."

"What?" She asked, confused. "But that doesn't make any sense."

"Captain Marvel's on his way now." Proffessor Logan continued. "We're right behind him."

"Where would the third seal be?" Superman asked, confused.

"What's up?" Blackbird asked.

"The third seal is somewhere close by." Tom Thumb said. "But we don't know where."

"Continuing with Green Lantern's theory about it being well hidden, or very difficult to destroy…" Blackbird thought. "If I were going to make a third seal, I'd… I'd give it a guardian of some kind."

"That's it!" The Herald said. He ran forward, holding out his trumpet. "My trumpet is the third seal, look!" It had the mark of the three mystics on one side.

"Where did you get this?" Tom Thumb asked.

"The Angel of death gave it to me." He said. "After I won a fight with him."

Blackbird snapped his fingers. "Of course. Anybody who can beat the angel of death would be a good guardian. And the trumpet had been shown to open interdimensional portals."

"Well, then we have to go after that witch queen." The Guardian said. "If her next stop after the Statue of Liberty is Herald, it'd be better if we found her first and fought her on our own terms."

"That won't be necessary." Superman said. "She's coming to us."

An enormous wave was gathering on the horizon, and surging forward rapidly. "Uh oh." Snap ran forward, intent on pushing the wave back, but a fist shot out from the water, knocking him sharply back. As Snap sank into the water Queen Diana burst ahead of the wave, dragging the busted up Night-wing behind her.

"Not good!" Superman flew up to the wall of water and expanded his shield. The water crashed against it, and then around it. He turned and flew after it, trying to get it to stop. "Okay, that's not good!" Red Rover expanded the green energy she'd absorbed into a shield, but she didn't have enough willpower. The water crashed through her shield, and she collapsed. Superman caught her before she hit the water.

Starfire and Wonder Woman charged at Queen Diana. She swung the Night-wing around and knocked the two of them out of the sky.

"The wave's going to hit!" the Guardian yelled.

Green Lantern stood up.

With an gesture, she made a solid wall the length of the wave, stopping it in his tracks. "Look out guys." She said.

"Look out for what?"

"She broke my concentration."

The Champions looked down, and the green warriors had disappeared. The Amazons were getting up, un-cuffed and retrieving their weapons.

Diana spun the Night-wing around, throwing it at the Statue of Liberty. With aloud crash it connected, tearing straight through the arm. It groaned, bending on its last few girders, then fell. Superman sped underneath it, catching it with one arm. "I've got it!" He yelled.

"Not good enough." The Queen smiled, landing in front of her army.

"My Queen." Artemis ran to her side. "I believe weeeeaaaargh!" Artemis fell to the ground in a seizure, smoke pouring from her mouth. The other Amazons followed suit.

"With the second seal broken, Trigon has greater access into this world." Queen Diana smiled. "He still cannot come in person, but he can grant me more than enough power as is necessary to do away with you." The Amazon army got back on its feet, black smoke pouring through their veins, four red eyes each glowing, looking at the heroes. A dark flame gently surrounded them, and the burning Amazons readied their weapons. Smoke rose up from the ground, taking on physical form, until black and grey duplicates of the Justice Champions stood at the Queen's side, staring at them through four glowing eyes.

"I'll take the third seal now, if you don't mind." Queen Diana held out her hand.

"Everybody protect Herald." Green Lantern formed a shield around them, and the Champions gather around the Herald.

The Queen sighed. "Have it your way. But I will extend this offer; the women here have all shown amazing ability, and if you were to join me now you would be spared. Yes, even Donna and Elysium. What say you?" She raised her sword, waiting for response. "No? If that's what you want then." She swung it down on the shield with a fierce battle cry.

"No."

The sword stopped mid swing. Blood dripped down the blade and to the handle. Diana glared at Captain Marvel, and he frowned down at her. She tugged at it, but he held it firmly. It didn't move a millimeter. Then with a light squeeze, it shattered. The Queen backed away, grabbing another sword from one of her warriors.

"I'm sorry I was late you guys. I decided to bring some cavalry with me." The challengers of the unknown flew down in their flying car. The Hood was with them, and Tomorrow woman, Blackhawk, Firestorm, Storm-man, Plastic man, and the Bronze Tiger.

"No matter." Queen Diana glared. Black and grey copies of those heroes formed too. "You are as outmatched as you were mere moments ago." She settled into a fighting stance and pointed her sword and wand at the heroes. "Attack my minions! Attack, and destroy the third seal!"


	14. Chpt 6 The Battle of Liberty Part 2

They charged.

Superman and Captain Marvel's doubles charged at Green Lantern's barrier, breaking through. The dark heroes met their originals and began fighting. The Hood leaped at his Shade, drawing three arrows onto his bow. His Shade drew his own arrow. He fired in mid-air, and the Hood took it in his shields, twisting around and aiming at the Amazon army. The targeting system in his mask aimed at each individual Amazon, and he pressed the button on his bow, launching the arrows. The three arrows divided into thirty, then three hundred, then three thousand, and half of the island came alight in explosions as the Amazons fell back from the assault. He grinned, and then turned to deal with his Shade.

As they were fighting, Raven was silently engulfed in shadows. "Father wants a word with you.'' She heard her Shade whisper in her ear.

"Where'd Raven go?" Lantern kid asked.

"And where'd Answer go?" Cyborg asked.

"Worry about yourself." Cyborg's shade said, delivering a staggering punch.

"I don't think we can win this!" The Professor yelled from his form of a Lion. "They have all of our skills, no conscious, and no compunctions about killing!"

"Oh, mister brains has it all figured out." His Shade snickered, wrapping around him as an anaconda. "If only you'd been this quick on the take when our wife was in the hospital, you might have saved her."

"Don't you dare call her that!" The professor roared. He transformed into a gorilla and started pounding away at his shade. "She's not your wife! You're just a loathsome impersonation!"

"A pretty good one." His shade snickered, transforming into a hippo and sitting on him. "After all, I'm the one who's walking out of this fight." He opened his maw wide.

"Catch!"

The bloody body of a grey dog flew through the air and landed in the hippo's mouth. "What the?" Suddenly, Rex the Wonder dog leaped up and delivered an astonishing dropkick to the top of the Hippo's jaw, crushing his skull and the dog inside it.

"Well, that's number 78 to cross off the bucket list." Rex said, limping over to help up the professor. "Come on professor. Let's go help the other Challengers."

Blackhawk was firing arrow after arrow at his shade, to no effect. "come on!" He yelled, after his double shot another of his arrows out of the sky.

"Need a hand?" The Hood asked, tossing Blackbird an arrow. Blackbird aimed and shot. His shade tried to shoot it out of the sky again, but the arrow cleaved straight through and rammed into the shade's heart.

Blackbird was amazed. "We were shooting Nth metal arrows." He said. "How did that arrow cut through?"

"Easy!" The Hood said. "I'm a Luthor! Now fire some of those Nth metal arrows at my double!" Blackbird quickly fired. The shade shot his arrows away, but he was distracted long enough for the Hood to fire a gelatin arrow at him, encasing him in a transparent prison. "And now that that's done." He grinned and aimed at the fighting Supermen. "I've always wanted to do this… Superman! Get out of the way!" Superman swerved and hid behind his shade as the arrow flew true.

The Shade snatched the arrow out of the air and backhanded Superman.

"Well." The Hood grinned. "Superman's been holding back. Fascinating what we learn from our dark sides." He touched a control pad on his bow and a blast of light shot down from the sky, engulfing him. Everybody stared at the pillar of light until it dissipated.

The beam stopped, and Superman's shade stumbled to his feet in the center of the crater. "Oh." The Hood said. "Well… that's disappointing. Maybe a different frequency." The beam shot down again, and this time the screaming silhouette of the dark Superman's skeleton was visible in the light. "Bullseye!"

"You realize that trick won't work on me now that I know about it?" Superman asked.

"Lighten up you big show-off, a demon and his army are trying to destroy the universe. There'll be more kill-sats aimed at you later." He turned to the hordes of Amazonian demons. "Well? Come on! Who wants some more Luthor!"

BlackHawk looked around and saw Firestorm in the air above him. He leaped up with his rocket boots and delivered a rocket kick to the back of the shade's head. "Firestorm!" He yelled. "I need a clear shot at Plastic Man's Shade!"

Firestorm nodded and flew around the statue of liberty. Plastic man and his shade were tangled all around it. He found the head and channeled nuclear energy through his arms, gesturing to a point in the sky and to the Shade's head. The head disappeared, swallowed up by a black hole, and the rest of the body followed, teleported through to the black hole and out into the sky behind Firestorm.

"Hey, what gives?" He yelled, before an Nth metal arrow rammed through his plastic skull.

Superman flew up, surveying the area to see what he could do. The Justice Champions were being beaten back by their own shades. Blackbird was helping others beat their own shades. The Amazonian demons were being held back by the Hood (_For now._ He added as an afterthought. He didn't trust the Hood a bit). The Challengers of the Unknown were holding their own. The rookies had taken their fight inside the Statue of Liberty, and were doing a pretty good job too.

He suddenly realized there was a helicopter coming in. He saw Lois Lane in the cockpit, and had to suppress a sigh before going to meet her. "Superman!" She yelled. "What's the story here?"

"You have to get out of here Ms. Lane!" He yelled. "It's not safe!"

"Never bothered me before!"

"Seriously, the story here is that an Amazonian witch has made a deal with the devil and now we have to stop Armageddon! I'd get out of here while I still could if I were you!"

"Not on your life! For a story like that I'd –" She stopped suddenly, with a gasp, and the helicopter swerved as the pilot did the same. Suddenly, the two of them had four glowing red eyes, ink black skin, and two rows of razor sharp teeth.

"Woah." Superman backed away, only to realize his mistake. The helicopter had also changed, into a nightmarish thing which looked like it was put together by the bones of giant bats and armed to the teeth. Superman was the most indestructible being in the world. Not even Captain Marvel was tougher than him. But when it came to magic all bets were off. The Helicopter had Superman in range and it's mouth opened (wait, what?) and breathed fire at Superman.

He yelled and ducked out of the way, and suddenly realized something else. The tour boat that had just left the island fifteen minutes ago was coming back. Only instead of a tour boat, it was something like a steam punk Roman galleon, and instead of tourists it had demon people, brandishing some very lethal looking cameras.

Superman opened up his Justice Champion's radio. "This is Superman to all points. We have incoming! I think we're about to get overrun! Superman to all points, we neeaaaarrrgh!" He yelled as the helicopter came around for another pass, and Lois shot a beam of pure pain out of her camera.

The Hood ran out of arrows. "Well… not good." The Amazonian demons gathered around him like sharks. "Okay… I may need a little help holding the beach." As if on cue, Firestorm swooped down, barring the Amazons from the statue and the other fighting heroes.

"What happened to, 'I'm a Luthor!'?" Blackhawk asked, coming up behind him with Plastic man, Storm Man, and Tomorrow Woman.

"I was adopted, so sue me." The Hood shrugged. "Now, I need an arrow! Plastic man!"

"You got it!" Plastic man formed himself into the shape of an arrow, leaping into the Hood's hand.

"For earth!" The Hood yelled, firing him. Plastic man waited until he was in the middle of the Amazons before inflating into a giant bouncy ball, ricocheting through the warriors.

"For Earth!" BlackHawk and the others yelled, charging into the fray. "And for all mankind!"

Green Lantern was being pounded into the ground by her Shade. "Wow, somebody woke up on the pathetic side of the bed this morning." Her shade grinned. "You know, there are a whole lot of reasons why fighting your evil double-in-every-way is a bad idea, but with me it's a little bit more than that. My ring is powered by yours. I can be distracted and I'd still have the power to take you on."

Green Lantern lashed out with a green baseball bat but at the same time an anvil formed over her head. They both dodged out of the way. "You know, our dad still worries about you." She said. "He never lets on about it, but he stays up at nights, wondering whether you'll come home alive the next time. How do you think he'll react when you finally… don't? Personally, I think he'll go all suicidal at the realization."

"Shut up!" Green Lantern ran forward, not using her ring, fighting her shade fist-to-fist.

"Oh my." Her shade giggled. "Did I strike a nerve there? You know, this is why you were picked to be a Green Lantern. You have such drive, such will to win. Even when you're lashing out in anger you're using strategy. You've already realized that if you don't use your ring I can't use mine. Tell me…" She grinned. "All of the people back home who doubted you… all of the wins you've racked up, the villains you've put away… all of that willpower bent solely towards victory…tell me, how does it feel to actually lose for once?"

The shade quickly gained the upper hand, beating away at Barbara, lashing out with moves she normally wouldn't for fear of killing her opponent, mercilessly striking every nerve, every rib, everywhere it hurt the most.

The Shade finally threw Green Lantern several feet away. She groaned and winced as she tried to get up. "Oooooh. That looks brutal. Now be honest honey, you really hate me yourself now don't you. Just like with Lady Shiva, you really hate it that somebody is a better fighter than you. Be honest with yourself…" The Shade grinned wickedly. "How does it feel… to lose?"

Green Lantern finally got to her feet and grinned, blood dripping from her mouth. "I wouldn't know." She said. "Why don't you tell me?" She opened her fist, and revealed the Shade's ring in her hand. It gasped and reached for its finger, but the ring wasn't there. She'd slipped it off in the fight.

Green Lantern put on her shade's ring and advanced, surrounding her with several green and grey police officers. "Now… what was that you were saying about my father?"

Blackbird and his Shade observed each other. As one advanced, the other backed away. They circled and feinted across the battlefield.

"So." Blackbird said. "You have all my gadgets, all my skills."

"Yes." His Shade said. "But I have the advantage, because I'm willing to kill, and I'm not bugged by the emotional baggage I'm about to remind you you have."

"I see." He said. "But killing you wouldn't really be killing, as you have no independent will, and I can ignore the emotional baggage."

"You can't ignore it forever." The Shade said. "Sooner or later, I'll hit a nerve and you'll make a mistake, which I'll press. And even if you're willing to go for the kill with me, you're out of practice with the techniques that would kill a man."

"So we're even." Blackbird thought out loud.

"I have the slight advantage." The Shade said.

"The matter still remains, that there must be some way to beat you."

"There isn't."

"Yes there is, and I just found it."

"What? No you haven't."

"Yes I have." He grinned. "Remember Ten? One of the few people to beat me in a fight? How did he do that?"

"Well, he used the environment around us to –" Suddenly, he heard a loud groan. He looked up at the Night-wing, falling from its position on Lady Liberty's torch. He looked back, too late to dodge the bola flying straight at him from its previous place in Blackbird's hand.

"And he used distractionary tactics." Blackbird said, flinging more tricks from his belt at the shade, each one going for a finishing strike. His shade managed to dodge them and get halfway out of the shadow growing on the ground around him. But halfway wasn't enough. Blackbird watched the Night-wing fall, then checked the flaming wreckage. He was, after all, a master of survival and escapism, and it was only natural (i.e. common sense, i.e. survival) to assume he'd only weakened his Shade.

Captain Marvel and his shade clashed through the air. Or through the skies, as the case may be. As their fists impacted on each other, the titanic blows exploded like lightning. Where they fought, the air was soon too ionized to breath.

And still they fought.

Captain Marvel was losing. His shade was hounding him relentlessly, never giving him time to breath or think. He managed to get a few blows in, but it was chump change compared to the beating his shade was handing out. It was really going for the kill, every blow aimed to maim until he was weak enough to be finished off.

"You know, I know all about you." The shade mocked. "I know how guilty you feel about not catching that monkey sooner, before it bit your mother. I know you bury your feelings by putting on your other faces. Captain Marvel doesn't feel the pain does he? Private Jim Sparrow of the U.S.S. Archangel was grown in a pod, he never had a mother. You're really pathetic, hiding your pain behind your masks." He spread his arms, boastingly. "This is what you could become if you simply embrace your guilt! Turn it into something useful! Turn it into rage!"

He punched Captain Marvel in the jaw, knocking him out of the sky. "Well, that was easy." He began flying back to the rest of the fight, when he heard a voice in the back of his head; _he's probably not dead you know. He's probably just waiting for a chance to strike at you when he's better and you're distracted. Also, whenever the heroes fight their dark sides, they always win by switching partners. If you go against anybody besides Captain Marvel, you may as well point a bullseye on yourself. Go check to see if you've really finished him._

The Shade considered. It was partially the wisdom of Solomon talking, and partially Garfield's nigh encyclopedic knowledge of thematic elements in t.v. shows. He swooped down over the water, searching for any sign of Captain Marvel.

Captain Marvel found him first.

He exploded from the water, grabbing his shade's legs. He flung into the water and yelled; "Shazam!" The explosion created a shockwave expanding to the beach.

The Shade came out of the water, coughing, spluttering, and slightly singed. Garfield swam up behind him and flung his arms around his neck. "Episode twenty-one sucker! Guess how Captain Hale beats his evil twin? SHAZAM!"

After the second explosion settled and the Shade was still singed, Captain Marvel lifted him out of the water by the front of his shirt. "He has Doctor Ooorah beam him out and clean him up while he carpet bombs the arena from orbit, and then he comes back to finish the fight refreshed."

The Shade opened his mouth, and Captain Marvel filled it with his fist. "No magic words for you." He followed up with three pounding blows and then flew into the water with him. After a couple of minutes, Captain Marvel emerged alone.

He flew over to Green Lantern and Blackbird. "I can't see Herald anywhere." He said.

"Superman reported in." Green Lantern replied. "They're fighting their Shades inside the statue."

"Then let's go." Captain Marvel started to fly away, but Blackbird caught onto his cape.

"And do what? Fight some more?" He asked. "Think… they're getting reinforcements. They're turning innocent people into those… things. If we just keep fighting we'll be overrun. We need to get to the head of the problem, and cut it off. We need to dethrone the Queen."

"But what about everybody else?" Green Lantern asked.

"They're only fighting themselves. They'll survive, at the very least. The Hood's gang fighting the Amazonian demons have it tougher, but we need to focus on helping them by cutting off the enemy's cavalry, not diving into the fray without thinking. Now, can you fly up and find her? I can't see where she is."

Donna was at the end of her rope. She thanked the goddess Athena that her sister had spent the last several years studying witchcraft as opposed to war craft, while she herself had fought nefarious super villains and aliens of all manner for the past six years. But she was still imbued with the power of the gods to be the perfect warrior, and Donna's own strength was barely standing up to it.

"You… are stronger than before sister." Diana growled as she attacked.

"And you… Diana. I beg of you, leave now."

"Stronger in some ways… weaker in others." Diana pressed her attack. "You used to live in Paradise Island. Paradise… the gods could not have granted us a better home. Why then did it fall? Because of Circe. Because she was corrupted by the evils outside of the island, and brought them inside. And then you… then you decided to harbor a Man. And then Elysium got it into her head to start a rebellion… Donna, sister. Every horrible, terrible thing that has happened to Paradise Isle is due to outside forces. Why can't you see that? Why can't you see that for Paradise Isle to survive, it has to encompass this world, and strangle the filth from it!"

"Are you even listening to yourself Diana?" Donna screamed. "'Strangle the filth from it'? That's not the sister I know! That's not the Amazon way!"

"The Amazon way is war!" Diana yelled. "We are warriors sister!"

"And why do we fight!" Donna spat out blood. "Why!"

"We fight for Paradise!"

"You don't know the meaning of the word!" Donna twisted her rope, and her sister's sword flew out of her hand. "Paradise isn't a place! Paradise isn't something you can win in a single battle! Paradise is too good for that! Paradise is something you fight for again, and again, and again, because it's worth it!" She gestured to the Justice Champions. "Paradise are companions, who lift you up, and when you fight for them, they fight alongside you! Paradise are a group of friends, each one finding his own paradise in the rest!"

She lashed her golden rope out like a whip, knocking the wand out of her hand. "Tell me I'm wrong sister." She said, holding out her rope. "Tie yourself to my lariat, and tell me that Paradise Isle is the only place to find paradise. Because I've been off of the Island for a long while… and I've met great people, noble people. Some have already found their paradise, others are still searching. Still fighting. Like me. And they can't all be wrong."

Diana looked at the rope with disgust. "You know, that was destined for me. Before Elysium stole it for you… I was destined to wield that lariat. To become a champion of our people." She glared at her sister. "I don't need that rope. I am truth incarnate." She picked up a flaming sword, and pointed it at Donna. "And I renounce you as my sister."

A single tear fell from Donna's eyes, and she wrapped her lasso around her fist. "I will never renounce Diana the Fearless as my sister. Never. But you are not her. Those last seven words have confirmed it. Diana, my sister, would never abandon a sister. She would only gather more into her family." She held her fist up. "It's time you remember, even if I have to beat the memories into you! Sister! Strike now!"

Diana turned, but too slow. Green Lantern cut her across the face with a giant green riot baton. She swung her sword in retaliation, but Blackbird leaped out of the shadows like a dark apparition and kicked it out of her hand. She put up her fists, but a pair of massive arms reached around her, and Captain Marvel put her into a hold.

Green Lantern reinforced the hold as Wonder Woman walked up to her sister. "These are my new family Diana." She said. "My friends. You remember what friends are, right? You used to have them. Now… now you have these." She gestured to the demons steadily advancing up the shore. Wonder Woman shook her head. "Stronger in some ways… weaker in others." She pulled her fist back, and with all her might, lashed out.

As the golden rope burned against her face, Diana screamed. She wasn't just hit by Donna's fist; she was hit by every lie that had ever consumed her life. Every horrible thought she'd had, every horrible thing she'd done, every life she'd taken without just cause. She'd seen the error in relying in Circe's magic books to cure her mother, instead of suing the gods for aid.

And then… they were there. The pantheon… all thirteen goddesses and gods stood before her in their terrible glory. Athena and Zeus stepped forward, and recited in unison; "What the gods granted… they can take away."

"No…" Diana cried. "No…" She felt them taking their gifts away. She felt herself hollowing out like a clay jar being tipped over. She felt like she was losing an arm; the same arm, over, and over, and over again.

"You rejected us for conjurer's tricks." Athena hissed.

"You have made your bed." Zeus growled. "Now sleep in it."

Hecate the goddess of witchcraft stepped forward, and engulfed Hawk and Dove in flames. The pair of them returned to their human forms and rejoiced. Queen Hypolyta flew down with her magpie husband, and they too were transformed; her into her rightful flesh, and him into a handsome man with angelic wings.

"Please…" Diana cried. "I'm sorry… give me another chance!" She turned to her mother. "My mother… my Queen… I didn't mean to… I was deceived… help me…"

Queen Hypolita shook her head. "I am very disappointed in you my Diana."

Diana let out one last yell of fury, before she and the Pantheon disappeared.

"Mother!" Wonder Woman ran up to Queen Hypolyta, overjoyed.

"Oh, my daughter!" Hypolita embraced her. "It has been so long since I held you in my arms, and now you scarcely fit!"

The once-magpie coughed. "Ahem. Hello. Uh… you… that is, we've never really been introduced before, but I guess…" The pair of Amazons embraced him, and he returned the embrace with his arms and his wings.

"It's an honor, and a pleasure to meet you father." Donna said.

"Likewise." Magpie said. He started. "Hey… it's pretty weird having lips, don't you think? And fingers! Oh, but I could put these bad boys to use. Why, I bet I could steal…"

"Oh, stop ruining the moment, you scallywag." Hypolita said, stopping him with a kiss. "You've stolen an Amazonian heart. There is no higher challenge."

"I'd beg to differ." Blackbird said. "I hate to interrupt this moment, but I notice your sisters aren't stopping any time soon."

They looked out onto the battle field. The Hood was still alive, miraculously enough, but the line of demonic Amazons and tourists were still advancing. "Diana must have been drawing on magic from Trigon." Hypolita said. "We need to reform the barrier keeping him from entering this realm, or the entire world will soon be like this."

Suddenly, a black hole at the base of the statue of liberty opened. Raven fell from it, coughing up blood. "Raven!" Green Lantern flew to her and felt for a pulse. She was alive, but shivering. "Raven, are you alright?"

"I… I tried to stop him." Raven said, hoarsely. "I tried."

The portal grew. "Is the wisdom of Solomon still telling you to run?" Blackbird asked Captain Marvel.

"Solomon went quiet around Paris." Marvel said. "There's nowhere to run to anymore. If this thing gets off of this island, the universe will die."

"Fabulous." Blackbird muttered. "I reunite with my old friends just before the universe dies."

A black hole with no edges, just an event horizon, tearing reality apart by the seams to the sound of a million wailing planets. A giant red hoof emerged, shaking the ground as it landed. Two clawed arms, somewhere between a man, a tiger, and a vulture's talons, reached out and grabbed reality, using it as a handhold. The sky darkened, and rain poured down. Lightning illuminated the four eyes, as red as burning blood, leering out from the darkness. A face crawled out of the blackness. Immortal. Fierce. Relentless. The body that followed had no skin; just a mass of scars, as if the being couldn't be bothered with anything remotely resembling goodness, and tore the skin off of himself. He wore white garments, that wouldn't have been out of place at a strip joint if they weren't made of bones, woven together intricately, rusted copper nails sticking out in every direction. When he spoke, infants around the world cried, dog's ears bled, and herbivores got an urge for meat. When he smiled, nightmares and bogeymen started to eat themselves in horror.

"I am Trigon. Know this insects, and despair. For your ends will be without mercy, without relief, and without hope. Your lives are meaningless. Your pain serves the sole purpose of relieving me of my boredom. Know this and despair. I. Am. Trigon."


	15. Chpt 7 The Battle of Liberty Part 3

**10 Minutes ago;**

Raven was pulled through the shadows. "No, no!" She yelled. "Disperse!"

Her Shade dispersed immediately. Raven shivered. She'd known that shiver for most of her life, ever since Juris, a magistrate of Azarath, had taken her to the door to Limbo to be killed. The shiver she felt, was the shiver of coming home. It repulsed her.

She was home. Limbo. There was no sky, there was only space. Empty space, yet red as blood. Limbo existed between dimensions of reality, in the shadows where no light shines.

"_Daughter._" He didn't just appear. He had always been there. He simply chose for his presence to be known now. "_Welcome home_."

Emperor Trigon. Trigon the terrible. Her father. The devil himself was horrified by the acts he preformed. "This is not my home!" She yelled. "And I am not your daughter!"

"_HA! We both know better little bird._" He leered at her with all four eyes. She counted the universe lucky, that most of it have only been leered at with two.

"How did you bring me here?" She asked.

"_Why, surely you know?_" He asked. "_I've watched you and your little servants._"

"Friends!" She yelled.

"_Huh. I have no idea what that word means._"

"You wouldn't." She felt violated with every word he spoke.

"_Regardless. Your servants… 'friends'… have explained the situation to you. Three seals. Two are down. Unfortunately they've caught on, and I don't expect to destroy the third. As we speak, the Amazon is falling._" He licked his lips. "_However, with two down I managed to exercise enough of my power to send Shades of you and your friends. Your Shade brought you to me._"

"How is that possible?" She asked.

"_You were not my only child._" He said, licking his lips. "_Just the only one that survived. The others rebelled against me and were killed, or else their parents realized what they were harboring was evil, and destroyed them. As my child, you are a cheat around the seals. You can take me to Earth, just as your Shade could bring you to me._"

"Never!" She yelled. "I'll never take you to earth!"

"_Oh, you will. I was going to offer you a deal, as my child, but I could take it from you either way._"

"What… kind of deal?" She asked, hesitantly.

"_I let Earth and Azarath live._" He said, running both his tongues across his lips. "_And you stand under me as a queen as you lead me to your world._"

"Queen?" She shuddered at the many things wrong with that word.

"_Empress? Ruler? What have you, I would have you in a position of dominance, as is fitting._" He strode among Limbo, and pointed to a small orb. "_Xynthia. I have long since left this world be, to instill false hope. They have started worshipping a small meteor that fell they day I left._" He casually flicked it into the nearby sun. Raven's head exploded as she felt the pain of millions of people. "_This is the power I would have you wield._" Trigon grinned drily. "_To cause armageddon for no other reason than because you can._"

"Never!" She yelled. "I'll never lead you to my friends!"

"_There's that word again._" Trigon muttered. "_I wonder whether it means anything important._" He reached out for Raven. "_You should have accepted my offer though._"

"You would never have kept your half."

"_No. I suppose not._"

**5 minutes ago;**

Answer's Shade walked into the Statue of Liberty gift shop. The Answer himself was sitting in a chair, casually going through a spice rack. "Ah. So that's the way this is going to be, eh?"

"Yep." The Answer said. He picked up an iron bar and a sprinkler full of marjoram.

"Try it gopher boy." The Shade lunged forward, and Answer ducked out of the way, tossing the marjoram into the space he lunged into. He ignored it. "Is that all you've got?"

"Nope." Answer kept tossing jars. They shattered against his Shade, oregano, basil, garlic, nutmeg, cloves, paprika.

"Stop doing that!" The Shade's fist flew, and Answer dodged it, sprinkling rosemary on him. "YYAAAAARRRGHH!" The Shade screamed in pain as his arm decayed and fell off.

"Ah, so it's rosemary." Answer swung his iron bar, and the Shade dissolved into powder. "Rosemary and iron." He began putting together a bunch of iron bars and sprinkling them with rosemary.

"Answer?" Gypsy asked, invisible. "What was that?"

"Oh, it's quite simple." The Answer said. "These Shades are powered by demonic forces, making them vulnerable to iron. Or so I thought. But apparently, it's not enough. The way I figure it, the Amazon queen must be amplifying it with her own magic. By the style of her armada, I'd say she's Greek. Greek magic isn't vulnerable to iron, so the demons are safe. But Greek magic is vulnerable to a herb which varies depending on the spell caster. I've discovered that the queen's herb is rosemary. So, if we hit the Shades with these rosemary iron bars, they'll dissolve." He handed her a bar.

"Thanks." Gypsy said. "You're pretty smart when it comes to magic." She raised the iron bar. "But not so smart anywhere else."

"Thanks, I… whuh?" Answer turned around as Gypsy's Shade brought the bar down. Suddenly, just before she hit him, another bar came out of nowhere.

"Careful who you give your toys to Answer." The real Gypsy said. Answer grabbed a bar from behind him and swung it into the Shade's gut, dissolving it into shadows.

"Right." The Answer gathered the rest of the bars together. "Go take care of the rest of the Shades then. I have to do some more research."

As Gypsy left, Answer got on the line with his mentor, Question. "Hello Answer." The Question said. "What do you need?"

"I need you to send me file #37."

The Question ran a finger down the racks of CDs. "This is one of your spell books?" He asked, taking #37 out.

"It's a spell book from a wizard named Zatana, who was taught by Houdini himself. Based on what Raven told me about the timeline of events, he's one of seven wizards alive at the time powerful enough to trap a force of nature like Trigon in an alternate dimension. I'm certain I can find an answer there."

"Sometimes, there are no answers." The Question said, uploading the information to Answer.

"You'd better hope you're wrong." Answer closed the line and quickly scanned through the spell book on the LCD screen on his long coat's sleeve. He looked through the chapters using the fast researching method that the Question taught him, quickly finding what he was looking for.

Suddenly the room shook. "What…" The Answer ran out of the gift shop's door and saw the trouble. The rest of the team stared outside, where Raven was lying in front of the Statue, and Trigon's hoofed foot was visible.

"Gypsy." He said in quiet shock. "Get Raven in here, then make us as invisible as you can. This… I think this is going to get worse before it gets better."

**Now;**

The Snap appeared in the middle of the Justice Champions, carrying his Shade over his shoulder. "Hey guys, sorry I'm late, but WHAT IS THAT!"

"It's our target." Green Lantern said. "Champions, charge!" She held out her rings and formed two ball and chain constructs around Trigon's arms. They balls themselves weighed two hundred and fifty tons each, not including the chains. He staggered back, visibly weighed down by the constructs. Then he looked down, curiously.

"_Hmmmm._" He smiled and twisted his arm, grabbing the chain. He hefted it, and swung the ball at the incoming Captain Marvel, knocking him out of the sky like a bug. When Captain Marvel hit the water, it was like a depth charge going off.

"Oops." Green Lantern took them back, and tied Trigon up in a straight jacket.

"_Amusing little girl._" Trigon said, licking his lips. "_You, I think, will watch me helplessly._"

Suddenly, Green Lantern felt her arm freeze up. As Trigon burst out of the straight jacket, her left arm turned to stone.

[[WARNING: IMPURITY DETECTED]] Her Ring said. Suddenly, her arm and the grey ring were gone. Just gone. Her left arm had been reduced to a stump.

"_And what a weapon._" Lick. Lick. "_I felt merely a lick of its power when I channeled my will through your servants._"

He reached out, and the ring tore itself from Barbara's fingers. She's never felt so helpless in her life. Falling out of the sky with only one arm, as evil itself took her ring from her as he planned to destroy her home. "I've got you!" Red Rover swooped down and caught her.

"_Hmmm._" Trigon sent the ring flying off to whoever would do the most damage with it in Gotham. "_Now, the rest of you._" The water around Liberty Isle began to bubble and boil, then race onto the island.

"Look out!" Plastic man wrapped himself around the Champions like a wall. His popped his head out, and saw that the Amazons and the tourists weren't shielded just because they were controlled by Trigon. They were screaming, and dying in the hot water. Plastic man felt himself heat up, and it wasn't the water. He was angry. "Alright gruesome, you're going down!" He opened up a space in the wall, and turned it into a giant high-pressure water cannon. "Firestorm! Heat it up so even Trigon can't stand it!" The ever silent Firestorm stuck his hands in Plastic man where indicated, and fired away. Now Plastic man really was burning up, but he'd take it if only to see Trigon go down. He blasted the demon right in his face.

It did absolutely nothing.

"_HA!_" Trigon barked. "_Not very bright insects, are you?_" He gathered the water around his hands, and ignited it. He reached a flaming hand down, and grabbed Plastic man around his neck, yanking him up. Plastic man writhed in agony, and his skin blackened, burned. He was tossed limply aside. "_Usually I'd have to go to you to make you suffer, and you come right to me. Please, continue!_"

Blackbird ran forward, avoiding the puddles of steaming water. He grabbed the Hood's bow and an arrow off the ground, and began scaling Trigon's legs. BlackHawk started shooting arrows. Trigon growled, and beams shot out of his eyes, incinerating the ground where Blackhawk had once stood.

"Hawk, Dove!" Blackhawk yelled. "Magic is vulnerable to Nth metal!"

Hawk and Dove looked at each other, and nodded. They flew up in unison, screaming their battle cry. Trigon spared them a glance, and shot them out of the sky. BlackHawk readied another arrow, but one of Trigon's demons burst out of the ground and dragged him under.

Blackbird reach Trigon's face, and climbed up to his nose. He tore the nose off of his mask and jammed it in one nostril, jamming the arrow in the other. Trigon noticed, and simply blew, sending Blackbird flying off his nose. Blackbird activated his jetpack and flew away, pressing a button on his collar and igniting the plastique in his nose. Trigon roared and staggered as his left nostril burst into a column of flame. He glared at Blackbird and reached out for him, but Blackbird pressed a button on the Hood's bow and adjusted the dial. The Lex Luthor satellite in orbit above them fired down on Trigon, sending him staggering back with a roar.

"That'll do it." The Hoods grinned. Suddenly, the beam stopped firing.

Trigon regained his footing, and began to walk towards them.

Firestorm flew up to meet him. He put his fists together and created a ball of fire, which grew bigger and bigger and bigger. Eventually, Firestorm had a miniature sun spinning in his hands, and he hefted it up to throw it at Trigon. Trigon raised a couple of eyebrows. "That is not a smart idea."

Trigon blew it out like a candle, and then a beam from Luthor's satellite shot him out of the sky.

Trigon lifted a foot and moved to step on the Justice Champions. "Not going to happen!" Superman flew up and started beating on Trigon. He stumbled back as the attacks rained down on his face. Then he blasted Superman with his eyes. Superman fell out of the sky, tumbling to the ground. He was pale, his hair was long and white, his face wrinkled. Starfire flew over to try and help him, but when he tried to rise, arthritis kicked in and Superman – now in his nineties – collapsed.

"I'll show him!" Red Rover charged. She reached out and grabbed Trigon, preparing herself to absorb his power. What she got instead made her scream, as she tried to pry herself away.

"Rover!" Tom Thumb tried to pull her away as she grew extra eyes and her skin turned red. He reached around and activated the reversal, expunging Trigon from her. She was propelled away from him, and landed in a smoking crater. "Rover!" Tom leaped after her.

She was just lying there. "We can't win." She said, hazily. "We just… we can't."

"Yes we can." Tom Thumb said. "We just need to keep the pressure on him."

"_No, she's right._" Trigon said. "_I am inevitable._"

"He's evil." She said. "Pure evil. There is literally nothing good in him. He doesn't even know the meaning of the word. He's just… he doesn't even care about us. He's just fighting us out of protocol. We're losing this fight Tom."

Tom saw the resignation in her eyes. "Can I at least have your motherbox?" He asked.

"For all the good it'll do you, sure." She said lazily, detaching the box from her uniform.

Tom attached the motherbox to his own uniform and began to rapidly grow. "Alright Trigon." He said angrily as he reached the size of the empire state building. "You think you can just walk in here and kill us all? You've got another thing coming to you, and I intend to deliver it." He swung a fist the size of three trucks at Trigon.

Trigon caught it. "_You… you served me once._" He said, recognizing Tom Thumb. "_But you rejected my influence. Here is the penalty for going against the will of Trigon._" His fist shot out and he reached through Tom Thumb's armor and into his chest. The Justice Champions watching below gasped in horror as Trigon ripped out his heart.

"Inevitable." Red Rover muttered, tears running down her cheeks.

The colossal Tom Thumb crashed into the water. "Noooooooo!" The Challengers of the unknown ran forward. Robot Man's armor plating began to shift, and he transformed into a giant gun. Monsieur Mallah hefted him up, and loaded him with the customized bullets from his bandoliers. The Professor charged at Trigon. He transformed into Tyrannosaurus Rex and bit down hard on Trigon's arm, then transformed into a Megalodon, weighing him down. Starfire ran a strafing run across his back as Mallah's ammo exploded against Trigon's chest. The Snap grabbed Dove's shield and Hawk's mace, then ran up Trigon, beating him with the Nth metal, creating ripples in his skin wherever he struck. Trigon staggered, and went down on his knees.

"_You know not… who you vex._" Trigon growled. He burst into flame, the skin lighting up as if it were douse in kerosene. The Snap yelled and tripped, flying off of him and falling to the ground. He tried to slow down his impact by creating a pair of miniature tornados with his arms, but he still broke his bones on impact. Professor Logan, fell off too, transforming back into a human and choking on the flames and smoke in his throat.

"You monster!" Thousands of miles away, Iris had overcome the shock of seeing her nephew die in front of her and she opened up the I.R.I.S. to fire everything it had. Trigon was propelled backwards by the force of the weapons she turned on him, in addition to Starfire and Mallah's attacks.

Trigon gestured, and the Luthor satellite fired again, demolishing the I.R.I.S. with a single blast. He spun his finger around, and a tornado appeared in the air, sucking Starfire into it and spitting her back out onto the ground. The ground itself erupted around Mallah and Robot Man, trapping them beneath piles of rock.

Trigon casually stepped on the fallen Starfire. "Anything else you'd like to throw at me?" He asked.

Captain Marvel erupted from the waters. He looked at the damage and rage filled him. _Any ideas?_ He asked the wisdom of Solomon.

_Run away._ It said. _Run Far away._

_Any Ideas that I'll listen to?_ He asked.

… _Wonder Woman's lasso might help._

"Wonder Woman!" He yelled, flying down. "Grab your lasso! Let's save the world!"

Wonder Woman and her parents all grabbed the lasso and flew up to Trigon. Captain Marvel flew ahead of them like a torpedo, flying right into Trigon's center mass at Mach 9. He was sure he could her some of Trigon's bones crack. He looked behind him. The Amazons were catching up, but Trigon was fast. He flew up to Trigon's face and pulled out all the stops.

"SHAZAM!"

Thunder echoed across the bay and Trigon roared in pain as all four eyes were blinded and his horns sizzled.

"SHAZAM!"

Garfield turned back into Captain Marvel, and Trigon backed away, dizzily. "Now!" Captain Marvel yelled, and Donna and Hypolita circled around Trigon's neck with their lasso. They tied it around him and willed him to see his true self.

He growled. "_I know what I am._" He said. He shook his head and the two of the went flying. "_And I know who I fight._" He glared at Captain Marvel.

"SHAZAM!" Trigon growled as lightning struck again. "SHA– !" Suddenly, a black wire on a needle wrapped itself through Garfield's lips, sewing them shut. Trigon smiled wickedly as he fell to the ground.

Donna caught him and tried to cut through the cord with an Amazonian sword, to no avail. "Is there no stopping this madness?" She asked, as Trigon got back up.

"_No._" He said with a grin. Then he saw something fly in front of his face.

"Hey nasty!" Ell's dad said, swinging Hawk's mace. "Guess who just remembered he had arms!" He swung the mace and lodged it in one of Trigon's eyes.

He roared and swatted him out of the sky. Hypolita caught him inches from the ground. "Are you alright?" She asked.

He coughed. "I'm fine." He said. "Thought I'd try that, 'fighting for what you believe in' stuff you always talk about. You're right, it's fun. Painful though."

Trigon tried digging the mace out of his eye, but it was no use. He was blind in one eye. "_Pfff, no matter._" He shrugged it off, and an eyepatch appeared on him. He felt a slight stinging at his feet. He looked down. Blackbird was throwing exploding shurikens at his feet. Garfield was using the afterburners on Blackbird's jetpack like a flamethrower. Barbara was hitting him with some of Blackhawk's arrows, pulling the bow with her teeth.

Trigon smiled and knelt. "_You are on your last dregs. You cannot hope to win._" He looked up. "_Well. That's… what's the word?_" He pointed into the sky. "_That's… not ugly. I think I shall take it._"

"What, the moon?" Blackbird asked, shocked.

"_Oh yes._" Trigon said, rubbing his chin. "_If I mount it on a stick, it will make a wonderful means of hitting things with._" He began to slowly rise off of the ground.

"No!" Suddenly, a squadron of F20s charged through the clouds and fired at Trigon, grounding him again.

"Yeah!" Rex the Wonder dog howled from the lead fighter. "Rex the Wonder dog for the win! That's number 351 off the bucket list!" He looked back at his copilot as he came around. "Mouse Man! How're the other pilots doing?"

Mouse Man gave him a thumbs up. "Here's hoping I can control them if Trigon tries to demonify them!" The other fighters came around, New York rats scurrying over the cockpit's controls, piloting them perfectly.

The ground erupted. Monsieur Mallah, Robot Man, and BlackHawk crawled out of the ground. Mallah roared furiously and fired at him with Robot Man.

Answer watched from the top of the Statue of Liberty. He turned to his invisible friends. "Okay guys, it's up to us now."

"Why doesn't that fill me with confidence?" Cyborg asked.

"I think…" Gypsy answered. "It's because the Justice Champions, the Challengers of the Unknown, Sir Blackhawk, a host of other heroes, and a part-time supervillain couldn't take him down with a combined effort. Oh, and we're a team of inexperienced young heroes, with powers like having wings and turning invisible."

"I didn't need an answer!" Cyborg yelled. "I already know everything that can be thrown at that thing has been thrown."

"We have a plan." Answer leaped down. "And we're going to try and throw that at it. See if it sticks. Now, we have to work fast. Gypsy's kept us from being noticed until now, so we have the element of surprise. What kept Trigon from invading before now, was a barrier spell. It's pretty easy, we just need a few things. Like a magician to recite it."

He knelt in front of Raven and looked into her blank eyes. "What do you say Raven? You asked us for help, and we'll give it, but we need you for this. Help us Raven. Help us beat Trigon." Raven stared motionless for a while. Then she twitched. She slowly raised her head.

"What… do… you… need… to… beat… him?"

He smiled. "I need you to read a spell. Put everything you have into it." He looked from the rest of them. "Thankfully, Trigon bypassed the seals, so we already have one." He gestured to the Herald's horn. "Now, all we need is two more. Preferably things that are hard to destroy so he can't come through again anytime soon."

"My rope!" Ell held her rope up. "It's braided with Amazon hair! It's practically indestructible!"

"Good, we can use that." Answer said. "Now something else. Anything else."

"My power battery!" Kid Lantern said. "It's linked to the central power battery on Oa! To destroy that, he'd have to get somebody to fight through the entire Green Lantern corpse and the Gaurdians of Oa!"

"Good, yes." Answer said. "Now, Herald has to use his horn to make a portal back to Trigon's dimension. Cyborg, how powerful is your arm?"

He adjusted a dial, and his arm expanded into a gigantic cannon. "Its power level goes up to eleven."

"Excellent." Answer looked off of the tower. "Use it to force him into the portal that Herald creates. Alright everybody, when Rex makes his next pass…"

"Diiiiiie!" Mallah was screaming in a blind panic, as he obliterated the hordes of demons attacking him and Blackhawk with his Robot Man gun. But no matter how many of the little monsters he shattered, more came up to take their place.

Rex the wonder dog and his crack squadron of mice pilots came around for a third run. He'd lost two fighters so far, and now he had some sort of dragon on his tail. "We can't bring him down with these fighters!" Mouse man yelled in the background.

"Maybe we can!" Rex replied. "And even if we don't, we're buying the Justice Champions time to figure out how to beat this guy!" He flipped open the throttle and fired a compliment of missiles at Trigon.

"Now!" Answer yelled. Jericho blew his horn loud and clear, playing a tune that sounded like the Sesame Street theme song as if it were going to war with the world. A portal opened up behind Trigon, and Ell took off, followed by Kid Lantern carrying Cyborg and Gypsy with him. Cyborg jumped and blasted Trigon with his sonic arm cannon, sending him reeling back. Raven stayed on the statue with Answer, reading the spell he indicated off of the LCD screen on his sleeve.

"_No._" Trigon groaned. "_Noooo!_" With a roar he held onto the edges of the portal and kept himself in the world.

Rex came around for another pass. "Time for number 77 on the old bucket list." He barked happily.

Mouse Man paled from experience. "What's number seventy –"

"KAMIKAZE!" Rex howled, ejecting from the fighter.

"I hate that liiiiist!" Mouse Man yelled, as several fighters ejected seats full of piles of rats.

The fighters plowed into Trigon, sending him over the barrier and into his own dimension with a howl of outrage.

Herald began to put his trumpet down, when Answer yelled. "Don't stop! We need to keep the portal open while Raven finishes the spell!"

Herald kept playing even though his throat was sore, and Cyborg kept Trigon from coming back into the portal even as his arm started to ache and his batteries fail, and the shadows began to creep around the edges of the hole in time and space. Ell and Kid Lantern kept her rope and his lantern in place as the edges of the portal crept back around them. Raven began to get dizzy as the spell seemed to leap off of the scream. Trigon's howls echoed in their ears and the portal's edges weaved through and around the lantern and the lasso, giving them power and binding the fate of the world into them. The mark of three shone in her eyes, and on the objects inside the portal. The light started to fade and the sky turned red, and the air was filled with dark laughter. Cyborg fell to pieces and Trigon tried to reach through the portal, but he couldn't reach through the web around the rope and the, lantern. Raven felt the sides of her head stretching and burning and freezing and laughing and crying and hiding and yelling and aching and groaning and sidestepping and laughing and laughing and singing and howling and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and… and…

* * *

"Raven? Raven wake up. You did it."

Raven groaned, and tried to sit up, but hissed as she felt the pain in her head. She imagined this was what a hangover felt, but in reality what she was feeling was thirty times worse.

She felt a pair of hands helping her up, and she winced as she tried to open her eyes and the light shone in her face. She tried again, slower, forcing herself to open her eyes despite the pain. She saw the sunrise. It wasn't a red sunrise, or a dark sunrise. It was a normal, wonderful sunrise. It shone brightly over the waves and outlined the birds flying gracefully through the air.

"Look." She looked to her left and saw the Answer, who despite his facelessness, seemed to be smiling. "Look." He said again, pointing down. She looked down, and she saw everybody. She saw Tom Thumb, no hole in his chestplate, convincing his robot that he was okay. She saw Green Lantern, both arms intact, high fiving Captain Marvel and Blackbird. She saw the Amazons, no longer demonized, bowing to their queen, and Elysium hugging her father who for the first time could hug back. She saw Superman and Starfire talking to the news girl who'd just gotten out of her helicopter.

"How?" She asked, confused and tired.

"At a guess?" Answer asked. "I'd say that since you're a living cheat code to Trigon's dimension, when you recited the spell you received a backlash and it effected you temporally, reversing time to before you came back home with Trigon in tow. But really, I have no idea. We'll have to go check with Captain Marvel if we want to be sure."

Raven started breathing fast. "It's… over?" She asked.

Answer held her close. "Yeah Raven." He said. "It's over. Trigon won't be coming back any more."


	16. The First Epilogue

The lights were on brightly in West Manor that night. After fighting the personification of evil (and for some, dying) everybody just needed to sleep. Iris piloted them to West manor as they fell asleep in the Lance, and that evening she woke them up for a celebration. There were banners hanging in the trees that read;

'Happy Anniversary Justice Champions!'

Everybody was happy. Tom Thumb gave a toast to not being dead, and Jim Gordon gave a toast to family.

BlackHawk took the opportunity to recruit Firestorm, Plastic Man, Tomorrow Woman and Starfire into the X-men, a global task force for negotiating with, protecting earth from, and investigating sightings of extraterrestrial life forms.

Queen Hypolita taught her husband how to eat using his hands. Her daughters left the party early, to have some fun after years of separation. Captain Marvel wanted to get a closer look at Elysium's rope, but Green Lantern managed to convince him to let it slide.

Blackbird introduced himself to everybody. He spent a good portion of the celebration explaining where he'd been all these years to Tom Thumb. He told him about his training with the Pariahs, with Ras Al Ghul, with Henri Ducard, and how he took down Asian crime-lords. He gathered quite an audience after a while, but he was equally interested in everybody else, and made fast friends with most of them.

The Question and the Answer talked for a while, and it was decided that the Answer would start a new team with the sidekicks and the rookies. They'd be the Justice Irregulars, named after the Baker Street Irregulars of Sherlock Holmes fame. They'd be a team for younger heroes, taking on the jobs that the Justice Champions couldn't, and training themselves to be Champions someday.

The Challengers of the Unknown left halfway through the party. Something about a Were-Tasmanian-Devil in Australia. They declined the numerous offers for help.

Hawk and Dove got along well with Cyborg. Plastic man and the Snap became friends. Basically, a good party.

Blackbird notice Raven sitting on the sidelines. He excused himself from his conversation with Red Rover, and sat down beside her. "Hey." He said. He waited for an answer, didn't get any besides a mumble. "So, what's got you down?" He asked.

She shuffled awkwardly. "I… don't belong here." She gestured. "Everybody here is a hero. I'm not. I'm just…"

"I'm going to stop you right there." Blackbird said. "I know exactly how you feel." She looked at him, curiously. "When I first got into this business, I was doing it for revenge. Revenge on the lowlifes who killed my parents. When Green Lantern and Tom Thumb helped me… helped me for no other reason than they could… working alongside them was an experience I won't soon forget. But they didn't just try and help me get revenge for my parents. They helped me… any way they could. They invited me to be a hero with them. They became my friends. Iris even wanted to adopt me." He chuckled. "I pushed them away. I pushed them away from the start, and then I ran away. I told myself that it was because I needed to train. But deep down, I knew it was because I felt guilty. I wasn't even in the same level as them. I wasn't a hero, and how could I pretend to be one next to them?" He shook his head. "That was a mistake. Probably not the worst one in my life, but definitely a mistake. I could have been doing a whole lot of good in the world, but instead I let my pain get the better of me and I ran.." He turned to Raven. "You shouldn't make that mistake Raven. Even if you don't feel like a hero right now, if you stick with your friends you could be one."

"That's… probably good advice." She admitted.

Blackbird thought for a moment. Raven looked away for an instant and when she turned back around he was gone.

Blackbird moved to the far side of West Manor grounds and jumped over the wall separating itself from Wayne Manor grounds. He jumped onto a boarded up well and pulled a secret lever. The boards blocking the well up wooshed down taking Blackbird with him; down into the bat caves underneath Wayne Manor.

Blackbird walked out of the elevator and was greeted by the sight of Checkmate agents. He walked over the bridge spanning the cave's river, using it as a generator for the base's electricity and moved to the main monitors where a group of colorful people sat.

There was Greg Saunders, the latest in his long family line to take up the costume and name of the Vigilante. There was Jason Blood, Merlin's servant, and house to the demon Etrigan. There was Jack Ryder, capable of turning into a freakish creature named the Creeper, and garnishing a reputation for being out of his mind. There was the stranger in the longcoat and tattered clothes, known only as Resurrection Man. There was Henry Hunter, the sworn enemy of the Intergang, known to the criminal element as Red Wolf.

And then there was the boss, Col. Alfred Pennyworth, and his dog Ace. The head of Checkmate.

"Well, I've read your report Blackbird. I'm glad this new team has managed to repel Trigon."

"I think we all are." Blackbird said.

"I must say, this was a very close call though. Is everybody alright?"

"Oh we're fine." Blackbird shrugged. "A few of us are still very shaken up about it though. In particular, Raven, Trigon's daughter. I think it would be good for her if she joined the Outsiders."

Pennyworth leaned forward. "Are you asking me to let a little girl join Checkmate's elite task force just to make her feel better?"

"Yes, I am." Blackbird nodded.

Pennyworth smiled. "I think you'll both make fine additions to the Outsiders." He said. "I'll have Jason talk to her. In the meantime, welcome to the team Blackbird."

* * *

"There you are Blackbird." Green Lantern said, flying down to meet him as he sat in a tree. "Where'd you go off to?"

"Oh, just sitting here." He said. "Thinking."

"About what?" She asked, sitting down next to him.

He sighed. "About what I've missed." He said. "Imagine the good I could've done if I'd stayed here instead of training for five years."

Green Lantern smiled. "There'll be other chances to save the world." She said. "And thanks to your training, you'll be ready for them." She flew off the branch. "Now come on, Rex made cake."

"How does a dog make a cake?" Blackbird asked, gracefully leaping off the tree.

"If the dog is Rex? Expertly. Come on." The pair of them went to meet Captain Marvel at the cake, and the three of them talked about the future.

**

* * *

**

**THE END.**

**Or rather, the beginning. Hello everybody, this it the ClownWithAChainsaw, your author du jour for only the most unique and exotic tales. I do hope you all liked this first installment of the Justice Champions universe. There will be plenty more to come I assure you. The next one will be published after the new year, so take the poll on my forum now if you have an opinion on which one you want me to write.**

**I hope you all take the time to review if you like this story. Not only so I can see what I did right, but also what (if any) I did wrong, so I can continue writing well in future stories and correct any mistakes. **

**As always, I'm saddened by the impossibility of a soundtrack in the writing medium. If any of you are interested, most of the climax was done to your choice of ominous latin choir. The bit where Raven saves the day is in tune with the climax to Spider-man's theme song (Not the one from the classic cartoon, the one from the live action movie). But most of it was done to the Justice Champions theme song, as described at the end of part one.**

**Until next time, later true believers!**


	17. What comes next?

**Prologue for Justice Champions; Tales of the Injustice Champions**

**Blackgate Penitentiary:**

Chuck woke up with a start, then lied back down with a sigh. He had the same old dream. He was falling, and he didn't have a parachute. He woke to the same old scene. His musty cell, decorated sparsely with paper cranes.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes, waking himself up fully. Today was the big day after all, he had to be fresh. His feet touched the cold stone floor and he shivered. He walked around the room, engaging in his morning ritual of counting the paper cranes. 10. 20. 30. 40. 50. And so on, until he reached the final increment. 990. Just ten cranes short of one million, all arranged in a very particular order, and kept stiff with regular applications of salt water.

"Hey Charlie Brown." Chuck sighed at his unfortunate name, and turned to the warden.

"And what do you want Spence?" He asked.

"Well, I thought I'd wish you a happy birthday." The Warden said. "You have mail."

"I do?" This was genuinely news for Chuck. Not even his wife had written to him once since he'd been incarcerated.

"Of course, I had to search it thoroughly for any hidden materials." The Warden carelessly tossed the box into the cell. Chuck opened it, to find the mangled remains of a cake inside. The frosting was pink laced with white, and the words were in purple.

Happy Birthday Daddy.

Chuck glared at the warden. "Oh, don't give me that look." The warden sneered. "You chose this life. Have a good one Charlie Brown." As the warden walked away, Chuck's friend Gardner the guard approached the cell hesitantly. He slipped some pieces of paper through the bars and went to join the warden. Chuck picked up the pile of papers. 'Five more years, don't give up hope' it said.

Chuck looked at the cake his daughter had baked for him, and somehow smuggled past her mother. The cake the Warden had defiled. "No." He said. "Not five more years. Now." He folded the ten pieces of paper, and he had a million cranes. And he made a wish.

That morning, Chuck took his ten new paper cranes into the showers with him, and stole some salt from breakfast to salt the now wet cranes.

He was slightly more chipper than usual when he went into the exercise yard that morning. He joined the Blackgate prison football team with a smile on his face. "Well if it isn't good old Charlie Brown." Rodney (the quarterback) said, wiping the smile off of his face. "Happy birthday airhead."

Chuck reflected that it was better than being called blockhead, before patiently responding. "If you're going to sing 'happy birthday', you'd better do it now." He said. "Everything's in order for the escape."

"We'll have time for that when we're outta here." Rodney said, high fiving the others on the team. Chuck doubted it. Rodney had what he called, chronic backstabbing syndrome; the minute Chuck had outlived his usefulness and gotten him out of prison, he'd fit Chuck for a pair of shoes. Chuck made a mental note to send him a poisonous cake when he got out.

"Do you have the string?" Chuck asked.

Rodney whistled, and the rest of the team brought a couple of yards of twine up. After testing their strength, Chuck decided that it would be perfect for his needs. "I'll be back in an hour."

"Hey." Rodney stopped him. "You ready to let us in on the secret yet? How we're getting out of here?"

"We'll be taking advantage of this place's one design flaw." Chuck said, not looking back. "The yard has no roof."

* * *

Chuck's heart jumped up into his throat. He would never admit it, but he was secretly afraid of flying. No, not flying. Falling. He balanced precariously on the origami construction he'd made out of his paper cranes, steering it through the air with simple tugs of his strings.

"Oi!" He looked down. Rodney and five of the football team clutched onto his new kite for dear life. "Are you sure this'll work? It feels like I could fall at any time!"

"That's the idea!" Chuck yelled over the wind. He listened as his companions in arms fell into the water below with a scream. He didn't look down. He was too frightened to look down. Instead he looked up, into the sky. A new beginning.

* * *

Chuck tendered his beer. His head hurt and his pride hurt more.

He heard the door to the bar open. He heard the vibrant laughter of a man who enjoyed his life, paying no attention to it. Or to the laughter of the women with him.

"Chuck! Kiteman is that you?"

Chuck looked up at the mention of Kiteman. He was only known by that name in special circles. And that was when he recognized the voice. He turned to see Edward Nigma, probably back from challenging Green Lantern to a duel of wits. Despite his current depression, he was glad that somebody was having a good time.

"Oh, Chuck, Chuck, Chuck. Let me buy you a round. Last I heard you were in prison!"

"Yeah, just broke out." Chuck mumbled. "It's my birthday."

"No kidding?" The Riddler sat down next to him. "And how does the Kiteman celebrate his birthday?"

Chuck shrugs. "He dumps a couple of jerks from prison into Gotham Harbor, and then gets his rear end handed to him by his ex."

"Ah…" The Riddler took a sharp intake of breath. "That bad huh?"

"Yeah." Chuck thought back to his little girl's birthday present. "That bad."

The Riddler stroked his chin. "Tell you what, I think maybe I have a birthday present for you. You know, if you're up for it."

"Really?" Chuck asked. He didn't dare get his hopes up.

"Sure." The Riddler smiled. He took a card out of his jacket and gave it to Chuck. "Anything for my best buddie." He sighed. "You remember the days when we were the top dogs? Before all of these other supervillains started stealing the spotlight, we were the elite. We didn't have powers, but we had something better. We had flair. We scared the dickens out of the people of fair Gotham, superstitious and cowardly lot that they are."

"Yeah." Kiteman said. "I remember the days when I ruled the skies. Now, there are… how many people who can fly? I don't know Ed… at least you still have the advantage in the brains department."

Nigma smiled. "Just think about it, okay?" He put down some money, probably from his latest flawless job, and told the bartender to give chuck another round. The bartender mumbled something about Charlie Brown and he considered leaving. But then, he never could pass up anything free. He looked at the card his buddie Enigma gave him.

You are hereby invited to join, the Injustice Champions.

Chuck considered looking at the date and place of meeting, then scolded himself. He didn't have anything better to do. Why not? He'd give it a chance.

* * *

_A/N: This may, or may not be what I write next. Probably not, but you never know, the votes have yet to be tallied. Once I finish a story, I'll post a sort of prologue to the next in the series at the end. A little teaser if you will. If the next story I write is Green lanter, at the end of that story I will stick a prologue for the next Green Lantern story. If the next is Blackbird, the ending will contain a clue as to the Blackbird's next adventures. This is the next story for the Justice Champions, so I'm putting it up here for all to see._


End file.

DC Elseworlds, Adventure, Fantasy