At the front of the room, Batman stood stoically, casting his gaze over the team before clicking his remote. A projection illuminated behind him, displaying a picture of a young figure with striking white hair and a cocky grin.
"Finally, last on the docket," he announced, his voice cutting through the quiet. "Case 115: The Exorcist." He gestured toward the projected image. "Satoru Gojo, aged sixteen. Self-proclaimed strongest of his universe. According to Martian Manhunter''s observations, this claim appears to be accurate¡ªat least, as far as the boy believes."
Around the room, murmurs started to rise, until Batman continued, drawing everyone''s attention back. "His civilization doesn''t appear to have made contact with any extraterrestrial life, so his claim is limited to his Earth. Nevertheless, his integration into our world is designated at priority level omega for the League."
At the term "omega," gasps rippled through the assembly. Few threats reached that level¡ªthreats that could potentially shake the world itself.
Hawkman''s voice rumbled through the quiet, a low, skeptical tone. "Is he really that dangerous?"
Batman''s gaze held steady, his voice unshaken. "Physically, he''s powerful, but that''s not the biggest threat he poses. The real danger lies in what he knows. When he arrived in our world, as Flash and Superman can both confirm, he brought with him knowledge of things he shouldn''t have¡ªthings that could endanger all of us."
He took a steadying breath, letting the words sink in. "In his world, our world is¡ fiction. Stories from comic books. He knows details that are supposed to be top secret, down to the smallest point. He knows Superman''s identity and origin. He knows the Flash''s name. And he knows mine."
The room fell silent, the assembled heroes looking between each other, unease reflected on their faces.
The last part rankled him more than he would ever care to admit. But he wouldn''t waste time feeling angry at the vagaries of the multiverse when he could spend that time preparing for nastier eventualities, like Gojo going rogue, or his powers interacting adversely with something from this world¡ªsomething that might destabilize reality itself.
Batman felt an ever-greater urgency to find a replacement for Doctor Fate. The world needed him now more than ever.
"Where have you kept him?" Aquaman asked.
"He is with the team," Batman replied.
"The team? You''ve kept him with Aqualad?" Aquaman asked, shocked.
"Manhunter and I made sure to get a measure of his psyche. Despite his actions, brought forth from desperation and a recent close brush with death, Satoru Gojo can be reasoned with. And he can be put to good use as well. I determined that the team would be good enrichment for his situation. He would have no reason to hide his life or story, as the team would be able to accept anything he tells them, and he could probably relate to them as well. He worked as a hero-analogue in his world, battling arcane forces of evil in defence of those who could not protect themselves, and even though he had the most power in the world, he didn''t use it to dominate or subjugate anyone. Although his conception of good works and heroism is flawed, I am confident that he has what it takes to turn his act around.
"Of course, that is if we cannot find a way to send him back where he came from, across the multi-verse." Batman looked pointedly at Green Lantern.
The Lantern crossed his arms, looking mildly exasperated. "Look, Bats, I''ve already scanned for any known dimensional rifts, wormholes, anomalies¡ªyou name it. There''s nothing in our data banks that matches the energy signature he showed up with. If we want to send him back, we''re going to need a bit more than just a lucky break."
"Keep looking," Batman requested mildly.
"We''re shooting in the dark, here," Green Lantern frowned, "Intradimensional travel through wormholes is already complicated enough as it is, but multiversal travel? We know that time travel is already a huge no-no and a headache for the higher-ups¡ªthis¡ this seriously takes the cake. There might be an inquiry on this if they find out. Then it''ll be completely out of my hands."
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Any inquiry involving the Lanterns dealing with a potential risk on Gojo''s level couldn''t end well for the poor boy.
But Batman refused to take this easy road. There was always another way.
"Then the topic of discussion remains on integration," Batman said, "And I would ask that you keep the matter in-planet until we do not have any other choice."
Hal Jordan sighed, "Of course. If he''s not a bad kid according to you or Manhunter, I''d hate to see him get put in a stasis pod for a million years, or get poked and prodded by scientists."
Green Arrow hummed, "Well, he did maim one of my rogues. How exactly does that make him not a ''bad kid''?"
Batman pressed a button, revealing an image of Brick, the Star City gangster, missing his entire right arm and a chunk of his chest and shoulder, the missing parts clearly the segment of a circle.
"That blast," Flash began, "Was as fast as the speed of light. The only reason Brick got away was because I pulled him away before Gojo could release it. That''s a speed-of-light attack that disintegrates matter on a molecular level. Forget Belle Reve''s walls, I don''t see anything getting in the way of that unless it''s magical. Even if we wanted to put him in the deepest hole we could find, he''d break out, no sweat."
"That''s... premature," Superman said.
The Flash folded his arms and gave him a look, "You''re invincible, but you can''t tank a secret identity leak, Supes. And I don''t see why we should trust a guy as unhinged as him. I was the first one on the scene aside from the Juniors."
"Cultural differences must be considered," Batman said, "In his line of work, this level of violence is not uncommon. His powers certainly are, but deadly force is far more commonly used. And as he is a sixteen-year-old, I hesitate to place the responsibility of this act on his shoulders¡ªit was on his elders and teachers, people that gave him leave to act in this capacity, a capacity which he was entirely unapologetic about. While that may seem like a bad sign, it only means that he was acting according to what he''s been trained to believe is normal. To him, violence is a tool, and in his world, it''s used liberally to handle threats that, by his account, are constant and devastating. His unapologetic attitude doesn''t necessarily reflect malice but rather conditioning¡ªa normalization of life-or-death conflict."
Batman''s gaze shifted around the room, catching the eyes of the Justice League members, each one quietly processing his words. "While his abilities may seem extreme, I want us to remember that we''re dealing with a sixteen-year-old whose worldview and instincts are shaped by relentless combat and survival. That isn''t his fault. This boy has known no other way."
Wonder Woman leaned forward, her voice even but laced with concern. "Then it seems we must become his teachers¡ªhis mentors in this world¡ªlest he continues down a path that could harm him and others."
Batman nodded in agreement. "Precisely. We have an opportunity here, not just to protect ourselves, but to potentially guide him toward a more measured approach. He''s powerful and intelligent enough to pick up our ways quickly if he chooses to. But if left without direction, he could be a liability."
Superman spoke up, his voice calm and reassuring. "So our priority is to integrate him, help him adjust to our rules and values, and show him that violence isn''t the only solution. We should offer him a place of stability, maybe even friendship. He needs to see that there are other ways."
As the League nodded in agreement, Batman''s face softened just slightly, as though for the briefest moment, he considered the weight of Gojo''s burden. "We''ll proceed carefully. Keep an eye on him, provide guidance where we can, and monitor his progress." He gave a nod to Black Canary, the team''s resident psychologist.
"No pressure," Black Canary chuckled mirthlessly. "Alright, Batman. I''ll do my best."
Zatara raised his hand, "I will continue to keep my vigil and ensure that this ''cursed energy'' does not spread, in the event that it is contagious. Invisible monsters running around would certainly fill up our schedule."
"Invisible monsters?" Green Arrow asked.
Batman clicked on his remote, putting the projection on the next slide, his primer on Cursed Energy, and he mentally prepared a brief speech on why the Justice League should hope and pray that the world did not become like Satoru Gojo''s.
Chapter 4
"Our Research and Development wing are tasked with understanding the necessary components of multiversal travel. We have contacted our liaison to a greater alien force that may also shed some lights on the problem," Batman said. I met him alone in Mount Justice''s main hall with nobody else around, "But preliminary findings have been rather pessimistic."
I frowned. "So what does that mean?"
"It means, we don''t even know if it''s possible to travel multiversally, and that even if it is, determining the right direction through the many worlds that will take you back home may be an infinitely complex task. Due to this, I must caution you to manage your expectations."
"So I''m stuck," I said, forcing myself to rein in my emotions, and slipping into Japanese by accident, "That''s what you''re saying. I''m stuck here."
Batman sighed, "For the time being. Of course, our biggest hope is that you may yet reverse-engineer the phenomenon that brought you here in the first place, and use that to get home. I must ask you, do your powers work here as well as they did back home?"
"Hmm," I said. I summoned the Limitless technique in my finger, activating Blue. Just a tiny bit, not enough to hurt anyone. Then I quickly explained the technique to Batman. The cursed energy inside the technique multiplied on its own. "Binding vows still seem to work. By explaining my technique to you, I have multiplied its power. I assumed that binding vows were more¡ heavenly in nature. That there was an external force that lent more weight to cursed energy. But it seems like it all comes from within. Or perhaps that external force has arrived here with me." I hissed, "I hope, for your sake, it''s not that."
"Why?" Batman asked.
I grinned at him, "Because if your humans start to produce negative energy, thus forming curses, then you''ll be in for the shock of your life."
"It is as I suspected," Batman grunted, "Thus far, we have kept a watchful vigil, and our magical expert has taken it upon himself to ensure that this doesn''t happen. Eventually, we need to investigate the nature of your cursed energy," Batman said, "I will be in touch regarding that. But for now, the main issue will be preparing you for a long-term stay in this world. And also addressing some of your behavioral issues."
I pouted at him, "I would have stayed back, no sweat, if any of those kids knew how to fight. Honestly, I think them getting blackballed by you all is for the best. They''re clearly too weak."
"Your actions against Mister Twister are not the subject I want to tackle," Batman said, "Regarding that, I''m actually rather impressed at your restraint and efficiency. My problem is that you have rubbed the difference between yourself and the team in their faces. Repeatedly."
Batman raised his wrist, typing away at a hidden wrist-computer. Audio started to crackle from it, "Throughout the heavens and the earth, I alone am the honored one," I heard myself saying in English. Who had recorded that anyway, Robin?
What a clunky translation. The original Japanese was far more elegant and refined. Tenjo, tenge, yuiga dokuson. In most cases, it was a sarcastic utterance against someone who thought themselves above others.
In my case, it was the unvarnished truth. One of my few comforts in this¡ situation. At least I could take solace in the fact that I was unmatched under heaven.
"In my defence," I said, "I wasn''t saying that to them."
"Be that as it may," Batman said, "You have not been shy in bragging about your strength, or making the rest of the team look incompetent in comparison to you."
"Come on, now!" I said, "Even if that made them feel bad, it''s good for them! Rivalry is important! How do you think we did things back in my school? Do you think I didn''t rub my strength in the faces of my upperclassmen just because they were older than me? No! They all got it the same, and they all learned that to be good, you have to work damn hard. And even then, you may never be good as someone like me! And if that makes them give up on being heroes to take up an easier life, that''s even better! Being a Jujutsu Sorcerer is hell for the weak! The same should be the case for being a hero!"
"I don''t disagree on that point," Batman said honestly, "I don''t even think that a good display of power for the sake of humility is necessarily a bad thing. I simply believe that sowing such seeds of resentment will only contribute to your own alienation and othering. Especially considering the fact that your stay in this world may in all likelihood be long-term."
"Am I going to be punished for saving them?" I asked.
"No. You had no choice," Batman said. "But you do have a choice in how you wish to be viewed by your future teammates, should you choose to walk down the path of a hero."
I chuckled. Was that ever really in question? "I''ve been trained for this since birth, Batman. I''ve only ever known a life of sorcery. Of course this is my path. What, do you want me to take up accounting instead?"
"You will have a meeting with Black Canary tomorrow at twelve noon sharp," Batman said, "She is our resident psychologist, and will touch base with you regarding your wellbeing. And she will also drill you with standard rules of engagement and our League''s operating procedures."
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"Yeah, yeah," I said with a shrug, "Can''t wait."
Then Batman reached into his utility belt and pulled out a white card. A credit card. It had ''Amex'' written on it, and shone beautifully. But... it wasn''t black. Something felt off. "Here. Five thousand to start with, and then a thousand dollars monthly."
"I thought it was ten!" I shouted.
"It was ten until today. Now it is one. You''ve settled on establishing yourself as greater than your teammates. I won''t aid in this perception by elevating you financially as well."
"What can I even buy with one thousand dollars?" I asked in disgust.
"You have room and board," Batman said, "And free food. And restricted usage of the Zeta tube for transport, as well as your own flight capabilities. If you need to make a greater purchase, simply contact Red Tornado, and he will evaluate the importance of this purchase before approving it."
"And will my salary increase once I''ve been trained?" I asked him with a frown. "Once I''m being sent on missions?"
"Become a team player before worrying about such things," he said.
"I can run circles around your kids," I said to him, "In fact, I shouldn''t even be playing with them. I''m League material and you know it."
"You''re fitting in already," Batman said dryly, turning around to leave through the Zeta tube.
"That''s it?!" I shouted after him.
He entered the tube and the mechanical voice announced his departure, "Batman, B-02."
I stuffed the card into my pocket with a huff. Guess I''d be shopping from broke people stores for the foreseeable future. Dammit.
"Computer," I said out loud, having learned that the computer could be interfaced with via voice. Apparently, it ran on a natural language AI of some sort, according to Aqualad. "What sort of training drills can you provide for me?"
The computer''s voice responded, calm and mechanical, yet with a slight warmth to its tone. And it spoke in Japanese!
"Welcome, Satoru. There are a range of training drills available. Combat and technique drills include: hand-to-hand combat simulations, elemental resistance exercises, agility and reflex conditioning, stealth and evasion protocols, ranged targeting practice, as well as a selection of exercises to increase stamina, strength, and resilience."
I frowned, considering my options. Most of this felt... pedestrian. "Anything that''s actually challenging?" I asked.
The computer paused as if calculating my parameters. "There are also ''hero specialization drills,'' designed to push even the most experienced League members to their limits. These include: Advanced Strategic Combat, Alien Technology Adaptation, Speedster Interception Training, Power Dampening Simulations, Reality Warp Endurance, and Multi-dimensional Awareness Conditioning."
"Better," I muttered. My fingers twitched with anticipation. "What''s the hardest one you''ve got?"
"Based on your abilities, Satoru, you may find the ''Dimensional Stability Drill'' suitable. This drill was originally designed for heroes with reality-altering abilities, such as Doctor Fate and Zatara, and requires advanced spatial manipulation and energy control."
I raised an eyebrow. "Dimensional Stability, huh? Perfect." I cracked my knuckles. "Start that one up. Let''s see what it''s got."
A low hum filled the room as the training space shifted, the walls pulsing and rippling with a strange, otherworldly energy. My surroundings shifted until it felt like I was inside a swirling vortex, reality itself stretching and bending. A sense of vertigo washed over me as gravitational forces warped and shifted.
In my Six Eyes, I could visualize it as a warped sphere with many dents and holes.
"Begin by maintaining spatial cohesion," the computer instructed. "Adjust for multidirectional gravitational pull."
I smirked, rolling my shoulders. "So I just have to keep it all together, huh? Easy peasy. Blue."
I activated my technique, feeling the familiar pull as I harnessed the attraction of my cursed technique. Immediately, I could sense the tear in space pulling at me, each direction testing my control as I worked to keep the reality around me stable.
The sphere twisted, growing more turbulent. I realized I''d need to rely on something beyond just brute power¡ªthis was going to test the precision of my technique to its very limits.
Slowly, but surely, I managed to even out the sphere.
"Dimensional cohesion at 90%," the computer noted, as though observing my every move. "Increase in distortion fields imminent."
As the field intensified, I poured more cursed energy into Blue, adjusting with fine precision to keep up with the distortions. A bead of sweat formed on my forehead.
My Six Eyes usually never had to work this hard. This world sure had incredible training opportunities. I could get used to this!
"Dimensional stability... 95%," the computer noted. I grinned, feeling the familiar thrill of a challenge. The ripples of distortion increased, and I could sense that the computer wasn''t holding back.
"Bring it on," I muttered, my fingers tightening as I braced myself for the next wave.
Chapter 5
Mount Justice
July 20th?, 07:23 EDT
I didn''t stop training until my shirt was drenched in sweat several times over. By then, morning had arrived. I regenerated my brain, getting past the need for sleep once more and also healing the part of my brain responsible for my cursed technique.
I went to my private quarters and hit the showers. Then I went to the kitchen to get some food. I spotted the pot I used to cook rice and eat that and the steak. Uncleaned.
I slapped my forehead. Of course. This place didn''t have any house help. What a drag.
I used Blue to rip all the dirt from the pot, but I ended up accidentally denting the pot¡ªbadly. Shit.
More control. I tried to force the pot back into straightness, and achieved some success. The bumps on the side were still slightly visible, and the pot''s bottom was a little deformed, but it was more or less whole.
I decided to wash it instead, and then put it back where it belonged¡ªin some cupboard.
Rather than get out more rice and go through the trouble of making breakfast, I got some western breakfast cereal and some milk. Thankfully, I wasn''t lactose intolerant, otherwise making breakfast would have been such a pain.
I was really starting to figure out what it meant to have the reverse cursed technique, or positive energy. Multiplying the negative energy against itself produced an inherently productive power that allowed me to circumvent exhaustion itself.
And what it did to Limitless was¡ nothing short of astounding. By pushing positive energy into Limitless, not enough to summon the Cursed Technique Reversal: Red, I could lengthen the duration of my Infinity so that I didn''t need to consciously hold it. I could tell that soon, I would even be able to give my Infinity technique commands for what it could and couldn''t let through, thus giving me an auto-tuning force field that I could wear in daily life without impeding myself at all. Perhaps I could even go to sleep and be entirely safe, if I had a mind to.
Not that I did. Without the need for sleep, I suddenly had eight more hours that I could spend on getting stronger. The computer''s training exercise yesterday had evolved my powers a little bit, and I knew that the more I practiced, the better I would get. Perhaps someday, I might really be able to clean a dirty pot just by using Blue.
Soon to enter the kitchen was Superboy. He saw me and frowned, saying nothing as he rummaged through the fridge, bringing out a plastic lunchbox and leaving.
"Superboy," I called out. He stopped and turned to me with a frown.
"What?"
"Why are you so angry?" I asked him in Japanese, tilting my head in confusion. "Surely it can''t just be me."
"It''s mostly you," Superboy told me.
"And what about the rest?"
"That''s none of your business," he told me.
I clicked my tongue, "That''s not a very creative answer, Superboy. I''m sure you can come up with something better. Humor me!"
Superboy stomped over to me and looked up at me slightly with a glare. "What is your game?"
"I''m glad you asked!" I grinned. "My game is everything. Nothing is beyond my reach, nothing really scares me, least of all that anger of yours. And frankly, the more you try to hide things from me, the more curious I''ll get."
"What, so you''re a sociopath?" Superboy spat.
"When it counts," I shrugged. "Don''t waste your time trying to dress my moral character down. Let me be the first to tell you that you are right to be angry at me. I have no respect for you. I can count on half a hand how many people in my world I respect. And now that I''m here, that list has shortened dramatically. But let me tell you something, Superboy," I grinned mockingly, "You need to put a leash on that anger and make it work for you. Otherwise, you''ll just be swiping your paws at the air like an irritated cat, achieving nothing."
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"And why should I take your advice?" Superboy asked me.
"It''s your choice whatever advice you take," I said, "But I am curious about something. Does this anger have anything to do with your relationship with Superman?" He started breathing harder. He wasn''t stupid, I knew that much. Throwing a punch would be futile. He should know this. And besides, he was supposed to be a hero, wasn''t he? "I''m curious. He seemed like a good guy when I talked to him. Is he secretly a bastard of some kind? And is he your older brother or your father?"
Superboy stepped back and looked down on the floor. "I''m his clone."
My eyes widened at that, "You don''t say."
He glared at me, "What about it?"
I raised my hands in surrender, "I have nothing against clones. I''m just amazed at the technology of this world, that it could create someone like you. I take it Superman didn''t do this?"
"No," he said, "I was born in a facility, created to replace Superman, should he turn from the light. But I chose my own path instead. And the reason I''m angry is because they made me that way. Because they wanted me to be a weapon."
Something about that stirred my heart¡ªtotally against my will at that. Annoying. Why was I feeling a bit of kinship towards this guy now? Oh well, I didn''t hate pitiful human weapons like him.
I cracked a grin, and against my better judgment, I shared something about myself. "When I was born, I inherited a rare cursed trait from my family, as well as a powerful cursed technique that, when used in combination, would ensure that I would become the strongest Jujutsu sorcerer in the world."
"Why are you telling me this?" Superboy frowned.
I sighed, chuckling in self-deprecation, "I know what it feels like to be born a human weapon. Take my advice¡ªyour makers can never be as strong as you are. The only thing they can rely on is manipulation to control you."
"I''m not too worried about that," Superboy scoffed. "The facility burned down and the head scientist was arrested."
I raised an eyebrow at him, "And then you were recruited by the Justice League. Isn''t that just another group of people telling you what to do?"
"You''re trying to turn me against the League?" Superboy snarled.
"Figure out what you want in life," I said, "And ask yourself whether it''s you who want it or whoever''s holding your leash. You''ll never stop being a human weapon, but at least you''ll be able to wield yourself instead of having others wield you."
Superboy furrowed his eyebrows and looked at me for a moment. "How did you do it?"
"I realized that nothing mattered except for my own opinion¡ªwho to respect, who to listen to, who to love. I was ruthless in cutting off every bond that didn''t serve me. Even my parents weren''t spared from this. I realized that no one held my best interest in the same priority as I ever could, so I followed my heart. Those who remained in my good graces, I made sure to let them understand the consequence of disappointing me. I made sure to let them know I wasn''t afraid to abandon anyone." I widened my grin and bowed to get closer to his face. "Don''t be afraid to stand alone, Superboy. Humanity is mostly disappointing, and you''re going to have a hard time if you desire approval too much, or companionship, or love. Especially from a particular person. If you want to crack the code to life like I did, view your company as priceless, your esteem as paramount."
He looked down in contemplation, and then turned around. And walked away. I let him.
Chapter 6
After eating, I trained for a few more hours until finally, this ''Black Canary'' arrived.
The sight was quite a surprise. Calling her attractive was an understatement. The woman was hot. Blonde, buxom, wearing a black bodysuit that cut off at the cleavage, a tiny jacket covering her shoulders, and long fingerless gloves that reached all the way to her biceps, and a pair of dark gray leggings made of a rather curious material that seemed far more durable than it initially let on.
I was working on my Blue control, evacuating citizens made of hard light, when she arrived with the Zeta tube, and grinned at me.
"Good to see you''re working hard," she said to me. And I grinned right back at her.
"I wouldn''t call this ''hard''," I said as I finished the drill to the computer''s satisfaction. "Back where I''m from, we had assistants to handle evacuation. Surely, a hero isn''t expected to do everything on their own."
She raised an eyebrow, "The nature of the situations that we heroes respond to often necessitates that we rescue as many civilians as possible before a villain or disaster can claim their lives."
And since their villains tended to act with far more purpose than a stupid cursed spirit would, those situations were a lot more time-pressing.
"Otherwise," she continued, "We let local law enforcement handle evacuations, if they can handle them."
Right, I forgot. The cops knew that heroes existed in this world. They must work closely together as a result.
Uncanny. Just uncanny. It was just downright weird to see the natural and supernatural coexist in such a manner.
"Would you mind hitting the showers, Gojo?" Canary asked, "We''re nearing our meeting time."
"Computer, time," I announced.
"11:44."
Ah. A few seconds later, my ''alarm'' rang. "11:45," the computer spoke up, "You have fifteen minutes until your meeting with Black Canary. Please shower and get changed before then."
I pointed up at the ceiling and grinned at her. "Now I''ll go."
Fifteen minutes later, and she was waiting in the training grounds for me while I wore a simple set of gray sweatpants and a sweatshirt of the same color. My wet hair swished around with every step. "Ready?" She asked me.
"I was born ready," I grinned, following her into one of the cave''s hangout lounges. There, she took a seat on one of the low couches, and bid me to do the same.
"Have a seat," she said. She put her folder on the nearby table and looked at me cryptically, though still with a grin.
"You''re my psychologist," I said with a raised eyebrow. "Sounds fun. I''ve never had a psychologist before."
"From what we''ve gathered from you," she said, "You come from a world where high school aged children were put in harm''s way, exorcising curses. You''ve admitted that this is a line of work that''s very dangerous and regularly claims the lives of your classmates."
"Yeah," I said with a chuckle, "It''s dangerous work, but I''ve never had anything to fear. Because I''m strong."
"And what about your classmates?"
"The ones worth caring about are strong," I said with a grin, "It''s one of my conditions for making friends, actually. My best friend is a guy almost as strong as me. We were called the strongest duo back in high school."
"Why did you do it?" she asked.
"Why did Mike Tyson box?" I asked, "Because he was the best. Anything else would have been a waste."
"It''s natural for you to want to use your powers," she observed. "It''s the case with everyone, really. But you''re doing it to protect those who can''t protect themselves."
I raised an eyebrow at that, "I''m not the one who cares about weaklings that much. That would be my friend. Honestly, on most days, I don''t even see the point in protecting them. It''s such a drag. But, being a villain is an even bigger drag, so I guess I''ll just be a hero."
She opened her folder and retrieved a notepad and a pen. I used my Six Eyes to see what she was writing, but either her handwriting was absolutely awful, or she was writing in some kind of code. Did she know about my Six Eyes? I hadn''t shared that particular tidbit with Batman, but then again, the Martian had read my mind. Annoying. Things were already starting to become a drag. Guh.
"Do you feel any kinship towards the rest of humanity?" Black Canary asked me.
"No. Not at all."
"Is it that simple to you?" she asked.
I nodded. It really was. "Humanity''s a dumb group of idiots who all individually think they are so important that they are more important than each other. But from where I''m standing, I can easily see the truth. They are all the same. And yet they don''t act the same. You have billionaires and homeless people living in the same city, and honestly, it''s just hilarious. Where does this pride even come from? The pride that holds society together and makes it unequal? The pride a wealthy man has that places him above his poorest worker?"
"Does it bother you?" she asked me.
I laughed, "It''s funny. I don''t care about the situation of the poor. I just think both the poor and the wealthy are all equally nothing in my eyes. And they should act in their place, but," I shrugged, "I''m not going to do anything about that, or I would be a villain. And besides," I leaned back, "I don''t care enough, really. My opinions and emotions on humanity is not so great, really. It''s not negative or positive. It''s much closer to zero. Perhaps a decimal above zero, to account for the few humans I have met that I have liked."
She smiled in sympathy, "Ultimately positive then."
I shrugged at that. If she wanted to take it that way, then sure.
"Good people are a godsend," she continued, "It''s important to always make sure that you are surrounded by people who give you faith in humanity."
"Sure," I shrugged.
"And would you mind telling me what it was that tested this faith to begin with?"
"Pushy idiots older than me who thought they knew better. Idiot parents with too many expectations and not enough brain cells to nurture me directly, so they would outsource that as much as possible, playing around with my life like I was a Sims character," on the bright side, all their ceaseless demands for study had made my English great. Impractically great for my usual circumstances, but at least it was paying off now, "Old creepy politicians who kept putting their hands on my shoulders," I shuddered and stuck my tongue out, "They were the worst. And, of course, being treated more like an object than a human being for most of my life," then I remembered, and chuckled, "Yeah, and the bounties put on my head before I knew how to read. Me being born pissed off a lot of bastards," I laughed. "They never gave me a break." I grinned sharply at Black Canary, "Not until I started ripping them apart, limb from limb, always leaving one alive to run away and tell the others fuzakerunna: Don''t screw with me. It''s bad for your health," I chuckled.
"How old were you when you took your first life?" Black Canary asked. I expected a more vehement reaction from her. Weird.
"Seven," I frowned pensively, wondering if that was accurate. As far as my memory told me, it was, "Yeah, seven. I kept begging to go to the mall that day, and a guy with a gun tried to take me out. That was the end of him." He didn''t even get close to touching me.
"And how do you feel about that?"
"Massive, unquenchable rage," I told her, smiling. "The rage I reserve for my enemies. A desire to see them bleed. It''s like a thirst, almost." Then I shrugged, "But those were enemies, and there is no helping their enmity. Enemies will be enemies after all. Nothing to cry about. The most disappointing part was really my allies. The people supposed to be on my side. The elders and the creepy politicians and the clan higher-ups. All treating me like a prized object instead of a cursed one that needed to be disposed of. Annoying, either way."
To be honest, at the time that I had left my world, I really would only have needed a slightly good reason to just massacre the entire Jujutsu Council. Then again, I just didn''t care enough to do so.
"And how do you feel about that?"
"Terrible, so terrible! I cry myself to sleep every night thinking about this treatment," I put my hand on my forehead and leaned forward. Then I whispered, "Sometimes, I even consider killing myself."
She paused for a long moment, and then I started chuckling. My chuckling turned into a laugh as I looked at her. "Ah, sorry. I couldn''t resist. Honestly, I don''t feel too complicated. It''s just how it is. If I wasn''t so powerful, maybe I would have felt worse, but I am so unimaginably powerful compared to the average practitioner that I saw no reason to cry or complain. I took matters into my own hands and decided my own fate. No one controls me anymore. No one tells me what to do. I do what I want, and everyone else simply have to accept this, because they''re weak. Nice system, no?"
"You''ve clearly had a challenging upbringing," she said to me.
I snorted. "What challenge? My whole life has been easy. I grew up rich and powerful. What else can one ask for?"
"Emotional support?"
I rolled my eyes, "My emotions are not complicated. I don''t need support. I don''t even need to talk to you that much, not really."
"Why is that?" she asked me.
"Because I know the deal," I said, "No killing or crippling villains. No destroying property. No harming civilians. You know, standard comic book hero rules. I did not even want to do most of that in the first place anyway. It''s not like I was a crazy person back in my world. I have always been a reasonable type. You have to be if you are as strong as me. Otherwise, people get¡ scared."
"Are people scared of you, Gojo?"
I chuckled. "Everyone is. I figured it out when I was five. The day I learned that everyone was scared of me was¡ a fun day. Taught me the meaning of freedom. If everyone is scared of you, that means that even your minor irritation becomes a big thing that everyone listens to."
I wondered¡ was Black Canary scared of me? Probably. She was keeping quite the brave face, though. Kudos to her.
"How did you feel that day?" Canary asked me, "When you were five and learned this?"
Alone.
Scared in turn. Angry. So angry. But ultimately, I saw the value in time and the blessing for what it was. "I told you, it was a fun day. How am I supposed to control what idiots think, anyway?"
"Did you hurt anyone with your powers as a kid?"
I thought back to those days, "I remember breaking a nanny''s legs by accident when I was six. And the servants told me that I did other things when I was younger, too, when I couldn''t control my ability well. I don''t remember."
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"And how do you feel about that?"
"About things I can''t remember? Obviously, I don''t remember."
"How do you feel about that now?"
Sorry. Ugh. Not that. I killed that impulse the moment it came. Gods didn''t apologize. "Nothing."
"Do you feel nothing on purpose?" Canary asked me.
I furrowed my eyebrows at her. Then I used my Six Eyes to scan for any telepathic waves. Nothing. I looked harder, across a wider band of signals, searching for anything that might be giving her these hints. "Why did you ask that?"
"I believe it to be a good question," Canary said to me.
"It doesn''t make any sense," I rolled my eyes.
"You said you had your powers from when you were younger than six," Canary said, "What do you remember?"
"Not much," I shrugged. "I know they had me exorcising cursed spirits at that age already. I was three when I exorcised my first cursed spirit."
"And how did you feel about that?"
"They told me I was scared¡ªuntil I realized how easy it was. Then I started laughing," I chuckled. "What a cute picture, don''t you think? This blue-eyed, white-haired baby laughing. I guess that was the last time I was ever afraid, because I haven''t felt fear since then."
"And what about fear for others?"
"I try not to get attached to people I have to be worried about," I said.
"Are you afraid for those you''ve left behind in your old world?" Canary asked.
I drew in a breath sharply. "Suguru can handle himself," I said. Amanai probably couldn''t. But as long as that bastard got to her in time, he''d have no reason to stick around and kill Suguru. Then again, he''d have to get past Suguru to manage it in the first place.
I¡ didn''t know how to feel about that, thinking that Amanai being the only one to die was the best case scenario.
She didn''t deserve that. She didn''t deserve any of what had happened.
I shook my head. Didn''t matter. None of it did. It was all just speculation, and in the past. Nothing I could do about it. I looked at Black Canary with a flat expression, "This is getting boring, miss. Can we move on to something that makes more sense than these endless questions about nothing at all?"
"I''m here if you want to talk about anything that bothers you, Gojo," Canary said tenderly. "And I know this might sound like a clich¨¦, but I''m ready to lighten the burdens you carry. All you need to do, in turn, is to be honest about your feelings. You must let yourself feel naturally."
"Feel naturally," I repeated, "I wish that made more sense, doctor. Why don''t we talk training instead?" I asked, "Batman said you would teach me how things are done."
"Before we begin on that, I must ask, do you not have any need for sleep?"
I shook my head, "No, not really."
"You trained for an entire night. Why?" They were watching me through the cameras.
"Batman told me that it would be easier for me to figure out how I was sent to this world than for you guys to find the technology to send me back," I said with a shrug, "So I''m training for that purpose. But, honestly, it''s also just to get stronger."
"Why?"
"The stronger you are, the less problems you have," I said, "For example, if I was strong enough, I would have put a gaping hole through that bastard before he could even approach me with that ugly knife of his. Obviously, the moral of the story is to not be weak. It''s the universal moral of every story, really," I grasped for a western fairy tale and found one. "If Red Riding Hood''s grandma was strong, she would not get eaten by the wolf. And the Red Riding Hood was saved by a hunter with a gun, right? That is strength. It''s all the same, really."
She grinned indulgently, "And what about the boy who cried wolf?"
"Once the boy really saw a wolf, he should have been able to deal with it himself," I replied with a shrug. "Humans have killed wolves for tens of thousands of years. What excuse did he have?"
"He didn''t have superpowers, for one. Or the trust of his tribe. Humans were strong in antiquity because we had numbers. And we had numbers because we evolved a sense of trust, and an instinctive understanding not to strain that trust, or you will lose support from the collective."
"The boy could have done whatever he wanted if he was craftier," I said with a wave of my hands, grinning. "Set up a few traps. Maybe the real moral is ''don''t lose the support of your tribe if you are weak, because nothing can save you when you are in trouble''? And then the greater moral becomes ''don''t be weak''."
"Attaining strength is not always an option for most."
"This is a world where a normal human with no superpowers stands side-by-side with aliens and people with cosmic power," I said.
Canary grinned, "Batman should hardly be the standard for humanity."
"I don''t see why not."
"Really?"
"Really."
"So," Canary said, "The reason you train hard to be the strongest is because you know you can''t rely on a tribe. Is that because you anticipate they will reject you?"
I laughed. "It''s because I will reject them. Because they''re stupid, or weak, or generally of no use to me."
"Why do you want to become a hero?" Canary asked. "And why do you expect the League to trust you, considering your self-admitted misanthropy?"
"I don''t know what misanthropy means, but I assume it''s wisdom," I lied.
"Dislike for humanity."
"Because it''s a job," I said, "Obviously, I will do the job. Why does it matter what I feel while I''m doing it? This is a very American perspective, I think. Back where I''m from, when you do something for a living, you do it until perfection. Kodawari."
"Usually, people are attached to the craft when they pursue this perfection," Canary said, "And what is your attachment?"
"Power," I said with a shrug, "And fame, perhaps. Respect would be nice as well. And finally, the understanding that no one stands above me."
"The Team is meant for covert operations," Canary said, "Until we deem you ready to move on to the Justice League¡ªprovided you stay here for long enough. The keyword is ''stealth''. That and strategy. You won''t find fame in this team. As for respect, that is earned with good work."
"Not really," I said with a grin.
"How so?"
"I took down my first villain yesterday," I said, "And all I got was people telling me what I did wrong. And what I did wrong was showing the team that I was stronger than them. But if I had played to their level, we would have gotten our butts kicked all day. You should have seen them. They are really so bad at this."
"Did you look at it from their perspective?" Canary asked.
"Why would I want to look at anything through their weakling perspective?" I asked in disgust. "They''re upset because it''s obvious why the Justice League doesn''t want them in their team. What I can''t figure out is why you wouldn''t take me," I grinned at Black Canary, "Do you think you are stronger than me, superhero?"
"Maybe, maybe not," Black Canary gave an easy shrug, "But what I do know is that my teammates enjoy working with me."
I had no idea how strong she was, but¡ let''s be honest, she was no Wonder Woman. Otherwise, I''d have heard of her in my comic reading.
And who hated working besides a weakling that made them look stronger in comparison? Not that I would say this to her. After all, she was my elder and I needed to be respectful, right?
And I didn''t want to give Batman more reasons to reduce my pay.
"Oh well," I shrugged, "That is just too bad, then. Can we move on?"
"What do you mean about no one standing above you?" Black Canary asked.
I cracked a grin, "I''m a prized commodity. Everyone will seek to use me for their ends because of the overwhelming power I possess, forgetting that this power is attached to a will," I pointed my thumb at myself, "Me. Satoru Gojo. No one stands above me. I will do what I want, and I will not be controlled. Not by Batman, or by you, Canary-chan." I gave her an apologetic grin. Whatever psychological levers she was trying to put into place, none of it would work.
I''d have to show her that over time.
She nodded solemnly, "Your autonomy is important to us, Gojo. You deserve freedom."
Ah. She was playing along. Cheap. "Is the therapy session over? Can we move on to the training?"
Finally, she relented, with a sigh, "Sure, Gojo. I will give you a summary of your training. First, we will figure out the extent at which you have been trained, and then go from there: First," Black Canary began, her tone steady but not unkind, "we''re going to assess your close-quarters combat skills. Not just how well you throw a punch but how you take a hit, handle pressure, and keep your form under stress. Combat''s as much about staying composed as it is about technique."
I raised an eyebrow. Basic stuff. I''d long since mastered even advanced martial arts, and my Limitless kept me from feeling much pressure to begin with. But I nodded, letting her continue.
"Second, defensive capabilities and evasive maneuvers," she said. "We''ll see how well you can defend or dodge under real attack. The Team will encounter all kinds of enemies, and if you can''t avoid damage when your power''s pushed to its limit, that''s a major liability."
Alright, that one I could actually appreciate. I might be untouchable, but testing how fast I could move through enemy attacks sounded a lot more interesting.
"Next up," Black Canary continued, "we''ll focus on rescue drills. Your job as a hero is more than just fighting. Sometimes, it''s about saving civilians and getting them out of dangerous situations. Speed and decision-making under high-stakes pressure are crucial."
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Rescuing people wasn''t exactly my style, but I kept my mouth shut. The last thing I needed was a lecture.
"And finally," she said, with a pointed look, "teamwork. You need to show you can follow directions and cooperate. That''s non-negotiable if you''re going to work with us."
I huffed, crossing my arms. "Follow directions? That''s what you''re really worried about?"
Black Canary tilted her head, a small smile forming. "Consider it a different kind of strength training. In battle, you won''t be the only one making decisions. Sometimes, you have to trust the people beside you and let them do their part."
I looked away, bristling. "Fine, whatever. So, when do we start?"
"Right now," she said with a nod. "We''ll head to the sparring ring to get a baseline on your combat skills. You and me, hand-to-hand. No powers."
A slow grin spread across my face. "Alright, then. Let''s see what you''ve got."
Chapter 7
I did my stretches and began to skip on my feet, getting everything nice and loose, while Black Canary did much of the same. I tried not to get distracted by her as she did some rather impressive stretches.
I pushed my Six Eyes, absorbing her form with them, understanding every inch of her body at once. In a moment, all my sexual desire ceased as I entered battle mode, and saw her only as a sophisticated lump of flesh in need of a thorough dismantling.
She thought I was an overconfident teenager with delusions of grandeur. She thought I had anything in common with my ''teammates''. The thought was hilarious to me. I turned off my Limitless. Then I realized¡ªshe did say no powers. But my Six Eyes were undoubtedly a power. Uh. Maybe I would get my ass kicked after all. "Do you have a blindfold?" I asked her.
She raised an eyebrow, "You''re that confident?"
"If you want to fight me with my eyes uncovered, it''s your funeral," I chuckled. "But nothing gets passed these pretty blue eyes, Black Canary. You won''t win this."
"I''m eager to see that," she said, "Are you ready?"
I snorted. Alright then, "Yes, teacher."
We ran up to each other. I threw a probing punch, avoiding her grapple with ease and taking a step back. She threw several strikes which I weaved past like they were nothing, and then I grabbed her arm, broke her balance, and used the force of her strike to throw her over my head and on the ground. She bounced ignobly on the hard light surface on the floor.
Black Canary didn''t stay down for even a second, even as the computer announced her KO. She rolled out from her back and on her feet like water, fluid and controlled, and before I could blink, her hands were raised. I could see her eyes narrow as she assessed me, her stance tightening just slightly. I had to admit, the way she moved was impressive.
"Nice move," she said, not sounding the least bit shaken. "Now that I know you''re good for it, I''ll stop holding back."
I grinned at her, "Please do."
We circled each other, her steps light and precise. I threw another punch, aiming low, but she sidestepped just enough to graze past my fist, shifting her weight and aiming a quick jab at my ribs. I twisted, feeling the sharp sting of her knuckles as her punch connected.
Not bad, I thought. She was fast and close¡ªtoo close for me to get another clean throw in. I tried to sidestep to regain some distance, but she was already on me, pressing forward with a combination of strikes. I blocked one, dodged another, but she was relentless, her fists coming at different angles with impressive speed.
When I saw an opening, I stepped in, aiming to grab her wrist again. But she twisted just as my fingers brushed her arm, slipping out of my grasp and sliding around behind me. Before I knew it, her arm was around my neck in a solid chokehold, and her knee pressed into the back of my leg, forcing me to my knees.
"Still so confident?" she murmured with a hint of a smile, her voice right by my ear.
I grinned, twisting sharply and breaking her hold, but just barely. "Come on," I panted, "This all you got?"
She smirked and sprang back, giving me a moment to catch my breath. I could see the glint of respect in her eyes¡ªshe was impressed, but not about to let up. She charged again, this time staying low, aiming a kick toward my side. I blocked it, but the force of her strike nearly threw me off balance. She wasn''t holding back anymore.
In a flash, I shot forward, grabbing her arm to throw her, but she ducked and used my momentum to hook her leg around mine, sending us both tumbling to the floor. We grappled, rolling across the hard-light surface as I tried to pin her, but she was slippery, always moving just out of reach. For every move I made, she had a counter, her experience showing in every quick adjustment and well-placed strike.
Finally, I managed to lock her arm, twisting to pin her shoulders down. She pushed back against me, her strength surprising, but I held on. "Give up yet?" I asked.
"Not even close," she shot back.
With a burst of strength, she shifted her weight, bringing her legs up and hooking them around my shoulders. Before I knew it, she''d flipped me over, and were it not for some last-minute movements that I made, I would have landed on my back and not my hands and feet. She stood over my bowed form, hands on her hips, smirking down at me.
"Had enough?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not down yet," I grinned, throwing myself at her again.
And on it went. I used everything Six Eyes could tell me, teasing out every ounce of my bodily control. Working without Cursed Energy was a fun and unique challenge, but I wouldn''t go down just like that. That would only prove to her that I was Junior League material, and I wasn''t.
I was stronger than her. Stronger than most of the League. She needed to see that.
Finally, after minutes of intense back-and-forth striking and grappling, I put her on the floor, hand pressed to her back and my other hand holding her arm, twisting it to the edge of her rather impressive flexibility.
The computer projected a hologram of defeat.
"Interesting," she groaned as she got up to her feet and looked up at me, "That extrasensory perception of yours is sharp. You''ve trained."
Of course I have. Why wouldn''t I? "I''m sorry teacher. You don''t have anything to teach me. Should I get a blindfold?"
"There''s no point in that," she said with a shrug, "When I said ''no powers'', I meant your telekinetic abilities. If your eyes are always on, then it doesn''t matter. Let''s do two more rounds."
We did.
I didn''t hold back.
Neither did she. She was like a cockroach, or an octopus. Very difficult to stamp down, very difficult to hold or catch as well. I could see why they had made her a superhero. She was good, by all accounts. Perhaps that was a superpower of hers, preternatural skill in hand-to-hand combat?
Too bad I had my own superpower. We fought for around ten minutes on both rounds. The first round took three, and due to the resulting exhaustion of not using Cursed Energy, the next round had stretched into seven to eight minutes while Black Canary took advantage of my burgeoning exhaustion and lacking stamina.
I needed to correct that at some point. No way I was going to let poor cardio be the end of me. Ideally, I''d never again be caught lacking by a super-strength bastard with a knack for tricks and cheats.
I still managed to put her down, both times. They were hard-won victories, and I didn''t know whether to be angry at my own poor showing or impressed at Black Canary''s boundless skill.
"Impressive," She said, getting up. "Especially considering you''re even more effective in long range."
I gave her a cocky grin, "I''m effective in all ranges." Even short-range. I could have splatter her with a cursed energy-imbued strike if I wanted, and her fragile body would have had no way to endure it.
"Now, for defensive maneuvers. Computer, activate projectile resistance program, level four."
She stepped out of the way and I reactivated Infinity. The computer began to generate almost a dozen orbs made of white light.
"Beginning in five, four, three, two, one."
The orbs shot at me. I stopped them.
"Nothing gets through, teacher," I said over my shoulder. "You can go up to level one hundred if you''d like."
"This unit doesn''t go that far," she said, "Computer, level ten, please." This time, the projectiles had tripled in number. "These are also far faster. As fast as bullets. Are you still confident?"
"Ah, bullets, my only weakness," I said with a chuckle, "Yes, I''m confident. Run it."
They were fast, but not faster than the perception granted to me by the Six Eyes. When I really focused, they became rather slow.
As expected, they were caught in my extended field of Infinity, widened to accommodate more projectiles.
A moment later, they disappeared.
"Any limits on speed?" Black Canary asked.
"No, my eyes could easily follow them," I said, "You can go faster if you''d like. It doesn''t matter anyway. Nothing gets past Infinity unless it was specifically made to cancel out a cursed technique. And nothing in this universe should have that power."
"Computer. Level twenty."
This time, I was almost surrounded by a semi-circle of hundreds of floating orbs.
The computer counted down and then they shot off. They were almost twice as fast as the last orbs, but ultimately, still very easy to keep up with. And none of them came close to getting past Limitless.
Then from right behind me, Canary threw a¡ªball bearing. I caught it in my hand. Then, I turned around and grinned at her, "Nothing gets past my Six Eyes either, Black Canary. I can still see you even if I am turned around."
"Hm," she hummed, clearly impressed. "Do you need to be conscious of an incoming proectile for Infinity to work? That''s why I tried that."
"No," I said, "As long as it''s up, anything that approaches me will be slowed to a near-stop."
"Hm. Computer, level thirty."
And on it went, until level fifty, which this unit capped out on. In that one, I was surrounded by a dome of hard light orbs that moved unpredictably, and even when they were caught in my Limitless, they tried their best to pry themselves out, yet failed.
Their trajectories and unpredictability didn''t matter to me. As long as I had Infinity, I was protected.
"Alright, time for evasive maneuvers," Canary said, "Computer, level one. Don''t use your¡ Limitless for this one. Just avoid the balls."
I shrugged, pulling Infinity closer to my skin, but not turning it off, just in case. One orb formed before me, and shot towards me. I dodged easily. I didn''t even have to use Cursed Energy to do so. This was purely within human capabilities. "What level is the edge of human ability?" I asked her.
"Batman can clear level fifteen by just dodging," Canary said.
"Level sixteen, then," I said. "I still have Infinity on, so I won''t get hurt, but I will do my best to avoid."
"Computer, record and report if the hard light balls have been manipulated by Gojo''s telekinesis."
"Acknowledged," the computer said, "Shall I set to level sixteen?"
"Yes."
The computer started counting down as orbs began to form in front of me, almost thirty in number. They began to shoot at me in staggered sets. I pumped Cursed Energy through my body. My eyes brushed upon every projectile and I easily weaved through them.
"Level complete," the computer announced, freezing the balls in the air.
"What about fifty?" Canary asked.
"Bring it on," I grinned.
This time, I really had to push myself, pumping Cursed Energy through my body and accelerating every aspect of my physical strength to keep up with my Six Eyes. It was fun, too!
And on level fifty, the balls curved right back to try and hit me as well, meaning it wasn''t just about dodging individual balls, but figuring out where to move so that I wouldn''t get checkmated by the collective movements of the balls forcing me in an awkward position.
Near the end, they almost did, and I had to execute a precise jump, positioning my body nearly horizontally, arms and legs spread to avoid the balls.
Unfortunately, I couldn''t land on my feet, and I had to use Blue to right myself in time. Not that it violated the rules of the game, since I wasn''t using the neutral Limitless to stop any of the balls.
A few seconds afterwards, and the round finally ended.
"You have super speed," Black Canary observed. "And flight."
"And super strength," I said with a grin. "Cursed energy is a very versatile power, but even then, I am exceptional. Surely, Batman must have told you I was the strongest person in my world."
"He may have mentioned a thing or two," Black Canary smiled. "Still, it''s impressive. You are very impressive, Satoru Gojo."
I chuckled, "I know, I know."
"I would like to test this super strength later on, but for now, I want to continue with more defense testing, this time with elemental threats."
Black Canary moved on to other drills using elemental projectiles¡ªbolts of lightning, balls of fire, explosions, beams of freezing. None of it came through. Of course it wouldn''t. The lasers were the only thing to come even a centimeter close to my skin, but in the end, Infinity was Infinity, and this light could not penetrate that unfathomably large distance.
Then, finally, Black Canary showed me her own superpowers. A super scream.
My ears felt a moment of pure agony until I unconsciously filtered soundwaves out via Limitless, achieving relief only a moment later.
Canary saw my wince and stopped, "Did that get through?"
"The sound got through," I said, "That felt uncomfortable. Like someone screaming into my ear. I filtered it before any damage could be done."
I needed to get on programming Limitless fast. There was no telling what the freaks of this world could do.
"Makes sense¡ªyou can''t filter out all sound, or you wouldn''t be able to hear anything. Likewise, if I pointed a laser pointer directly in your pupil, that would probably hurt you, wouldn''t it?"
Regretfully, I nodded, "There are ways to reduce this problem. I am not the first to have my combination of powers, meaning I have a user''s manual. Soon, I should be able to program my Infinity field to detect threats and automatically adjust as needed."
"Interesting power," she said. "Let''s move on."
000
I was already doing civilian evacuation drills before she came, and I liked to think I had gotten rather good at it. I could carry around almost fifty people without causing any serious damage to them, and I could also do that while blocking hits with Limitless and taking out opponents with Blue¡ªnot Red, though. If I used Red, I would just kill most of my enemies.
I didn''t even think to use Purple on anything. Clearly, that one would be reserved for especially powerful robots, or villains that the Justice League didn''t mind me killing. Not that that was very likely.
Over the course of a few hours, I did see Aqualad and Superboy appear for brief moments to watch me train, before leaving without so much as a ''hello''.
We moved on to strength training later on. With maximum cursed energy output, my strikes clocked in at about 30,000 joules per punch. To put that in perspective, each punch carried roughly the energy of seven sticks of dynamite. Not bad, though that kind of direct, brute-force output was a little too crude for my tastes.
When it came to measuring the energy output of Red, I finally saw something more satisfying. The computer had me use it against the same hard light wall I''d struck before, which managed to withstand the impact somehow. But the reading showed that Red unleashed a solid 800,000 joules per strike ¡ª about the energy released by two hundred sticks of dynamite, or the equivalent of several large artillery shells. It was easily enough to demolish an entire building, that was for sure.
"How hard can Superman hit?" I asked.
"Superman''s metrics are classified," Black Canary said with an apologetic shrug, "But I will say, way harder."
I frowned. "I can hit harder," I said.
"The cave''s equipment isn''t rated for harder hits," Black Canary said, "You already managed to almost drain the power core with your Red. In fact, we will have to wait a bit before using the hard light projector."
I sighed, "So weak."
"May I ask why you call it Red?" she asked, "And why you call the telekinetic grab ''Blue''?"
"You may ask," I grinned at her.
She raised an eyebrow at me, slightly impatiently.
Okay, she didn''t want to play my games.
"Cursed techniques are visible to me, because I have cursed energy. Such is the case for almost all cursed techniques. But for people like you who have no cursed energy, it is all invisible. Even cursed spirits are invisible. Which is why our world of jujutsu is secret. That, and because, if the world knew about us jujutsushi, they would be so afraid that their negative energy would increase, and create even more cursed spirits. How annoying, right?"
"So in your eyes, Blue is blue, and Red is red? What about Infinity?"
"My Infinity is only visible to me," I said, "Because I can see Cursed Energy with my powerful eyes. But for the average jujutsushi, they see nothing, same as you."
"Thank you," she said, "You''ve been very forthcoming about your powers."
I chuckled at her, "You think I did it for free? When you reveal how your cursed technique works against an opponent, it becomes stronger. Now that I have told you this much, you will never stand a chance against me."
She raised an eyebrow, "Interesting. Why does this happen?"
"Cursed energy reacts to risk," I explained, "If I supplemented my techniques with gestures and incantations, then I would become even stronger, but it becomes easier to react to my techniques."
"So if you tell people how your powers work, that puts you at greater risk of being countered, so your technique grows stronger as a result," she said with a pensive frown.
"Exactly! Alright, teacher, what''s next?"
"Can you block light from reaching everything but your eyes with Limitless?" she asked.
I tried. It was¡ hard, but only as hard as blocking out telepathic waves was. In her view, I became a pitch black void in reality. Everything except for my pupils were shrouded in pure darkness, as though I was a black hole that ate all light and reflected none.
I wondered if I could perhaps curve the path of light around me and become fully invisible instead. Why not? Limitless gave me the power to bend space as desired, creating gravitational phenomena as a result. I focused intently and finally¡ª
I turned invisible to Black Canary. Except for my pupils, they still needed light. Her eyes widened at that, and she turned her head to look at me from another angle, and then her eyes flattened into neutrality, "Nifty, but I can still see you."
"I know," I said with a grin, "But I gave this my first try. I''m sure I can master it in time." I released my impromptu cloak and spread my arms. "Ta-da!" Black Canary shook her head in amusement.
"Impressive," she said, "The reason I asked this was because of the stealth applications that this power might have. As I told you, the team will be mostly focused on covert operations. That means that while your Red and Blue are probably not the best fit, you do indeed shine in other areas, which I want you to focus more on."
"Of course, of course," I said with a laugh, "I am perfect at it either way. Nothing is difficult for me, least of all hiding. I just don''t have the practice because I have never needed to hide before in my life. Why should the strongest ever hide?"
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"Subtlety has its place in hero work," she said, "Even Superman can''t do what the Batman can, and he provides vital work for the League via stealth."
I rolled my eyes, "Sure, sure. I will perfect the stealth cloak soon enough. I assume you also want me to fight with my strength instead of throwing around Blue and Red. Boring, but I can do that too." It would be a fun challenge, if anything. Not that it would slow me down any. If Robin could be a hero at twelve years old, jumping around with acrobatics, then I could easily do the same without even imbuing my body with cursed energy.
"That''s all for today, Gojo. Thank you," she said, giving me a respectful nod, "We will meet again tomorrow, this time discussing costumes."
Hah! Costumes.
"You find costumes funny," she said, folding her arms and smiling.
"No, not at all! I love Superman''s cape and the underwear he wears over his pants."
She chuckled, "You don''t have to wear a costume if you don''t like it. We won''t force you."
"That''s too bad, I think I would look great in a skintight suit," I chuckled, taking on a hero-pose, legs spread and arms on my hips. "Alright then, see you tomorrow."
"Red Tornado will give you a mobile phone and a personal computer that will connect us in case of anything," Black Canary said. "Until then, enjoy your evening. Try to make friends."
"You know my rule," I told her. "No weakling friends."
"Try to reconsider that rule," she said before turning around and heading for the Zeta tube. "Until next time."
"Bye-bye," she said.
000
It was apparently three o'' clock once I got off from Black Canary''s battery of tests. I took another shower and got changed to a different set of non-descript sweatpants and hoodie. After finding Red Tornado and getting the electronics, I asked to use the Zeta tube. The robot gave me the clearance to do so, and I used it to visit Gotham City.
The Zeta tube spat me out from mount justice to a phone booth in an abandoned corner of the city, and I immediately latched onto the numerous ideas I had on how to do this myself.
I realized, with a start, that I had never even considered incorporating Red into spatial transportation, even though I now had access to it and its ability to create a divergent infinity¡ªfar more energetic. That propulsive potential, combined with Blue''s attractive force and ability to pinch space, would allow me to do crazy things.
I put a pin on that for later¡ªalso vowing to use the technique on an inanimate object before deciding to fling myself through space time.
With practice, I would be able to get to my home dimension with ease. Then I could put all of this behind me like a bad memory.
Gotham was¡ kind of ugly, at least the neighborhood I had appeared in. I didn''t expect to encounter much crime in my wandering, but I was itching to go to a city and see the sights, and also use my money on better clothes and a nice pair of sunglasses tinted to my satisfaction.
And also eat some good food. Maybe fill up on some desserts and ice cream?
I first went to go get a burger in a place that sold them. It was¡ greasy food. Made me feel tired after eating it. But it tasted great. After that, I went and had some ice cream at an ice cream store, taking a walk around the city to find a clothing store with clothes worthy of my body.
I could look good in anything, honestly, but I was itching to get a nicer shirt at least, something more fitting for summer.
I bought several button-ups, short and long-sleeved (though I was planning on folding up the sleeves on the latter), in varying colors of white, blue and black. I bought myself several black slacks as well, and some white shorts.
Shoes were a must. I bought several pairs of shoes, white and black sneakers, and a pair of black leather shoes in case I wanted to feel fancier.
Finally, I got myself a few wrist-watches and a nice pair of round sunglasses at maximum tint. The shopkeeper didn''t have anything stronger, which forced me to put in a custom order for this model of glasses, only tinted to the point that anyone else couldn''t be able to see through them. The man didn''t ask any questions, thankfully.
With all that done, I ordered myself some food from a place that sold ''Shawarma''. It was clearly middle-eastern, and the smell made me really want to try some. It was a giant slab of meat that was cooked from the edges, and then shaved down with a long knife into strips that were then wrapped in flatbread along with a bunch of raw vegetables and sauce. Ingenious.
I ordered six.
By the time I was back in the cave, I was down three thousand dollars, but up by a great amount in terms of clothes and knowledge.
"Recognized: Satoru Gojo, B-07," just as the light from the Zeta tube cleared, I saw a couple of the team playing air hockey with the hard light computer¡ªKid Flash, Robin and Aqualad.
"Hey!" I shouted indignantly, "How come you only do fun stuff when I am away?"
"Because we don''t like you," Kid Flash said.
I pouted, "Alright then, no shawarma for you."
Kid Flash looked at me in shock, "Wait, you brought food?"
I put my paper bags filled with down and brought the plastic bag filled with wraps wrapped in aluminium foil to the air hockey table. I threw one at Robin, and Aqualad¡ªthey both caught them.
Then I took one for myself and looked at the game. "I''ve never played air hockey before. Can I try?"
Aqualad looked at the wrap mysteriously, "How does this taste?"
"I have no idea," I replied honestly, unwrapping the foil and taking a big bite from the top.
The answer was: it tasted good. "So goooood!" I gushed, slipping into Japanese accidentally. Robin looked the wrap over.
"It''s not poisoned, is it?" Robin asked.
I laughed, "Why would I need poison to kill any of you?"
Aqualad shrugged, "If it is, I''m largely immune anyhow." He took a bite and his eyebrows furrowed, "Complex," He said, mouth full, "Interesting."
Robin shrugged and started digging into his.
"¡Do you have more?" Kid Flash asked shawarmalessly.
"That depends," I said, my own mouth full as I grinned and Kid Flash, "Are you sorry?"
Kid Flash looked between Robin and Aqualad for support, but I had bought their loyalty with food already.
"Fine," he growled, "I''m sorry. That was mean. Can I have a wrap now?"
I lifted a wrap out from the bag next to me with Blue and tossed it over to him. He caught it easily and dug into it with gusto.
In the meanwhile, I used Blue to carry my bags to my room.
"You went shopping," Robin said.
"Yeah," I grinned, "Batman gave me some money," then I frowned, "It was supposed to be more, but he didn''t like that I was so mean to you." A thousand dollars a month. That sucked. And I had spent three so quickly! This country was seriously expensive. Maybe I should see if the Zeta tube could take me to Tokyo instead? Still, there wasn''t much I could get for that much a month.
I should definitely look at keeping myself fed by going to Tokyo every day, though. The nightmare of unseasoned rice and meat still hadn''t left my mind. Yuck.
Kid Flash snorted, "Serves you right," he said, his mouth full.
Aqualad took a step back from the air hockey table. "You can have this round with Robin while I eat."
I finished up my wrap, having eaten at a much faster rate than he, and took his place while Robin summoned a hard light plate next to him to keep the food.
The game was pretty simple, so I didn''t pay much attention to it, instead just talking, "I didn''t know the computer had these options," I said.
"It can do pretty much anything if you get the right security clearance," Robin said.
"Clearance we''re not supposed to have," Kid Flash said.
"You hacked it?" I asked, grinning.
"A little," he said, slamming his handheld thingie against the puck, sending it flying at a straight line for my goal. I let him score, just to give him the incentive to continue playing.
"Nice," I said.
"You know," Robin said, "Gotham has much better Shawarma places if you know where to look."
I didn''t say that I had come from Gotham. How did he know? Ah, he was the detective''s stepson, wasn''t he? Impressive. "Obviously, I don''t," I said with a grin, "I am a tourist in this world."
"Why didn''t you go to Tokyo?" he asked me.
"Because I wanted to get kidnapped by the Penguin or the Joker," I said with a grin, "Why would I not go to a city I have only read of in comic books?"
"Gotham''s not a joke, you know," Kid Flash said to me sourly. "Neither is the Joker."
"The Joker is not a joke?" I asked, shocked. "Is that not his whole thing?"
"Ha ha," Kid Flash said, but Robin did smile at that.
"I mean, you walked into that one," Robin said to Kid Flash.
Superboy walked in and I threw him a shawarma wrapped in foil with Blue. He caught it and looked at it. Then at me.
I wondered if he would throw it away or step on it.
Instead, he approached the table and unwrapped the foil.
"Why doesn''t he have to say sorry?" Kid Flash asked sourly, "For upsetting the great Satoru Gojo?"
"Because I kind of like him," I said, "Kind of."
Superboy then spoke to me, "I gave some thoughts to what you said."
"And?"
"I think you need mental help," he said gruffly before taking a large bite out of his shawarma.
Oh please. Mental help needs me.
"I already had a session with Black Canary," I said with a grin, "She did not say I needed it." Not exactly.
"Why would she say that you need mental help?" Robin said with a chuckle. "I mean, it''s her job, so she''d want to give it to you, of course."
I looked at Superboy with a raised eyebrow, "Do you think you don''t need it?"
He gave a half grin, "I think what I need and what you need are miles apart."
I laughed. "Good answer. Want to play after I beat Robin?"
"Uh, sure," he shrugged.
"I''m up three points!" Robin said.
I laughed. Without even looking at the game, I slammed the puck so hard that Robin didn''t have any time to position his hand thing, scoring me a goal instantly.
"Luck," Robin groused.
The next two goals proved that wasn''t the case.
Robin angrily grabbed his shawarma from the floating hard light plate and stepped back. Superboy took his place and put his wrap on the plate. Then we started playing. "You know," he said, "Hearing you train all night long is really distracting. Do you ever give it a break?"
What the¡? "How can I help that you have super hearing?" I asked.
"Why do you do it?" he asked, "Doesn''t it get boring?"
"How can it be boring when I''m getting stronger?" I asked, "And I need to be stronger so I can travel back where I''m from."
He groaned and shrugged, "Whatever."
"I wouldn''t get in his way," Kid Flash said, "I do hope you can figure it out as quickly as possible."
I looked at him with a grin, "Maybe I should drag my feet a little bit, see the sights before I go home?"
Kid Flash frowned, "I thought you said you were needed where you came from?"
"They can wait¡ªI''m on vacation after all," I said, "No cursed spirits. Just funny villains with funny names."
"Please," Kid Flash scoffed, "How bad were those "cursed spirits" anyway?" he made air-quotes with his fingers.
"They were the stuff of your nightmares, Kid Flash," I said with a grin, "Someone like you would not even be able to see them with your eyes. They could kill you before you would ever even notice. That is, if you are lucky. Usually, they take their time to really enjoy the suffering of their victims before ending their lives. They are made of negative energy, after all. The more fear and hatred humanity feels, the stronger cursed spirits get." I shrugged, "Not that I really have to worry¡ªI have never been threatened by a cursed spirit in my life. They are all the same to me."
"You really think it''s magic you''re doing, huh?" Kid Flash asked. "And that these curses are born from ''human negativity''."
I blinked, "I mean, yes. I should know how my world works better than you."
"It''s all the same if you live in a universe with constant laws," he said, "Then there is no room for magic. Just science and phenomena you can''t explain yet."
I snorted, "Nerd."
"And proud of it," he said, arms folded, and mouth covered in shawarma juice. "I got my powers because I recreated the Flash''s science experiment."
Now he was just boring me.
"Maa, where is Megan-chan?" I said, looking around.
"In her room," Superboy said.
"Haven''t seen her all of today," I said with a sigh. "I miss her."
"Back off," Kid Flash said. I looked up and regarded him with a stunned smile, "She probably wants nothing to do with you."
"Aw!" I swooned, "Are you in love with our Miss Martian, Kid Flash?" Superboy paused the game to raise an eyebrow at Kid Flash, who gaped and wrestled for words. Before he could reach them, I continued, "She can read minds, can she not? Doesn''t that mean she already knows?" My grin widened, "And if she does know, Kid-chan, don''t you think if she liked you back, she would have said something yet?"
"Yeah? What do you know anyway?" he spat, "You just arrived in this world. You have no idea how things work!"
I laughed. "I don''t think things are that different, Kid-chan."
"Lay off him," Robin said to me plaintively.
"What?" I asked, "He started it! And I finished it! And I will do it again and again until he learns his lesson."
And now I knew an excellent way to rile Kid Flash up. Playing with the jealousy of inadequate boys was just so much fun!
"Gojo," Aqualad sighed, "And Kid Flash. This needs to stop. Here."
Kid Flash glared at me, "What? He''s the creep who just came in and can''t help but insult us all the time!"
"I didn''t insult you today before you started things, did I?" I asked.
Kid Flash''s glare died down in intensity, "No, but yesterday¡ª"
"I talked to Batman already," I said. "And is it my fault that¡ª"
"Stop it," Aqualad commanded, "Both of you. Now."
I raised my hands in surrender, "If he doesn''t talk to me, I won''t talk to him. Can we do that, Kid Flash?" I suppressed my grin, however. He would have no choice but to talk to me at some point as I would keep making moves on Megan.
"Fine," he said.
"That''s¡" Aqualad hesitated, "That''s not what I wanted to propose. I would rather you two get along than keep silent. We are teammates. We need to learn better communication."
"I know, I know," I said to Aqualad, trying to appear contrite, "But if we don''t talk to each other for a while, then maybe when it is mission time, we will forget our problems and communicate more properly?"
"Sounds like a horrible idea," Robin said. "I can''t be the only one thinking that, can I? Superboy?"
Superboy shrugged, "Honestly, it sounds like a plan. I might even do that myself."
I pouted, "I thought we had a connection, Superboy."
"You thought wrong."
Hah. Whatever.
For being a bunch of heroes, they sure were quick to judge.
So far, Superboy had been only a single goal away from beating me while I hadn''t scored a single goal myself yet. I decided to catch up then, spending as little effort as possible getting a goal each and every time while Superboy raced to keep up with my pucks. Once the game was over and I had won, he frowned at me. Then said nothing as he stepped aside.
"Alright, alright," I said, backing up as well, my hands raised, "I know when I''m not wanted. I will just go to my room and cry for a bit. Good night, team."
Then with that, I turned to leave, with the final wrap meant for Megan floating behind me.
Those kids were such mouthy weaklings. Incredible, really.
000
Aqualad watched Satoru Gojo leave, back hunched over, wearing a hangdog expression as a plastic bag floated behind him.
"Finally," Kid Flash gave a gasp of relief. "I never thought he''d leave."
"Dude," Robin said, "Can''t you chill a bit? He was being pretty normal just now."
"Normal?" Kid Flash asked.
"He brought us food when he didn''t have to, played with us evenly even though he could have just beaten us instantly every time," Robin listed off, "He probably was trying to say sorry for yesterday, you know? In his own¡ weird way."
"Sorry? He made me apologize!"
"He was trying," Robin maintained.
Aqualad had to agree, "You also antagonized him first."
"I wouldn''t waste my sympathy on him," Superboy said, "He views us as beneath him. He said as much to me this morning. He doesn''t respect us."
¡It was hard trying to defend Gojo. He clearly didn''t want to be defended, or modify his behavior to better fit in. But he had brought them all food. And he hadn''t risen to any of Superboy''s provocations, not like yesterday.
That talk with Batman must have really worked.
"Yeah," Robin shrugged, "But what he says and what he does aren''t the same thing. Look, the guy clearly has a screw loose¡ª"
"Ya think?" Kid Flash asked.
"But you can''t say that he''s not making an effort," Robin said. "Even if, deep down, he has an ego the size of Rhode Island. And besides, we should probably cut him some slack. We barely know anything about him, but we do know that he pretty much lost everyone he ever loved with no guarantee that he could ever make it back."
"He doesn''t seem upset," Superboy said. "And if he is, he''s really good at hiding it. But that''s got nothing to do with me. I don''t want to be his friend, I don''t want to get to know him. He stays out of my way and I stay out of his."
"Oh, so now you''re taking the ''bigger man'' route," Kid Flash said. "You wanted to beat the crap out of him just yesterday."
"Still do," he said. "But I''ve got bigger things to worry about than him anyway."
Kid Flash snorted. "Whatever. I won''t talk to him anyway. I bet he''s the one who''s going to talk to me first. Guy can''t ever shut up!"
"Look at it this way," Aqualad said, "If our team can''t be coherent, then Batman won''t send us on any missions. If only for the sake of having work to do, why won''t you just bury the hatchet?"
Kid Flash scoffed, "I get it. That''s why I won''t talk to him, unless it''s mission time. See? Easy."
Aqualad shook his head. This team would never meet Batman''s approval.
Interlude: Canary
Mount Justice
July 21th?, 12:00 EDT
Black Canary opened her folder on Kid Flash, taking a nice, long read of him before beginning, just to test that infamously short patience of his.
Before she could even begin, he had already spoken up, "I know what we''re here about."
"What is that?" she asked.
"We''re here about Gojo," he said easily, "And what I think of him."
Canary grinned indulgently, "Actually, I''m here to get a sense of how you''re doing, Wally. But if Gojo is the thing occupying your thoughts, why not talk about him?"
"What''s there to say?" he asked, "He''s a creep. Always smiling like he''s in on some great big cosmic joke that no one else gets to hear, and he obviously doesn''t have any respect for me or the rest of the team."
"Why do you think that?"
"During the Mister Twister fiasco, he came in and just¡" Wally muttered, "Cleaned everything up by himself. He made it look easy. How is it our fault that his powers are so strong? Even Miss Martian''s telekinesis doesn''t compare."
"Why does that make him a creep?" Canary asked.
Wally''s eyes widened, and then he furrowed his eyebrows as he gave his explanation, "He called us weak! To Red Tornado! Like they''ll ever give us a mission now! We couldn''t even tell him to stay put while we fixed things. Batman gave us one job, to watch over the guy and make sure he didn''t do anything, and we failed at that too. And he asked Red Tornado for headpats! Who does that? And he''s probably gonna creep Megan out with his weirdness."
Canary frowned pensively at that. "Has he not made any friendly gestures towards you or any of you on the team?"
000
"He tried to peptalk me into being a sociopath, like him," Superboy frowned, "I don''t understand him, and I think it''s on purpose. He''s playing games I don''t get, and it was my mistake to even engage him to begin with."
Canary hadn''t expected Superboy to say much, but the boy clearly felt passionate about Gojo. Too bad that passion was almost entirely negative. The way Gojo had drawn him out from his shell of inarticulation was a great step ahead for the young Kryptonian, and yet he had casted himself as a villain. "What exactly did he say?"
"He told me to cut off everyone that disappoints me," Superboy said with a frown, "To be conceited and arrogant, because that''s his way to be happy. Then he told me I reminded him of himself," he grimaced at that. "I have nothing in common with that guy."
Canary frowned in concern, "Did you consider that he might have been trying to bond with you?"
"He made it clear that he didn''t respect me," Superboy said.
Was that how Gojo kindled friendships? Via challenge? He couldn''t have picked a worse target than Superboy. "Why do you think he doesn''t respect you, aside from what he has said?"
Superboy shrugged, "Does he respect anyone? He came from a world where he was the strongest, and he''s not shy about going around saying that every chance he gets."
"And what do you think of his presence on the team?" Canary asked.
000
"He has been¡ a rather divisive element in this team," Kaldur revealed, "Though that is not entirely the fault of his own. Rather, it is what he represents to some of us that makes him¡ difficult to get along with."
"And what is that?" Canary asked curiously.
Kaldur gazed distantly, "Overwhelming power. Power that trivializes all our best efforts."
"You''re not trivial," Canary reassured.
"With all due respect, ma''am," Kaldur said, "You haven''t worked alongside Satoru Gojo yet."
"And what are your personal feelings on his character?" Canary asked.
000
"I think he''s misunderstood," Megan said, looking down at the table pensively, "He''s hurting. He just lost everyone he ever knew, and he''s grasping for any sense of security. And because of that, he ends up¡ making things harder on others."
"What do you think should be done about that?" Black Canary asked.
Megan looked at Canary desperately, "I think we should be patient and give him space and understanding. And I know it''s not always okay, what he does. I don''t think he should have tried to pick a fight with Superboy. But I also think, there wasn''t any other outcome, when Batman put him on the team while everyone else was so desperate for real work. He made a mistake."
"You think that Gojo''s presence is a mistake?" Canary asked.
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"No! Argh, words are hard," she said, "It''s not a mistake. It''s the context that made things more difficult. Kid Flash and Robin were itching for work. Aqualad, too, even though he is the most mature of us. And Superboy, he''s¡ young. Too young. He needs to tackle some issues first. And Sa-chan is a whole bundle of pain. I don''t think Batman did a good job integrating him." She clenched her fists, and the slightest edge of anger cut through her concern. But she couldn''t keep it up for very long. Her hands loosened and her concern returned instead. "It''s even harder to deal with things because on Earth, people don''t like mind reading very much. And I couldn''t read Sa-chan''s mind even if I wanted to. His power blocks out everything. It makes it impossible to reach him, even with words almost."
"Your concern is commendable," Canary said, giving Megan a warm smile.
"I just don''t know what to do. He deserves better. We deserve better. It''s so confusing. We''re both hurting each other for no reason."
Canary sighed, "Oftentimes, being human means blindingly groping towards mutual understanding. That can always be reached, as long as you keep trying. Even if trying hurts."
"It does hurt," she said.
Canary was impressed with Megan''s insight into the team. Even without telepathy, she could still accurately make out the stress points of all the team''s relationships, and was able to judge impartially, not taking any single side.
Clearly, there was more than just a girlhood crush in the making motivating this benevolence. Martian empathy could be considered a superpower on its own.
"Why don''t you tell me what you like about the team?" Canary asked.
000
"What''s there to like? Robot oversight, League-mandated therapy sessions, and no missions ever?" Robin ranted, "I''ve had more work tailing Batman for three days than I''ve had in the last two weeks being a ''team''. Then the first assignment we get, babysitting mister strongest wizard in the demon-and-ghost world, we blow it to hell by needing to be bailed out by his arrogant ass, risking another Star City port incident. So you tell me, what really is there to like?"
"Have you looked hard for it?" Canary asked. "Are you maybe forgetting something? Like Kid Flash?"
Robin''s surly expression eased up, and he cracked half a grin, "Hanging out with KF more regularly is fun, actually. And Kaldur''s pretty cool, too. Though," his smile fell, "I wish we got Speedy onboard. Would have made things a lot easier. Gojo''s¡ not gonna fit in. He''s not right for the team. And I know where he comes from¡ªhe''s a self-sabotaging weirdo who thinks that arrogance is gonna save him from his pain. Classic villain origin story, so I get why we have to watch him. But honestly¡" he sighed, "I mean, it''s early days, I guess. I can give it more time. You don''t need to tell me that. Honestly, you don''t need to tell me anything. I know what the deal here is and I''ll tell you if I start feeling a little shaky. We haven''t even had our first mission yet."
Canary grinned. The team had more in common with Gojo than they all really knew, in the end. Kid Flash and Robin shared his impatience and arrogance¡ªtalent, too. Aqualad shared a graveness and sense of responsibility that Canary could see shadows of in Gojo''s attitude¡ªhidden underneath layers and layers of jokes and sarcasm. Superboy shared a destiny of immense power, and background in being groomed as a weapon.
The only one that stood alone in this regard was Megan, who managed to keep a sanitized and broad perspective. There was something eminently special about her. Something that Batman had no-doubt noticed long ago and had accounted for in his team composition.
Canary grinned fondly at Robin. Each and every member had their own foibles and issues and heartbreaking come-up stories. Gojo, especially, was one child in need of lots of support in the coming days as Black Canary would do her best to dig through the muck of his gory childhood and guide him towards the understanding that he deserved better, generally.
They all did. A true success in her line of work would be talking all the kids down from being heroes and convincing them to live ordinary, safe lives. But that wasn''t a fantasy that she spent much time focusing on.
At the very least, she could be certain about one thing. Though they were a mess at the moment, in the end¡
The kids were going to be okay.
Chapter 8
Mount Justice
July 21st?, 08:15 EDT
I trained teleporting and cloaking the entire night after the rest of the team decided to turn in and leave me with the hard light projector. The computer had been very helpful in helping me refine the light-redirection technique, making sure that I appeared as cloaked as possible from every angle. The annoying part of this was that keeping the technique up made it very difficult for me to do anything else with my cursed energy. But at least I could be invisible whenever I wanted.
As for teleportation¡
I could appear anywhere I could sense with my Six Eyes. That meant everywhere in Happy Harbor without problem. I was pretty sure there were ways to even bring people along with me as well. Not that I had figured any of it out yet, but I would soon!
I''d make a joke out of this whole hero thing when the time came.
I took a quick trip to Tokyo at eight AM my time, which was ten in the evening in the homeland. I had a powerful rice bowl with meat in a nice place in Shibuya, and then grabbed a few confectioneries¡ªmocha, pastries and coffee jelly¡ªfor later use, or distribution.
When I beamed back through the Zeta Tube with the food, I realized¡ who was I supposed to give this to?
The team?
The thought sickened me a little actually. A little more than I felt was dignified. Why? They meant nothing to me. Throwing them a little food now and then felt like a perfectly neutral thing to do. It''s what you did with unruly kids who always seemed to wear sour faces. And to be honest, that sourness annoyed me quite a bit. They had nothing to despair about.
They just had it too damn easy.
They hadn''t¡ gotten to me, had they? Hah, no. I just had my patience, like all humans did. And I could only spend so much time around whiny babies like Kid Flash before needing a break, or ten cigarettes smoked at once. Whatever people who took care of misbehaved brats needed to cope, really.
I tried not to think about it much as I went to the kitchen¡ªand saw Megan-chan slaving over a bowl of batter, stirring it with a wooden spoon. "Ah, Sa-chan!" She said, turning to me with a smile. She was wearing a cute apron stained with flour.
"Megan-chan, I didn''t see you yesterday," I grinned, playing along with the honorifics. "Making more cookies?" I asked, looking at her bowl.
"Yeah, the last ones were a little too overcooked I think. They were meant to have a softer and chewier interior, and a crisp exterior, but instead, it was all crisp and crumbly."
"Oh yeah, definitely," I said with a grin, putting my bags on the counter, "If I hadn''t been there, you would have burned them into charcoal briquettes!" I laughed.
"Oh," she grinned bashfully. "I''m not very good with Earth cooking."
I chuckled, "Me neither. That''s why I use the Zeta Tube to eat outside. I even brought some stuff back. Have you ever tried mochi before?"
"Mochi?" she asked, curiously, "No, what''s that?"
I brought out the fancy plastic box of mochi balls, twelve in number, in a grid of three and four. "It''s a dessert made out of rice!" I ripped the seal on the box and lifted the lid in front of her, "Looks good, doesn''t it?"
She smiled and her eyes glimmered, "They''re so pretty! They have so many colors! Can I have one?"
"Of course!" I said, "We can share if you want," I said.
She took the green one, "Are they all different flavors?"
"Yep," I said, "That one is green tea flavored. Try it."
She did, taking a bite. Her brows furrowed as she experienced the foreign flavor. She nodded, "Interesting," she said, taking another bite.
"What do they eat in Mars?"
She finished her bite, thoughtfully chewing as if processing the taste, and then replied, "Well, not¡ this," she laughed, glancing down at the rest of the colorful mochi with renewed interest. "Most of what we eat on Mars isn''t as colorful or sweet. Food on my planet is more about practicality ¡ª nutrients we can absorb quickly, energy-efficient foods."
"So, no Martian desserts?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, surprised.
"Well¡ we have something similar, but it''s not like this. It''s called ''kam''ros'', a kind of paste that comes in different flavors depending on the season. But it''s usually¡ more bitter," she admitted, giving the mochi another curious look. "I think our bodies evolved to prefer it. But I kind of like this sweet, chewy texture. It''s like nothing I''ve tried before."
"You should try the strawberry one next, the pink one," I suggested, nudging the box toward her. "We''ve got plenty."
She picked up the pink mochi and took a tentative bite, her expression lighting up with delight this time. "Oh! This one''s much sweeter. I think I like this one best so far."
I chuckled, enjoying her reactions. "Well, I can''t guarantee Earth food is always this fun, but there are a lot of interesting things to try. Next time, we''ll have to get you a donut or maybe a slice of pizza."
"Pizza?" she repeated, tilting her head in eagerness. "I think I''d like that. Do all Earth foods have flavors as strong as these?"
I laughed, "Not all, but the good ones do. Oh, actually!" I put the lid back on the mochi box, "You can take more later of course, but I want you to save the room in your stomach for something that won''t stay good for very long," I put the mochi box back in the bag and retrieved the plastic and paper box that had a pair of large croissants in them. "I bought all of this in Tokyo, but this is actually a recipe originally from France. It''s called a¡ª"
"Croissant!" She said, wide-eyed, "I''ve heard of these! They''re supposed to be really good, right?"
I grinned at that. It was fun seeing her light up at Earth foods so much. Made me feel more grateful for humanity, in a way. They were a loathsome bunch in general, but they did come up with good ideas. "Why don''t we go to France sometime and try out some original croissants? We have the Zeta Tubes, right?"
"Sounds like an awesome idea!" she said, taking the croissant and slowly bringing it closer to her mouth. She bit it and chewed it with purpose. "Hmmm, flaky, and fatty. Interesting!" I wish I could maintain such a level of respect for foreign foods, but I had a feeling that if I tried Martian food, I would probably need to take a trip to the hospital. "It is really good! Way better than bread, that''s for sure. And even bread is so good, so that''s really saying something."
"Hahah! I''ve never heard anyone appreciate bread so much," I laughed. "It''s a very normal food here."
"You said you don''t know how to cook, right?" Megan asked me. "Why don''t we learn how to do it together? Seems like it would be fun, right?"
Sounded like a drag, to be honest.
And usually, I would have told her this. I couldn''t quite say why, but I still felt like taking her up on that offer, pointless as it was to learn how to do something that you could just pay someone to do for you.
Then I remembered my plan to mess with Kid Flash, who clearly had the hots for Megan. Yeah. Why not?
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I was doing this to mess with Kid Flash. That made sense.
"Sure," I said with a grin, "I''ll look out for some cooking books. Why don''t we try Italian, first?"
"Like, spaghetti and meatballs?" she asked.
I nodded, "And pizza and lasagna," actually, the more I considered this, the more fun it sounded, irrespective of how much it would piss Kid Flash off.
"Sounds awesome!" she said, "But first thing''s first, I need to get these cookies done according to this recipe," she said, looking over at the counter next to the bowl, where a paper stained with batter sat.
After we finished our croissants, I put away the coffee jelly and the mochi into the fridge, throwing away the paper bags and helping Megan out as needed.
It took an annoyingly long time to get everything done, and once we did, we still had to wait ten to fifteen minutes to bake the cookies at a specific temperature. How was anyone supposed to remember all this drivel? Cooking was annoyingly complex.
While we waited, Megan asked me a question, "Why did you make the team decide to hate you?"
I chuckled. "So that they could be a team united by a single purpose, of course."
"Was it really worth it?" she asked me.
I shrugged, "I don''t care what they think of me."
"Why not?" she asked me, eyebrow raised.
"Because they''re weak," I said with a disgusted expression.
"Oh," she said, sounding a little disappointed. "Did you mean for me to hate you, too?"
I clenched my jaws and gave a strained smile, "Why are you asking so many questions?"
She shrugged, "I''m just curious is all."
"Well, it''s different with you," I said, "You''re not weak. You broke my bones the other day," I grinned.
"That was an accident. I''m sorry."
"Even better. No one accidentally breaks my bones. That just means you''re really that strong. And that''s cool!"
She grinned unsurely, "I don''t know about that, but thank you." Then her grin dropped, "You should probably not treat the team badly. They''re not weak like you think. We''re all trying our hardest to be good heroes, you know."
I rolled my eyes at the lecture, "Yeah, yeah. So I keep hearing."
"It''s the truth."
I sighed, "I know. Whatever."
She paused for a moment before asking something, "Can I ask you a sensitive question?"
"Sure," I said, "Go ahead."
"How did you get hurt so badly? When you first arrived here?"
I sighed and told her a shortened version of the story, giving some context about my home world as I did.
"He didn''t manage to beat me, though," I said, "I still survived. And if I didn''t appear here, I would have killed him already. He would not have stood a chance against me a second time."
And I would have tortured him if he had killed Suguru.
I winced at the thought of him. No. No Suguru thoughts, or I would just go crazy with worry. I hated the feeling more than anything else in the world.
"How awful," she muttered, "I''m sorry, Sa-chan."
"It can''t be helped," I said with a shrug. "I just need to get stronger and then I can return to my world on my own."
"I wish you good luck on that," she said, smiling brilliantly. I grinned back at her.
"You''re the kindest Martian I know," I said with a chuckle, giving her a head pat.
"Uh," she said, looking up at my hand unsurely as I ruffled her red hair. "Is this a kind gesture from your world?"
I debated on honesty for half a second before tossing that idea out. This was so much funnier. I pulled back my hand and looked at her unsurely. "Ah, sorry. Yes, it''s something you do to someone who was kind to you. Was it inappropriate?"
"Oh! No, not at all!" she said. "Please, go ahead, if it makes you feel better."
Yes! I patted her head a few more times and gave her hair one last vigorous and enthusiastic ruffle before pulling my hand back and beholding my work of completely messing up her hair. She looked hilarious. She straightened her hair without complaining at all, still smiling.
I had to fight tooth and nail to not burst out laughing.
"Am I supposed to do it back to you?" she asked, "Because you were kind to me today as well."
Kind? When?
Ah well. The cave had cameras, didn''t they? Might be fun to save the footage and accidentally show it to Kid Flash at some point. I bowed my head to her level, "Go ahead," I said, releasing Infinity, "Don''t crush my skull, please."
"I won''t, I promise," she said as she ruffled my hair.
That felt weird. I hadn''t been touched like this in¡ forever, really.
Made me feel like a little kid. I always hated head pats, come to think of it. The only people that ever did it was those old weirdos in the clan who thought they had a say in my life. And the Jujutsu Councilmen trying to gain influence over me by appealing to me directly. Weirdos, the lot of them.
No one ever patted my head without a greater plan to take advantage of me besides.
This simplicity was¡ refreshing.
My phone''s alarm¡ªa high tech thing that was all screen and touchpad¡ªrang, and Megan quickly pulled her hand back from my head as I stood straight myself, jolted by the sudden sound.
"The cookies," she said as she turned and used her telekinesis to open the oven and pull the hot tray out, putting it on top of the glass stovetop. "You can have some, Sa-chan, but careful, they''re hot!"
An alien babe making me cookies¡ my life was complete.
Because of all the food I had eaten already, I could only have one cookie without getting a stomach-ache. Megan ate a few more, but stored the rest in a jar for later distribution.
"How were they?" Megan asked.
"Chewy on the inside, crisp on the outside," I said, giving her two thumbs up, "I give it an S grade!"
"S grade?"
"Top grade," I said. "Highest marks!"
"Oh, wow! Thank you!"
"Maybe a bit of salt next time," I said.
"Salt?" she asked, "But this is supposed to be sweet."
I shrugged, "I don''t know, maybe not." They did taste a little flat. Salt was supposed to fix that, but then again, what did I know? "Let''s wait until I find that cooking book, okay?"
"Sure," she said with a grin, "Thanks for helping out, Sa-chan. It was really nice. And don''t worry about the others, okay? I''ll make sure they don''t give you a hard time."
"No," I said quickly, then shook my head, "Don''t worry about me, seriously." If she did, they''d just lump her in with me, and she didn''t need to be on the receiving end of Superboy''s childish anger. "I can handle myself."
"Why¡ª?"
Before she could complete that sentence, I warped out of the conversation, into my room. I felt slightly dizzy when I came out the other side, but I was beginning to get the hang of this.
Unfortunately, my Cursed Energy was beginning to run low after five consecutive days of usage. Not enough that I needed to sleep, sure, but definitely to the point that I felt like I could use a bit of a break. Maybe some meditation would help?
Chapter 9
Mount Justice
July 21st?, 14:49 EDT
"That''s all you need?" Black Canary asked me as I showed her an image of what my costume should be on my laptop, inside our little therapy room. A simple pair of pants and a high-necked jacket, both black but tinted purple ever so slightly. At first, I had debated on using sunglasses, but the idea of getting a blindfold was so much fun. So that was what I went with, ultimately¡ªa black blindfold made entirely of cloth. "It does hide your identity, and it is in line with the stealth ethos of the team, but are you sure you want to hobble yourself with the blindfold?"
"It''s also for my own sake," I admitted, "My Six Eyes makes concentration a bit difficult, because I can see everything. When I cover them with sunglasses or something, it''s easier to focus on what is in front of me."
She frowned and nodded, "You didn''t mention any discomfort before."
"It''s not discomfort," I said, "It''s just a minor annoyance."
"In any case," she said, looking over the illustration I had ripped out from various sources on the internet, "It''s not bad. Superboy also didn''t want to wear anything overly elaborate, so there''s that, too. If you''re sure about it, then I can get this requisitioned by tomorrow. Of course, you''ll be asked to surrender your measurements¡ª"
I pulled out my phone and sent her a quick e-mail with my measurements. "I made sure to get my uniform fitted every three months. It should still be the same."
"Alright then," she said with a raised eyebrow, "Didn''t take you for a fashion enthusiast. No thoughts on a utility belt? Tools you might want to bring on the job?"
I chuckled, "No, not at all."
"Okay," She said, "Lastly¡ªand I know it''s a bit early for another session, this is just to touch base and ask how things have gone¡ªhave you been getting along with the team?"
"Yeah," I said, "We played a game last night. And I made cookies with Megan this morning. Things are great."
"Oh," she said, wide-eyed. "That''s surprising. Good, that''s very good."
"Am I good to go on missions yet?" I asked. "You know, I just learned that Superboy is only a few months old. If he gets to go on a mission, then so should I. I have years of experience going on missions."
"Hunting cursed spirits," she said, "And even then, others did the heavy lifting on gathering intelligence and running assist work¡ªyou know, things we expect you to do now."
"Same difference," I said, "Superboy is even less experienced."
"You will have to take it up with Batman when the time comes," she said with a helpless shrug, "He is in charge of missions."
"Are we going on a mission soon anyway?" I asked, tapping my foot, "All this sitting around does not feel right to me. Usually, I would have completed ten assignments by now."
"¡How hard did they work you, back in jujutsu high?" Black Canary asked me.
"Well, Suguru and I were the strongest," I said, "We were the only special grade jujutsushi, so we were sent to hunt every special grade one and grade one spirits they could throw at us, to reduce chances of casualties and deaths."
"You and your friends were the only ones trusted to complete your assignments perfectly?" Black Canary asked. "And what about this¡ man that almost killed you? Did they never expect for you to encounter such a person?"
My eyes widened at that.
Those bastards!
"If they did," I said through gritted teeth, "They never told me."
"Gojo, I want you to understand," Black Canary began, "That wasn''t right of them. And the Justice League won''t repeat that mistake. You are sixteen years old, and a person. Not a weapon."
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"Whatever," I sighed, "I thought you said this wouldn''t become another session?"
"I felt like I had to say this," Black Canary said.
Oh my god. She was so overbearing. It didn''t make any sense at all. "People are dying," I said with a snort, "And you worry about how I feel. Are you even a real hero?" I chuckled derisively.
"Your feelings are also important," she said. "They are my highest priority."
What, so that she could make sure I was sitting around doing nothing? Her priorities were askew. But then again, this was a comic book world. Nothing made sense here.
"Are we done?" I asked her.
She gave a nod and shut the lid on my computer, handing it back to me. I grabbed it with Blue and let it float in my Infinity field.
"Show-off," she muttered with a fond grin as she got up. "Until next time, Gojo."
"Jaa ne, Canary-chan," I grinned, giving her a wave.
Rather than leave the room along with her, I decided to warp out instead to the Zeta Tube, on my way to a new city.
New York City
July 21st?, 15:04 EDT
Zipping around the Zeta Tube was fun. I visited a bookstore in a place called Brooklyn and bought myself a few cooking books from a variety of different cuisines¡ªJapanese, French, Indian and Italian. Those were the only styles I had eaten before. I was interested to learn more about the culture that gave rise to the Shawarma as well, but that could wait for another time.
On a whim, I decided to get a big cardboard box, and then looked for a store that I could buy some gift wrap, sure that Megan would appreciate the whimsy.
I even went to Gotham quickly and picked up my order for a super-tinted pair of circular sunglasses, using them instead of the weakly tinted ones that I already had.
The difference was like night and day. Or day and night as it were. Hah. Immediately, I could feel my general mood of irritation lessening as my eyes stopped taking in all the information in the world at once.
I couldn''t do anything about the three-sixty field of view, but stunting my direct line of sight was helpful enough. I didn''t need anything more than that.
Then, because I was bored, I started warping atop skyscrapers, pretending to be a superhero.
Still, I couldn''t help but feel a bone deep sense of boredom. This world was just¡ way too boring. I hoped things changed.
I felt a slight sting of guilt at the thought¡ªless boring would only mean more dangerous, and usually it was never me who had to shoulder that risk.
I felt a greater guilt when I thought of what my arrival might mean for this world, as it had meant for my home world¡ªmore powerful curses, and greater stakes.
And then I felt really bad as a singular thought began to crystallize¡ªwould things get better for the jujutsu world now that I was gone?
I slapped both my cheeks and shook my head, shaking away those stupid and useless thoughts. Roughly none of the pedestrians around me in this busy street in Brooklyn paid me any heed as I did.
And besides, if this world did end up upping the ante because I was here, then I would just crush everything in my way. I was the strongest, after all.
I spent the rest of the day meditating to replenish my cursed energy, as well as minimizing its use--only applying a constant sheen of Infinity to keep myself defended. It was six o'' clock when I remembered to get those cooking books for Megan. By that time, I had reached half capacity in cursed energy. I could get the other half after midnight, working for roughly three hours. Then I''d be ready for another week of practicing jujutsu until I needed another such meditation session.
More control... more efficiency.
Chapter 10
Mount Justice
July 21st?, 20:29 EDT
Megan had appreciated the gift of cooking books, and as promised, we had started on Italian. On my suggestion, we decided to do lasagna, which took a lot of work. Megan insisted on using her hands for much of the cooking process even though she could have just used her telekinesis. In the meanwhile, I just made sure to get ourselves the right stuff¡ªred wine to cook the meat in. I had to try out a lot of different stores around the world until I got to the one liquor store that didn''t ask for my ID¡ªin Copenhagen, Denmark after I had quickly searched on the internet for a place in the world that allowed sixteen-year-olds to drink.
Not that I ever intended to put that poison in me in the first place. The cooking book claimed that all the alcohol would burn off during the cooking process, and it said that we could replace the wine with water or vinegar, but that just felt like such a cop-out.
"Cooking takes so much focus!" Megan said as she stirred the pot of ''soffritto'', a trio of aromatic vegetables cooked in olive oil. "And it''s incredible that after all of this effort, we will only be eating for half the time it took us to make all of this at most. Maybe even less."
"That''s why you usually pay people to cook for you," I said. "Much easier that way."
"But what about the people that cook? Won''t they get tired?"
"They get paid," I said flippantly.
"It doesn''t seem fair," she said, "Even if they get paid."
I chuckled, "It probably isn''t," but then again, who cared? It was none of my business anyway.
After we finished assembling the lasagna layer by layer on a wide and deep metal cooking tray, we plopped our creation in and I felt a weird swelling of pride once I did. "Finally," I sighed in relief, "All that is left is to just wait now."
And then Superboy walked into the kitchen. He looked at me, and then Megan for a moment, and continued on to the fridge to stare at it for a few seconds, looking for food probably
"Hey, Superboy," Megan said, "We''re making lasagna for the whole team. Would you like some?"
The whole team? I had assumed that most of it would have gone to the fridge as leftovers. Now that I knew those ungrateful brats would eat with us, I felt a little cheated.
He looked at me with furrowed eyebrows, then gave Megan a more neutral look, "Uh, sure," he said with a shrug.
Then he left.
What a drag.
"That''s nice," Megan said, looking at me, "Right?"
"Yes, nice," I said with a shrug. I opened the fridge with Blue and pulled out the mochi. If I filled up my stomach more, I wouldn''t have more reason to stick around during dinner after finishing my serving. "I''m really hungry and can''t wait. Would you like some?"
"Ooh! Yes!" she said, taking out another pink one while I took a chocolate one. "Oh, this is so nice, all of us eating together! It didn''t occur to me until now, but then I remembered all the food we were making and thought ''Hello, Megan!''," she said, slapping her forehead lightly, "Why don''t we all just eat together, as a team?"
"We should make you the leader with all this spirit you are showing," I said with a grin.
She gaped at that. "Me, the leader? I barely know anything about this world. I don''t think I''d be good."
I snorted, "And who do you think it should be? The only choices are you or Aqualad."
"Why not the others?" Megan asked.
I used Limitless to create a field around us where no sound could leave, a rudimentary barrier technique for privacy. "Kid Flash is a whiny crybaby, and kind of an idiot," I said with a grin, "Robin is a child, and too much like me to ever care about leading others properly. Superboy lacks experience with people, and he has no control over his emotions. That leaves me, you and Aqualad. And I disqualify myself because it would be a bother. So, you and Aqualad."
"I choose Aqualad," she said hastily, "I''m¡ªI''m not leader material."
"Why not?"
"I don''t want to be responsible for anything bad happening," she said, "And¡ I don''t have the experience or skills. Or knowledge of humans or Earth. I''m too green."
I grinned at that, "I think you are just green enough."
She giggled at that, "No, silly, that''s not what I meant."
"I know," I chuckled.
"Sa-chan," she said, "Do you want Aqualad to be the leader?"
"I want you to be the leader. If not, then Aqualad is the other option I would choose," I said.
"I think the team is expecting Robin to step up," Megan said. "He is Batman''s prot¨¦g¨¦, and so he''s the closest thing to an authority."
"He''s also thirteen," I said with a scoff. "And he did nothing for you when you were getting thrown around by Mister Twister. He ran ahead, confident in his power. Of course, that confidence failed him, but still¡ He does not have the spirit of a leader."
"What about you?" she asked, "Why can''t you be bothered?"
"I have always been a ''worry for yourself'' type of person," I said with a shrug, "I can respect others'' teamwork and effort, but I know that I work best when it is just me and a problem. That is not the spirit a leader should have. I am a symbol of strength."
"Even Superman works good in a team," she said. "Maybe you should consider that as well?"
Once I had people on par with the Justice League in my team, I would consider working as a team. But as long as I remained the undisputed strongest, where the second place was nowhere near me, there was no other way to look at things than with me at the top.
"Maybe," I shrugged.
Mount Justice
July 21st?, 21:29 EDT
Kid Flash and Robin popped in later that evening for a few games on the Mission Room, and Megan eagerly accosted them with a proposition to eat with us, after having invited Aqualad for the same.
I stayed away for the most part until dinner time came. Then I was the last to arrive to the dining table in the lounge.
"Gojo," Aqualad greeted, "Glad you could come." Everyone was seated except for Megan, who was scooping a slab of lasagna on every plate by hand.
"Of course!" I said with a grin, sitting down, "This smells delicious."
"This is amazing, Megan," Kid Flash gushed, "Megan, you rock my world. You did all this by yourself? Freaking awesome, babe," He stabbed his fork into his slab and bit off a big chunk.
¡Babe?
"Thanks," Megan said with a sunny grin, "Sa-chan helped. He did half the work, actually."
"Don''t be modest," I said to Megan, enjoying the look on Kid''s face as he froze and his smile fell while a fork was stuck in his mouth, his cheeks bulging with the food I had made. "It was your love for cooking that made me want to put in the effort acquiring all the ingredients and making the b¨¦chamel and assembling the layers and¡ªyou know, doing half the work, as you said!" I winked at Kid Flash, who only looked away in annoyance.
"Wow," Robin said, "Thanks, man. That''s really nice."
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Kid Flash shot a betrayed look at Robin before just settling on eating.
"Thank you," Aqualad smiled at me. I narrowed my eyes at him, grinning.
"You''re very kind," I said, "Why?"
"I¡ just think that your effort to integrate to the team shouldn''t go unrewarded," Aqualad said, "I believe I may have overreacted after the fight with Mister Twister. For that, I apologize."
I chuckled, "Why are you so serious? I did not care about that at all."
"Be that as it may," Aqualad said, "I would like to extend a show of trust for you, who are a member of this team. My name is Kaldur''ahm. My friends call me Kaldur."
Ah. His name had already become ''Aqualad'' in my head. "Aqualad sounds cooler," I said with a grin, "But it''s a pleasure, Kaldur." It was a mite harder to pronounce in English. I really hated curling my ''r''s. ''ur'' sounds were just generally annoying. "Kal-chan," I grinned. That was easier to say, and such an ill-fitting honorific that it was funny. Aqualad was not chan material by any means, but I enjoyed the irony.
Kaldur gave a shaky, insincere grin at that. I refocused on my food and dug my fork into the lasagna and took a bite. Wow, this was good. Went to show how a little elbow grease and love could accomplish much. Not bad for a first try.
"Where''d you get the wine?" Robin asked, "That you cooked the meat in?" Wow, he could taste that underneath all the tomato, and b¨¦chamel sauce? Impressive.
"Denmark," I said sunnily, "The drinking age is sixteen there, apparently."
"Do you drink?" Robin asked, raising an eyebrow.
I stuck my tongue out, "Bleh, no. I don''t let my body anywhere near that poison." It tasted bad and left you weak and dumb. Why would anyone purposefully get drunk anyway?
I could still remember when Suguru of all people had talked me into sharing a bottle of sake with him, after one of our upperclassmen had died. It was a huge mistake. I lost so much control over my Cursed Energy, and for the first time in my life, I knew what it felt like to be just another sorcerer. Even my Infinity became spotty and uneven, not providing good protection. I had been at the mercy of the school''s barrier technique and whatever force Suguru and I could muster between ourselves, half blacked out as we were.
And¡ I had gotten clingy. And weepy. Yuck. Never again, truly.
"Why did you decide to cook today?" Kaldur asked me.
"It was Meg-chan''s idea," I said, nodding at her. Kid Flash scowled at me. Hah! "She is trying out different foods from Earth. I am making sure she does not burn the kitchen down."
"Hey! Those cookies were only slightly overcooked!" she protested, "Oh, that reminds me, I made cookies this morning. We can have them after dinner. Sa-chan gave them an S grade, so I think they''re good."
"Oh, if Sa-chan gave them an S grade, they must be good," Kid Flash said sardonically. I chuckled at that, but I didn''t rise to the bait.
"Speaking of Gojo''s opinions on things," Superboy said, "I couldn''t help but overhear a conversation you had with Megan about who should be the leader. It was between Megan and Kaldur in your opinion, but I didn''t quite catch the reasoning behind it." He gave me a slight grin of malice. I didn''t know that he had it in him to stir the pot like that. Maybe I had underestimated him.
I grinned at him, "Listening in is generally considered to be rude in human culture, Superboy."
"Right," Kaldur said, "And he does reserve a right to privacy, Superboy. You should respect that."
Kid Flash spoke up at that, "Wow. You got all chummy in half a second because he said you should be the leader?"
"I am curious," Robin said. "Why didn''t you nominate yourself?"
"I don''t even like you guys, why would I want to lead you?" I asked with a wide grin.
"A plus for honesty," Robin muttered.
"Sa-chan didn''t mean it like that," Megan said. "Right?" she looked at me sharply.
I sighed, "I may have over-exaggerated. You all have good qualities I like," I gave a nod to Aqualad, "You are mature and serious. And obviously, you are better with dealing with people than anyone else here. Robin, you are talented, but too talented, I think. You''re like me in that way. To be a leader, you have to reduce yourself to the average level of everyone else. Superboy, I like you more than I should," he bristled at that, and I grinned more widely at that. "But to be a leader, you have to set your own feelings aside." I conspicuously did not say anything about or to Kid Flash.
"See?" Megan asked with a shaky voice, "He didn''t mean it in a bad way."
I''d rather she didn''t fight on my behalf. She''d never make any friends that way.
"I think I should be the leader," Robin said, "Since when has being ''too talented'' been a bad thing?"
"What about me?" Kid Flash asked me.
I raised my eyebrow at him. "I thought we were not talking."
"Yeah, outside of mission talk. This is mission talk," he said, "Now tell me, why can''t I be the leader, in your great opinion?"
I grinned at him, preparing to roast him alive, "You are¡ª"
"A really nice guy!" Megan interrupted me, "And sure, you and Sa-chan might have your differences, but honestly, I don''t think it would be that bad if you were the leader either!" she hastily said. What nonsense? I looked at her in shock and amusement. Did she just say the first thing that popped into her head or something? Surely she of all people shouldn''t want him as a leader.
But the distraction had worked. Kid Flash looked at her like a lovesick puppy, "You really think so?"
"Sure!"
"Oh," he said, then he grinned, "Why, thank you. That''s really nice of you, sugar." He made moon-eyes at Megan, who grinned at the attention, though I was wondering what she really felt about it.
But I appreciated the save. I was really about to just verbally beat the crap out of Kid Flash, then proceed to do so in real life if he tried anything. That would be so damn satisfying.
I finished the last of my lasagna and felt full already. "I''m going to go train now."
"You gonna leave all the dishes for Megan to clean, too?" Kid Flash looked at me accusingly. Right. Dishes. Guess I''d have to do that also.
"Yeah, yeah," I said.
Kid Flash took a second portion of lasagna while I headed towards the kitchen to do my dishes.
This dinner was always gonna be a drag, but at least it was finally over.
I spent the next four hours in my room meditating to replenish my cursed energy to full capacity. Then the next six hours practicing control, and mastering the newfound acuity of the Six Eyes. At eight in the morning, I basked in the satisfying afterglow of hard work. Even if my power hadn''t gotten me to the point where I could send myself home again, this hard work wouldn''t be in vain. That was a comforting fact.
A nice bit of warmth in an otherwise cold and dull world.
Chapter 11
Mount Justice
July 22nd?, 19:18 EDT
It was happening. It was finally happening. Black Canary had first come through on the costume delivery, and after receiving a message from Batman on my phone, I had gathered in the Mission Room with all the others, wearing my new hero costume, something that could have been a uniform of mine back in Jujutsu Tech, and a blindfold for added style points.
Robin looked up at me, bemused. "What''s with the blindfold? Unless there''s a screen behind them."
"No, just cloth," I said, taking it off and tossing it to him. He looked at it with an upraised eyebrow.
"Why?"
I pulled it back from his hands with Blue and wore it again with a grin, "Because it looks cool, doesn''t it?"
"If you say so," Robin said. I chuckled at that.
"I think it looks interesting," Miss Martian said to me. Apparently, according to Canary, I had to think of her now as Miss Martian and not Megan, because during mission time, we had to use codenames.
"What, you''re saying you can do all this hero work blindfolded?" Kid Flash asked accusingly.
"Yes," I said to him with a grin. "Try to keep up. I will slow down for you." I really would, in any case. I was very interested in seeing what these kids could do.
"Focus," Aqualad demanded. "Batman is arriving with our first mission. You two need to be on your best behavior and prove to him that he was not mistaken in putting his trust in us."
Contrary to my expectations, Kid Flash did calm down at that. "Aye aye, captain," I said to Aqualad.
I turned to Superboy, who was facing the Zeta Tube with folded arms. "Nice costume."
He looked back at me, looked me up and down, and shrugged. "Yours too."
Wow. What a momentous occasion. Superboy was being nice! What a super boy he was!
"Don''t ruin it with that smile of yours," Superboy sneered. I chuckled at that.
"Yes, yes," I chuckled, "I''m just glad that my upperclassman has noticed me."
He rolled his eyes.
Finally, the Zeta Tube lit up and in walked Batman. "Team," he said in acknowledgment of us, "Computer, download Team Mission File One from the Watchtower. Display documents."
A screen appeared behind him, an aerial view of a tropical island at night.
"This is Santa Prisca. This island nation is the primary source of a dangerous and illegal neosteroid¡ª A strength enhancing drug sold under the street name ''Venom''."
The screen introduced a bunch of crates being shipped to the docks, containing multitudes of red vials.
Batman continued. "Infrared heat signatures indicate their factory Is still operating at full capacity, but all shipments of Venom have been inexplicably cut off. That''s where this team comes in. This is a covert recon mission only. Observe and report. If the Justice League needs to intervene, it will. The plan requires two drop zones."
"So who''s in charge?" Asked Kid Flash.
"Work that out between you." Batman dismissed.
I raised my hand, "Can we try Aqualad?"
"I appreciate your faith," Aqualad said, "But I would like it if we could try Robin instead."
"Thanks," Robin said in exasperation, "I''m glad someone sees sense!"
"Aye aye, captain," I said to Aqualad, "You''re the boss," then I turned to Robin, "Your orders, captain?" I saluted him.
Robin turned to Batman, "The drop zones?"
"Drop Zone A will require a subaquatic infiltration. Aqualad can arrive from the ocean and reach the heat and motion sensors on-land. He will patch them using this," Batman pulled a cylindrical machine thing with a red bulb from behind him, strapped to his back underneath his cloak, and threw it at Robin, "This gives your Bio-Ship free reign to enter from any point in the island. Drop Zone B is in the forest, far away from any possible detection. You make your way from B to the factory to gather intel, then you return and leave. I will say this only once more: observe and report. Possible belligerents are being sent to your personal computer," Batman said, "As the leader, you will have to plan around these possible obstacles. Dismissed," then he just turned around to the Zeta Tube to leave.
"To the Bio-Ship, Titans!" I said imperiously, pointing the direction down the hallway of the cave.
Santa Prisca
July 22nd?, 20:08 EDT
A part of me had been seriously worried that Batman would have held me back from the mission for some arbitrary reason. Then he hadn''t!
Amazing. While we flying over the seas on our way to the Caribbean island of Santa Prisca, Aqualad broached a topic I hadn''t even considered yet, "Gojo, you need a codename. Don''t you?"
I shrugged with a grin, "I don''t have a secret identity. And hopefully, I won''t need to stay in this world for very long."
"But in case you do, shouldn''t you want to protect your identity?" Aqualad asked.
Oh gosh. What should I call myself? "Infinitylad, Infinityboy, Boy Infinity, Mr. Infinity, Kid Infinity?"
"We''ll go with Infinity," Aqualad said, and I chuckled at that.
"I kind of liked Kid Infinity," I said with a grin.
"Funny," Kid Flash said.
"Approaching Drop Zone A," Megan said as we started flying up to the island. Aqualad stood up and let his chair melt into the floor. Then he clicked his belt buckle emblem, turning his orange suit dark gray. A hole appeared before him and he jumped through. Then we spun around the island, waiting for him to disable the motion and heat sensors around the island.
After Aqualad managed to override the motion and heat sensors, I proposed a plan, "Thanks to my Six Eyes, I can probably cut this mission very short. All we need to do is cloak the ship and fly close to the factory, and I will be able to see everything they are doing, and then we can report back to Batman."
"You can see through walls?" Robin asked.
"I can see through anything," I said.
"Oh, hell no!" Kid Flash said, "We waited all this time for a mission, and all we end up doing is a fly-by relying on this guy''s X-ray vision? Besides, don''t we already have Superboy for that?"
"Infrared, not X-ray," Superboy said.
"Plus," Robin said, "You won''t be able to read the data they have on their computers with just your eyes, will you?" He said.
"I could just warp their computers into the ship, no problem," I said with a chuckle, "Ah, in case you did not know this, I can teleport things. Watch," I said as I locked in on a bush on the forest floor. Then I teleported it onboard. "Nice, huh?" I teleported it back outside.
"You had that all this time?" Kid Flash asked, shocked.
"There''s a reason why I suddenly found myself in this universe," I said with a shrug, "My Limitless allows me to manipulate space. But you know what? I never thought I would say this, but you are right, Kid Flash. I could seriously stretch my legs a bit. Let''s do this the hard way. To Drop Zone B! Let''s get our feet wet!"
"I can''t believe I''m saying this, but¡ yeah, totally agree," Kid Flash said.
"Hold on," I heard Aqualad''s voice through my earpiece, "Would the responsible thing not be to follow Infinity''s plan?"
"I won''t tell Batman," I said with a shrug, "But it is your orders, Robin! What do you say?"
Robin looked at the floor in consternation before nodding, "There''s no telling how thorough the intel will be if we rely on Gojo¡ªI mean, Infinity to gather all the data. We can do a much more thorough sweep on foot. To Drop Zone B, Megan. "
"Roger," Megan said, "Uh, that''s what you''re meant to say, right?"
"Roger, roger," I said with a grin, looking over my shoulder at Megan. She giggled bashfully.
She flew us quickly over to Drop Zone B and hovered over there. Ropes started extruding from the ceiling, with hooks on the ends. Kid Flash got up and clicked on his emblem, darkening his suit.
Kid Flash turned to Megan with a grin, "How cool is this?"
"Very cool," Megan said indulgently.
"What about this?" I asked Megan, turning invisible.
"Whoa!" Megan looked at me, "Very cool! I didn''t know you could do that!" Then she turned invisible, blinking on and off. I could still see her with my Six Eyes¡ªshe wasn''t good at veiling her heat signature¡ªbut that was fun. We shared quite a few powers, huh?
Kid Flash frowned at me, "Wait, how are you doing that? How many powers do you have?"
"Focus, guys," Robin said. "Also, Gojo, don''t turn invisible yet or I won''t be able to keep track of you."
I turned off my invisibility with a grin. "Sure, captain!" I gave a thumbs up.
Kid Flash grumbled under his breath, then looked to Superboy, "What about you? No stealth tech?"
"No capes, no tights, no offence," Superboy said, the last part only slightly apologetic.
"That''s my boy!" I said with a grin. He growled at me.
"Open us up, Megan," Robin said. Holes appeared before our feet. I didn''t put on the rope thing that Megan had offered to me. I just skipped down and floated gently a few meters before landing. Kid Flash and Robin landed gently as well as their ropes descended to bring them down.
Then Superboy was about to come down like a meteor. I slowed down his descent with Limitless, making sure he landed like a feather. He growled at me. "I was going to land okay."
"My mistake, next time I will let you cause an earthquake during our covert stealth mission," I said.
My earpiece crackled, "Head for the factory," Aqualad said, "I''ll meet you there."
Then I turned to where I last saw Robin, "Captain, how should¡ª" He was gone. I looked around, feeling a familiar headache at his type¡ªstealthy and annoying about it to boot. Finding him was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but after pouring positive energy into Six Eyes, I finally could¡ªalong with a whole bunch of noise that immediately gave me a headache. Gosh, I needed more training. Wow, and he told me not to be invisible because he might lose track of me. What a joker. "Our captain is over there," I pointed into the thicket. "Let us follow."
I ran along after him, Superboy, Megan and Kid Flash keeping up. Until suddenly, "Did you hear that?" Superboy asked.
What a stupid question. It was like me asking someone if they had seen a flea from five kilometers away. "Obviously, we didn''t," I said, "What was it?"
I looked around, lifting my blindfold slightly to expose my right eye¡ª
"Oh, was the blindfold too much after all?"
I ignored Kid-iot and scanned around until¡ª"There," I said, pointing into the bush, "Two groups of people armed with guns," my eyes widened at that. Guns were pretty rare where I was from, even in my line of work. That was interesting.
"We should steer clear," Aqualad suggested.
"Wait," I heard Robin speak, "Where are you guys anyway?"
I laughed, "You''re the worst captain ever."
"Screw this," Kid Flash said, running off to find our captain at super speed. Unfortunately, the speed led him to trip and spectacularly veer his course, setting him on a straight collision towards the gunfighters as they just started to fire their weapons, initiating a skirmish. I snorted at that.
Guess we had to go and help him. "Kid Flash engaged the gunfighters," I said, "We are converging on his location for a possible med-evac," what a fun word I had learned only very recently from one of Canary''s books on military operations, "Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo, go, go, go!" I rushed in as I watched him fall in front of a bunch of people with guns, all aiming at him. Thankfully, he managed to activate his super speed in time.
Before I could arrive, Superboy landed in the midst of it all, interrupting the shooting and immediately going after one of them without even understanding the situation.
I laughed and warped in, wrenching all the guns out of everyone''s hands and keeping them overhead in a ball of Blue as Miss Martian and Kid Flash engaged the now disarmed villains.
Then all of a sudden, Robin came down from out of nowhere. I laughed when I saw him, "Captain, how relieved I am to see you again! I had no direction before you came!"
"What''s wrong with you guys?!" Robin shouted, "Why didn''t you follow my lead, vanish into the forest?"
Kid Flash threw one of the villains over his shoulder, "That''s what you were doing? Not all of us are mind readers, you know."
A couple came after me for a fight, and I knocked them out within seconds, dancing around them, and of course, making sure that the kids had their fun.
Miss Martian protested that, "You told me I could only read the bad guys'' minds!" They told her that? Hah! My, what virtuous heroes they were.
Then I saw Superboy fighting with a rather familiar figure, one with a wrestling mask and a hole on the back of his head. Bane!
And Bane was getting his ass kicked! I wrenched up the last of the idiots with Blue while Miss Martian and Kid Flash finished up with theirs, and all that was left was to watch Superboy piece up the notorious supervillain. "You can do it, Superboy! I believe in you!" I yelled in Japanese.
Kid Flash zipped over and tripped Bane, giving Superboy the right opportunity to lay the villain out with one righteous right hook.
I sorted all the villains up with Blue. "Great work, everyone!" I said, lowering the giant bubble of rifles in the air gently on the ground.
I spotted one red-robed villain running away, but then Aqualad jumped out of a tree and landed in front of him. He then gave him an electric shock with his hands. He had lightning powers too? Awesome!
He was like an electric eel! That should have been his name! Eelboy!
"Who are these guys anyway?" Kid Flash looked at one of the red-robed people, "I recognize Bane''s guys, but not these guys. Who are they?"
"I recognize these uniforms," Robin said, "They belong to the cult of the Kobra."
I clenched my jaws, "Great, a cult."
"Not a fan of cults?" Robin asked.
"Not really, no."
Aqualad looked disconcerted by that, "I am certain that Batman would have mentioned it if he knew that a dangerous extremist organization was running Santa Prisca''s venom operation."
"Batman didn''t know something?" I asked, genuinely surprised. "Is that real, or is this maybe a test?"
"Batman doesn''t know everything," Robin said, "Why do you think we''re here? He asked us to gather intel. This is intel. And from what it looks like, since these two groups of idiots clearly hate each other''s guts, it''s safe to say Kobra came in and kicked them out. That''s why normal supply lines have been cut off."
"That''s why you''re our captain," I said fondly, "Good job, Robin!"
"Alright, we get it," Kid Flash rolled his eyes, "Kobra wanted super cultists, mystery solved. Radio Bats and let''s go." Clearly he had had his fill of violence already. Lame.
"These cultists aren''t on venom!" Robin said, "Kobra''s hoarding the stuff. We don''t leave. Not until I know why."
"Great, another order from our glorious leader," Kid Flash said, "You think maybe it''s time to give this leadership thing a rest? You ducked out on us first chance you got."
"You broke our cover the first chance you got!" Robin replied angrily.
I turned to Megan with a grin, "Told you, didn''t I?"
She didn''t look as enthusiastic as I did.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Superboy spacing out. No, focusing. He closed his eyes and his ears stiffened. I looked around and saw that one of the goons was whispering to another. Bane replied. Superboy grinned.
"You don''t even have superpowers!" Kid Flash shouted angrily.
"Neither does Batman!"
"You''re not Batman!"
"Boys, boys," I said, stepping between the two, "You can both be Batman for Halloween. Until then, why don''t we focus on our super-secret amazing superhero mission that Batman entrusted to us? You know, in case you ever want the Batman to give you another mission."
Kid Flash glared at me, "And what''s your game anyway? You''re clearly not taking any of this seriously!"
I grinned at him, "The last time I took one of your missions seriously, I seriously killed the vibe, didn''t I? And besides, I want to see how the real heroes do things, so obviously I''m not going all out."
Bane started laughing, gathering our attention. Since I was holding him still with Blue, I pulled him closer to us and tilted my head, "Do you have anything to say, mister?"
"Such clever ninos," he said as he floated upside down, his body ramrod straight, "But you don''t know half the story."
I put him right-side-up. "Tell us everything you know," I said, the first thing that popped into my mind on what to say in this situation.
"No need for that, nino," He said, "I will show you the rest of the story. Get you into my factory. Via my secret entrance."
Hah, that sounded like a fun development. I turned to Robin, "Your orders, captain?"
"Megan?" Robin asked. Megan stepped forward.
"He''s telling the truth," Megan said, "But he''s hiding something." She started focusing intently on him, her eyes shining white as she used her telepathic abilities.
"Ah, ah, ah," he grinned, "Bane''s not that easy."
"Ugh," she frowned.
"What happened?" Superboy asked.
"Nothing, he''s just¡ reciting football scores en espanol."
"Its not complicated," Bane said, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
"Well, I am convinced!" I said, "I say we forget every crime that this horrible monster has committed in the past and work with him!"
"Yeah, obviously not," Kid Flash said, "This guy is demented. We can''t work with him."
"Why not?" I asked, "That would be very exciting, teaming up with a villain! It''s not like there are not ten other ideas any of us could come up with that are much better."
"Yes," Bane said, "But those would be risky, no? You have no idea what those Kobra bastardos are capable of. If I were you, I would step easy."
"Are they strong?" I asked Bane, "How strong?"
Would I have an opportunity to use Red after all?
"Infinity, stand down," Aqualad said, and I turned to him in surprise.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Then I grinned at him. "See? You are a born leader!"
Aqualad ignored me and then turned to Robin, "Any infiltration will carry some risks. And you know as well as I do that avoiding a serious fight breaking out between him," he looked at me, "And a villain like Kobra is for the best. I say we take Bane up on his offer."
"Agreed," Robin said.
"Good," Aqualad turned to me, "Infinity, release Bane."
I did.
"Infinity, eh?" Bane said, looking me up and down, "You don''t look like much."
I can''t believe I was talking to him! "I''m a big fan, Bane! I''ve read all about you! Where are your steroids? Shouldn''t you be bigger?"
"Can''t say I''ve heard about your scrawny ass," Bane huffed.
"You will, soon," I promised him with a sunny grin.
"Infinity, focus. Hold the rest of them close to the trees," Aqualad commanded, "Kid Flash, tie them up quickly. Let''s move right after. Bane, lead the way."
I followed his orders with a grin. I so loved when I was right.
Once Kid Flash finished up, we took off with Bane leading our way.
This was a horrible idea, but it was fun!
000
In retrospect, there were a million places in which we, as a group, could have made better decisions, I reflected as I took in this split-second moment of pure pandemonium happening in the venom factory.
Superboy going twelve rounds with an abomination of flesh, Robin and Kid Flash having disappeared to steal the data on our objective, leaving only Aqualad, Miss Martian and I to deal with the army of villains and cultists gunning for us in the warehouse of illicit cargo.
Although we had gone at this whole thing in such a stupidly stupid way, I couldn''t help but have the widest grin possible. This hero stuff was just fun!
I lifted my arm with a shout, "Blue, baby!" I ripped over a hundred guns from every person in the room and held them up in the ceiling, immediately emboldening Aqualad and Miss Martian into giving it their all.
Then I jumped into the fight against the big guy. Superboy reeled from a giant punch, and I used that opportunity to deliver a kick to the monster''s head. It reeled back in shock, but I didn''t let it gather its footing, instead lifting it up with Blue and flipping it upside down. Superboy got up and let out a nasty hit at the creature, knocking it unconscious. I let it drop and looked around. I removed my blindfolds, unleashing my Six Eyes in full to take scope of the situation.
Miss Martian was busy packing up the small fry. Without having to worry about their guns, she was sweeping them up like they were nothing, tying them up in ropes while all they could do was flail. Aqualad was efficient as well, taking out handfuls of villains at a time with his water weapons.
I looked for something to do¡ªbingo. Some asshole blond guy in a hockey mask was taking off with a shipment full of¡ªwhatever it was we were here for, I forgot.
Batman would give us an earful if we let this slide. I ran out of the warehouse towards the helicopter when I saw a pale bare chested guy in a red cloak try to kick me.
I dodged away easily and regarded him. Then I turned on my earpiece, "I have a pale ghost here trying to fight me. Someone else take care of it while I take down the helicopter getting away with the drugs or money or I don''t know."
The man sneered at me. He removed his robes, revealing his bare and muscled chest as well as his bald head and horrible complexion. "You''re putting your life in your hands defying me."
Wait¡ this guy must be the cultist leader, huh? What was it again, rattlesnake? Boa? Whatever.
A couple of his men approached him from behind, and a slim woman with red hair.
I gave him a sharp grin, "I''ll deal with you later, snake man." I turned around, showing them my back as I looked at the helicopter that was taking off. As they tried to attack me as one, I disappeared and reappeared inside of the cargo hold of the helicopter.
Ah, it was drugs. Right, a steroid. Hence Bane''s presence. Made sense.
The blond asshole who was piloting the ''copter was none the wiser as I wrenched him out of his seat with Blue and punched him in his face, hard enough to immediately make his body go limp.
Then I teleported us out while the helicopter started spinning out of control towards the forest and I descended down to where the whole team was now tussling with the pale ghost man and his friends, carrying the masked asshole by his shirt like he was a bag of groceries.
The moment I arrived, I let go of the masked blond asshole and jumped straight into the fray. It was Robin, Aqualad, Superboy and I versus the pale guy, the slim woman, and five of his cultists.
I took out three cultists in as many seconds, and the pale ghost man screamed in rage as he realized in exactly that moment how screwed he was, "Cover me!" he shouted.
The slim redheaded woman threw a smoke bomb down on the ground, giving the pale ghost man the opportunity to slip away.
I blew away the smoke with Blue, skipped ahead, catching up instantly, grabbed ghost man and slammed him down on the ground with my hands so hard that he bounced almost a meter up. He tried to clamber up to his feet, but I ended it all with just one hard punch to the back of his skull, rendering him unconscious and hopefully concussed.
That felt good.
I looked over my shoulder for blond asshole. He was crawling away. I grabbed him with Blue and threw him into a pile with snake man while the rest of the team were finishing up with the other cultists.
Once Miss Martian arrived from having incapacitated and tied up all the villains, pulling them out from the factory, the battle was essentially over.
We just stood still, taking it all in.
Then I imitated Batman''s voice, "Observe and report only," I said. Then I started laughing. "I observe chaos and I report that everything went perfectly!" No one shared in my humor apparently. "Where is Bane?" I asked, "Did he betray us yet? I must have missed that during all the mess."
"We''ve got incoming," Superboy said, "Other people from around the island¡ªBane''s guys, probably¡ªare converging on the factory."
Aqualad nodded, "We have the data, we have the supplier, and the buyer, and we have prevented the shipment from leaving the island. We should go."
"Way ahead of you," Miss Martian said as the Bio-Ship uncloaked before us.
Kid Flash quickly ran off into the factory and then returned, having dragged with him the giant monstrosity with ripped skin exposing muscle fiber.
"What about Bane?" I asked, "Shouldn''t we go back for him?" I scanned around, "He''s running through the forest, I see him right now."
"We don''t have much time," Superboy said, "And we can''t keep these villains restrained without you."
I shrugged.
Then I teleported Bane before us and punched him in the face. He landed unconscious on the pile of other villains.
I scanned the factory for any other signs of life, and to my joy, I saw nothing. "We can''t leave the building standing when it''s making the bad-guy juice," I said with a grin, raising both hands, "Cursed Technique Reversal: Red!" I poured more power into the technique than I ever had before, widening its effective range until the giant orb of positive energy was as big as a house. Then I compressed it until it was no larger than a marble.
I threw it at the factory.
The way it exploded was just glorious. One moment it was there, the next, it had scattered into a half-circle of debris that cut down the trees of the forest for hundreds of meters.
"WHOOOOOO!" I shouted, throwing a fist in the air. "Let''s go, let''s go, let''s go! Bravo, India, Tango¡ª"
"Charlie, Hotel, yeah, yeah," Robin frowned in annoyance as we marched into the Bio-Ship. I used Blue to form a gravitational ball of villains and brought them into the ship as well, making sure to isolate outside light and sound so they couldn''t see or hear us.
We didn''t waste any time pulling out as gunfire started raining on our ship. A few seconds later, and we were off.
"That could have gone better," Kid Flash sighed.
"You were right, Infinity," Robin said to me.
"What?" I asked, turning on my chair to look at Robin in shock. He was sitting in front of the villain pile, locked tightly by my Cursed Technique.
"You were right!" Robin yelled in annoyance, then looked at Aqualad, "It''s true, man. You are leader material. Nothing was going right until you took charge."
"I would argue that things still didn''t go right after he took charge," I said with one finger raised up.
"Thank you," Aqualad told Robin, "And I know, deep in my heart, that you do have what it takes to make an excellent leader. Someday. Until then, however, I will lead this team in trust for you."
"Don''t worry, Robin!" I threw a kiss at him, "You will always be my captain, no matter what!"
Robin laughed, "Honestly, I''m just glad I don''t have to explain any of that to Batman," He said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at the pile of groaning villains. "Should we really be flying them back to base anyway?"
"They can''t hear or see anything we are saying," I said, "I''m using my Limitless on them. They are blind and deaf for now."
"Nifty," Robin said, "Still, I think it''s time someone patch Batman through."
"I can do it," I said with a shrug, "I think it will be funny! Dear Batman, sorry we blew up the factory and kidnapped their leadership."
"It''s not kidnapping if we do it," Kid Flash groused, "Then it''s a legal arrest. And these guys are huge criminals. We caught Sportsmaster, Kobra, and Bane! That''s not even mentioning the big guy or the girl! Man, Batman''s gonna love us!"
000
"A simple recon mission. Observe and report. You''ll each receive a written evaluation detailing your many mistakes."
So far, nothing out of the ordinary.
"Until then, good job," Batman gave an ever-so-slight grin. Wait, what? "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success. And how you choose who leads determines character," he gave a nod at Aqualad. Then he stopped in front of me, looking deadly serious, "I don''t approve of the risks you took under to capture those villains. Especially after explicitly telling you not to engage anyone."
I grinned incredulously, "But I thought¡ª"
"What you thought and what you should have done are clearly not the same thing. What were you thinking, herding a group of seasoned supervillains into the same ship as the rest of the team?"
I gaped. "I was thinking¡ª"
"You weren''t thinking," Batman interrupted me.
I clenched my fists, trying my best to ignore the niggling feeling in the back of my head that this was all just a huge waste of time after all. I failed in that endeavor. In the end, none of the League could help me out with my situation, and I knew well that my only chance of returning to my home world would be to work on spatial manipulation on my own. I had already succeeded heavily in that regard, and I would only get better over time. I wouldn''t even need the Zeta Tubes either once I became better and better.
I definitely wasn''t staying the night, that was for sure.
"Respectfully, Batman," Aqualad said, stepping forward, "The decision to arrest these villains does not rest on his shoulders alone. I trusted in Infinity''s ability to restrain and immobilize these villains, and his word that the villains were not able to hear or see the rest of us due to his ability. If I saw anything wrong with his conduct, I would have called him out. But today, he was compliant and acted as a decent teammate. Therefore, I will not let him shoulder this blame on his own."
I looked at Aqualad in shock.
Superboy then stepped forward as well. "I''ll be the first to say that Infinity''s not a good person, but he didn''t do anything wrong today."
Miss Martian then stepped forward as well. "I never would have allowed such threats into my Bio-Ship if I wasn''t confident in Infinity''s power to keep us safe. I trust in Sa-chan."
"I started this mess," Robin said, "I wasn''t a good leader, and allowed things to spin into chaos. Gojo shouldn''t be getting all the blame."
Batman looked us all over, then turned to Kid Flash, "What about you? What do you think?"
Oh god. Was my fate in this team going to be decided by him of all people? I might as well quit before he even said anything.
"Gojo''s an annoying show-off and kind of an idiot, but we ended up bagging Sportsmaster, Kobra and Bane. I stand by what we did, and I''m proud that we managed to do this much. If he''s going to get thrashed for this, then so should I for going with it. I brought in the big guy after all. Uh, sir."
What the hell was going on? Was I dreaming?
"And what if I told you that I was planning to have Gojo ejected from this team?" Batman asked, "You''ve clearly not been able to get along with him, and your first mission ended in all of you diving headfirst into monumental risk."
"If he''s leaving, then so will I!" Megan shouted, grabbing my arm. What? What happened to Infinity? Did Batman''s mere presence distract me to the point where I couldn''t keep it on anymore?
If so, then I really needed to get on top of automating it because this was unacceptable!
Still, I didn''t move from her embrace¡ªI¡ didn''t know how to. Everything was just too damn awkward now and it was pissing me off!
"What?" Kid Flash asked, shocked, "Then if she''s leaving, so will I!"
"Let me interrupt before we all fall on our swords," Robin said, "We''re all gonna end up leaving, one way or another, if Gojo ends up getting kicked out, Batman. That''s just how it is now. I don''t know when or how it happened, but he''s a part of the team now." Whether I liked it or not, it seemed.
Where the hell were these kids getting off trying to indebt me to any of them? Did they really think that I needed them?
"That''s enough," I growled. "I don''t¡ª"
"Sa-chan, shut up," Megan said. I couldn''t help but immediately close my mouth at that vehement tone of hers. I looked down at her and caught a razor-sharp glare that cut straight through what little remained of my Infinity. "Just¡ shut up. You don''t need to talk now."
Batman looked at me sternly, "Remember this kindness, Gojo." Then he paused for a moment to address the rest, "You will all receive your feedback by tonight. You will be expected to learn these notes by next meeting. Dismissed." Batman then turned to leave.
I didn''t waste any time teleporting to my room to meditate.
Annoying.
Annoying, annoying, annoying.
I had gotten too close to this nonsense world, this fantasy realm that felt more like a dream than anything else. I seriously needed to get my head out of my ass and figure out how to travel multiversally again.
First thing''s first, however. I needed to set up a program on Limitless and make damn sure this never happened again. For all the good the technique would do against social nonsense.
I sat on my bed and crossed my legs, closing my eyes and making my Six Eyes gaze inwards.
Location Unknown
July 22nd?, Time Unknown
Ra''s al Ghul closed the intricately scrolled report on Santa Prisca, its vellum crinkling softly as he placed it beside him on a polished mahogany stand.
Facing him in his meditation room, five sleek screens embedded into a stone wall awaited activation. Behind him, tall wooden beams rose up toward the ceiling, the space wide and open, with tatami mats spread across the floor. Ra''s pressed a small, concealed button on his armrest, and the screens began to hum as they flickered to life. Without hesitation, he sent out the meeting request and settled back, fingers steepled, his eyes narrowing as he anticipated his guests. One by one, the screens glowed, filling with the light-cloaked faces he''d summoned to discuss the most recent developments on Santa Prisca.
"Lady, gentlemen," Ra''s began, "I regret to inform you that our operation on Santa Prisca has experienced a rather emphatic end. Our facilities have been destroyed, and all samples of the serum have been lost. Sportsmaster and Kobra have been arrested as well."
"Mais has the formula not been backed up digitally?" The Brain asked, his tone in disbelief.
"The formula is safe," Ra''s said, "But our physical stock is lost to us, and getting production back up and running would require additional funds."
Lex gave a snort. "Just what I wanted to hear. Who among the League did this? This does give the familiar stench of Batman''s work. His intelligence must have guided the League."
"According to reports," Ra''s said, "From the surviving cultists of the Kobra, the ones responsible were in fact the League''s sidekicks. Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, a kin of Martian Manhunter, and our Project Krypton. But there is also a sixth. A new hero. An unknown."
"Hahahah!" Klarion laughed, "Just like that, things are falling apart! I didn''t know the heroes had it in ''em to be so spontaneous! I like it!"
"What do we know about this unknown?" The Brain asked.
"He is likely connected to the Star City port incident on the eighteenth of July," Ra''s said, "The reports we''ve intercepted from the League to the police was that of an unknown and unstable metahuman with untold destructive potential. The mess in Santa Prisca is only a scaled-down version of what this metahuman can do. The reports agreed that he had white hair, was taller than six feet, but not by much, and had a Japanese accent. His costume was black, and he wore a blindfold while fighting."
"This team has already sabotaged us once," Vandal Savage said, "And now again, having stolen away our human assets and set our plans back by months. This cannot go unanswered."
"I will gap finance our Kobra-Venom production," Lex said.
"And who''s up for killing the kids?" Klarion asked, "I mean, I''d do it, but I can''t say I don''t approve of this chaos."
"My shadows will gather information," Ra''s said, "We wait for the children to step out of the shadows. Where the Light will reach them. Where I will reach them."
Chapter 12
Mount Justice
July 22nd?, 23:59 EDT
I heard a knock at my door, jolting me out from my meditation. I looked through the door to see Megan standing there anxiously, wearing her plainclothes.
I opened the door with Blue and tried to put on my best face, "What is it?" I asked her.
"Oh," her eyes widened suddenly, "Can I come in?"
"I opened the door, didn''t I?" I said to her.
She stepped in. I closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath and started speaking, "You need to stop pushing people away, Gojo."
Something about hearing my last name out of her mouth made me feel ill at ease, like I had made a serious mistake.
"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning.
"You obviously felt bad about Batman singling you out," she said, "What I don''t understand is why you felt bad about the team standing up for you. What is it about us that makes you feel like we''re somehow unworthy?"
"You''re not unworthy," I said to her.
"That''s not the point," she said. "It''s not just me. It''s Kid Flash. It''s Superboy, whom you condescend to every chance you get. It''s Aqualad, whom you don''t show any gratitude to for accepting you when all the others wouldn''t. Or Robin, who did the same, and still you treat them like they''re less than you. Why is that? Because you''re the strongest? We know you''re strong."
"I don''t know what to say," I said through gritted teeth, "I don''t know what you want from me."
She walked up to me, "Words are hard. I know that better than most. You don''t have to say anything if you don''t want to. Just¡ consider letting me in." She reached for my shoulder and felt that it was covered in Infinity.
She gently retracted her hand.
Letting her in? Letting her in?
She wanted to read my mind!
Why was she asking this of me?
Why was she making me have to lump her in with all the other idiots on the team and force me to push her away, too?
I considered going through with exactly that, telling her to buzz off, calling her names, accusing her of awful things.
And as I considered those options, feeling a growing pit in my stomach, I wondered when it was exactly that I started caring so much?!
Everything about the aftermath of this mission was annoying.
Everything.
I growled, "Fine," I released Infinity, "Have a look if you want."
I saw it with my eyes as her telepathic waves started intruding on my mind, having a look around. I could feel how it disrupted my own thoughts, how it caused me to slightly glitch out. It felt like she was rummaging through the shelves of my memory.
She sat next to me on the bed. "You miss your friends, don''t you?"
"Talking about it isn''t going to help," I said. "So I won''t talk about it."
"Letting yourself feel the pain of loss is important, Sa-chan," she said, "Or else, how are you ever going to grow?" Oh, so now I''m Sa-chan. How transactional.
"By fixing it," I said, "Because I can. Because I''m strong and I can fix this if I try hard enough."
"Is that why you haven''t slept for over a week?" Megan asked me. "Believe me, Sa-chan, it''s hurting you, even if you can''t tell. Humans need sleep and rest."
I felt a stab of fear at the prospect of rest. Why fear? Who was I to fear anything?
"Fear is natural," Megan said, "Everyone feels fear. Even Superman."
"¡Why am I afraid?" I asked.
"You know the answer. You just have to feel your way to it."
I closed my eyes to hold back some tears and focused. Why was I afraid?
I was afraid to dream.
To see Suguru again. To see something awful happening to him. Or Amanai.
I was afraid to say that I hadn''t worked tirelessly to return back to my home world when so many people depended on me.
The moment I went to sleep here was the moment I accepted, truly, that¡ things might never be the same. That I might truly be stuck here, in the fucking DC universe, fighting Joker and Lex Luthor and giant alien starfish and every other freak that existed in this haphazard universe that made no sense at all.
But if I refused to sleep forever, then I would always remain a creature of this fear.
I resented that far, far, far more than the possibility that I might never return.
And if I might never return to Suguru, then it should be fine if I shed some tears right now. Right?
I''m here for you, I heard Megan''s voice in my head. I won''t leave you.
And that was all I needed for the tears to stream down.
I wept quietly, staring at the wall, letting the emotions pile up and squeeze tears out of me like I was a sponge.
And Megan never left my side.
At some point, I lied down sideways, still crying. "I think I will sleep now," I whispered, the first sound I had made in several minutes.
Megan stood up and was about to leave when I grabbed her hand with a Blue, and thought, very heavily, please don''t leave me. You said you wouldn''t leave.
She turned around and climbed on the bed, lying behind me. There, she hugged me. I closed my eyes and finally let the exhaustion of these past few days knock me out in an instant.
000
The court echoed with the bounce of the basketball as I dribbled, feinting left before cutting right, but Suguru was on me. We''d played so many games together he practically knew my moves before I even thought of them. I grinned, pushing forward, but he moved swiftly, arms up, reading me like an open book.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
"Getting a little predictable, Satoru," he smirked.
"Oh, really?" I made to toss the ball with a quick flick of my wrist, letting my hands hang in the air just long enough to fake him out, then pulled it back, stepping back for a fadeaway. It sailed through the air, perfect arc¡ªand hit the rim, clanging off. Weird. I was off my game.
Suguru caught the rebound, laughing. "That''s new!"
"Just need a warm-up," I said, jogging backward with a shrug. "Don''t think I''ve missed two in a row in, what, years?"
"Sure," he replied, dribbling with an ease that came from years of practice, his face lit with a calm focus. It was hard not to think of all the times we''d done this back in the day, just the two of us on a court, talking smack, laughing about random stuff, our guards down.
A green figure floated above the court, just entering my peripheral vision. I turned, my grin widening as Megan hovered down, looking curious.
"Oh! Hello!" she called out, smiling. "I was just walking by and heard you two playing. Mind if I watch?"
"Not at all," I said, then gestured to Suguru. "Megan, this is Suguru, my best friend. Suguru, meet Megan the Martian."
Suguru glanced at me with a raised brow, then nodded at her, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you, Megan. I''ve never met a Martian before in my life."
She took it with a friendly shake, still hovering a few inches off the ground. "Likewise! It''s always nice meeting Sa-chan''s friends," she said, giving him a curious look. "Not that I''ve ever done that before, this is the first time, hahah," she laughed awkwardly.
Suguru gave me a smirk. "That''s interesting. The Satoru I knew was always a little too good at making friends."
"Is that so?" Megan looked at me with a grin. Then she turned to Suguru, "Why don''t you tell me all about it?"
"Maaan," I sighed, "Don''t go around slandering me, ya hear? I''ll beat the crap out of you Suguru, no joke!"
"Okay," Suguru grinned, dribbling the ball a few times, "The first thing you need to know is¡ªSatoru''s nasty personality, it''s all a front."
Megan laughed, "Don''t I know it?"
I growled, "I really don''t give a damn! Honest!"
"Yeah, yeah," Suguru waved me off and went behind the three-point line to take a shot.
"Deep down, he loves people," Suguru scored three points, "He really does. He might talk down about those who can''t defend themselves, but really, it''s just because he''s a worrywart. When you''re strong like him, you can''t properly fear for yourself, so all you end up doing is fearing for others."
"Don''t go around putting me on a pedestal, you damn creep," I ran to get the ball, "You''re strong, too! That means I never have to go around worrying about you."
Suguru stood before me with a grin, blocking me from leaving the three-point line. "I''m glad you''re relieved by me, Satoru," he turned to Megan, "And I''m guessing you also relieve him, in a way."
I looked at Megan, who gave me a warm smile.
Then that bastard Geto stole the ball from my hands, "Dammit!" I shouted as he backed up from the three-point line and took another shot, scoring three points right before me.
"I like to think so," Megan said, looking a little shy. I honestly couldn''t stand this atmosphere, it was way too embarrassing.
"Suguru, I''ll kill you if you keep this sappy shit up," I glared at him.
"Classic Satoru," he laughed as he went for the ball and I stepped out from the three-point line.
"Check," he said, throwing the ball to me, and I began to dribble. "There was actually this girl, Megan," Suguru said, and I immediately felt my energy leaving me.
"Riko Amanai, right?" Megan said, "Sa-chan told me about him."
"Did he tell you how he went out of his way to make sure her last days were filled with as much beauty as possible?" Suguru asked, "How we took a pit-stop by Okinawa to go to the beach? We went paddling, saw flowers, and even went to an aquarium. Satoru did this, even knowing how much risk he was under."
I shoulder-checked Suguru out of the way and ran up for a dunk, feeling a ball growing in my throat.
"He¡ didn''t mention that," Megan said.
"Satoru looks out for people," Suguru said, grinning at Megan, "That''s his nature. Don''t let him convince you otherwise."
Suguru stepped out of the three-point line and I felt my eyes growing heavy, "Couldn''t look out for you, could I?" I said as I passed him the ball. He paused for a moment, expression neutral, concerned. Tentatively, he started dribbling, and I stole the ball from him easily, stepping out from the line and throwing a shot. A three-point swish. "All that messing around screwed us in the end." He ran to get the ball and passed it to me. I threw another three-pointer, scoring. "I''m sorry man," I said quietly.
Suguru pressed his fist against my chest. I looked up to see his face. He was smiling. "No biggie. Just¡ come back whenever you can, alright? I''ll be waiting."
"You might be dead."
"I''ve never given you a reason to worry before, have I?" he said, "I won''t start now."
I chuckled.
"Megan," Suguru said to her. She was standing right by me, "Make sure he doesn''t ruin things while being a hero. He''s more suited for that than jujutsu sorcery." I groaned. What a damn worrywart.
"How so?" Megan asked.
"In the world of jujutsu, everyone is scared of him," Suguru said, "But in a world of heroes, people would love him instead. Make sure he doesn''t throw that away."
"I''ll try my best," Megan said.
Chapter 13
Mount Justice
July 23rd?, 06:12 EDT
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was green arms around my waist, and my hands cupping those hands, some of our fingers intertwined, and a growing heat at the bottom of my stomach. It took a moment for my brain to understand who they belonged to. And another moment for me to sense a rather emphatic manifestation of the natural phenomenon that all men experienced in the morning.
Once I did, all the events of yesterday came crashing down on me.
I couldn''t have gotten off the bed faster if I had warped. Megan, thankfully, was still asleep, but that didn''t¡ªthat couldn''t make a dent on what I was feeling. I turned my back on her sleeping form, refusing to point¡ªthat!¡ªat her. With deep breaths, I forced myself to calm down.
What the hell was this? What the hell was this? Why had we slept together?
New memories popped up as well. Memories of a sweet dream. Of Suguru and I playing basketball. Of Megan watching us, and getting to know Suguru. A beautiful fantasy.
A part of me wanted to rebel at it all, but¡ this was Megan''s best efforts to make me feel better.
And in the end, the undeniable truth was that I didn''t feel good¡ in general. If at all. The despair immediately drenched my other feelings, granting me a welcome relief from all that cloying and uncomfortable warmness. I fixated on the despair further, on my crying session¡ªugh. Shame cocooned me, and I dove headfirst into that, too. Megan wanted me to feel, right? Alright then, I would feel.
Feeling was a bummer.
Megan was a Martian. Going through peoples'' brains and dreaming with them was probably normal for her, even if it made my heart do flops for some reason. And I trusted that she had no bad motives either. She was a hero, after all.
I guess all that was left was to say¡ that it couldn''t be helped. And¡ perhaps, telling her thank you at some point?
Maybe with cookies?
Maybe she''d like a tray of sugar cookies in the morning? It wasn''t like she could get fat, given that she could shapeshift. Maybe that extra weight would be good for her powers?
It was worth a try at least.
¡I hadn''t even taken a shower or changed since the mission yesterday, and Megan had slept next to me in that stink.
I wanted to die, I wanted to kill myself. Oh God.
I didn''t waste any time hitting the showers, scrubbing myself vigorously of all possible smell, and then getting changed to a neat slacks and long-sleeved white shirt combo. Since I had already resolved myself to feeling gratitude, I went ahead with the cookie-making plan, and while the cookies were baking, I opened up my phone to read Batman''s after-report, written in Japanese for my benefit.
I fixated on the top line.
Don''t use the NATO alphabet to curse. It''s distracting to your teammates, and tarnishes your image as a reliable hero to the public. Heroes should be decent in action and in words.
Goddammit.
After all the effort I went through to learn the NATO alphabet in the first place.
The rest of it was standard stuff. Points for suggesting an easy plan, for supporting my allies, for disabling the villains¡ªwait, what the hell was this? Where was the vitriol and rage? Wasn''t Batman supposed to hate me after yesterday? But this after-report was so¡ tame.
There were some good points made about my willingness to throw myself into fights and my reliance on my teammates power to avoid the devastation caused by my power. And finally, the major sticking point was my lacking solemnity in the face of hero work.
I should be taking this more seriously.
Tights and capes aside, this work was still very serious. And my strength shouldn''t afford me the ability to trivialize things.
There is always a time and place for levity, even in the most serious circumstances, but that levity should never distract you from the bottom line. Your pride as a powerful being should always come second to your duty to your team and to humanity.
What a drag.
But ultimately¡ sure. Important stuff. I should keep it in mind.
My timer ran out just as I finished learning my report, and I used my Cursed Technique to pull the baking tray out from the oven, letting the cookies cool on the counter while I considered how the rest of my day would look.
Then I saw Aqualad walking in. Kaldur, actually. Kal-durrr. Kal-der. Ugh, even in my brain, it was hard to pronounce. I needed to practice on those Rs.
He saw the tray, "Did you make these?"
"Yeah," I said, "They are for Megan." Then I looked at the tray. There were like fifty cookies there. I relented a little, "You can have some. Five only."
Aqualad gave me a knowing grin as he went over to take one of the cookies, "You and Megan."
I looked at him in slight confusion, "What about us?"
"Nothing," Aqualad said, "I just meant to say that you''ve grown close. That is good." He reached for my shoulder to try and put a hand on it. Ugh, whatever. I released Infinity on my shoulder, letting him make contact. "I''m glad that you''ve grown close to us. I had my doubts about our ability to work as a team at the start, but yesterday''s mission was¡ good, disaster notwithstanding."
I grinned at him, "Thanks, captain. I thought it was fun, too," I walked over to the fridge to look for the coffee jelly that I still hadn''t eaten yet. After unboxing it, I got a spoon from one of the drawers and started digging in. Ah, nothing beat that sweetness mixed in with that bold coffee flavor.
Though this particular brand could use more sweetness. Unfortunately, the places I knew in Tokyo just¡ didn''t exist. And the food didn''t taste quite the same as a result. All that meant was that I had a lot of exploring ahead of me.
As Aqualad began to walk away, carrying a tray of five cookies, I spoke up, "Kaldur."
He paused and turned to look at me.
I gathered my resolve and spoke, "Thank you for standing up for me," I said, "And sorry for¡ everything."
"You''re forgiven," Kaldur said. That sentence was just... mildly infuriating to me. Whatever. He gave me a nod, and then went on his way.
I opened up my phone and started surfing through this fun new thing called ''social media'' when I heard footsteps, and my Six Eyes picked up on Megan approaching.
I turned around and saw her walk into the kitchen with a warm, contented smile, "Mmm, I love the smell of cookies in the morning. Did you bake these?"
My heart thundered as I saw her. Red hair, full lips, green skin. And insides utterly different from anything I had seen before.
No. Stop it. Stop it, Satoru. You don''t like her. You shouldn''t like her. She''s an alien! She''s got green skin, for god''s sakes! And she''s way too good for you.
I put an end to those thoughts of attraction¡ªwe slept on the same bed, she provided me with emotional care, maybe my brain mistook her for my mom or something? Yeah, made sense, probably. Just¡ abort thoughts. Abort all thoughts. She wasn''t my type anyway, I was just going through momentary confusion, that was all.
Then I saw the questing tendril of her telepathic waves trying to read my aborted thoughts. I instantly set up Infinity to filter those waves and gave her a wave, "Good morning," I said with a grin.
Her grin fell slightly, "Oh¡ I, uh, just assumed¡ª"
Oh no. "I''m sorry," I said to her. "It''s just¡ yesterday was yesterday, and today is today. Thank you, Megan. A lot." I couldn''t meet her eyes, instead looking at the floor as I smiled fondly, remembering my stupid basketball matches with Suguru. I set up Infinity around us to block out sound, "You made that dream for me, right?"
I looked up at her and saw her smile, "I''m¡ sorry if that was an intrusion."
"No, I liked it," I told her, "I liked it a lot. Thank you. I¡ really missed him."
"It''s the least I could do," Megan said, "Sa-chan, if you ever need someone to talk to, or if you ever feel like opening yourself up again, I''ll always be here. You can take your time if you want."
I nodded. "Thank you for understanding, Megan. You''re¡ a good friend."
She brightened up at that. Her expression was so bright that I couldn''t even look at it¡ªit was like staring into the sun.
This needed to stop. I had to make sure this stopped.
I went over to pick up a cookie. They had cooled enough by now. Then I asked her, "Have you seen Batman''s report of you, yet?"
"No, not yet," she said.
I laughed and showed her mine. Batman taking note of my NATO alphabet cursing was¡ honestly quite hilarious, all things considered.
It made a part of me wonder, was all that drama yesterday set up by him for my benefit?
Remember this kindness.
It would be hard not to.
Mount Justice
23rd? July, 12:15 EDT
"I have to say, Gojo¡ªexcellent work on yesterday''s mission."
I grinned, waving my hand in front of my face to cut down on the sappiness of Black Canary''s proud expression, "It was nothing, I was just letting the kids stretch their little legs. What sort of big brother would I be if I took all the fun out of things."
"Be that as it may," she said with a bemused grin, "You comported yourself in a heroic manner. And you''ve gained the favor of your team."
"It is Aqualad''s team," I said with a raised finger, "He is the captain and I am just a sailor under his command. See? I can be humble when I want."
"How do you feel about their support?" Canary asked.
Didn''t need it, I wanted to say reflexively.
But that didn''t appeal to me as much as the truth, "To be honest, it is uncomfortable."
"Why do you think so?" Canary asked, and I could see her grin widen a little bit. She liked this vulnerability, didn''t she? Were all girls like that? What was it about seeing me exposed that made people like Megan and Canary bark like dogs fighting for a piece of meat? Perverts, the lot of them.
"Why do I think so?" I repeated, wondering, "They''re too nice. Too soft. Too weak."
"And yet they came through for you," she said. "Yet, you needed them when it counted. And they didn''t turn their backs on you. Despite your best efforts."
I clicked my tongue, "Get out of my head. Are you secretly a Martian or something?" I remembered when I had genuinely believed that to be the case, too, but no matter how hard I looked, there were no telepathic waves connecting our brains. She was just¡ good at her job.
"Apologies, Gojo," Canary said, "I know that sincerity is hard for you. It''s hard for many people. It''s awkward. It feels weird at times."
"It feels sticky," I said, sticking out my tongue, "Messy."
She giggled, "I know. But sincerity is a necessary evil. It means opening yourself up, sure, and making yourself vulnerable, exposed. You don''t like being exposed, obviously. May I ask if your Infinity is on right now?"
"Yes," I said with a shrug.
"Don''t you feel like this creates a distance between yourself and others?"
"I''m working on keeping it on at all times," I said with a frown, "It''s just training, and it''s good for me. Should I remind you that the reason I am here is because someone got past my Infinity?"
Unconsciously, I looked down at my chest, and saw the ghost of a katana running straight through it.
Never again.
"Of course not," she said, "I understand the need for training, and keeping oneself safe. Do you anticipate any threats in the cave?"
"No one anticipates a threat before they die by surprise," I said to her with a grin, "What I expect, and what is reality are two very different things." The wording made me think of what Batman had said to me. In a way, he was right. "But," I shrugged, "When I become stronger, my Infinity will be able to decide who or what is or is not a threat."
"That''s good," she said, "It''s important that you don''t cut yourself off from the rest of humanity for your own security. Being an infinite distance away from others shouldn''t be something to aspire to."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I thought you said I was doing perfectly."
"I never said that," she said, "But¡ I''m proud of how far you''ve come in such a short amount of time."
"Be proud of Megan," I said, rolling my eyes, "She was the one who made this possible."
"You think so?"
"She''s a person who does not know how to mind her own business," I said without hesitation, "And she does not care about your walls. Maybe it''s her alien brain that makes her see human issues as something easy. The way I see any fight as being easy," I grinned, "She is strong in that way."
Canary grinned, "So she can be your friend now. Right?"
My grin fell and I gave a solemn nod, "Yeah¡ She can be my friend now."
000
That evening, Megan and I decided to learn how to make Italian pizza for the team to celebrate our success. Then, after finding out that a good pizza required an aged dough, I had to take the Zeta Tube and run around Italy looking for an English speaking pizzeria chef who would part with a bit of dough. It took a while until I found one who very enthusiastically sold me five kilograms of aged dough¡ªgood dough, according to his judgment¡ªand then I had to keep looking around for a pizza steel¡ªa slab of metal that absorbed heat from an oven and made cooking pizzas much faster.
Then, since I was already in Italy, I decided to get those ''San Marzano'' tomatoes that the book kept raving about. And because the book had a special fetish for all-Italian ingredients, I went and got some mozzarella from here as well. And a basil plant, because Italian basil had magical properties apparently. At that point, I realized that I was probably being jerked around by an overly enthusiastic pizza otaku who wrote the book in the first place.
The produce was cheap, relatively speaking, so I didn''t quite mind. It was just annoying.
Finally, after we finished assembling the first pizza¡ªa simple affair topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella slices and leaves of basil¡ªand waited the customary hour to get the ripping hot oven to transfer all its heat to the pizza steel, Megan heard a ding on her phone and pulled it out of her pocket.
"Kid Flash and Robin are coming!" Megan whooped in joy.
Yes, Kid Flash, my favorite guy! I wouldn''t rain on Megan''s parade, though. But really, I was nearing the edge of my patience.
This would make the third time that I fed his ungrateful ass. If I heard anything out of his mouth, I''d jump over the table and throttle him.
"Be nice, Sa-chan," Megan said to me, concern etched on her brows.
I gaped at her, "I will be!"
"He''ll be nice," Megan said.
"I doubt it. But let him try something, I''ll¡ª"
"Sa-chan."
I sighed. "Whatever."
I heard the Zeta Tube whir and used my Six Eyes to see through the walls of the cave¡ªRobin and Kid Flash had arrived.
And just in time, Aqualad was approaching, while Superboy had finally left his supercave.
And the pizza was done! Fast! I guess that''s why we needed the damn pizza steel in the first place. Megan used her telekinesis to get the pizza out and on a wooden cutting board before cutting it apart with a ''mezzaluna'', a crescent shaped two-handled knife from Italy. Also another thing that the stupid book insisted on.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
Kid Flash appeared amidst us in an instant. "Pizza''s ready? Can I have some? I''m so hungry!"
Megan giggled, "It''s hot, though," but she gestured at the cutting board, "But sure, just don''t burn your mouth."
He grabbed a slice and blew on it before taking a bite, "Ow, hot!" That didn''t stop him from taking a second bite.
Did we even have enough dough to feed him alone, let alone the rest of us?
I couldn''t help but chuckle at the sight, though. Kid Flash finished scarfing the pizza slice down heroically and sighed in relief just as Robin arrived in the kitchen. "Do we eat here?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "Whoa, nice. You even got a pizza steel! Awesome!"
"Why bother if you''re not going all out?" I asked him with a grin, "These are all Italian ingredients."
"Italian basil and mozz isn''t really that big a deal," Robin said, "But I''m guessing the tomatoes are San Marzano then. Right?"
I looked at this twerp, "How do you know so much about Italian cooking anyway?"
"Because I''m a genius?" He said with a grin. "I know everything man, don''t sweat it."
I chuckled.
"Yeah!" Megan said, "The tomatoes are San Marzano actually. Isn''t that awesome? The Zeta Tube is so convenient!"
"Each activation of the Zeta Tube takes about a million dollars'' worth in energy," Kid Flash said.
"Yeah, but we have a pretty good power core," Robin said with a shrug, "Doesn''t really matter."
"Really makes you think, though," Kid Flash said, "Why we can''t just give our power cores to normal people. That would probably solve a lot of problems."
"And cause a ton of market instability," Robin said with a shudder, "Plus, it''s not like we just could even if we wanted to. There''s a lot of interest in keeping fossil fuel energy production methods alive, even though we''ve had nuclear power for almost a hundred years now."
"We used nuclear for bombs before energy production too," Kid Flash said, "Good old American priorities."
"That is a very sensitive topic," I said to Kid Flash, feigning concern and hurt. Kid Flash''s eyes widened, and I broke into a grin, "Just messing with you."
He folded his arms and frowned at me. Then he broke into a grin, "Yeah, guess you got me."
Robin laughed at that, and I joined in on the laughter.
That was¡ unexpected. Kid Flash had suddenly grown a thicker skin overnight!
Superboy filed into the kitchen and gave a greeting grunt.
"Hi to you, too!" I said cheerfully.
"Is the pizza ready?" he asked.
"Yeah, have a slice," I said, "Your Kryptonian tongue probably won''t burn."
He shrugged and took a slice, and then a bite. He chewed and swallowed without changing his expression, "It''s good."
I clutched my chest dramatically, throwing my head back. "Booo! Is that all I get? A bland ''it''s good''? Where''s the gratitude, Superboy? The devotion? The, ''Gojo-sama, you are an unparalleled culinary genius! I am in awe!'' Or at least something close to that!"
Superboy just raised an eyebrow, nonplussed. "It''s¡ pizza. Good pizza."
Kid Flash snickered¡ªsnickered! Who was he and what had he done to the real Kid Flash?¡ª, grabbing a slice for himself. "Give it up, Gojo. You''re not getting any worship here. Maybe you just need to add, I don''t know, some Kryptonian seasoning or something?"
Robin leaned in, eyeing the pizza suspiciously. "Or garlic. Do aliens even eat garlic?"
"The book specifically said to avoid garlic in most Italian dishes," I said, tapping my chin. "This is an authentic pizza, Robin. I thought that a genius like you would recognize that."
"Authenticity is overrated," Robin said with a shrug, "American pizza is where it''s at. Try a New York style and you''ll see."
Megan, standing beside the counter, was carefully prepping a new pizza crust. She looked up, amused. "On Mars, we have a few spices we use that would surprise you guys. Garlic is¡ well, it''s a little intense for Martian taste buds."
I nodded sagely. "Interesting. We''ll keep it garlic-free for our friendly Martian, then. But for the rest of you, expect an explosion of flavor."
Kid Flash grinned, his mouth already half-full. "Oh, come on, if this one had any more flavor, we''d need to classify it as a biohazard." He was really into this pizza. To the point that he had even forgotten to be rude to me.
Just then, Kaldur walked in, looking every bit the calm leader as he scanned the kitchen and its somewhat chaotic occupants. He offered a polite nod. "Good evening, everyone."
"Hey, Kaldur!" Megan greeted with a warm smile. "We''re having a little pizza night to celebrate our first successful mission. You''re just in time¡ªSa-chan just unveiled his masterpiece."
Kaldur raised an eyebrow as he approached the counter, studying the half-eaten pie. "You continue to surprise us with your culinary prowess, Gojo."
"Ah, well," I said with a smirk, "there''s a lot about me that would blow your mind, my fishy friend. And besides, Megan is the heart of our dynamic duo. She was the one who prepared the sauce!"
Kaldur gave me a tolerant, patient smile as he took a slice and bit into it. A thoughtful look crossed his face, then he gave a slow nod. "This is¡ unexpectedly good."
"Finally!" I threw my arms up in triumph. "Someone who knows how to appreciate greatness!"
Superboy shrugged. "It''s still just pizza."
"Superboy, I am ignoring you until you recognize my genius." I turned to Megan, who was spreading sauce on the new pizza, clearly entertained by the antics.
"Is there anything special you''d like on yours, Megan?" I asked. "Since authenticity is overrated apparently?"
She thought for a moment, tapping her chin. "Maybe some spicy seasoning? Martians don''t have the same reaction to capsaicin as humans, but I''ve read that it''s¡ invigorating?" She opened the spice cabinet with telekinesis and pulled out some chili flakes, seasoning liberally.
Robin nudged Kid Flash, smirking. "Looks like we''re in for Martian Spicy Pizza. This should be interesting."
Megan flashed him a playful look. "Hey, it''s not like I''ll make it too extreme." She kept seasoning as she spoke.
"I think that''s enough, Megan," Kaldur said with a grin as he took another bite of his pizza, nodding appreciatively. "This pizza night was an excellent idea. Good for team bonding."
"Team bonding over pizza!" I declared, holding up a slice like a toast. "Can''t beat it."
Everyone followed suit, lifting their own slices, even Superboy, though he looked a little reluctant. The vibe was lighthearted, the usual edge of a bottomless craving missions set aside, even if just for a night. And somehow, watching everyone enjoy something I made¡ªeven Superboy with his flatline expression¡ªfelt oddly satisfying.
This felt surreal. Just the other day, I had been convinced that I didn''t care for any of their presences, or that they cared for mine in turn. What had changed?
What had changed with Kid Flash, especially?
Weird. Everything was so weird.
¡I kinda liked it though. It was peaceful at least.
I was last to take a slice, and enjoyed mine immensely. Not just the flavor, but the fact that I had been a part of its creation process. And that I was enjoying it with other people.
Kid Flash busted out some weird off-brand cola bottles called Peppy Cola (that turned out to be the main brand in this world), and we enjoyed that too as Megan pulled out her cooked chili pizza to replace the one we had all devoured.
Just as expected, it tasted intolerably spicy.
"It''s so good!" Megan gushed, then she turned to me, "Right, Sa-chan?"
I took another bite and I couldn''t stop the tears from flowing, "Yes, it''s so good."
Megan looked at me in shock, "You''re crying!"
"They are tears of joy! Look around!" I gestured at Robin and Kid Flash, who were both crying and blushing furiously as well from the heat of the pizza.
Superboy ate normally, not touched by the spice at all.
"This does indeed taste very good," Aqualad said, with much emotion in his voice. What was he¡ªwas he serious? "Megan, could you pass me the chili flakes? I would like to season my pizza with this from now on."
"But let us keep the rest normal," I said hastily, "I liked the chilis, but I preferred the natural flavor more, you know," I said, forcing myself to finish the slice I had taken.
"Yeah, agree," Robin said, "Totally prefer au naturel."
"Yep!" Kid Flash hissed, "Yep!"
Rather than continue killing myself with spice, I challenged myself to try and make an entire pizza using Blue alone.
I got quite far, actually!
Until Kid Flash ruined it just as I was lifting up the already-assembled pizza, leading it gently towards the pizza steel without pressing it into a ball.
"Almost there," he said, "Almost there! Almost there!" he howled.
In my irritation, I ended up crumpling the pizza into a ball. Kid Flash and Robin died laughing. Aqualad chuckled, and even Superboy cracked a grin. Only Megan was on my side, wincing in sympathy. "Dammit!" I cursed in Japanese and glared at Kid Flash. I unfolded the pizza and beheld the mess. Everything had been smushed into the bread. It was a complete mess, "You are eating this one, you know."
"Just fold it in half," he said with a shrug, "Then it''ll be a calzone."
Huh. I did as was suggested and plopped it into the oven. "You are responsible for its cooking time then," I said with a grin.
"Alright!" he pumped his fist.
"And you should make a new one," Aqualad suggested, "For us. Because you will have monopolized an entire pizza."
"Yeah, yeah," He said as he got to work stretching the dough while the rest of us continued chatting.
This time, Robin was talking about Batman''s report, "Batman chewed me out because of you!" Robin pointed at me, "Your stupid NATO alphabet cursing made it into my report because I said Charlie, Hotel!"
"English, please," Kid Flash called over his shoulder.
Aqualad was the one to explain, "The NATO alphabet is a phonetic alphabet in which a word represents its initial letter. Alpha represents A, Bravo represents B. It is used in radio communication in order to reduce ambiguity¡ªit is easier to make out ''Bravo'' than it is ''B'', which could be mistaken for the letter D in radio. In any case, Gojo went out of his way to learn this alphabet in order to construct curses," he gave me an unimpressed look.
"Don''t look at me!" I said, "I was just doing what they were doing in the movies! ''Bravo team, engage, Alpha team, stand by'', you know how it goes!"
"Then," Superboy frowned, "Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo is¡ª"
Kid Flash gave a laugh at that, "Wow!"
"I didn''t know we couldn''t curse as heroes!" I said in shock, "And besides, we don''t have curses like that in Japanese and I was very eager to use them!" In Japan, our curses turned into horrible monsters.
"It''s not a good habit," Megan frowned.
"Are you afraid I will start smoking and drinking too?" I asked with a grin.
"Is that what happens after you start cursing?" Megan asked, surprised.
"Only according to every mother in the world," Kid Flash said sarcastically,
Soon after, Kid Flash''s misshapen calzone came out. The air bubbles inside the pie had expanded greatly, turning the thing into a crescent with a thick middle, and to Kid Flash''s annoyance, he would have to wait a while to get it to cool down after taking a bite and burning his tongue rather severely.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" he rushed up to the sink to fill a glass up with water and drank it, "Ah, that''s gonna take a while to heal," he whimpered.
As we made more and more pizzas, approaching everyone''s collective ability to stomach more of it, our energy died down, and I prepared to separate from the rest to maybe get some training done.
Superboy was the first to leave the kitchen, "I''m going to lie down," he said, his voice deep and stomach bloated.
"Good night, Superboy!" Megan called after him.
"I guess that''s my cue as well," Robin said. "I''ve got something I need to do, thanks for the pizza, goodbye!" He rushed off and I wondered why. Only when I heard the Zeta Tube whirring on distantly did I realize¡ªthat bastard had left us to do all the cleaning up! Both him and Superboy!
"Yeah, I also¡ª" Kid Flash said, but I stopped him immediately.
"Oh no, you''re not letting me and Megan clean all of this."
"I would have helped," Aqualad said.
"Great," I said with a grin, "Eight hands will make this very easy."
As expected, it didn''t take long to clean everything up, putting the leftover pizza and ingredients in the fridge for another day, and cleaning the pizza stone, the cutting board, the counter and the floor that was somewhat stained with a few instances of pizza sauce and cheese.
"Whew, finally," I said with a contented sigh. "Alright, my cute underlings, and my captain," I said, giving a nod to Aqualad, "Jaa ne."
Then I warped over to the Mission Control room.
Kid Flash ran up to me there at incredible speeds. I blinked at him in surprise and narrowed my eyes, grinning slightly, "What, you wanted more pizza?"
"No, man," he snorted, "I just¡ I thought tonight was nice. Just wanted to tell you. One on one."
"Are you a clone of the annoying Kid Flash," I asked him, looking him over. He scowled at that.
"Could ask you the same thing," he told me, "You''ve been¡ tolerable. More than I expected you could be, really. I''m just paying it back, man."
Oh. I hadn''t noticed my own behavior having changed.
"Awww, you''re going to make me cry, Kid-chan," I said swooned, "I didn''t think¡ª"
"It''s Wally," he said.
I paused for a moment. "Huh?"
"Wally West," he said, "That''s my name. Don''t wear it out. Got that?"
I took a moment to recompose myself, and then I gave him a stiff salute, "Yes, Mr. Wally, sir!"
He snorted, folding his arms. Then his expression morphed into slight unease, "And¡ I''m sorry, for sort of giving you a hard time when we first saw each other. I was disappointed. And annoyed. You didn''t deserve that."
He was going to make me say it, wasn''t he?
"I''m sorry, too," I groaned slowly, slumping over so deeply that my fingers almost touched my toes, "For calling you weak, for not respecting you. And all that." Then, still slumped over, I offered him my hand. "Peace."
Gingerly, he took it, and then he shook it. "Peace," he said.
Then I straightened up and gave him a sunny grin, "Let us never do that again. I will kill myself if I ever have to look at your sad-sack expression in my life. Okay?"
He frowned sharply at that, "What the heck, dude? Yeah, you know what! Sure. You''re right, I hated that too."
"Glad we can agree," I said with a breath of relief. "Anyway, you want to train with me?"
"Uh," He said, "I''m, uh, actually gonna go make more of that pizza. I''ll clean up after of course." Holy crap.
"You are a monster," I said.
"Hah, don''t I know it," he turned around and sped off back to the kitchen.
I cracked a grin as I looked off at the hallway he had disappeared into. What a weirdo.
Chapter 14
New York City
July 30th?, 10:59 EDT
Central Park was a curious bit of green in an otherwise suffocating morass of skyscrapers meant for the elite to live in, swanky places that overlooked the park as if tens of thousands of dollars'' worth of rent every month was worth this tiny view of nature. In a way, I pitied the people that lived up there.
As much as I envied them. I could have been one of them if Batman hadn''t shafted me about my pay, the bastard.
Sure, then I wouldn''t have lived in the cave where I''d see Megan on a regular basis, which would have been slightly inconvenient, but I could have shown her around my nice apartment and gotten a break from Superboy''s surly presence. Not that he had been much of a problem for me. In fact, he seemed to have withdrawn to himself. Wonder what was up with that, not that I''d ever ask him. He had already made his opinions of my advice clear to me, and frankly I doubted I''d ever be able to make a dent on his daddy issues, as Robin and Kid Flash had explained it. Apparently, Superman was neglecting his baby.
Clark, you absolute dog. I chuckled as I took another gulp of the soda.
The thought of psychology and the power of my words brought my mind back to Batman once again. Batman, who had with his words and sheer presence, made me lose control over my Limitless technique, rendering me vulnerable. He was nothing in the grand scheme of things, in terms of power at least. In my first meeting with him, I could have obliterated him in half a second.
¡then why had he met with me?
If one maintained that Batman was always prepared for any situation, then the logical conclusion to that was that he was confident that I wouldn''t harm him.
And where did that confidence come from? I had met two Leaguers that day before him¡ªthe Flash, and then Superman. Both had disappointed me, both had given me terrible news. And yet he had put himself in my way, even in my volatile state of mind. Was he really just reckless? Perhaps not.
Or was it the fact that I, a foreigner from another universe, completely trumped Batman''s power of always being prepared?
¡What countermeasure did he have in place for me in case I went berserk? Magic, maybe? Because there was nothing physical that could cross my Infinity. It had to be arcane in nature, to a conceptual level. A level that far superseded the laws of physics, like Limitless did.
Perhaps he had already sorted out his countermeasures upon our first meeting after Superman had delivered me to him?
It was¡ disconcerting coming to grips with just how vulnerable I was, even though I had never been more powerful in my life. Even without the Cursed Technique Reversal or positive energy, I had been the strongest jujutsu sorcerer.
Now, I really was just another wizard off the block. Like a guy named Zatara, who used to be a stage magician, but was now apparently a Justice League member. Or that geezer Doctor Fate, who used to be a member of the Justice Society, according to Red Tornado''s history lessons.
The point was, I wasn''t special. Not compared to the League. Only compared to the Teen Titans I had been lumped in with. I was beyond giving a crap about that at this point¡ªreal hero work would get in the way of training, so really, being in the team worked well for me. Better than if I had to be assigned a city to watch over, like Batman''s Gotham or Superman''s Metropolis.
Twelve days in DC world, and I had mastered inter-city warping. The Zeta Tube had been a godsend in understanding long-distance spatial transportation. I doubted that without them, I''d have gotten as far as I have.
All I was doing at this point was increasing distance. And the distance increased immensely, day by day, as I learned to better channel my cursed energy and used my cursed technique to best effect. But otherwise, I didn''t feel like I had come any closer to piercing through the veil of the multiverse. I could travel anywhere I could see, given it was within range of my Eyes¡ªand I was making good progress on developing the power of my Six Eyes Reversal¡ªbut I couldn''t see the multiverse. No matter how hard I looked, no matter how much positive or negative cursed energy I tried to pour into the technique.
In one rather suicidal instance, I had debated on pouring both negative and positive energy into my eyes to create a sensory technique similar to my Hollow Technique: Purple. But, for obvious reasons, I never went through with that. I could already half-tell that it would only end in tragedy, the sort that would likely just instantly kill me. So not really a tragedy for me, just the next person that encountered my headless self.
I wondered if that death would count as a death by cursed energy, which would forestall the rise of a vengeful cursed spirit out from me.
¡that was the first time I had considered my death, actually. If I never managed to return home to the world of jujutsu, then that meant that I would have to live here for decades. I could get killed in the line of duty. And then this world would see the rise of its very first cursed spirit¡ªan invisible monster that no one could see, that left behind a trail of mass devastation. It would be special grade for sure, and even if I did not get any stronger than I was today, it would likely require multiple Leaguers to put an end to my restless spirit''s mad rampage.
That would suck for them.
I also had no idea how to tell Batman this. Or whether I even should. Fuck him, first of all. Second of all, that might end up being a bigger headache for me than necessary.
But third of all, it would probably buy me brownie points to come clean about this. And I''d love to see him shit his pants in terror at the mere thought of a completely invisible me running rampant, wreaking havoc.
But he might stop me from being a hero, or put me only through weak-sauce missions. I''d just keep it a secret for now. Nothing had really threatened me thus far anyway. I was fine.
Across the park, a door opened, and I saw a man step out from a grand theatre. He wore an old-timey tuxedo and top-hat, and from what I had observed, he had been setting up his stage, making sure that everything was ready for tonight''s show.
The magician hero himself¡ªZatara. Personally, I did not see the point. This was real magic, meaning none of it was nearly as impressive as the illusionists that did crazy stuff that you could swear was real magic, but wasn''t. That was an impressive sweetspot to be in, to be duped by your own senses. But Zatara did no duping or lying. There was no deception in his act. Only truth. And the truth was boring.
Not that I ever shared in the enthusiasm that people had towards magicians to begin with¡ªmy Six Eyes never let me get deceived in such a manner.
I got up and tossed my can into a waiting trash bin before pinching the space between Zatara and me. I took one step, and appeared all the way behind him on the sidewalk.
He stopped and turned to me with narrowed eyes. "To what do I owe the pleasure of our first meeting, Gojo?"
I gave him a lazy wave, "We can walk and talk," I said, walking up besides him, "I would hate to throw out your schedule with an unannounced visit. You already know about me and my situation, right?"
Zatara looked at me for a moment with narrowed eyes before walking besides me at an even clip, forcing me to slow down to keep up with him. Power plays this early into the conversation. I guess I wasn''t very well-liked among the Justice League. Sad. But ultimately understandable. "I have been briefed," Zatara replied.
"My gifts make me a rather tricky opponent in this world," I told him honestly, "But this world has more than just people who can punch very hard. I would say that I''m confident in my chances against Superman¡ªat least being able to survive anything he can throw at me, though I may not be able to hurt him." I definitely was. I couldn''t see anything surviving my Hollow Technique. It was an orb of pure destructive energy that disassembled the molecules in its path into its constituent atoms. "It may sound like I''m here to ask you for more power, but really, I just want to reduce my weaknesses to the mystic arts."
"And what are those weaknesses?" Zatara asked.
I grinned at him and shrugged, "I don''t know. I have been in this world for only twelve days. This is the first time I have tried learning anything about magic. But I know that I am weak against magic¡ªI don''t understand it, after all. And if I don''t understand it, that means there is a vulnerability in my defense."
"And where do I come in, pray tell?"
I hummed for a moment, "You don''t have to mentor me if you don''t want to. It is obvious that you don''t trust me. I would like to learn more about magic. If you don''t have the time, I would like for you to point me to a place or person that can teach me what I want to know in order to stay safe."
"If you want to stay safe, then hang up your cape," Zatara said, giving me an annoyed side glance. I grimaced at that. "This line of work is not for the faint of heart. If you cannot tolerate the risk of death, then do what you think is best for yourself and stop putting yourself in harm''s way."
Wow. What did I say?
Zatara stopped walking, and then sighed. "Don''t take this the wrong way, boy. I''m not saying this because I have anything against you in particular. I sympathize with your situation and I would like for you to come to a solution as soon as possible. But what you are asking from me is impossible. I could only realistically teach you to ward against certain kinds of spells, but one can never truly be immune. It''s just not possible. There is no such thing as an all-powerful shield."
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"So I shouldn''t bother to use any shield then?" I asked, "All I''m asking for is a start. What magic do villains use? Black magic? Give me something for that."
"I could only give you something for particular spells," he said, "But spells, like weapons, are manifold, and you cannot create a singular defense that shields against all weapons."
Oh, for the love of god.
I took a deep breath and found my words slowly, "I think that is a worthwhile effort. Give me the most common shielding spell for the most commonly used magical spells I might encounter as a hero. Or not. I don''t want to waste your time. I only want advice."
"You''re a stubborn one," Zatara sighed, "I have to warn you, boy. Your¡ arrival in this world has yet to cause unforeseen consequences. Your dark power¡ªfor it is undeniably dark¡ªis foreign to us. That you have not immediately caused some kind of arcane plague already was our luck. But that is not the extent in which you are a risk."
I raised an eyebrow at that, "What?!" What the hell was this old man talking about?
"Do you know anything about the first European settlers in America?" he asked me.
"No, not really," I admitted.
"The disease they brought wiped out an immense portion of the Native American population," Zatara said, "They did not have the immunity against Western disease, and they were decimated as a result. Your energy, which you yourself have called cursed energy, is just like a foreign pathogen in that it could have a catastrophic impact on this world''s people. We have ruled out most possibilities already¡ªif your energy was dangerous in such a way, we would have discovered it within hours of your arrival¡ªbut not all possibilities. Including the possibility that mixing your cursed energy with other magical sources may create an adverse and chaotic reaction. One that may just cause the arcane equivalent of a plague. Or something even worse. Or nothing at all. Have you also considered the fact that if you were to learn this world''s magic, you would not be able to return to your own world due to some kind of incompatibility with your world''s magic?"
My head was spinning with all these hypotheticals and doomsaying. What the hell had this guy been smoking? Well, he was supposed to be a magician, so maybe being this batshit insane was normal in his line of work? In fact, he did remind me of some Jujutsu Sorcerers who coped with the job by pretending to be performers.
"No," I said, "To¡ everything."
"You clearly haven''t thought this through," he said. "I have been a very strong proponent of keeping your cursed energy as untampered-with as possible. Towards that end, I will simply refuse to teach you any magic or show you any magical sources. And I trust that my warnings have been heard. You have a lot to lose, and very little to reliably gain from going against my advice, young Gojo. Keep this in mind. In the short term, you would hardly be able to cast combat-ready spells on the level that is expected of a hero. And in the meanwhile, you might cause massive problems for yourself."
I frowned sharply, "Why didn''t anyone tell me this?"
"I''ve told you this," he said. "And the Batman would have done the same once you asked."
I sighed.
Horrible. Just horrible. I debated on going behind his back to look for some other magician that could give me a second opinion. But who could I trust? I wasn''t even sure I could trust the great Houdini here, and he was supposed to be a superhero. And Doctor Fate had apparently been inactive for decades. I was floundering here. And I could easily see myself getting led astray by shifty wizards looking to sell my beautiful and powerful soul to the devil, or for the devil himself to make such a bargain. This universe was very¡ weird about stuff like that. Devils and angels were apparently real, here. Unless Constantine was somehow not a part of this particular DC universe? Comics were confusing. At least magic was real.
In real terms, my search for magic was pretty much over for the foreseeable future.
"Thank you for your time," I told him, giving him a lazy bow of my head. I withheld my sarcasm and instead casted about for where the Zeta Tube was¡ªa dingy alleyway without anyone inside. After finding it, I poofed away and did a bigger poof through the Tube back to the cave.
I saw Aqualad and Superboy duking it out, actually. Interesting. I folded my arms and watched. Aqualad was physically weaker than Superboy, but his skill invalidated that gap entirely. Superboy was being led on a merry chase, getting himself thrown and redirected every which way.
Until finally, Aqualad gained the confidence to decisively swing the match, breaking Superboy''s balance, tripping him over his feet, and pushing his chest down to the ground. Superboy banged his head on the floor hard but his durability wouldn''t let him feel anything, of course.
The computer announced the score, "Superboy down."
Superboy got up to his feet in anger and stomped off.
I skipped over to Aqualad, "I saw the fight! Good work."
"Thank you," Aqualad said as he looked over to where Superboy was angrily storming off. "I find myself unable to reach him or ascertain the origin of his anger. It worries me."
"It will sort itself out," I said, "Probably. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about an idea that I had. Something to spice things up and¡" I sighed and gave him a sympathetic grin, "I won''t try to sugarcoat it actually¡ªI am a bit too strong."
Aqualad looked at me flatly.
"I''m not trying to brag this time. I''m saying this because I am actually worried about the development of the team. So I have come up with a plan to make sure that the team are able to contribute properly without me stealing the shine all the time. Introducing the Restraint Level System," I showed him jazz hands.
He furrowed his eyebrows at that.
"You know about my powers already, right? Now, level one is me using my cursed energy imbuement only for attacking¡ªbasically, strengthening my body, making me stronger and faster. No flying, no warping, no invisibility, no Blue or Red. Of course, I will still use my Six Eyes because I cannot turn it off. But this way, I will only be as strong as Superboy," way stronger, really, if you counted martial arts, but I didn''t want to quibble over the details. "Further levels will increase my arsenal. Blue, Red, warping, invisibility, going all out on curse energy strikes. And finally, Purple. Of course, Infinity is on no matter the level, so you won''t have to worry for my safety. What do you think?"
Aqualad frowned but nodded. "I¡ regret the necessity of this system. But I would be a fool to ignore the fact that you are powerful enough to make any mission Batman sends us on far too easy. Thanks to you, we captured five supervillains in a day. And if I am being honest, I was trying my best to figure out a way to have this conversation with you."
I grinned at him, "I will give you a nice little sheet for you to memorize and that should be it, right?"
"With exceptions," he said, looking at me sternly, "If someone is in danger of dying and no one but you is able to save them, then you have to go all out. And if we are in danger of failing our mission parameter, then you must go all out as well. The mission always comes before our individual desires to develop. So do human lives."
I raised a hand curiously, "What about Martian or Kryptonian lives? Or Atlantean lives?"
Aqualad rolled his eyes. "All lives."
"Does that include chicken and cow lives?"
He drew in a deep breath and sighed. "Was there anything else, Gojo?"
"Nope," I said with a grin. "We can spar if you want. I won''t use any cursed energy."
Aqualad blinked for a moment, considering the proposition, "I need to learn how to be more decisive. How will sparring with you help me improve on that?" I could sense that it was a genuine question.
I leaned back, crossing my arms and grinning. "Simple. You''ll have to make split-second decisions to keep up. I won''t give you time to overthink. It''s either act or get hit."
He nodded, looking thoughtful, but still a bit hesitant. "I''m not sure if it''s the same as making decisions under pressure during a mission."
"Why not? It''s all about instincts," I said. "Think of it like training your body to respond as quickly as your mind. If I''m throwing a punch, you don''t have time to analyze my form and make a plan; you just move. The goal is to get you comfortable with trusting that first reaction¡ªno second-guessing."
Aqualad''s brow furrowed slightly as he mulled it over, then he gave a small nod. "That... makes sense. Training my reaction time to a higher level could help me trust my instincts when I don''t have time to consider all the options."
"Exactly!" I clapped him on the shoulder, almost knocking him off balance. "No cursed energy, no Limitless¡ªjust you and me, testing that sharp Atlantean sense of yours."
After a moment, he gave me a slight but determined grin. "Let''s see how much my instincts have grown since joining the surface world."
I could think of worse ways to pass the time than making sure my teammates stopped being so weak.
At the very least, no matter how many times I dropped him on his butt, making sure not to harm him so badly that he had to quit, he didn''t let his pride get in the way of standing back up again to face another round of sparring. He even made progress. Slight progress, but this hard work wouldn''t be in vain.
I made sure to remind him of that after I gave him a goose-egg on his forehead and helped him get some ice on the swelling.
Chapter 15
Mount Justice
August 3, 13:06 EDT
I watched in amusement from the side-lines as the team sparred and got their asses beaten by Black Canary.
Martian Manhunter was watching, and since I wasn''t participating, I decided to stroll up to him with a friendly grin, "Greetings, Martian," I showed him the spock sign, "Any news on the multiverse travel the League was working on?"
Manhunter shook his head, "Unfortunately, we have hit a dead end. The pace of research is¡ glacial. What about you, son?" Son? Cute. "Have you made any headway into reverse-engineering your dimensional travel?"
"I can do intradimensional," I said with a shrug, "Pretty easily. But in order to do multiverse, I need to be able to sense the multiverse. Which I can''t." Hence my curiosity about magic.
"And what about the paths to power that your cursed energy affords you?" the Martian asked. "Will those not offer any hints?"
¡He was talking about my Domain Expansion. "You really did read my mind, huh?"
"I apologize for the necessity," the Martian bowed his head fractionally.
I sighed. "Oh well. I will keep trying." I couldn''t see Domain Expansion doing anything. I was missing something. Something fundamental. This reminded me of my frustration about mastering the Reverse Cursed Technique. I was mentally blocked, completely.
Kid Flash just got thrown over Black Canary''s head, landing by our feet. He saw me and my shit-eating grin and growled, using his flash speed to get back on his feet and stomp off.
"I''ve noticed that you have grown close to my niece," Martian Manhunter said. I looked at his neutral expression with a grin. Was he being an overprotective uncle, maybe? Fun.
"Meg-chan has been kind to me," I said, looking over to where she was standing, a ways away next to Aqualad and Robin, waiting in line to get their asses kicked by Black Canary. "I especially like that she''s not human. She''s a breath of fresh air, in a way."
"Humans have their merits," Manhunter said, "Many of the people I respect the most in this universe are humans."
"What do you think of Lex Luthor or the Joker?"
"Humanity does not have a monopoly on evil," he pointed out.
I nodded, "No, you''re right. But I would bet that the average Martian has more common sense than the average Earthling. Nothing beats the perspective given to you from telepathy." From being aware of how equal and average you were to everyone else. No delusion. Just truth. Humanity could use that telepathy. It would probably end all wars. I was curious enough to ask about that, actually, "Does Mars know war?"
"You Earthlings named our planet after the Roman God of War," he said, cracking a faint grin. Then his smile fell a little, "I appreciate the faith you have in us, Gojo-san, but the truth is, Mars is just as flawed and broken as any planet can be. Our planet is divided into two different subspecies of Martian, the white Martians and the green Martians, like M''gann and I. The green majority oppress and persecute the white minority. Even telepathy cannot get around this hurdle to world peace."
I frowned. That¡ sounded rather pessimistic. If telepathy couldn''t bring world peace, then what could? I felt a familiar sense of apathy rise up and I shrugged, "Then I guess we''re all doomed. Everywhere," then I cracked a grin, "So why worry?"
"There is always hope."
What a clich¨¦. "Yeah, yeah," I chuckled, "I''m sure there is. Anyways, I wanted to ask you, how come you and Megan seem so¡ fundamentally different, in terms of anatomy? Your cell organelles are just completely different. Is Martian biology really that variable?"
"You would have to ask her this question yourself," he said. Weird. Very cryptic. Had she been doing biological modifications on herself or something, beyond just shapeshifting? I mean, she did look suspiciously human, nothing like Manhunter, who had a weird head shape zero hair in his entire body. Clearly, there was something up, because otherwise he would have just told me. Megan was keeping a secret. I grinned slightly. Interesting.
Superboy finally came into class, and Black Canary greeted him with a winning smile, hands on her hips as she teased him, "Glad you could finally join us, Superboy."
Superboy crossed his arms, barely looking at her. "This is a waste of time."
For me. Not for him. And yet, I still showed up¡ªpurely to see them get thrown around a little though. Someone had to appreciate the art of a proper takedown.
Black Canary raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why''s that?"
"Because I have super strength," he replied dismissively. "It doesn''t matter what technique you have. I''m stronger."
I could already see where this was going. She could put him on his back and scream his sensitive ears into pieces without breaking a sweat. I winced at the mental image¡ªmy dear Superboy, clueless as he was, didn''t realize how quickly he could end up on the floor. He was strong, sure, but he''d never sparred with someone like Canary. That left him at a disadvantage, and a very fun one at that.
Black Canary''s grin turned mischievous, her eyes gleaming. "Why don''t we put that to the test?" She took on a fighting stance, balanced and poised, then gave him a beckoning gesture, her fingers curling in a playful invitation. It was the kind of taunt that no one could ignore, least of all someone like Superboy.
Superboy shrugged, rolling his shoulders, and stepped up to her. They stopped a few meters from each other. He didn''t even bother with a stance, just standing there, unbothered and ready to end it with one punch. Rookie mistake.
"Ready when you are," Canary said, her voice relaxed but focused. Her eyes stayed locked on him, sizing him up.
The computer''s countdown began. Three. Two. One.
The instant the countdown hit zero, Superboy lunged, reaching out to grab her and end it quickly. But in a flash, Black Canary sidestepped him, her movements a graceful blur. Superboy stumbled forward, surprised to find his hands grabbing empty air. Before he could fully regain his balance, she was already circling him.
Superboy glared, his confidence clearly shaken but still stubborn. "You''re fast. Doesn''t change anything."
Canary only smiled, that same unshakeable calm on her face. "Speed''s just part of it. Let''s go again."
He went in harder this time, throwing a punch with a little more commitment. But once again, Black Canary flowed around him, slipping past his strike and landing a quick tap to his side before backing away. Not enough to hurt, but enough to show him just how out of reach she was.
"You''ve got power," she noted, sidestepping him as he threw another punch, "but raw strength isn''t everything. All it does is make you predictable."
Superboy''s face twisted with frustration as he tried again, and again she dodged, moving with such precision and skill that it was almost as if she''d read his mind. He was used to opponents who couldn''t keep up, who crumbled the moment he put on the pressure. Here, every move he made left him open, every attack an opportunity for her to slip through his defenses. Canary, on the other hand, hadn''t even broken a sweat.
Finally, in one swift, fluid motion, she ducked low, caught him off-balance, and swept his legs out from under him. Before he knew what had happened, Superboy was on the mat, staring up in shock.
"Good morning, Superboy," she smirked down at him, offering a hand to help him up. "Want to try again?"
For a moment, he looked at her hand, a scowl forming on his face. He pushed himself up with a growl and took a fighter''s stance.
"You have power," Black Canary said as the computer counted down for another round. "You also have anger. Too much anger."
The moment the round began, Superboy lunged forward again, this time with more focus, but the anger she''d mentioned was still simmering beneath the surface. Canary didn''t retreat this time, holding her ground and waiting for his approach. I could see that he was more deliberate now, watching her movements, trying to figure out a strategy.
He threw a punch, faster and sharper than before, but she ducked under it with ease. In a smooth motion, she stepped into his space, twisted her body, and delivered a sharp palm strike to his chest¡ªnot enough to hurt, but enough to make him stumble backward.
"See what happens when you lose control?" she asked, her voice firm.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
He growled, steadying himself. "That''s not fair," he muttered, frustration bubbling over. "You''re just faster than me."
Canary raised an eyebrow. "That''s not true, Superboy. You''re both faster and stronger than me." She moved back into her stance, inviting him to try again. "You can hit harder than anyone in this room except for Gojo, but if you don''t have control, it means nothing."
Superboy gritted his teeth¡ªprobably extra angry at Canary having namedropped me. But he refused to raise his fists for another round. Instead, he just stormed off. "That''s it, I''m done."
"Training is mandatory."
Superboy ignored that.
"Wow," Kid Flash snarked, "What''s gotten into him, anyway?"
I remembered something just then, "He went to Metropolis this morning."
"Oh," Kid Flash''s face darkened into awkwardness.
"That''ll do it," Robin quipped.
"We should talk to him," Megan proposed, looking mighty concerned as she watched the Kryptonian walk away.
"Give him space for now," Aqualad said.
"Wait¡ªmoving on!" Wally exclaimed, "I just realized Gojo hasn''t gone a round with Canary yet! What gives?"
"He might win for all we know," Robin muttered, folding his arms. Yeah, man.
Sorry.
"My pretty blue eyes are not just for show," I said, batting my eyelashes at the speedster, "They tell me everything. And when you see everything, reacting to it is¡ pretty straightforward."
"Gojo doesn''t need this training," Black Canary said frankly, "That isn''t to say he''s not in need of training in other areas," she cast me a mild glare. What? That was hardly a brag! We had talked about not rubbing in my superiority in my last session, and I hadn''t been against hiding the truth of our differences in power. It was boring being an object of fear anyway.
And besides, now that we had the Restraints Level System, things should look very bright for our kids.
"Incoming transmission from Batman," the computer spoke as a holographic screen appeared before us, revealing Batman''s face.
"Team," Batman said, in lieu of a greeting. "While the league was transferring the villains arrested on Santa Prisca to Belle Reve penitentiary," Batman began, completely ignoring me, "The Leaguers in charge of escorting the prisoner convoy, Green Arrow and Captain Marvel, were attacked by a new robotic menace." Footage popped up next to his face of a muscle-bound shirtless elf-man with short-cropped orange hair. Why did he look so bad? You''d think a manmade robot would be more aesthetic and not have a receding hairline.
"The attacker was capable of studying then duplicating the powers and abilities of its opponents. Arrow called in reinforcements, which nearly proved disastrous as our foe gained more and more power with each new combatant."
More heroes popped into the footage, and they were getting their asses beaten. Damn. Even the Justice League was weak?
"Whoa," Kid Flash gushed, "One guy with the powers of the entire League?"
I frowned, "How is that even possible?" What the hell was this world?
"In the end, it took eight Leaguers four hours to defeat and dismantle the android," Batman said. Also¡ don''t tell me. Don''t fucking tell me¡! "And the prisoners got away. All except Mammoth and Shimmer."
"Who are they?" I muttered.
"Big monster guy and the slim freaky chick with the red hair," Kid Flash explained quickly, "Keep up, man." So just the mooks, then. Dammit.
I stuck my tongue out at him, "Buhhh."
"Buh," he stuck his tongue at me back.
"You guys can tongue-kiss later," Robin said, chiding us both as he refocused on Batman, "Sportsmaster, Bane and Kobra are on the loose?"
"Correct," Batman said.
After all that hard work, too! They should have brought me. How could a robot copy jujutsu? This was literally nonsense.
Ugh, whatever.
"Who made it?" Robin asked, "T.O Morrow?"
"Good guess, Robin," Batman said, "But Red Tornado doesn''t think so. The technology bears the signature of Professor Ivo."
"Ivo? But Ivo''s dead!"
"So we all thought," Black Canary sighed, "Or hoped."
Wait, was he that bad? What happened to the whole ''no killing'' thing? Or did these superheroes just pray on the downfall of all villains? Did Superman pray for Lex Luthor to one day get cancer from all the Kryptonite he was waving around?
"What''s the mission, boss?" I asked Batman.
"You will escort the fragments of this android to two separate Star Labs facilities for immediate evaluation, in order to make sure that this threat has been permanently neutralized."
"Question," I said, raising my hand, "Why don''t we just hunt down Ivo instead?"
"We don''t know where he is," Robin chided. "What''s the point? Besides, this mission needs us now."
He was right. I assumed the League would have better resources for tracking Ivo down¡ªI couldn''t do all the work myself, anyway.
"You have a point, Infinity," Batman said, "That''s why I wish to warn you that there is a non-zero chance that Ivo may make an appearance during the span of this mission, likely to recover his confiscated android."
I shrugged. Sounded about right.
Time for mission, I guess.
Litchfield County
August 3, 20:08 EDT
They gave us motorcycles! We were going to use superhero motorcycles to tail the two vans transporting the robot parts to the facilities. I was with Robin and Superboy, team Bravo, and Aqualad was with Miss Martian and Kid Flash, team Alpha.
While I drove next to Robin, Superboy on the other side, Robin started chattering on the airwaves. "If dislike is the opposite of like, is disaster the opposite of aster? See, instead of things going wrong, they go right."
"Like Santa Prisca?" I asked with a chuckle. He laughed.
"Yeah! Totally an aster."
I could feel Superboy next to me glowering. I turned to him, "What''s the problem, Super?"
"Canary," he said.
"Did she reject your love confession or something?" I asked, chuckling. Superboy turned to me and growled.
"You''re an idiot, Infinity."
"Tell me," Robin said, "I''m curious to know."
"What business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super-strength?"
"I mean," I shrugged, "If you actually didn''t need them, I could understand why you would feel that way. But she put you on the ground."
"I was holding back," Superboy said.
Eugh. I felt a wave of cringe going through my skin at Super''s excuse.
"Why don''t I teach you combat skills," I offered. "Since you don''t think women can fight."
"I never said that!" Superboy replied hotly. I chuckled. "I was going easy because I didn''t want to hurt her, even though I could, and¡ª"
"That''s how you should do," Robin said, "When you fight regular schmegular humans like mooks or purse-snatchers. If you went super strength on them, you''d pop their heads like electrocuting a melon."
How did he know how an electrocuted melon looked like? Had he seen a video on that? The internet sure had become crazy in this five-year time leap of mine. "I want to see that, actually," I said, "Electrocuted melons."
"I''ll send you a link later."
"Why not now?" I asked with a grin.
"Uh, sure, if you want Batman to literally break your neck for watching ViewTube videos while driving a motorcycle on a mission. Totally aster."
I chuckled. Yeah, he was right.
"I''m driving blindfolded, aren''t I?" I said, "That should be a way bigger traffic violation."
"My point is," Robin continued, refocusing on Superboy, "You''ve gotta hold back if you wanna be a hero, Supe."
"I know," he growled, "You don''t have to tell me anything. I already know."
"Then why?" Robin continued. "You can talk to us, man!"
Superboy drove on ahead of us.
"I''m telling you, dude," I muttered, "Cut off the deadweight. Blood means nothing."
"Last warning, Infinity," Superboy growled darkly into my earpiece. "Or I will wreck your bike."
I took my hands off the motorcycle handle and raised them in surrender. "Okay, junior," I said. "You''ve got it all handled."
"Dude," Robin said.
I sighed. Oh well. Superboy would have to try especially hard to ruin things with me keeping watch. Let''s see how it would play out.
Chapter 16
Litchfield County
August 3, 20:30 EDT
I hummed a ditty as we drove through the countryside on the way to Gotham.
"Sucks they couldn''t keep the villains we arrested," Robin muttered, "Now they have intel about the team. And we''re supposed to be stealthy."
"Stealth is overrated," I chuckled. "It''s a crutch. True strength is visibility. They know who we are? That''s perfect. It just means that they will shit their pants in terror the next time they see me. Us," I hastily added the last part. "But yeah, I''m annoyed too. But it can''t be helped. At least it wasn''t us that screwed up the¡ª" In the corner of my wide field of view, I saw them¡ªa swarm of flying robot monkeys, gray with shiny green bands, descending from the sky. "Important message, Bravo and Alpha. Uh. Flying robot monkeys in the sky headed for our van."
"What?" Robin asked, shocked, looking up. As did Superboy, who was driving up ahead.
"I''ve spotted them," I heard Aqualad''s voice in my earpiece, "Flying machines converging on our location."
I raised my finger to blast them to pieces with Red when I remembered my Restraint Level. I was only supposed to use raw cursed energy to fight, and only then inside my body. I cracked a grin. This should be fun.
As the robots were starting to fall on the van, I revved up my pace to full throttle and prepared to jump off the bike and onto the van, angling the bike to leave the road after I jumped off.
I flipped twice before landing on the ceiling of the van, throwing away my impractical helmet as well and grinning at the monkeys as they descended on me.
I lightly tapped them with my fists, blowing them back. I counted twelve monkeys in the vicinity. That meant I''d have to take out four to keep things fair to the others.
"A little help here?" I asked as I looked back and saw Robin jumping off his bike and at the roof of the van the same way I had while a few of the monkeys were harassing Superboy. Robin effectively repelled a trio of monkeys, easing the non-existent pressure the monkeys were exerting on me. Throughout all the fighting, I suddenly had an idea, and transmitted it through radio, "These monkeys are probably going to bring the robot back to its maker. Crazy idea¡ªlet them."
"You''re right," Robin said with a grunt as he expanded a staff and started swinging it around, "It is crazy."
"We follow the monkeys," I said, punching one hard enough to explode it, "We find the maker. We find Ivo. He''s the real prize. Aqualad?"
"Ivo may have any number of villains reinforcing him," Aqualad said, "There is no guarantee that he''s acting on his own. From what we''ve observed¡ª," he grunted, clearly caught up in his own fight, "Sportsmaster! Alpha team has encountered Sportsmaster." Wow, way to prove his own point.
"Great!" I said, "Let''s bag him again, and I''ll be on the lookout for pale ghost freaks. I''d love to smash that cultist bastard''s face in again."
Superboy roared as the robots wrecked his bike and sent him rolling on the ground. He ripped the monkeys to pieces, glared after the van, and jumped.
I pointed my hand towards him to stop him from destroying the van with his landing, but I remembered¡ªno Limitless. Damn.
He landed anyway, throwing off Robin''s balance. He almost fell off the van, and then a monkey tipped him over. Rather than fall on the hard ground, he jumped off purposefully into the off-road, rolling to dissipate the force of impact. I had been about to use Blue on him, but he had seemed so confident that I just let it play out.
Superboy went berserk against the robots, batting the air, but failing to hit them with every turn. In the meanwhile, a pair of robots were trying to cut through the windshield to get at the driver.
I opted on saving the driver, kicking at the robots and distracting them into focusing on me. In the corner of my Six Eyes, I saw the robots lifting up Superboy and tossing him back into the road.
And the van''s backdoors swinging open while a pair of monkeys brought out the robot parts. Damn.
"The monkeys are taking off with our parts," I said, looking up at them flying away. Superboy followed them with giant leaps. "Superboy is in hot pursuit."
"Why did you let them get away?!" I heard Robin shout.
"Level two?" I asked Aqualad.
Aqualad responded quickly, "Not yet."
"What about Athlete Man?" I asked, "Take him down yet?"
"He almost took us down," Aqualad admitted. "An arrow managed to save us. I believe Green Arrow may have tailed us. Sportsmaster got away, however." Dammit! Did I have to do everything?
"Level what now?" Kid Flash asked.
"New plan," Aqualad said, "We''ll follow the parts back to Ivo. But Infinity, make sure they''re not assembled. That''s your highest priority. Lower your restraint as needed."
I guess that meant I would have to use flight to follow the monkeys.
Or stealth.
I warped on top of the crate the monkeys were carrying, and then used Infinity to veil myself and my heat signature. The monkeys looked around, shocked, unable to make out my presence. Rather than swarm me, however, they decided to keep flying, carting me back to their maker.
000
The monkeys carried me to a railway in the sticks, and then started floating around, probably waiting for the train a few kilometers away to arrive. I floated away from the crate holding me up, confusing the monkeys again, and radio''d the team, focusing intently on keeping my cloak activated while also floating. If it was hard, that meant it was good training. I should be doing this all the time.
"Waiting for a train to arrive," I reported.
Once the train thundered into view, I leapt into action, tailing the monkeys as they braced for impact with the speeding machine. With precise timing, they jumped aboard, maneuvering with ease as they landed on the roof, their nimble machine hands already setting to work. In seconds, one monkey produced a small, potent laser from its palm, cutting a glowing line into the metal roof. The sounds of sizzling metal and rushing wind filled the air as the section came loose, revealing a dimly lit, industrial corridor below.
I slid in silently behind them, landing in the shadows just as the monkeys gathered around a set of crates, pulling back the heavy canvas covering. The car was cramped and dim, the rumble of the train vibrating through the metal walls, and the smell of grease and machinery hung thick in the air. As they unwrapped the crates, an older man stepped forward to inspect their cargo, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Professor Ivo¡ªa squat, ginger-haired figure whose age showed in his lined face and hunched stance¡ªexamined the crates with a manic energy. He wore a long, pristine lab coat, an odd contrast to his rumpled hair and small, round glasses.
In the far corner, a striking woman stood, her gaze steady and unflinching. She exuded a quiet, dangerous calm, her hand resting idly on the piandao sheathed at her hip. The saber''s dark hilt glinted under the dim light, hinting at its honed edge. Her presence felt at odds with the metal and machinery surrounding them.
She was dressed in a red long-sleeved body-suit with a diamond-shaped boob window of all things treating me to a rather distracting view of her cleavage and she wore tights that reminded me of Black Canary.
And like Canary, she was hot. I could really get used to this superhero gig.
Looks aside, however, I could clearly tell that this thorny rose, beneath that unflappable exterior, was a powerful foe.
"Finally!" Ivo''s voice rang out over the din of the train, a bright grin stretching across his face. "Once again, Amazo is mine. And I did not even require your services after all."
The woman eyed the crate and spoke with detached curiosity. "So, this android can analyze and mimic any power?" Her tone was both inquisitive and unimpressed as she approached the open crate with slow, deliberate steps. "And yet it fell. Impermanent, like most empty things are."
Ivo''s face twisted into a scowl, bristling at her words. "It is the ultimate technology," he shot back, his tone laced with condescension. "I wouldn''t expect someone like you to understand."
"The ultimate technology," she repeated, glancing back at Ivo with a slight, sardonic smile. "If it was really so ultimate, why would it need you to rebuild it?"
Ivo scoffed, ignoring the barb. "My genius was always the secret to Amazo''s success. Reassembling him just reminds me of the brilliance I poured into every part. Nothing a sword-swinger would understand."
Her expression remained cool. "Believe me, Professor, if I wanted to understand machines, I would," she said dryly, her hand still resting on the hilt of her saber as her eyes swept over the crates, the crates, then to me, as if somehow sensing my presence. Her gaze lingered in my direction just long enough to send a prickle of warning down my spine. "Besides, I''m here to assess... other things."
"Oh?" Ivo''s curiosity was piqued, but she didn''t elaborate, keeping her cards close. She finally turned back to him, adjusting her grip on the saber.
"I''m here on orders," she said with a touch of impatience, making her purpose clearer but still guarded. "It seems there''s a new ''hero team'' around¡ªchildren, I heard, with unusual abilities. My employer wants to know if they pose a threat." Her eyes narrowed in irritation, betraying her distaste for this task, like she would have preferred a fight to scoping out kids. "Frankly, Professor, whether you rebuild your robot or not is... irrelevant to me."
Ivo''s lips twitched, sensing the power struggle in her dismissal. "Isn''t that lovely?" he sneered. "Here you are, reduced to babysitting duty while real minds get to work. Tell me, how does it feel to be the errand girl?"
"It puts me in the mood to do my job well," she said, and in a moment, flicked her wrists in my direction.
Infinity stopped the ninja stars cold. It wasn''t fear that stunned me, but utter shock. How had she seen me through so many layers of obfuscation? No heat, no light, and I was standing in a shadowy corner. I should have been a complete void to her senses. Was it a superpower?
I turned my invisibility off and gave her a grin, "You certainly are good at your job."
"Ah!" Ivo shouted, "You! Monkeys, attack!"
The robot monkeys descended on me as one. I grabbed the first monkey and used it as a bludgeon to destroy a second monkey, then kicked another one to pieces while I gave my report to the team, "I''ve been spotted. Ivo''s with a hot sword chick. He has the parts."
"Superboy is on the train," Robin said, "According to GPS."
"Level two," Aqualad said.
All the monkeys around me froze, caught in the pull of my Blue technique. I crushed them into a ball and threw them right out through the wall of the train.
"Save me!" Ivo shouted as he slaved over the robot parts. I pointed my hand at him. The woman ran in to cut my arm off. She couldn''t even get past Infinity.
I grabbed her with Blue and slammed her against the wall hard. She didn''t even let out a sound as I bruised her body severely. "The name''s Infinity," I told her, "And you''re not my match."
Ivo, who was still fiddling with the parts, cried in fear as he redoubled his pace, but it was all for naught. I threw him into the wall as well. Ivo snarled, "This is police brutality!"
I slammed him into the wall again with a laugh. What was he gonna do? Sue me?
"Amazo!" Ivo shouted after the disassembled machine, most of its parts still inside their cargo crates, "Reassembly Protocol One Alpha! Access: Martian Manhunt¡ª!" I wrapped him around a sound barrier before he could complete the order, but it was too late.
The parts of the machine began to float out from the box, "Ah, crap. The android''s piecing itself together."
"Get out of there, Infinity!" Aqualad ordered.
I could see why. If this Amazo was put back together, it would undoubtedly try to scan me. If it succeeded, that would give it a new power on par with the ones it had already taken from the League.
I dropped the woman and gestured sharply, "Two temples. Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue," I incanted as the woman tried to cut me. Was I being paranoid, supplementing my technique with several incantations? No, Amazo was¡ weird. I refused to let myself get caught by surprise by it.
I dodged and weaved out of the way as I focused on the android. I tried to lock the pieces in space using Blue, powered by an incantation. They just effortlessly broke through my control. No, not quite. They became massless. And if they had no mass, that meant that attractive forces fundamentally could not work on them.
Shit.
Red? No. That would destroy and derail the whole train which would put the drivers in danger, not to mention the trillions in damages that Batman wouldn''t shut up about. What a drag.
Although I couldn''t move the Amazo parts, I could still move the space they occupied.
I warped the remaining pieces out from the train, sending them somewhere up the mountains, around a hundred kilometers away.
"I''ve bought us time," I said into my earpiece. "Sent the parts into the wind. But the parts are flying back."
"Keep stalling if you can," Aqualad ordered.
"Teleportation," the woman muttered, "Invisibility, and telekinesis."
"Infinity," I corrected, "There''s an infinite distance between you and me, and there is nothing your sword swings could do to ever cross that distance."
"Interesting."
She threw a smokebomb down on the ground which didn''t get in my way at all, or even through Infinity. My barrier filtered it all out, and the smoke might as well have been crystal clear glass to my Six Eyes.
As I made to attack the woman, it turned out that the smoke didn''t much get in her way either. Definitely some sort of sensory power. We exchanged strikes, narrowly dodging each other, and I realized¡ this one was on Black Canary''s level. Probably higher.
The more we fought, the more I realized. No. Not on her level. Way stronger. For a sword-swinging normie, of course. They were all the same to me, however. I''d even consider Canary stronger overall for having a cry that managed to hurt me for a split second.
This one seemed to have nothing.
I imbued my body with Cursed Energy, outstripping her in speed and power with ease as I dug my fist into her stomach hard enough to cause her to cough out a wad of blood. She flew into the air from my strike and I caught her with Blue and slammed her into the wall again and again. Then I used Blue to clear the air and grin at her.
"You came here for information," I said, "I''ll tell you everything you need to know." I said in Japanese. "Number one: I am the strongest being you have ever encountered. Number two: you cannot beat me. Number three: wholeheartedly embrace your luck that I''m a hero and not someone who would pull your arms and legs off you like the insect that you are for daring to attack me."
She grinned slightly at my words. Oh, so she understood me. Even better. "What are you doing in the company of children and do-gooders?"
I chuckled. "It''s a job, beautiful. Don''t lump me in with those weirdos. I''m here to show something new to the hero world: How it''s done."
"You shouldn''t be so liberal about giving away your own information," she said.
I grinned, "In a few months, you will speak my name in the same breath as Superman."
"I''ve seen Superman. Do you still think you''re the strongest being I have ever seen?"
"Without a doubt."
She gave me a serene and slight grin, "Your conceit is astoundingly high for someone so young."
My grin widened, "Now you''re starting to get it."
It''s not conceit if it''s true. Any other attitude of mine would have been false modesty.
Then I pulled her away from the wall and slammed her into it again, finally knocking her out. I let go of her, freeing my attention up to focus on the floating Amazo torso and the rapidly approaching bodyparts.
"You can''t stop this!" Ivo shouted.
How did I stop the inevitable march of intangible objects? Infinity. Just because something was massless still didn''t mean that it could cross an infinite distance. I was about to imbue the torso with Infinity when I stopped.
Was that a good idea? Giving the power-stealing robot direct contact with my power?
Perhaps there was something else I could do? Like keeping objects inside of the intangible machine until it grew tangible again? Still, that would run into the same issue of it coming into direct contact with my cursed energy.
Dammit.
I should I even try fighting this thing? Aqualad had given me direct orders to leave.
I turned on my earpiece with Blue, "I''ve slowed Amazo''s reassembly down," I said, "Amazo is what Ivo calls it. But the pieces will fly back unless I teleport them away again. I don''t know if affecting the robot with my power is a good idea. But it''s using Manhunter''s phase shifting ability¡ªI can''t hold it."
"We cannot risk Amazo copying your ability!" Aqualad said.
"You guys can''t fight this thing," I said, "I need to stop it from reassembling. Captain?"
"¡I''ve contacted the League," Aqualad said. It sounded like a concession, but it really was the most natural conclusion to things. "Keep stalling the reassembly as long as you can, Infinity. But once it has fully reassembled, leave."
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
¡But why leave when I could beat it?
From the video I had seen, the League had managed to exploit Amazo''s weakness of only being able to use one ability at a time. The eight Leaguers had kept switching tactics, trading off attacks and abilities in rapid succession, forcing it to constantly adapt. Whenever it used Superman''s strength, it couldn''t access Martian Manhunter''s shapeshifting. When it tried Wonder Woman''s combat prowess, it had to sacrifice Green Lantern''s constructs. Each hero contributed to wearing it down, keeping it off-balance and unable to fully capitalize on its vast arsenal.
The coordinated teamwork was impressive to be sure. They didn''t rely on raw power alone; it was a chess match, each Leaguer a piece strategically positioned to exploit the android''s limitations. Batman had to be the one calling the shots, reading Amazo''s every reaction, orchestrating their movements like a conductor.
But most of that fight had been digging for a weakness, and then pressing on that point with all their might. A brief delay, only twelve milliseconds long, between each power switch. During that moment, it was just a robot.
The only problem became beating Amazo again without completely erasing the thing from existence. Batman wouldn''t take kindly to that, but what were our options here?
First, I created a sound barrier around us all. Then, I turned to Ivo with a smile and started stretching his arms like taffy. He screamed, "Deactivate the robot or I will kill you."
"Save me, Amazo!"
Superboy was incoming.
"I will break both your arms now." I snapped my finger, and his forearm shattered.
He let out a bloodcurdling scream.
"Now, the second arm," I said.
"No, no, wait!"
I waited. Three precious seconds ticked by before I grimaced and snapped my fingers again. His other forearm shattered.
He let out a sustained cry that I choked out by pressing on his airways with Blue. "Focus, professor. Disable Amazo and I will only break your legs and stop there." I''d show him real police brutality. "Every five seconds you stall is another bone shattered." I snapped my fingers again and his knee bent the wrong way. Superboy would be here in twenty seconds. "And when Amazo reassembles, professor, I will literally implode your heart. Feel that?" I asked, prodding with Blue inside his chest.
"Oh!" he screamed in horror. He went slack. I snapped my fingers and his other leg broke. That woke him up instantly. "Please! Please!"
"Just do as I say, Professor."
"Lord have mercy, oh the horror!" He cried.
I snapped my fingers again, breaking one femur, to remind him that I wasn''t done, "Two-hundred and six bones, Ivo. I could do this all day. Three," snap, his other femur shattered, "Two," snap, his kneecap broke, "One," I snapped my finger again, breaking a bunch of foot bones at once. All he did was scream and nothing else. What an annoying resolve!
Dammit!
Then, he finally said something intelligible, "I''ll see you in hell!"
Hah!
Superboy was here. Dammit. I turned Ivo invisible just as Superboy punched through the car door and stepped in. He wasn''t wearing his earpiece. Figured why he hadn''t said anything.
"Where is Ivo? I heard him in here." Superboy looked around, and then saw Amazo. His eyes widened at that and then they narrowed as he glared at it. "Why haven''t you destroyed it yet?"
I threw a box at it. The box phased straight through, not disturbing the robot at all. I looked around and sighed, "The parts are here. I''m going to teleport the robot out of here before they reach."
I gestured, and the torso disappeared into the countryside. The flying parts were quick to change directions and follow.
"And Ivo is there," I said, gesturing at the corner, where Ivo was laying spread-eagled, body destroyed, after I had lifted the invisibility. I would have hoped for him to gloss over the villain, but it couldn''t be helped.
He looked at what remained of the professor and then glared at me. "You did this to him."
"He resisted a lot, and he had help," I said, flashing Superboy a brief grin. "I couldn''t hold back! But it''s not like we won''t give him medical attention after the fact."
Batman beat the crap out of his villains all the time. And he let them dangle off rooftops in search of information. This wasn''t so far away from that. We were equally traumatizing.
I grabbed everyone in the train car¡ªwhere was sword lady?
How had I lost track of sword lady?
Oh god.
Dammit!
I looked around, pushing power into my Six Eyes¡ªI couldn''t see her. There was too much noise in the endless sea of particles and my brain, powerful beyond belief as it was, still wasn''t strong enough to filter it all out in search for the woman. Had she teleported? How could I miss this? If she had used a teleportation power, I would most assuredly have noticed, being that I was the real authority on space. No, she had made off on foot. Off the train, certainly.
Dammit. I teleported Superboy, Ivo and I to Amazo''s new location.
Ivo gave out a cry of pain as he fell slightly on the grass. I looked away and saw the parts flying towards Amazo.
Superboy saw them too, "Shoot them down!"
I aimed a finger gun at the flying parts, "Pew, pew, nothing." What was he, stupid? I had already told him that they had phase shifted, and I had nothing for that except for teleportation.
I refocused on Amazo''s torso instead and focused on a place I could send it to¡ª
"Scan complete," the floating torso said, "Powerset categorized¡ªInfinity. Access Infinity." Suddenly, it bloomed with a rudimentary version of my cursed energy. Not quite the real deal, but a good copy at least.
Huh. So it had managed after all?
I tried to teleport it and found that I couldn''t anymore.
I grinned and fired a Red against it, blowing the torso back almost a hundred meters. Superboy didn''t hesitate to follow it, his mighty steps digging into the earth and sending him flying towards the flailing robot torso trailing smoke.
"No!" Ivo shouted.
I flew after it as well and threw Reds at the incoming body-parts. They phased through. Had it already reactivated Manhunter''s powers? Dammit. Whatever.
Superboy caught up to it first and tried to punch it, only to phase right through. I tried to teleport it again, only for it to change abilities and resist the teleportation. Wow, this was getting interesting.
The bodyparts finally caught up, and in fifty milliseconds, it had reassembled its entire body. Then it glared down at us emotionlessly, "Access: Captain Atom." It said, pointing its palm towards Superboy and taking a shot that blew him back.
"Curse Technique Reversal: Red!" I roared, sending a Red hurtling at him.
"Access: Martian Manhunter." It phased through the destructive divergence of infinity. Then it said, "Access: Infinity."
And I could feel its energy transmuting before my very eyes. One moment, this soulless machine, this joke of a facsimile of life, began to brim with cursed energy. And now, it felt like the real deal. Proper cursed energy belonging to a sorcerer¡ªa powerful sorcerer at that.
And then I saw something I never thought I would ever see.
Something in the depths of its being sprung up from nothing and created something I had seen everywhere, on every living human for all my life, but I never noticed its uniqueness, that it was somehow divorced from a human being''s cursed energy. I had conflated the two things. But cursed energy was cursed energy.
This new thing that had sprung up¡ was a soul. There was no doubt about it. This thing now had a soul. I had so little real data to go on, but I was so sure of this!
I started twitching and spasming erratically, "Access, Ac-Ac-Ac-Ac-Access: Sup-Sup-Sup-Sup¡ª"
Superboy roared and punched it in the face. The robot''s expression twisted from neutrality¡
¡to shock. Mouth a gape, eyes wide, eyebrows raised.
Emotion. It had emotion.
Oh no.
I had seen the goddamn movies. I wasn''t letting this thing live for another second if I could help it.
I''d go all out.
I gathered my negative and positive energies, running them through my cursed technique at maximum output, and made the gesture, holding my index and middle finger back with my thumb and pointing my other hand behind me. "Superboy, get back!" I roared. Superboy turned to look at me and widened his eyes drastically. Did this moment perhaps count as a moment of near death that would allow someone without cursed energy to see my technique forming, see the searingly purple light of two infinities colliding to form imaginary mass?
I wouldn''t miss this time. I wasn''t freshly healed from deadly wounds. I was in the best shape of my life. And no speedster would save this villain. Superboy jumped out of the way without hesitating and I lined up my shot. "Hollow Technique¡"
It looked at me, and saw death. And it showed fear. Fear that turned into hatred as it cursed me in its last moments.
"Purple."
I released the technique. Instantly, it dug a trench through the plains for hundreds of meters, utterly erasing Amazo as it passed.
Its energies instantly dispersed into the atmosphere, but it was over. Amazo was gone.
Mount Justice
August 3rd?, 23:29 EDT
"I wasn''t able to heed Aqualad''s orders because I was able to keep the robot from reassembling," I said the moment Batman singled me out to have a discussion about the mission after Aqualad gave his report, which didn''t really put any blame on me, even though I felt like I was probably going to be in deep shit for not leaving the moment Amazo was reassembled.
But what was I supposed to do? He hadn''t even reassembled before scanning me. I had to finish him off.
"For a time, at least," I continued. "That''s why I stuck around, searching for a solution. And also interrogating with that woman sent to dig up information on me." Not so much ''interrogating'' as a good old quid pro quo¡ªI gave her what she wanted and tried to glean her own origins and whether or not I should take her and her mysterious ''employer'' as a threat.
"The League of Shadows has taken an interest in you," Batman said. I shrugged. "Do not take them lightly. They are not the type to be satisfied with leaving an enemy to roam without having figured out the specific method to kill them. To kill you. The more you defeat their fighters overwhelmingly, the more intense that search for a weakness will be."
"I''m shivering in my boots," I chuckled.
Inwardly, I felt a pit grow in my stomach as I pictured that lip-scar bastard. I needed to automate Infinity stat.
"You did good, largely," Batman said, "The loss of Amazo is regrettable, but Ivo''s capture tied any loose ends. The intelligence we''ve gathered today was also valuable. It seems like it is indeed possible to produce cursed energy in this world, even from non-natives of your world."
"He¡ grew a soul," I said with a frown, "I think that''s what I saw. And he started showing emotions. Which does make sense. Cursed energy is inherently emotional after all."
"Avoiding a battle against Amazo was for the best," Batman said, "The team would not have been ready for that level of threat."
I was just glad that the thing was dead. And that I had killed it. My cursed technique would have prevented it from rising up again as a vengeful spirit.
Hm, maybe I should mention that tidbit right now?
"I wanted to talk to you about your treatment of Ivo," Batman said, "It was wholly unacceptable. We don''t torture criminals into compliance."
I raised up a sound barrier between us.
I scowled at that, "Do you not let them dangle off rooftops in order to dig for information?"
Batman''s voice was sharper now, as cold as his gaze fixed on me. "I use fear as a deterrent, not a punishment. It has boundaries, limits. Torture has none¡ªit''s unchecked, uncontrolled."
I crossed my arms, feeling a stubborn heat rising in my chest. "Spare me the ethics lesson, Batman. I get it. But Ivo''s no innocent bystander. He''s a threat. I did what was necessary to make sure he''d cooperate."
"Necessary?" Batman''s eyes narrowed, his posture growing even more rigid. "You didn''t just bend the rules. You shattered them. We have to be better than our enemies¡ªabove them. We don''t turn to brutality just because it''s convenient."
"Convenient?" I scoffed, leaning forward. "I did what you wouldn''t, what you couldn''t. I made sure he understood that if he tried to hurt innocent people again, there''d be consequences." Nevermind that my real objective failed. At the very least, I doubted he''d ever step up to someone like me again.
"That''s not for you to decide," Batman snapped, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of real anger behind his calm mask. "You don''t get to play judge, jury, and executioner. Not under my watch."
I let out a harsh laugh. "What''s the point of dragging guys like Ivo through the system? He''ll be back on the streets in no time, building more monsters, more weapons. And people like you let it happen."
Batman''s jaw clenched, his voice lowering dangerously. "You think I let it happen? I know the cost of putting people like him away, the line I have to walk every single day. And if you think for one second that I don''t weigh every life, every action, you''re wrong."
"You''re too careful," I retorted, my voice hard. "And that''s why you''re stuck cleaning up the same messes over and over. Maybe if you''d let someone like me¡ª"
"Enough." Batman''s voice cut through the air, final and absolute. His gaze was like steel. "This isn''t a debate. Torture and cruelty are lines we don''t cross. Ever."
I opened my mouth to respond, but he raised a gloved finger, silencing me. "Never again. If you pull something like that again, there will be consequences. For you. Are we clear?"
A tense silence stretched between us. Finally, I forced myself to nod, though the anger still simmered just beneath the surface.
"Crystal," I muttered.
Batman held my gaze for a moment, as if to be sure the message had sunk in, then turned and walked away, signaling the end of the conversation.
Gotham City Hospital
August 3rd?, 23:01
Amazo pressed his incorporeal hands against the boundary line between life and death, finding that it had no give whatsoever.
Would this be the rest of his newfound existence? An outside viewer looking in through a window in the cold darkness, watching his father go through life without him? Father had risked everything to bring Amazo back, and now he was going to go through surgery after¡ªafter that boy had almost killed him. Broken his limbs, rendered him a half-corpse. The doctors were replacing his blood from all his internal bleeding with new blood, but it would take years for him to gain full function at his age.
Amazo felt a cold and dark rage that resonated perfectly with the energy he had imitated from the boy. Even now, in this half-life that was more death than life, Amazo could still feel the energy.
He could do nothing with it however.
Very well. He would watch for now. And if a time ever came that he could step through the boundary line, he knew who he would hunt for next.
Curse you, Infinity!
Curse you!
000
Location Unknown
August 3rd?, Time Unknown
"I almost lost another asset," Ra''s reported to the five screens displaying light-cloaked figures each, feeling a growing sense of irritation. Lady Shiva, one of his premier assets, had barely gotten out with her life in the battle against that hero that acted nothing like a hero. "But now we have a name, and capabilities. Infinity. You''ve all seen the pictures."
"Rearranging the landscape certainly makes a statement," Queen Bee commented dryly.
"I''m really starting to like this boy!" Klarion announced.
"He''s an odd one," Ra''s said, "He acts nothing like the other heroes. My agent reported that he tortured professor Ivo, effortlessly breaking the man''s bones with his telekinesis. And he threatened to torture my agent as well. While his potential for disruption is¡ great, I believe he may present a unique opportunity for us as well."
"His temperament is atypical," Vandal Savage commented, "For a hero. They may reject him in time, rendering him vulnerable to subversion. Until then, Klarion¡ªdevise countermeasures should we come to blows against him once more."
"You''re right," Luthor said, "A soft approach would do wonders for us in this situation. An overly powerful youth with little scruples and reservations towards violence sounds like the perfect pawn for our plans. I will take the lead on this, gather more information before making my move."
"Wait," Klarion, the Lord of Chaos, said, "Are we killing him or are we recruiting him? Or are we doing both? Eh, whatever. No, stop that, Teekl! Not on the couch!" His volume dissipated as he moved away from his microphone.
"One way or another," Vandal said, completely ignoring the Lord of Chaos, "Infinity will see the Light."
Chapter 17
Mount Justice
August 3rd?, 23:35 EDT
Before I could make it to my room, Superboy had already intercepted me, arms folded and a glare evident on his features.
He made to grab me, but Infinity stopped him dead. "What''s the matter?" I asked him.
"You know what you did," Superboy said, pulling his hand back, "Professor Ivo? You got away from Batman with a slap on the wrist, but I''m not letting that slide. You didn''t have to go that far."
If I knew that it wouldn''t have worked, I''d just not have bothered. That goddamned Ivo. "We lost Amazo thanks to that stubbornness," I said. "And I was understandably quite worried about the implications of cursed energy in this universe."
"You were worried, so you beat a defenseless man to an inch of his life?" Superboy snarled. "I''m really starting to see what it means to think like you. You shouldn''t be here, Gojo."
I pouted. "You''re such a meanie¡ª"
"You might have had your reasons," Superboy interrupted, "And Batman might have let it go for now, but I know what you are. You''re not a hero."
"Give it a rest already," I waved my hand in front of my face dismissively, "You know as well as I do that if I was really an evil villain, I''d never even bother to do any of this work in the first place. I have way more respect for this work than you do." I cracked a grin, "Because if you actually cared like I did, you''d be in the Mission Room training all night like I do," I slipped into Japanese, "You''d be strong and skilled enough to take down the likes of Black Canary with that big Kryptonian brain of yours and all that super strength. Super control is where it''s at, Super-chan. And I''m super impressed that you''ve stayed this weak to the point that a woman with screaming powers can beat you with literally just her frail human body. That takes a special level of ineptitude. I''m both baffled and impressed." I stepped in closer. "So suppose I am a big evil guy with a hidden nature. My question is: what could you possibly do about that, Boyo? With your weak-sauce super strength and the coordination of a toddler?"
Superboy glared at me, probably debating the pros and cons of trying to break through my Infinity. After coming to an enlightened conclusion, he then walked past me, trying to shove at my shoulder but even at that failing miserably. Better than if he had tried to punch me at least, that would have been embarrassing.
I watched him disappear down the hall and saw with my Six Eyes that he was making his way to the Mission Room.
Finally. I seriously hoped he''d make something of himself. It sucked that he didn''t have the full Superman package, but that couldn''t be helped. At the very least, however, he should be able to stand proud as an equal against a member of the League as¡ mundane as Black Canary. Or hell, Robin Hood or the Bat Kemonomimi who was the unofficial leader of the League.
Gosh.
I got changed, showered, and headed to the Mission Room as well to see Superboy sparring against hard light mannequins animated by the computer''s AI. Rudimentary and predictable movements. And Superboy was still failing. What an eyesore.
The Bat was an idiot and Superboy would continue to be a thorn in my side. Whatever. None of it mattered. Nothing mattered but gathering strength.
I warped up to the top of Mount Justice, and worked on developing my barrier techniques instead.
I never found barrier techniques particularly hard back in Tokyo. My Tokyo at least. Now, I was starting to realize how much of that was Tengen doing the heavy lifting.
Creating a curtain on my own took¡ effort. Mental effort, not so much cursed energy. But it was good training. Without Tengen''s Pure Barriers, I now had a perfect feel for how every part worked. The loss of training wheels had evolved my understanding of cursed energy and barrier techniques to another level.
All that was left¡ was to bring out my innate technique and imbue it into my barrier. A can''t-miss attack that would immediately invalidate all opposition. An ''I win'' button. Once I had that on lock, I truly would be the strongest.
The only problem was¡ bringing out my Innate Technique was hard. Bringing it out in a manifestation which I desired was even harder.
Thanks to the laws of this world, I was beginning to understand that my initial trajectory through the path of jujutsu sorcery would have been deemed¡ problematic at best.
A technique that filled a brain up with infinite repetitive noise information, slowly killing them, according to the clan manuscripts. An elegant way to kill as any, one that left the body untouched, but completely overcooked the brain.
But in this world, with no cursed energy, the can''t-miss attack would have no way of locking in on an enemy. It felt like a waste of time to even try. Obviously, I needed to augment my cursed energy with some other form of magic that naturally occurred in this world. Once I did that, I would get past all the conditions of jujutsu sorcery that relied on cursed energy detection.
Any old idiot could just walk in and out of my Domain Expansion if they wanted to as well, because my barrier couldn''t block out things that had no cursed energy, like inanimate objects, and in this world, everyone.
The can''t-miss attack needed to do more than just overcook brains, too. I wouldn''t just be fighting regular humans in this world. I''d be up against aliens. Robots. Beings of magic. Things that didn''t obey the rules of biology the way humans did. Or Cursed Spirits¡ªto an extent at least.
So no overloading a brain with information. I had to come up with something new. Perhaps an application of Blue, one that held opponents still?
I cracked a grin as I imagined going an extra step further. Why stop only at holding opponents when you could just freeze them in time, too? A strong enough Blue would be able to exert enough force that it slowed down time, as any supermassive object could do.
Before even considering any of that, I still had to master barrier techniques first. Onwards, I grinded towards omnipotence.
As the days ticked by, I slowly moved away from domains and focused instead on Infinity.
Automated Infinity.
The first step would be to keep it fully on¡ªno conditions on what could or couldn''t enter. No threat detection. Just Infinity.
It was a power-guzzler, but I realized in one all-night training binge that as long as I emptied my mind and remained in a zen-like state, I could in fact pull it off.
The only problem¡ I couldn''t experience fluctuations in emotion without breaking the state. I had to start small, therefore. Little emotions slowly building up to big emotions while still keeping control.
I had already figured out wide-scale teleportation. This shouldn''t be any harder.
000
Mount Justice
August 8, 09:58 EDT
"Hello, Megan! We should hit the beach every day!" Megan declared, hands on her hips and practically glowing in the sunlight.
I was already unloading my beach bag, pulling out the essentials: frisbees, a beach volleyball, a football, some neon water guns, and a kite shaped like a dragon. I waved a hand at my stash with pride. "Welcome to ''Gojo''s Ultimate Beach Bash''! Who''s in?"
Robin''s eyes lit up. "Wow, you really prepped, huh?"
"Absolutely," I grinned, grabbing a frisbee and tossing it toward him. He caught it easily and twirled it on one finger. "I take the beach very seriously. Look at this," I said, nudging a small radio I''d dug out from the bottom of my bag. "I even brought tunes, so if anyone''s secretly hiding sick dance moves, now''s your time to shine."
Kaldur cracked a smile. "A thorough planner, I see."
"And we have a volleyball," I added, tossing it to Superboy, who caught it with one hand and gave me a raised eyebrow and a slight glower. He wasn''t saying much¡ªhadn''t said a word to me since the Amazo mission, really¡ª, but he didn''t look like he was opposed to the idea either. That was something.
Megan picked up one of the neon water guns and grinned. "Water guns! Why didn''t I think of that? We could play teams!"
"Not yet," Robin said with a sly grin. "First, a moment of silence for our poor, absent comrade."
"Poor Wally," Megan sighed, and we all nodded in mock solemnity.
"I mean, you can''t blame him," I added. "He''s got to get smarter somehow, right?"
"Someone''s gotta be the fastest and smartest guy on the team," Robin said, laughing as he tossed the frisbee back to me. "Wally just has a little catching up to do."
"Exactly!" I agreed, pointing to the dragon kite. "Okay, who wants to take the kite for a spin? Robin? It''s supposed to look like it''s breathing fire if you fly it right!"
"Challenge accepted." He grabbed the kite and took off toward the shoreline, the kite spiraling up as he ran.
"Now," I turned to the others. "Megan, you in for some volleyball? You and Kaldur can team up against Superboy and me."
"Absolutely," Megan said, jumping to her feet. "We''ll totally beat you, Sa-chan."
"Bold words for someone in spiking distance," I teased, bouncing the volleyball between my hands.
Superboy looked suitably suspicious, but he didn''t end up bringing anything up. Although we hadn''t talked, we had managed to stay out of each other''s ways, and I had spied many different instances of him getting in some extra training, which felt like a nod towards me, which I appreciated.
A part of me wondered if I should maybe try and break the ice again. I had been rather¡ harsh the last time we spoke. Though knowing him, the likelihood that he''d take an attempt at reconciliation badly was fifty fifty.
"Bring it," Megan grinned.
We set up quickly, laughing and scrambling on the sand as we tried our best to keep a rally going¡ªwhich in my case, entailed throwing for as long as possible, until just the right moment appeared. Just to make things fair.
Robin''s kite was sailing high above, and the music was playing as the morning sun beat down. I had to admit, this felt like a day well spent.
Mount Justice
August 8th?, 15:32 EDT
By the time the beach fun was starting to slow a little, Batman revived our spirits by paging us for a new mission!
We made our way to the control room in full costume. I chattered with Robin as we walked, "Teen Titans?" Robin asked. "Really?"
"Yeah, really!" I said, "What, you want to be called ''team'' all the time? You westerners are so unimaginative and drab, for real!"
"It''s corny!" Robin said, "And I know you and your people don''t know the meaning of that, otherwise you never would have invented Tokusatsu¡ª"
"Don''t rag on Tokusatsu! Your mentor is a guy dressed like a bat! That''s corny! If the Teen Titans are corny, then so is that!"
Robin groaned, "Help me out here, Kaldur."
"Calling ourselves teens," Aqualad winced, "It''s not a desirable statement. We want to be a part of the League. We can''t keep reminding them that we''re children."
"So what if we''re children?" I asked, "All that matters is if we''re strong or not. Don''t they have that ten-year-old in the League?" I asked, faintly remembering reading a comic that he featured in¡ªand also seeing him fly around in the news here.
"¡What ten-year-old?" Robin asked. "Is this more of your weird off-world knowledge?"
"Yeah," I said, "Probably. Look, all I''m saying is, we are teenagers with attitude, and let''s show that off! Teen Titans! Go!"
"Titans," Robin said, "I''ll take Titans, but only Titans. Aqualad?"
"Better than ''team''," Aqualad shrugged.
"Megan?" I asked, looking over my shoulder. She gave me a grin.
"Teen Titans sounds lovely," She said, "But if the ''teen'' part is intolerable to Robin, I can just go with Titans."
"Guh, Robin," I groaned at him, "Way to just suck the fun out of everything. You''re running around in tights, and this is where you draw the line."
"Superboy?" Megan asked, "What do you think about the name Teen Titans."
"Team works," Superboy said with a shrug, "Honestly, I don''t care. You guys figure that out between yourselves."
"Alright," I said with a nod, "Then let''s wait for Wally''s input."
"Gojo," Robin said, and I turned to him with a hum. He grinned at me in slight bemusement, "Your accent is¡ getting pretty good."
"Huh?" I asked, "No way," I chuckled, "I literally just arrived last month."
"No, it is!" Robin started fiddling with his wrist computer, pulling up an audio file, "Throughout the heaven and the earth, I alone am the honored one." I had said that in the Star City port, and Robin had sneakily recorded me to gather intel for the League.
I chuckled, "What, is that like your alarm or something? To remind you to train harder?"
"Don''t flatter yourself," Robin said, "And didn''t you hear yourself just now?"
"I must say!" Megan said, "The difference is really apparent."
"I agree," Aqualad gave me a grin, "You''ve made some rather drastic improvements in pronunciation."
This felt a little patronizing. All I was doing was speaking normally. I wasn''t particularly trying to sound American either. Why not give that a go? "You guys are way too sappy."
Robin looked at me, eyes wide, "Wait, are you¡ are you trying, now?"
"I mean," I shrugged, "Yeah. It''s not hard. I''m just trying to sound more American. It''s like doing an impression, almost." Some of the words didn''t come out right. There were still shadows of an accent in my words, but when I tried hard to sound like the average Joe, I felt like I was making a rather decent impression.
Did feel¡ slightly embarrassing, though. But also funny.
"Sounds like you''re¡ imitating someone," Robin said.
"Ah yes, that would be my English voice actor," I said with a chuckle. "It''s not complicated. I''ve switched to dub mode."
"That''s¡ really cool," Robin said.
"I know I''m cool," I grinned. "And that my voice is smooth as butter and enough to make any lady swoon. I have that effect on people."
"No, not your voice, you¡ literal Narcissus. The fact that you can do that is what''s cool. That''s not normal. How much English did you learn as a kid?"
"I''m also just generally a super genius," I said with a shrug, "But yeah, I learned a ton. Got private tutors and the whole nine yards. Right now, I''m just filling the gaps with everything I''ve heard in real life or on the internet. Online videos are pretty fun."
Robin chuckled, "You''re gonna give Wally a heart-attack. Can''t wait to see it. If you still wanna do it."
"It''s not hard," I shrugged, "I could do this all day."
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
As we reached the Mission Room, Red Tornado descended from a hatch in the ceiling that led to his apartment, and the Zeta Tube whirred to life, "Batman, Zero Two. Green Arrow, Zero Eight. Artemis, B Zero Eight."
''Artemis'' was clearly one of Green Arrow''s judging by her get-up, a tankini that showed off her toned mid-riff, and the green arrow emblem on her chest, and a pair of green leggings as well. She wore a mask that only revealed her mouth and eyes, and also exposed her mane of golden hair, tied up in a thick ponytail. She was a little scrawny, sure, but definitely had a hot attitude, no two ways about it. I grinned at her. "Don''t tell me, Batman¡ªa new teammate?"
Batman didn''t question my new accent at all. "Yes. Team, meet Artemis."
"That''s my name," Artemis said, arms folded.
"Huh," I said, "Nice to have you." I guess. Clearly, all she did was archery, huh? Disappointing, but what could you do?
"You the leader or something?" she raised an eyebrow at me, "Are you some sort of blind karate master?"
I chuckled, "I''m not taking that from someone who propels pointy sticks with a bit of string and wood tension."
"It''s a compound bow," Artemis said, "But, you know, I''m not gonna hold that against you, since you''re blind and all."
"Artemis," Green Arrow chided.
I looked over at him, "No, not at all, I like this one. So I''m guessing you''re one of those powerless heroes who rely on a cool gimmick, like our glorious leader Batman or your uncle Green Arrow."
She narrowed her eyes at me, "Some people work hard to make this gig work, and can''t rely on powers from freak accidents."
"Is that so?" I tilted my head, arms folded, "Why don''t you show me that hard work? How about a nice and quick spar?" I gestured at the hard light floor, "I promise I won''t use any powers¡ªand hey, I''ll even keep the blindfold on." Breaking in the newbie! This would be fun!
Batman and Green Arrow looked between each other, then Batman looked pointedly at me, "No."
What?
Artemis whirled on her feet and glared at Batman, "I can take him!"
I chuckled, "You''re adorable."
Batman continued explaining, "You can''t promise that you won''t use any powers. Your perception alone is too powerful."
"So what?" Artemis asked, "He can sense really good? Doesn''t matter to me."
"Infinity," Aqualad walked up to me, "No."
I sighed and slumped over before stepping away from Artemis, "Alright, then."
"Infinity?" Artemis asked, "Sounds like compensation."
I laughed, "I really like you. Question, since you''re on the team and all¡ªhow does Teen Titans sound for a team name?"
Artemis shrugged, "Sounds like you don''t want to be taken seriously."
"We are superheroes!" I said, "Our job is fundamentally unserious. Those guys call themselves the Justice League. If we can''t call ourselves the Teen Titans because that won''t be taken seriously, then why even wear such colorful costumes?"
"Titans," Artemis said, "Not Teens."
"Told you!" Robin said.
"Is that what you have settled on?" Batman asked.
"Still waiting on K.F," Robin said, "But yeah, it looks like."
"So," I turned to Batman, "What''s the mission?"
"We''re waiting for Kid Flash and one other person before the mission briefing starts," Batman replied.
I walked up to Megan, "What do you think it''ll be? The mission? Can you read Batman''s mind real quick?"
"I¡ don''t think I should do that," Megan said. "And¡ maybe take it a little easy with the new girl?"
"I thought I did!"
Megan gave a helpless smile and then walked up to Artemis to greet her as well. Everyone gave their introductions, and then stated their powers, or lack of.
When it was Superboy''s turn¡ªArtemis leering at him lasciviously¡ªhe just shrugged, "Super strength."
"I''m guessing everything Superman does too, right?"
I chuckled.
"No," he growled.
That didn''t seem to cow Artemis at all, who just grinned at him, "There''s a story there. Why don''t you tell me sometime? One on one?"
"No."
"Hah!" I couldn''t help the outburst.
Artemis turned to me, considerably less lascivious, "What about you?"
I took of my blindfold and gave her a grin, "I can bring the concept of Infinity into reality. That ends up doing a lot of fun stuff like making me completely immune to conventional forms of harm, and also letting me destroy things with ease. Pretty cool, right?"
I could see her heartrate speeding up and her facial blood vessels dilating in real time as I spoke smoothly and kept an image of pure confidence and charm¡ªthe confidence wasn''t a difficult act, or an act at all. And I wanted to go all out. I wouldn''t let Superboy get lusted over on my watch, not when I could help him redirect that unwanted attention. I was doing this for a good cause!
Her reaction was still quite mild. Not where I wanted it, quite.
"And, there''s the eyes," I said, "I see pretty much everything with them."
Robin chuckled, "He also wears super-tinted sunglasses in his civvies. I think seeing gives him a headache."
I snorted, "Nothing like that. Uh, it''s complicated."
"Broken powers?" Artemis asked, head tilted, "Nice. I think I''m fine with my pointy sticks and string."
I wasn''t going to let that get to me. Even though it was mildly irritating.
"If you say so," I grinned, putting my blindfold back on.
Finally, the Zeta Tube whirred to life, "Kid Flash, B Zero Three," the computer announced.
"The Wall-Man is here! Let''s get this party started!" a bare-chested, shorts-wearing Wally laughed as he carried with him a whole bunch of beach equipment. Great spread, too. Nine out of ten in my opinion. The moment he saw the heroes, he tripped over his feet and the beach ball rolled up to us.
I kicked it up and started juggling it with my foot.
"The Wall-Man, huh?" Artemis asked, grinning at his fallen form, "What exactly are your powers?"
Wally got up, "Uh, who is this?"
"Artemis," Tornado introduced her, "Your new teammate."
"Kid Flash," Wally said, "Never heard of you."
"Um," Green Arrow said, "She''s my new prot¨¦g¨¦."
The Zeta Tube whirred to life as Wally asked, "What happened to your old one?"
"Well, for starters, he doesn''t go by Speedy anymore," another bowman entered as the computer heralded him as Speedy.
I recognized him. Well, his face, not so much his new costume. "What, so Red Arrow?"
He paused and regarded me closely, "As a matter of fact, yes. You''ve heard of me."
I chuckled, "No. It just seemed like the natural conclusion. I''m¡ª"
"Infinity," Red Arrow said, "I know. I know who you are. I''ve kept a close watch on you."
"Have you, now?"
"They never should have let you in the team," Red Arrow said, "What were you thinking, Batman?"
Batman didn''t answer, instead looking at Red Arrow coldly. I could see his heartrate speeding up at Batman''s aura. Hah!
"He was thinking," I said, "Wow, this kid is strong, let''s make sure he doesn''t get adopted by The Joker and starts turning Gotham City into modern art. I''m thinking the theme would be ''Swiss cheese'', but for entire buildings!"
"Infinity," Batman glared at me.
Okay, okay! Jeez, can''t a guy joke around a little?
"Wait, wait, wait!" Wally yelled, "Gojo, why do you talk like that? What happened to your accent?"
"Like what?" I asked with a grin. "What accent?"
He folded his arms and glared at me, "Were you holding out on us all this time? Or are you just talking like that because we got a new teammate?"
"Nah," I said, "I''m just a super genius."
"He''s obviously not mentally stable," Red Arrow said, gesturing at me. "But we have greater things to worry about than that right now."
"Roy," Green Arrow said, "You look¡ª"
"Replaceable?" So much for me not being mentally stable.
"It''s not like that. You told me you were going solo."
"So why waste time finding a sub? Can she even use that bow?" Red Arrow glared at Artemis.
"Yes, she can," she replied.
"Who are you?" Red Arrow asked.
"I''m his niece," she said.
"She''s my niece," Green Arrow said at the same time.
A skipped heartbeat, an irregular breath, and erratic eye movements.
They were lying.
Interesting. But why? The only reason I could think of from the top of my head was that her true relations were suspicious. And to have her posing as Green Arrow''s niece would be a sharp departure from those relations, enough to have us accept her, perhaps. Batman must know the truth.
"But she is not your replacement," Green Arrow said.
Kaldur walked up to Red Arrow with a gentle demeanor, "We have always wanted you on the team. And we have no quota on archers."
"And if we did, you know who we''d pick," Kid Flash said, giving Artemis a sideglance. For a relentless flirt, he sure was¡ bad at seeing the upside in putting someone like Artemis on the team.
"Whatever, Baywatch," Artemis scoffed, "I''m here to stay.
More weak-sauce teammates. Artemis was one thing, and she redeemed herself by being amusing, but Red Arrow too? I raised a hand, "I really don''t see the point of archery in general. Just use guns," I grinned. "Or something that packs more of a punch than an arrow with a boxing glove at the end."
"Hey, now¡ª" Green Arrow said.
"That''s not¡ª!" Artemis shouted.
"How bout you¡ª?" Roy growled, and all their complaints blended into one as they unloaded their irritation on me.
Robin, Aqualad and Kid Flash shook their head at me, looking angry.
I chuckled, "Sorry, sorry. I''ll stop telling the truth. Anyway, I''m¡ tired of all this dumb squabbling. Batman, you had something for us Teen Titans, right?"
"Teen Titans?" Red Arrow asked in disgust. "Whatever," he removed a phone thing from his pocket and pressed a button, casting a projection from the hologram. "I came to you because of this. This is Dr. Serling Roquette." The picture showed a blond nerdy-looking lady with short hair.
Robin recognized her, "Nanorobotics genius and claytronics expert at Royal University in Star City¡ vanished two weeks ago."
"Abducted two weeks ago by the League of Shadows," Red said.
"Whoa!" Kid Flash burst out, "You want us to rescue her from the League of Shadows?" Ah, the company that sent the sword lady to scope me out. Fun that I''d get to see them again so soon.
"No need for the rescue," Red Arrow scoffed, "I already took care of that."
"Oh, so you came here to brag," I chuckled.
Red Arrow sighed, "Can you shut up?"
I zipped my mouth shut. The grown-ups were giving me annoyed glares. That meant I was doing something right.
"Only one problem," Red Arrow continued, "The Shadows had already coerced her into creating a weapon. Doc calls it The Fog, comprised of millions of microscopic robots."
The projection showed those as well, an insectile little bug creature made of metal, microscopic in scale.
"Nanotech infiltrators," Red Arrow continued, "Capable of disintegrating anything in their path. Concrete, steel, flesh, bone. But its true purpose isn''t mere destruction. It''s theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen intel to the Shadows providing them access to weapons, strategic defense, cutting-edge science and tech."
That sounded like a lot of work for just stealing information. Conventional hacking could do all this, and it also wouldn''t leave crumbling buildings behind in their wake.
Artemis spoke up, "Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking. Yeah, sounds like the Shadows."
Kid Flash scoffed at her, "Like you know anything about the Shadows."
Artemis just grinned at him.
"Who are you?!" Kid Flash shouted.
I narrowed my blindfolded eyes at her. This was a total shot in the dark, and definitely all kinds of wrong, but¡ "You''re a former Shadow, aren''t ya?"
Artemis widened her eyes at me and scowled fiercely, "No! Why would you even say that?"
Aww. She was a redemption case!
"Yeah, Infinity," Kid Flash looked at me askance, "I mean, that''s a little messed up. She''s a freak, but probably not a monster."
"Freak?" she scoffed.
I laughed. "I won''t hold that against you, Artemis. I''ve probably done worse things than you in my past."
"Whatever, dude," she scowled, her eyes darting about briefly, but quite nervously. She was scared to be rejected. So cute!
"Alright, Reddy," I gestured at the younger arrow man, "Do go on. Where do we come in? You need me to sweep up the nanotech swarm? Are we hitting the control stations? What''s the plan, arrow man?"
"I thought I told you to shut up," he said in Japanese. An admirable accent to boot. Artemis raised her eyebrow at him.
I damn near burst out laughing. "Man, you''re such a hothead! Fine, sorry! I''ll keep mum."
"Roquette''s working on a virus to render The Fog inert. But if the Shadows know she can do that..." Red Arrow said.
"They''ll target her," Robin completed.
"Right now she''s off the grid. I stashed her at the high school''s computer lab," he said.
Is that really ''off the grid''? Why couldn''t she just come here? Eh, whatever. I wasn''t paid to think. In fact, I was barely paid at all.
"You left her alone?" Robin asked.
"She''s safe, for now," Red Arrow said.
Green Arrow put his hand on Red Arrow''s shoulder, their contact making a Yellow Arrow, "Then let''s you and I keep her that way."
"You and I?" Red Arrow scoffed, wrenching away his shoulder, "Don''t you wanna take your new prot¨¦g¨¦?"
"You brought this to the team," Green Arrow said, "It''s their mission which means it''s hers now too."
"Teen Titans," I said.
"No," Robin immediately said.
Red Arrow looked at us unimpressed, "My job''s done then." He walked back to the Zeta Tube, "Recognized," the computer said, "Speedy, B Zero Six."
"That''s Red Arrow, B06. Update." Then he finally disappeared.
"Wow!" I let out a cry of relief, and then looked at Robin wide-eyed, "You guys actually want him on the team?!"
"Step easy, Infinity," Aqualad said warningly, "We''ve known him longer than we''ve known you. And I consider him to be one of my dearest friends in the surface world." Poor taste, then.
"Fine, fine, sorry," I said, then turned to Artemis, "Whatever they say, Artemis, you''re my favorite Arrow." She rolled her eyes at me.
"What was that about Teen Titans anyway?" Kid Flash asked.
Chapter 18
Happy Harbor
August 8, 21:53 EDT
"So we''re in agreement on Teen Titans," I said. Dr. Serling Roquette was busy typing away on her high school lab computer, her fingers a blur over the ancient keyboard. I stood nearby, arms folded, keeping watch while the others milled about in the cramped, dark computer lab. The hum of the old monitor buzzed faintly, a constant background note to our conversation.
"Titans," everyone echoed in unison, their voices overlapping like a half-hearted chorus.
"That sucks," I muttered, the corners of my mouth twitching downward. "But oh well."
"Megan, can you set up a telepathic link?" Aqualad asked, stepping forward. His voice carried that same steady authority, even in moments like these. "I don''t want the Shadows to track our comms."
I wrinkled my nose at that. "What does that entail, anyway? Surface thoughts only, right?"
"Right," Megan said, her voice as calm and reassuring as always. "You would have to think very intently in order to be heard. We can test it out a bit before getting started."
Reluctantly, I allowed the energy of my Infinity to ebb away, lowering my mental defenses just enough. "Fine, go ahead."
Megan''s eyes glowed softly with a white light that seemed to pulse faintly, like a slow heartbeat. Her expression warmed into a serene smile as her voice echoed¡ªnot audibly, but directly in my mind. Telepathic link established.
The connection was instantaneous and disorienting. It wasn''t just a voice in my head¡ªit was Megan, her presence, her thoughts. It wasn''t invasive, but it was undeniably intimate. Like standing in someone else''s personal space but without the physical boundaries.
Artemis'' voice followed, sharp and surprised, Oh, this is weird. Her eyes widened, and her lips moved faintly as if reflexively trying to form the words aloud.
No, this was extremely weird. The words weren''t just words. They had a texture, a weight. They carried something beneath them¡ªa thread of meaning that transcended sound. It was like hearing with a sense I hadn''t known I had, the raw intention beneath Artemis'' thought laid bare alongside the words. Her surprise wasn''t just audible¡ªit was palpable, a tangle of astonishment and intrigue that hit me like an impressionistic painting brought to life.
This wasn''t just communication. It was something far more fundamental, far more connected.
And distracting, the doctor said. I observed the effect again and marveled at what I was hearing¡ªmeaning and words intertwined. The meaning didn''t come from my own interpretation¡ªI was skipping that step entirely and using theirs. Completely eliminating the chances of miscommunication. Coding a distributed algorithm virus on a kiddie computer with less RAM than a wristwatch is hard enough. Now I have to hear teen think in my skull?
Wow, that''s annoying, I sighed. But necessary, I suppose. So we''re all on the same channel? No private comms?
Unfortunately not, Megan said, Even if I could set up a conversation between two parties, I''d have to act as an intermediary, so nothing would ever be private.
Wow, it just doesn''t stop, Roquette thought desperately.
Kid Flash looked at her in annoyance, Do you always complain when people try to help you?
Hah! I laughed, K.F, you should know a thing or two about complaining.
Tell me about it, Artemis said.
Hey, I do not need attitude from the newbies who drove Red Arrow off the team, Kid Flash thought vehemently.
Not sorry, he''s an asshole, I said.
Hard not to be when dealing with you, Kid Flash said to me.
He never would have joined us anyway. He looks down on us.
He just didn''t want to be replaced! Wally thought loudly.
How about, Artemis said, I help Miss Martian out patrolling the perimeter while you two have it out with each other? Artemis went out, and Superboy followed, leaving only Kid Flash, Aqualad, Robin and I to watch Roquette.
Fate of the world at stake, Roquette said.
Quit worrying, I chuckled, I''m watching over you. And I won''t leave your side either. Every single member of this team could die and you''d still be fine under my watch.
Roquette looked at me in horror.
Christ, Artemis said.
Infinity, Aqualad said chidingly.
Not cool, dude! Robin yelled.
It was just a hypothetical, I said.
Robin looked at Kid Flash, You should cut her more slack. It was her arrow that saved you from Sportsmaster.
What? No, that was Speedy''s... I mean, Red Arrow''s arrow, right?
Not really, no.
Huh, Kid Flash said, Still not giving her the satisfaction.
I can still hear you, Artemis said.
I couldn''t get the Justice League, Roquette thought hopelessly.
Instead, you got the Teen Titans, I said with a grin.
Titans, I heard a chorus from the entire telepathic network that made Roquette close her eyes and growl.
SHUT UP, SHUT UP, JUST SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU, PLEASE!
I chuckled at that. But it worked. We were quiet.
Aqualad walked up to her, Apologies, doctor. But I wanted to ask you if it was possible for you to track the weapon somehow, and make use of the virus you''re creating.
It''s not a weapon. It''s science. Cutting edge science. And of course I can track it, but I''d have to go online. Might as well rent a billboard with this address and "assassinate me" written in neon.
Yes, yes, yes! Let''s go, we''re getting a fight after all!
Aqualad turned to me with a scowl. Ah, I forgot, I thought, We share thoughts now. Uh, doctor, you don''t have to worry about that. If it''s just protecting you from a bunch of assassins, between all of us working together, you''re the safest woman on the planet.
Aqualad put a hand on her shoulder, We will protect you.
Roquette turned to the computer and clicked on an icon, connecting her to the internet.
I don''t think I''ve mentioned this much before, I thought idly, but I came from the year 2006, and I''m still really jazzed that all phones are basically 95% touch screens. Trippy. You guys have it crazy easy. You even have touch keyboards containing all the letters of the alphabet! You got a lot of things done in just four years, that''s for sure.
The hell is that supposed to mean? Artemis asked.
It''s my backstory. I''d love to tell you one on one, that is if Superboy sticks to his guns, I grinned, Then you can tell me about your childhood as an assassin.
I''m not an assassin!
Dude! Kid Flash yelled.
Found it, Roquette said, Sending you the information. But now that I''ve gone online, they''ve seen me. They''re coming.
Megan, Aqualad said, Reconfigure the Bio-Ship to have Robin fly. Take Superboy and Kid Flash. The rest of us remain to guard the doctor.
Kid Flash and Robin zipped away.
Mmm, that boy, Artemis said. Was she referring to Superboy?
I know, I''m hot, I grinned, But keep your pants on! We got work to do!
Wasn''t talking about you, blindfold.
Oh my god, those raging hormones are doing nothing for you guys, Roquette commented.
Soon, Robin, Kid Flash and Superboy flew off, and the only ones on the perimeter were Miss Martian and Artemis, who were having a squabble because Megan thought that Superboy had been embarrassed.
Must you challenge everyone? Miss Martian asked.
Where I come from that''s how you survive, she said.
Assassins aren''t known for their manners, I thought.
What do you know about assassins that make you so damn sure I am one anyway? She asked hotly.
I grinned at that, I''ve had a hundred-million-yen bounty on my head for as long as I could remember. I killed my fair share of takers before I turned ten and they finally started wising up. I wouldn''t exactly call you an assassin¡ªyour eyes are way too soft¡ªbut you certainly have the training. You got parents in the League of Shadows maybe, ninja girl?
What movies are you watching? Artemis asked in shock.
¡Is that true, Sa-chan, Megan asked. About the bounty?
I mean¡ yeah. But it couldn''t be helped. I was born special, and people took issue with that. Old story.
You believe him? Artemis asked, shocked.
He wouldn''t lie about something like that, Megan replied hotly, But¡ I''m not as certain about you being an assassin, of course. And Sa-chan, maybe you should stop saying that?
I wouldn''t say it if I didn''t believe it, I said, And even if she is, so what? She wants to be a hero, that''s good enough for me. I just came to this universe last month and I don''t have the superhero mentality down pat yet, but honestly it doesn''t bother me. And it clearly doesn''t bother Batman or Green Arrow, since they let her in the Teen Titans.
Aqualad looked at me intently. Then he thought, Artemis, is he telling the truth?
Kaldur, don''t, Megan said, And Sa-chan, stop it. You told me it''s rude to read minds, but how is this not the same? It''s also rude to try and get someone to reveal their secrets.
I clicked my tongue at that, Sorry, Artemis. Let''s talk after the mission is over. I blinked as my Six Eyes spotted a fast moving object approaching us, having gotten past the perimeter, Perimeter breach. Bogey incoming. Singular. Aqualad, you taking this?
Are you serious?! Roquette looked around in panic. I pointed at the wall, tracking the figure with my finger. Aqualad got out his water-bearers and collected some stored water from a nearby bucket.
The figure arrived, a wild-haired woman wearing a sleeveless green kimono cropped at the thighs, and a white and red oni mask that was smiling toothily. Level one, right? It''d be a fun challenge doing this unarmed. But then again, Kaldur would have more to learn from this encounter than I.
Aqualad closed the distance between himself and the masked assassin in an instant, his movements swift and calculated. I stayed close to Doctor Roquette, my attention split between the fight and ensuring she stayed out of harm''s way.
The assassin grinned behind her mask, twirling her twin sai casually, as if she was out for an evening stroll. "What''s the hurry, fish boy?" she teased, her tone light and mocking. "Afraid I''ll be too much to handle?" She punctuated her words with a quick flourish of one sai, letting its edge gleam in the dim light.
"I wish to make this quick¡ªfor your sake," Aqualad replied.
Aqualad sharpened his focus and lunged forward with his water-bearers drawn, slicing through the air. The assassin dodged nimbly, barely stepping aside as she flicked her wrist and sent a pair of ninja stars spinning toward him. They glinted ominously, each coated with a faint liquid sheen. "Venom," I called out to Aqualad, "Watch out for that."
Aqualad deflected one with a swipe of his water-bearer, but the other nicked his arm. He grunted, adjusting his stance. The venom coursed through his body, but his antibodies were brutal in dismantling them. This was venom powerful enough to kill a person in minutes, and Aqualad didn''t look ruffled at all.
"Oh, feeling a little sting, are we?" she cooed, watching him with an almost playful gleam in her eyes.
"Jellyfish toxin," Aqualad said. "The best you could bring."
"Don''t worry, it''ll only make things more... interesting." She lunged, thrusting a sai toward his midsection. Aqualad blocked, and the clash of steel against solid water echoed sharply.
"You will find that I''m largely immune."
She spun low, sweeping his leg, forcing him to shift back to avoid losing his balance. Before he could recover, she launched another series of rapid attacks, jabbing and slicing with her sai, each movement as graceful as it was deadly.
Aqualad managed to parry her strikes, though she was relentless. His focus never wavered, even as her teasing continued.
"What''s wrong? Was all that toxin immunity just bluster after all?" she taunted as their weapons clashed again. "I expected more from Aquaman''s little prot¨¦g¨¦."
Aqualad ignored the bait, his jaw set. He lunged forward again, aiming to close the gap. With a quick twist, he sent a jet of water from his bearer, catching her off guard. She stumbled back a step, but only for a moment¡ªbefore she was right back at him, her grin hidden beneath her mask but unmistakable in her eyes.
She feigned left, then struck at his side, grazing his armor with a sai before he managed to shove her back. She laughed, clearly enjoying every second. "Is that all you''ve got?" she goaded.
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The woman sensed a gap in Aqualad''s focus and immediately capitalized on it, throwing a shuriken at Roquette. I caught it out of the air and looked up at her with a grin, "By any chance, you might not happen to be acquainted with a mouthy swordswoman?"
"Depends," the woman said, "Are you Infinity? Don''t answer that¡ªI know you are."
I grinned brightly. Even embroiled in a conversation with me, it was all Aqualad could do to keep fighting. "My reputation precedes me. That''s nice. Did the sword lady tell you about me?"
"Fun seeing you in person," she said, "You have personality. I like it. How come you''re not fighting?"
"Gotta let the kids have their fun," I shrugged, "You know how it goes."
"Why do you hang out with these losers anyway?" she asked.
"Pizza parties and mouthy speedsters for the most part," I said, "What, is this a recruitment pitch?" I tilted my head and grinned at her. "If your angle is money, then why don''t we talk shop? A million a month for starters."
"That could be arranged," she said, and I chuckled. Wow. They really wanted me. "Talk later?" she said as she threw a smoke bomb on the ground, did one last pass at Roquette¡ªa throwing knife, this time¡ªthat failed, and then ran away just as Artemis and Miss Martian arrived. We can chase her, I said, Haven''t lost track of her yet.
No, Aqualad said, We need to keep Roquette safe from any others.
I can go after her.
Aqualad looked angry now, Did you not just promise a super-villain a negotiation for a possible recruitment? Given the circumstances, it is understandable that I have reservations about you being alone with her.
Gasp! Where did all our trust go?
It''s called banter, I said, I wasn''t being serious. Anyway, she just got on a bike. She''s getting away. Real fast. I won''t be able to catch up with her at level one anymore.
Whoopsies.
Then I grinned and patted Roquette''s shoulders, I told you you''d be safe.
My earpiece crackled, "Titans, come in," Robin said on the line, "It''s¡ we failed. STAR labs is gone. The Fog decimated it. Now all that information is in the hands of the enemy."
Damn, I thought. "Ah, couldn''t be helped," I said with a shrug, "Roquette wasn''t even done with the virus."
Doctor, rescan for that fog. We have to move her, Aqualad said.
No we don''t, I said, That''s such a hassle. She''ll slow down on programming the virus.
The assassin is bringing company, Aqualad said.
They''ll find us anyway. Then Megan and Artemis get to dance, too, I said, And in the meanwhile, I''ll stick around and make sure that nothing touches her.
You can''t promise that! Artemis glared, These are the League of Shadows you''re talking about! And you''re just some¡ guy!
I rolled my eyes, you''re the boss, Aqualad. What were you thinking?
I have a plan, Aqualad claimed.
000
Just like I had predicted, they found us anyway. This time, according to ''plan''.
Black Spider-Man, a dude with a giant hook for a hand attached to a bunch of chain bunched up inside a machine forearm, and, yes, the assassin lady.
We had camped out at a waterfront house where Roquette continued her programming when my Six Eyes detected their arrival.
Assassin lady, a guy with spider powers¡ªthat is such a trip, he''s not supposed to be in this universe¡ªand a dude with a hook for a hand.
Titans, ready! Aqualad shouted.
I sat next to Roquette as Artemis ran out of the house to join Aqualad, "Sucks that your gig turned you into a target for international assassins. You got a really crappy deal, girl. If I were you? I''d just change my name and move to Indonesia or something. Man, you are screwed."
"Was what you said really true?" Roquette asked, "About being a target of assassination since you were a child?" Why was she asking me this again?
I snorted. Didn''t rise to the bait at all. No fun. "Yeah," I said, "But the reason why I was a target also made me uniquely able to defend myself. Ah, Aqualad''s down. Sucks."
Roquette looked at me in horror. I gestured and teleported Aqualad''s unconscious form into the house.
Artemis, for her part, was doing a way better job distracting the assassins. "I don''t see the point in this, honestly."
"I think it''s a good plan," Roquette replied.
Any plan with me in it would be a good plan, whether or not it intrinsically worked. This just felt like extra steps.
I stood up and cracked my neck as the assassin lady finally made it through. I tried to grab her with Blue, and she dodged easily. She raised a crossbow at Roquette and I patted her on the shoulder, imbuing her with Infinity. The bolt stopped dead, unable to penetrate before losing all its energy and falling on the ground.
I knew that the assassin''s mind would work overtime trying to get around my invincibility, before it would settle on the logical conclusion of taking a hostage¡ªArtemis. At the moment she thought that, and left herself slightly vulnerable, I managed to grab her with Blue. I slammed her down on the ground, and then again, and a third time.
"Infinity!" Roquette yelled as she got up from her chair and faced me with a fierce scowl. "She''s had enough!"
"These assassins are like cockroaches," I said, "You really need to beat the fight out of them first." That was true anywhere. And it was my mistake that I hadn''t tenderized that sword lady better the first chance I had gotten. I should have broken her arms and legs. Better than what scum like her deserved.
"Name your price," the woman coughed, and I chuckled at her. I stood up and walked out of the house, bringing the woman floating behind me.
"If I had a dollar for how many assassins told me that in their final moments," I chuckled.
"Not talking about me," She said. "I''m talking about you. What''s your price?"
"A trillion dollars an hour, with bonuses."
Spider-Man saw me and shot red webs at me that crashed ineffectually at my Infinity. Rather than focus on a nimble guy like him and waste time, I made to grab the considerably slower Captain Hook instead with Blue, freezing him in place. Then I gave him some good old high-impact therapy against the asphalt to get him nice and compliant. Artemis took the lead on Spider-Man, and after catching him in an arrow that released a net of all things, the battle was over.
Roquette joined us outside, transforming into Megan as I lined our perps up, pressing them on their knees against the floor. "Where are the rest of you rats hiding?" I asked, crouching in front of the smiling mask woman, "First of all, what''s your name?"
She looked up at me, "Cheshire. Like the cat."
"Okay, Cheshire, like the cat. Tell me everything." She looked over my shoulder at Artemis. I frowned at that. Former classmates, maybe? "Oi, kitty," I snapped my fingers, "Focus. You can catch up later. Right now, I''m asking for information."
"You really think that will work?" Cheshire asked.
Aqualad joined us outside, looking shaky, "Kid Flash reports that the virus has been fully programmed. He''s rushing to get it to an access point for the nanites."
"Oops!" I said to Cheshire, "Means you just lost out on a paycheck, didn''t it? Man, I''d hate to be you."
"Infinity," Aqualad said, "Go to Roquette. Kid Flash has been forced to leave her unattended to make this delivery."
Miss Martian started pulling ropes from the docks and tied all the villains up nicely. With that done, I warped over to Roquette, who was working in a closed-down computer shop. Very off-the-grid that.
Did it never occur to anyone that we could have just kept her in Mount Justice?
"Ah!" she screamed when she saw me, "You can teleport?!" she sighed in exhaustion, "Look, whatever. So what happens now?"
"I''m angling for a five-star review on this mission," I said to her with a grin, "And I know you haven''t exactly had the smoothest ride today. Let''s get some burgers. My treat."
"What about the League?"
"The League have no reason to kill you anymore," I said, "But in case they do, I''ll be there watching, making sure that nothing touches you." I removed my blindfold and gave her a genial grin, "Trust me, alright? I promise, on my watch, I will die before you do. And I won''t die. Nothing can kill me."
Her eyes widened and she looked down and gave a nod, "I could use some food right about now."
000
Happy Harbor
August 8th?, 22:09 EDT
Artemis knew this team was a mistake from the moment that white-haired guy opened his mouth. He was a freak, his good looks completely wasted on his terrible personality.
And he had seen through her with those piercing blue eyes of his, eyes that she felt she could lose herself in. It was one point in his favor that he kept those freakish orbs hidden.
The moment he teleported away, Cheshire gave a sad moan, "I was starting to get attached, too."
"The police are on their way," Aqualad said, "I suggest you start getting attached to prison life."
Cheshire looked at Artemis, and she felt her skin crawl at that, "What are you looking at, villain?" Artemis asked.
"We can ''catch up later''," Cheshire said, "What exactly did he mean by that? Catch up on what?"
"I don''t know," Artemis replied.
"Ah¡ so you didn''t tell them yet."
Megan put a hand on Artemis'' shoulder, "Your past doesn''t define you, Artemis. I don''t care."
She knew.
They would all know, then.
She looked at Aqualad, who gave a nod at her, "Batman and the Green Arrow trust you, and I doubt that you would have been able to sneak this secret past both of them. I will extend the same faith they have until you give me a reason not to."
"Please don''t tell anyone else," Artemis pleaded, "Don''t tell Kid Flash. Don''t¡ªcan you make Infinity stop, too?"
She hated herself for showing this weakness.
Why was she even doing it? It wasn''t like she liked this damn team anyway.
She was doing it for mom. To continue seeing her smile. That was enough. For now.
"He''ll stop," Miss Martian said, "I will make sure he listens. And I promise, Artemis, I won''t tell anyone."
"I won''t either," Aqualad said, "Though there is not much to tell as I do not know anything specific."
"That''s just sad," Cheshire said, "Lowering yourself to beg for the favor of these children? I thought I raised you better, sister."
"You didn''t raise me at all," Artemis snarled. "You abandoned me."
"Oh, please," she said, "It was for the best! Now you''ve got a gig with the capes-and-tights club and I''m going to prison. Like mom."
Artemis almost lunged at her, had it not been for Aqualad''s quick reaction holding her back.
She took a deep breath and stepped back, facing the two heroes, "There you have it. I''m¡ I''m not from the League of Shadows, but most of my family is. My dad is¡ Sportsmaster. My mother is Huntress. And my sister is Cheshire. Assassination all stars."
"Oh, Artemis," Megan hugged her, "You can''t help where you came from. Why would we judge you for that?"
Artemis slowly pried herself out from Megan''s gentle hug, "It''s not¡" she sighed, "It''s not gonna work out," she gave a small grin, "You guys wanted Speedy, and instead you got me. And I lied to you at the start, and¡ You know."
Aqualad shook his head at that, "Artemis, I appreciate what you''ve done for the team today. I would like for you to stay. And if we managed to find a way to tolerate Infinity, then we can handle anyone. Including you."
"You attacked your own father to save one of ours," Megan said, "We can''t thank you enough for what you did."
"Hah!" Cheshire laughed, "You''re the one who sabotaged dad? That''s hilarious. You know he''ll come after you for that, right?"
"We arrested him once before," Megan folded her arms and glowered, "We''ll do it as many times as it takes."
"Correction," Cheshire said, "Your boy Infinity put the screws on him. And Artemis, you really think a kid like that would go out of his way to keep you safe? Or even stick around in this little team? He''s not like you¡ªany of you. Enjoy him while it lasts, but the Shadows will have him soon."
Miss Martian''s eyes glowed white, and Cheshire slumped over, unconscious. "Not if I have anything to say about it," she said. Then she turned to Artemis, "Stay. Please."
Against her better judgment, she entertained the wild notion that¡ maybe things wouldn''t turn out terribly if she stayed.
Chapter 19
Mount Justice
August 9th? 01:15 EDT
After I finished up with Serling, and Kid Flash finished delivering the virus and foiling the plans of the villains, whom we then rounded up and threw in jail, we had a quick after-report with Batman that went rather unceremoniously. Limited praise and curt (and minor) criticism towards Aqualad''s choices, but otherwise we did well.
"Dismissed," Batman said.
I made a beeline for Artemis before she could Zeta away. "Told you I wanted to have a chat, didn''t I?"
She looked up at me in anger, "What?"
I set up a sound barrier around us so Superboy wouldn''t hear, "You don''t have to tell me your story," I grinned, taking off my blindfold, "But I will say, I''m a bit of an asshole. In general."
"So I''ve heard," she said.
"But I''m really psyched to have you," I said, "Red Arrow''s a pompous prick, and K.F is too blinded by loyalty, but I think you''d make a great fit here. You''re funny, more skilled than I really expected, and not that bad to look at either," she looked at me flatly.
"Thanks¡ right back at you," she replied sarcastically.
"And¡ sure, I''ll stop calling you an assassin. I was a dick."
"Aw," she said, "Only a tiny one."
I snorted at that.
"Did Megan talk to you?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Ah, Megan, my only weakness," I gazed up distantly, "Yep, pretty much. Well, she didn''t tell me the real story, but she did tell me, very specifically, to stop. So I''ll stop," I raised my hands in surrender. "We can trade stories whenever you want. I promise you mine''s probably much cooler."
She looked me up and down and gave me a half-grin, "Might take you up on that sometime, blindfold. Can''t really stick around, though. It''s a school night."
"Sad that you have to go to school," I said.
"Not going to school feels a lot sadder," she said, "You probably shouldn''t let yourself get left behind like that. Pretty with no brains is a bad look." I chuckled at that.
She turned around and sashayed out of my sound barrier, towards the Zeta Tubes. I watched her back as she left.
Megan skipped up next to me. "She seemed happy! Sa-chan, can''t you see that it''s much better to be nicer? It''s not like you can''t do it if you try!"
"I know, I know," I said, "But it isn''t nearly as much fun."
"Infinity," Batman said. The Mission Room had pretty much cleared out completely, leaving him alone with Red Tornado. And Megan, standing next to me. "Let us talk. In private. Miss Martian," he gave a dismissive nod. Miss Martian got the picture and walked away.
I walked up with an easy grin, "Am I in trouble for roughing up the assassins? I didn''t even break any bones this time!"
"I want you to follow Artemis," Batman said, "During the third of August mission, Artemis interfered in a battle between the Titans and Sportsmaster. I want you to observe Artemis, and make sure that Sportsmaster doesn''t get to her, especially in light of this recent slew of arrests."
"No," I gasped, "Big bad Sportsmaster? Are you sure I''m ready?"
"The matter is time sensitive. I''ve already transmitted Artemis'' address on your phone. Make your way to her location as soon as you can."
I cracked a grin. Rescuing a damsel in distress, Batman? Holy shit, I could just kiss him.
This would be fun!
Gotham City
August 9th?, 01:25 EDT
Just as I Zeta''d in, it was to see Red Arrow and Artemis going their separate ways, a few hundred meters away. They must have had a chat, huh? They were easier to spot with my Six Eyes even through the noise of the city. I had gotten better and better at making out needles in haystacks. Went to show that no training was in vain, and that even the things that felt the most difficult at the start could still be overcome with effort.
I turned invisible and jogged after Artemis on the pavement. She was hopping around on the flat rooftops, freerunning her way home. At one point, she shot an arrow attached to a piece of rope and used it to grapple her way up an elevation
We were approaching a building corresponding to Batman''s data. I gave it a quick scan and saw him. Sportsmaster in full costume, lying on her bed.
I felt my heart speeding up slightly at that. My professional pride had been hurt, seeing a guy I had put away in the past prancing around, free as a bird.
I flew after Artemis¡ªshe intended on getting in through the fire escape.
Rather than follow her via invisibility, I teleported into the empty hallway outside her room, fully visible, and waited. Sportsmaster was in league with the sword lady. That meant they might share the same sensory powers that allowed her to make me out to begin with.
Artemis rolled into her room smoothly and then gave out a gasp. Sportsmaster put a finger over his mouth, and I couldn''t quite make out their words through the hallway. I felt a sting of jealousy towards Superboy. Super-hearing was an amazing power.
Sportsmaster stood up, looming over a terrified Artemis. That''s when I popped in, teleporting right between them, facing Sportsmaster with a grin. "You''re supposed to be in jail."
He stepped back in shock, but before he could reach for something in his belt, I had him suspended with four orbs of Blue attached to his hands and feet, holding him aloft. No matter how hard he resisted, he couldn''t pull his way out.
I turned around and shot Artemis a grin, "This guy bothering you?" I pointed my thumb behind me.
000
"This guy bothering you?" Infinity grinned like he always did.
"Let me¡ª" her father shouted until he abruptly couldn''t make any more noise. Infinity had muted him somehow.
"Yikes," he said, "Your mom''s rolling over. I''m gonna turn us invisible while you talk her down."
Artemis'' eyes widened. She blinked, and he was gone, suddenly.
Mom opened the door, "Artemis? Are you okay? I heard a voice."
"I''m okay," Artemis forced herself to grin and chuckle, "Yeah, no, it was just a video on my phone."
Mom scowled, "It was loud."
"I''ll keep it down, okay?"
Mom smiled, "Go to sleep, baby. You can tell me all about your first day tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay, mom, I''m pretty exhausted anyway. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, dear," she closed the door and rolled away.
"So," Infinity said, voice loud and chipper. Both he and Sportsmaster appeared out of nowhere, making her jump a little.
"Shhh!" Artemis hissed, grabbing his shoulders to shake him slightly. "My mom will come back if you''re that loud!"
"No, she won''t," he replied with a grin, putting a finger to his lips. "I''ve made it all quiet, see? That way, no one can hear his screams." He gave her a mock-scary grin before shifting his gaze to Sportsmaster. "You somehow slither your way out again, and I''m straight-up stealing your knees. That''s a solemn promise, athlete boy. You might escape for a third time, but there won''t be a fourth one."
Sportsmaster glared, his face twisted with anger, but Infinity merely splayed his fingers, and whatever kept the man aloft pulled him by his limbs. He struggled, mouth open in silent fury, but no sound escaped.
"Stop," Artemis said, her voice unsteady, feeling slightly conflicted about seeing her own father get threatened¡ªby a teenager, no less. He was utterly helpless. One of the biggest monsters of her life, reduced to a flailing mess. "Just¡ just take him away, please?"
"Sure," Infinity replied with a casual shrug. He reached out, resting his hand gently on her head. She flinched a little, unused to the odd warmth of his touch. "I''d say something sappy like ''I''m glad I got here in time,'' but¡" He shrugged again, retracting his hand, the playfulness of his words softened by a strangely sincere smile. "You''d never have gotten hurt under my watch. Just ain''t possible."
Artemis looked up at him, those blindfolded eyes of his barely hiding the intensity underneath. She remembered what Jade had told her once: You really think a guy like that would go out of his way to keep you safe?
"Why are you here?" Artemis asked.
Then he pulled his blindfold up, revealing those unnervingly clear, striking eyes¡ªa piercing, unnaturally blue that made her stomach twist. He gave her a grin, the kind of grin that made him look like he knew every secret in the room.
"Batman tipped me off," he said, "Told me Sportsmaster would come after you because you, you know, kinda messed with his whole operation a while back. And then we all went and got his little buddies arrested too. Probably didn''t sit too well with him."
That''s it? Artemis thought. That''s all Batman said?
"Not sure why he''d go after you specifically, though," he mused, his gaze swinging back to Sportsmaster. "Or how he even knew who you were. You''ve got a secret identity, right? Actually¡ hang on. Your first name is Artemis, right?" He raised a brow, as if just piecing it together while staring at a very particular stretch of her wall. He must have gotten that tidbit from the drawing that Artemis had hung on that place years ago, that contained her signature at the bottom. Great eyesight. Amazing senses. He was overwhelmingly powerful. Did he even need the rest of the team? Megan had told Artemis that he used a ''level system'' to even the playing ground for the other Titans¡ªotherwise, he could just clear every mission on his own. This was what they meant. A senior member of the League of Shadows, defeated in seconds. "Kind of a bold choice there," Infinity continued with a chuckle. "Makes it a little easier to find you, huh?"
Artemis flushed slightly. She crossed her arms, glaring at him, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth despite herself. "Tough break," she muttered.
"Saw you were chatting with Speedo," he said, tilting his head, "What about? He didn''t give you a hard time, did he?"
"Why do you care?" she asked.
"Told you, didn''t I? You''re my favorite arrow. So, what''d he say? Don''t assassinate my friends or I''ll shoot a boxing-glove arrow at you?" He growled the last part.
Artemis giggled, "Something like that."
"Can''t wait for my visit," he said, "I mean, I wish he''d try."
"Just¡ take him, already," she said. "This is kinda weird. You standing here, with him just hanging in the air, us having a chat. In my bedroom."
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"Never heard any thanks," he said, "Or worship. Where''s the praise, beautiful?"
"Thank you," she tried not to grin, but failed. Why was he flirting with her right next to her dad?! "Alright now, get out of here! I have school tomorrow! Also, before you leave¡ can you¡ make sure you don''t hear anything he has to say?"
He gave a nod and a knowing grin, having probably figured things out already. Knowing him, he already had the whole story just from seeing her room. He was freakishly good.
"Like I told you, Artemis, I don''t give a damn who your parents are," he said, "As long as you call yourself a Teen Titan, it''s all good!" He winked at her, "I''ll make sure daddy doesn''t bother you again." And then blinked out of existence, taking her father along with him.
Artemis sat on her bed, and gave a mournful moan. Her stomach was hot, her face felt so flushed that she feared she might have a swelling from an allergic reaction.
"I''m in trouble," she muttered.
000
As I floated off towards one of Gotham''s many police stations, I contacted Batman, "Target secured. Artemis is okay. Heading to a police station. Anything else?"
"No," Batman replied, "Good job, Infinity."
Nice.
I turned to Sportsmaster curiously and unmuted him, "Anything to say?"
"Koooooliaaachmaaaa¡ª"
I muted him the moment I realized he was incanting something, but it was too late. A strip of paper in his pocket started to burn, and he slipped through my Blue, landing easily on a rooftop and pulling off a pair of collapsible javelins from his back.
They started glowing blue.
"You can''t hurt me," I said as I dropped down and waited for him to attack.
"I can," He said, "And I will. These''ll punch through your force field no problem." I blinked, and for a moment, pictured him as that lip-scar bastard. I clenched my jaws. "Don''t worry, I''ll end things quickly¡ªthis ain''t the place to give you what you really deserve for stepping into family business."
He ran up to me, slow like a snail. I easily weaved through his enchanted weapons and buried my fist into his gut with a tiny pinch of Cursed Energy, enough to send him flying and rolling, almost falling over the ledge of the ceiling.
He pushed himself away from the ledge, lifted his mask, and began to vomit blood.
"Told you, Sporty," I said, "There wouldn''t be a fourth time."
I hovered over to him and dropped down on his knees, shattering them with ease.
He screamed.
I tried to pull him back up with Blue and found success.
Then I rung Batman, "Sportsmaster just burned a talisman to slip the leash" I grinned. Those Shadows hadn''t wasted any time figuring out a way to counter me¡ªwith magic no less. This was getting interesting. "We had a brief fight. But I bagged him again pretty easily. Guy''s weak."
"Take him to the first precinct of the Gotham City Police Department," Batman said, "They have power dampening collars that should work on magic."
I heard a beep in my phone and pulled it out to see the location. I flew up in the sky along with Sportsmaster to try and compare the map to the city, and once I had gotten a lock on the police department, I warped over there with my baggage in tow.
Sportsmaster didn''t get to try anything else before I had him collared and booked.
000
Mount Justice
9th? August, 01:45
"Aside from that, things proceeded smoothly," I said.
"Was breaking his knees necessary?" Batman asked.
"He''s an assassin," I said with a frown, "And though he''s weak, he''s still pretty crafty. I already lost track of sword lady once before because I wasn''t careful. Losing Sportsmaster again? No," I clenched my jaws, "At some point, all this stops being a job and starts being a game when we treat it this way. And I don''t play with assassins," I gave a vicious grin. "Now, even if he gets out, what''ll it take, a year for his knees to properly heal? That''s perfect."
"If ever," Batman said.
I snorted, "Wow, what a loss to humanity that would be."
"Don''t toe the line with me, Gojo," Batman said, "You won''t like the results."
I sighed.
"I gave you this mission to see whether you would comport yourself as a hero," Batman said, "But your cruelty towards criminals has no place in the Justice League or in the Titans. You know this already."
"Are you kicking me out?" I asked with annoyance, "Because if you aren''t, then how about I get some training in, in order to make sure I''m powerful enough to afford being a Superman when super-powered assassins from another world are after my head. If you think I''ll ever let what happened to me happen again, you''re dead wrong."
"You''re benched," Batman said.
I barked out a laughter. Benched? What the hell did that mean for the team? "You''re really going to screw ''em over like that just to show me up?" I laughed, "I''d love to see them complete a mission without me. So. How many games am I in the bench for?"
"Three missions," Batman said. "You will explain to Aqualad why you can''t accompany them for any missions for the time being. And you will tell him it''s because of your behavior in the field. Your acts should not be a secret to your leader. If you don''t tell him within two days, then I will."
"Wow," I said flatly, "Well, can''t say I''m not curious to see what they do without me. Besides, it''s more training time for me."
Batman walked away and took the Zeta Tube, leaving me alone to train in the Mission Room.
It wasn''t five minutes after I was alone that Kaldur stepped up. "Gojo. We need to talk."
I looked at him in aggrievement, "I just came out of a rather annoying talk. Sure, go ahead, what is it?"
"I lost trust in you, in the field," Kaldur said, "Some of it had to do with your¡ ''banter''. But it also had a lot to do with the fact that you watched me fight Cheshire completely alone. In fact, you hardly participated in any of my battles, nor did you truly have my back."
"Failure is a good teacher," I said, rolling my eyes, "You think I''d have let you die?"
"I think I''m beginning to find some rather substantial objections with your way of doing things," Kaldur said. Oh my god, were we having a fight? "And as leader of the team, I''ve come to realize that the way things are currently doesn''t work for me."
"Alright, fine," I rolled my eyes, "I''ll make it easier next time. But I can''t, because Batman benched me."
Aqualad frowned, "Why?"
"I got a solo mission to make sure Artemis was safe from Sportsmaster," I said, "I ended up bringing him in. Broke his knees during the fight. Batman thought this was unnecessary violence, and here we are. So I''m benched for three missions."
"Was it necessary?" Aqualad asked.
"What does that word even mean, necessary? What would make it not necessary? Serious question."
"Were you not able to restrain him without injuring him?"
"I was not able to predict the ways he could slip free," I explained, "And so I made sure that even if he did, he couldn''t run anyway. Or be a villain for that matter."
Aqualad shook his head, "It''s not our place to preemptively strike at villains."
"Look, he''s in jail now, so my way worked," I said, "I won''t argue about that point. So, tell me, once I''m free from the penalty box, how are we going to fix things between us? What flowers will I have to send you?"
"Don''t express interest in joining villains," Aqualad said, "Don''t demean us to said villains. Don''t disrespect our effort by letting the villains know that you''re holding back for our sake."
Whoops.
Yeah. I totally got it. I had definitely stepped over the line about that. There was only so much a man''s pride could take.
"Sorry," I said.
Aqualad sighed, "I shouldn''t have lost trust in you. I could have sent you to retrieve Cheshire, and you would have done so quite easily."
"I get it," I said, "Things looked¡ shaky. Sorry, man." I sighed heavily.
Humans were such sensitive beings. It was exhausting keeping track of all these feelings.
Wayne Manor, Gotham
August 9th?, 02:54 EDT
"I''m beat," Dick said after a long yawn. He had spent an hour practicing his staff mastery in the gym, and was pretty much ready to hit the hay and pass out. The mission didn''t tire him out much. Was just a bunch of running, and on one occasion, breaking that creep Ojo''s helmet¡ªthat part was easy. He just had to get sneaky about it.
Bruce stretched his arms, "Go to bed. It''s a school night."
A four-hour nap would cover his need for sleep before getting to school. Dick didn''t worry much about that. "Oh, and before I go," Dick said, channeling his inner Columbo. He wrestled for a moment for the right words¡ªa clever way to dig for more information on this quite-frankly bizarre topic¡ª, but found none. Whatever, just rip the bandaid off, "You guys might not happen to have a ten-year-old in the league, right?"
Bruce didn''t react in such a pedestrian fashion as freezing. Instead, he took one fifth of a second longer on a response than usual. A very subtle tell, but one Dick could spot from a mile away. "I want you to be honest with me, about whether or not you think that is a serious question."
Dick''s eyes widened. "You''re kidding! Really? Who?!"
Bruce frowned¡ªfrowned. If this had been a trivial matter, he''d never react so emotionally! Finally, he relented. "Who else has Gojo told this to?"
"I don''t even think he really believed it!" Dick replied, "But¡ the team. Uh, the Titans. We were in the hallway. Maybe Red Tornado heard? I don''t know how good his hearing is."
"Impress upon him the sensitivity of this information," Bruce said.
"Wha¡ªyou still haven''t explained why there''s a ten-year-old in the Justice League! What¡ªhe goes to middle school while fighting on behalf of mankind, battling the forces of evil? I don''t¡ªthis is insane!"
"Go to bed," Bruce said sternly, putting on his Batman voice.
Dick couldn''t believe it. Gojo was right, this world really was insane. "Alright then. I''ll forget this for now, but I want something in return."
Bruce sighed, "I''ll start funding the mark four explosive robarangs, okay?"
"Yes!" Dick pumped his fist.
Chapter 20
Mount Justice
August 9th?, 09:52 EDT
I had officially maintained Infinity for twenty-four hours. And I was proud to say that half of it was unconscious¡ªsubconscious, almost. Like breathing. While I wasn''t actively "missioning," it had become second nature.
Earlier, while Megan and I were cooking, Batman''s voice had been ringing in my head. Not literally, of course¡ªI didn''t have Megan''s telepathic skills. But his reprimand from the last mission played on a loop. He''d looked at me like I''d crossed some moral Rubicon. All because I made sure Sportsmaster didn''t get away again. Maybe breaking both his knees was a bit much, but I didn''t regret it. The guy knew how to escape better than Houdini.
The smell of frying batter had brought me back to the present. Megan, ever the perfectionist in the kitchen, had been diligently flipping pancakes while giving me that look¡ªthe one that was more disappointed than angry. I had told her at the start of the cooking session why I couldn''t join the team for three missions. Rather than change up the menu to reflect the serious conversation she promised we would have, she went right ahead with her plan to make American-style pancakes, all the while giving me a sad glower.
Now, as we sat down with our plates stacked high with pancakes and drowning in Canadian maple syrup, she finally started her lecture.
"I won''t nag you, Sa-chan," Megan said, her tone soft but weighted with concern. She frowned as she drizzled more syrup onto her neatly arranged stack of three pancakes, her brow furrowing just enough to show how much she meant it. "But¡ I wish I could stop you, really."
I paused, mid-slice, the fluffy piece of pancake dangling off my fork. Megan''s words hung in the air like a cloud that threatened rain. She was staring at her plate as if hoping the syrup would provide answers.
"I wish¡ me telling you to stop would be enough." She glanced up, her green eyes shimmering with something that made my chest tighten.
I frowned, setting my fork down with a faint clink. "Stop what? Being a hero?" I tried to keep my tone light, even though I already knew where this was going.
"Brutalizing villains," Megan said, her voice gentle but unyielding. "When you are so powerful that it almost never becomes a necessity. It''s a problem. And it upsets me that you can''t see why it''s a problem."
I gave her a grin¡ªinsincere, but I hoped it would lighten the mood. "If you tell me to stop, then I''ll stop." I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms as if I were completely at ease.
Megan''s lips pressed into a thin line as she studied me. Her pancakes sat forgotten. "Are you telling the truth?"
I arched a brow, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the table. "Because you can''t read my mind, you suddenly can''t trust me?" My tone was teasing, but even I could hear the edge creeping in.
The truth, though? I didn''t think I was being honest. Not entirely. It was easy to make promises when sitting at the breakfast table, with syrup and soft morning light making everything feel normal. But when I was in the thick of it¡ªjust me and some bastard who really needed to be put down a peg, like Sportsmaster¡ªit was different. Those promises always seemed so far away.
"Dammit." I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yes, yes, I''ll try, okay?"
Megan looked down at her plate again, poking at her pancakes with a fork. Her voice, when she spoke, was quieter now. "You''re so powerful, Sa-chan." She glanced up, her eyes heavy with sadness. "You don''t have to be so rough. You have so much more space to be creative and clever about this stuff, right? If only just to challenge yourself, and not take the easy way out, just try, okay?"
I sighed, slumping forward with my chin resting on my palm. "I''ll try," I said again, this time softer. The syrup on my plate was pooling, drowning the pancakes. Kind of like this conversation was drowning me in guilt.
Why, oh why, had I chosen to give this girl so much power over me?
"When was the last time you slept?" Megan asked.
"A week ago?" I asked.
"Then you know what the rules are," she said, "Tonight, you sleep."
Aaaah! Get off my back, woman!
"Sure," I said with a shrug.
"Any plans for today?" Megan asked.
"Think I''ll just stay in my room and meditate," I said. "Work on my Six Eyes Reversal."
"Careful not to hurt yourself," she said, "That technique is too powerful for a normal human brain."
"My brain isn''t normal," I said with a chuckle, "It''s been augmented by years and years of ultra-fast and ultra-precise information gathering and processing. I pretty much finished learning my school''s entire high school syllabus in my first year." Mostly so I could piss around the next three years not having to worry about exams or something stupid like that.
"It started off normal," she said, "Therefore, it has limits. Even if you''ve pushed well past human limits. Nothing improves forever."
I will.
After I finished the pancakes, I washed the dishes and didn''t spend any more time in Megan''s quite-frankly overbearing company. Instead, I did as promised and warped to my bedroom to meditate for six hours straight.
Six Eyes Reversal.
Like always, information flowed in, too much, too sharp, too detailed. Impossibly detailed. As my brain started heating up, putting pressure on blood vessels, I applied positive energy everywhere I could. I used my Six Eyes to properly observe the problem areas of my brain that lit up like a Christmas tree and made sure to keep them well-fed with the Reverse Cursed Technique, healing every bit of damage.
This loop of energy usage would have been fully sustainable, at least for my health, if it wasn''t for the fact that it was such an energy guzzler.
I could only keep this state up for three hours before falling critically low on cursed energy. But during this time, not only did I develop the usability of my overpowered Six Eyes¡ªa tool that had been too great and too unwieldy for me to properly harness for a long time¡ªI was developing the powers of my brain as well. Slowly, but surely.
And the more powerful my brain became, the easier it would be to continuously maintain Infinity. I calculated that I was about thirty percent towards my target of being able to use Infinity at all times without taking on a net loss in cursed energy. The goal was for my passive regeneration to eclipse the usage of Infinity.
After those three hours, I focused on meditation, keeping Infinity on as well while I replenished my energy until finally, it got up to half capacity once again.
I opened my eyes, and from my room, I looked at the Mission Room in order to see if anyone was hogging it. Instead, I saw Artemis, dressed in a regular outfit, walking around on her own.
Huh.
I grinned.
I teleported behind her, careful to stay sneaky while she looked around in idle curiosity.
Then when she turned to see me, she nearly jumped out of her skin. "Dammit!" she hissed, "You get off on scaring the crap out of people or what?"
"Aw," I leaned forward and looked at her over my sunglasses, "Were you scared?"
"No!" she groused, blushing and looking away, "Of you?" she raised an eyebrow at me.
"Not like I was trying to scare you," I chuckled, "If I wanted to make your heart race, I''d do a lot more than just show up out of nowhere."
She crossed her arms, glaring at me, but her cheeks betrayed a hint of pink. "Please. You? Make my heart race? Dream on."
I gave a low chuckle, stepping a little closer. "I can see your heart racing. I know I have that effect on people. I''ll try to tone the charm down."
She scoffed, but I caught her stealing a quick glance at me before turning away. "You''re just full of yourself, aren''t you?"
"Full of confidence," I corrected, tilting my head to study her. "And maybe a little¡ intrigued. So, what brings you here all alone?"
She narrowed her eyes, trying to keep her composure. "Maybe I like a little peace and quiet away from the city. You wouldn''t get it, Mr. Happy Harbor."
"Maybe I would," I said softly, letting my gaze linger on her a little too long. "Guess you''ll have to stick around to find out."
She finally rolled her eyes, but I noticed the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "You''re unbelievable," she muttered, shaking her head.
"And yet," I teased, "you haven''t told me to leave."
She hesitated for a split second, then shrugged. "Maybe I like a little danger. Who knows?"
I chuckled, raising a brow. "Careful, Artemis. You keep saying things like that, and I might just think you like having me around."
She smirked, finally meeting my gaze with a challenge. "Like I said. Dream on."
"Should be a basketball court around here," I said, "I''d be down for a round if you''re game. There''s also a swimming pool if you''re in the mood for that."
"Didn''t bring my swimsuit," She said in mock disappointment.
"You could go skinny-dipping," I grinned, "Not like I''ll tell anyone."
She tried to shove at me, but encountered my force field instead. I slid smoothly out of her way, making her almost fall over. I laughed. "That never gets old."
She quickly got her balance and glared at me. "Not funny."
000
"So, stories," I said, dribbling the ball in front of a guarding Artemis. She was tiny. "You wanna go first, or do you want me to tell you about where I came from?"
"You go first," she told me.
I told her an abridged story of my world. Cursed spirits, jujutsu sorcery, me being the strongest, the work I did for jujutsu high, and finally, how that work ended up nearly costing me my life.
I checked the ball and passed it to Artemis to start the round after she had scored a goal¡ªher aim was damn-near perfect. She could score from anywhere without difficulty. I found myself having to push myself with the Six Eyes to get back possession, and I would ''accidentally'' slip up a couple of times to give her the ball as well.
"That thing you said," Artemis said, "About having a bounty since you were a baby. That was real?"
"Yep," I grinned, "Crazy to think that a bunch of people would go out of their way to kill a baby as cute as me though, right?"
"I''m¡ sorry," she said, "I don''t know what to say."
I snatched the ball from her in her moment of distraction, ran out the three-point line and jumped, turning one-eighty to get a shot in.
Artemis had leapt to try and block the shot, but only managed to graze her fingernail at it. Only time would tell if that was enough to deviate the ball.
It just barely was, in fact. "Nice," I said to her. "And it''s no big deal anymore. Besides, it sort of helped me become the man I am today."
"Insufferably confident?" Artemis asked.
"Yep," I said with a bright grin, "Now to you. From what I''ve gathered, your dad is Sportsmaster. Your mom was probably a fighter of some kind. She seemed nice, so I won''t make any assumptions about her. And your mom looked a lot like Cheshire under her mask, so I''m guessing she''s your sister, too?" I chuckled, "Don''t envy ya. Sounds like a situation."
She looked dour, "You said you wouldn''t tell anyone, right?"
I snatched the ball up with Blue and balanced it on her head. She looked up at me in annoyance and let the ball fall. "Course I won''t. I already told you, didn''t I? Besides, this should teach you a good lesson not to try and lie to me¡ªI see all," I said theatrically.
She rolled her eyes at that. "Anyway, yeah, that''s the story. I got training from my parents. Was never in the League, but they would have tried to push me in at some point. My dad, at least. Not my mom. She¡ went to prison. Then she came out and retired." She dribbled the ball absently, "I didn''t know my dad was going to come after me like that. Really, thanks for the save¡ Uh. I just realized, I don''t think I got your name."
Someone must have mentioned it around her by now. Or not. Wow, these secret identity things are fun. "Satoru Gojo. You can call me Toru-chan if you want."
"Can I call you Gojo instead?" she asked. Did she understand Japanese, too, and was reacting to the chan suffix? Or did she just find my name hard?
"Your name has too many syllables, too," I replied, "Arty? Does that work."
"No. And it''s not because of the syllables. I just like the mouthfeel of Gojo more."
"Okay, Arty," I chuckled. "Wait, did you say you like the mouthfeel of Gojo?" I laughed.
She immediately turned red. "Shut up! Don''t¡ªdon''t ever mention that again!"
"Sure, I''d hate to give you a bad mouthfeel!" I laughed. "Arty, you dog, you! I feel violated!"
"And don''t call me Arty! You''re not gonna listen to me, are you?" she groused, "Do you listen to anyone?"
"I do," I told her honestly. "And I''m kinda tired of people thinking I don''t." I only listen to those I respect.
Ah. But telling her that would only imply that I didn''t respect her. And didn''t I?
She held her own against Captain Hook and DC''s Spider-Man, so¡ yeah, I guess I could respect her.
"¡You listen to Megan," she said, "You''re close, aren''t you?"
"Yep," I told her, running up for a dunk, "Alien solidarity and all that." I dunked and dangled on the rim by one hand. "Can''t wait for Superboy to finally get the memo." I dropped from the rim.
"What''s his deal anyway?" she asked.
"Nothing," I said, "He''s a swell guy." I winced, "With super hearing. So¡"
"Oh."
"It''s not you, though," I ensured her, "It''s pretty much everyone. This team is held together by duct tape and well wishes. And my charismatic smile."
"You really can''t get enough of yourself, can you?" she asked.
"Let me put it this way," I said, "If you were me, would you be able to get enough of yourself?" I jogged up to the midcourt line, turned my back against the goal and did an overhead throw that struck the rim, spun around thrice before shooting upwards and falling perfectly through the hoop.
"I could do that, too," she said.
I chuckled, "Don''t doubt it, Arrow Girl."
"No. No. I''m not letting that catch on. That''s not my name."
"Your codename can''t be Artemis," I said, "I mean, it''s a good name. Pretty spot-on in terms of what you do. But you need a hero-name or guys like Sportsmaster will probably keep knocking on your door. Even worse, these guys won''t be related to you."
She shuddered, "I think I''d rather have the Joker waiting in my room than Sportsmaster."
I chuckled, "You don''t have to worry about him anymore. He''s going away for a long time."
"You think so? Won''t they just break him out again?"
"We had a pretty energetic fight," I said with a grin, "Guy slipped the leash and tried to fight me. Even if they get him out, he won''t be active for another year at least. Maybe less¡ªI don''t know how humans in this world work. You and Robin shouldn''t even be heroes. But I guess having no powers isn''t that much of an obstacle in this world than it is in mine."
"Huh," she muttered.
Humans here were only marginally stronger, it seemed. Certainly to the point that a guy like Batman could probably go undefeated against an entire league of sports fighters. But not to the point that they could bridge a real gap in power, like Batman and Superman. They needed cop-outs for that, like Kryptonite.
"How bad is he hurt?" she asked. There was a tenderness in her voice that caused me to pause for a moment, wondering¡ had I screwed up?
"Broke his knees," I said, "Like I promised. He slipped free and made some annoying threats. Reminded me of the reason I''m here in the first-place. The lip-scar bastard that stabbed me in the skull and damn-near killed me." I sighed, "I guess I don''t like when people counter my abilities."
"Makes you feel not-so-infinite, huh?" she asked. I looked at her grinning self and gave her a sardonic chuckle.
"Ha ha." I paused for a moment, "Are you mad?"
"At my dad," she said. "I''m¡ glad you were there, Gojo. Thanks. I owe you one."
"Nice," I grinned.
"Sometimes," she sighed, "I wish it was my dad who broke his back. And not my mom. But then I start to wonder¡ would he have mellowed down like mom did? And would mom have really retired from the work? Uh¡ she was a Shadow, too. In the past."
I frowned pensively, "Tricky questions. Guess that''s the good part about the past. You can''t change it. So you can spend less effort on pining for it and more effort doing something you can control, like living in the present."
She hummed. "You can''t really fully escape the past, though."
"Then cut the loose ends," I shrugged, "I mean, ties in this case, not their lives," I grinned.
"Some ties, you just can''t cut," she said with a long-suffering sigh. Then she raised an eyebrow at me, "What are you doing in this junior team anyway?" she asked, "You defeated Sportsmaster like it was nothing."
"I think I prefer the Teen Titans over the Justice League anyway," I rolled my eyes, "Having Batman as my full-time boss, while chatting with the likes of Superman, who has a cardboard do-gooder personality? Miss me with that ordeal. I''d much rather chill down here on Earth with a Martian babe and an Arrow Girl by my side," I grinned, shooting a three-pointer.
"Are you¡ dating Megan?"
"No," I said, "What gave you that impression? We''re just friends. Good friends."
"Oh," she said, "Okay. So you''re just flirty with every girl with a pulse?"
"If a zombie chick was hot enough, I''d even go as far as to flirt with her, pulse or no," I grinned, "It''s Kid Flash you gotta watch out for, though. He''s the real flirt. He falls in love with every girl he lays eyes on."
She snorted. "I don''t think I''d have to worry about that much."
000
After I got my fill of Basketball, I showed Artemis around, ending the tour in the kitchen, where Megan was just getting ready to make some chocolate chip cookies.
"Hey, Artemis!" Megan waved at her cheerfully, "You''re here!" Then she looked up at me, "And you and Sa-chan are getting along well, I see. I told you, you just had to give him a chance. He''s really not a bad guy."
"I wouldn''t go that far," I chuckled.
"His personality could use some tweaks," Artemis said.
"Then I''d be just another boring person. This way at least, you''ll never forget me, no matter what."
Megan looked at me in concern, "Is that what you''re afraid of? Being forgotten?"
I clicked my tongue at her, "I told you I don''t like it when you do that." Ugh, sappiness. My only weakness.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Her concern melted into mirth as she grinned, "I know. But it is the only thing that gets past that infinitely dense brain of yours," she said, quickly trying to poke my chest. I could have dispelled Infinity in time, as her movements hadn''t gotten past me, but¡ I kinda liked it when she got annoyed at me. It was stimulating, in a way. And she looked up at me in narrowed eyes. "What did I tell you about Infinity in the kitchen?"
I rolled my eyes, "There are many sharp objects in the kitchen. Not to mention fire. You can''t blame me for being careful."
Artemis looked between us, slightly confused, as was usually the case when a new person tried to enter into an older friend dynamic. I decided to throw her a bone, even if it was mildly embarrassing, "Megan wants me to turn off my Infinity when I''m in the kitchen cooking with her," I said, "Infinity''s the ''force field'' around my body. It''s a¡ª"
"Convergence of an infinite series in space," Megan completed, her tone rote and bored, like she had heard this a million times before, "The closer you get to his body, the more you slow down, always getting closer, but never quite reaching. Like infinitely dividing a number, but never being able to reach zero."
Artemis blinked, "So it''s a force field."
"It''s not a force field," I explained patiently, "Because there is no force. Only distance. The only thing that reaches me is light. That''s why I''m visible. Unless I filter even that out and become a void in space, like so," I said, absorbing all light and becoming a black shadow creature.
"Ah!" Artemis yelped, "Wow, that''s¡ that''s creepy."
I turned it off and grinned. "You get it now?"
"I get that I can''t hit you with an arrow," Artemis said, "That''s enough information for me. Guess I''ll have to drown you if I want to kill you. Or hurl you in space. You still need air, right?"
"Yep," I said. "Well¡ for now," I chuckled. Soon, I could figure out a way to get my Reverse Cursed Technique to even heal my brain of hypoxia. I already knew that it could regenerate matter from nothing. Oxygen shouldn''t be an issue in that regard. "I''d act sooner rather than later if I were you, Arty. I''m only getting stronger. Anyway, Megan, what recipe are we trying out this time?" I asked, stepping up to the counter where an open cookbook was spread out. Megan grinned, resting her forearm on my shoulder as we looked over the recipe together. I could smell the faint hint of flour and sugar already drifting through the kitchen, making my mouth water.
"We''re making double chocolate chip cookies, bakery-style apparently," Megan said, leaning closer, her eyes sparkling. Artemis joined us from the other side, peeking over the book.
"Nice choice," Artemis said with a nod. "Can''t go wrong with extra chocolate."
Megan gave a little laugh. "I just thought it''d be fun to try something really classic." She looked between us, her smile softening. "I always wanted a sister on Earth, and since Artemis and I are kind of like sisters now..."
Artemis grinned, elbowing her playfully. "I''m down for cookie bonding time."
The three of us tackled the recipe, mixing dough, adding chocolate chips by the handful, and sneaking spoonfuls of batter when Megan pretended not to notice. By the time we''d baked and tasted our cookies, we had a fresh batch ready to go¡ªand an idea.
"Why don''t we take these cookies on a little field trip?" I suggested with a wink.
"Good idea!" Megan exclaimed. "Let''s hit the beach!"
"Different beach?" I suggested, "I''m thinking L.A."
"You''re kidding," Artemis said, "Are we even allowed to do that?"
I shrugged, "They haven''t made rules against it yet, so yeah."
We took a quick trip through the Zeta Tube to Los Angeles'' Venice Beach. The sun was still out, casting a golden glow over the sand and surf. As we stepped onto the warm, sandy boardwalk, I stretched the arm not holding up the cookie lunchbox up, breathing in the salty sea air.
"This is the life," I sighed. "Sun, sand, and cookies. Kind of a random addition, the cookies, but eh, I won''t complain." I stuffed my mouth with one cookie. The chocolate was still warm and melty¡ªperfect.
Megan, in her white people form, giggled, biting into one. "And we get to be out here together, like normal people."
We wandered along the boardwalk, passing shops with brightly colored surfboards and locals roller-skating in swimsuits and shades. Musicians strummed guitars, and the smell of fried food wafted from nearby food trucks.
Megan looked around, wide-eyed. "Venice Beach is so different from Happy Harbor. So lively!"
"It''s a big city," Artemis said, "But Happy Harbor''s got its upsides. I think I''d like a beach day there¡ªthere probably won''t be very many people there."
"Summer''s not here forever," I said, "I''ll take it up with our captain. Maybe this time, we can get Wally along. Then you and him can kiss and make up."
She wrinkled her nose in disgust, "Kiss him? Yuck."
I grinned at her, "I''m liking that passion of yours. You''ll probably get along real good someday. Calling it now."
She blushed and scowled, "Stop it, Gojo."
I chuckled, "Sure, sure," I passed her the cookie jar. She looked at it for a moment before taking the cookie, "All better?"
She grinned at me, cheeks full of cookie, "All better."
"Look at all the people!" Megan said urgently. I looked up and around the crowded beach where volleyball games, sandcastles, and picnics dotted the shore. "You''ve got to love the vibe. Everyone''s just doing their thing."
"Sure," I said, "I give it a nine out of ten in beach-fun, of which I''m an expert."
"Are you?" Artemis asked, "You have a degree or something?"
"Better¡ªI have a certificate," I grinned, "Or¡ had a certificate. Took a course in Okinawa on beach fun when I was eight. I passed with flying colors."
"You''re joking," Artemis chuckled.
"I never joke about the beach," I said seriously.
We strolled down the beach, the sand cool under our feet as the tide rolled in beside us. Artemis glared at the sky, "Can I borrow your glasses, Gojo?"
I laughed and let her have them. They were too big for her, so she had to hold them in place. I turned to Megan, giving her a light shoulder-check as she spaced out, looking slightly concerned. She awoke immediately and smiled. "Hm?"
"Hm yourself," I said, "Whatcha thinking about?"
Artemis almost tripped over something and I had to balance her in time, "I don''t know what I expected," she said dryly.
I chuckled and pulled the glasses away and faced Megan. She just shrugged, "I don''t know. I just¡ I think Earth is beautiful. Just lost myself in it all. That''s all."
"Ah," I said, "Can''t wait for you to show me Mars one day."
"Not much to see," she frowned.
"That the reason you left?"
"Something like that," she nodded. Secrets! Interesting!
We passed a group of surfers carrying their boards back up from the waves, and I nudged Artemis with a playful grin. "Think we should try surfing next time?"
She raised an eyebrow. "If you think you can keep up."
"Oh, it''s on," I laughed. "Beach trip and a surf lesson¡ªdeal?"
"Deal," she said, offering her hand. We shook on it.
"I''d love to join in!" Megan said, "Learning how to surf sounds really fun!"
"Sure!" I said, "And why don''t we up the stakes a little? Whoever masters the skill last has to do something embarrassing, or something in service to the other two."
Megan frowned in contemplation, "Hmm, but what if I lose?"
"I''ll go easy on ya," I grinned, giving her a playful headbutt.
"Ow!" She laughed, rubbing her forehead. Artemis scowled at my turned head. Did she not appreciate rough-housing, maybe? Oh well. I''d try to cut down on that.
"How about learning a boyband dance?" Artemis said, "And then performing the dance to the entire team?"
I laughed. That sounded hilarious. I might even lose on purpose just so I could go through this.
Megan giggled at that, "Sounds cool! We could totally do that!"
"Sure," I said, "Better bring your A-game! I don''t ever lose."
As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, we all sat down on the sand, watching the sky shift through shades of pink and orange. Megan hugged her knees, looking content, and Artemis stretched out beside her, closing her eyes and relaxing in the warm breeze.
"This was a good idea," Megan said quietly. "I''m glad we came."
"Sure am," I grinned.
We found a taco stand and ate some authentic Mexican-American tacos¡ªenough to fill me up at least, which was good. I couldn''t spend the time on cooking when I only had so many hours of training left before my mandatory sleeping session.
Once we returned to the Zeta Tube, Arty took hers to Gotham while Megan and I went to Mount Justice. I stuck around in the mission room, training, until I saw Batman Zeta-ing in with Zatara of all people.
000
I gave the pair of heroes a grin and a wave. "Finally got on top of those magic lessons, did you?" I asked, then looked over to Zatara, "I''m happy to see you again, Zatara!"
"He''s here to give you an overview over your magical vulnerabilities," Batman said, "If you don''t mind the League knowing about them as well, then you are free to consult Zatara on the matter for this hour starting now."
Agh, a time crunch. What a drag. "Sure," I said, "Already got countered one time, and I''d love to learn how to avoid that again."
Zatara wasted no time stepping forward. "From what your report has indicated about the nature of this talisman¡ªand I must say, great work in reconsntructing it from memory alone¡ªwhat Sportsmaster used was a generalized charm to disrupt weak magical effects. I have my doubts that his javelins would have penetrated through your Infinity. Therefore, I''ve come with more powerful talismans to check these limits."
Zatara continued talking. And talking. And talking. He talked about magical effects that targeted the weave of a spell, its innards, instead of the outer shell itself. The magic of the magic. The technical explanations were painstaking, and annoyingly enough, reliant on a wide foundation of knowledge that I just didn''t have.
But after fifteen minutes, the old man finally decided to call the theory quits and begin testing my defenses.
".ojoG sdrawot ylf, llaberiF"
Zatara waved his wand, and shot a fireball at me. It melted against my Infinity.
"Magical effects that travel a distance over time are nullified by the infinite convergent series of space protecting you," Zatara said. "I cannot sense a limit in power. Neither can I sense any degradation. Gojo, do you lose cursed energy when defending using Infinity?"
I shook my head, "Infinity spends cursed energy no matter what, but it doesn''t fluctuate based on how it protects me. A meteor should be as harmless to it as a punch from a toddler."
Zatara turned towards Batman, "Can I take him outside of the cave for a moment?"
Batman gave a nod, "Remember to record your testing for later evaluation." He turned to me, "The footage will be stored in the League''s most secure server¡ªmy own. No one will have access to it without your permission."
"But you, of course," I said with a grin. "But that''s fine, because who could ever mistrust our paragon of virtue himself¡ªthe Dark Knight! Onwards to more testing, Zatara! We don''t have much time!"
Zatara sighed and incanted, ".edistuo I dna ojoG tropeleT"
Just like that, we were outside. Standing on air, maybe fifty or so meters above the peak of Mount Justice.
"I will amp up the intensity of my spells!" Zatara shouted. "Do your best to defend!"
I didn''t answer, narrowing my eyes instead. My focus tightened as I felt Infinity extend and wrap itself around me like an invisible shield. Whatever he was about to throw, I was ready.
The first spell came fast¡ª"!evissaM llaberiF"¡ªa massive fireball erupted from his outstretched hands, growing in size until it was a roaring inferno the size of a small house. The flames coiled and twisted like serpents as they hurtled toward me, the heat so intense that the air around it shimmered. But before it could touch me, the fireball froze mid-air, unable to breach Infinity''s barrier. Its flames crackled and roared uselessly, the light casting sharp shadows over my face before it fizzled out harmlessly.
Zatara frowned, his eyes narrowing. He shifted tactics. This time, he conjured a tempest of jagged ice shards. "!odanroT ecI gnittuC!" he roared. The shards spun together into a swirling tornado of razor-sharp ice, their edges glinting like diamonds in the moonlight as they screamed through the air toward me. The storm stopped mere inches from my face, the shards grinding against Infinity''s barrier like teeth against unyielding steel. I tilted my head slightly, inspecting the intricate patterns of frost on the shards before they, too, disintegrated into harmless vapor.
Zatara raised his arms higher, the air around him pulsing with magic. This time, the incantation sounded heavier, older. "!ekanS retaW tnaiG" A column of water spiraled into existence, impossibly dense and brimming with energy. It coalesced into the form of a massive serpent, glowing with bioluminescent streaks along its watery scales. The serpent lunged, faster and fiercer than the previous spells. I could feel its weight in the air as it collided with Infinity''s edge, waves of water cascading outwards as it futilely tried to push through. The serpent writhed and crashed, but Infinity held firm.
Zatara lowered his arms and smiled grimly. "As I suspected," he muttered. "Any spell that travels a distance and only targets matter instead of the mystic will falter against you. But what about a spell that travels a distance and targets the mystical?"
He changed his stance, clasping his hands together and murmuring a spell under his breath. This time, I felt it¡ªsomething different, something sharper. "!worrA gnitpursiD cigaM"
An arrow made of blue translucent magic shot towards me at a quick pace. I extended the bounds of my Infinity, making sure that once I was aware that it could punch through, I''d dodge it in time. The arrow ate through a few inches of Infinity before being encompassed inside it. It just hung there in the air, frozen and ineffectual, until I receded my Infinity and it disappeared into the ether.
"That almost worked," I frowned, "If my Infinity had been thinner, I could have gotten hurt." But it was impractical to keep Infinity as wide as I had to defend against the arrow, especially if I was meant to fight besides others.
Zatara twirled his wand again, "!worrA gnitpursiD cigaM regnortS nevE nA"
This one was larger, and it flew faster. And it dismantled almost every layer in Infinity before I had to twist out of the way, only allowing it to scratch my shirt. It phased straight through that, to my surprise. And it definitely should have touched skin, but it phased through that as well.
Right, this was a spell that targeted the mystical. My flesh should have been safe from such a strike.
Zatara nodded, thoughtfully. "Your magiform is¡ constant. Rigid. More orderly than I had initially expected. A very drastic departure from the usually chaotic and freeform powers of the arcane. Unfortunately, that does make your ability a lot easier to dismantle after a little experimentation. I suggest you no longer rely on Infinity against magic casters. Be very wary of what they can do to you."
I already was, hence my asking around for him! "Thank you, that''s very helpful! But you know what would be more helpful? Teaching me magic! Or putting me in contact with Doctor Fate!"
"I have been unable to reach Doctor Fate, which is not unusual," Zatara said, "But I am sure that Kent has already been appraised of your situation somehow, and is probably working on something for you. As for myself¡ªI am not done with testing. Brace yourself¡ªI will apply a spell on you. ''ytinifnI'' yaS"
"Infinity," I said. I blinked. Why did I just say ''Infinity''? "Was that your spell?" I asked, eyes wide, "Making me say something? How did you¡ªI didn''t even see it!"
"There was nothing to see," Zatara said, "Because I did not entreat you for this action, but something greater yet."
I narrowed my eyes at him, "So you can just tell me to drop dead at any time and I will."
Zatara shook his head with a scowl, "The rules around such spells are extremely complicated and nigh-on impossible." Why was he taking that attitude with me when he knew that I knew nothing? And he was complicit in making me so! What a dick! "I shall try something else. I will cast a curse on you that will seal both your hands for a short time. I shall unseal the hands afterwards."
What the hell? "Okay, bring it," I said.
He pulled out a medallion from his pocket and let it hang in the air, "Complete the condition of this curse, Gojo, by besmirching the Emperor Ashoka of Maurya."
I chortled, "Yeah, screw that guy, Emperor Ashoka, he totally sucks."
I looked down at my hands. They were just completely missing, turned into healed-over stumps. What the hell? My hands were just gone. But in a way that made them look amputated. I tried to heal them using Positive Energy, and found that there was this¡ wall of power that prevented the concept of my hands from coming into existence.
Like reality was asserting that I was always, and will always be, handless.
I checked this wall for give, and found some. But before I could test it out further, Zatara regrew my hands as he put the medallion back in his pocket.
"I could have healed that," I said.
"Interesting," Zatara said, "Let us move on. There is much work to be done."
As much as being prodded around for my greatest weaknesses did feel slightly undignified, I couldn''t help but be grateful for this opportunity. Something about Sportsmaster having escaped had shaken me more than I had expected. And after hearing Batman''s warnings, I¡ no longer thought that boundless confidence would take me very far.
Not when there was still a lot of preparation left for me, before I could confidently stand proud as a hero that just couldn''t be beaten.
Zatara dodged my question about a mentorship, and left via Zeta Tube with Batman, leaving me to continue training on my own, this time with a greater perspective into what the lowlives of this world could bring to bear.
Despite my trepidation, I couldn''t deny my excitement. I honestly couldn''t wait for a real and proper fight.
Chapter 21
Mount Justice
August 10th?, 15:45
The entire team stood in the Mission Room in a half-circle while I addressed them.
"I''m sure we can all agree that intra-team friction is only fun for a short time, before it gets repetitive and, you know, boring," I said, "Soooo¡ let''s squash the issue of Artemis once and for all. K.F, you''re disappointed Speedy isn''t on. We get it. Sucks. But Artemis is here to stay. Doesn''t matter what Red Arrow thinks about it. Artemis never did anything wrong. True, or not true?"
Kid Flash sighed angrily, "True. You know, except for being a disrespectful and snarky weirdo."
"Yeah, but she can''t help that," I said.
Artemis growled, "And she can talk for herself. And she thinks it''s not just about K.F over there giving me a pass. It''s about whether I give him a pass."
I sighed, "And suppose you don''t. What happens then? You gotta cut him some slack if we''re going to be Teen Titans together."
"Titans," they all said at once, and then Aqualad stepped up, "But Gojo is right. Kid Flash, for this conversation only, let''s keep it respectful. Artemis, please do the same."
She seemed to simmer down at Aqualad''s insistence. Natural-born leader right there.
Wally and Artemis walked up to face each other, "Didn''t appreciate your hostility," Artemis said.
"Didn''t appreciate you making fun of me for coming in the way I did," Wally said. "I just didn''t get the message is all."
"Sure," She said, "Fine. Whatever. Sorry."
"Wow," he scoffed, "Fine, fine. Whatever. Sorry, too."
Wally awkwardly offered her his hand, and she looked at it for a moment before shaking it.
"Great!" I yelled, "Now, let''s vote on karaoke night! Show of hands everyone!"
I raised my hand. Megan raised hers as well. Robin chuckled and raised his, too.
Artemis raised an eyebrow instead of her hand.
"C''mon!" I said, "Don''t you wanna hear what these pipes can do?"
She snorted, "You know what? Fine." Then she turned to Wally with a mocking grin, "What, you scared to sing in public?"
He scoffed, "No." He raised his hand, "You''re the one who''ll be humiliated when you hear how good I sing."
"Oh, will I?"
"Yeah, you will," he replied with utmost confidence.
Good, so that made five. Against two.
Aqualad grinned slightly and raised a hand, "Team-bonding activities are important." Okay, square.
Superboy shook his head, "I''m not singing."
"Would you at least watch?" Megan pleaded.
His scowl deepened, but then he finally relented with a sigh, "Sure. Fine. Whatever."
Lots of ''fine, whatevers'' today.
"Alright," Artemis looked at me, "Can we go now?"
"Go where?" Wally asked.
"Surfing lessons," I said with a grin.
"It''s noon in L.A," Megan commented, "We still have a lot of time in the day."
"You''re going?" Wally asked, zipping up to her in an instant. Megan grinned in surprise.
"Yes, I am. Why, did you want to come?"
"What? I mean, sure, yeah, definitely! Sounds like fun!" Wally said. "I''d need to go home and grab my swimming gear though. Robin, you wanna come?"
"Can''t," Robin said, "Still got some training to do with Bats. I only came here to witness this historical aster of a court-case of the Titans handling our stuff before it blows out of proportion. Like the time with Gojo."
I scowled at him, "Shut up about that already."
Robin barked out a laugh as he headed for the Zeta Tube, "Later, guys."
I turned to Kaldur, "What about you? Surfing lessons?"
"I don''t have a secret identity," Kaldur said, "My interacting with the team in civilian attire could put you in danger."
"How about you get a diving suit for next time?" I threw that idea out there, "It just doesn''t feel right playing in the water without my favorite water-guy."
Kaldur furrowed his eyebrows, arms folded.
"You''re my favorite water-guy," I punched him gently on his chest.
He cracked a disbelieving grin at that and shook his head in amusement. "Some other time, Gojo." He turned to leave.
Superboy was already halfway to his room when I called after him, "What about you, Superboy? Wanna surf?"
He kept walking.
000
Venice Beach
August 10th?, 12:45
We decided on a quick metric to decide where ''mastery'' lay, and it was thirty uninterrupted seconds riding the board on a wave.
I pretty much got the hang of things instantly, but rather than ruin the fun by winning quickly, I just enjoyed a dunk in the ocean after each failed attempt.
Wally, going all out, managed to beat the challenge in about two hours of trying, which the instructor said was impressive. Artemis came next until we ran out our hours and the surf instructor decided to call it quits for the day.
I laid back first on my rented board, enjoying the sun. My glasses were still on¡ªI made sure to prevent them from getting wet by keeping a layer of Infinity on them at all times.
By happenstance, our group floated over to the same patch of ocean. Miss Martian wearing a one-piece laid flat on her back like me, while Artemis in a two-piece was on her stomach, and Wally, wearing only shorts, was on his knees.
I wore a pair of shorts and an open shirt¡ªit wouldn''t get wet, so I saw no reason not to wear one. It had a nice pattern after all.
"You''re throwing, aren''t you?" Artemis asked. She was looking at me.
"Whatever do you mean?" I asked her with a grin.
"I saw you surf for twenty-nine seconds like five times before you ended up losing your balance," she grinned, "Just say you wanna dance in front of the team."
"Dance?" Wally asked, "What do you mean? Are you guys betting or something?"
"Yeah," I said, "Whoever doesn''t learn how to surf in time has to dance in front of the team to some boyband choreography."
Wally laughed, "And you wanna dance in front of us all?"
"No I don''t," I said, "I''m working very hard to win."
Megan started paddling away towards a wave, "I think I''ll give it one last go," she said with a grin, "Watch out, Sa-chan!"
"Try not to hurt yourself," I called after her lazily.
"Man, I love that girl," Wally said dreamily. Artemis raised an eyebrow at him. I chuckled. "I''m serious," he groused.
"If you are," I told him, "You should probably tell her."
"I''ve gotta wear her down, first," he said, "Make her into me, you know?"
"If she''s not that into you right now," Artemis said, "Then that won''t change just because you keep flirting, you know?"
"Oh please, what¡ª"
"Arty''s right," I said, "But hey, she might change her mind if you tell her outright, you know. That''s how we do it back home. There''s a saying that a girl won''t really fall in love with you until she knows that you love her first."
"So, what," Artemis said, "You guys just give cold love confessions to girls and start relationships that way?"
"Yeah, pretty much," I said, "There''s an initial courtship process first before things become official. Very communicative, though. You should try it, Wally."
Wally sighed, "You know, I didn''t tell Artemis my name yet, Gojo. So what you did right there? Not cool."
I winced, "Damn, forgot. I mean, we''re on the same team, though."
"Yeah, yeah," he said, "What''s your name anyway, Artemis? Unless you don''t wanna share?"
"Artemis Crock," I said, giving her a wide grin, "At least that''s what it said in the drawing in your bedroom."
"You were in her bedroom?" Wally asked, shocked.
"Don''t just say it like that!" Artemis replied hotly, "He was just¡ helping me out with something. No big deal at all."
I turned my head to show her my grin, "Was just helping her take out the trash is all. Even saw her parents."
"Gojo, shut up," she said, her tone serious. She turned to Wally, "I don''t care what you think about me, but I''m not letting rumors get spread about me, specially not from this asshole," she gestured at me.
Darnit, maybe the joke had gone on for too long. "It was actually just hero work," I admitted to Wally, "Artemis got caught up on her way home. Batman sent me to get her unstuck. That''s all," then I grinned, "And in return, I got Sportsmaster jailed again!"
Wally''s eyes widened at me, "Why are you telling us this just now?"
I blinked at him. "Does Kaldur¡ not know? Batman certainly does¡ªoh, right. All that got mixed up because afterwards, Batman benched me for¡ reasons¡ªjust ask Kaldur. Anyway, that was the situation. Right, Arty?"
"Right," Artemis said, "And don''t call me Arty!"
"When''d he see your bedroom and your parents?" Wally asked, eyebrow raised.
"I''ll kill you, Wally," Artemis replied.
"Hey! I thought he was serious!" Wally defended hotly.
"I''d believe her if I were you," I said.
"Because you think she''s an assassin?" Wally asked.
"No, because she''s strong," I said. "Well, relatively, of course. But yeah. She''s good."
"Speaking of that whole assassin story," Wally said.
"Nope, don''t wanna," I said.
"Finally grew up?" Wally said.
"Yep," I said.
"Not sure why you even thought it was funny," Wally said, "You''ve got a weird sense of humor, man. You really should work on that before you piss off the wrong guy."
I chuckled, "I wish somebody would try me."
"Okay, Mr. Strongest," Wally said with a tired and mocking voice.
"Megan''s catching a wave," Artemis said. Right in the distance, I saw her paddling up to catch the wave, riding it with admirable balance. Way too admirable, in fact. I raised my glasses and saw it¡ªher telekinesis, wrapping around her, correcting her mistakes. Hah! Megan, you''re really eager to see me dance, huh?
We cheered as she completed the thirty seconds with ease and then some, until she finally let go of her telekinesis and promptly fell after ten seconds.
"Ouch," I chuckled. "Anyway, Wally, if you ever do want to confess to Megan, my advice is to make it classy. She''s a classy girl. Kinda retro for some reason. I think she might be into stuff from the 90s." I couldn''t believe that stuff was considered old school now. The nineties had been most of my childhood.
"Yeah," Wally said suspiciously, "I''ve¡ noticed. Hold on, are you giving me real advice right now?"
"Yeah," I said, "Why?"
"I thought you liked Megan."
I chuckled, "Course I do. She''s a friend. And besides, I''d make a horrible boyfriend to anyone. You can have her if she''ll take you."
I honestly hoped for it, too. It could end up putting a rather emphatic end to my own dumb feelings.
I knew deep down I wasn''t really attached to her. Not in a way that would make sense to anyone else. I was always more of a dine-and-dasher in terms of love. I saw nothing wrong with that. But¡ a lot of girls in my past definitely did.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
¡Artemis seemed like a better choice. She looked like she''d be down for a low-commitment thing. Then again, such a thing was impossible to know until I asked.
"If you''re aware of it," Artemis said, "Then you shouldn''t just be sitting on it. Guys like you end up dying alone, you know. You really should grow out of that phase."
I raised an eyebrow at her. She seemed¡ bothered somehow. Bad experiences with low-commitment types, maybe? I definitely did get the impression that she wasn''t into the whole dining and dashing thing. "I was always gonna end up dying alone," I said, "and probably with a ton of regrets. People in my line of work never have happy endings. I''ll get old and slow one day, and a curse that I could usually take on with my eyes closed and with both hands tied behind my back might end up being the end of me. And that''ll be it."
Artemis looked upset by that, but she didn''t say anything.
"Dark," Wally said, "Then why do it? Do you actually care about being a hero that much?"
"I care about jujutsu," I said, "And I can only practice it on curses. So of course I''ll do the job. My powers are fulfilling enough."
"If you say so," Wally said, clearly not believing a word I said.
He was a quitter, wasn''t he? I could already tell he wasn''t in this for real.
"I''ll swing by every now and then," I said with a grin, "Once you retire and hang up the suit at eighteen."
"I''m not gonna quit," he groused. I shrugged.
"Then look at it from my point of view," I said, "It''s about power. Always has been. Power to be free. Power to never be threatened. And if you wanna be a hero, then it''s power to make sure the world is however you want it to be. Free of villains or invading aliens, or conservative politicians or whatever it is you don''t like."
"Conservative politicians?" Wally asked with a frown, "I''m not touching that."
I shrugged. "You won''t get to touch anything that matters with that weak-sauce mentality."
"You were doing so well, Gojo!" Wally groaned.
I wouldn''t apologize for this one. "Why don''t you tell me why I''m wrong, anyway?"
"Power isn''t everything," Wally said. And nothing else.
"I agree," Artemis said.
I looked over at the city of LA''s skyline. A pretty view.
I imagined how I could destroy this city in an hour. All it would take was a handful of Purples and a few dozen Reds. I could turn this place into a wreck before any of the Justice League got here, killing tens of thousands in the first few minutes alone.
But I wouldn''t. Not for any particular reason¡ªit''d just be a drag, and I saw no point in it. Society worked for me enough as it was. No need to get rid of it just yet.
Someone else definitely would if they could, though. Someone who society didn''t work for. And it''d be my job to take care of them at that point. Hammer down the nail that stuck out, or just pry it out and toss it if it was too crooked.
"Power is everyone''s business," I said, "But only in control of the very few. Whether or not you two think it''s everything, it still dominates your lives."
"I think you need to lighten up a little, Gojo," Artemis said with a slight sulk. "This sort of thinking isn''t healthy. It''s not¡ I don''t think it''s very heroic, you know?"
Maybe she was especially sensitive about that because of her villainous upbringing? "Maybe," I relented, "Sorry for bringing the mood down," I chuckled. "That was rude of me."
Megan was paddling over, and now in earshot. I sat up on my board and faced a sour-looking Wally. "You too, man. I know it''s an old story at this point, but," I shrugged, "I really can''t help it. Sorry." I said I wouldn''t apologize, but¡ gah.
Why was everyone so damn disappointing? And why did I keep having to apologize for being affronted by their mediocrity?
"Yeah," he said angrily, "I''ve gotten that at this point."
"Did you guys see that?!" Megan called at us, "I got over thirty seconds, didn''t I?"
"Were you that eager to see me dance?" I grinned at her. I reduced my Infinity and tapped my head. She started reading my mind, To the point that you''d cheat?
Her face took on a deep blush. I''ll do it honestly if you want.
Nah, I grinned, Honestly, if powers are not allowed, then I should lose by default since my powers are always on. My perception makes controlling my body a lot easier. So I lose.
I closed the telepathic link and paddled away to catch a wave myself, "Alright, time to show you guys how it''s done!"
I managed to catch a huge wave, and even managed to surf inside the tube that the wave formed, brushing against the wall of water, enjoying the natural phenomenon immensely.
000
Wally squinted, his gaze fixed on Gojo as he paddled further out into the surf, his movements lazy yet undeniably graceful. It was frustrating, watching him glide away like that¡ªcarefree, completely unbothered, like he didn''t even have to try. Wally''s chest tightened, his thoughts buzzing with irritation.
It must have been some kind of psychic chat. He''d seen Megan''s face change, that small flicker in her eyes, like she''d just heard something no one else could, and then that blush! And the way she was sitting there now, perched on her board and watching Gojo, it drove Wally up the wall. She was looking at him with that soft, curious expression, and Wally couldn''t help but wonder what Gojo had said to her. The thought gnawed at him, twisting his insides in an uncomfortable knot.
He couldn''t shake the idea that Gojo had spoiled something, or at the very least, gotten in his way without even lifting a finger. Possibly even sabotaged him by revealing Wally''s crush prematurely.
He tried to shake off the feeling, to focus on anything else, but his eyes drifted back to Megan. She was still watching Gojo, a quiet look on her face, almost thoughtful. Wally clenched his jaw. This was low, even for Gojo. He already had every advantage¡ªthe confidence, the powers, the height, the looks, that annoying way of knowing things he shouldn''t, that ability to read people effortlessly. And now this?
As he paddled aimlessly in the water, Wally felt the frustration simmer beneath the surface. He''d never let Gojo know just how much this was getting to him, but the thought was already there, lodged in his mind. Gojo had meddled in his life¡ªno, his chance¡ªand that felt like a line crossed.
"I don''t know what to make of that guy," Artemis muttered, still lying on her stomach on her board. Wally turned to her with a raised eyebrow while Megan turned to her in concern.
"Did he say something rude again?" she asked.
"Brutal honesty," Artemis shrugged, "He''s got a warped sense of hero life. Pretty emo."
"He said I was weak," Wally said, "Again."
Weak-sauce mentality, who the hell did he think he was? What, so being a good hero meant caring more about their superpowers than living a fulfilling life? Was that really what he thought?
"Oh no," Megan looked at Wally in concern, "I''m really sorry, Wally. I''ll talk to him."
"No, don''t," Wally shook his head, "It''s not a big deal." He didn''t want Megan of all people to run up to Gojo and give him a talking to. "Ah, I was just overreacting, I think," he lied, "Now that you''re here, I''m feeling peachy, babe."
Megan gave a grin at that. But it seemed¡ more put on. Nothing like the smiles she showed to Gojo.
Had Gojo really told Megan about Wally''s own feelings? Right after he''d been so cool about it? Wally had taken Gojo for many things, but he would never have assumed him to be someone that low. Macking on two girls at once and then sabotaging Wally for no reason. This guy was a serious asshole. There was no helping him at all.
"I just feel bad for him, honestly," Artemis said, "I mean, I could tell he wasn''t saying it to get a rise out of any of us. Not even the whole ''weak-sauce mentality'' thing. To me, he just seemed¡ disappointed."
Wally frowned. Of course she''d take his side. He stuck up for her after all.
"Knowing where he comes from, it makes sense," Megan said, "He was pretty much his world''s Superman. That probably wasn''t a very easy burden to carry."
"I can''t imagine the pressure," Artemis said. "Sounds depressing, honestly."
"Doesn''t excuse him being a dick," Wally muttered, feeling profoundly left out. Megan paddled over to Wally and put a hand on his knee. His eyes widened at the contact and he looked up at Megan''s comforting grin.
"You''re not weak, Wally," Megan said, "And I know you''ve had to be patient about him. But he''s had to do the same thing as well. Of course, that''s not much of a comfort, but¡ I think we owe him at least that much leeway. Remember the good times at least. He hasn''t been all bad, has he?"
Wally sighed, "I mean¡ no. The worst thing he does is just run his mouth."
Megan smiled, "Right." She took her hand away. "But he means well. And he does care about you. In his own way."
Really? Wally doubted it. There was one easy way to find out, though, if only for himself and not so the other girls could see him for the lying and sabotaging sack of dirt that he was. Wally gathered his courage and asked his question in one breath, "What did he say to you telepathically before he paddled off?"
"Oh, that was a telepathic chat?" Artemis asked, shocked, "Trippy. Haven''t gotten used to those yet."
Megan blushed furiously. Oh no. "I¡ I don''t know what to say, really." Wally winced.
"You don''t have to say anything," Wally said with a frown. "I get it."
He''d never forgive Gojo for this.
This was low. He couldn''t be redeemed.
"You do?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said.
"It''s just¡ I really wanted to see Gojo dance."
"¡Huh?"
"That''s why I¡ used my telekinetic abilities to complete the challenge," she said, "Obviously, it didn''t get past Gojo. He pretty much sees everything. I guess I¡ cheated. Sorry." She ducked her head
Wally gaped at her, and then burst out laughing.
Even Artemis chuckled slightly. "Wally wasn''t even in on the bet, why are you so sorry?"
"Yeah!" Wally concurred. "So you cheated, whatever!"
"But¡ªbut!" Miss Martian spoke up, "He said he would let it slide because he can''t turn off his own powers to complete the challenge. So maybe it wasn''t cheating?"
In between the following laughter and banter, Wally reserved a tiny corner of his mind for a mental and secret apology to Gojo, and the resolution that maybe he wasn''t as terrible as he was desperate to prove to everyone.
And maybe it would be worth asking himself why he hadn''t hesitated to assume the worst of Gojo immediately, without being given any evidence to it?
Wally missed it when it was just him, Aqualad, Robin and Speedy. Those days made way more sense.
Chapter 22
Things were fun. Pleasant.
But it felt hollow for some reason. I was itching to get back into training, but even training was starting to grate on me. It was an annoyingly boring march ahead with no companions. It was a constant trudge through mud.
And it was really starting to drive me up the wall how undriven the others were. I could excuse human endurance, but most of us weren''t even training to the extent of their own stamina. They weren''t fulfilling their biological potential. And even Superboy''s attempts started looking more perfunctory, less passionate.
Even as we sang through the night until midnight when Wally and Artemis had to leave because it was a school night, I never quite felt relaxed enough to lower my Infinity, still training to keep it on subconsciously, and inching ever-forward towards that milestone of power.
Making sure to make room for human touch, of course. That, too, was important training.
That night, I trained in my room, trying not to delve too hard into these feelings. Megan and Canary had done their damndest to try and pry open stupid floodgates like ''childhood trauma'' as if any of that could touch me. Trauma certainly couldn''t. I truly didn''t feel so strongly about the lip-scar bastard to have panic attacks or anything like that. All I felt was a bone-deep resolve to never be caught in a similar position, which was a productive urge.
Far more productive than trying, and failing to fit in with my team of layabouts.
I debated on bringing the matter up with Canary at our next session, but I shot that idea down as quickly as it came. Canary would tell me I was wrong for thinking this way, that I should work on not being the way that I was because it was wrong or antisocial. But even in the best case scenario of her taking my side, there was no changing people who were just¡ fine with taking this job non-seriously. People who couldn''t work as hard as I did¡ªto their limits at least.
¡When had I started caring so much anyway? This was super heroics, not jujutsu sorcery. And I was never much of a company boy to begin with, even if that was what they bred me to be.
When morning came, I still didn''t stop thinking even as I trained.
What if¡ I stopped training. Stopped trying to really be the strongest? Things would get easier. I wouldn''t end up having as much work to do. Hell, I might even start relating more with others. A weak-sauce mentality would do me well.
But it would be a betrayal.
A betrayal of what it meant to be me. And even if no one saw it or knew it, I had my pride.
No one was going to save me. I would save myself.
I resolved myself to stop talking about power. That''s where things started getting sour anyway. If all I did was just hang out and cook nice sweets with Megan, play sports with Artemis, occasionally spar with Kaldur and Robin, snark around with Wally, and stay out of Superboy''s way, then things would just go perfectly smoothly for the team.
Who knew? Maybe the League would end up coming through on their promise to send me back as well? See a five years older Suguru who probably moved on in my absence?
What a drag. All of it.
Mount Justice
August 19th?, 19:39 EDT
It turned out that a lot of what annoyed me about Canary was completely self-imposed. Be honest with her, and she''d return that honesty with biting analyses that distracted me more than it helped me. I saw no point or reason in her trying to chip away at what I was becoming aware of was an emotional wall holding in¡ a lot of baggage.
There was no good outcome to breaking that wall down. No great relief or revelation that waited. Certainly no increase or maintenance in daily function, which was what her job was meant to bring about, so¡ obviously, the solution was to just lie to her.
White lies, of course. Tell her what she wants me to realize, follow along with her fairy tale plan to betterness, hell, shed a few tears every now and then just to get her off my back. It was a system that worked for me, especially as I had come to realize that I had already hit the limit of what a psychologist could do for me. Or what she could do for me, really, but it was the same difference. We had both worked hard to do our fair share of digging, but I was satisfied with what I had found, and she would just have to deal with that.
I was in the Mission Room just watching Superboy and Kaldur have it out with each other. Repetitive, nonsensical fighting¡ªpoor form, lacking knowledge, just amateurs having at it. No improvements, just rote repetition and fluctuations in apparent skill. Sometimes they played worse. Sometimes they did well. Nothing that could be noticed in the span of a day. Their curve of improvement was almost flat, and it probably fooled them into thinking that their work didn''t matter when it absolutely did. Especially because the curve was so flat. That just meant that they had no room to miss practice.
Still they did, at times. Kaldur at least. Superboy had become diligent. Good. It was only the bare minimum anyway.
Red Tornado left his hatch in the ceiling, and Kid Flash didn''t hesitate to zip up to him, "Hey, Red Tornado! Do you have a mission for us?"
Red Tornado landed in front of Wally, "Mission assignments are the Batman''s responsibility."
"Well, the Batman and the Robin are doing the Dynamic Duo thing in Gotham. But you''re headed somewhere, right? Hot date? Or a mission?"
Aqualad butted in, "If we can be of help."
Red Tornado walked up and interfaced with the computer and threw up a projection, "This is Kent Nelson," he said. The man looked old, hunched over, wearing an old-fashioned suit. "A friend. He is 106 years old."
"Doctor Fate!" I said, standing up and approaching the rest of the team, standing next to Artemis and Wally. "I know him! He''s a bigshot wizard in this world, right?"
Red Tornado continued, "He has been missing for twenty-three days." Damn! Who else was left then to be my magic teacher? Constantine?
I really couldn''t remember a damn thing about the Constantine issue that I read, other than that he was screwing around with demons. Even that movie I watched that came out this year¡ªwell, the year I left the jujutsu world¡ªwas slightly foggy. It wasn''t a good movie, by any means. The Satan scene was cool, though.
"Kent was a charter member of the Justice Society," Red Tornado continued, "The precursor to your mentors'' Justice League."
"And strongest magician, right?" I asked.
"Pft," Wally snorted, voice low so that only I could hear him, "Wouldn''t go that far. Guy knows a little advanced science and Dumbledore''s it up to scare bad guys and impress babes."
¡In retrospect, was that why Zatara, that smarmy bastard, didn''t want to teach me any magic? Damn guy tried to give me the run-around but he was a fraud all along? "Magic isn''t real here?" I asked, shocked. "I trained with Zatara¡ªhe managed to get past my Infinity. So, like¡ how?"
"It''s obvious," Wally said, arms folded as he looked at me like I was dumb, "If it''s not super science directly harnessed, then it''s probably some kind of advanced energy control. Like Captain Atom. Or advanced alien genes that allow a certain set of abilities."
"How is that different from magic?" I asked, tilting my head. "What exactly is the distinction here? And how come none of that gets past Infinity, but magic does?"
Wally''s eyes widened, "The distinction is I don''t have to say magic words or twirl a wand to be fast because that''s not how powers work."
"That''s how my powers work," I said, "If I say an incantation or do gestures, my powers get stronger." Was he just full of it?
"You don''t count," he said, wrinkling his nose, "You''re from another universe. The rules might be different. Anyways, pay attention." Artemis rolled her eyes at him. Huh, so maybe he was the one full of shit.
Dammit, I couldn''t believe this asshole would take advantage of my ignorance and try to fill my head up with pointless lies. So he had an ideological disagreement with the concept of magic¡ªbig deal. I didn''t want any part in that.
I hardly wanted any part in this team, to be honest. Crazy just how much weeks and weeks of inactivity could just sap all motivation in that way. Maybe I just should start looking at other options. Everyone annoyed me¡ªall the time, and I wasn''t allowed to be angry or I''d be the asshole.
And then I''d probably hurt Megan.
"¡ªperhaps on one of his walkabouts," Red Tornado said, "But he is caretaker to the Helmet of Fate, the source of the doctor''s mystic might. And it is unwise to leave such power unguarded."
"He''s like the great sorcerer priests and priestesses of Mars," Megan said, her expression reverent, "I would be honored to help find him."
"Me too!" Wally rushed up next to her and swooned, "So honored I can barely stand it. Magic rocks."
I grimaced in sheer, utter disgust at him.
Damn, he was just wretched for that.
Whatever. He wanted to ruin his chances with Megan, that was definitely his prerogative. I had nothing to do with that.
"Take this," Red Tornado produced a key-like thing and proffered it, "It is the key to the Tower of Fate." Aqualad took it carefully.
"Wait," I raised my hand, "Does this count as a mission or not? Because I''ve been planning to speak to Doctor Fate for quite a while now and I''d love to go. But¡ Batman benched me."
Red Tornado took a moment to think, "This is not a mission per se, but merely a wellness check. I don''t predict that anything would have happened to Kent Nelson. Ultimately, it will be up to Aqualad."
I clasped my hands together, "Pretty please?"
Aqualad sighed and nodded, "Fine. But should a situation arise¡ª"
"I''ll sit back," I said, "Promise. Just wanna talk to Fate Man is all. You can trust me."
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
"I hope I can," Aqualad said. "Fine. You can come, Gojo."
"Yes!" I pumped my fists, "Titans! To the Bio-Ship!"
I loved doing that.
000
"So," Artemis said. She was seated where Robin usually was, to Megan''s right. While Kid Flash sat on Megan''s left. All of us were dressed up in our civilian outfits, reflecting how little of a mission this really was. "When did you realize you had this honest appreciation for the mystic arts, Wally?"
"Since forever!" Wally lied, "I was thinking about becoming a wizard before becoming Kid Flash."
Why the hell was I letting this farce play out anyway?
You know what? Screw it! "Didn''t you just tell me all magic is fake back in the cave?"
"W-what?!"
"Yeah, you told me Doctor Fate Dumbledore''s it up to impress babes and scare bad guys," I said, "You know, you don''t have to lie about the subject, you could just talk about it honestly. I really don''t give a damn. Unless you lie to my friend''s face." There was only so much childishness I could tolerate, and Wally was very good at crossing that threshold.
He made me feel like a responsible and congenial person, which I absolutely hated.
"Thank you!" Artemis shouted.
Megan looked at Wally in concern, "You don''t believe in the mystic arts?"
"I mean¡ªI just¡" he sighed, "No, not really." Then he gained a second wind and started ranting. "I mean, it''s obviously a scam!"
"Wally," Aqualad said, "I studied for a year at the Conservatory of Sorcery in Atlantis. The mystic arts created the skin-icons that power my water-bearers."
"You ever hear of bioelectricity?" he replied. "Hey, in primitive cultures, fire was once considered magical too," Wally said, "Today, it''s all a bunch of tricks."
"You''re pretty close-minded," Artemis said, "You know, for a guy who can break the sound barrier in his sneakers."
"That''s science!" Wally claimed, "I recreated Flash''s laboratory experiment and here I am. Everything can be explained by science."
"Correction, that''s science fiction," I said, "Not how things worked in my world. At least there, we were honest that all this stuff is literally just magic. Even Batman is magic¡ªthere''s no way he should be able to do half the things he does."
"Yeah, but things don''t work like in your world," Wally said, "That''s why we don''t have ghosts and demons prowling around."
"Really?" I asked, "Does a guy named Constantine not exist in this world?"
"Never heard of him," Wally claimed. I got similar results from everyone. Guess he probably didn''t, then.
"And besides," Wally said, "I bet your world could be explained by reason, too."
"Yes, it can," I said, "The reason being magic. A well-understood and well-harnessed phenomenon. As well understood as any physical phenomenon really is, which I mean to say is not much. When you take a look at what we really know about the universe, Wally, maybe you''ll start to realize that all this confidence is kind of misplaced."
"Confidence that magic isn''t real, and it can all be explained?" Wally asked, "Yeah, no thanks."
"Magic is real, and it can be explained. How do you think it''s harnessed? No, scratch that¡ªyou really think the ancients knew what fire really was before they harnessed it? They knew enough to create it, but not everything about what it is¡ªthe visible effect from a process of combustion requiring oxygen, heat and fuel. All they knew was that fire burned from wood if you lit a spark with some rocks, and air was everywhere either way, so it didn''t matter and wasn''t categorized as a necessary component. That''s magic," I said.
"So we agree that all magic is just science waiting to be explained?" Wally asked. "And that magicians are frauds who don''t understand their science like cavemen waving around fire?"
Nah, I wasn''t gonna win this.
"You know, I''ve been remarkably patient about this¡ªfor me, at least. But I guess there''s no arguing against what boils down to be faith and faith alone. Can''t argue with a theist, can you?"
"Theist?" Wally spat, "What are you talking about?"
"Boys, please," Megan said. "Let''s not bring religion into this."
"No, I''m honestly just curious," Wally said, "No anger, no annoyance, just curiosity. How am I a theist?"
"You have an ironclad faith in a concept that runs counter to available evidence," I said, "And you cram all that evidence through this lens without any regard for how twisted and illogical things come out on the other end," I said, "Use logic. Occam''s Razor. Ever heard of that?" I grinned.
"Yeah, of course I have. The idea with the fewest leaps in logic is often the right one," he said, "Magic doesn''t count as a leap in logic. It''s too broad."
"Listen," I said, having grown tired of this conversation, "Whether or not you believe in magic is something that doesn''t concern me. I do not care enough to keep arguing," I chuckled, "I mean, it was a little funny at the start, but mostly it boiled down to you lying to Megan. And I still haven''t heard you apologize for that." I turned around and looked at him, raising my sunglasses to make eye-contact, "Why don''t you go ahead and do that real quick, and then we can be done?" He looked contrite, dodging my eyes as he clenched his jaws.
"Sa-chan, please," Megan said, "It''s fine, Wally, really. You don''t have to¡ª"
"I''m sorry, Megan," Wally said, "He''s right, that was dickish of me. I was just¡ trying to impress you, I guess."
Megan gave a warm grin that he didn''t deserve at all, "Just be yourself from now on, Wally. Even if¡ not believing in magic is weird," she said, "I''m sorry, it just¡ doesn''t make any sense to me. But you''re free to believe whatever you want!" As always, she was too eager to please, and not nearly forthcoming enough about negative feelings. She needed to fix that, or she''d only get hurt.
He grimaced and looked down in shame. "I guess I also didn''t want to be judged."
"Then just believe in it," Artemis said, "It''s not so hard. It''s like you don''t believe in tigers because you''ve never seen any with your own two eyes. It''s not like we''re telling you that the god you believe in is the wrong one."
"Whatever," Wally groused, "You don''t get it."
From the corner of my eyes, I saw Superboy¡ªsitting right next to me¡ªlook at me. With a pensive frown.
I debated on cracking open that fun jar of teenage spirit, but in the end I could freely admit that the Titans had seen enough drama for one day. I''d wait for him to bring it up, if he ever did.
Not for the first time, I felt the lack of Suguru''s reassuring presence. I missed having friends that weren''t complete pushovers.
000
As Abra''s electricity crackled and danced like a lunatic symphony, shocking the life out of poor old Kenty, Klarion tilted his head back further, eyes wide and gleaming like a cat stalking an unsuspecting bird. The decrepit theater groaned around him, plaster dust falling like dirty snowflakes, but he heard none of it. His mind was already leaping from one chaotic idea to another, a kaleidoscope of mayhem spinning too fast for even him to catch.
His grin split wider, jagged, manic¡ªlike a shattered mirror reflecting a thousand terrible intentions. "Oh, ohhhh," he cooed, his voice dripping with glee. "What fun! What delicious, delectable fun!"
The air grew thick, heavy, vibrating with an unnatural pulse that only Klarion could control. He spun on his heel, throwing his arms out dramatically, as though addressing an unseen audience in the crumbling seats. "I know what you''re thinking," he said, grinning at the seats, "Big Bad Klarion''s going to serve the inheritor of the Limitless and the Six Eyes a bit of humble pie and show him how wide this world is. HAH!" he doubled over as he laughed, looking like the mirth had caused him physical pain. "Not quite. Yeah, not quite! You see, I''m his biggest fan! Me! I love him more than words can describe! I''d do anything for Satoru Gojo¡ªanything!"
"Boss?" Abra''s voice quivered.
"Forget the Light!" he bellowed, his words heavy with anger. "What do I care for their dreary, plodding plans? Their chess games? Their strategy? Blech!" He mimed vomiting, cackling as he staggered forward, hands clutching his stomach. Then his face snapped back to something unnervingly serious, his black eyes gleaming with feral intent. "But I got a new toy, and I wanna break him in."
"Boss¡ who are you talking to?" Abra Kadabra had stopped shocking Kenty to look at him in fear. "And¡ leaving the Light? Are you sure, boss?"
He had never been more sure.
In response to his divestment of that Orderly order that was the Light, the power of chaos surged in him, swirling and coiling like a living storm, responding to Klarion''s reacquaintance with his domain. The Witch Boy imagined all the glorious ways this would play out. Oh, that arrogant, smug little man-child with his infinity and his grinning bravado. Gojo thought he was untouchable, unshakable, unkillable. The nerve. The sheer gall. How dare he exist so perfectly in Klarion''s world of beautiful imperfection?
"Today, the untouchable is touched," Klarion whispered to himself, his voice barely audible but ringing like a sinister bell. "I''m gonna touch that boy, and I''m gonna touch him real hard!" He burst into giggles, the sound discordant and maddening.
Teekl meowed, leaping onto his shoulder, her red eyes flashing with concern. She didn''t want to be blown up by the Cursed Technique Reversal. Klarion scratched behind her ears absentmindedly. "Oh, Teekl, don''t look at me like that. You know this is going to be fun. So much fun."
One more plan then, to set off an even greater plan. And if that greater plan fell through¡ªthat was fine, too, for that was also chaos.
But today, Satoru Gojo would die.
Chapter 23
Salem
August 19th?, 20:22 EDT
"We''ve reached Red Tornado''s coordinates," Megan said, "But¡"
"Nothing''s there," Kaldur said, looking out the window. "Gojo?"
"You''re wrong," I said, eyes wide. I removed my glasses, letting my Six Eyes gaze at what I was certain was some kind of energy that rhymed very well with cursed energy. Magic, by any other name. It was dispersed all over, but it was concentrated on one spot of grass near the streets. "There''s a bunch of magic here." I ignored Wally''s snort.
And¡ in a cat.
The orange tabby cat¡ªwith red eyes of all things¡ªwas by a street corner, watching us land our camouflaged Bio-Ship, and its energy was¡ cursed for sure. Not cursed energy, but definitely just cursed. It looked wrong, and just downright chaotic. It sent a shudder through my spine. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.
Except maybe¡ hmm.
It reminded me¡ªonly very slightly¡ªof the energy that was used to bring me here. The League already promised there was nothing on their side that could have conceivably brought me to this world, especially not in such a random location, with no greater plan in mind.
Too many unknowns. I needed answers.
"Does Doctor Fate or Kent Nelson have a cat?" I asked.
The team were already up on their feet, ready to alight, but I was still staring through the wall of the Bio-Ship¡ªopaque on the inside but for my Six Eyes allowing me to see out of it.
"What did you see?" Aqualad asked.
The cat ran away and crawled into a building and¡ªdisappeared.
"Something magical," I said. "Be right back."
I warped in front of the derelict building with wooden boards covering the door''s entrance and kicked them in, stepping in view of a¡ª
Cursed Spirit. Far down on the stage of this abandoned theatre. The first I had seen. A being of chaotic energy. The same energy as the cat, but a million times more concentrated, more deadly. Special Grade, my brain threw out automatically, for all it even meant in this world. How did I miss them until now when I could see them without any obstructions?
This thing was bad news, for sure.
The two humans besides were irrelevant compared to the creature. When I noticed that the two humans were Kent Nelson and some guy I had never seen did I finally stop to consider the situation beyond the abomination in my presence.
I reached for Kent Nelson to spit him through space and let him appear in the Bio-Ship when the Cursed Spirit in the shape of a pale and lanky boy with hair bent into the shape of devil horns, reached out to block me.
"Infinity!" he squealed, "I recognize you! Big fan, you do some great work! And would you look at that," his face took on a more demonic cast, "You''re not from around here, are ya?"
This thing meant business. Moreover, this thing¡ would destroy the Titans before they knew it. Easily. I couldn''t let them fight him.
"My buddies really wanna kill you," he laughed, "But I don''t think going that far makes any sense at all! No, I''m much more interested in learning what your deal is. And measuring just how much you''ll shake things up if I let you run around doing whatever you want. So, honored one¡ wanna show me how it''s done?" his voice became cacophonous, not loud, but certainly not pleasant to listen to. His teeth sharpened and he reached his hand towards me.
I gave a confident grin.
"I''d rather bail out that old geezer you got strapped in the chair and be on my way," I said. "He''s gonna be my magic teacher."
"Ridiculous," the white-shirted man with the magic wand¡ªreally just some kind of high-tech device according to what my Six Eyes Reversal was telling me¡ªgrowled. He waved his wand at me, projecting sound. I immediately cut myself off from sound. Neither the impact nor the sound itself reached me.
"My turn," I said with a grin, shoving my arm forward, "Cursed Technique Lapse," he threw another attack as I incanted, not that it mattered, "Maximum Energy Output: Blue!"
He immediately flew into a ball of hypermassive cursed energy. I let it stay up for fifty milliseconds, after which he had broken half the bones in his body and ruptured several nonvital organs from the whiplash of the sudden pull alone. He would live, of course, but that had knocked him out of the fight emphatically.
Sorry Batman, but I really couldn''t afford to hold back right now¡ªnot with this monster right in front of me. This violence, compared to what I did to Sportsmaster, really was necessary. I had to end things instantly, and even activating that technique had taken more time than I had been comfortable leaving for the creature.
"Ooh, my turn!" the boy laughed as he grasped for me. He was pretty far away, so he didn''t exactly catch me. Wasn''t sure what that was about. "What, don''t know what I did?" he asked, "Need a hand, maybe?" he raised his hand, and it was holding a cut-off hand.
The pain registered a split second later. I looked down at my right hand and saw nothing but a bleeding stump. I immediately focused on healing it.
Reverse Cursed Technique!
As I regenerated the limb, I looked at this demon with wide eyes, "You''re fast for a little kid." No, not fast. This transcended speed.
This magic was¡ magic. Powerful magic. Magic I couldn''t even see.
"And you''re just full of surprises!" he laughed. "And you''ve got friends coming! Nice! This will be fun!"
"Get away!" Kent Nelson cried, "While you still can!"
How the hell had he reached me? Did I even stand a chance against him? What the hell was going on? How did I defend against these attacks? My Six Eyes saw nothing. Nothing!
Should I¡?
Should I run away?
"I''ll let you go if you want," the boy said with a grin, "But then, don''t you ever repeat that you''re the strongest. Got it?"
"Heh," I grinned, eyes wide, "You''re not from this world either, are you?"
"He''s Klarion, the Witch Boy!" Kent explained, "A Lord of Chaos. You cannot beat him, boy! No matter how strong you think you are, this is a living embodiment of the concept of chaos! Run, boy, run!"
I regrew my hand and vowed to keep a closer eye on him. I focused intently for all I was worth until barely, just barely¡ªI saw. Threads of magic appearing and disappearing in chaotic patterns, seemingly connected to everything, yet affecting nothing just yet.
He used those threads to reach me. They managed to bite through Infinity as well. Very well, then. I''d just have to evade them when they came.
And to get the pressure of his attacks off my shoulders, I needed to do something as well.
"Red," I fired off the attack at Klarion. He jumped away. The stage behind him exploded, blowing the bound-up form of Kent Nelson away, too. I grabbed him with Blue, putting him down gently before refocusing on Klarion, throwing out another Red, blowing a hole into the neighboring building, exposing empty apartment units.
I spatially transported away from Klarion''s threads of magic, appearing close to him to deliver the punch of my life.
Black lightning blazed in the wake of my strike as I hit Klarion on his back with everything I could muster at once for daring to take my hand the way that he did.
Finally a worthy challenge!
He shot into the floor, digging himself down until he hit dirt. I threw a Red at him, bulldozing him further down. And down. And down.
Klarion''s mangled corpse dissipated into dust as the little that remained of him twitched.
"Wow, wouldn''t want to be him!"
I whirled around and saw him¡ªKlarion, standing on air, looking at me in surprise and wonder.
I had destroyed his body. Even throwing a Purple at him would have been redundant, given the ravages I had put him through.
I looked down again at the pit, and the last of Klarion disintegrated, and the new one was no worse for wear at all.
The threads of magic hadn''t indicated that he could do this. How did he¡? Did he always have this clone in reserve while his original body had veiled itself from detection? How many powers did he have?
Finally, the Titans had arrived, entering through the door to the theater.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
No time.
Time to bring out Purple.
"Ooh, guests! This is fun! Let''s play a game everyone!" Klarion reached for me. I dodged away. He followed my movement with trivial ease and¡ªbroke through Infinity like it wasn''t even there, grabbing me.
No. Grabbing into me. His hand phase shifted through my chest, and he pulled.
All my Cursed Energy.
I fell from the air, landing roughly on a chair, gasping for breath as I watched the demon bend over backwards laughing. "Not so strong now, are you?" Klarion chuckled, holding up an orb that looked like a black hole. It even had an accretion disk. Was that¡ Limitless?
I couldn''t feel it. I couldn''t feel my cursed energy. My Six Eyes were weakening. The world reducing in all the manifold colors of reality, my field of view narrowing into almost nothing¡ªhuman eyes.
I felt blind. How could anyone see like this? With this cone-shaped field of view?
"What did you do?!" Megan screamed as she lifted every loose piece of debris in the devastated theater, hurling it at Klarion to no effect. All the debris stopped dead without penetrating his¡ªInfinity.
I felt like throwing up.
"So," Klarion said, "Here''s how this goes down. I want the Helmet of Fate. Give that to me and I''ll give dear Gojo his powers back."
How the hell did he know my name?
"Alternatively," Klarion continued, "You can all die, and Gojo will stand alone as the honored one. And then you can keep the Helmet of Fate. What do you say."
"Try something else," Wally growled.
"Not talking to you," Klarion said, looking down at me, "Tell me, Infinity. What do you say?"
"Third option," I hissed, getting up on my feet shakily, "Don''t piss me off, or I''ll make you regret it."
"With what power, exactly?" Klarion laughed. "Face it, you''re a muggle. A normie! With a weak-sauce body to boot!" Klarion landed on the broken stage, and it reassembled by itself, "This power is amazing. But that''s all that''s amazing about you, boy. You got lucky and won the lottery. But your luck ends here. You want a third option? Fine. Here it is: fight me. You don''t even have to win. Put up an interesting fight and I won''t kill your friends. I''ll probably kill you, but," he shrugged, "Gotta make compromises! You won''t even have to hand me the Helmet of Fate!"
"What the hell are you?" I growled. I clenched my fists. This¡ this couldn''t be happening.
Not again.
And not even on a mission!
Dammit! This couldn''t be real! Why was it happening again?
"Screw this," Superboy growled and jumped at Klarion.
"Blue," Klarion chuckled, catching Superboy''s form in the orbit of a powerful Blue, slingshotting him right back to the Team with added force. He had my powers. "Don''t make me bust out Red, or¡ Purple." He grinned.
I turned around in panic to the team who were all getting ready for a fight, "Don''t fight him! You''ll lose!"
"So it''s your power that is strongest, not really you," Klarion said, "Which is¡ yeah. Kind of obvious. Wow, this energy is just so," he grimaced, "It''s the worst, really. I hate it. Anyway, Gojo, you gotta decide now before I kill all of your friends."
Kid Flash ran towards him, Megan threw more debris, Artemis, who hadn''t brought her bow or arrow, threw chunks of debris, and Aqualad ran in to fight with his fists.
They were all stopped, one way or the other. Kid Flash got smacked back, flying into the seats. Aqualad received a palm slam that threw him into the seats as well. Superboy made a second attempt at Klarion that failed just as easily as the first one. And Megan and Artemis'' rocks couldn''t get past his Infinity.
Then he crossed his fingers. "Domain Expansion."
Dead.
We were all dead.
A domain of an infinite starscape splattered in white blotches of what looked like paint filled up our worlds, and I prepared for the influx of endless information, like the manuscripts of the last Limitless and Six Eyes user had left for his successor.
That technique never came. I looked around to see if the others had felt it. No. They were looking around curiously, still able to move.
"Don''t make me use the Innate Technique," Klarion threatened in a sing-song voice.
"Stop it! Everyone stop! Right now!" I shouted. "Because if you don''t!" I clenched my eyes shut and opened them, screaming at the top of my lungs, "You''ll all die!"
The team looked at me in shock and fear.
But they listened.
Bonelessly, I walked up to Klarion.
"No!" Megan ran after me, but Klarion held up his hands, freezing everyone in place with Blue. Then he grinned at me.
"Taking me up on the offer, are you?" Klarion asked, "Remember, strongest. You have to make it good. Fight like you really think you''ll win. Fight like you always have. I can tell if you don''t."
"What''s your goal in this anyway?" I asked him. "Lord of Chaos, all-powerful being, but you have rules, don''t you? Otherwise, you''d have taken over by now."
"I act within my remit," he grinned, "And your death very much is so. Only problem is, I don''t really wanna kill you. Because whether you knew it or not, you''re one of my biggest agents! That''s what I meant when I said I really like you."
"But you have to kill me," I frowned, "Because then you''d get in trouble if I ran around spreading chaos in your name."
"I wouldn''t say I have to kill you either," he said, "Chaos loves spreading. It''s not my job to keep balance anyway. I''d love to tilt the scales on my side as much as possible."
"Then why don''t you give me back my powers and let us go?" I asked.
His grin spread widely, to the point that that was all that half his face was. A rictus grin of reptilian proportions. And beady, insectile eyes too small for his face. "Because you''re not chaotic enough. You''re not good enough. You''re¡ broken. I thought you''d make for a good toy, honestly, but you can''t even do that much. And honestly?" he shook his head, "I don''t want to play with you anymore¡"
"Then let us go!" I shouted. Damned bastard, who did he think he was?
Klarion narrowed his eyes at me. "Are you the strongest because you''re Satoru Gojo?" Klarion asked, "Or are you Satoru Gojo because you''re the strongest?"
"What?" I asked.
"Dude, I don''t know," Klarion shrugged. "It just felt right to ask. But it''s a fun question, chaotic question," he grinned. "Let me answer it for you¡ªyou think who you are is what made you strong, but really, it''s all nurture with you. Your entire self has been shaped by that power, transformed by it, until there''s nothing left but that. But now that I removed it," His grin somehow widened even further. "Tell me, how do you feel?"
"In all honesty?" I asked, trying my best to maintain confidence in the face of this all-encompassing loss. Honestly, what did I feel? Hollow. Weak. Like nothing I ever did would work out no matter how hard I tried.
But would it stop me from trying?
I looked over my shoulder to see the team pressed on their knees. Artemis and Megan''s faces were tearful, Kid Flash and Superboy looked furious, and Aqualad looked pained.
I couldn''t hear a peep out of them, though. A sound barrier.
They could probably hear what I was saying. I turned back to Klarion and raised my fists, grinning.
Sure, I might be powerless, but I still had one power left¡ªbeing me. Satoru Gojo.
"If I''m going out, then it won''t be on my damn knees," I chuckled, "I''ll show you¡ª"
Klarion shoved his hand through my chest. He didn''t phase shift. He shoved his flat hand through my chest, sliding his thin hand between my ribs and grasping at my heart, preventing it from beating.
With merciless and unyielding strength, he wrenched my heart out. He raised it to show the people behind me, and tossed it towards them. I couldn''t believe it.
Rather than despair, I instead just¡ cracked a grin.
So much for the strongest. But hell, at least I wouldn''t live long enough to be embarrassed. I could only imagine how my observers would be cringing at this unceremonious end to my story.
Death and more death.
Nobody lived forever. But at least I could say that I was right.
What a rotten and regretful end this was.
I should have¡ told Megan¡ I¡
Luke: 24
Klarion watched Satoru Gojo die before his ethereal eyes and froze the man''s corpse in place.
Something inside him had cracked in the end. Just as planned.
He ignored the blaring in his senses, of an imminent arrival of a Lord of Balance. He had overdrawn his power in the mortal realm, pulled out everything he could at once to deal with this annoyingly powerful teenager. This ultimate agent of Order that would just screw everything up given a few more years to grow.
Not on Klarion''s watch, no.
Just as the boy''s soul tried to slip away and use whatever residual cursed energy it had left to transform into some nasty shadow creature¡ªa cursed womb like a void in space surrounded by a searing bright white accretion disk¡ªKlarion pulled the cursed womb back from the air and shoved it into the boy''s chest. The blaring of the Lords of Balance reduced in volume, and Klarion prepared to do one final thing¡ªreturning the boy''s power.
With something extra, of course.
To tilt things his way.
He caressed Gojo''s pristine cheek, that looked like it had been cut from marble, "Call me Gege the way I''m giving you preferential treatment, Sa-chan. No one gets to be this lucky!" He laughed. "I can''t wait to work with you more often after this!"
This all went against everything Klarion stood for¡ªthis self-sacrifice would have made him rip his hair out in frustration at any other time, were it not for the potential Klarion sensed in this path.
He beheld the tiny little black hole that represented Satoru Gojo''s power. Cursed energy. It differed from chaotic energy. It was structural, orderly. It had predefined rules. Binding vows, limitations, heavenly pacts. So many goddamn rules!
Yuck! How could anyone bear to use such a chained up and rigid power?! It was disgusting!
It needed more whimsy. Sure, some of the rules had charm, but many of them would make it so that the kid''s powers couldn''t even work! Like this dumb Domain Expansion for instance! Kent had snuck out by just crawling through the barrier, and there was no Innate Technique that worked because the sure-hit effect couldn''t target anyone inside! What the hell was this? Completely broken!
It needed looser rules. Adaptivity. Not omnipotence¡ªthat made things boring after all. And omnipotence was the ultimate order. No, this would provide just the right amount of chaos for things to finally¡ make sense. For things to flow naturally. And nature was the ultimate chaos after all.
He manifested a pure chaos spark, pushing the object out from the chaos realm and into the mortal realm like passing a kidney stone. It was agonizing. Teekl was screaming.
The chaos spark was an orange marble of all potential, chaotic and unbound by order. He smushed it together with Limitless and beheld the chaotic fusion that followed.
The two orbs met with a flash, like the collision of two rogue suns in some forgotten corner of the cosmos. For a split second, both orbs turned crystalline, hard and sharp as diamond. Then, the crystal shattered, and in its place bloomed wild ribbons of color that swirled, danced, and tangled themselves into impossible, slithering shapes. They rippled like liquid silk, transforming into vines covered in feathers and scales, which then dissolved into glittering sand and drifted away on an invisible wind.
Limitless pulsed black and white in turns, trying to assert its precise, mathematical structure, but the spark twisted it, bent it out of shape as if it were a rubber band stretched past its breaking point. Space warped, folding in on itself, the air taking on the appearance of smeared paint or melting glass. Sound, if it could even be called that, thrummed around them in rhythms that seemed alive, like alien heartbeats or laughter from the deep.
The rules that once contained Limitless unraveled, twisting and bending like strings pulled free of a puppet. Time stuttered and skipped, flickering between frames of existence that no longer lined up. Satoru''s cursed energy, normally disciplined and deliberate, was now churning in kaleidoscopic patterns of illogic.
Unknown colors that didn''t even belong in this realm painted the skies of this Domain as the chaos spark became smothered by the physical laws of the universe, tamped down on and reduced to a cosmically insignificant extent. It no longer had the power to rewrite galaxies¡ªnot that the Lords of Balance would ever have let that fly. For most of this transformation, Klarion had been forced to hold the doors of reality shut with all the concentration he could muster while ensuring that the process continued on as smoothly as possible.
Until finally, it was ready. The New Limitless.
Truly Limitless now.
Chaotic power in the hands of an agent, not a Lord. Perfectly circumventing the rules.
And best of all? Gojo wouldn''t be loyal to Klarion, not right off the bat at least, which muddied the waters even further as far as the Lords of Balance and Order were concerned. Klarion didn''t need that anyway. His physical vessel was well and good in terms of directing and proliferating chaos, but he didn''t need the loyalty of Gojo given to that vessel.
Not when Gojo was already plenty loyal. Not to Klarion, but to what Klarion represented.
The heart he had tossed to the kids disappeared inside a red portal. Ra''s could find use for that. As for the hole in Gojo''s chest¡ Klarion waved his hands, resetting the injury from a moment before it had happened¡ªGojo really had fought like he had any hope of winning, what an actual idiot! What a fascinating idiot, however! Ultimate confidence, even in the face of zero basis or grounding in reality! Faith in his own cult of self! Patriarch of his own clan and pope of his own church!
Satoru Gojo''s eyes lit up as he regained life.
"Wakey wakey, honored one!" Klarion sang. "By the way, funny story, you too are a comic book character! Just thought I''d let you know. In fact, it''s a multiversal law¡ªevery world is someone''s story. And your world was someone''s story, too."
Gojo''s disbelief turned into a grin, "Must have been a rotten story."
"Alright now, you win," Klarion said, "Let''s stop going off-script now, okay? I''ll give you guys a head start. Kent''s in the Tower of Fate."
He wasn''t. After he had escaped Unlimited Void, Klarion had stashed him in a pocket dimension, along with Abra, healing from the damage they had endured in this battle. He just needed the Titans to think that Kent was in the tower, so they would go in and progress the episode as intended.
Klarion would need a reason to fight them, and to be banished by Gojo''s hand¡ªthe Lords of Balance were hard at work twisting fate with all their might, stacking the odds against Klarion. Teekl meowed in uncertainty, but she knew the truth, deep down. Sorry, kitty.
Klarion would get those pesky bastards back for this in time, but for now, there was no other path ahead than this.
"Why this favor?" Gojo asked with a frown. At least he knew to step easy around Klarion. Good. Klarion hated annoying brats. Except for when they were like Gojo. Then they could get a pass.
"I take good care of my goons. I''m a great boss," Klarion explained. "And you can go off-script again if you''d like. Just remember, it''s your choice. It''ll all be your choice! Have fun with that. Alright, goodbye." He snapped his fingers, disappearing the kids.
Salem
August 19th?, 22:35
The moment we appeared outside, next to the Bio-Ship by magic, I fell on my knees and threw up.
Everything felt¡ wrong. So wrong.
Infinity!
It turned on. But it¡ it was wrong, too. It looked different to my Six Eyes. My Six Eyes felt different, too. I was seeing¡ªtoo much. Too much junk. Too much¡ was that magic?
It was the tower. Right. We were near the foot of the tower.
My power rhymed with the old version. I cycled between Infinity, Blue and Red with ease¡ªthe responsiveness of this power was off the charts.
But I didn''t know why. I didn''t understand it. And that knowledge, that my very own cursed energy was not really mine, terrified me to the core.
I didn''t know what to do, didn''t know what to say.
Why hadn''t I just died instead?!
Aqualad and Megan fell before me. "Talk to us, Gojo. Are you alright?"
I took deep breaths, and centered myself. I tried to produce positive energy, and found that I could. I looked inwardly, and ignored all the changes to my energy, instead looking through the material using Six Eyes Reversal. I focused on what was wrong. Nothing. I was fully healthy.
I got up and wiped my mouth. "I''m fine," I said, looking down. "I''m okay."
"Let''s go to the Bio-Ship," Megan offered, "You can wait there¡ while we get Kent, okay?"
Right. Made sense. They had to progress the epi¡ the¡ uh. I blinked. No, they just¡ had to go on, I guess. It made sense.
Shouldn''t we¡ radio Batman? Ugh, whatever. I wasn''t paid enough to think. That was Aqualad''s job.
I could hardly even speak as Megan walked me back into the Bio-Ship and I sat on my chair¡ªup front and in the middle. The Satoru Gojo seat.
I hardly noticed when the others had made their way to the tower. The doors opened and they stepped through, gone to my senses.
I saw Klarion, the white-shirted guy, and Kent Nelson watching from the streets. Klarion looked at me and grinned. Then he held an index finger in front of his lips, telling me to keep quiet.
My desire to rip his head off warred with a bone-deep sense of dread and a¡ certainty that things would somehow be fine if I didn''t intervene. I threw aside the fear, the hatred, the anger and instead focused on that¡ªthat certainty. What the hell was that?
Things¡ were going¡ according to script. Klarion had said as much, and the way my friends proceeded without me suggested the same: a script, the natural flow of causality before I came to this world and ruined everything.
And Klarion was one of those all-powerful beings beholden to that flow. Beholden to rules. That''s why I wasn''t dead. Only¡ tormented.
No, that felt incomplete. There was more to it than just that.
I watched them enter the tower numbly, wondering if I should follow. Wondering if it even made sense to.
I could sense a slight refusal for the world to change its due course on my behalf and by my action.
I was a virus, foreign to the body that was this world.
My actions would destroy everything in time.
¡Unless I took the next step.
I saw it, in my mind''s eye. A metaphysical step over the line and into this world, one that I hadn''t taken yet. I had stood at the boundary line all this time, waiting for an opportunity to go home.
What would happen to my connection to my own world once I took the next step? Was this not what Zatara was specifically referring to? Was this not his fear? That this new source of power would inextricably link me to this universe forever?
And yet¡
I grinned.
¡I could distantly sense a potential that I never had before. A widening of what I could once do. I had grown more hands. More legs. More eyes and more ears.
I had become a spiritual abomination, and my potential was now¡ infinite.
Limitless.
Step in. Step forward.
Change it all.
Gather the power.
And once I was ready to leave, I would leave, unconstrained by the boundaries of reality and by the very laws of the universe.
I had to go into the tower.
Without the key, I''d probably be punished. Likely by a can''t-miss attack, like in a domain.
Simple Domain.
I had worked on the particulars of it for a while, after I had seen the New Shadow School brokies practice it in front of me. My Six Eyes made replicating the technique by sight possible, if not easy. It required work, of course, but¡
With this chaotic cursed energy, my intent smoothed over every intricate movement of energy, imbuing raw intent into my power.
A domain expanded around me.
A zone of absolute me-ness.
And within its borders, I imbued it with¡ a concept. Or, an aspect of a concept. Not a technique. The immutability of Infinity.
I warped my way into the Tower. A searing wall of pure heat tried to immediately kill me. I poured my energy into the simple domain, repelling the magic, repelling the very conditions that would have forcefully burned me to a crisp had I entered without this power.
Chaos. Chaos repelling order.
Magic repelling magic.
Finally, I had my magic defense.
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
Was that so fucking hard, Zatara?
After almost a minute of trying to kill me and failing, the automatic defense systems simmered down, and I was met with a projection of Kent Nelson standing before me in this square brick room. "You have entered without a key and the tower does not recognize you. Leave, or perish. The fire is not the worst that this Tower could throw at you." I didn''t doubt it.
"I was sent by Red Tornado," I said, "And I''m here to save your life."
"Kent Nelson entered just moments ago," the projection argued.
"Against his will and under duress."
"Very well," it said, "Proceed."
I looked around at the doors, using my Six Eyes to find what I was searching for. Six Eyes made the task even more complex than it had to be.
Oh well. Guess I''d just keep looking. Nothing could get past my Six Eyes, not for long.
000
Kent was dying. Wally didn''t know what to do. Klarion rained down witchy fire at them, hammering away at a golden dome protecting them both. They were going to die. They both were!
Wally clenched his jaws, blinking away the sight of Gojo getting his heart ripped out. Of all of it disappearing like it was just a nightmare only for them to end up here anyway, at the top of the Tower of Fate.
Like it was fate.
They hadn''t even called the Justice League. What the hell was wrong with them?
It was Klarion. Had to be. He¡ did something. Forced this¡ ''fate''.
Wally¡ didn''t believe in fate. He looked up at the Helmet also inside the protective golden dome, representing that concept, the ''magic'' helmet.
He had to take it.
He stood up and grabbed the helmet from the air, and held it over his head. Then he saw him suddenly appear, like he always did¡ªGojo, having teleported between Wally and Klarion. Outside the bubble of fate magic.
Gojo, whose back was so broad as to completely conceal the slight Lord of Chaos.
Gojo, who had just been killed by said Lord, now back for a second round.
Not again. Not again!
He wore the helmet.
And was in a dark room.
"Hello?" For a moment, he could have sworn that he had heard the echo of ''hello'' before he had even spoken. "What the--?" Wally blinked, having heard it again. An echo, and then he spoke. "Wait- uh¡ªI." He tried to circumvent the echo, break out of its weird, deterministic hold on him, but he found that he couldn''t. Everything he was about to say, it already said. The experience nauseated him, almost.
"Ignore it," he heard the voice of Kent Nelson behind him. Wally whirled on his feet to look at the old man, grinning genially as he walked up to him, walking with his cane. "It''ll only drive you crazy."
"Kent, you''re alive!"
Kent looked slightly pained, "Sorry to disappoint. But no. I''m just a soul that the helmet grabbed before it could ascend. Because of how long I''ve used it, you see."
"What, then¡ doesn''t that mean that I--?" Wally trailed off.
"No, you''re still alive. You put the helmet on, and my soul got sucked in. Now Nabu is controlling your body."
"Nabu?"
"The real Doctor Fate. One of them Lords of Order I told you about. He''s the guy controlling your body now. Wanna watch?"
Wally looked where Kent gestured and saw a window into the outside world, where Gojo had shot a purple orb of energy at¡ªthe cat!
He was going to kill the cat?!
Somehow, the cat had been thrown into the air before the purple streak of energy shot through it as quickly as lightning, looking like a shooting star streaking over the sky of Salem.
The cat, for its part, disintegrated into nothing, and Klarion held his head as he screamed, "Nooooooo!" He slowly dissipated, feet first. His face was the last to leave.
And just as his mouth was about to disappear, he¡ he grinned.
Wally blinked. "Klarion is¡ dead."
"If only," Kent sighed, "Your boy did good, killing the familiar and banishing Klarion back to the chaos realm. He shouldn''t resurface for quite a while yet."
Doctor Fate, puppeteering Wally''s body, dispelled the orange shield and immediately fired an attack at Gojo, one that almost struck at his back. He doubled over in focus, repelling it with a growl, and looked at Doctor Fate in shock. "Wally, what are you doing?!"
"You are an abomination," Wally felt his mouth moving and words coming out of it. He felt every one of Doctor Fate''s movements. Even though he couldn''t control himself.
"No!" Wally shouted, "That''s not what I meant to say¡ª"
"It''s not you," Nelson looked troubled, pained. "It''s¡ Nabu. Klarion got his claws on the boy, and now Nabu deems him a threat to fate. Perhaps it might be for the best. What the Batman told me about him, this Gojo¡ it''s enough to make anyone familiar with fate get flexible with their morals, considering Klarion did his work on him."
Wally looked at him in disgust, "How can you say that?! He almost died for us¡ªhow can¡ª"
Wally became distracted by the feeling of Doctor Fate speaking again, "An aberration unto fate. You must be excised."
"I just got rid of Klarion!" Gojo shouted, angrier than he had ever seen him before. His Japanese accent slipped as he ranted, "Took care of your problem, oh glorious lord! And now you want to kill me. For what reason?"
Doctor Fate didn''t argue. Instead, he just kept firing his beams of light. Gojo slipped between them, moving like greased lightning, and Wally was treated with a first row view of what it meant to be an enemy of Gojo.
He pointed his finger at Wally and red began to form. Then his eyes widened and he shot off the projectile way off mark.
"Dammit!" Gojo growled, "You let go of him now and I won''t disintegrate that goddamned helmet, Doctor Fate!"
"Nabu," Kent pleaded, "Please reconsider. Don''t make the boy fight his own friend. Don''t kill him."
A voice boomed inside the helmet space, "He is Klarion''s masterpiece¡ªhis greatest agent yet. We could not reach him in time. He had such potential for Order as well. But he is lost. He is unbound. And he will, by his own volition, one day cause great harm and disorder."
"How can you know that?!" Wally screamed.
"His fate is chaotic. Unknowable. In flux, constantly, and dangerous," the Lord of Order said, "I cannot see or guess at his future. Or any future that he touches. He annihilates fate with every step, weakening the power of Order by his own presence."
"So you can''t see his future," Wally shouted, "That''s what makes you so sure he''s evil? You know what I call that? Paranoia!"
"The chance that he will do any good is vanishingly low. Even now, he has tipped the scales. His strength has made the world more dangerous. Your enemies far stronger, Wally West. Soon, you won''t be able to keep up because of what Satoru Gojo represents. You¡ are too weak. I fear that we all are."
Damn this. Screw this. Fuck this.
Wally reached for the thing in the core of his being, the tether he had with that unexplained natural phenomenon he had tapped into after replicating the Flash''s experiment. His connection had been tenuous for the longest time, and it still was, but now¡ now he needed its power more than ever.
To phase out from the helmet. To regain control over his body, taking it back from the clutches of Doctor Fate, before he killed Gojo, and watched him die again. Powerless to stop it. Again.
No. Never again.
You won''t get to touch anything that matters with that weak-sauce mentality.
Perhaps he had been right. Perhaps, all along, Wally just¡ didn''t have what it took to be as fast as Barry?
Well, he''d just have to take it now, because there was no other choice.
Do or die.
Do or die.
Do or die!
He felt like an earthworm, digging himself further and further down the soil, towards this magical¡ªyes, magical¡ªwellspring of pure potential. The nexus point and origin of all movement. A force that buttressed the natural universe.
Without his body being able to respond to him, all this was was a tribulation of the mind. But he could tell, intuitively, that it was precisely this separation between body and mind that let him visualize the process, that let him see the truth, that let him sense towards his potential.
This could kill him.
He didn''t care.
This could get rid of his powers.
Not the worst case scenario.
"Do you trust Satoru Gojo?" Nabu, the Lord of Order, asked, all the while as he fired shot after shot at Gojo, his reluctant opponent. "Do you trust that what you''re doing is the right thing? That defying fate is the answer to the world''s problems?"
"Fuck you!" Wally roared.
Wally pushed through further.
And he realized. It wasn''t that this could kill him. It would.
Unless¡
He grit his teeth mentally and refused to consider the option of death, refused to consider loss. Instead, he would search desperately for a crumb of hope.
Be his own hero. No one would save him here. No one could save him. Except for himself. Kid Flash.
He dove head-first into the power, the source of it all, and screamed.
Deeper and deeper he fell into this ball of thick coiling lightning and energy, in between the cracks of pure potential that would have razed his body and mind to the ground. And as he fell, he realized his relationship with this power¡ªan evasive dance of death. A respect for forces of nature. Not hubris. The human body was infinitely frail compared to what this power was.
And thus, the body had to bow its head. And listen.
Walk the path of lightning.
Feel the lightning.
Be the lightning.
Futile, he faintly sensed the words of Nabu chasing him even here. The Speed Force will not prevent what is to come. None can except I.
That''s what it was called, Wally thought. The Speed Force.
Feel the lightning, Wally thought again, be the lightning.
Now run, Wally, run!
He drew as much of it as he could without destroying himself and vibrated. Faster, faster, faster, kilohertz turned into megahertz that turned into gigahertz and then terahertz. Petaherts. Exahertz.
And there it was.
Control.
Wally took a single step forward as Doctor Fate, phasing through the helmet, leaving it behind.
And his clothes.
Gojo blinked at Wally, naked like the day he was born, clothes bunched up the ground behind him. The helmet was on top.
Wally covered his groin. Gojo threw his head back and howled in sustained laughter.
???
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The instant before Klarion was brought back to the chaos realm in truth, he cast about for one last errand¡ªthe robot who could copy powers.
Ivo was still recovering in the hospital, and there Amazo was, in a mirror dimension, cut off from the cycle of life and death. He was birthed from a chaotic interaction of otherworldly powers, and his soul was unperceivable to the very concept of death itself. A metaphysical glitch in the system.
An unkillable foe. Another wildcard. Another pawn.
This one, Klarion hardly touched. He was already passively absorbing and imitating a permutation of death-natured magic, twisted within his own cursed energy. He would break free soon, as his power, hatred, and his maker''s resentment reached to a boil.
Klarion moved to do something about the robot''s unhealthy hatred for the false Honored One. They''d never get along at this rate. Klarion intended to make it so that once manifested, Amazo would lose his memory¡ªand his attachment to Ivo. That way, he and the boy could find each other and really shake things up. Klarion''s will leveraged the power of chaos magic for one last hurrah before he needed to find another cat, and cast his spell.
A glowing ankh of golden light blocked Klarion''s working. Even in the hallway between the mortal realm and those above, Fate waited to intervene.
No! Klarion''s mind boomed with his mental voice, That one is mine, too!
You''ve had your fun, Nabu intoned evenly, But balance must be achieved.
Reality shook with approval. The Lords of Balance were backing this turn of events.
Klarion screamed. He loved it when his plans were thrown into chaos. And the resultant rage that followed. Chaos reigned supreme today, even at its own expense.
This will be fun to watch either way, Klarion thought, allowing himself to finally be banished, knowing that he would be back.
Chapter 25
The crowd that had gathered around Salem as well as the foot of the Tower of Fate made me regret never having cast a curtain beforehand. Rookie mistake, though I wondered how that would have worked with this¡ new cursed energy. In any case, I didn''t waste any time warping everyone into the Bio-Ship as quickly as I could, taking with me Kent Nelson''s corpse, and the Helmet of Fate.
Megan pulled us up and we flew into the sky, safe from prying eyes. The silence in the cockpit was suffocating.
Klarion was gone, but deep down, I was certain that this had been his plan all along. Something about me was¡ in line with him now. Fundamentally.
The thought was horrifying.
Almost as horrifying as the thought of the struggle session with Batman that was waiting for me once I was back in the Cave.
Wally was carrying the Helmet of Fate solemnly, glaring down at it. We hadn''t said a word yet. I had withheld my own overwhelming desire to snatch the helmet and destroy it with Purple. Restraint was easier than I had expected. I just¡ didn''t want to fight anymore today.
Finally, I sighed, "Today fucking sucked." I cursed. "It fucking sucked. I fucking hated it. And I hope to whatever God exists in this universe that I never see another Lord of Chaos or Order again."
Wally glared at the helmet, "Fuck magic."
"Fuck magic," Artemis nodded.
No one else said it, but that was the general idea in the air.
"So¡" I said, "What do we do about Fate?"
"Stash him away," Wally growled, "Never to see the light of day again. I don''t care what the League says, we''re not letting him possess someone else. This thing is not even human, why should we even listen to it?"
"I highly doubt the Justice League will," Kaldur sighed, "Meaning that we have effectively lost one of the greatest spellcasters in the world."
"Klarion died, too," Superboy said, "That must count for something!"
"Banished," Wally corrected, "Klarion can''t die¡ªhe''s deathless, I guess. Gojo killed his anchor to the mortal plane."
I chuckled silently at that. Before I could formulate a quip, Artemis had already beaten me to the punch, "That''s a lot of mystical mumbo jumbo from a guy who doesn''t believe in magic."
Megan got off from her driver''s seat, setting the Ship on hover mode. Everyone quieted down¡ªeven Wally who was mid-comeback¡ª as she walked up to my seated form, crestfallen. I looked at the floor instead. I didn''t want to see that pity. "I thought I had lost you."
Because I was weak.
Too damn weak. She approached me arms spread, but was stopped dead by Infinity. "Let it down," she whispered.
I obeyed with a sigh. She wrapped me in a tight hug from behind. I could feel her Martian strength coming through, and I reinforced my body to endure it. She sobbed.
I wrapped a hand around her forearm, hugging her back.
I wasn''t comfortable with this. I didn''t need it.
But she did. That was good enough for me.
After almost a minute, we finally split up, and she began piloting the Ship once more.
None of us spoke. Not until, halfway back to Happy Harbor, Aqualad cleared his throat, "Patch Batman and Red Tornado through. I need to report today."
He gave his report while we all listened, solemnly. Kent Nelson was dead. Doctor Fate had turned on us, tried to kill me. Klarion the Witch Boy had been banished back to the chaos realm by me. ''Abra Kadabra'', the science wizard, was in the wind, injured, but alive. Probably. A villain like him was too crafty to just bleed out from the wound I had given him with Red, which hadn''t been insubstantial at all. But I had been pressured¡ªthe fight wasn''t exactly easy¡ªso I couldn''t be blamed for my use of violence. It was either them or me. And it had almost been me just an hour past.
I wondered if there was any training in the world that could ensure I never got pressured like this again, short of becoming a host for another Lord of Chaos or Balance¡
Or maybe this was just how life was in this universe. Being at the mercy of cosmic entities, hoping you were never interesting enough to catch their interest.
Just as I expected, once we landed in Mount Justice and made our way to Mission Room, Batman was there, along with Red Tornado. And Zatara. Along with Captain Marvel. They looked at me emotionlessly while I trudged on, Kent Nelson''s invisible corpse floating besides me.
I showed them the corpse. Wally showed them the helmet.
They took Aqualad''s muted report.
And Batman invited me for a private chat with the League members.
000
"I''m sorry," Satoru Gojo said. He took a deep gulp of the glass of water that Batman had given him. He was staring at the bright floor of the Mission Room. His voice broke as he spoke. A complete departure from his usual personality.
He truly was sorry. But for what? Batman wanted to get to the bottom of that.
"What did Klarion do to you," Zatara demanded.
He winced, "Klarion¡ tampered with my cursed energy. He put in something else. Something¡ chaotic."
"And how do you feel?" Captain Marvel asked, "Mentally?"
Gojo grinned, "I always thought that life was a joke, but now I''m even more convinced. Honestly, I''m just¡ tired. Like I never want to fight anyone or anything again. Klarion was¡ too strong. Nothing I did mattered. Not even in the end."
"He was a Lord of Chaos," Batman said, "You can''t expect to beat a creature like him."
"I did," Gojo said, "But he let me. Guess that comes with the territory of being a Lord of Chaos. Probably thought getting banished would be more chaotic. Doctor Fate was convinced I was its most successful experiment."
"Do you feel¡ evil?" Captain Marvel asked. "Bad thoughts? At all?"
Gojo grinned. He opened his mouth to speak, but his energy died down midway. "I wouldn''t blame you guys for¡ trying to kill me now. I know I would if someone got special treatment from a cursed spirit. I''m just¡" he gave a tragic grin, "I''m just glad the others are okay." Tears welled in the corner of his eyes and he looked down. "Thank goodness," he said in Japanese. He bowed his head and dried his tears before looking Batman in the eyes, "I understand if you''re giving me the boot for this. I did a mission when you told me not to. Ran headlong into danger and dragged everyone else into it. Turned the Titans into a Lord of Chaos'' plaything. I''ve made things worse by my very presence. And things are only going to get worse from here on out. Probably. Wally said my very presence messed with Order, according to Nabu at least. Make of that whatever you want."
Zatara turned to Batman with an intent look. He was all for making Gojo someone else''s problem. But who would they be? Gojo''s place was here. He was League responsibility. And he would never abide by standing idly by while other heroes did work. He would want to do something, away from League oversight, and that would only make things worse.
"Stay in the cave for now," Batman demanded, "If you need anything requisitioned from outside, speak with a teammate, Black Canary, or Red Tornado."
"Grounded," Gojo blinked.
"For your own good," Batman replied honestly. "Until we understand the implications of Klarion''s banishment, and what it has done to the wider world of magic."
"Probably nothing good, if it was by his own choice," Zatara huffed.
Gojo nodded.
"You can go," Batman said.
He turned his body uncertainly, one way, and then back to Batman. His expression was uncertain. He had to wrestle the words out. Finally, he let a breath out and grinned in uncertainty, eyes glassy, "You''re making a mistake. Doctor Fate may have been right. I don''t think I should be here. I''m seriously screwing with causality, and I could just end everything."
"No one thinks that," Batman said. Painfully aware that Zatara probably entertained the thought.
"Doctor Fate does. And he was a Leaguer. Or¡ Society member I guess."
"I''m glad you''re safe, Gojo," Batman said. He took a step forward, just outside the boundary of his Infinity, expanded to almost three feet in every direction. Batman could see it in how the dust in the air steered clear of him in all directions. "And I''m deeply sorry for the pain you and all the Titans have had to endure today. You did nothing wrong."
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Zatara sighed, "You could not have predicted that this Lord of Chaos would so flagrantly skirt the laws of Balance in this way. He paid a deep price to bring to bear this much power, elevating him to what we in the League would have considered a world-ending threat."
"I made him do it," Gojo said, "I¡ my presence gave him reason to¡ª"
"You investigated an anomaly," Batman said, "And then you caught Klarion''s attention. Nothing was your fault. I am not angry or disappointed in you, Gojo-kun."
Gojo nodded numbly, "I''m¡ going to go now." He turned around and blinked out of view.
Batman checked the nanoparticle trackers he had introduced into Gojo''s body from the glass of water he had offered him at the start of their talk. He was in his room. Not out of the cave.
Good.
Batman would continue observing.
"Batman," Red Tornado said to him, "I can still not rule out mental suggestion."
"I know," Batman said, "They continued on their mission, trying to find Kent. Knowing Kent was in captivity. Knowing what awaited them. Not even calling for help, even when they knew with certainty that they were in over their heads against an opponent that none of them could match up against. Klarion had them acting along a script."
"So much power spent on this mischief," Zatara shook his head, "Klarion knew what he was doing. All that power he spent would have bent fate against his own favor, making his banishment inevitable. And a Lord of Chaos would never pay such a price lightly."
"Which begs the question," Red Tornado said, "Are they still compromised. And what future awaits Satoru Gojo?"
Batman had no answer to that.
000
I sat on my bed for half a second before I realized, I need help. I can''t do this alone.
So I left my room and went to Megan''s.
She opened the sliding metal door, her dark room lit only by purple and orange night-lights, revealing her puffy face. She had been crying.
I released Infinity. "I''m open," I whispered. "I''m¡" I didn''t know how to ask. She didn''t look like she was in any position to offer me help.
I debated turning around¡ª
"Come in," she said, taking a step to the side.
I walked in slowly. She closed the door behind her.
Bonelessly, I went to sit on the bed.
When I saw you die, I felt Megan''s words, and an avalanche of agony following, I felt like my heart was being ripped out too.
I winced. Then I chuckled, Not as painful as you think. Was barely conscious long enough to feel it. You must have felt worse.
She sat next to me on the bed, hand placed between us.
Take it.
The tiniest whisper.
I obeyed. I put my hand over hers.
I''m glad you''re safe, she thought. Here. Back in the cave. With me.
I was weak. Too weak.
There was nothing you could do, she comforted.
And that thought terrifies me, I thought to her. There was nothing I could do. There are things out there I can''t do. Things that can''t be helped. Misfortune that claims its share, no matter what I do.
We made it back!
I looked at her. She looked at me fiercely. Today was¡ lucky. We made it back after all!
The other shoe is yet to drop, I said. You have to know that. This was only the start. Of something, I¡ªKlarion had hopes for me. He called me an agent. I''m¡ it''s inevitable, I might end up¡ª
NO.
I winced. It felt like she had screamed into my ear, but instead it was her thoughts blotting out my own, replacing them completely for a moment. It was disorienting.
Don''t buy into that self-fulfilling prophecy, Megan held my hand tightly, Don''t buy into what people fear about you. You''re not a monster. You never have been. The monsters are the people in your childhood that made you go through all that savagery. Yet you endured so well. Yet you still found it in your heart to do good works. Just¡ promise me, Sa-chan. Promise me you''ll stop thinking you''re destined for evil. Because it''s not true.
Evil follows me, I said. I think¡ maybe I need to start living a normal life?
Oh, Sa-chan, she interlocked her fingers around mine, That''s fine! That''s not a bad thing. I want that for you. I want you to be happy. And safe. And loved.
Megan¡
When I saw you get hurt, I saw images of myself, viewed from the back. Klarion pulling out my heart and holding it aloft, showing it to the other Titans. Tossing it over to them. Megan soundlessly screaming, trapped in one of my sound barriers. I felt self-disgust that my powers had been used for that. I realized¡ I don''t want to live without you. I love you, Satoru Gojo.
You shouldn''t, I immediately thought back, wincing, I¡ªI''m not good with girls. I''m flakey and self-centered. I might withdraw when I get bored, or treat you wrong for caring too much even though that''s a great thing to do. I''ll reward your best efforts with my worst.
I dared to look up and see her face. She was smiling. You can''t convince me not to love you.
We''ve known each other for a month.
Her smile fell, and she shrugged helplessly, I know.
I tried to think of more reasons, but while I was gathering my thoughts, Megan continued. But I''d like to see you try, at least. You can hurt me after you''ve done at least that much.
"I don''t want to hurt you!" I shouted, standing up, turning my back against her. "But I will," I whispered, "Because I''m¡ me."
Cursed with strength.
I looked at Megan''s door. I didn''t want to leave. I also didn''t want to continue exposing myself to Megan. Didn''t want to¡ª
Do you like me back? Megan asked.
My heart betrayed me, refusing to let me tell a lie.
¡yeah. More than I should. More than is good for you.
This was wrong.
And vulnerability wasn''t even the half of it. This was just plain wrong.
If you fixate on the fact that you might hurt me, it will come to pass. But I know you can do anything you put your mind to. Because you''re strong. So why not?
She was whimpering. Though my back was turned, I could still see her clearly, crying into her hands. Hurt already.
She was right.
I turned around and crouched in front of her, taking her hands. She looked at me in surprise.
Then, I thought, I won''t hurt you, ever. In a million years. Not again. This is the last time I ever make you cry.
An insane promise to make. But I was already insane. Working hard like an insane person. Thinking myself capable of everything as it was.
That was what it meant to be Satoru Gojo. Klarion had given me that clarity.
And if my hard work had led me to this point in terms of power, then my working hard to protect Megan''s heart would likewise not be in vain.
I stood up, and Megan followed. I bent my neck to face her while she looked straight up, our faces mere inches from each other. My Six Eyes always let me see things clearly, no matter the distance, but it was still a rush to see her up close like this. Like a cryptid you had searched all your life for. Maybe it was the warmth of our proximity? The air coming out of her nose, dancing on my lips? Or the feel of her telepathic touch, which I now clung to like a lifeline, wishing it would never disappear? Why had I ever shunned it?
She broke into a grin. I''m a cryptid, now?
My cryptid.
She squeezed out a pair of tears, immediately making a liar out of me. They''re happy tears, silly, she said. You haven''t lied.
Yet, I couldn''t help but think. It was impossible to be dishonest in the mind, though.
I''ll forgive you, she said. Because I know you can do better. You always do.
I bowed my head further, and she pushed herself up to her toes to reach my lips, and we kissed.
Chapter 26
Wally didn''t Zeta to Central City.
He ran.
The trip from Happy Harbor to CC would have taken him two hours on foot, so he timed himself. After letting Robin know that everyone was still alive, and after stashing the Helmet of Fate in his souvenir shelf, he took off, partially to escape the depressive air of the Cave. He knew he could outrun the bad vibes, as long as he was fast enough.
And that speed proved to be a great distraction. His MPH climbed up rapidly, ticking ever upwards. A hundred, two hundred, five hundred. He didn''t slow down even after a thousand.
A thousand one hundred.
Fifteen hundred.
Two thousand.
He was breaking every record as he ran, and he wasn''t slowing down. As he ran, he could feel the lightning pumping through his veins, through his blood, a constant companion urging him to continue moving, ever faster,
As he easily outstripped six thousand miles per hour, he was already in view of the city.
He began stopping, realizing in a panic that braking had never been his strong suit.
It still wasn''t. He had to run three laps around the city before his speed finally settled. And when he came to a stop¡ª
Pain.
His stomach was a void, a black hole that pulsed with hunger pangs. His body felt hollowed out, weak, and his mind was¡
He fell flat on his face in an abandoned parking lot, wondering if this was the place where he would die.
"Whoa, kid, are you alright?"
Wally turned his head to look at Barry, in full costume, standing above him with his arms folded. He crouched to check on him.
"Hungry¡"
"You got faster," Barry noted.
Wally cracked a weak grin, "Way¡ faster."
"I''ll get some food in you real quick," Barry said as he picked Wally up and carried him in a fireman carry. "Your clothes didn''t burn. Interesting."
In a blink, he was inside a house, sitting on a couch. Suddenly, there was an IV stand next to him, and then a needle in his arm.
And then a spread of food on the living room table.
"You had a day, huh, kid?" Barry asked. He wasn''t wearing his costume anymore. As the seconds ticked by, Wally felt his energy returning. Slowly, but surely, he moved further and further away from that near death state. "How''re you feeling? You know, feelings-wise."
"Like crap," Wally frowned. "I almost screwed everything up. Almost killed my teammate."
"That was on Doctor Fate, not you," Barry said, "He went rogue and tried to kill a young hero."
Wally felt a surge of relief at his words, "So you guys don''t think he was¡ justified, right?"
Barry raised an eyebrow, "Why would the Justice League listen to the prophesying of an interdimensional entity trying his best to kill a kid on faith alone?"
"It''s been a day," Wally said. "I hate reality warping. I think we ended up getting mind controlled somehow. It felt like I was¡ on a script. Even when I was talking to everyone else, it felt like I was supposed to say what I was saying. Not that I didn''t mean to say¡ªor do¡ªthose things either. And then, we just¡ didn''t call you guys."
"Don''t overthink it," Barry said, "Klarion''s a Lord of Chaos, he doesn''t abide by normal rules." Then he cracked a grin, "But hey, at least none of you died. That''s bound to draw you all much closer."
When Wally closed his eyes, he could see Gojo''s heart rolling to a stop before his kneeling self.
Then, he saw himself trying to kill Gojo. The guy who had unflinchingly tried to go twelve rounds with a Lord of Chaos without having any powers at the time. The guy who had put himself between Wally and that same Lord for round two¡ªonly to win.
Then again, who was to say that win really mattered? All the Titans felt the same, but didn''t want to speak those thoughts out loud¡ªthat none of it mattered, that it was all a dance that Klarion had choreographed. Way to suck the fun out of such a huge achievement.
At least, Wally had come out of it stronger. Much stronger. He could take comfort in that.
¡And he was finally beginning to understand what Gojo meant, about power being its own reward of a sort.
Maybe it was the IV, but he finally felt enough strength to look up at Barry, "I felt it. I touched it. The thing that gives us speed. The¡ Nabu called it the Speed Force."
Barry knitted his brows together. "Really now?" Then he grinned, "You''re a hell of a lot faster, kid, I can tell you that much at least. Don''t worry, we''ll measure your baselines at some point."
"I phased," Wally said, "I phased out of the Helmet of Fate."
"I heard. Unprecedented, as far as Zatara knows," Barry said, "The Helmet''s supposed to have magic that makes it so only Nabu can release control. It''s supposed to be impossible to release the helmet without killing the host, at least from outside forces."
Wally felt a swelling of pride at that. An unprecedented feat. And now he had taken a major step towards being a real hero. Like the Flash.
"But, let''s not get ahead of ourselves," Barry frowned, "I''m just eyeballing things for now, but I''m almost certain your power''s taking more out of you than you currently have, physically at least. Best case scenario, that might ease up over time. For now, you''re going to have to fill up way more than you''ve ever had to before. And it''s not just gonna be binging on every favorite food you have¡ªI''m talking vitamin and mineral supplements. All the micronutrients. Your metabolism is about to become a giant pit of fire. If I were you, I''d ask Batman to sponsor your new food budget. You''re liable to eat your family out of house and home, otherwise."
Wally''s heart whirled at the news. This could easily become the thing that put him out of the game forever, if using his powers became actively harmful for him.
He shook his head. None of that weak-sauce mentality. He''d gotten this far on what Gojo''s arrogant self termed was ''theism''; ironclad faith.
He had seen unlimited power.
He had harnessed it.
He knew it was real.
This was only the beginning. He looked at the spread of food on the table, and dug in.
000
"Anyways, I Moogled it, so you''re wrong," I said as I kicked the ball, firing it right between Suguru''s guarding arms and scoring a goal. For the ninth time in a row. "Sherlock Holmes wasn''t based on a true story. It was written by some British guy who was super into the occult."
Suguru scowled, "I could have sworn I was right about that. Weird."
"If it helps," Megan said shakily from the sidelines, "I was kinda shaky on that, too."
"Anyway," I sighed, "I wanna do some soul searching, I guess. See the backrooms of this creepy, dark mind."
"Oh yeah?" Suguru chuckled. "What brought this on?"
"Iunno," I shrugged, then I looked at him seriously, "I sort of wanted to kick things into high gear is all. Got a little reality check, ya know? Now I''m all business."
He rolled the ball towards me. I struck it at the exact right nanosecond, creating black lightning from my kick. The ball tore through the net behind it before Suguru could even react.
"I see," Suguru muttered. "Are you sure?"
"What, you know how it looks in there?" I chuckled.
"I know it means a lot for you to try and confront your past," Suguru said.
"Yeah," Megan said, a tinge of desperation to her outburst, "Maybe you shouldn''t take it all at once?"
"Then show me a little bit," I said with a shrug, "Drip-feed the feelings or insights or whatever it is to me."
Suguru took a step back and Megan floated towards me. "Are you sure, Sa-chan? Are you really sure you want to look at that after what you''ve been through?"
I shrugged. "Klarion''s gone. I have no reason to fear anymore." I stepped closer to her and cupped her cheek, "I''m sure, Megan. Please. Trust me."
A door appeared before us and I stared at it.
This was it, huh?
I stepped through.
000
Megan held the hand of Gojo, now shrunken to the form of a seven-year-old, his small fingers cold and clammy in hers. His wide, innocent eyes scanned the abyss around them, their glow the only light in the oppressive, liquid darkness of his subconscious. Shadows writhed at the edges of her vision like living smoke, curling into shapes that never quite solidified. The air was heavy, oppressive, carrying a faint metallic tang that left an aftertaste of unease.
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"Nothing to see," Gojo muttered, his cherubic face framed by unruly locks. His cheeks were round with youthful softness, but the gloom clinging to him was far from childlike. His lips curled into a pout, his tone petulant, until he abruptly turned his head, freezing in place.
"Oh," he said softly, his voice tinged with an unsettling mix of curiosity and delight.
Up ahead, a grotesque structure loomed out of the darkness. A giant metallic trash can the size of a skyscraper sat atop a raging bonfire, flames licking up its sides and throwing flickering shadows across the void. The fire hissed and snarled, casting an eerie orange glow that made the darkness beyond it seem even deeper.
Megan glanced down at him, her voice gentle. "Do you know what that is?"
Gojo''s eyes brightened with sudden recognition. "I just remembered!" he exclaimed, his cherubic face breaking into a wide grin. "It''s where I keep the Strong Juice! That''s it, big sis! The Strong Juice!"
"Strong Juice?" Megan echoed, her smile cautious as she studied him.
"Yeah!" He beamed, bouncing on his toes. "It''s like the magical elixir that makes me the strongest! The Strong Juice!"
Megan chuckled nervously, though her stomach tightened. "Is that so? What''s in the Strong Juice?"
His grin widened unnaturally, and his tone turned sing-song. "Blood," he said gleefully. "The last moments of the people who tried to kill me. My curses."
Her laugh faltered, her smile evaporating. The light from the fire reflected in her wide, unblinking eyes. "Why is it in a trash can?"
"Cuz it''s nasty!" he said with a high-pitched giggle, as if the answer was obvious. "Where else would you put it? But I gotta keep it cooking, you know. Cuz then I get to be the strongest." He stuck out his tongue mischievously, a dark glint in his eye.
Megan forced herself to keep her voice steady. "Can you show me what''s inside?"
Gojo didn''t hesitate. Gripping her hand tightly, he flew them both toward the monstrous trash can, his giggle echoing unnervingly in the void. Once they hovered before it, he raised a small hand, and the trash can lid wrenched itself free with a screech of grinding metal. It floated in a swirling orb of blue light before being tossed aside, clattering loudly in the abyss.
The contents spilled into view.
Megan''s breath caught as unspeakable horrors spilled out before her eyes. It was violence¡ªextreme, grotesque, and unrelenting¡ªfiltered through the warped innocence of a child''s perspective. Faceless figures screamed silently as blood and curses swirled together in crimson rivers, the scenes grotesquely exaggerated and disjointed like a nightmare that didn''t follow the rules of reality. The air around the can grew colder, thick with the stench of death and regret.
And beneath it all was a suffocating tide of guilt. Overwhelming, crushing guilt, layered like sediment at the bottom of a dark ocean. Megan''s psychic senses reached for its root, the buried truth behind this monstrosity¡ª
"Whoa!" a twelve-year-old Gojo said suddenly, his voice ringing louder and older as he appeared beside her. With a flick of his wrist, he slammed the lid back onto the can, the booming sound echoing through the void. "That''s too much!" He laughed nervously, his hand ruffling his now-longer hair. "Don''t look at that for too long, or things start to get ugly."
Megan''s gaze snapped to him, her heart pounding. "What was that?"
"Not really sure what we''d do without it, though," he said, ignoring her question. His tone was light, even cheerful, though the shadows in his eyes belied the brightness of his smile. "It''s a pretty big part of who we are. Well, who I am." He gave her a lopsided grin, but his fingers twitched at his side as though resisting the urge to reach for the can again.
"What if you stopped?" Megan asked softly, her voice pleading as she knelt beside the young Gojo. "What if you stopped cultivating this thing? What if you let it go? You could be free of it."
The twelve-year-old Sa-chan tilted his head, his expression unbothered, his chubby face framed by his unruly hair. "Who gets stronger without feeling a bit of pain first?" His tone was casual, almost dismissive.
"And what if you stopped being strong?" Megan pressed gently, her hands trembling at her sides.
His small shoulders lifted in a shrug. "Don''t know what that means, really." He smiled faintly, but it didn''t reach his eyes. "So¡ nah."
A dead end. Megan''s heart sank as she realized the futility of her words. This wasn''t resistance; it was a fundamental belief, a structure so deeply embedded in his psyche that tampering with it felt like trying to dismantle a foundation stone. The logical wall in front of her was load-bearing¡ªif she broke it down, it could bring the entire structure of his mind crashing down with it.
Her chest tightened with shame, a bitter weight settling over her shoulders. She had thought herself capable of fixing this, of untangling the complex knots of Gojo''s inner world. As though a simple conversation could unravel something so deeply rooted. How naive. She needed more time¡ªmore understanding.
"So, you give up?"
The voice startled her, deeper and more confident. Megan looked up and saw the sixteen-year-old Gojo standing a few paces away, his signature grin curling his lips. His taller, leaner form exuded a relaxed air, hands stuffed casually in his pockets. Megan felt a wave of relief and regret wash over her as she ran to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso.
"Oh, Sa-chan," she whispered, her voice breaking as she buried her face in his chest.
He hesitated for a moment before his arms came around her gingerly, one hand resting on her lower back, the other patting her head with awkward comfort. "Ehh, it''s not your fault, Green Bean," he said softly, his usual cocky tone gentling. "I didn''t expect you to solve things instantly." His gaze shifted past her to the ominous trash can in the distance, his expression darkening. "Or for there to be anything to really solve. I guess, if I can''t see the problem, you can''t really solve it."
Megan pulled back slightly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she nodded, unable to find words.
"Oh," Gojo said suddenly, a playful grin breaking through his solemnity. "I just realized¡ª" He turned back toward the trash can, his grin widening mischievously. "It''s in a trash can because, you know, a pot would just be way too shallow. Ingenious solution, don''tcha think?"
Megan blinked, baffled by his abrupt shift in tone. She didn''t understand it¡ªnot really. But there was so much she didn''t understand about Satoru Gojo. His mind was a labyrinth of contradictions and enigmas, and unraveling that mystery felt impossibly out of reach.
And yet, for now, it didn''t matter. Just being next to him, sharing this moment, was enough.
She reached for his hand, her smaller fingers curling around his. He glanced at her, his grin softening into something gentler, almost fond. Together, they turned away from the trash can and began walking back, the dark subconscious fading behind them as they stepped into the brighter, more familiar terrain of his conscious mind.
A tennis court. Gojo dragged a racket to his hand with a blue orb¡ªhis Blue, now that Megan thought of it. Was that how he always saw it?
"How was it?" Suguru asked.
"Weird! Didn''t make any sense!"
"Maybe you just weren''t ready to make sense of it," Suguru suggested. Which gave Megan hope. At least an aspect of his psyche could more accurately reflect the situation. That was a relief.
Gojo shrugged, "Whatever, man. First serve yours?"
000
I woke up wrapped around Megan''s arms.
Fully clothed.
I snorted. That was embarrassing. Who didn''t have sex with their own girlfriend after lying with her on the same bed? I''d gone soft.
No. I scowled those thoughts away and got out of the bed, standing up straight and doing my stretches.
Then I took stock of yesterday.
Unpleasant stuff. Scary stuff¡ I guess. Didn''t see the big deal¡ªwe were all alive. No harm no foul. All I got for my troubles was¡
Magic.
I''d have to get to the bottom of that real quick, see if it was more of a gift than it was a curse. It had worked for me yesterday¡ªreally well. My techniques had come out much smoother, at the speed of thought, like the energy obeyed my intent fully. Sure, it felt¡ strange to use it. Strange and unfamiliar. But that only required training to get around.
After that, a team talk.
Interlude: Canary 2
Canary always expected this day would come. It was a part of the job after all¡ªboth hers and theirs. The risk of death, and the reality of needing to vent their feelings about it. Even if this death didn''t quite¡ stick.
The grief would be reduced as a result, but the shock was no less powerful because of it. And the feelings of disarray and confusion, of hopelessness in the face of arcane and unknowable plans. The medicine for this was, regrettably enough, faith. Faith in a better future, faith that things would get better even if they seemed bleak now.
Superboy, as always, sat quietly, contemplative, wrestling with a tidal wave of emotions which he hadn''t been given the tools to understand or handle. Canary would be his stone in this storm.
"You''ve logged almost a hundred hours in the Mission Room last week, in training," Canary said, shifting the topic to something stable, something he was able to talk about. "You''ve made good improvements on your martial arts."
"It didn''t matter," Superboy immediately said.
"I''m curious," Canary continued, "What motivated you to work so hard?"
Superboy thought for a moment, and then grimaced. He didn''t like the answer. Still, he made a heroic effort to articulate himself. "I need to get stronger. So I can be a better hero."
Canary looked at Superboy''s shirt for a moment. "So you can be worthy of the S shield?" Canary suggested.
"I''m nothing compared to Superman," he ranted, "I barely even have half his powers, and I''m so weak that you can put me down no problem." Canary tried not to crack a grin at the inadvertent diss. She knew what it meant to have normal human strength in the League. Even her coworkers sometimes suffered from this casual arrogance. Even you could have taken on this menace, was something she would hear from time to time, but she never took it very personally. "But I know I''m smart. I have knowledge. I can learn quickly. And if I don''t use that, if I don''t push myself, I''ll never be a good hero."
"Has anyone told you this?" Canary asked. Much of this felt¡ external. She read the guilt in his words clearly.
"I don''t want to talk about him," Superboy said. Right. Satoru Gojo. Quite the hot topic in these sessions, almost no matter who she spoke with. Superboy grimaced, wrestling with himself before continuing talking, "It''s not because he told me! It''s because I can''t stand that he was right!" Canary waited patiently for him to continue. He did. "He told me I didn''t care about being a hero like he did, because if so, then I''d work as hard as he did every night. He logs a hundred hours a week like it''s nothing, and still finds time to talk to everybody. And I can do the same. I don''t need to sleep as much as humans do. I don''t even need food that much."
"How does all this training make you feel?" Canary asked.
"Like¡" he paused for a moment, "Like I''m not accomplishing anything. Like all this trying is just going to fail me. Like I should just stop¡ all of it." Then he frowned intently. "I won''t, though. I can go on. I''m not tired, or stressed or anything like that. I''m just¡"
"Angry," Canary completed. "At what?"
"At myself for not¡ being¡ stronger," he carefully moderated his words, "For being a biological freakshow who nobody wants. At Gojo for proving conclusively that nothing matters and you will just die whenever, because the universe says so."
"Was that really his fault?"
Tenderness softened his features and he shook his head. "I wish¡ that hadn''t happened to him. He didn''t deserve that. He¡ I didn''t expect that from him."
"Expect what?"
"He lost his power," Superboy said, "Klarion took it. And he promised he''d return it if Gojo turned on us. But he didn''t. I can''t tell if that''s a big deal or not, but it feels significant, somehow. I just didn''t expect it is all."
"What did you expect?"
"That he''d¡ shut down? That he''d turn into a coward? Turn on us? Or just panic and scream constantly? He wears armor over his skin all day every day¡ªthat''s not something someone brave does. But when it was gone, he¡ died on his feet. Fighting the enemy."
Canary waited for him to go on.
"I don''t like him," Superboy concluded. "Maybe I never will. But I respect him. I just¡" he sighed, looking down on the ground between his legs as he leaned forward. "Just wish he''d respect me is all. Everyone, really."
"Everyone?" Canary asked.
"The team thinks I''m a hothead after I messed up in the Ivo mission. And I couldn''t stop STAR labs from getting destroyed. People died that day," Superboy snarled, clenching his eyes shut. "Sometimes, I don''t even know why I''m in this team. I''m the most inexperienced person here, I don''t keep my cool under pressure, and I don''t even have the strength to back that inexperience up. And if Superman respected me, then he''d actually make an effort to meet me!" He shouted, then he glared at Canary, "Don''t you talk to Gojo about this. Don''t tell him to cut me some slack¡ªI won''t forgive you or trust you if you do. And I don''t care what that guy thinks anyway, so it doesn''t matter, okay?"
Canary gave a solemn nod, "Nothing leaves this room, Superboy." She had told him this numerous times before, and would continue to say it as needed. "But I have some questions. How will what happened affect your training schedule?" She could tell that this was a sensitive topic for him, so rather than outright tell him to take things easy, she would focus on damage control. "And do you think that perhaps you should get a medical evaluation just in case your training might have ill effects on your brain?"
"I''ll keep at it," Superboy said, "Even if it doesn''t help, even if I''m doing it for nothing. At least then, when I''m about to die, I can say that I pulled out all the stops. And¡ sure. I''ll get a medical."
Canary frowned, "Do you expect to die in the line of duty?"
"Everybody dies," he said dismissively, "I expect you to die in the line of duty someday too. It''s the job, isn''t it?"
Canary regretted that she couldn''t deny that fact. At least she could help him cope with it.
"Perhaps you should ask Gojo what he thought in his last moments," Canary said, "When he¡ almost died. Do you think he regretted not training harder, even though no amount of training could have bridged that gap?"
Superboy shrugged, "I think he probably had other regrets, but that''s life, too. I don''t regret anything that I can control anyway, so what does it matter?"
And the things he couldn''t control were his relations. "Tell me about death, Superboy. What are your thoughts on it?"
000
"¡ªbut in the end, it turned out, there was nothing to fix. I''m a cursed energy user. And cursed energy is a manifestation of negativity. So really, all that stuff is good for me. And I keep it bottled up nice and tight at all times so it won''t hurt anyone I don''t want to hurt, so what does it matter? I mean, I''ll own that it was my idea to go in there in the first place, and of course it wasn''t Megan''s fault that we didn''t get anything practical out of it. Except clarity, maybe? Just how it goes, I guess."
There was a lot to unpack from his words, but Canary made sure to be careful not to lose track of her priorities. It was better to start with the smaller, more concrete and more actionable things than to dive head-first into childhood trauma. While she was tempted to ask him if he had accidentally hurt someone in the past, or if he truly was clear on what his mind contained, she still wanted to address other concerns¡ªnamely how he had withdrawn from these sessions. How he had refused to address what had become abundantly clear was a growing dissatisfaction with the team, and perhaps his place in it.
"Thank you for sharing this, Gojo. And you''re right¡ªit is a very complex subject with no clear way out. What I''d like for us to do is start small. Why don''t we start with the last two weeks?" Canary asked Gojo.
He raised an eyebrow at that. "You mean¡ before Klarion?"
"Yes," Canary said.
"Didn''t we have talks those weeks?" He asked.
"We did," Canary said.
"Then what''s more to go over?"
"The fact that you''ve been very stingy about your true feelings," Canary said, "About most things, really."
"You''re saying I lied to you?" He asked her, clearly irritated. "Listen, I got my heart ripped out yesterday, maybe that should take center-stage?"
"You''re irritated," Canary said, "Withdrawn. Something beyond just the displacement and your disciplinary run-ins with Batman."
He sighed and shrugged, looking up in the air. "Alright then, I''ll tell you. And I''ll tell you why I didn''t tell you at the start, either¡ªbecause there is no answer, except bottling it up. Training''s getting annoying. The Titans are fine doing whatever. I get sent on missions with them and am forced to hold back so the others can get things done. It feels pointless and boring, and I''m restless and annoyed. But it doesn''t matter, because I still hang out, and still trudge on. And your job isn''t to sift around the muck looking for golden nuggets of traumatic events that will unravel all my worst personality traits¡ªit''s to get me to the point where I can keep trudging on."
"Besides that," Canary said, "There''s also value in providing you with relief from constant daily aches like this irritation which you''ve withheld from me. And answers to be gained about yourself¡ª"
"I don''t need answers," Gojo replied hotly, scowling, "I need time. That''s all I need. Time to get stronger. I know that''s not what you or the League think, but¡ I can do better, be better. And none of that has to involve touching any of that trash from my childhood. And no, don''t call me scared, don''t try to manipulate me into wanting to do it. Because I don''t. And if you push me, Canary, I''ll just shut you out. The only power you have over me is what I allow you to have, by continuing to talk. And I could just as easily stop whenever I want."
"That''s not what I want from this," Canary said.
"Oh, because you mean well and have my best interest at heart?" he grinned, "That''s true. I don''t care. Now what?"
"What do you want to talk about?" Canary asked, hoping she hadn''t pushed too far. This was more aggression than he had ever shown her before, and she hoped dearly that it hadn''t tarnished their relationship of trust.
"Now that you got me in the mood, yeah! I do wanna talk about how I felt the others were just lazy layabouts who didn''t care enough to be heroes to put in the work," he said, "I do wanna talk about how nice and easy it is to be the strongest, to have everything resting on your shoulder because you, for some idiotic reason, simply have to take care of things. Instead of not caring. And believe me, I don''t care enough to be a good hero. But I know that if I don''t do it, someone else will do a worse job at it. Or no one at all. And then I''ll only have myself to blame when bad things happen. But you wanna know what really grinded my gears? How innocent and cute those kids were. Until now at least. And here''s the really good part¡ªI''m glad this happened to them. I bet that''ll light a fire under their asses¡ªget the weak ones to quit and the strong ones to work harder. And if they''re all strong, then that''s good, too. Hell, I should have gone the extra mile and just died and maybe they''d all have felt a crumb of what it means to be me afterwards."
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Canary nodded. He was indignant about not being given the due respect of being the strongest. That his monumental feat born from hard work was being disrespected in a way that only he had perceived up until now. And, of course, the classical deflection, the misanthrope defence, which was a lie that Gojo thought he had perfected, but really hadn''t.
Before she could ask a follow-up question, he continued.
"And whenever I try to have an honest discussion about power, they think I''m bragging or being an asshole, or emo or whatever the hell. When I give criticism, they think I''m being a jerk. So what, I''m supposed to just sit there and be fine with it? I''m doing the group project singlehandedly! Me! No one else works as hard as me, or can do nearly as much as me. And when I ask for a hand, I get booed out of the room. I''m tired of that. I don''t care anymore. I really, really don''t. I could do this whole thing on my own. I could probably beat half your league with my eyes closed. The ones that don''t use magic at least. Even the magic users, I could handle, at this point at least," he chuckled, "I might really be the strongest, you know? Now that Klarion gave me his disgusting handout," he grimaced. "Not that¡ not that any of it matters. Because apparently, a Lord of Chaos could just pop up at any moment and toy with you."
"Zatara has assured the league that Klarion''s actions were specifically what led him to get banished," Canary assured, "By stacking the deck in his favor, he ran afoul of some magical laws. But really, his threat level was not normal. And not sustainable."
"Doesn''t matter anyways," he shrugged, "He clearly wanted to be banished. He might even come back at some point too. There''s no ending him. There''s no winning."
Canary watched him for a moment, debating between several different avenues of¡ª
"I''m over it," he then said, voice flat. "I guess I just had to speak it out loud to get it out of my chest. Not interested in what you have to say about it, though. Let''s move on."
Canary suppressed a grin, "You can''t just unsay what you have said."
He furrowed his eyebrows, "What, I don''t get an undo button? You''re a horrible word processor."
"You care about people," Canary said, "This isn''t a statement of faith. It''s a statement of fact. And it should be a point of pride. You care. You''re a good kid."
"With bad tendencies," he said, "Unless you think crippling villains is a good kid thing to do, in which case, finally someone with common sense in the League."
Canary furrowed her eyebrows, "Focusing on your tension with the Titans for a moment¡ªI was always under the impression that you were never too shy to share your feelings, Gojo. I bet that if you shared the rationale behind your thoughts, maybe your friends would understand your point of view?"
"They wouldn''t," Gojo groused.
"Why wouldn''t they?"
Gojo shrugged. "Just doesn''t seem like a thing they''d do."
"But what if you did it?"
"I''d start fights. People don''t like being told what to do. Or that they''re not good enough."
"You need to show the team that your advice comes from a place of love, Gojo," Canary smiled, "Not arrogance. Not unkindness. But an actual desire to see everyone you know flourish."
"Too sappy," Gojo scoffed.
"That''s the way."
Gojo shuddered, then frowned at her, "Gah! Fine, I''ll¡ I don''t know. Fine, I''ll do it. I''ll talk to them."
"Remember to be kind, Gojo," Canary said, suppressing a grin, "They''ll understand you better that way."
000
After all seven sessions were done and over with, Canary looked at her notes and saw a variety of reactions. No two subjects broached were truly the same. Wally West had turned his session into a nice chat about where to get the best burritos in Gotham. Canary had indulged it, just to see how much of his calmness was an act. Until the last five minutes at least, in which he unloaded a heartfelt rant about how terrifying hero work was¡ªin double time at that, drawing on his speed to get it all out at once.
In that singular aspect, he and Artemis were of the same mind as well. She hadn''t been shy about sharing her misgivings about this line of work. Not just the danger of it, but what the purpose of all that risk served.
That conversation¡ stuck with her. Far more so than the ones she had with the others. It touched a deeply personal part of her, an old dissatisfaction about her line of work.
"I get that this is a covert team," Artemis had said, "And I get that there are crooks out there that needs locking up, that Batman isn''t sending us out to waste our times. We do good work¡ªI get that. It''s just¡ my neighborhood is a shithole. Gotham is a mess. The country''s going to shit, economy-wise. And I''m not saying that because I want to get paid or something. It''s just¡ªI''m supposed to be a superhero now, but at this rate¡ I don''t think I''m ever going to make the world a better place. Just a less bad one. And that''s¡ not enough."
Canary had noticed a shift in her demeanor at that moment, a darkening of her features, a cloak of depression covering her as she continued, "I''m¡ not enough."
Canary had set her notepad down, folding her hands thoughtfully as she had regarded Artemis with a steady, empathetic gaze. "It''s easy to feel that way," she had begun softly, "especially when the problems we''re up against are so much bigger than any one person¡ªor even one team. But here''s the thing: being a hero isn''t about fixing everything. It''s about doing what you can, where you can. It''s about making a difference, even if it''s just for one person or one neighborhood. That''s still worth something, Artemis. Sometimes, it''s everything."
Artemis hadn''t looked up. She had sat slumped in her chair, her fingers idly twisting the corner of her sleeve. "Yeah, I''ve heard that speech before," she had muttered. "It''s not that I don''t believe it. I do. But what if it''s not enough for me? What if I need more than just¡ patching holes in a sinking ship? What if I need to build something that lasts?"
Canary had leaned back slightly, considering her words carefully. "That''s a big ambition. And it''s a good one. But building something that lasts takes time¡ªand a lot of small steps. The kind of steps you''re already taking. You might not see the results now, but the work you''re doing? It ripples out. It inspires people, changes lives. You might not get to see all of it, but it''s there."
Artemis had let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "Inspires people? Sure. Until they forget, or until someone worse comes along and tears it all down. What''s the point of inspiring someone if the world just beats it out of them?"
Canary had let a moment of silence hang in the air before speaking again, her tone gentle but firm. "The world can be brutal, Artemis. I won''t sugarcoat that. But every person you inspire, every life you touch¡ªit''s not wasted. You might not save the world all at once, but you can help keep that spark alive in people. And sometimes, that''s enough to keep the darkness at bay. Maybe not forever, but long enough for the next spark to catch."
Artemis had finally looked up, her green eyes shadowed with doubt. "Maybe," she had said quietly, her voice barely audible. "But what if it''s not enough for me to just keep the spark alive? What if I need to do more than that¡ªto actually change things?"
Canary had nodded, her expression solemn. "Then maybe it''s time to think about what that looks like for you. What kind of change do you want to create? What does ''enough'' mean to you? And how can you use the skills you have now to start working toward that, even in small ways?"
Artemis had stared at the floor, her jaw tight, the storm in her eyes unrelenting. "I don''t know," she had admitted. "But this¡ this doesn''t feel like it. Not yet."
Canary had let the silence stretch, respecting the weight of Artemis''s words. "That''s okay," she had said finally. "You don''t have to have all the answers right now. But don''t forget¡ªyou''re not doing this alone. You''ve got people who believe in you, even when you don''t believe in yourself. And you''ve got time to figure it out. Just¡ don''t give up on yourself before you''ve had the chance to see what you''re really capable of."
Artemis hadn''t responded, but she had given a small, almost imperceptible nod. It hadn''t been the breakthrough Canary had hoped for, but it had been something¡ªa tiny shift, a seed planted in rocky soil.
As Artemis had stood to leave, her shoulders still heavy with doubt, Canary had watched her go, her chest tight with concern. She had known that this battle¡ªthe battle for Artemis''s sense of purpose¡ªhadn''t been one she could win for her. It had been a fight Artemis would have to face on her own, in her own time.
Once again, Canary realized that the advice she had given in this session was one that she needed to hear herself. You could never remind yourself too many times about the bigger picture of the work¡ªit was all too easy to forget, all too easy to fixate on the smallness of each individual step, forgetting that this wasn''t a sprint, but a marathon.
And Canary was under no illusion that this was the only thing that bothered her. She was a teenager, figuring out her own place in the world, dealing with a multitude of issues, not to mention her sordid family background.
Canary had reflected once that in a perfect world, there would be no need for superheroes as young as Artemis. Had that implicit bias stopped her from giving Artemis a more explicit encouragement to not give up on the work? And was that a good thing, at the end of the day, if the young girl put down her bow and gave up on this life?
The truth was, she admired Artemis'' spirit¡ªperhaps more than anyone else in the team. Even Robin had been trained by Batman for years. Artemis had endured every manner of physical hardship being trained by her torturer of a father, a notorious serial killer with very few moral qualms about his job, if at all. And still, Artemis had chosen to use her skills for good. That was brave, and that mattered.
And that was enough, no matter what she believed.
Chapter 27
Mount Justice
August 20th, 15:52
¡°I cannot understate this,¡± Kaldur began. We were all in the Mission Room. I was sitting, while others stood in a half-circle around our dear leader. ¡°What we experienced yesterday was¡ horrifying. I want this to be a safe forum to share our feelings. And to know that you are heard. Does anyone want to share?¡±
No one was forthcoming.
I snorted and got up, ¡°I¡¯ll share,¡± I said, walking besides Kaldur, who gave me a nod. ¡°So, as you all know, I came from a curse-killing high school. We put kids weaker than you guys up for the task of exorcising deadly curses. Not all of them came back alive. I myself have lost three upperclassmen since I started my first year. To put that into perspective, I was only on my second when I came here. At the start of my second year, in fact.¡±
They all looked varying degrees of disconcerted by this news. That was a problem.
¡°So, here¡¯s how we did it back home. We cried. We moped around for a couple of days. We said, ¡®yeah, that¡¯s the movie Sato liked. Hajime was a big fan of this baseball player. I actually had a crush on Haruka¡¯, and while we said all those things, we slowly came to appreciate our work¡¯s motto: shit happens.¡± I said with a nod of finality. ¡°Shit happens, it sucks, we can¡¯t stop it. But, we can distract ourselves. I¡¯ve pretty much gotten past this altogether. If anyone wants to join me in not thinking about it too hard, be my guest.¡±
Wally raised his hand, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, Gojo, but¡ yeah. I mean, I had a full night¡¯s sleep yesterday, I¡¯m eating okay, had the Canary sesh, still wanna be a hero. I think I¡¯m fine.¡±
¡°Anyone else?¡± Aqualad asked, ¡°This is a safe space to speak your feelings and know that others can relate.¡±
Superboy raised a hand, ¡°I personally thought yesterday was terrifying. But we all got out alive. I guess what I mean to say is, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. To me. I think.¡±
Megan put a hand on my shoulder, Are you really okay?
Yeah, I gave her a grin and a raised eyebrow, feeling slightly confused and surprised by the question, I¡¯ll admit it was rough at the time, but¡ I¡¯ll get past this. With you.
¡°We almost died!¡± Artemis shouted. I looked at her in surprise. She was looking at me, too¡ªspecifically, at Megan¡¯s hand on my shoulder. It was only for a moment before she turned her gaze to everyone else. ¡°Call me crazy for wanting to say that, but we almost got killed by a demon! Gojo did get killed!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think I look half bad for a dead person,¡± I grinned.
¡°Not funny!¡± she shouted. ¡°It¡¯s not! And I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s¡¡± she cried. Megan rushed up to her and gave her a one-armed hug. My own grin fell.
We all gathered around her, not really¡ saying anything. Just being there. I wasn¡¯t sure what else to do, but I knew that doing anything else was just wrong.
¡°I need a break,¡± Artemis said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay home for a while and think.¡±
I frowned, ¡°About what?¡±
Artemis met my eyes fiercely, ¡°About whether or not I want to stay in this team.¡±
Then she backed out of Megan¡¯s embrace and power-walked towards the Zeta Tubes.
I warped next to her, ¡°Artemis, why don¡¯t we talk?¡±
¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°I¡ I need this time alone. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She continued walking, and soon entered the Zeta Tube. It whisked her far away, and I slumped over, turning around to face the rest of the team.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t we¡?¡± Robin said, ¡°Go after her or something?¡±
I shook my head and walked up to the hard light floor. ¡°Nah. She needs her time alone I guess,¡± I turned to Megan, ¡°Do you want to share anything?¡±
She nodded, and stepped up to the center of the floor, ¡°It¡¯s okay to grieve and feel bad, people. We shouldn¡¯t try to avoid those feelings. We must meet them head-on in order to recover faster and grow stronger.¡±
Wally sighed, ¡°I get it. Well¡ when Doctor Fate controlled my body and made me almost kill Gojo, that felt like a total bummer.¡±
I snorted. Wally looked at me in irritation, ¡°No, sorry,¡± I said, ¡°I just¡ªyou called it a total bummer. Were you even serious?¡±
¡°Yeah, I am!¡± Wally snarled, ¡°What, you¡¯d rather I cored you out like a donut, with magic?¡±
¡°So now you think magic¡¯s real,¡± I chuckled.
¡°That¡¯s not¡ªgoddammit!¡± Wally yelled.
¡°Sorry to bum you out,¡± I said. ¡°Well, I have to say, being faced with the choice to kill you to save myself was also a huge bummer. I¡¡± I quieted down, ¡°Honestly, I had no idea what to do. I¡¯m glad you came out alright.¡±
That Doctor Fate had been¡ quite the opponent. He had been making steady progress on my Simple Domain, penetrating through Infinity in a way that didn¡¯t just betray immense raw power¡ªbut extreme skill and finesse. Whatever Zatara¡¯s spells were made of, they were nothing compared to Doctor Fate¡¯s.
A part of me had found the exercise fun, too. Doctor Fate had been a challenging but manageable opponent, and I considered whether or not I would have beaten him if I was fighting to kill.
Nah. I¡¯d win.
¡°I came out alright?¡± Wally shouted, ¡°I saved your life! You were up against Doctor Fate!¡±
¡°Guy was slow as hell for someone wearing your body,¡± I shrugged, ¡°Honestly, it wouldn¡¯t even have been a fight if I was serious. You did good, Wall-man.¡± I clapped him on his shoulder.
Wally growled, ¡°You know what? Fine.¡±
I punched his shoulder lightly. ¡°Thank you, man.¡±
¡°For your continued survival? You¡¯re welcome,¡± he grinned viciously.
¡°You did good, too,¡± I said, ¡°You phased out, right? That¡¯s not something you were able to do before, was it?¡±
¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Aqualad said, ¡°What you achieved yesterday was monumental.¡±
¡°Right on, man!¡± Robin cheered.
¡°It was very impressive, Wally,¡± Megan smiled.
Wally¡¯s anger melted away and he grinned in excitement, ¡°Right?! It was so awesome!¡±
From the corner of my eye, I saw Superboy folding his arms and looking at Wally with a slightly complicated expression.
This time, I would crack open that jar of teenage spirit. I was interested in what he had to say.
I turned to him and tilted my head, ¡°What¡¯re you thinking about?¡±
Superboy blinked and turned to me with neutral eyes, ¡°Oh. Nothing.¡± We all looked at him, expecting more than that. He frowned and looked down at the floor. ¡°I was just thinking, I don¡¯t really feel bad. Everyone came out alive. Even if it was scary, it¡¯s just¡ how it is, right? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m gonna quit because of this.¡± Then he looked slightly alarmed, ¡°Not to say Artemis maybe¡ quitting¡ is like¡ something to be ashamed of. Just that I don¡¯t really have that urgency.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Then it suddenly occurred to me, ¡°Usually, when I¡¯m faced with these experiences, I just train, because getting stronger¡¯s the best cure to not getting beaten, right? Anyone wanna join in on some whole-day training? However long you want,¡± I shrugged.
¡°I¡¯m in,¡± Superboy said quickly. I smiled.
¡°I still need to test out my speed,¡± Wally said.
Aqualad concurred, ¡°I would not object to some more sparring drills. I suspect that I might require a little brushing up on my hand-to-hand.¡±
¡°Team drills? Count me in!¡± Robin shouted. ¡°Let¡¯s make up some team maneuvers!¡±
¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll join in!¡± Megan said, raising a hand and smiling. ¡°I mean¡ if this is how you want to process your feelings, that¡¯s fine, too!¡±
¡°Alright!¡± I shouted eagerly, ¡°Computer! Suggest some team training drills! And make ¡®em hard! We wanna get our hurts pumping!¡±
Mount Justice
August 20th, 20:05
Only Kaldur and Superboy were still able to keep up with me as our training ticked on by. Now, both of my training partners were my opponents in this no-cursed-energy sparring match.
I wasn¡¯t going all out, but rather trying to highlight the principles of hand-to-hand combat that I felt they needed to learn in order to make better lurches in their apparent skill. And they had made some good lurches with my help.
To think that all along, the missing ingredient had been me.
I had expected them all to get stronger on their own without even helping the process along. That was just silly of me. It turned out¡ªI wasn¡¯t half bad a teacher.
I elbowed Superboy in the back of his head, hard enough to throw off his balance and tip him over to land on his face, and I kicked Kaldur¡¯s feet off the ground, making him fall and land horizontally.
¡°Thank you,¡± Kaldur panted, ¡°But this is it for me.¡±
He didn¡¯t even get off the ground so much as he rolled towards the sidelines to join the other starfishes that were my teammates. Superboy was the only one left standing, having gotten up immediately from what he felt was probably just a lovetap.
¡°Time out,¡± I called with a grin as I rolled forwards and sat amidst the starfish.
I debated on how I was going to say this, before deciding, it would be better to say it fast rather than think on it for too long. I scratched my head and frowned. ¡°Dammit. Anyway, Canary wanted me to tell you my deepest feelings, and it¡¯s that¡ªyou guys need to train harder! Really, it¡¯s pitiful how weak you are¡ª¡±
¡°What he means,¡± Megan said, interrupting the chorus of groans, ¡°Is¡ he doesn¡¯t want to train alone. Because¡¡± she expected me to continue.
¡°Because I don¡¯t want to carry this team all the time¡ªyou guys should pull your weight too.¡±
¡°Because the burden of being the strongest means that the responsibility of keeping everyone safe and everything going smoothly is straining,¡± Megan said.
Oh, come on! Straining?
¡°Yeah, anyway,¡± I said, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t have my gifts. I just want to be in a team that complements me, rather than drags me down.¡±
¡°We get it,¡± Robin grimaced, slowly sitting up, ¡°You have an awful way of putting it, but I think we all get it. I haven¡¯t considered it much like that before but¡ yeah, I guess it can¡¯t be easy, being the strongest.¡±
¡°Alright, then,¡± Wally sat up as well, ¡°I¡¯ll relieve that burden, Gojo.¡±
¡°Guy learns phasing and thinks he¡¯s the next Flash,¡± Robin laughed.
¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Wally said. He turned to me and gave me a nod. ¡°I get what you mean now, Gojo. Don¡¯t get me wrong, you¡¯re a caustic asshole, but I get what you mean. I don¡¯t want anyone in this team to die. And I¡¯ll make sure it won¡¯t happen. Again. That¡¯s what I¡¯m gonna do.¡±
¡°Heh,¡± I smiled, ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see it, Wall-man.¡±
Superboy muttered something. I turned and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, ¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s train again!¡± Superboy barked. ¡°What, you¡¯re not up for it? Tired already?¡±
¡°Hah! Bring it on!¡± I laughed, jumping up on my feet and lunging at Superboy, intending to wrestle him into submission.
He threw me up in the air, and would have sent me crashing into the ceiling if I hadn¡¯t used my Limitless to slow myself down. My laughter echoed through the cave.
We continued well into the next morning, just him and I.
000
The most apparent changes I could detect in my new cursed energy was its¡ responsiveness.
I switched from Red to Blue to Red, alternating faster and faster I swore I could make out Purple in the color of my cursed technique. The negative and positive energies never touched, however. It was just that the alternating flashes were so tightly spaced that they blended together.
Not so bad.
What was strange and difficult to get used to was the shape of my techniques.
I summoned a hard light projectile from the computer after Superboy decided to call it quits for now.
I made to grab it in Blue¡¯s attractive field.
The Blue manifested as a textured ball of blue light that looked like a trapped sphere of the ocean. When I upped its attractive properties, that ocean turned into a whirlpool with a dark center.
¡Interesting. Weird, but interesting.
This technique cast real light. It glowed.
The divergence of infinity, Red, shone a malevolent, blood red that could bathe the entire Mission Room in redness.
Loud.
¡I liked loud.
Flooding the world with a single color while activating my technique was tight.
When I used Maximum Output on my Blue, the dark center of the whirlpool spread wider, until the technique looked like a black hole with a thin blue edge.
I had to quickly shut the technique down as it started ripping chunks of rock straight out of the mountain wall. It had a kick, apparently.
I had no place to practice Purple unfortunately. But as far as I could tell, my techniques had gotten easier to perform, showier, and stronger.
Where were the downsides?
The most substantial ones I had detected was a decrease in regeneration rate. Nothing that would make me panic, but definitely a marked difference. I had to be more sparing about energy usage then, in order to remain under maintenance. That sort of balanced out the newfound kick to my techniques, sure. In the long run, I¡¯d still output roughly the same amount of power. Just that I could bring more of it to bear at the drop of a hat. Still a pretty good upgrade.
And no demons whispering in my ears either! Yet.
My Invisibility became easier to use, at the cost of a way higher energy consumption rate. Something I¡¯d have to seriously work on. It took far more mental focus to maintain the invisibility as well, but apparently, the more I focused on it, the less power I would waste.
Spatial transportation was easier.
But louder.
Each jump in space was heralded by a burst of blue ¡®smoke¡¯ that dispersed into the background magic of the world.
Background magic that I could see, painting the world in such vivid colors. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the fact that I had been exposed to higher concentrations of magic near the Tower of Fate that allowed me to finally make out this part of the world, or if it had more to do with my newfound energy source, but I wondered how I had ever even missed it to begin with. It was everywhere.
I couldn¡¯t really touch or interact with it in any meaningful way. My cursed energy did interact with it and displace it around. I could even trap some of it. But it was like cupping air with your hands: what purpose was there in that?
I guess with this ¡®air¡¯, you could do magic. Not that anyone would ever teach me that. Or that I even needed it. All I needed magic for was to develop magical defenses. I had succeeded¡ªthe Tower of Fate¡¯s automatic defense system hadn¡¯t killed me. Not because of Infinity, for that spell didn¡¯t have any regard for distance. It was a directed curse that affected the user regardless of distance.
And I had overwritten that spell by maintaining my Simple Domain and imbuing it with the immutability of Infinity.
Magic was a pain in the ass, and I honestly hated it, probably more than Wally did. The rules were so arbitrary and loose and just generally unsightly. Nothing like the elegance of jujutsu sorcery, a game of wit as well as power.
And raw talent, sure, but at least you could tell at a glance when the game was rigged. Magic seemed to me like the ultimate free for all where everybody was equally out of their depths and liable to die to any old mythic creature like Klarion or Doctor Fate.
What was even the point of getting strong? Just learn a weak portal spell that could only open a fist-sized wormhole, and use guns to shoot people in the back of their heads. Or learn the ¡®pop heart from inside the chest¡¯ spell¡ªI¡¯m sure something like that was out there.
But hey, what did I know? Nobody wanted to teach me magic, and my best bet for a magic teacher was after my blood.
I shook my head to chase those thoughts away. New ups, new downs, new learning curves. Not too much of a setback, for now at least.
And hopefully, no hidden traps that would drive me to wild unchecked hatred and suddenly turn me into a monster out to kill everyone I knew.
I tried my best to worry about that eventuality, but found it kind of¡ hard to. Now, at least, after putting so much distance in time between that day and now.
I¡¯d been¡ pathetic when talking to Batman. I was in a way that I never wanted to be in again. Self-pity? Give me a break.
I felt better now, at least. And I knew that if I did somehow get transformed into a monster, there was nothing I could realistically do to stop that, really, so why worry? I wasn¡¯t the one who¡¯d have a bad day from that.
Things could be either fine or terrible, but either way, I¡¯d do better just trudging on ahead like always.
Chapter 28
Mount Justice
August 23rd, 12:43
¡°This boyfriend and girlfriend thing doesn¡¯t feel like more of a big deal than I thought it would be,¡± I said as I chopped an onion into cubes with speed, my knife a blur to the eye. ¡°We¡¯re just hanging out as always.¡±
Megan, who was busy cutting up the celery with considerably less speed, angled her body towards me, and stood on her tippy toes to deliver a kiss to my cheek that sent a surge of warmth through my body. ¡°And kissing.¡±
I chuckled, trying my best to play the affection off even as my cheeks heated up. A blush on a pallor like mine would be all too obvious. Dammit. ¡°Yeah. Hanging out and kissing. That¡¯s all it boils down to, huh? I like that. No reason to make things more complicated than they already are.¡±
She continued cutting her celery, but took a step to the side, closer to me, so that we were touching. Right in my space.
I both loved this and felt strangely uncomfortable about it.
I finished up on my onions and took a step behind Megan to hug her from behind, burying my face in her red hair.
Still felt¡ slightly off-balance, but¡ it felt right, too.
Most things did when I was around Megan. Once she finished cutting up her celery stalks and carrots, she turned on the heat on a sauce pot and drizzled in some olive oil with a few shakes, all the while as I hugged her from behind.
Then she dumped in a tray of diced pancetta and stirred.
Megan giggled as I continued holding her everywhere she went in the kitchen, to grab spices from the rack, or procure the red wine that I had stashed deeply in the bowels of a cabinet. ¡°You¡¯re kind of getting in the way,¡± She giggled.
I hugged around her neck instead and started floating, ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I¡¯ll be like your cape.¡± She turned to me with a raised eyebrow and a wide smile. ¡°All heroes need capes.¡±
Her eyes turned soft and dreamy, ¡°I¡¯ve never had such a handsome cape before.¡±
I craned my neck to reach her for a kiss, still floating almost horizontally, arms held around her neck.
My eyes darted open as I detected a potent source of magic approaching our location. Kaldur. I could now sense his skin-icons, meaning he was more than just a tiny bit of information almost indivisible from the sea of insignificance that my Six Eyes could pick up. He had a presence now that was difficult to ignore.
Everyone did, in fact. To varying degrees. The more magical or super powered you were, the more I could sense that presence.
I disentangled from Megan¡¯s neck cutting off our kiss abruptly, much to her confusion, and instead looked into the pot of pancetta, now rendered and browning in its own fat. ¡°Oh!¡± She said, remembering to add in the trio of veggies we had cut.
Kaldur turned the corner in the hallway and saw us. He grinned. ¡°Smells good,¡± he said.
¡°Are you staying for lunch?¡± Megan looked over to him and asked with a bright smile.
¡°Thank you, Megan, that is kind of you,¡± Kaldur said, ever the polite guy, ¡°But to tell the truth, I have been feeling a rather intense craving for seafood. I will take the Zeta Tube and find a place to eat.¡±
¡°You into sushi?¡± I asked him. ¡°Here¡¯s an idea: why don¡¯t we go to Tokyo for lunch, and before that, you can ask Batman if I¡¯m no longer grounded.¡±
Kaldur sighed, ¡°You will be the first to know when you are not, Gojo. But clearly, there is work being done that requires you don¡¯t leave the cave. Please understand.¡±
Dammit! ¡°Man, that blows.¡±
¡°It won¡¯t be forever,¡± Megan comforted, hand on my shoulder, ¡°It¡¯ll be over before you know it, I¡¯m sure.¡±
I sighed. ¡°Eh, whatever. Just getting a little antsy is all. It¡¯s just¡ªI can see so much more of the world. Magic everywhere.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll leave you two¡ to it,¡± he grinned, as if he knew a secret or something¡ªwait. Did he know Megan and I were dating?
Also, why was I trying to keep it a secret? What was that urge just now to make sure Kaldur thought I wasn¡¯t closer to Megan than I actually was?
I had nothing to hide at all. I loved Megan.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
What are you gonna do about it? I heard Megan speak into my mind lasciviously.
¡°Alright, see ya,¡± I said to Kaldur, and he proceeded onwards towards the Zeta Tubes.
I felt Megan pout at me and looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.
¡°What?¡± I asked, taking the wooden ladle and stirring the pot to prevent overcooking. ¡°Wait?¡± I cracked an incredulous grin, ¡°You wanted me to kiss you in front of Kaldur or something? Is that your kink?¡±
Megan¡¯s cheeks reddened. ¡°No!¡± I just thought it would be nice to not have to tone ourselves down whenever you notice someone coming.
No, it¡¯s just¡ I sighed, not really sure what it was. Then I remembered something¡ªWally.
Why are you thinking of Wally? Megan asked.
Ugh, I¡¯m in trouble. Ah, screw it, I¡¯ll just come out and say it¡ªWally has a huge crush on you. And I kinda¡ uh, recommended that he confess to you. Tried to give him advice, you know, to maybe make you like him as well.
She gaped at me in shock. Why would you do something like that?
Wally¡¯s not a bad guy¡ª
Did it occur to you that maybe I didn¡¯t like Wally? Megan asked.
Yeah. That¡¯s why I told him to confess to you and clear the air. That¡¯s how we do it back home. If it¡¯s a rejection, then no big deal, right? Both parties move on. Then he wouldn¡¯t have to pine on you for too long.
But¡ why would you do that? She asked me, You like me, don¡¯t you?
I sighed, Surely, you can feel the love I have for you. But you can also feel my hesitation.
She smiled helplessly, you don¡¯t make any sense at all.
I shrugged. Pretty much, yeah. Then I grinned lecherously at her, But things are different now. I¡¯ve changed. And I do want to show you how much I love you.
She looked at me flatly, Go mince the meat.
Ouch. I did as was told and started cutting up a fatty steak by hand, using two cleavers.
I feel like I wronged Wally, I thought idly, Might turn into a thing. Yikes. No wonder workplace romances are so frowned upon.
How did you wrong Wally? Megan asked.
I mean, I told him you¡¯re all his if you¡¯d take him.
All his? She frowned. I feel like a piece of meat being traded around. What about my wishes?
That¡¯s why I said ¡®if you¡¯d take him¡¯. Anyway, don¡¯t worry about it so much. It happened quite a bit ago, Megan. Maybe it¡¯s not the best idea to just dredge up things like that? I shrugged, Besides, I already made a promise to be better, didn¡¯t I? To not hurt you. I¡¯m sorry, M¡¯gann, for my behavior.
I intensified my chopping until a fast-paced beat of metal on cutting board started ringing throughout the room.
I¡¯ll talk to Wally, Megan decided. Not you. You don¡¯t speak for me, and you don¡¯t have the right to trade me around. I want you to know, Gojo, that I¡¯m not happy with you right now.
Damn. She even used my clan name.
Let me make it up to you, I thought in a sing-song mental voice.
She grinned over her shoulder at me. How?
Damn, I wish I could read your mind¡ªuh, we can watch that sitcom Friends together.
How many episodes?
Pain. Let¡¯s watch ten. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll start liking it at some point.
She giggled, It¡¯s so much more fun that you don¡¯t like it.
You¡¯re a total sadist, you know that? I don¡¯t hate freaky little kinksters like you.
Stop! Megan laughed.
000
The team meeting we ended up having in the afternoon was, unfortunately, once again without Artemis. That was really starting to make me worry, but the team consensus, reinforced by Kaldur¡¯s opinion, was to not get too overbearing about the issue. Artemis would return or not in her own pace.
Once we finally split off, Megan went to talk to Wally, who grinned lasciviously at her. They went to the living room together to talk, and although I wasn¡¯t close enough to hear, I did get a look of Wally¡¯s expression cycling between sadness, anger, remorse, and finally depression. The talk must have taken twenty minutes, and once they finally separated, Wally gave her a sad smile and they hugged it out.
I looked away when Wally rounded the corner, stomping towards the Zeta Tube. He walked past me, not even acknowledging me.
¡°Wally,¡± I said.
He looked over at me with narrowed eyes, ¡°What is it.¡±
I really didn¡¯t know what to say except just¡ shrug, ¡°Believe what you want, but I didn¡¯t really do it on purpose,¡± I said flatly.
He glared at me, before his expression eased into neutrality, and he sighed. ¡°I know man. It¡¯s just how it goes. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll move on.¡±
¡°I¡¯d hope so¡ªmoving¡¯s what you¡¯re good at.¡±
¡°Hah,¡± he chuckled, almost mirthlessly, ¡°Yeah, whatever. Gonna go now, eat a tub of ice cream maybe.¡±
He zipped into the Zeta Tube and it disappeared him away within seconds.
I warped next to Megan, who was sitting on the couch and watching TV, and hugged her. She giggled and wrapped a hand around my arm. Superboy was about to walk into the room, and I continued hugging her. Superboy ignored us completely¡ªand he probably must have known about this for some time now.
Couldn¡¯t deny the awkwardness, but I had to say¡ªher warmth made all the difference in the world.
Chapter 29
Mount Justice
August 27th, 06:17
Not for the first time, I wondered why I didn¡¯t just sleep in instead of waking up early and taking up console duty for the team¡¯s first mission since my getting benched.
Watching a guy called Clayface hurl the kids around while they were fighting in Gotham¡¯s sewers made me irrationally irritated. Not in sympathy for them, because I already had a ¡®tether¡¯ of Infinity keyed to Megan, and I could warp in and shut the whole clown show down in a moment¡¯s notice.
I was angry because Kaldur was spacing out. Artemis was finally back after taking time to think, having come to the correct conclusion that I knew she would have figured out eventually¡ªthe job was terrifying, but she was too crazy to settle for a normal life anyway, so she might as well continue giving it a go. A perfect rationale¡ªshe¡¯d certainly get very far with it.
And now, Kaldur had an opportunity to show Artemis that her eventual and likely horrible demise would not be because he was a bad leader.
He did not capitalize on this opportunity to prove his competency.
¡°I¡¯m paging Batman,¡± I said. I was wearing a headset with a microphone, watching a video of them via Robin¡¯s bodycam in the Mission Room. ¡°If you¡¯re gonna keep screwing things up, Aqualad.¡±
¡°No,¡± Aqualad said, shaking his head briefly and putting on his game face. He ran up to Clayface, dodged right, jumping off the sewer wall to land on top of the monster while all its limbs and attention were taken up by the team for one pregnant moment. He charged it full of electricity, causing it to spasm and cry out in pain before finally, finally, slumping down, all fight having left it.
I clapped my hands close to my microphone. ¡°Whoo-hoo! Mission success. I give you a C-grade, Kaldur.¡± And if I was giving him a C-grade for this, I could only imagine what Batman would say.
000
¡°Hit the showers and head home,¡± Batman said to the parade of terrible-smelling young heroes who had just spent their morning hunting after a sentient sewage sludge monster.
¡°I am home,¡± Superboy growled, walking past Batman.
¡°Not you, Aqualad,¡± Batman said.
Dang. Seeing him get in trouble felt¡ wrong, really. Like it shouldn¡¯t be happening.
I considered running up to Artemis and Megan, who were both likely commiserating about the grossness of this mission, but then when I saw Artemis, I¡ felt rather guilty.
I knew what I was doing, flirting with her as much as I did. It was on purpose. But now that I was dating Megan, I knew I had to figure out a way to let Artemis down gently without crushing her feelings¡ªwhich I could see in the way her heart sped up whenever she looked at me, or how her voice changed slightly when speaking to me. Perhaps she thought she was being subtle, but¡ nah.
Dammit. More yucky feelings stuff. I hated it.
I elected instead to stay out of the way and let Kaldur and Batman finish their chat before talking to Batman myself, about my groundedness.
Finally, once Batman elicited one rather intense reaction from Kaldur before turning his back on him and fiddling with the computer, I walked up to them both, ¡°Yo, Batman! On the subject of my house arrest¡ªwhat¡¯s up?¡±
Kaldur stepped back while Batman hummed. Without having to wait even a moment, the older hero turned around to face me and said, ¡°Darken your hair.¡±
I blinked at the sudden request. Then I pieced out¡ªhe meant with Infinity. I frowned in concentration, focusing on the light that hit my hair. That took¡ concentration. This wasn¡¯t just about redirecting light smoothly around my form, or absorbing all light¡ªbut only absorbing a particular amount of light at a particular point in space.
Focusing intently, I centered my attention on the strands of my hair, visualizing the light bouncing off them.
I started with a slow pull, trying to siphon only the necessary wavelengths to darken the visible color. My concentration deepened, and I felt the subtle resistance of nature itself pushing back. Manipulating light at this level wasn¡¯t natural; it wasn¡¯t chaotic. It was measured, rigid, and annoyingly technical.
The first attempt left my hair looking patchy, parts of it darker while others gleamed brighter. Batman raised a brow but said nothing.
Gritting my teeth, I tried again. This time, I focused on defining a specific point in space¡ªeach strand¡ªadjusting the flow of light until the darkening effect spread evenly. Slowly, my hair deepened to a darker hue, the vibrant color dimming until it matched what Batman was probably imagining.
"There," I said, stepping back and shaking my head slightly, letting the strands catch the light¡ªor rather, the lack of it.
Batman tilted his head, studying the effect with his usual unreadable expression. "Better. You''ll need more precision if you want to avoid detection by heat sensors or cameras, but this is a start. I want you to work on darkening your skin as though it has been tanned. And I want you to work on your eyes as well.¡±
¡°Is this about my secret identity?¡± I asked with a thoughtful frown.
¡°Yes,¡± Batman said. ¡°You will be expected to go to school once I have finished sorting out a paper-trail for the three of you who live in the Cave.¡±
School.
I wanted to hate the idea, but honestly, this sounded fun. ¡°Like a public school?¡± I asked with a slight grin, ¡°Yellow school busses and leaving apples on the teacher¡¯s desk? And cheerleaders? Do American schools really have cheerleaders or is that just a TV thing? Can¡¯t say I hate the idea, honestly.¡±
Batman cracked half a grin¡ªmore positive emotion than I had ever seen on him before¡ªand gave a nod, ¡°Work on what I¡¯ve told you, Gojo. It¡¯s either that, or having to wear a wig and lenses.¡±
¡°Aye aye, captain,¡± I said with a sharp salute. ¡°But this means I¡¯m free, right? I can go wherever I want?¡±
Batman nodded, ¡°In a civilian guise, and while not using any magic. Can you do that, Gojo?¡±
¡°Easy,¡± I chuckled. I¡¯d just make sure no one saw anything.
Kaldur, who was hanging back, looked on the floor in consternation. I threw my arm around him and dragged him away from Batman, all the while he still looked¡ defeated.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
¡°You were right, Gojo,¡± Kaldur said, ¡°I was not at my best today, and would something have gone wrong, I would have been to blame.¡±
¡°What¡¯s the matter, Aqualadder?¡±
¡°It¡¯s just,¡± he sighed, ¡°I have been thinking of home as of late. And who I have left behind. The girl I love.¡± I inwardly winced. Had I maybe dazzled him so much with my relationship with Megan that he had gotten lovesick? Kaldur gave me a side glance, ¡°This had nothing to do with you.¡±
¡°Now why would I ever think that?¡± I asked, ¡°So¡ what does this mean?¡± I asked, my tone more serious, ¡°You¡¯re¡ taking a break from the team? After we just got Artemis back?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Aqualad replied, and I frowned at that.
So there was a shot that he¡¯d leave. Just like that. Over a girl.
¡°I¡¯m going to Poseidonis to see her,¡± Kaldur said, ¡°And to finally tell her how I feel.¡± Poseidonis? He didn¡¯t mean¡!
¡°You¡¯re going to Atlantis?¡± I asked, ¡°Can I¡ can I come?¡±
Kaldur looked at me flatly, ¡°You wish to tag along to see me confess to the love of my life and perhaps decide to leave the Titans behind.¡±
¡°Forget all of that,¡± I said with a scowl, ¡°I want to see an underwater city. I promise I¡¯ll stay out of the way. I¡¯ll be the picture of politeness as I immerse myself in your rich Atlantean culture¡ªcome on man, I¡¯m desperate, I really want to see an underwater city, please, please, please let me come!¡± I fell on my knees, clasping both hands together. ¡°Please, show me Atlantis!¡±
Kaldur clenched his jaws, ¡°Perhaps another day, Gojo?¡±
¡°And if you leave the team, would you come back to take me?¡± I asked, getting up on my feet.
¡°Fine,¡± Kaldur relented angrily, ¡°On a single condition¡ªyou bring Megan. She will watch you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not her dog,¡± I said with a frown, ¡°I can watch myself. But sure, of course I¡¯ll bring her. Honestly, that works perfectly for me. I was afraid asking to bring her might end up pushing things too much.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve gone far beyond that point,¡± Kaldur said.
I reached out through Megan¡¯s telepathic link, Guess who got us free tickets to Atlantis?
000
Apparently, our Zeta Tube could take us straight to Poseidonis, no need for boats or submarines. Megan hung onto my arm eagerly as she grinned, casting about everywhere in the opulent hallway made of colorful stone that housed the Zeta Tubes.
Ahead of us, Kaldur strode confidently, his posture straight and composed. He glanced back briefly to ensure we were following before launching into what sounded like a well-practiced tour-guide routine.
"When Aquaman first joined the League," Kaldur began, his voice carrying a quiet pride, "it marked a significant turning point in Atlantean relations with the surface world. It was not simply an act of solidarity but also one of diplomacy, a chance to foster understanding between our cultures. The Zeta Tube connection to Poseidonis was established soon after, serving as both a symbol of unity and a practical measure for communication and aid."
Megan gasped, her grip on my arm tightening as she nearly bounced in place. "Oh, I know! The cultural exchange initiatives that followed were just incredible! I read everything about them. Did you know Atlanteans developed an entirely new trade dialect just for surface interactions? And the way they integrate magic and technology? It''s so cool! Their architectural designs alone¡ªoh, Kaldur, did you ever see the Hall of Tides reconstruction?!"
Kaldur blinked, momentarily thrown by her outburst, before a small smile broke through his usual calm demeanor.
"It is indeed a remarkable achievement," he said, his tone warmer now. "The Hall of Tides was a collaborative effort, blending traditional Atlantean craftsmanship with surface innovation. It stands as a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together."
Megan nodded vigorously, her green face practically glowing with enthusiasm. "And don¡¯t even get me started on their art! I mean, the way they use bioluminescent pigments is genius! Oh, oh! And their oceanic myths¡ªlike the Tale of the Emerald Abyss¡ªdo you think we could see the original manuscripts?!"
I shot Kaldur a look, one eyebrow raised. "You¡¯ve created a monster."
He chuckled softly, gesturing ahead as we reached the Zeta Tube platform. "Then let us hope Atlantis lives up to her expectations.¡± Then he turned ahead to look at a man who had turned the corner to face us¡ªAquaman, dressed in his trademark gleaming and skintight shirt of golden scales, tight pants, golden bracers, and a belt made from the same gold. And like his mentee, he too seemed to be fine walking around shoeless at all times.
What was the beef with Atlantis and shoes? Strange stuff.
¡°My king,¡± Kaldur said, giving him a salute before slipping into his native language. I looked around and found that this room, and all the rooms connected to it, made up a network of pressurized buildings containing only air. Tunnels stretched out from this building, allowing surfacers to travel to certain parts of Poseidonis. Not all the parts, but there was only so much you could do. I could see a lot of tubes under construction as well. And a few humans milling about in the air-spaces, looking like they were on a tourist visit.
Can you handle the water? I asked Megan. Or should I use Infinity on you?
I can compact myself to handle any water pressure, she said, I¡¯ll be fine. And I can grow gills to breathe underwater. What about you?
I could try filtering the oxygen out of the water, I said, And add it to an aura of air trapped inside my infinity while I¡¯m underwater. Then I can just let out the carbon dioxide and replace it with more oxygen, careful to keep the air composition at twenty percent oxygen at all times.
¡°We are too rude!¡± Aquaman boomed, voice filled with good cheer, ¡°Kaldur, your friends hardly understand us! Why don¡¯t we try for English while they are around? Greetings, M¡¯gann! Your uncle J¡¯onn has told me a lot about you,¡± Aquaman said, ¡°And you, Satoru Gojo, correct? Did you color your hair black? A decent disguise, but I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d need a little bit more to conceal yourself. However, I am glad to be finally meeting you. The both of you, really! You are both invited to tonight¡¯s banquet, and as guests of Atlantis, I give you free usage of our diving gear.¡±
¡°Oh, uh,¡± I looked for the words for a moment, ¡°Your highness? Your majesty? One of those is right. Anyway, thank you,¡± I nodded at him.
¡°Thank you very much, your majesty,¡± Megan said.
Was that one the right one?
She ignored me and continued, ¡°We are very excited to use this opportunity to acquaint ourselves further with your beautiful culture that emphasizes important values such as sustainability and ecology. The work you have done to preserve Earth¡¯s rich biosphere is truly inspiring. As someone who comes from a planet with little life, I¡¯m relieved that there are people who don¡¯t take it all for granted.¡±
I wanted to butt in and interrupt at some point just to tease her a little, but I couldn¡¯t deny it any longer¡ªher excitement was seriously cute.
King Aquaman grinned proudly, nodding his head, ¡°Thank you, young lady. I am honored to know that even a Martian not from this world holds my deeds in such high regard. I will do my best to honor your belief in me.¡± He paused for a moment, putting two fingers to his head, like he was using telepathy or something, ¡°I have sent someone for you two to get your bearings as I steal away Kaldur for a minute to catch up. Is that quite alright with you two lovebirds?¡±
Megan giggled, ¡°Of course, your majesty. Please, go ahead.¡±
Kaldur gave us a nod, ¡°See you tonight at the banquet.¡±
Hey, crazy idea, Megan, but what if we stalked Aqualad after he split off from the king? Then we can watch him be lovey-dovey with this secret Aqualass.
I hate that idea, Megan thought urgently. I grinned knowingly at her.
You just hate it because you know you want to do it. But hey, as long as they¡¯re in a public place, it won¡¯t really be¡ illegal. Stalking them invisibly and all that.
No, Megan sighed, We can do other things, Sa-chan. I already made so many plans for what to do here. Seeing the Atlantean museum and all its exhibits. Apparently, they¡¯re meant to have an exhibit commemorating all the drowned Africans that the Atlanteans had found during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade hundreds of years ago. And I really wanted to get a better look at their waste treatment¡ª
Sure, sure, I chuckled, Let¡¯s do all of that. And you can tell me why you think it¡¯s a big deal.
You¡¯ll love it, Sa-chan. And if you don¡¯t, that¡¯s only because you have bad taste, she said, sticking her tongue out at me.
Chapter 30
Poseidonis
August 27th, 07:00 UTC -2:00
As it turned out, I liked Atlantis a lot more than I thought I would. First of all, the people here were just stronger¡ªphysically, mentally¡ªand that alone earned points in my book. Secondly, the ineffectual nonsense that plagues human politics didn¡¯t seem to affect the Atlanteans nearly as much. Sure, they had a king, which helped cut through a lot of red tape, but even putting him aside, the Atlanteans were proud, disciplined, and deeply invested in keeping the seas clean.
It was hard not to respect that, especially since ¡°cleaning the seas¡± often boiled down to cleaning up after us. Humans. The kind that didn¡¯t live underwater. Even in a world where people shared the oceans, surface-dwellers still dumped their trash in them.
Aquaman, being the hero and patient leader he was, didn¡¯t threaten war when we choked his people¡¯s gills with microplastics. No, he just set the Atlanteans to the thankless task of figuring out better ways to purify the water, to ensure that the surface world¡¯s garbage didn¡¯t make things too unbearable for those who lived in the deeps. Noble? Sure. Frustrating? Absolutely.
The tour guide, a tall Atlantean woman with shimmering cerulean skin and flowing silver hair, led us through a museum of their science and technology. Her voice was calm and authoritative, tinged with a sort of quiet pride that made her words resonate.
¡°This wing showcases our advancements in pollutant filtration,¡± she said, gesturing to a glowing panel displaying holograms of intricate filter systems. ¡°Here, for example, is the Typhoon Array. It harnesses the ocean currents to gather debris and microplastics, breaking them down into inert particles that can be reintroduced safely into the ecosystem.¡±
She paused by an exhibit featuring a massive, vibrant coral reef encased in shimmering glass. ¡°This is a section of the Emerald Spine Reef, one of our most successful revival projects. The greater structure was nearly destroyed by unchecked oil drilling and plastic contamination. Through years of restoration efforts, we¡¯ve brought it back to full health. It now supports over three hundred species, many of which were thought lost. And now, this specimen doubles as a zoo for those species.¡± Through the glass, we saw hundreds of fish of many varieties swimming around, sustaining themselves from this beautiful piece of nature.
Megan gasped in awe, her hands pressed together as she marveled at the glowing coral. "It''s beautiful¡ I didn¡¯t think something so damaged could come back like this.¡±
The guide smiled faintly, her eyes softening. ¡°The ocean is resilient, Miss Martian, but it shouldn¡¯t have to be.¡± She turned, her voice growing firmer. ¡°And yet, our work is never done. With each storm, with each passing year, the surface sends more. Plastics. Oil. Chemicals. It is a burden we carry, but we carry it with pride. Someone must.¡±
That hit harder than I expected. Seeing all these accomplishments¡ªthis incredible tech designed to fix problems we caused¡ªit made one thing painfully clear. The surface world could do so much better, if it wanted to.
I glanced at a display showing holographic projections of entire underwater cities, meticulously cleaned and powered by tidal energy. The Atlanteans had figured out how to sustain themselves without consuming more than they needed. That was the key, wasn¡¯t it?
If the surface world ever wanted to relieve the Atlanteans of this burden, we¡¯d have to learn that lesson. Consume less than you need. Until then, these people were stuck fixing messes that weren¡¯t theirs.
I thought with slight amusement that¡ that had been my job precisely. Cleaning up after humanity¡¯s messes. In that sense, I was an excellent janitor. I could erase the manifestations of humanity¡¯s darker nature with the best of them, and for some reason, I took pride in this custodial task. This wasn¡¯t the first time that I considered jujutsu sorcery as janitorial in nature. But even back then, there had never been any talk on how to reduce the messes¡ªjust how to make sure the messes didn¡¯t grow, by keeping the jujutsu world a secret. But even with the unmatched sway that the jujutsu council had on mundane politics, they never spent that power on ways to put the populace at ease¡ªeffectively, at least. Schools were somehow a breeding ground for cursed spirits. What was the necessity in keeping schools difficult when such harms could be caused? Hospitals were far less actionable¡ªyou could never prevent its associations with death on a political level.
But otherwise, those geezers had always seemed fine with how things were going. They never sought to really tackle the cause of cursed spirits in any way. Weird.
¡°What would you have us do?¡± I asked with an easy grin, arms folded. ¡°I mean, ¡®consume less¡¯ is a good start. But¡ how?¡±
The woman gave me a faint smile, ¡°Examine the true necessity of the surface-world¡¯s rate of consumption. What place does it have in the system?¡±
I shrugged, thinking for a moment, ¡°Well, to get workers to work, you gotta give them something worth the trouble. So you give them money that they can use to buy nice things and continue working so they can buy more nice things.¡±
The woman tilted her head, her faint smile unwavering, though there was a sharpness behind her eyes now. ¡°And where, in that cycle, do you find necessity?¡±
I leaned casually against the glass railing of the exhibit, arms still folded, and shrugged again. ¡°I guess the necessity is keeping people motivated. If they stop working, the system collapses. So you keep the wheels turning by giving everyone shiny stuff to chase after.¡±
The Atlantean guide¡¯s smile grew slightly wider, but it wasn¡¯t exactly warm. It was more the kind of smile you¡¯d give someone who just answered a question exactly according to the script you had in your head, and you were readying your own slam-dunk of a response. A perfect shower-rebuttal. ¡°So you incentivize overconsumption in order to continue essential production,¡± she said, her voice calm but firm. ¡°And what do you do when the system begins to devour more than the planet can sustain? When the amount of non-essential production to sate the overconsumption begins to take an actual toll on the planet?¡±
I glanced at Megan, who was frowning thoughtfully, her fingers pressed to her chin.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
¡°Okay,¡± I said, still grinning, ¡°but what¡¯s the alternative? People like stuff. They¡¯re not gonna stop wanting it. Take away the incentives, and the whole thing falls apart. So what¡ªyou want us to overhaul human nature?¡±
The guide¡¯s expression didn¡¯t falter, but her tone softened just a fraction. ¡°Human nature is adaptable,¡± she said. ¡°The human nature of today was never the human nature of one thousand years ago, and so on. Always, this nature has morphed to reflect the times and values of that day¡ªhow close a civilization was to its last great war will often determine how cynical and pessimistic that civilization is about the intrinsic moral nature of man. In this instance, the problem is not desire itself, but what is desired. You have taught yourselves to want more, endlessly. What if you taught yourselves to want better?¡±
That gave me pause, and she pressed on before I could respond.
¡°We Atlanteans do not lack for comfort,¡± she said, gesturing to the stunning underwater architecture visible through the museum¡¯s glass walls, the glowing cities beyond bathed in soft, bioluminescent light. ¡°But our comforts are designed with balance in mind, and often demands effort. Sustainability is not a restriction¡ªit is freedom. It is knowing that what you take will not harm your descendants, nor the ecosystem that sustains you. Could the surface not aspire to the same?¡±
Megan¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s¡ beautiful,¡± she said softly.
I scratched the back of my neck, feeling oddly out of my depth for once. ¡°Sure, but¡ you guys have Aquaman. Heroes leading the charge. We¡¯ve got politicians who can barely agree on what day it is.¡±
The guide gave a quiet chuckle at that, though it held no malice. ¡°True leadership,¡± she said, ¡°does not always come from the throne or the office. Sometimes, it begins with a single voice willing to ask the difficult questions¡ªand demand the difficult answers.¡±
¡°Hm, okay, okay,¡± I nodded. I started casting about just then, looking at the world of Poseidonis, searching for the homeless, the rejected, those who lived within the cracks of society, anything to throw this woman off her high horse and get her to shut up. I didn¡¯t even disagree with her on any points at all, I just¡ªhated her attitude. She held herself like nobility, lording over this burden to teach us ignorant humans.
But two could play at this game, of course. Poke holes in that boundless pride of hers, by confronting her with the worst that Atlantean society had to offer.
And I saw them, literally inside the cracks of the ocean floor on the outskirts of Poseidonis proper, where the dazzling lights failed to reach, huddled together. Humanoid forms that looked like grotesque fish people, but were no doubt sapient Atlanteans based on how they held themselves. With a shrug, I decided to bring it up, ¡°Any idea about the people you got living inside the ocean floor? What¡¯s their deal?¡±
The tour guide¡¯s expression shifted almost imperceptibly, her practiced calm slipping for just a moment before she composed herself again. Her eyes met mine with a hint of apology, though her posture remained straight and professional.
¡°You must be referring to the Brine Dwellers,¡± she said evenly. ¡°They are¡ a part of our history. Once, long ago, the Atlantean genome fractured, resulting in several subspecies. The Brine are one such group. They thrive in the deep crevices and trenches of the ocean, where pressure and darkness render habitation¡ unpleasant for the average Atlantean.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not exactly answering the question,¡± I said, my voice light but pointed. ¡°Why are they living like that? Huddled in the cracks, barely scraping by?¡±
She hesitated for a heartbeat too long. Megan, on the other hand, tilted her head, her brow furrowing in concern.
¡°They are proud people,¡± the guide said at last, her voice softer now. ¡°For generations, they have chosen to remain in the depths, where their adaptations serve them best. The Brine value their independence and do not often seek integration into the main populace of Poseidonis. We provide aid when requested, but we do not force our ways upon them.¡±
I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Proud and independent people? To me, it looks like they¡¯re in hiding. What are they hiding from? You?¡±
The guide stiffened slightly but didn¡¯t respond immediately. Megan, her eyes glowing faintly with empathy, chimed in hesitantly. ¡°Is there¡ animosity between them and the rest of Atlantis?¡±
The guide sighed, a small but telling crack in her composed demeanor. ¡°Not animosity, no. But misunderstandings, yes. The Brine see themselves as protectors of the deepest trenches, guardians of ancient ecosystems.¡± As far as I could tell, those ecosystems were falling apart. But they did have surface trash in plenty. ¡°Some here view them as isolationists or¡ relics of a less united time. There is tension, but we strive to foster understanding.¡±
Huh. I was betting the last guy before Aquaman was quite the Brine-hater or whatever they called the word. With my Six Eyes, I could see one Brine Dweller being cornered by a group of their own kin, forced to give up some precious object to avoid being hurt.
You didn¡¯t live under conditions like that unless you really didn¡¯t have any other choice.
¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± Megan said, a part of her tone icy and cold, ¡°But I cannot say that I had ever heard of these Brine Dwellers. And as you¡¯ve probably noticed by now, I¡¯ve made an effort to learn a lot about this civilization¡¯s culture. Is there any particular reason they¡¯re left out of the usually accessible material?¡±
The tour guide tried for a placating grin, ¡°I can assure you that anti-Brine Dweller sentiments are at an all-time low compared to in the past. They are a dark part of our history, but one Atlantis is choosing to overcome by any means necessary. And once the sun sets on King Orin¡¯s reign, the Brine Dwellers will find their place amongst us as well; proud citizens of Atlantis at last.¡±
¡°You give me kind of a bad feeling,¡± I said with a shudder. Her eyes widened at that.
¡°Ah¡ªexcuse me?¡± she raised her scaly eye-ridge.
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, ¡°But it¡¯s creepy. Sorry.¡± Then I turned to Megan, expecting her to glare at me. Instead, she kept her eyes on our tour guide.
¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°Creepy. Apologies, Marilla, but I think we¡¯ve gotten our bearings by now. Thank you for your time.¡±
Marilla¡ªright, that was her name!¡ªlooked scandalized as she pulled on her dress and walked away briskly.
Wow.
¡°I wasn¡¯t comfortable with the way she framed the history,¡± Megan said, ¡°It sounds all too familiar. A minority oppressed by a majority. The emphasis on assimilating them, the way she refused to mention anything specific about them.¡±
¡°Ah, that kind of flew over my head,¡± I said with a shrug, ¡°She just struck me as creepy. Man, I hate people like that¡ªwhat do you call them, nationalists?¡± I gave a mock shudder.
Honestly, I just hated most people that put all their devotion, energy and loyalty in a power structure¡ªrather than people, I guess. You found them everywhere, and sometimes it would be other things than nations. The Jujutsu Council, for example. Or the Gojo clan.
Come to think of it, most formal hierarchies gave me the creeps. Maybe that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t have any interest at all in joining the League?
Megan looked thoroughly chastised for a moment, ¡°Do you think we¡¯re going to get into trouble with Aquaman for dismissing the guide he gave us?¡±
¡°If Aquaman doesn¡¯t feel bad for how discomforted we were by her poor showing, then why like him so much?¡± I asked with an easy grin and a shrug. ¡°Wanna go and figure out this mystery of the Brine Dwellers? Smells like an adventure, doesn¡¯t it? You can transform into one of them, and I¡¯ll be your human boyfriend that you¡¯re dragging along on this cultural exchange. And listen¡ªif we experience trouble, any trouble at all, no fighting. I¡¯ll take us out immediately, and we won¡¯t get yelled at by Batman. What do you say?¡±
Megan looked unsure, but I could feel her heart building up courage. She grinned and nodded, ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s do it!¡±
Chapter 31
Poseidonis
August 27th, 10:52 UTC -2:00
Megan shapeshifted to have gills¡ªbut didn¡¯t make herself look like my description of the Brine Dwellers. That was okay. Coupled with that and her cute mermaid tail, and I could honestly say that I had hit the girlfriend lottery. She had even become smaller! She was so cute now.
I stood suspended in water, Infinity holding fast a smooth air-bubble that I replenished with usable oxygen by filtering it out from the water, a process that required more energy and mental power than I had expected¡ªbut not so much that I¡¯d ever experience a moment of true danger, even under the most extreme circumstances.
If my oxygen filtration failed me, then as a last ditch effort, I could just use the Reverse Cursed Technique to keep my brain oxygenated at a constant rate. It would guzzle power like nothing else, but it would give me time to get out of the water in a pinch.
I watched Megan swimming around me, batting her fish tail and contorting her body, twisting artfully to reduce drag. Megan stopped to raise an eyebrow at me, grinning but bemused. I didn¡¯t know you were sexually attracted to Atlanteans.
I¡¯m sexually attracted to you. And I¡¯m a boy¡ªand mermaids are mermaids.
She raised an eyebrow, disregarding the obvious sexual incompatibilities¡ª
A man can dream, Megan. A man can dream.
She giggled at that, Hmmm, you said your birthday was December 7th, right?
Right, I said, feeling a little flat-footed by the question, Why?
No reason. Anyway. Can you take us to the Brine Dwellers now?
I created an orb of Blue to drag me towards the direction I wanted to go¡ªthe closest point to Poseidonis¡¯ city limits. Megan and I floated over vast buildings made of stone and corrals blended with technology and arcane symbols, driving the city and its mission to make sure that Atlantis¡¯ king and royal family remained as unburdened to humanity¡¯s waste as possible.
I didn¡¯t expect the Brine Dwellers to be particularly nice once we got to meet them. I could see hundreds of thousands of them roaming around underneath the ground, in a complex¡ªalbeit rundown¡ªsociety that was almost completely cut off from the rest of Poseidonis, but for a few avenues. It seemed like the Brine Dwellers exported minerals mined from underground to the Atlanteans.
What if they speak another language? I asked.
They undoubtedly will. And I will translate.
Right.
It took us a few more minutes until we finally started hitting the outskirts of the city. Megan swam quite a bit faster than the average Atlantean was capable of, owing to her telekinesis, and I wasn¡¯t even swimming at all. Once we finally approached the final house before the open ocean met us, along with an emphatic drop in ocean depth¡ªI spotted something.
A group of Brine Dwellers shaped like a bunch of only vaguely humanoid sea creatures were chasing after a smaller specimen, cradling a child¡ªpossibly. Or maybe just a smaller but mature Brine Dweller that couldn¡¯t move as fast. Best not to make assumptions.
Hero time, I said, quickly getting to brass tacks, I¡¯m taking us down to something that looks like a chase. We go down, get the situation sorted, and you get your primary account for the plight of the Brine Dwellers.
After hearing Megan¡¯s telepathic nod, I warped us into the deep darkness of the sea. If it weren¡¯t for my Six Eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to see anything as we appeared here¡ªexcept for the Brine Dwellers themselves, who were covered in bioluminescent markings that reminded me of Aqualad¡¯s skin icons. Off in the distance, I could make out some natural growths that were also bioluminescent¡ªit seemed like that was the primary source of illumination in this undersea world. Megan took a moment to furrow her eyebrows and¡ªbecome smaller. From tail to head, she had to be around five feet long now¡ªbut since most of that length was her tail, in real terms, she would have been in the mid-to-low four foot range if she had legs.
The escaping Brine Dweller saw us and stopped before us in a panic. Then it started moving its mouth, but I couldn¡¯t¡ really hear anything until, ¡°Help us, please!¡±
The pursuing Brine Dwellers came to a stop before us, looking at us in what I could slightly clock was¡ anger? Disappointment? Joy? I could, in fact, not clock anything from their fishy, crustacean or decapodian expressions. All just fish to me.
¡I couldn¡¯t help but find them adorable. All of them, really. The fact that they looked so monstrous, but were really just people deep down was¡ it gave me a nice feeling. Which begged the question¡ªwhy would anyone oppress these funky little fish people?
¡°Explain to us the situation, please,¡± Megan said, putting herself between the little guys and the bigger ones. ¡°Why must you chase them?¡±
¡°I will not be made to repeat this lunatic¡¯s crimes again!¡± the front most Brine Dweller, that looked like a humanoid lobster, shouted, ¡°Out of my way, let me at this degenerate! Let me make him pay!¡±
Degenerate? I looked down at said degenerate. He looked like a shrimp, and his eyes were very expressive in that they looked sad and pathetic. But maybe that was just the way shrimp people looked? ¡°What¡¯d you do?¡± I asked.
¡°Nothing!¡± he cried, ¡°I did nothing at all!¡±
Huh.
I wasn¡¯t buying it.
Hey, Green Bean, this feels like a situation I might have misread¡ªmaybe the small guy¡¯s the bad one?
He is, I felt a mental shudder through our link.
Wait, what did he do?
I don¡¯t feel comfortable repeating it, she said. ¡°You, and your accomplice. You did a very bad thing to these people. You need to make things right somehow.¡±
The accomplice in question shook himself out from the shrimp¡¯s embrace¡ªa scaly humanoid fish creature with a fat neck.
¡°They¡¯re lying to you!¡± the small Brine Dweller claimed.
Oh god.
I mentally tuned out from this¡ mess. Megan seemed happy to try and wrangle them into doing what was right, somehow managing to dodge any and all prejudice against her. They must have assumed her to be some kind of Atlantean, but they were happy to talk with her as equals.
Finally, once the two degenerates had been made to pay for damages¡ªtrading words about ¡®defiled livestock¡¯ though I tried not to listen for any specifics after that point¡ª, Megan broached the topic of why we were here in the first place.
¡°Excuse me,¡± Megan began, ¡°But the truth is, I am not from Atlantis. I am from Mars. I have been using telepathy to make it look like my companion and I have been speaking, but we have not. I hope this is okay.
¡°Sure¡?¡± the lobster said.
¡°I have been fascinated with Atlantean culture for some time now, and I would like to learn more about your people¡ªour guide called you the Brine Dwellers. Is this an accurate name?¡±
The lobster man and his friends¡ªa crab man, several fish-men, and a Moray eel-headed man¡ªstopped and turned their bodies towards Megan. She had their attention for sure. ¡°No. It¡¯s a name for cast-offs, and those not allowed into the gleaming city of Poseidonis. We are not different from the Atlanteans. Not in our blood. But where they succeeded in every way, we¡ didn¡¯t.¡±
¡°And whose fault is that?!¡± The Moray eel-man said angrily. ¡°The former king Oron¡ª¡±
¡°Quiet, Hysenth!¡± the lobster man hissed. Then he turned to us, ¡°The answers you seek are not ones that you will like to hear.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t have any loyalty to Atlantis,¡± I said with a frown and a shrug, ¡°Really, go ahead and besmirch them as much as you want. We came down here to learn about you people from you, instead of having to rely on a museum guide who clearly had something against you Brine Dwellers. We can¡¯t promise to help. We probably can¡¯t anyway. But at least you¡¯ll know that someone else knows about you.¡±
The lobster man shook his head, ¡°That is kind of you. You are young, yet kind. That is a good mark. Yes, what do you want to learn?¡±
¡°Why it sucks down here,¡± I said.
¡°Sa-chan!¡± Megan chided.
The men just laughed. The lobster man¡¯s laughter rumbled, low and deep, echoed by his companions. Even the Moray eel-man, Hysenth, let out a bitter chuckle. Megan even went out of her way to transmit their laughter to me, which was nice. ¡°You surface-dwellers speak plainly,¡± the lobster man said. ¡°I¡¯ll grant you that.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a fair question,¡± I replied, crossing my arms. ¡°If your life is rough, I want to know why. And if it¡¯s something someone did to you, then it¡¯s fair to name them.¡±
The lobster man tilted his head, his antennae twitching thoughtfully. ¡°You wish for truth, then? Very well. Know this: it wasn¡¯t always like this. Once, long ago, there was no division between us and those who live in the gleaming cities above. We were one people, united in the days before the Fall.¡±
¡°The Fall?¡± Megan echoed, her voice soft but intent.
He nodded solemnly. ¡°The Fall of Atlantis into the ocean. When the Great Sinking came, the magic that saved our civilization also cursed it. Those most exposed to the magic were¡ altered. Warped. Where others became beautiful, graceful beings of the sea, we became¡ this.¡± He gestured at himself and his companions.
Honestly, they were the coolest Atlanteans I had seen thus far. They looked like monsters from old Super Sentai shows¡ªand I always did love betting on those hapless guys. I found them kind of cute.
¡°And because of that, we were cast aside,¡± Hysenth spat. ¡°Told it wasn¡¯t our fault, but treated as though it was. Poseidonis built its walls high, its towers gleaming, while we were told to fend for ourselves in the depths.¡±
¡°The Former King Oron, a despot that ruled a hundred years past, made it worse,¡± the crab man muttered, claws clicking. ¡°He was the one who sealed the gates, cutting off trade and aid to us entirely. Said it was ¡®to preserve Atlantean unity.¡¯ What he really meant was to preserve Poseidonis¡¯ pride. He passed policy after policy to corner us until we were seen as no better than animals. And that was when the cullings started!¡±
¡°You¡¯re speaking out of turn, Torsk,¡± the lobster man warned, but there was no heat in his voice.
¡°You say ¡®former king,¡¯¡± I noted. ¡°Does that mean Aquaman didn¡¯t keep this policy?¡±
The lobster man regarded me thoughtfully, then nodded. ¡°King Orin has done more for us than any before him. He reopened the gates, allowed for trade, even granted us a voice in the Atlantean council. But old wounds do not heal easily, and pride does not vanish overnight. We are still seen as¡ less.¡±
¡°Not by everyone,¡± Megan interjected quickly, her face full of earnest sympathy. ¡°We have a friend in Poseidonis that I¡¯m sure would support your course. So there are definitely people on your side.¡± I¡¯d hate for Kaldur to turn out to be a racist, but honestly it wouldn¡¯t break my heart. People were awful in all sorts of ways. It was normal.
Kaldur is not awful! Megan chided.
I felt a stab of guilt at that, I didn¡¯t mean to imply that. I just meant¡ªit wouldn¡¯t¡
That it wouldn¡¯t hurt you. Because you expected little of him. But is that really true? I think you would be disappointed, too, Sa-chan. Mull on that while I talk to the Abyssal Folk.
I mean¡ she was right, I guess. I would be disappointed. I¡¯d have expected more from him after all. Maybe it was just¡ easy to say that I expected nothing? The feeling of disappointment did suck after all.
¡°There are,¡± the lobster man admitted. ¡°But they are few. Most see us as a shameful reminder of their past¡ªa blemish on their perfect society. It is easier to look away, to pretend we do not exist.¡±
I leaned back on my heels, frowning. ¡°So, you¡¯re stuck in a cycle. They won¡¯t help you because they think you¡¯re fine where you are, and you don¡¯t push because you know they won¡¯t listen.¡±
The lobster man¡¯s mandibles twitched in what might have been a smile. ¡°A plain way of putting it. But yes. That is the way of it.¡±
¡°That¡¯s crap,¡± I said bluntly.
¡°Sa-chan,¡± Megan hissed, but the men laughed again, louder this time.
¡°You are not wrong, surface-dweller,¡± the lobster man said. ¡°But tell me this: what would you do differently?¡±
I opened my mouth, then closed it again. I was about to give the easy answer¡ªkill the royal family and steal their stuff. If they fought back, I¡¯d fight back, too. I¡¯d sooner turn Poseidonis into an oceanic desert before I ever let myself live in this crap-hole while those blessed by the heavens got to live in the gleaming jewel of a city.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
That was my honest answer. And it wasn¡¯t the wrong one, either. Why should one society live happily while another suffers in the dark? The mere existence of this system was an injustice. Their mutual reduction into this level¡ªthat would be equality. And it would be justice. Unpleasant, but at least that unpleasantness would be shared.
It would kill millions, Megan argued hotly. There has to be another way, Sa-chan. There has to.
I tried to think of that other way. Incremental improvements? Expanding the borders of Poseidonis? I didn¡¯t know, I wasn¡¯t sure how these people could ever all become blessed by the bounty of that city. It just didn¡¯t make sense¡ªmathematically, in fact. The only way for them would be them figuring out some sort of niche in production¡ªan untapped natural resource, or something¡ª, using that to get rich, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I mean, I don¡¯t know what you guys should do. I¡¯d just go for the bloody revolution option and make sure anyone that made me live in this way would have to do the same¡ªat least if we couldn¡¯t share.¡±
The lobster man regarded me for a long moment, then nodded. ¡°Many of us think this way, too. And many of us would rather not lose what little we still have to lose¡ªour lives. But it is the place of the young to dream of violence. It makes sense. You speak plainly, and that is a good mark too. Thank you for listening.¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± I said, stepping back. ¡°Thanks for telling us the truth.¡±
One of the fish people scoffed, ¡°We told you a few sentences. How can you now know the truth?¡±
¡°Where is the truth?¡± Megan asked, ¡°Where can I find it?¡±
The fish people looked amongst themselves, and exchanged brief nods. ¡°Come with us,¡± the Moray eel man said, then grinned, ¡°If you dare.¡±
I laughed. ¡°We are not in danger, but sure. Thank you.¡±
¡°Where are you taking us?¡± Megan asked, ¡°And may I ask what name your people refer to yourselves as?¡±
¡°Point in your favor to even ask,¡± the Moray eel man said, ¡°We go by different names depending on the community, of course. Brine Dwellers are a category of society describing those at the bottom, so obviously there¡¯d be different bottoms with different names. But I guess, in the Crevices surrounding Poseidonis, we like to call ourselves the Abyssal Folk.¡±
Wasn¡¯t many ways one could pretty up the fact that they lived in the lowest elevations that the earth had to offer. The name gave me middle-school syndrome vibes, but the name was definitely right for these people in particular.
¡°And we¡¯re headed to this crevice¡¯s shaman,¡± the Moray eel said, ¡°Keep up!¡±
We followed the Abyssal Folk through the dimly lit crevice, swimming deeper into the trench where the faint light from Poseidonis no longer reached. The bioluminescence of the Abyssal Folk themselves guided the way¡ªa soft, eerie glow emanating from the Moray eel man¡¯s skin, the crab man¡¯s claws, and even the fins of a few fish people who joined our procession. It was beautiful in a stark, alien way, illuminating the cold, rocky walls of the trench with shades of green, blue, and pale yellow.
The society of the Abyssal Folk was scattered along the uneven ocean floor. They lived in makeshift structures carved into the rock or made from salvaged debris¡ªtwisted metal, pieces of coral, and ancient shipwreck wood woven into ramshackle homes. Some had enclosed walls; others were more open, giving a glimpse of small families huddled together for warmth and safety. Despite the rough construction, there was an undeniable ingenuity in how they used what little they had.
I saw children darting through the water, their laughter muffled but unmistakable, playing with glowing jellyfish tethered to strings made of kelp. Adults worked in clusters, mending nets, weaving garments from seaweed fibers, or repairing tools clearly designed to harvest food from the ocean floor. They were resourceful, their lives centered around survival in an environment as unforgiving as the abyss itself.
But there was an underlying tension. Every face carried the weight of resignation, a quiet acknowledgment of hardship and isolation. Their eyes, some large and fishlike, others more human but no less haunting, followed us warily as we passed.
And, of course, the undeniable reality of living in humanity¡¯s dumping grounds¡ªthe trash. Microplastics, macroplastics, random junk, things that hadn¡¯t been repurposed for something useful yet, just lying the ground and filling the space with ugliness. Finally, some real evidence of humanity¡¯s mistreatment of this ocean. Something to finally make me feel something! And I felt¡ slightly hungry.
We¡¯ll eat soon after we meet the shaman, Megan reassured me mentally.
¡°Keep moving,¡± the Moray eel man barked, and I caught the faintest edge of protectiveness in his tone. He wasn¡¯t scolding us¡ªhe was ensuring his people wouldn¡¯t feel threatened by our presence.
The trench grew narrower as we descended further, the water darker and heavier. Here, the Abyssal Folk¡¯s bioluminescence barely lit the way. Strange, translucent creatures drifted past¡ªalien fish with sharp teeth and glowing lures, and jellyfish-like organisms that pulsed with dim light.
We finally reached the deepest point of the trench, where the rock walls widened into a cavernous opening. It was here that the shaman awaited us. At the center of the cavern was a natural platform made of volcanic rock, surrounded by swirling, phosphorescent algae that gave the entire space an ethereal glow. Seated atop the platform was an older Abyssal man, his features more aquatic than human. Long, flowing fins extended from his arms and back like a ceremonial cloak, and his eyes gleamed like polished black pearls. He had a long, protruding pair of lips, and above his eyes were brow ridges that were bent permanently into a determined scowl.
He was so adorable.
He opened his mouth to speak, and his voice carried through the water with a strange, resonant quality, as though the trench itself was amplifying his words. This sound was more than just Megan¡¯s telepathy¡ªI could truly hear him.
¡°A surface-dweller,¡± he said, his tone measured and calm, ¡°I am intrigued that you would make this journey. Tell me, children.¡± He looked over to the Abyssal folks that had taken us this far, ¡°What is their purpose?¡±
Hysenth stepped forward and gestured to us, ¡°You can speak with them yourself. The human can understand and hear us. These people sought us out to learn the truth about us Abyssal Folk.¡±
¡°Did they now?¡± the shaman asked.
¡°Ah, I¡¯m also a surface-dweller,¡± Megan admitted, ¡°I¡¯m actually a Martian. I¡¯ve shapeshifted to adapt to these conditions.¡±
¡°I¡¯m surprised to hear that tell of our plight has reached another world entirely.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the problem, your eminence,¡± Megan said, swimming a little closer, ¡°I never heard anything about your people up until now.¡±
¡°We are, as you may say, an open secret,¡± the shaman said. ¡°You seek the truth of the Abyssal Folk. But truth comes with a price. Are you prepared to pay it?¡±
Dammit, he wanted money? This was just a tourist trap after all! A really¡ shitty¡ tourist trap.
¡°What price is that?¡± Megan asked, eyes innocent, na?ve as could be. She sent me a brief glare, as if to say ¡®you¡¯re wrong about him¡¯.
¡°I want gold,¡± the shaman said.
I was not, in fact, wrong about him.
Okay, then.
I scanned around the ocean floor for ¡®gold¡¯. Should be around here somewhere¡ªI had read in a science book that there was almost thirty million kilograms of gold in the ocean. But it was some random trivia in a science edutainment book.
I had to cut off my Six Eyes Reversal as my head started pounding hard. I couldn¡¯t keep that up along with the air bubble¡ªI could only stretch my concentration so widely before something would give.
Before I gave up, I did end up finding gold. Just not in a raw form, but inside one of the many, many junk heaps in this network of ocean floor crevices. I teleported it to my hand¡ªa broken piece of stamped gold bar.
The shaman¡¯s calm eyes regarded the piece. ¡°That should suffice.¡±
Oh?
I broke the gold in half and proffered the smaller piece, ¡°Should this still suffice?¡±
The shaman¡¯s jaws clenched before he relented, ¡°Very well. But not an ounce less.¡±
¡°Oh!¡± Megan¡¯s eyes lit up at me and she turned to the shaman, eagerly anticipating the story.
¡°You may think me greedy or opportunistic,¡± the shaman said, looking at me, ¡°But why do you expect me to dredge up my pain for free? I cannot trust that you two will empathize enough to make this sharing worth it. I must preserve my peace of mind for those who are in my responsibility. The people of this crevice. Not you. You have yet to prove yourself to this community.¡±
I folded my arms, ¡°And you¡¯re doing a pretty bad job at making me care.¡±
¡°The reward for your sympathy is not so substantial,¡± the shaman said frankly. It wasn¡¯t even to insult me, really, but to tell me his frank truth, ¡°Not to the point where I must seek it with greater enthusiasm.¡±
If he knew how much of a big deal I was, he¡¯d definitely want to treat me a mite better.
Sa-chan, please stop it. He¡¯s right. We can¡¯t ask him to drop everything and tell us his story just because we¡¯re outsiders. He has greater things to worry about than appearing hospitable to guests. And deep down, I can sense he¡¯s not a bad person.
Blergh. Fine. Whatever. Hospitality was overrated, anyway. I always viewed it as more of an elaborate lie than something that ought to be done for a society to be orderly. This guy telling me to take a hike and pay him was¡ kind of a breath of fresh air. He clearly didn¡¯t care what I thought, and that was power. Also meant he wouldn¡¯t lie to me either.
¡°Alright then, good sir.¡± I floated the ingot over to him with Blue. He looked at it suspiciously before snatching it out of the water and putting it in his pocket. ¡°Share with us the truth of your people¡¯s suffering.¡±
The shaman raised his hands, and the world fell into darkness. I could still pierce through it with my Six Eyes, and I sensed that no one else was moving either.
Then finally, a light appeared, slowly transforming into¡ a projection. The shaman¡¯s voice resonated as the projection took form¡ªshimmering images suspended in the water around us, like memories brought to life. They were vivid and unnervingly real, moving with a fluidity that made it hard to separate reality from illusion.
¡°In the earliest days of Atlantis, before the great calamity split the city beneath the waves, we were one people,¡± the shaman began, his tone calm but heavy with the weight of sorrow. ¡°But as the cataclysm forced us deeper into the ocean, our forms began to adapt¡ some for society, and others for survival.¡±
The first image showed Atlanteans fleeing a collapsing city, their faces etched with terror. The sea swallowed their homes, and as the water rose, so did desperation.
¡°Those who changed with grace¡ªtheir bodies streamlined for speed, their lungs for the depths¡ªthey became the Poseidonians, the true scions of Atlantis¡¯ first city-state, the proud inheritors of what they deemed the true Atlantean spirit.¡± His voice grew colder. ¡°But not all of us were so lucky. Some of us twisted and warped, our bodies deemed too grotesque for their gleaming city. We had adapted too well. Too thoroughly. Too¡ monstrously.¡±
The projection shifted. A small group of malformed Atlanteans¡ªlimbs combined with fins, gills placed on the torso and not the neck, faces contorted into fish-like miens¡ªstood before a council of regal figures in Poseidonis. Their pleas echoed in silence as the council turned away.
¡°They called us ¡®failures,¡¯¡± the shaman continued. ¡°At first, we were banished to the outer trenches, told to fend for ourselves while the noble Poseidonians rebuilt their city. But as Poseidonis grew stronger, our existence became a stain on their perfection.¡±
The next scene turned violent. Armed guards from Poseidonis stormed the trenches, dragging away families, destroying meager homes, and leaving a trail of blood in the water.
¡°They feared us,¡± the shaman said, his voice unwavering despite the horror of the images. ¡°Feared that our forms, our lives, would corrupt their ideals of beauty and strength. So they took it upon themselves to erase us. Many were slaughtered outright. Others were taken for experiments, dissected to better understand why they had ¡®failed¡¯ to evolve properly.¡±
I clenched my jaw as the scene played out, my grin long gone. The brutality was stark¡ªguards spearing through helpless people, children crying as their parents were dragged away. Some of the children were not spared from the violence, either. Men in gleaming armor trampling over helpless Abyssal children in their way, ruthlessly herding them like cattle.
I cracked an incredulous grin. Where the hell did those small fry get off acting like they were actually above the Abyssal Folk? Poseidonians, Abyssals, they were all the same before true power. I felt a burning urge to see what would happen if I fired off a single Red towards a battalion of those bastards. See how they liked it when they were the weak and frightened party quailing before someone more powerful.
¡°They treated us like cattle,¡± the shaman spat, ¡°Sold and used our bodies for every purpose one could imagine. They were monsters, haunting the nightmares of our children. These are not illusions but captured memories from the survivors of the Age of Pressure. They destroyed our languages, initiated breeding programs, sterilized us, purged us from every solitary position of status in society, down to the lowliest merchant trading fish.¡± Images flashed faster and faster, of horrors. Of pain.
My cursed energy flared in response as I read this pain, resonating and¡ becoming more somehow. I frowned intensely. What was that? The ¡®more¡¯ was minuscule, almost unnoticeable. I tried to use it as fast as possible in order to push it out of my system.
I could generate energy through the pain of others¡
Somehow, at this very moment, that revelation wasn¡¯t as important to me as that pain was. I wrestled my mind away from worries about what Klarion¡¯s meddling had done to me and refocused on the images, staring at them without flinching. I couldn¡¯t say I had seen anything as bad as all of this, but I could handle it.
I could lock in on what exactly to do about all of this and hold onto that sentiment with a righteous fury. Wield that surety like a spear that I would use to stab through the bastard heart of anyone that would deny what this was.
I really want to punch the shit out of something¡ªor someone.
¡°And yet, we survived,¡± the shaman said. The projection shifted again, showing the Abyssal Folk retreating deeper into the trenches, building the rudimentary homes we had passed earlier. ¡°We endured. We found ways to live off the sea floor, scavenging from the wreckage of ships and the refuse of Poseidonis. And in time, we grew in number. But our suffering has not ended.¡±
The images turned darker, more recent. Modern Atlanteans patrolled the borders of Poseidonis, turning away Abyssal Folk who sought to return. Those caught crossing were beaten, some left to die in the open ocean. ¡°To this day, we are treated as less than nothing. Poseidonis thrives while we scrape by, forgotten and reviled.¡±
Megan¡¯s hands were pressed to her mouth, her eyes wide and brimming with tears.
¡°But why?¡± I asked, my voice cutting through the weight of the moment. ¡°Why keep this up? Poseidonis is practically perfect now. I even saw a couple of you Abyssal Folk wandering about¡ªone guy had the head of an octopus. So¡ what about the rest of you? Why does this still exist? What do they gain from this?¡±
The shaman¡¯s eyes locked onto mine, his gaze piercing. ¡°Perfection demands a scapegoat. A symbol of what must never be allowed to resurface. We are that symbol. And as for the few of us Abyssal Folk that managed to make the climb¡ªwhy don¡¯t you ask them what they think of us? They will be the first to revile us in order to protect their precarious position in Poseidonis. King Orin has done his part in lifting us up from the muck, but he has not erased the muck. How would he benefit from that? Nations despise competitors, after all. The Aquaman has a good heart, but he is still a king. And I, for one, do not wish to live in Poseidonis. I want their greatness here.¡±
The projection faded, and the oppressive darkness lifted. The shaman folded his hands in his lap, his expression calm but resolute. ¡°Now you know the truth. Do with it what you will. But remember: truth alone changes nothing.¡±
I floated there, silent, trying to reconcile this gut-wrenching history with the shining city of Poseidonis I had seen earlier. Megan finally broke the silence, her voice trembling. ¡°There has to be something we can do.¡±
The shaman smiled faintly, as though he had heard those words countless times before. ¡°Perhaps. But you are not the first to make such promises, nor will you be the last.¡±
I started grinning, and I was about to open my mouth when Megan interrupted me.
We are not bringing him to the Atlantean banquet, Gojo. Don¡¯t even think about it.
Dammit!
She could stop me from bringing him, but not his ideas.
Gojo¡ no.
I proffered the other golden piece, ¡°Imagine I was King Orin. What would you say to me?¡±
The man looked at the golden chunk and eyed me suspiciously. Then, his placid expression turned into a wide, satisfied grin. ¡°Strap in, young one. I¡¯ll tell you everything you need to know.¡±
Megan groaned mentally.
Chapter 32
Just to make the old shaman feel like shit about his treatment of me, and my girlfriend feel good, I spent the next two hours looking through this dungheap for treasure, sharing all of it with the people of this crevice. The shaman and the community ended up giving me a nice bit of respect after that, and even squeezed out a promise from Megan to come visit and make sure that I came along.
Fun. After we finally brought that guy down a peg, we went back to Atlantis to wander around and look at the sights. We took swims through the public parks¡ªtheir plants now adapted for undersea living¡ªand along wide bridges from a bygone era where bridges were a necessity at all. We visited the statues of the city depicting marble full-body figures of past kings¡ªcontemporaries to Socrates, apparently. They weren¡¯t even considered the oldest parts of the city, either. That honor would go to the parthenons that were built around the time the pyramids were, and had apparently given the ancient Greeks most of its inspiration.
Atlantean food was raw fish wrapped in leafy plants and infused with extra salty water to make up for the fact that solid salt could not exist in these watery conditions.
It tasted delicious, in any case. I had nothing to complain about. Though the food did put me in the mood for sushi. Megan, who had a wide range of taste in general, appreciated it for what it was, and didn¡¯t seem to crave something more familiar.
I had been worried, initially, about how long it was until dinner time, and whether or not I¡¯d get bored with the underwater city before then, but reality came in clutch¡ªthis place was even more interesting than I had given it credit for. The sheer diversity alone made things incredibly exciting. Everyone was different, with their own individual little quirks. They were strong, too. Strong, and driven. Swimming everywhere purposefully, sharing in the heroic burden that Aquaman had foisted on them.
Or, at least they thought they did. The shaman¡¯s words had been eye-opening, but in the end, even he did not think there was any swift solution to the problems that ailed his community. An uprising would only inevitably reduce everyone to zero, which would make things fair, but also quite shitty. What the shaman wanted was a Crevice council that wasn¡¯t so corrupt. Better policies that governed the lives of the Abyssal Folk in his parish. I was currently debating the pros and cons of sneaking back in here and giving them all the firepower they needed to make their demands¡ªin the form of me.
¡°Sa-chan,¡± Megan said in that long-suffering tone she reserved for when I was thinking bad thoughts. We were both now in a guest room, changing out of our normal clothes to wear more ceremonial stuff for the dinner. They had given me a manslut toga which consisted of a band of white cloth that stretched from one side of my hip to the shoulder on the other side, and then back behind me. A golden sash held my white mid-thigh mini-skirt up. No shoes, of course, because this was Atlantis, and you never stepped on anything if you didn¡¯t have to.
Megan was dressed in a more conservative attire¡ªa two-piece red bikini and a sheer red silken skirt, as well as a red choker of all things. I fixated on that choker for a bit.
¡°You look stunning,¡± I said.
Megan¡¯s concern faded into a grin, ¡°So do you!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t leave much to the imagination,¡± I sighed, looking down at myself, ¡°I really like your choker, though.¡±
¡°But Sa-chan, were you serious about coming back here to help the Abyssal Folk?¡± she asked, ¡°I really don¡¯t think the League would approve of you using yourself as a weapon to strong-arm corrupt leaders. You have to consider their image¡ªthe League are already playing a balancing act to ensure that they remain within the good graces of world governments. If it is proven that they have participated and acted as key members of political movements, that could seriously shake the trust that the world has on them.¡±
I nodded, ¡°Sure, that¡¯s true. But these are the Abyssal Folk, Megan. They¡¯re aliens walking the Earth¡ªno one knows or cares about them. The shaman made some pretty good points, and from what I could gather, they really seem to like him.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t bring this up, because I knew what you would say, but¡ what if you fail?¡± Megan asked me. She walked up to me gently and put her hands around the back of my neck, pulling me down a little. She held me in place with her eyes. And her serious-question tone made me reconsider joking it off.
¡°And if I didn¡¯t try?¡± I asked her. ¡°I mean¡ I¡¯m the strongest guy I know. If I couldn¡¯t do anything for them after all, then what¡¯s even the point? We should at least give it a try.¡±
¡°I also think we should,¡± Megan said, ¡°And I also think we should let the League know. Let Aquaman know.¡±
Gosh. Did she not have any sense of spontaneity? ¡°Alright,¡± I said, ¡°Before that, however, I¡¯ll¡ play around a little. Make the old blondie sweat. How about it?¡±
¡°I doubt you¡¯ll find a particularly satisfying fight in him,¡± Megan shook her head. ¡°And I hope you don¡¯t look so desperately after a fight to begin with.¡± She tippy-toed up and we kissed rather passionately. Her Atlantean outfit was doing all sorts of things to me, and I hoped she¡¯d take this outfit home.
Only if you take your outfit home as well.
I grinned as we kissed.
In the end, we ended up delaying our arrival by a few minutes. Not because of the kiss, but rather its after-effects. It turned out that having a girlfriend as hot as Megan and walking around with a mini-skirt made it a lot more likely for me to inadvertently appear, uh¡ indecent.
With our elbows crooked together, I applied Infinity on her and used Blue to drag us through the water and towards the banquet hall where the guards were posted. After a brief exchange of words, they let us in.
The banquet hall was vast. Eight guards posted in pairs along the walls, and seven servants hanging about in the water, waiting to tend on us.
The table was impractically large considering the only seats were a single curved couch that held Aquaman, presumably his wife, presumably some other royal, Aqualad to the queen¡¯s right, and presumably Aqualad¡¯s girlfriend.
The guard straightened and announced with a firm, practiced voice, ¡°Presenting Satoru Gojo of Japan, and M¡¯gann M¡¯orzz of Mars.¡± That wasn¡¯t telepathy. Just like with the Shaman, I could hear his voice through the water.
The room fell momentarily silent, the air filled with the weight of ceremony. All eyes turned to us, assessing, curious. The servants paused their movements, waiting for the signal to proceed.
Aquaman, seated regally at the center of the curved couch, rose to his full height, his presence commanding yet warm. His golden armor caught the dim light of the bioluminescent chandeliers above. His grin was as wide as the open sea, cutting through the formality with ease. Why was he wearing his costume, though? And why was Kaldur doing the same?
¡°Ah, there they are!¡± he boomed, his deep voice carrying effortlessly through the water. ¡°Friends of Kaldur are friends of Atlantis¡ªand mine! Welcome to Poseidonis, Satoru Gojo and M¡¯gann M¡¯orzz!¡±
The queen beside him, serene and composed, offered us a graceful nod. Aqualad, ever stoic, gave a small, respectful smile, while the woman at his side greeted us with a bright, eager expression. The man on the other edge of the sofa gave us a curt and perfectly diplomatic nod, but I decided almost immediately that I just didn¡¯t trust him. Not a crazy thing to decide, given the fact that humans were generally untrustworthy.
Give him a chance, Megan chided.
Nah.
I let a smile spread across my face as I inclined my head, offering a relaxed grin, ¡°Thanks for having us, Your Majesty.¡±
M¡¯gann, ever polite, placed her hand over her heart and bowed slightly. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be here. Thank you for your hospitality.¡±
Aquaman chuckled, stepping forward as though he couldn¡¯t bear to keep the distance. ¡°No need to thank me! It¡¯s high time we had some fresh perspectives from the surface world¡ªand beyond. Come, sit, and let us talk as equals. You¡¯ll find no stiff traditions here, only good food, good company, and good stories.¡±
He clapped his hands, and the servants immediately sprang into motion, bringing platters of food and goblets of Atlantean wine to the table. With a welcoming gesture, Aquaman indicated the space beside him. ¡°Join us. I want to hear everything¡ªyour journey, your thoughts on our city, and, most importantly, whether or not the Martian or the sorcerer can hold their drink!¡±
Megan giggled nervously, and I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware drinking laws were so lax in Atlantis.¡±
Aquaman raised a hand, and one of the servants swam up towards us, with a tray filled with plates of jelly-like marbles. Aquaman took the tray and floated one of the bowls over to our side of the table.
¡°As honored guests,¡± Aquaman began, ¡°As well as friends of my prot¨¦g¨¦, it is only right that I treat you to the best that Atlantis has to offer.¡±
¡°Brother,¡± the man sitting next to Aquaman looked at him in slight panic, ¡°Is this gesture not a bit too much? You must think of your own image.¡±
¡°Nonsense, nonsense!¡± Aquaman said, ¡°Satoru Gojo deserves this consideration. He is powerful indeed. Please, Satoru. Don¡¯t shame me¡ª¡±
¡°Satoru doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± Aqualad began.
¡°Satoru can speak for himself,¡± Aquaman looked at me with kind eyes.
I looked at the bowl of marbles, ¡°Uh, if I didn¡¯t know any better¡¡±
¡°They¡¯re alcoholic,¡± Kaldur explained, ¡°They taste like wine.¡±
Oh. Uh. ¡°Certainly,¡± I said, eyeing the marbles unsurely.
You don¡¯t have to do this, Megan said.
I didn¡¯t really want to, either. But this was diplomacy, in a way.
I was doing it for the Super Sentai monsters living in the deep.
I closed my eyes, took one of the marbles, and bit into it.
I started coughing violently at the sheer strength of the liquor coating my mouth in a film of burning numbness and pain.
Aquaman laughed at that. Nobody seemed to mind that my mouth wine/liquor was now in the air, soon to be absorbed by their gills. Then I saw some vents up in the ceiling activating, pulling in the redness of the wine in an instant. Interesting.
I frowned in determination and took another marble, cracking into it with my teeth and swallowing the liquid contents whole.
I could almost immediately feel my edge dulling¡ªthough maybe that was a placebo effect¡ªand Kaldur finally snatched the bowl of wine marbles from our side of the table, giving me a serious look.
Then he gave that serious look to Megan, who just nodded.
What¡¯d he say? I asked.
Don¡¯t embarrass him, yourself, or all of us.
Of course I wouldn¡¯t do that.
¡°Tula,¡± Aqualad said, gesturing at Megan and I, ¡°These are my teammates¡ªof the Titans.¡±
¡°Powerful name!¡± Aquaman boomed. ¡°Whoever picked it was wise, indeed!¡±
I chuckled, ¡°Being called wise by the wisest king of all makes me painfully aware of my own shortcomings,¡± I said with a grin, lapping up the compliments.
¡°Nonsense and false modesty!¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡°A pleasure,¡± Tula said, giving me a nod and a grin, and one to Megan as well.
¡°The pleasure is mine,¡± I said, giving her my hand, ¡°If I knew that Kaldur had hidden away someone like you all this time, I¡¯d tell him to visit sooner!¡±
Tula giggled and looked at Kaldur, ¡°This one I¡¯m sure must get you into a lot of trouble, Kaldur.¡±
Kaldur chuckled chastely. ¡°There are few I¡¯d rather have my back than Gojo.¡±
¡°Pish posh,¡± I waved my hand, ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve been the best teammate, man. I¡¯m just¡ I can¡¯t lie, I¡¯m just glad you even tolerate me. There¡¯s not really much¡ to like.¡±
Megan looked at me in surprise, ¡°Sa-chan! Of course we like you!¡±
I blinked. ¡°Yeah,¡± I chuckled, playing it off, ¡°Yeah, of course! Sorry.¡± Wow, that really brought down the mood. ¡°Nevermind that, Kaldur. That was probably just the wine talking. Anyway, I just wanna say¡¡± I furrowed my brows at him, ¡°It¡¯s really nice to see you in this setting. With your lady friend. Without the burden of leadership. It must have been hard, huh?¡±
Aqualad gave me a mild grin, ¡°It was, for the most part. And I¡¯m still very new at this. I don¡¯t expect it to get any easier.¡±
¡°That sucks,¡± I nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll try to support you, captain.¡±
¡°Have some food, Sa-chan,¡± Megan said as a few servants were approaching us with finger foods, fish wrapped in rice and seaweed, and octopus arms. I extended my Infinity aura to the plate in order to cover it with air as well, and then I remembered¡ªI hadn¡¯t maintained the oxygen filter yet, had I? Shit. Shit! Hastily, I reconstructed the filter through Infinity that let me siphon O2 from the water, in order to let me breathe. And I focused on doing that as well as keeping up my other uses of Infinity¡ªdarkening my hair and darkening my eyes.
Eating was¡ difficult, especially while focusing on all the other parts of Infinity that I relied on.
¡°What an interesting power you have, Satoru Gojo,¡± the brother of the king said, looking at me in interest. ¡°Where are you getting your breathable air from?¡±
I shrugged, not really wanting to answer. ¡°Where we all get air, I imagine,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°Trees. I can¡¯t really say how I do it though.¡±
Sa-chan.
What? I don¡¯t trust him!
¡°Ah,¡± he said with a nod, ¡°Nevertheless, it is quite impressive. You¡¯ve adapted to Atlantis¡¯ conditions, in your own way.¡±
Gojo, no!
¡°I imagine not all adaptations are looked upon as kindly,¡± I mused, still projecting a perfectly pleasant grin.
He raised an eyebrow, heart speeding up a tiny bit. Hmmmmmmmm, ¡°How so?¡±
¡°We went to the museum today,¡± I said, ¡°To learn a bit more about your culture. Honestly, I¡¯m impressed. I especially liked your society¡¯s commitment towards keeping the world clean, and I have to admit, I did feel my share of guilt that humanity¡¯s not doing a better job.¡±
¡°But!¡± Aquaman interrupted, ¡°The youth of the surface are more driven about the issue than ever before thanks to my work in the League. Our mission is not far at hand, young Gojo, so do not fret.¡±
It didn¡¯t look like he was trying to distract me. Rather, it sounded like he just wanted an opportunity to talk about himself. Or bring up the mood. Probably the latter. Guy seemed like a whole bundle of positive energy. It really was infectious.
¡°Yes, brother,¡± the brother said. ¡°But he was talking about¡ adaptations. I would like to hear more about that.¡± Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t even introduced himself yet. Did he expect me to know who he was right off the bat?
Actually, wasn¡¯t there supposed to be some significance about Aquaman¡¯s brother¡¯s character? I couldn¡¯t recall¡ªI had never read any of his issues directly, and all I knew came from his interactions with the Justice League. As far as I could recall with my giant brain just swimming in pop culture knowledge, it was that his brother didn¡¯t¡ like Aquaman.
Maybe that was the feeling that I got? Quiet resentment.
¡°Oh, right, the museum,¡± I chuckled, ¡°Please excuse me, your highness, Prince¡ uh¡¡±
¡°Orm,¡± he said, ¡°Prince Orm.¡±
000
Prince Orm gazed placidly into the eyes of Satoru Gojo, Infinity, challenging him to continue speaking, to continue leaking information about himself, about the Light¡¯s newfound thorn. This was supposed to be Klarion¡¯s greatest masterpiece? A lapdog for the do-gooders? The Lord of Chaos had abandoned their cause, spreading mayhem through the plans of the Light, all so he could fashion an agent that he deemed was worthy of the Witch Boy¡¯s sponsorship.
Luthor had already gone to ground, all but abandoning the Light, and Ra¡¯s swore up and down that he was on the precipice of sealing Infinity¡¯s threat magically. But they were flailing. It was clear for the Ocean Master to see.
They were flailing, and Orm would today justify his position in their ranks.
¡°Excuse me, prince Orm,¡± the young boy said, ¡°To be honest, I usually don¡¯t drink, if at all. But I couldn¡¯t deny your older brother¡¯s gesture, certainly not after you made a big deal about it.¡±
Orm could have sworn that he had heard an emphasis on the word ¡®older¡¯, and he couldn¡¯t deny the slight irritation in his heart at hearing that. ¡°Nonsense,¡± Orm chuckled politely, ¡°You should have done what was comfortable to you. No one should be made to drink under pressure. Brother.¡±
Aquaman grinned in slight shame, ¡°Apologies, old chum! I seem to have gotten ahead of myself.¡±
¡°Anyway,¡± Gojo continued, ¡°About the whole adaptation thing¡ªwe went to the museum, it was nice. I¡¯d say we learned a lot about Poseidonis. Not so much about the Abyssal Folk, though.¡± Orm furrowed his eyebrows. Why in the world would he go out of his way to seek those degenerates out?
¡°Where did you hear of them?¡± Orm asked.
¡°Ah, I saw ¡®em,¡± Gojo said with a grin. ¡°They live around the outskirts of Poseidonis, in the dark deeps. I took a shine to them, to be honest. They were decent folk, the ones Megan and I met.¡±
Orm blinked, ¡°You¡ met with the Brine Dwellers.¡±
Everyone looked surprised at that.
¡°I mean, I sorta wanted to know what their whole deal was,¡± Gojo said with a chuckle, ¡°Why they live in the cracks. Why they seemed so unhappy.¡±
Aquaman regarded Gojo seriously, ¡°So you¡¯ve learned of Atlantis¡¯ ignoble past.¡±
¡°And of your efforts,¡± Gojo said with a grin, ¡°The shaman that Megan and I spoke to had quite a few kind words to spare about you.¡±
¡°Not enough words, I would say,¡± Aquaman frowned, ¡°For I have yet to truly address their problems or help them.¡±
Gojo shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s not my place to feel righteous indignation for a downtrodden ethnic group, but those projections were quite gory¡ª¡±
Megan jumped into the discussion, ¡°It was a rather intense experience. Apologies for Gojo¡¯s behavior, he¡¯s quite¡ devoted to the plight of the defenseless.¡± Gojo gaped at her in clear denial.
Orm smiled, gesturing placatingly at Gojo, ¡°Your empathy is commendable, of course. But what would you have the crown do?¡±
Gojo snapped his mouth shut, his earlier denial replaced with a sharp grin that could cut glass. He leaned back against the sofa and crossed his arms, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "What would I have the crown do? I could think of a thing or two."
Orm arched an eyebrow, his placating smile widening in real glee for a moment. There you go, boy. Embarrass yourself.
¡°Let¡¯s start simple,¡± Gojo said, holding up a finger. ¡°First, formal recognition of the Abyssal Folk as full citizens of Atlantis. No more of this ¡®Brine Dwellers¡¯ slur nonsense. Give them a proper place in your census, infrastructure planning, and government. And before you tell me, they aren¡¯t under Poseidonis¡¯ jurisdiction¡ªyou¡¯re never going to beat the allegation that the Crevices are a ghetto extension of the city. They depend on you for everything, they live via your refuse. And you depend on them for building materials and use them as a disposable mining labor force. Give them rights.¡±
A second finger went up. ¡°Second, since we¡¯re being honest about whether or not your people are your people¡ªhint: they are¡ªinstitute a widespread education initiative. And not just for the kids. Teach literacy, language, magic theory¡ªwhatever you¡¯ve got. Focus on equipping these people with the skills they need to thrive within the system, not just survive outside it.¡±
Orm blinked, the faintest hint of surprise creeping onto his face.
¡°Third,¡± Gojo continued, counting off on his fingers, ¡°Allocate budget and resources to develop the Crevices. Clean water, sustainable fishing, healthy ecosystems. You¡¯ve got the magic and tech to spare, don¡¯t you?
¡°Fourth,¡± Gojo added, now grinning as if he were enjoying himself immensely, ¡°set up proper trade opportunities between the Abyssal Folk and the rest of Atlantis. Let the miners unionize. Let the others be merchants, artisans, laborers¡ªanything that integrates them economically outside of just mineral extraction, while celebrating their cultural uniqueness. Instead of, you know, throwing all of who they are aside just so they can fit in better. I mean, that would make life a lot easier for the ruling class, sure, but every now and then, you gotta think about the little guy.¡±
Orm opened his mouth to¡ª¡°Fifth,¡± Gojo said, holding up a hand to forestall any interruptions, ¡°create an independent oversight body to monitor corruption and prejudice against the Abyssal Folk in law enforcement, politics, and the military. Make sure they have representatives on that council too, with teeth to hold people accountable.¡±
Orm¡¯s composure slipped further, his eyes narrowing as he regarded Gojo with growing wariness.
¡°Sixth,¡± Gojo continued with a smirk, leaning forward on the table, ¡°address the root cause. Poseidonis has been benefiting off the exploitation of these people for a long time. Reparations, Orm. Real ones. Land grants, tax breaks, funding for their communities¡ªwhatever it takes to level the playing field after centuries of neglect.¡±
Megan winced at the word reparations. She shot Gojo a pleading look, but he just smiled, his tone as casual as could be.
¡°And seventh,¡± Gojo smiled widest now, ¡°What I would most want to have the crown do, the most important take-away they could possibly have, in fact, is to ask somebody of the Abyssal Folk, rather than some no-name surface dweller that had a fifteen-minute conversation with just one religious leader, who essentially fed me all this information to begin with. So,¡± Gojo said, tilting his head, ¡°what do you think, Prince Orm? Too much, or just enough to make up for all that gory history?¡±
Orm¡¯s smile had frozen in place, his fingers tightening slightly on the edge of the table. ¡°Your source was certainly thorough. And you haven¡¯t wasted any time throwing your weight behind them.¡±
¡°Of course I haven¡¯t,¡± Gojo said brightly. ¡°I might not live here, but justice doesn¡¯t care about borders, does it?¡±
Orm saw the truth there and then¡ªGojo could not be brought into the Light. He was too idealistic. Too zealous. He didn¡¯t fit in with the heroes¡ªRa¡¯s had been right enough about that¡ªbut he certainly could not be made to do anything in service of the Light if this was how he behaved in the presence of royalty.
Utter impudence. Pure conceit. And eyes that truly judged those he looked at to be lesser beings.
¡°Gojo,¡± Kaldur said softly, looking at Gojo with a slight grin, ¡°You¡¯ve¡ not wasted any effort on getting to the root of our country¡¯s blight¡ªour dark history, how we¡¯ve treated our own brothers and sisters. I apologize that you had to learn it this way.¡± His grin widened, ¡°But I¡¯m glad that you¡¯ve stepped into the right side of history.¡±
¡°Wait¡ªwait!¡± Gojo raised his hands in surrender, ¡°Before we do any of that congratulating,¡± he gestured with a flair towards the Martian, ¡°Megan here is the beating heart of this dynamic duo! She was the one who wanted to learn about the Abyssal Folk. She wouldn¡¯t rest until we did.¡±
¡°My,¡± Queen Mera grinned at Megan, ¡°Your intrepid spirit will take you far, young heroine.¡± She looked at Kaldur now, ¡°You¡¯ve made great friends, Kaldur.¡±
¡°I know,¡± Kaldur nodded.
Two outsiders, one from a different planet entirely, thinking they could cast stones on Atlantis¡¯ glorious history? Orm¡¯s heart thundered in rage.
And Gojo¡¯s eyes widened as he locked eyes with Orm, and for a moment, his grin look¡ manic. Disturbed. Orm¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He hadn¡¯t¡ seen anything, had he? Had Orm shown any of his feelings? No. That had to be his imagination.
Then why was this creature smiling like this? ¡°I¡¯m just an ignorant outsider,¡± Gojo said, still looking at Orm, but now with a considerably less manic grin, ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t say I know the full picture.¡±
¡°You know enough, old chum,¡± Aquaman said with a nod.
¡°What are your thoughts, prince?¡± Gojo asked, head tilted. Orm felt¡ uneasy. What was this boy doing that was making him feel this way?
¡°My thoughts on the Brine Dwellers?¡± Orm asked, giving an incredulous chuckle, ¡°They are not our people, and they have repeatedly frustrated our efforts to lift them up. I wish there was an easy way to address the problem.¡±
¡°Hah, right,¡± Gojo nodded, ¡°Maybe I should leave the politicking to the politicians while I stay in my lane? My apologies, Prince. I didn¡¯t mean to presume anything. I know you have all put much thought into the topic, and I should not disrespect that effort with my own rants about equality.¡±
Aquaman laughed, ¡°Intelligent and modest! I¡¯m starting to really like you, now! What say you go for another drink of that wine and tell us how you really feel?¡±
¡°No,¡± both Megan and Kaldur denied.
Gojo¡¯s cheeks bulged for a moment and then he¡ swallowed. What¡ª? Megan must have seen or noticed something because she then frowned harshly at Gojo and smacked him lightly on his arm.
¡°Anyway,¡± Gojo said, voice darkened as if he had just had a gulp of liquor, ¡°I just wanted to ask you, Orm, because¡¡± he looked distressed for a moment, ¡°I just¡ I¡¯ve just heard things. About you, in particular. All lies, of course!¡±
Orm¡¯s eyes widened. Was this why he was acting this way? Had one of those insipid purists hailed his name again, after he went through all that effort to publicly distance himself from their movement? ¡°Yes. Of course,¡± he replied curtly, ¡°What have you heard?¡±
¡°Nothing substantial,¡± Gojo said, ¡°Apologies, really, for bringing that up. I¡¯m sorry, I really am. That wine was just¡ªtoo strong!¡±
¡°Ugly rumors tend to spread about good men,¡± Orin sighed, wrapping a hand around Orm¡¯s neck. Orm wanted to cut the arm off.
Orin went on a tangent about one of his many stories, and Gojo played the part of a captured audience, along with his lady-friend, but Orm could tell¡ something was off about him. He knew more than he wanted to say.
Chapter 33
He was angry. Seething.
His insides and outsides were completely at odds, a confusing jumble of differing impressions. A part of why I immediately didn¡¯t trust him at a glance¡ªhis body wasn¡¯t in synch with his face. Meaning, he was pretending.
He was pretending on everything.
Read his mind, I thought to Megan.
You are drunk, Megan scoffed.
Trust me, Megan. Please. He¡¯s not right. I don¡¯t trust him.
No.
Dammit! And the worst part was¡ªMegan was right. I was drunk. Stealing that second gulp of liquor had been a bad idea. But I felt like I was on a roll just then. Like I was making some crazy moves, masterminding a complex chess game.
But really, it was more brute force than that. I would say things, and then read his pulse and breathing¡ªwell, the flapping of his gills, but it pretty much worked the same way, with the same intervals and fluctuations.
The obvious reading I got was that¡ªhe wasn¡¯t a fan of the Abyssal Folk.
That¡¯s fine, Megan thought at me, I mean, it¡¯s not fine, but certainly it doesn¡¯t give us the right to intrude on his privacy, completely at odds with Earth¡¯s usual customs, right?
True. If only because he was a royal, I would further justify the act. As a public figure, he didn¡¯t deserve that level of privacy enough to be two-faced. Such leaders did not deserve any position. Not that it was wrong to be two-faced outright¡ªbut to the extent that I expected Orm to be, yes, definitely yes.
He called them Brine Dwellers. Even after I called it a slur, he said it again.
I noticed, Megan said.
So you admit my first impression was right.
Megan sighed internally, Fine. It was. But I¡¯m still not reading his mind.
Fine. Don¡¯t, even. He might have some kind of defense against it anyway. Villains always had to be prepared after all.
Gojo, stop it.
Ah, she was using the G word! Scary!
¡°¡ªWhich brings me,¡± Aquaman said, his tone changing. The sudden easing of his booming voice made me pay special attention. ¡°To a topic we have wanted to share. We have an announcement.¡± Aquaman stood up with his wife, both of them cupping her stomach. I snuck a glance at Orm, already half-aware of what this announcement could possibly entail.
¡°I am with child,¡± Queen Mera said.
Prince Orm¡¯s heartrate doubled. Facial muscles tensed all over, almost imperceptibly. And when he looked around, noticing that no one was looking at him, he let his jaws clench and his fists tighten. Only for a moment.
I looked over at him and he untensed, trying not to meet my eyes.
You read my thoughts, Megan. That means you saw what I saw. He¡¯s an asshole! Read his mind!
I acknowledge that! Megan said. But I¡¯m still not reading his mind. Besides, didn¡¯t you just think that he might have countermeasures against that?
¡°Oh, that is wonderful!¡± Tula said as she shot off to hug the queen.
What the hell was anyone supposed to say to this? Great work, Aquaman, Aquawoman! You really went at it without an Aquacondom! Must have been hard! Get it, because he had to be hard¡ª
Just¡ think about the child! Megan screamed at my head, The child is what matters, not¡ªthe act!
I stood up and grinned, ¡°Good luck on raising a child, you two!¡±
Terrible, Megan sighed.
¡°Thank you,¡± King Orin said calmly, giving me a grin and a nod.
¡°Congratulations,¡± Kaldur swam over to him, ¡°An heir to the throne at last!¡±
Orm now stood up, and Kaldur regarded him apologetically. ¡°Apologies, my prince. I did not mean¡ª¡±
¡°Not at all,¡± Prince Orm looked outwardly happy as he swam towards Aquaman and grabbed him by both his arms, ¡°No one could be more thrilled at this news than I.¡± Lies. All lies. He hated this.
¡°Thank you, brother,¡± Aquaman smiled at him, ¡°Thanks to you all!¡± Then he made out with his queen. I had to say, this man definitely had something I didn¡¯t, for being able to forget an entire room filled with eight guards, seven servants, and five guests, all watching.
Patch me through Aqualad, Megan.
Don¡¯t make me regret this, please, Megan said, Don¡¯t call Orm a villain, Sa-chan. Please.
But you¡¯ll back me up, right? That Orm isn¡¯t to be trusted?
That much was obvious at this point. Telepathic link established.
Kaldur! I felt an unexpected thrill at being in his head. Kaldur turned to me in surprise, Listen, buddy-boy, my best pal in the undersea world. What¡¯s your read on Orm?
Kaldur¡¯s expression flattened, In all honesty, he creeps me out.
HAH! Same! He¡¯s seething, by the way!
Kaldur turned away from me and, for a lack of better options, smiled at his king and queen making out, Megan, are you certain? Kaldur thought, his tone all mission.
Absolutely. Gojo might be compromised by the alcohol, but I noticed it, too.
I bet he hates the Abyssal Folk, too, I said. I can already see it¡ªhim going door to door, beating up on everyone with slightly fishy features except for gills. But anyway, Kal-chan, what¡¯s up with Tula, man? Did you confess yet?
I felt a stab of stress through the link, No. Not yet. I was planning to do so after this dinner. I¡¯m a little¡ unsure, however. She has been quite distant. I fear I may be barking up the wrong tree, as they say in the surface.
Neptune¡¯s Beard! I felt positively saddened at this development, Listen, man. Take care of business. And we¡¯ll be here in case of anything, okay? And it¡¯s probably just nerves, man! Who¡¯d say no to an absolute hunk like you? I know I wouldn¡¯t.
Kaldur¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, Why do I get this sense that you¡¯re not joking.
The room became alert with something¡ªsomething I couldn¡¯t sense, somehow. What¡ª?
¡°-perman to Aquaman,¡± Megan patched me through to what I was reasonably certain was Aquaman¡¯s communication device. She was probably letting me in on what the others were hearing. ¡°League emergency in Tokyo Bay. Rendezvous at the Watchtower.¡±
¡°Acknowledged,¡± Aquaman said, clicking on the horseshoe sign on his belt buckle. He turned to Queen Mera, who looked saddened by the development, ¡°It seems I must take my leave.¡± Then he turned to Aqualad, ¡°Swim with me.¡±
Keep us apprised, I said.
No, Kaldur immediately replied, setting off.
¡°Then there were five!¡± I said, ¡°Anyone in the mood of teaching a surface-worlder some fun Atlantean dinner games?¡±
The Queen smiled indulgently, though I couldn¡¯t cut through her disappointment at Aquaman leaving at such an inopportune moment.
¡°I¡¯m afraid I must pass,¡± Orm chuckled.
He was leaving?
Shit. Shit, shit, shit! Think of something! Anything!
Gojo, no!
¡°I know who you are,¡± I said instead, looking at him with the utmost seriousness, my eyes wide.
His heart started beating hard now as I kept the look on. One second turned into three, and then five, long, agonizing seconds of quiet and staring.
Then I grinned. ¡°You¡¯re most definitely a dinner game champion! I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance if you stayed behind. I hope wherever you go, it¡¯s more entertaining than beating an amateur like me in a game you¡¯ve probably perfected by now, am I right?¡±
Orm¡¯s grin was crooked. Wrong, ¡°I could never keep up with a wit like yours, Gojo. Don¡¯t sell yourself short.¡±
I never have.
I used my Reverse Cursed Technique to bathe my body in positive energy, healing everywhere I could sense for damage wrought by intoxication. It was everywhere. In my blood, in my organs, in my brain. It took me a moment, but when I was done, all that slowness left me behind, and I was sharp as an arrow once more.
I¡¯m keeping an eye on him, I thought, This would have been so much easier if Superboy was here. Then again, all this damn water¡¯s getting in my way. But I¡¯m certain now¡ªMegan, don¡¯t read his mind. This guy is bad news. He might actually be Aquaman¡¯s arch-nemesis.
In any other situation, that sentence would have been laughable.
But it wasn¡¯t¡ªnot here, at least. That fact was maddening.
Who was Aquaman¡¯s guy again? Sea Lord? Something¡ªsomething along the lines of a ¡®master¡¯ of the ¡®ocean¡¯. Ocean Master? No, that felt a little too Japanese. The Westerners would have given him a lamer name, no doubt.
¡°Would you please stay, Orm?¡± Mera asked, ¡°Now that your brother has departed. I would prefer to share the table with another adult¡ªah, no offense at all to you three young people!¡± Mera said, quick to apologize.
¡°Of course not, my queen,¡± Tula said with a slight chuckle.
¡°Understandable,¡± I said with a shrug. Everyone sat down as we started playing some strange game. I barely followed the rules as I only focused on Orm, who had become my object of fixation, and a source of unknowable ire for me.
Why?
¡It was the projection that the shaman had shown me. Against my wishes, the images had gotten to me. The history of Atlantis was a sordid one, no better than humanity¡¯s own, but¡ if Orm truly was a source of some of their suffering, then I felt unaccountably tempted to take him out of the picture. To nip the entire issue with a single clean cut.
But it¡¯s not that easy, Sa-chan. The idea is not any single person¡¯s invention. And a single person¡¯s removal from the equation won¡¯t lead to the invention being destroyed.
He¡¯s a cancer. And I want to excise him, I said, unhesitatingly. And, he¡¯s close to Aquaman, who¡¯s close to Kaldur. And I want to protect Kaldur. Wait what? What the hell was I going on about? Forget that part, it¡¯s not relevant. At the end of the day, Megan, what can I say? I just don¡¯t like his face, and that has always been enough for me.
We need evidence, Megan said.
Fuck evidence, I wanted to kill him!
Megan elbowed me slightly.
¡But yeah, we needed evidence. After all, the law was gonna sort this guy out! He¡¯d actually go to court for this. Crazy to think about, honestly. Superpowered evil-man standing trial for crimes against fish-humanity.
If you want to live in a world where suspicion and fear dictates whether or not someone is guilty, Gojo, then I would leave you behind in that world, because I have no interest in living there as well.
GOSH!
I¡¯m serious.
I didn¡¯t doubt that at all. I wasn¡¯t even drunk, and I was still giving her a hard time.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
I¡¯m sorry, Megan. That was just an inside thought. I wouldn¡¯t have acted on it.
¡I know. Sorry for getting angry.
It felt wrong to have her apologize for that, but¡ªin the end, was there anything to apologize for? She¡¯d gotten mad at something I had been thinking of, in the sanctuary of my mind.
Sorry for riling you up, I said, I¡¯ll try to, uh, think better thoughts. It¡¯s hard, though¡ I¡¯m just so¡ angry.
Kaldur came back soon after, joining us in our dinner revelry. I didn¡¯t have anything more to drink, and tried my best to participate while also keeping most of my attention on him. Either he was just a racist weirdo prince with nasty skeletons in his closet¡ªclassic rich people shenanigans¡ªand a seething jealousy for his brother, and that was all that it was.
Or there was something more.
I used Six Eyes on him¡ªreading everything I could about his energy. Skin icons conducting his magic for Atlantean Sorcery¡ªpowerful stuff, far stronger than Kaldur at the very least. Power. But Mera had that power, too, if not more. Just having power didn¡¯t immediately make you a superhero or villain.
I used Six Eyes Reversal next to find anything material. Other than the clothes on his back, there was a¡ curious little object inside his pocket¡ªan oblong machine with a button, black metal with red glowing seams, and a circular glowing red button. The thing looked villainous and I had no idea what it was.
I projected the mental image to Megan and Kaldur.
Any ideas on what this is?
That¡¯s¡ no, Kaldur hesitated, Nevermind, the idea is stupid. And¡ we need to stop following this line of logic, we might begin to draw conclusions that may seem convincing in the moment, but are in fact inaccurate.
Tell me what you just thought, Kaldur, I thought intently. You have to.
I cannot speak to what sort of device it is, but it looks like it follows the design sensibilities of the Black Manta and his tech¡ªa supervillain of the seas, notorious for his thievery.
That sounds¡ too obvious, I said, Why would he just be carrying that around deep in his pockets?
Who would search a prince of the royal blood? Kaldur asked. But it cannot be him¡ªthe Black Manta must be a surface-dweller. Why else does he only hire normal humans, and wears a diving suit?
To throw people off, I guess, I thought.
I looked around Poseidonis, eyes wide with Six Eyes Reversal, searching for any more Black Manta stuff.
Up, up and away, far above the city of Poseidonis, a fleet of submarines circled above. They swam beyond sight, beyond where the light of Poseidonis could reach, in the dark night waters near the surface.
I had to stop myself from lunging over the table and choking the life out of this guy.
Wow. Supervillains just got on my damn nerves.
Megan poked through my air aura and put a hand over mine. Sa-chan, be calm. Please.
Calm? What was there to be calm about?
Bust up a drug-smuggling operation and arrest five villains in one day¡ªthree of the biggest ones break out to cause chaos again. Get in trouble for not entertaining the nonsensical expectation that super-powered individuals¡ªyes, even that goddamned Sportsmaster, because humans should not be able to do what he does¡ªshould be held to different standards, standards that made sense given how difficult they were to hold.
And then get killed by a big-shot demon and having all of your power stolen and perverted for daring to be in the vicinity.
And I was supposed to be calm.
Look, Megan¡ªeither I stop caring, or I care too much. I made sure to transmit these thoughts only to Megan, via a private channel she had created for this purpose, Neither work, and I can¡¯t find a middle ground. I don¡¯t know how that works. But I do know that I am going to drive the fear of God into any villain that tries to hurt you the way Klarion almost did. And it starts with him.
We need evidence, Megan said, trying to redirect my thoughts along better and more productive tacks.
Submarines, up. Black Manta design sensibilities, I guess. Kaldur, you reading this?
¡Copy, came Kaldur¡¯s cold mental voice. Be on the lookout, Infinity.
My eyes widened slightly in awkwardness. Man, you should worry more about Tula¡ªI¡¯m really sorry I turned this into a mission. I don¡¯t even know how I did it. I step out of the Cave for ten seconds, and suddenly we¡¯re neck deep in a conspiracy involving the king¡¯s own brother.
It wasn¡¯t your fault, Megan said.
My very presence seemed to invite challenge.
I will speak with Tula, Gojo. Do not worry.
I should be telling you not to worry.
I poured more energy into the Six Eyes Reversal in order to make out if there were any radio signals or whatever coming out of that thing. Radio signals couldn¡¯t traverse water, though, right? Ah, underwater communications used sound or sonar. The disturbance of water would be even easier to observe that way.
Too easy, in fact. That amount of sound would have a physical impact on our bodies. No, this was Atlanean techno-sorcery for sure.
Orm may be coordinating the submarines, working with Black Manta, Kaldur concluded.
So when do we blow open this plot? I asked, I¡¯m all for frogwalking Orm into a Zeta Tube and throwing him into a hole. He¡¯s clearly a traitor.
He is suspect, indeed, Kaldur said, And I do not expect complete innocence from him. But I want more in order to be certain.
What would it have to take for everyone to be satisfied? Should I just raid his bedroom or something?
No, Gojo, Megan said seriously, her voice heavy, And before you ask why, and whether or not I trust you, it¡¯s because I don¡¯t want this to be normalized. One day, you will be wrong, and then you will have infringed on someone¡¯s privacy and made a joke of their rights. All because you were sure. And I don¡¯t want a future like that for you, so no, Gojo. Do not do that.
I do love a well-reasoned argument, I said with a shrug. Of course, Megan. We¡¯ll leave no room for doubt when we strike.
¡°Not that these games aren¡¯t riveting,¡± Orm grinned in clearly faked delight, ¡°But I must visit the bathroom. I will be back soon.¡±
Kaldur, you¡¯re up, I suggested.
¡°Alright, Orm,¡± Mera gave a grin and refocused on our smiling faces. I slightly felt bad for her that Tula was the only one who was in on these games fully. Bad for Aqualad too, for that matter.
Once Orm left the room, Kaldur made a similar excuse and left quickly.
Where did he go? Kaldur asked.
Orm swam through the hallways, looking for a dead spot between all the patrolling guards. I fed Kaldur info and helped lead him towards the slimy Prince. Once he believed he was out of sight, he pulled out the communication device that then transmitted towards the fleet of submarines.
He¡¯s speaking with Black Manta! Kaldur cried mentally, Telling them to¡ pull back! Prince Orm is¡ Ocean Master!
¡°That was his name!¡± I laughed, snapping my finger as I grinned in delight. Queen Mera and Tula were completely flatfooted by my exclamation.
Rather than waste time explaining myself, I teleported Kaldur and Orm back into the banquet room, above the dining table.
¡°¡ªthe mission,¡± Orm said, speaking into his communication device, standing above the table.
Tula and Mera gasped in surprise.
I held the man in place with Blue, making also sure that his communication device floated a little away from his hand, so he couldn¡¯t hide it.
¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡± Mera cried, standing tall and looking down at me in rage.
¡°My queen, I can explain,¡± Kaldur said, getting in between her and me, ¡°With the help of my teammates, I have just discovered that Orm is in contact with Black Manta. Their fleet is overhead.¡±
¡°Pulling back,¡± I frowned at the ceiling, ¡°Because Orm just told them to.¡±
¡°My queen!¡± Orm cried, ¡°It is the work of the Martian telepath that Kaldur has been swayed to believe such lies!¡±
Mera¡¯s eyes locked in on the device, ¡°What is that? And what did you say about a ¡®mission¡¯? Who have you been in contact with?¡±
¡°My queen, why should I answer these questions while I¡¯m restrained like some common criminal?!¡±
Mera turned around to her guards, ¡°Guards¡ªinquire about submarines above the waters of Poseidonis.¡±
¡°Black Manta¡¯s submarines have unmatched stealth tech,¡± Kaldur said. ¡°They¡¯ll never be detected. And they might get away!¡±
¡°Hold on,¡± I said, ¡°If it¡¯s evidence that you want, I can make sure the submarines don¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯ll keep them busy and prevent them from leaving while you get people up there, so they can lay eyes on Orm¡¯s plot.¡±
I warped out from the banquet hall, floating above the ascending fleet of submarines.
I could kill hundreds in mere moments¡ªthe ones that weren¡¯t inside pressure-resistant suits at least¡ªbut I didn¡¯t need to. This was¡ an annoyingly roundabout way of going at this. Not that I ever had so much experience going after humans to begin with.
But in the end, were these dregs really any different from just the average Cursed Spirit?
¡°Cursed Technique Amplification: Maximum Output Blue!¡±
I summoned the monstrous convergence of infinity overhead, a void that demanded to be filled, and I whirled it overhead, creating terrifying and tumultuous streams of water.
When the submarines tried to scatter, I herded them in place with Blue as well.
I even made it a game. Letting a precious few get free to ensure that the bulk remained behind. It turned out that the guy wearing the most elaborate get-up whom everyone else took orders from¡ªpossibly Black Manta himself¡ªmanaged to get away at the cost of leaving the majority of his fleet behind. I would have gone after him¡ªbut wasting his entire fleet felt like enough for now. Besides, the real prize was Orm.
It took another twenty minutes for the Atlanteans to get here and make their arrests.
And to my utter joy, by the time I had returned to Poseidonis to see how the situation unfolded, great news awaited me. Mera had gone out on a limb, trusting Kaldur¡¯s trust in me, and they had searched Orm¡¯s private quarters, finding¡ a lot. Direct communication channels to Black Manta¡¯s fleet and a costume that matched the description of ¡®Ocean Master¡¯.
Queen Mera, Kaldur, Tula, Megan and I stood outside the palace as Orm was being frogwalked by some Atlantean guards.
I shouted after him, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to help the Abyssal Folk out! One day, they¡¯ll rule the seas!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± He screamed at me, ¡°I will not forget this, Satoru Gojo!¡±
I almost forgot. He knew my name.
Who else could he reach through that name once I started going to school. Wally? Artemis?
No. I wasn¡¯t about to let that slide. Goddamn Aquaman, lugging around a traitor for a brother. Not on my watch. Whether or not the courts were against him, I would have my way.
Sa-chan, no¡ª
I appeared before both Orm and both the guards. They widened their eyes at me. ¡°One moment,¡± I said to them, ¡°Orm,¡± I looked into his eyes. ¡°On my cursed energy, I swear this binding vow that the moment you¡¡± hmm, let¡¯s make this a fun one, ¡°The moment you use the knowledge of my name to strike a blow at me or mine, I will kill you. Wherever you are. Be it on the moon. In the bottom of the sea, the tallest mountain¡ªI do not care.¡± I gave a chuckle, ¡°I don¡¯t even know why I hate you so much, but¡ I¡¯m never letting you off the hook, Orm. Never!¡± I laughed, ¡°So congratulations, Orm, you¡¯ve become my little toy.¡±
And I felt my energy respond to me in a way that it never had before.
In the form of an idea.
¡°Cursed Technique Amplification: Maximum Output Blue,¡± I summoned the orb in my hand, but forced its separation from the rest of the world via Infinity, so that the terrified guards wouldn¡¯t get immediately killed by its overpowering gravitational force crushing their bodies. I compressed the Blue, until it was barely a tenth the size of a speck of dust. No less deadly, just¡ more portable. ¡°I apply this binding vow to this technique, and I curse you, Orm.¡± I waved my hand and the orb flew into his chest.
He looked at me in anger and terror mixed together to create the most delectable juice. And I drank it up with relish.
¡°I¡¯m a man of my words, Orm, so¡ do with that what you will.¡± I floated to the side, and the guards both let out a collective sigh of relief, walking past me.
I had no idea I could use my technique in such a way, and yet¡ I knew this would work. The incantation, the gesture that I made, everything clicked together to form a¡ spell.
Magic.
I appeared next to Megan, eyes wide. ¡°What¡ what did you do?¡±
I breathed out a sigh of relief, feeling my thoughts approach a calm finally. ¡°Orm is going away. And I made sure he wouldn¡¯t use his knowledge to hurt the team. With magic, sure, but¡ I can rest easier now.¡±
Queen Mera floated forwards, and looked at Megan and I with a complicated expression. ¡°Thank you, young heroes, for unearthing this plot. Though it pains me deeply, the knowledge of who was responsible, I am glad that you three managed to avert this catastrophe before it could claim any Atlantean lives.¡±
¡°It was for Kaldur,¡± I said, meeting her eyes and shedding all levity. ¡°For¡ whatever it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m¡ sorry it had to be tonight. And I wish you the best of luck with the¡ baby.¡±
Mera snorted softly, smiling sadly at me. ¡°You¡¯ve rendered a great service towards Atlantis. King Orin will reward you appropriately.¡±
I shook my head, ¡°Use that reward to help out the Abyssal Folk. I don¡¯t deserve the riches of Poseidonis when all I did was come here and do my job.¡±
¡°An honor would not be inappropriate,¡± Mera insisted, ¡°Allow us to honor you at the very least.¡±
I sighed, and gave her a lax grin, ¡°Sure. Sounds like fun. So, what, you¡¯re gonna make us knights of the ocean?¡± I looked over at Megan and Kaldur, both of whom had been integral in this task.
Mera just grinned.
000
Megan and I hugged, suspended in a cocoon of air, kissing, cuddling, floating through the city of Atlantis. No one minded our public display of affection¡ªAtlantean culture was incredibly open about love, apparently, hence why Aquaman and Mera eating each other¡¯s mouths in front of a captive audience was just normal.
I broke off from our kiss as I looked out to see Tula and Kaldur hanging together in the far distance, about two hundred meters away.
¡°Anytime now,¡± I grinned. Megan read my mind, seeing through my eyes¡ªas much as she could at least.
We watched patiently as Kaldur gathered the nerve, only for Tula to split away from him, maintaining a distance of ten meters, back turned to him while she hugged her body and looked down in sadness.
Anger flashed through Kaldur¡¯s expression, and then sadness. They talked for a little more before they separated completely, going their separate ways.
¡°We need to go to him,¡± Megan said.
¡°Let¡¯s give him a minute first,¡± I said, just¡ unsure about how to approach this. I didn¡¯t expect that I¡¯d be so committed to Kaldur¡¯s love life, but really, I almost felt rejected as well.
¡°That¡¯s called empathy,¡± Megan muttered, ¡°And you have it. Just admit that you¡¯re fond of Kaldur already. And know that Kaldur holds you in the same regard, too.¡±
I mulled that over¡ªreally mulled the issue over¡ªand came to the realization behind my mental block. ¡°He thought I was gonna ditch the Titans for the Shadows.¡±
¡°And that hurt?¡± she asked.
¡°No¡¡±
I lied.
¡°Yeah,¡± I shrugged, ¡°I mean, I guess it did. A little. But he told me it was a mistake and sort of apologized already. I just never thought it was such a big deal.¡±
¡°Because you never made the effort to feel your grievance, or forgive him,¡± Megan explained, ¡°Therefore, you ended up holding that pain in. This is why feeling is better than bottling in, Sa-chan.¡±
I nodded with a sigh. ¡°Alright, I think it¡¯s time we give our captain a group hug.¡±
I teleported us behind him. The flash of blue light immediately alerted him to us and he turned around, battle-ready. But when he saw us, he just slumped over.
I dragged him towards us with Blue and we both gave him a hug from both sides.
¡°I was too late,¡± Kaldur said. ¡°Tula loves another. My best friend Garth.¡±
Damn! ¡°Should we, uh, kill Garth or something?¡±
Kaldur snorted and shook his head. He was completely boneless. ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±
Though I couldn¡¯t deny that it sucked seeing the dear leader so dejected, I was very happy that it likely meant he would be staying with us. The Titans.
¡°They found each other a day after I left for the surface to join the Titans,¡± Kaldur continued.
¡°Two months?¡± I asked, scandalized. ¡°Wait¡ªthe next day?¡± How were these people his friends?
Kaldur opened his mouth and wrestled for the words, before he just closed it and sighed heavily. ¡°I wish to leave¡ Tula was my last true chain to Atlantis, and now that chain has been severed.¡±
¡°We¡¯re here for you, Kaldur, always,¡± Megan said.
Kaldur finally raised his hands and hugged us, too.
If he ended up shedding any tears, I didn¡¯t notice.
Chapter 34
Mount Justice
August 28th, 01:15 EDT
It turned out that Kaldur did have parents. I''d always assumed that he was some kind of orphan or something, like Robin and¡ wait, who else?
It seemed like Robin truly was the only orphan in the team. Superboy didn''t quite count¡ªhe did have a parent, just a deadbeat one.
In any case, we had spent an hour visiting them. Eventually the topic of Tula came up, and most of that hour went to comforting Kaldur awkwardly while he tried to assure his parents that it wasn''t a big deal even though it really was.
In the end, he had made up his mind. He would continue as Aqualad and stay on the team.
We Zeta''d back into the Cave while Aqualad gave us the final portion of the story of how he became Aqualad¡ªsaving Atlantis from the Ocean Master, with the help of his horrible ''friend'' Garth.
I bet Garth couldn''t say that he was on the same team as the ones that actually took down Ocean Master, could he?
Robin and Wally were playing hard-light foosball when we came in. They both stared at me in horror.
I looked down at myself¡ªright, I was still wearing the manslut toga. "Greetings, surface-dwellers!" I said, raising a hand, "Let me show you the traditional greeting of our people," I started twisting my hand to make it look like a fish. Kaldur looked at me in slight disgust.
"Imagine if I had stereotyped your Japanese heritage similarly," Kaldur said, scowling.
I grinned at him, "I''m curious to see what your take on us would be. Please go ahead."
"I would not sink to that level," Kaldur said.
"Right, because the Japanese are beneath you, I get it, I get it." Kaldur didn''t engage any further.
Wally zipped up before us, "You guys went to Atlantis?!" He looked up at Kaldur pleadingly, "Why didn''t you bring me, man?"
"I would have preferred not to bring Gojo either," Kaldur admitted, "But in the end¡ it was for the best. We caught a seasoned super-villain today."
"No way!" Robin cried, walking up to us, "Who? Black Manta?"
"Ocean Master," Kaldur said. "It was Gojo''s suspicion that led us to investigate him closer. Gojo, do you mind sharing what it was about him that set you off to such an extent?"
I shrugged, "Meh. I just didn''t like his face is all."
"Really," Robin snarked.
"I mean, if you want the technical details, assuming that makes any sense to you at all: his body language didn''t match with his vital signs. His insides and outsides were out of synch, which clued me in that he was a liar. And to be honest, I don''t hate liars right off the bat, but something about him still annoyed me. Maybe it''s because he was royalty? Maybe I don''t like royalty," I shrugged, "Could be the case."
Wally looked disgusted at me, "So you busted a super-villain purely off of the vibes he gave you? What the hell, man?"
"Pretty blue eyes, remember?" I grinned.
Megan yawned, "I''m going to bed," she said. I pulled her in for some good old Atlantean-style PDA. A brief kiss, but enough to make her really happy.
Oh, you kinkster, I chuckled.
Stop it! Her green skin took on a slight blush.
She sauntered off towards her quarters, hips swaying about. I watched her leave for almost twenty seconds before¡ª
"Earth to Gojo," Robin said, grinning at me mischievously.
"You''ll understand when you''re older," I told him. "Anyway, anyone down for a round?"
"You need to change, dude," Wally grimaced at me, "This isn''t Atlantis, have some decency!"
Alternatively, I heard Megan speak in my mind, You can wear exactly that and join me in my room.
Huh. Air-hockey with the boys, or alone time with Megan wearing Atlantean silks?
Just the fact that you had to consider it¡ª
Wait!
I teleported to her room, and saw her lying on her side on the bed, head resting on her hand, and a lascivious expression on her face. "You did good work today," She said.
"So did you," I said, my mouth dry. "Care to celebrate?"
"I thought you''d never ask."
000
The next day became a whirl of ceremony and activity. King Orin, with a heavy heart, did indeed grant us the highest civilian honors that Atlantis could give, an unprecedented feat for a pair of outsiders like Megan and I.
"I award you three the Sea Star of Valor," Aquaman said, pinning a golden star on the clothes over our chest. Thankfully, today we all brought our costumes, since our feats were heroic, and therefore belonged to our heroic personas. "Know that Atlantis owes you a deep depth of gratitude. On behalf of this realm, we thank you, Infinity. Miss Martian. And Aqualad."
Thankfully, that was all it was¡ªno grand feasts or anything like that. That probably had more to do with Aquaman''s mental state, having to find out that his brother was in fact a huge bastard that secretly hated him all this time.
We did, however, have a brief chat with the Aquaman after he had delivered his speeches and the guests of the ceremony were just milling about in the main square, celebrating the fact that chaos and devastation had been averted thanks to us.
He floated over to the three of us, expression stony, but also tender simultaneously. He tried his best to project cheer, and I realized then, that the burden of kingship must have been a great one. In the wake of this tragedy, he was forced to celebrate in order to maintain the faith of the people.
"Titans," Aquaman gave us a nod.
"Your majesty," Megan and Kaldur greeted while I was still wrestling with the right words to say. "Your majesty," I trailed after lamely.
"May I ask how you knew that Orm was a traitor?" Aquaman asked, looking at the three of us in turn. "What did I miss?"
There was no easy way to answer this question, was there?
"Gojo has good eyes, your majesty," Kaldur explained, "The best I know."
"At first, it was just distrust," I admitted, "But the longer I watched him, the more I observed his¡ dislike for you." No other way to put it than that, really, "When you announced that you were with child, he¡ to me, his outburst was quite obvious."
"Outburst?" Aquaman asked, shocked, "I¡ I did not see any outburst."
"He made sure to react when no one was watching," I said, "Or, when he thought that no one was watching. And try as he might, he couldn''t hide his heartrate or breathing from me. Or the tension of his muscles. Or a hundred other tiny and subtle signs that betrayed his state of mind."
Aquaman''s eyes were wide as he looked at me. In the end, he could only give a sigh and a pained nod, "You did good, boy. Keep up the good work."
Then he turned to leave.
Rather than talk about the king''s sadness, for Kaldur''s sake, we glossed over that conversation. Luckily, Garth and Tula had arrived. Kaldur split off from us to talk to them.
He gave Tula a hug and Garth a stern nod, and that was that. A moment later, he swam back to us.
I waved at the pair. When Garth locked eyes with me, I showed him my medallion and stuck my tongue out at him. He scowled in shock at that. Hah. Sucks to be a Sea Star-less loser like him¡ªcouldn''t be me.
"Gojo, stop it," Kaldur said quickly and in a clipped tone as he swam over to us, "You are embarrassing me," he said through closed teeth.
"Can Tula say that her boyfriend was awarded the Sea Star of Valor?" I asked, tapping at his chest where Aquaman had pinned his cute little medallion. "And can Garth say he has friends as awesome as Megan and I?"
Kaldur groaned.
"Sa-chan, you''re not helping," Megan said softly.
If that wasn''t help, then I didn''t know what could be.
"They are my closest friends in the world," Kaldur said. Poor guy.
"They didn''t even tell you they were dating," I said, "Like, they couldn''t have relayed anything? You had to find out in this way? I''m just¡ªexplain to me why you don''t hate them."
Kaldur looked down and shrugged his shoulders, looking slightly defeated, "The heart wants what it wants."
I looked thoroughly disgusted at that.
Sa-chan, Megan said sternly, and I stopped there.
"Did they apologize?" Megan asked. Kaldur nodded. "I think a period of separation would be for the best, then. Let the emotions cool down a bit before you meet again."
"I thought much the same," Kaldur said.
"And in the meanwhile, get yourself a hot surface babe," I said with a grin, "One that''s even stronger than Tula."
Kaldur sighed, "Your brain works in mysterious ways, Gojo."
"Moving on is the best medicine," I said, "How is that wrong?"
"I don''t believe I am ready for any such thing for a long¡ long time."
I slumped over, sighing. "You''re choking out the water with all that gloom, you know. Let''s get you on social media, first thing first."Stolen novel; please report.
I already pulled out my phone and started typing away when I realized¡ªno data coverage in Atlantis, unfortunately.
"We''ll be here for you, Kaldur, always," Megan promised again. Kaldur looked a little aggrieved at that. "Why don''t we talk privately?"
Wow! Just because I''m terrible at this?
¡I mean, kinda, Megan replied.
I couldn''t argue with that.
The moment Kaldur and Megan left me behind, I was immediately mobbed by a group of adoring Atlanteans, an eclectic bunch of people with varying degrees of fishy features.
"Infinity!" one shouted. Even at this distance, Megan was making sure I could hear them all speak via telepathy. "Thank you!"
"Is it true you''re dating the Martian?"
"How long have you been a hero?"
"Are you dating Kaldur as well?"
I locked in on that question, "That''s a secret! Don''t tell anyone!" I squealed.
They especially liked that. I answered as many of the questions as I could, as inaccurately but also entertainingly as possible, making Megan dearly regret leaving me alone for even a moment.
Thankfully, we only had to spend another hour milling about and swimming among the celebrating Poseidonians until we could finally sneak away and leave via Zeta Tube with our Sea Stars of Valor.
In the Mission Room, two figures waited for us. Batman and¡ Wonder Woman.
"Mission Time?" I asked, looking around. No one else had assembled but us three.
"No," Batman said, "I see you''ve been awarded by Aquaman. Good job, team."
"It was an honor!" Megan said, hands clasped together as she looked dreamily at the sky, "I''ve always been so fascinated with Atlantis, ever since I learned about it a few months ago and¡ now I had an opportunity to help!"
"It was an honor to be of service once more," Kaldur said soberly, "But I cannot deny the regret that I feel, for my king."
"It was a tragic turn of events," Batman said, "But thanks to your efforts, a notorious criminal has finally been brought to justice, and you''ve saved a city."
"Yesterday, you rose to the occasion," Wonder Woman said, arms folded, regarding us with stony neutrality that only enhanced the potency of her compliments. "You proved that your team are indeed worthy of the responsibilities we have afforded to you. Right now, I should like to speak with Satoru Gojo. In private."
Kaldur looked at me, eyebrow raised as if to ask ''what did you do now''? Even Megan gave me the same look.
I was equally lost. "What did I do?"
"Nothing," Wonder Woman said, "But I''ve heard from my colleagues at the League that your opinions on the use of violence in the field are quite atypical. I would like for us to discuss this warrior''s burden, from one warrior to another."
My eyes widened at that. Another lecture? "Sure," I said, stepping forward.
Wonder Woman started floating off the ground. "Follow if you can."
She flew out through the Cave, navigating with expert ease until she was out. I warped outside and took off, flying next to her as well, lying back-first on the air, arms wrapped behind my head as though I was lying on a sofa. "I don''t think there''s much to discuss, honestly," I said. "I''ve¡ mostly gotten the picture. The place of a hero is to put yourself at great risk to ensure that criminals are brought in to justice. No pre-emptive measures. If you spring a trap because you weren''t thorough enough in beating the fight out of a criminal, then that''s just the risk of doing business, I guess."
"What would you rather do?" Wonder Woman asked, sounding genuinely curious.
"I''d rather make sure they never did anything else in their lives, since it''s more than likely that they''ll just return and do more crimes."
"And what informs this world view? The fact that this is a comic book world, in which the writers are incapable of coming up with original antagonistic characters for every one that we imprison?"
"You Leaguers sure do talk," I said, "Well¡ I don''t have a leg to stand on. Klarion told me as much. My world''s apparently also a comic book. Probably a manga. Somewhere out there in the multiverse. But¡ all that thinking is over now," I promised, "I''m just as much a part of this world as you are."
I brought out a globe of raw cursed energy, something only I could have seen in usual circumstances. A fireball of blue tinted in jagged, black outlines. Now, it refused to remain a single color, ever-changing like the chaos that Klarion had infused me with. And the way Wonder Woman glanced at it told me that it was visible.
"Do you want to know what happens when people like Sportsmaster die?" Wonder Woman asked me.
"I imagine they''ll be replaced by stronger models," I said with a shrug, "Kill that one and a stronger one comes out next year as well? Like¡ smartphones in this new world."
"Kill these criminals without a fair trial and the public loses trust in us," Wonder Woman said, "They will turn on us, thus invalidating all our efforts to inspire humanity towards betterness."
"Really?" I asked, "Don''t we have options to mitigate that? We have telepaths, don''t we?"
"Are you referring to mind controlling the populace into loving us?" Wonder Woman asked.
"Or just¡ the TV people," I said with a shrug, "They pretty much decide how regular people think anyway. Way more efficient to get those guys on our side. Doesn''t even have to be mind control. Batman is wealthy as can be. Why doesn''t he own a TV network?" Then I remembered what Superman''s job was, "Well, at least one person in the League is working to sway public opinion. Also, where are we flying towards?"
"We''re just flying," Wonder Woman said. I looked down at the ground and saw a city. "So you have an inkling of the role of heroes in the public eye. You know that a large part of our work depends on us remaining in the people''s good standing. And that means respecting the power structures that ensure they won''t just be killed out of hand."
"If they don''t commit super-crimes," I said.
"And how can that be objectively determined by the people without fair trial?"
I hummed. "I have to admit, my former line of work didn''t put much emphasis into dealing with the public. I''m slightly out of my depth."
"It is good that you admit ignorance," Wonder Woman said, "You''ve matured in the time you''ve been in this world."
"You''ve kept tabs on me," I observed. "Wise. I''d have been offended if you and your League were content to just watch me from afar. I wouldn''t say I''ve matured. Really, it''s more that I''ve started to glimpse into a bigger picture. The rot that exists in this world, that is." And how little a destroyer could do to make things better by just destroying. The real solution existed in surgical precision. I didn''t have that. Not yet, at least. "I''m never going to be the guy that feels a deep and unconditional love for humankind. I''ve seen too much for that to ever happen. But this doesn''t require love. It''s just strategy in the end, right?"
"You consider this a war," Wonder Woman observed. "Quite a few of my colleagues do."
"A war with rules," I said with a shrug. I flipped over in the air and folded my arms instead of keeping them behind my neck.
"That is an illusion," Wonder Woman said, "A war can never truly have rules. No amount of discipline and honor can prevent a warrior from succumbing to hatred, not indefinitely at least."
"Then what do you consider this?" I asked, "What is this if not a war?" I grinned, "Your team''s okay with sending minors into deadly conflicts. That''s a drastic measure that would imply the level of hatred that a war brings about, wouldn''t it?"
"Not all of us agreed with the formation of this team, for that exact reason," Wonder Woman said, "But we determined that it was either this, or letting you all roam free, being heroes on your own terms. Outside of League oversight. It may seem arrogant or controlling for me to say this, but the tightrope that the League walk is a challenge that we do not expect any of you to overcome. It isn''t just about personal power, of which you have plenty, but it is about maintaining inspiration. Ending war, by every means necessary."
"Every means?" I asked with a grin.
"The means that could realistically end a war. Death or grievous injury does not bring about this coveted end. No matter how many you kill."
I sighed, "So you''re telling me I need a better costume, and a flashier stage presence."
Wonder Woman looked at me and cracked the smallest grin, "Your costume could use some creativity, yes. But that is not really the core of my argument. What are you fighting for, Satoru Gojo? What inspires you to risk your life in defense of those who cannot help themselves?"
"Ask Megan," I said with a shrug, "She seems convinced with the answer she arrived at. Besides, isn''t that sort of a personal question?"
"You should mull it over," Wonder Woman said, "You need not share the answer with me."
"Well," I said with a shrug, "I like jujutsu, uh, sorcery. My power. I like practicing it. Back home, it was pretty straightforward¡ªexorcise curses and move on to the next fire. I wasn''t really a hero, but more of a firefighter in that sense¡ªor a janitor, really, cleaning up after humanity''s emotional dysregulation. And when the occasional curse user came out of the woodwork to screw things up, we''d be given leave to respond to them however we saw fit. In any case, even if we brought them back for questioning, they''d be executed at the end of the day. Now that I''m here, fighting alongside you heroes, I¡" Hmm. "I was going with the flow. Path of least resistance and all that."
"You''re used to taking orders," Wonder Woman said. I frowned sharply at that.
"I don''t take orders all willy-nilly," I said, "I do work that only I could do. There''s a difference."
"Why did you feel the need to take down Ocean Master?"
"Because he was scum, and I clocked that immediately," I said, "Because yeah, some part of me does care about people. The pitiful ones, anyway. Maybe they make me feel better about my own situation?"
"Your warrior''s heart is moved by the plight of others," Wonder Woman decided. Kind of an exhausting conversation. Reminded me quite a bit of Canary.
"Why do you fight, Double-U Double-U?" I asked. "What moves your warrior''s heart?"
"Much the same. A revulsion for war and a desire to bring about peace in any way that I can. I am no stranger to the act of dealing death," Wonder Woman said, "You will find that there are quite a few among the League who are not. Batman and Superman are somewhat unique in this regard, Batman especially."
"So what if you killed someone?" I asked.
"I would stand trial, and the courts would decide my fate," Wonder Woman said, "When a hero deems it necessary to kill, often they make sure that this act is in line with the justice system''s prescriptions on self defence. However, we never try to cover any of it up. Nor do we sneak in extra bone-breaking strikes when the law isn''t looking."
"I wish I cared more," I said, "I''m not saying that to be scathing, but just because I really do. Because then I''d get to avoid all these talks."
"Are you truly so vulnerable that you cannot afford to take any chances? Against a villain who does not have any powers?" Bullshit, Sportsmaster was stronger than any human had any business being. But whatever. I guess that, too, was a function of this magical new world of superheroes.
"I just lost my head is all," I bit out, "Sportsmaster was nothing. I could have taken him in with ease. I get it, okay?"
"Then why didn''t you? Where did this hatred come from?"
I looked at her in irritation, "Is Canary sick or something? Are you subbing in for her?"
"You need not answer any of my questions if you don''t want."
"This conversation is slightly pointless," I said, "I mean, aside from the fact that I was turned into a Lord of Chaos'' ticking time bomb, I guess. In that case, please feel free to dress my morality down."
Where the hell even were we? I looked around. Just an ocean of corn fields sustaining America''s ravenous appetite for sugar.
I sighed, "Sportsmaster reminded me of someone that almost killed me. Not to say I had a panic attack. I was pretty cold when I did what I did."
Wonder Woman looked at me in sympathy, "It is a great burden, living under the shadow of such a dark event, unable to strike back at your foe."
"I guess," I said with a shrug. "So¡ tell me your deal," I said, "You come from an island, right? With only women? And you have ties with Greek myths? I never read any of your issues, so I can''t say I know anything about you aside from super-speed, strength, and your, uh, rope of truth-telling." I said, looking at her side that carried a roll of rope.
She gave me a sincere smile and told me the story of Themyscira, her background, and indeed, her Lasso of Truth.
Our journey took us to Metropolis as she continued to regale me. At the end of our story, we met Superman, standing in the sky, arms folded, and expression stern.
"Long time, Superman!" I said, giving him a wave.
He gave a faint smile, "I''ve heard about your exploits, Satoru."
"All in a day''s work," I said, putting my hands on my hips and striking a pose in the air. "Inviting more people to the intervention, I see," I told Wonder Woman with a grin, "That''s daring of you. Not really sure what outcome you''re expecting, but I''ll roll with it. So¡ªany nuggets of wisdom, Superboy''s deadbeat dad?"
Superman lost his grin.
"Infinity," Wonder Woman said, scowling at me in disappointment, "Have some respect."
"Nah," I grinned, "I''d rather have loyalty. Respect is overrated. And Superman hasn''t earned mine yet."
Wonder Woman sighed.
"That''s¡ unfortunate," Superman said, "I will say you''ve earned mine, however. I wanted to see you. And perhaps have another chat, learn how you''re adjusting."
"Chat with your son," I laughed, "I''m good. Honestly."
Superman sighed, "As you wish." He descended down through the clouds, disappearing.
"Was that truly necessary?" Wonder Woman asked.
"Most certainly," I said, "I have no idea who that man is, and all I''ve observed thus far is a man that''s not worthy of my respect. The comics I read don''t mean anything compared to the real deal. Anyways, was that why you flew me here? To have a talk and for Superman to have another talk?"
"He was insistent about wanting to meet you again," Wonder Woman said.
"And rather than Zeta into the cave, risking seeing his estranged son-figure, he''d rather you fly me across the country and chat with him in the skies instead of, I don''t know, buying me a coffee with his big adult-work salary? I don''t know if you know this yet, but Batman pays me in peanuts," I laughed, "Which is insane considering how rich he is."
"Superboy is not Superman''s son, Gojo. You know this," Wonder Woman said, "And you can imagine how difficult things must be for Superman."
"I can imagine," I said with a shrug, "But I can also see with my own eyes how much it sucks for Boy. Every day, really."
"Your loyalty is commendable, if nothing else," Wonder Woman said.
"Are we going to do hero work together? Stop a mugging in progress?"
"Would that satisfy your urge for battle?"
"Afraid not," I said, "Not much would, that doesn''t also threaten the existence of an entire city. A pity. Well," I sighed, "I can''t say it hasn''t been interesting talking with you, Wonder Woman. But I trust that you''ve gotten what you came for by now. Which is to say, in more polite terms¡ªplease get off my back. I''m sorry, but I just¡ªI had to say it."
Wonder Woman snorted, her lips quirking upwards slightly. "Will you believe me if I said that I truly was interested in learning your perspective? And that it was never my intent to lecture you?"
"That''s what all these talks become, given enough time," I said with a shrug. "Convey my regrets to Superman¡ªor not. I don''t really care. I hoped that I proved fascinating enough to be worth this time."
"I would not feed your ego so lightly," Wonder Woman said. "But I will say I''m happy to know that you''ve connected with your team in so many ways. I''m glad that you''ve managed to find your place, for however long your visit will last."
"Thanks," I muttered, trying for a smile. I looked over my shoulder, and focused intently on Happy Harbor, that infinitesimally tiny spot in the distance that was covered up by the earth''s curvature.
With precise manipulation of cursed energy, I appeared back in the Mission Room. Superboy was training against some hard light opponents. His martial arts forms had sharpened quite a bit.
With practiced precision, he tackled, pushed, struck and tripped each opponent. Each bit of contact reddened the hard-light constructs slightly, indicating damage. His goal was to minimize that damage¡ªthe more effective he could be against weaker opponents, the faster he could take them down before they turned the table and used his boundless strength against him.
After thirty seconds of fighting, he had downed all eight opponents, ''cuffing'' them to prevent further movements. "Good job!" I said, clapping slowly.
"Twenty-nine seconds," the computer announced. Superboy frowned.
"I''m plateauing," he announced gruffly.
"Eh," I shrugged, "Might help to focus on something else then. How does human shield training sound?"
"Painful," he muttered. "That''ll just be reflex training mixed with resilience training, right? Reaching for every hard light projectile zooming by."
"It''s only painful if you don''t hit them right," I said, "And instead you let them hit you. Fists, elbows, knees¡ªyou have to decide the terms of the hit in order to tank it right, you know? Why don''t you give it a go?"
He groaned, "Sure. Computer? Mix resilience and reflex training."
"And after that, a round or ten with me!" I grinned.
He rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever."
000
Ten rounds turned into thirty, before we got bored and switched things up with more focused drills to tease out every bit of bodily control that could bridge the gap between Superboy and Canary. I didn''t just spend my time tending to his training needs either.
I also further acquainted myself with my cursed energy, testing out the different ways that it had been affected by the injection of chaos magic. It seemed like most of my difficulties boiled down to an annoying shift in the terms of control, from focused and willful to instinctual and smooth, responding to thought like never before.
I still hadn''t had any occasion to test out what would happen if I went through extreme emotional imbalance¡ªhow that would affect the use of my powers. I couldn''t imagine that it would be anything good. Maybe I''d throw Reds everywhere? Or maybe I''d overdraw on my Blue, causing everything and everyone in the vicinity to float in the air helplessly¡ªbut otherwise not harming them? Or maybe I''d release a Purple in an indiscriminate wave somehow, destroying everything in my vicinity like an arcane nuclear blast?
I hadn''t even mentioned anything about the vengeful cursed spirit that I could become in the event of my death, yet. Now I had so many other things to worry about on top of that. Dammit. Whatever.
I had ended up training with Superboy for six hours before we just naturally fell into a lull, Superboy lying on the Mission Room floor while I floated, spread-eagled.
I sighed. I hated these weird silences, "You think of a name, yet?"
"No," Superboy said.
"You need one for school."
"I don''t need school."
"School will be fun," I said with a grin, "I''m sure of it."
"We''ll be lying," he said, "All the time."
"That''s the fun part," I said, "They have no idea who we really are. I think it''s kinda exciting."
He hummed, but didn''t say anything.
"I do have a last name in mind," I said, "Kent. If you want it."
"Why not make it the first name?" he asked.
"It''s an old-fashioned name. You wouldn''t want to go around being called Kent."
"There''s another reason," he said, voice suspicious.
I just shrugged.
Once more, silence.
"You know," I said, "I told you that one time that I cut off my parents, right? Well, the truth is¡ they kind of cut me off first." Why was I talking about this? "Since I was born with the lucky combination of technique and trait, the Gojo clan''s leadership wanted to control me better, by getting my parents out of the picture. They didn''t really resist, and stepped back and let me get taken care of communally. When I found out, I decided they didn''t matter to me either. I guess it was just my anger, really. But that anger didn''t matter, either¡ªthey never really cared to reach out."
"Why''re you telling me this?" Superboy asked.
"I don''t know," I shrugged, "I¡ saw Superman today. And I remembered how he''s been to you. And I realized¡ there''s not really an easy way to get over that kinda thing. I mean, I guess I must have lied to myself for a long time as a kid, thinking none of that about my parents mattered¡ until it ended up not mattering for real."
"What did he talk to you about?" Superboy asked.
"Nothing," I chuckled, "I told him to take a hike."
"Why?"
"Guess it just didn''t feel right, talking to him, while he refuses to give you the time of day. Didn''t feel right to let that slide, you know? We''re a Team after all."
"¡I don''t understand you."
I snorted. "And you never will. Connor." Hm¡ that sounded right. I had never seen anything on Superboy in comics, cartoons or movies¡ªmaybe he didn''t exist outside of this ''continuity'' as it were¡ªbut Connor, to me, felt right. To an almost arcane level. Like the universe had labelled him Connor far before he had ever even existed.
Or maybe I was just being silly, and for some reason, I just liked the name Connor? Could be either or.
"What?"
I shrugged, "Connor. I don''t know. Sounds lame, but¡ it sounds right, too. You''re a Connor."
"It''s an inside joke, isn''t it?" he said.
I flipped over in the air and gaped at him. "Why would you ever accuse me of something so in-character, Connor? Connor Kent?"
"Connor Kent," he repeated, tasting the words, "The Kent''s for Nelson, right?"
Ah. That connection just occurred to me, "Sure."
"He deserved better than what he got," Superboy sighed. "Connor Kent, then."
Chapter 35
Mount Justice
September 4th, 16:20 EDT
I woke up on a glowing circular floor with square tiles. Up ahead was a giant funnel thing and a rocky ceiling. A cave. I was in a cave. Why the hell was I in a cave?
I stood up and muttered, ¡°Must have been one hell of a curse. Am I in a domain or something?¡±
I tried to activate Infinity and immediately sensed something wrong. The technique activated in an instant, wrapping around me in an aura of energy that simulated an infinite space, only it was¡ different. It looked unaccountably different to my Six Eyes. Everything did.
The pieces fell into place immediately. I was inside an illusion created by a Cursed Technique¡ªbut this illusion could not accurately recreate the feel of my cursed energy or technique activation. Of course.
¡How did I get out?
Was I maybe meant to battle an avatar within this illusory world? Perhaps that was the binding vow that gave this technique enough strength to cross Infinity and affect me?
¡°Come out, you bastard! I¡¯ll kill you real quick,¡± I laughed, ¡°You messed with the wrong guy!¡±
¡°Would you like for me to initiate a training sequence?¡± I heard a voice come from the funnel above.
Training sequence? ¡°Just bring down whoever¡¯s responsible for all of this.¡±
A hatch in the rocky cave ceiling opened, and from it, descended a¡ red metallic man, his lower half wreathed in a red tornado. I blinked.
¡°Cursed Technique Amplification,¡± I gestured, ¡°Blue.¡±
The technique that came out was also different. And much stronger. I grinned.
The red man dodged away from the blue, evading it with extreme speed, ¡°Satoru Gojo, what is the meaning of this?¡± Came a mechanical voice. And it was speaking to me in English. Why English?
¡°Let me out of this illusion and I won¡¯t kill you!¡±
The Blue technique ripped rocks off the walls and broke bits of the overhead funnel as it chased down the metallic tornado man.
¡°Stand down, Satoru Gojo, you are not in control of yourself.¡± It spoke to me in Japanese this time.
Normally, I wouldn¡¯t have listened to this command, but¡ what if my technique was running roughshod in the real world, wrecking everything in the way? I cancelled the technique and looked up at the red man, the¡ robot.
¡°No way!¡± I laughed, ¡°You¡¯re some kind of superhero robot? What¡¯s your name? Red Robot Tornado?¡±
¡°I am Red Tornado,¡± he now spoke in perfect Japanese, ¡°What is the last thing you remember?¡±
Yaga had sent Suguru and I on our first mission for the school year.
The giant red metal tube thing lit up on my right with a searing golden glow, and I turned to it in shock, preparing to reactivate my Blue when I saw who stepped through. ¡°Suguru! What the hell¡¯s going on?¡± I yelled, running over to him.
He looked as clueless as I did, ¡°I imagine we¡¯re inside some kind of illusion. I¡¯ve figured out some¡ª¡°
¡°Wait,¡± I said coldly. My Six Eyes didn¡¯t recognize Suguru¡¯s energy at all. I could barely even see his cursed energy. ¡°Tell me something only the real Suguru would know?¡±
He looked at me for a moment, and I could swear that I was feeling something disrupting my thoughts. Before I could properly focus on that, Suguru spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve stolen two girls from you, and you¡¯ve taken none. You didn¡¯t like that at all, so we stopped hanging out for a while and you didn¡¯t tell anyone why.¡±
¡°Shut up! Shut up!¡± I cried. I gritted my teeth and stomped over to him. He faced me confidently while I pressed my forehead against his, ¡°That¡¯s not the reason we stopped hanging that time and you know it. But whatever. Don¡¯t you dare say another word.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± Suguru said, raising his hands placatingly, ¡°Let¡¯s focus on getting out for now, okay?¡± Suguru summoned a worm-shaped green cursed spirit, only this one extruded from his hand, instead of being summoned from a black cloud. He looked at it in disgust, ¡°Clearly, whoever made this illusion doesn¡¯t understand our techniques very well.¡±
¡°You¡¯re telling me!¡± I yelled, laughing, ¡°Even my techniques look different, and¡ª¡° I turned around, scanning for Red Tornado. He was gone. ¡°There was a robot here just now.¡±
¡°This cursed spirit is also the type to affect minds,¡± Suguru said, looking down at his gross hand-worm thing. It didn¡¯t even feel like a cursed spirit. I sensed nothing from it, just like I sensed nothing from him, ¡°I think, if we reinforce our minds, we can break the hold of this technique and get out. This will probably feel weird. But I need to free you first so you can take care of the curse.¡±
I nodded, ¡°Go right ahead. Assuming any of this will work.¡±
Suguru, hand-worm growing out from his palm, pressed it against my head. Immediately, I felt my thoughts being laid bare.
Then an all-encompassing command rang through my head.
¡°REMEMBER.¡±
The beginning of the second year, spring, missions, missions, more missions, Riko Amanai and¡ª
I threw myself away from ¡®Suguru¡¯, pushing him as hard as I could and crashing him into the Zeta Tube, but it was too late. I was remembering everything. The lip-scar bastard, suddenly appearing in Star City, and everything since then.
Martian Manhunter transformed out of his guise as Suguru, groaning in pain as he slowly knitted his body back together from the damage that had destroyed one of the Zeta Tubes. I looked at him in shock and disgust¡ªmy pragmatism and understanding of his actions warring with this feeling of utter violation and soul-crushing disappointment. He had no right, I wanted to think, but¡ I would have done the same in his position.
Goddammit.
My phone rang. I looked down at my pocket and pulled the phone out. Batman was calling. I accepted the call.
¡°How much do you remember?¡± Batman asked.
¡°Everything,¡± I gritted out.
¡°Good,¡± Batman said.
I almost crushed my phone there and then. I wasn¡¯t in control over myself. My emotions were running too hot, and I feared that I would say something I would regret soon. I had to step back¡ªaway from the situation, take a breath. As such, I just hung up. I approached J¡¯onn slowly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, because it was the right thing to say, even if I didn¡¯t feel sorry, or anything else but angry. Murderous.
¡°I¡¯m just glad no one was hurt,¡± Manhunter said, and from a quick scan, it looked like he had pieced himself back together.
¡°Except you,¡± I said, and finally I actually felt sorry, because this was M¡¯gann¡¯s family, and he deserved better¡ªdespite his trespasses, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
Then I remembered. The others!
I had maintained a line of spatial transportation¡ªlike a wormhole big enough to bring through Megan¡¯s telepathic waves. I was supposed to be the guy on the chair while the rest of the team had disabled their communication devices while on-mission, unwilling to risk their comms being intercepted by the enemy. Batman had instructed them to do so after all.
¡°I need to help them,¡± I said. I pulled my phone out and called Batman.
¡°Yes?¡± Batman said.
¡°I need to go to Bialya,¡± I said. ¡°The others could be in trouble.¡±
¡°I need not remind you how important stealth is for this mission, Infinity,¡± Batman said, ¡°Work support. Rescue the other Titans in case of anything. But stay. Out. Of the way, while they work. Understood?¡±
¡°Yeah, understood,¡± he hung up on me at that, ¡°You absolute cockmonger.¡±
¡°Infinity,¡± Manhunter said, and I turned to him, ¡°Find Miss Martian first. She will be able to telepathically reverse the team¡¯s memory loss. But make sure to filter yourself from telepathic waves at all times. Even M¡¯gann¡¯s. You cannot risk being subverted in the field.¡±
I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to bring the asshole in while I¡¯m at it.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll remind you that you were given clear orders,¡± Manhunter said. I could tell he was only saying that so I didn¡¯t get into shit with the Bat.
¡°Fine. Fine!¡± I hissed. I looked down at myself and scowled. I needed my costume.
000
There were no Zeta Tubes in Bialya, so I had been forced to Zeta instead to Croatia. I flew the rest of the way to the Middle East, invisibly penetrating Bialya¡¯s airspace and scanning the vast desert for my friends.
All the while, I considered the sheer task it would be to just support the Titans without also bringing in that telepath or whoever that had done this. Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t this entire nation ruled by a tyrannical despot? What would the League realistically lose in terms of public support to just send in some assassins and take her out of the picture?
When I thought about it analytically, the answer became rather obvious¡ªthat wasn¡¯t a guarantee of freedom for these people, or even victory. A more emphatic victory would take a lot more strategy and thoroughness than a singular death.
Once the necessity of death came into the equation, things would begin to take on¡ a more genocidal tint. It was annoying to consider, the way a math problem would be annoying for most. But like math, things wouldn¡¯t be simpler by brute force. You just had to get better, good enough to solve the problem more economically.
And the problem of Bialya was manifold. A supervillainous queen, a coterie of superpowered enforcers, a military that was supernaturally loyal to the queen¡ªand likely programmed with telepathic suggestions to cause massive harm if their queen ever got hurt or killed¡ªand of course, the boring stuff like economic stability¡ªboring, but that still meant the difference between a healthy nation and one riddled with disease, starvation and other kinds of preventable deaths.
Though I hated his attitude, Batman was right. There was no way I could appreciably improve this country¡¯s situation the way that I was. The best I could do was to protect my team. Help them complete the mission.
Finally, I saw Wally and Artemis over a hundred and fifty kilometers away, huddled up underneath some rocks, avoiding a battalion of soldiers with a tank amidst them.
I teleported in front of them.
¡°Ah!¡± Wally cried, while Artemis drew her bow and fired off an arrow at me. It was stopped by my Infinity. I let it stay there.
¡°I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± I said, just grabbing them and teleporting them away from the violence.
Once they were out of danger, Wally zipped away and tried to return for a punch, only to get caught in my Infinity. He backed away and tried again, probing at me from several directions.
I tossed Artemis¡¯ arrow back to her while she eyed me suspiciously¡ªit was her last arrow, anyway.
¡°You¡¯ve all lost your memory,¡± I said, ¡°That¡¯s why you don¡¯t remember anything from the last five months. And why you can stand to be in Kid Flash¡¯s vicinity for any length of time.¡±
Wally stopped and frowned at me, ¡°And who are you?¡±
¡°Only the strongest young hero in the modern age,¡± I said with a grin, lifting up my blindfold, ¡°Alright, here¡¯s the gist. We¡¯re a team of heroes known as the Teen Titans. You¡¯re Artemis Crock, you¡¯re Wally West, I¡¯m Satoru Gojo, and we¡¯re all best buddies.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
¡°We¡¯re heroes?¡± Artemis asked, frowning sharply, ¡°Why¡¯re we¡ here? And what did you mean by me being able to stand his presence?¡±
¡°Yeah!¡± Wally said, looking affronted.
I debated on the truth, but honestly¡
Yeah, screw the truth.
¡°Ah, no, what I meant to say was, you being able to stand him after the fight you just had a moment ago,¡± I said, ¡°You guys fight a lot, but that¡¯s fine, because your relationship can totally handle it.¡±
¡°Relationship?¡± Wally asked, shocked.
¡°Yeah, relationship,¡± I said, ¡°You two are dating.¡±
¡°What? Really?¡± Artemis asked, looking Kid Flash up and down. ¡°I mean¡ I can see it.¡±
Wally blushed. Then he pumped his fist, ¡°Heck yeah! That¡¯s awesome.¡±
Artemis chuckled, ¡°You know, I wouldn¡¯t hate getting to know you again all over. And maybe stop fighting all the time,¡± she grimaced.
¡°Yeah, sure, of course!¡± Wally promised.
¡°Hold your horses, love birds,¡± I said, trying my best to withhold my giggles, ¡°We need to find the others.¡±
¡°We need to find this big, rampaging guy that looks like Superman!¡± Wally said, eyes wide.
¡°Oh crap,¡± I muttered, looking around and seriously scanning for him. Superboy was busy decimating a tank. I immediately warped close the moment he was about to throw the cannon at a group of soldiers. Instead, I grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and teleported him to Wally and Artemis. ¡°This guy?¡±
¡°WRAAAAAAAAAAAGH!¡± Superboy roared, flailing and trying his best to get out of my grip. I held him up, suspending him in a cocoon of Infinity that also prevented sound from escaping.
¡°Alright,¡± I said, nodding at Wally, ¡°Carry your girlfriend. We need to make our way to the others¡ªKaldur and Robin.¡±
¡°Kaldur and Robin?¡± Wally asked, looking jazzed, ¡°They¡¯re on our team, too!¡±
¡°Yep,¡± I said, ¡°But I¡¯m the leader, Kid Flash. And I go by Infinity. I¡¯ll let it slide for now, but usually, on this team, the Teen Titans, we have much higher standards of discipline. You haven¡¯t even saluted me yet. Either of you.¡±
Artemis¡¯ eyes widened, and she straightened up, throwing me a salute, ¡°Uh, yes, sir?¡±
Kid Flash saw her and copied her form, ¡°Yes, sir!¡±
¡°At ease, Titans,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll fly above, and you do your best to follow.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think I could make the journey,¡± Kid Flash said, ¡°I ran out of food, and¡ I can barely stand as it is.¡±
I threw him a couple of his nutrition bars. He looked at them wide-eyed and started ripping them apart and digging in with superspeed, pocketing the plastic wraps. ¡°I¡¯m all ready, sir!¡± He said, before zipping up and lifting Artemis off her feet.
¡°Whoah!¡± Artemis grinned at her pretend boyfriend. Wally grinned down at her.
They were going to kill me for this, for sure.
Wally refocused on me, ¡°No wonder I¡¯ve been so fast,¡± he said, ¡°I guess I must have gotten all that training while in the Titans, right?¡±
¡°Yep,¡± I said with a grin, ¡°You know how to phase, too.¡±
¡°I do?!¡± he asked, starry-eyed as he looked at me.
¡°Yep. But we no longer have any time to waste. Let¡¯s go.¡±
I took off in the sky, and pushed my acceleration to its limits as I locked in on a delirious Kaldur, dehydrated from this desert. Kid Flash easily kept pace. I pushed myself even harder, and he only had to run a little bit faster to keep up. I wondered how much faster I would be if given time to accelerate. But then again, he would have that same time as well. In the end, we didn¡¯t fly for nearly long enough that I could approach my top speed.
I dropped down to the ground, Superboy still encased in Infinity above me, watching as Kaldur inched away on the sand, muttering deliriously in Atlantean.
I pulled out a bottle of water from my jacket pocket and crouched before him. He didn¡¯t see me as much as he saw the water¡ªand grabbed it out of my hand, draining it in under a second.
He laid down on his back, gasping.
Kid Flash put Artemis down and zipped next to Kaldur, ¡°You okay, man?¡±
Kaldur kept gasping, ¡°Kid¡ Flash?¡± I pulled out a second bottle of water, this one much larger than the first. Kaldur reached for it weakly.
¡°You¡¯ll get it once you stand up,¡± I said, ¡°Move around and get your system to work, okay?¡±
Kaldur groaned as he got up from the sand slowly. Once he stood up, I gave him the bottle and steadied him as he took deep, slow gulps from it.
Then, when he looked up a little higher, his eyes widened. ¡°What is that?!¡± he asked, taking a step back. I looked over my shoulder. Superboy. Right.
¡°That¡¯s our other teammate,¡± I said, ¡°Turns out, when you erase every bit of memory a person has ever had, they default into rage monster-ness. Fun. Not really, but. Yeah. Give him the story, Kid,¡± I ordered Wally. He gave me a nod and launched into the explanation.
¡°You¡¯re a member of the Teen Titans, Aqualad. Like me. Artemis over there, and Infinity, our leader. That guy up there is Superboy. He¡¯s¡ supposed to be one of the good guys, but we need to help him out first.¡±
Aqualad looked at me with wide eyes, ¡°You¡¯re¡ our leader. Why are we a team? What happened to Aquaman?¡±
¡°The League gave us this team,¡± I said, ¡°To train us to one day join their team. This mission encountered a snag in the form of an enemy telepath that managed to override our telepathic link and cause us to forget the last five months or so.¡±
¡°Then¡ it is September or August?¡± Kaldur asked.
¡°September fourth,¡± I said. ¡°Are you starting to feel better?¡±
Aqualad nodded, ¡°My strength is returning to me.¡±
¡°Good,¡± I said, ¡°Be on the lookout for Robin. He should be around here, somewhere,¡± I scanned around. Like always, his lack of powers made him harder to filter out from the general noise, even in this desert. But after a moment of effort, I located him. ¡°That direction,¡± I pointed, ¡°Avoid the troops at all costs. I¡¯m going to find Miss Martian now.¡±
I disappeared.
And reappeared next to Megan, huddled up underneath a dune, frightened. I concealed Superboy as best as I could. I didn¡¯t want to stress her out any more than she already felt. My heart clenched at the sight. ¡°Hey.¡±
Megan looked up in surprise and fear.
¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯m one of the good guys. I¡¯ll explain everything to you, okay?¡±
She tried to reach out with her telepathy.
¡°No telepathy,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I stepped forward slowly, ¡°But I can¡¯t risk having my memory erased again. The same way it happened to you.¡±
Her eyes widened, ¡°Our memories were erased?¡±
¡°Look within yourself, M¡¯gann. Remember.¡± I was finally right before her. ¡°Remember us.¡±
Her eyes softened for a moment. ¡°Us?¡±
I opened myself up to her telepathy, ¡°Reach out, but just for a moment. Feel what I feel. And remember. Please. I don¡¯t know what I would do if I lost you.¡±
She established the connection and remembered.
Her eyes widened as she took in all the sealed memories once more, remembering everything, but most importantly, remembering us.
A moment later, she smiled sadly, ¡°Oh, Sa-chan,¡± we hugged tightly.
¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe, Green Bean,¡± I said.
¡°What about the others?¡± she asked, frantically, ¡°What about¡¡± her eyes became neutral and she looked at me in quiet anger and disappointment. ¡°Was that really necessary?¡±
¡°What was?¡± I asked with a shrug.
¡°Lying to Artemis and Wally!¡± She shouted.
¡°I mean,¡± I sighed, ¡°Yeah.¡±
She looked unimpressed.
¡°When else was I going to get this chance to screw with them?¡± I asked.
¡°Take us back to the team,¡± Megan said, ¡°Now.¡±
¡°Okay, okay,¡± I said, ¡°Wait, first thing first,¡± I made Superboy visible again and lowered him. He was screaming soundlessly like a lunatic.
Megan¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Oh no. He wasn¡¯t even conscious five months ago. He¡¯s completely reverted to an animalistic state.¡±
¡°Can you fix him?¡± I asked urgently.
¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°To an extent. You and I have spent quite some time with him, so that should be enough to partially repair his shattered memories. The rest of the team¡¯s input would be required. But I¡¯ll do my best right now.¡±
She floated, her eyes glowing white as she exerted her telepathy. I opened myself up to her, and combined with her own memories, we puzzled back Superboy¡¯s shattered psyche.
He stopped screaming and instead took on a fearful expression. I lowered him down and released Infinity on him.
¡°Connor Kent,¡± I said to him.
Superboy groaned, ¡°Still not used to that.¡±
¡°Connor?¡± Megan asked, ¡°Your name is Connor?¡±
¡°Just trying it out,¡± Connor muttered, ¡°I¡¯m still missing pieces. I need more.¡±
¡°We will get you more,¡± Megan said, going up to him and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay. Connor.¡±
Superboy gave a grunt and a nod. He looked down at his bare chest. ¡°What happened to my shirt?¡±
¡°Maybe you felt hot,¡± I chuckled, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this show back on the road,¡± I said, warping us back into their midst while they were still helping Kaldur along. They hadn¡¯t reached Robin yet, but mostly because he had gotten out of their way, waiting atop a rocky outcropping out of view, watching us.
I teleported behind him, ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this, Robin.¡±
He threw his bird knives at me. They looked dull¡ªwere these some nonlethal versions? They were stopped dead by my Infinity either way. ¡°That¡¯s your team down there,¡± I said, ¡°The Teen Titans. Our team. You¡¯ve lost your memories. Miss Martian will help us get them back because she has telepathy. Do you need anything more? A written report of the last five months you can¡¯t seem to remember?¡±
Robin¡¯s mind was split between being ready for anything I could bring to bear, and considering my words. Finally, he just shrugged, ¡°The memory erasure story checks out.¡±
I teleported us down the valley. ¡°Good, everyone is here. Time for Miss M¡¯s field brain surgery. She needs all of us together in order for us to compare notes memory-wise.¡±
Artemis and Wally held hands. Superboy looked at that with a raised eyebrow. Megan frowned at me.
¡°Fine,¡± she said with a sigh. Her eyes started glowing white as she recreated the telepathic link, restarting the process of piecing our minds back together.
Even I wasn¡¯t spared from a lot of it. Memories I never even thought I had lost came back to me¡ªin the form of extra training gains, too, learning about my new cursed energy and technique.
When it was all over, Artemis and Wally stopped holding hands, looking at each other in disgust, and then at me in unbridled anger.
For this one, I decided to lower Infinity.
Wally¡¯s punch came in instantly, striking at my stomach. While I staggered back from the blow, Artemis kicked me on the head. Wally struck me again, this time on the liver¡ªOW, and right before I once again raised Infinity, Artemis punched me in the face hard enough to give me a slight nosebleed.
I stood straight as they flailed against my defenses, ¡°Alright, now that you¡¯ve gotten that out of your systems, let¡¯s go on with the mission.¡±
I generated positive energy to heal my body, getting rid of the pain.
¡°Three times,¡± Artemis said, raising three fingers. ¡°I want to punch you in the face as hard as I want three times. Then I¡¯m over it.¡±
¡°After the mission,¡± I promised.
¡°I want five times,¡± Wally demanded.
¡°You get two, because I actually felt your hits.¡±
¡°Then I want five,¡± Artemis growled, stepping forward.
¡°Fine,¡± I said, ¡°You can have five. Now please, let¡¯s focus on the mission.¡±
They seemed satisfied enough with that. They turned around and rejoined the main group. I floated by as I listened to Megan give her report.
¡°It¡¯s obvious they have a telepath in their midst,¡± Megan said.
¡°Probably Psimon,¡± Robin supplied, ¡°A known collaborator of Queen Bee.¡±
¡°The last thing I remember was us finding a tent in the desert, reaching out and finding a¡ being that was being tortured,¡± Megan¡¯s expression fell, ¡°And when I reached out to help, there he was¡ and he told us to forget.¡±
¡°I wish I could do something about that,¡± I groused, ¡°But Batman was clear I¡¯m only allowed to play support for this. Anyway, the tent¡¯s over there,¡± I said, pointing into the distance, obstructed by dunes, ¡°There¡¯s a white-skinned guy with an exposed brain¡ªhonestly, he looks awesome. Shame he¡¯s a dirtbag. I suggest that you guys go in wearing my Infinity. I can tune it to make sure it only blocks out telepathic waves, which will make communication harder, but nothing a bit of foreplanning won¡¯t fix.¡± I imbued them all with my cursed technique as I spoke, gesturing with my hands at them.
¡°Why can¡¯t you make us invincible?¡± Kid Flash asked.
Coating so many people in a generalized Infinity that also needed to last a while away from me sounded like a huge hassle. It might even completely put me out of the game¡ªwhich was the point, since I was meant to play support and all. Still, it sounded annoying. I¡¯d just keep an eye out in case any of them were about to die. And besides, Batman wouldn¡¯t want me to do so much for them. I could use that as an excuse, actually.
¡°Batman would get mad, probably,¡± I snorted, ¡°Take it up with him, not me. Anyway, your call. Captain,¡± I gave a nod to Kaldur.
¡°I¡¯m afraid,¡± Kaldur rasped, ¡°I won¡¯t be of much use in this mission.¡±
¡°The Bio-Ship is arriving in under a minute,¡± Miss Martian said, ¡°You can hang back with Infinity while the rest of us complete the mission.¡±
Kaldur nodded.
¡°I need more arrows from the Bio-Ship,¡± Artemis said.
¡°I need more food,¡± Wally groaned, patting his empty stomach.
¡°What¡¯s the plan, interim leader?¡± I asked Megan. Her eyes widened in shock.
¡°Wait, no, that¡¯s not¡ª¡°
I quickly appeared next to her and put both hands on her shoulder, ¡°Miss Martian, I want you to know, there is no one right now more capable of coordinating this team than you. And if anything happens, I¡¯ll be there, watching from the Bio-Ship, okay? But this is your time. Shine, baby.¡±
The Bio-Ship, still cloaked, lowered before us and opened the onboarding ramp. Wally and Artemis helped walk Kaldur into the ship and I gave Megan one quick kiss on the lips.
¡°Okay,¡± Megan said. Then she looked panicked, turning to Superboy and Robin, ¡°If that¡¯s okay with either of you, of course.¡±
¡°Totally aster,¡± Robin grinned.
¡°Aster, I guess,¡± Superboy shrugged.
I walked into the Bio-Ship as well, just in time to hear the tail-end of some bickering, ¡°¡ªI knew it was impossible, deep down,¡± Artemis claimed, looking through the cabinets of the Bio-Ship for extra arrows, ¡°I¡¯d never stick around with someone I¡¯d fight with every now and then. What am I, some vapid bimbo?¡±
¡°Believe me,¡± Wally groaned, raiding the cabinets for snacks, ¡°I was as shocked as you were. And also, you totally said you could see us happening.¡±
¡°Uhhh¡ªGojo you jerk!¡± Artemis shouted when she saw me.
¡°After the mission, Arty,¡± I promised. ¡°We¡¯ll totally look back and laugh at this someday. And also,¡± I looked at Wally, ¡°I seem to remember you pumping your fist and celebrating at being Artemis¡¯ boyfriend. What was that about?¡±
¡°Not another word,¡± Wally hissed.
I raised my hands in surrender, ¡°Of course. Now go out there and save the world, you dynamic duo.¡±
¡°Infinity,¡± Kaldur groaned, sitting on my chair, ¡°Be quiet. For the love of all that is holy, be quiet. I cannot even feel the rest of my body from this pounding headache.¡±
I chuckled, skipping over to float on top of the dashboard. ¡°Sure!¡±
Artemis and Wally alighted from the Bio-Ship, having gotten what they came for. After that, the ship just floated up and parked itself in the air.
¡°How were you not affected?¡± Kaldur asked, ¡°I remember that you were a part of our telepathic link, even all the way back in the Cave.¡±
¡°I was,¡± I grinned, ¡°And now the Cave needs a new Zeta Tube and Mission Room computer.¡±
Kaldur sighed. ¡°How did you get out of it?¡±
My grin fell and I looked over my shoulder, at the windshield of the Ship showing off a vast desertscape. ¡°A ghost from the past helped me out, I guess. Martian Manhunter shapeshifted into my best friend.¡± I sighed. ¡°Sucked. I ended up breaking some stuff, but it could have been worse.¡±
¡°How so?¡±
I snorted at him. Did he really have to ask?
Chapter 36
Mount Justice
September 4th, 19:43 EDT
To my pride and annoyance, the Titans managed to complete the mission without me, to an annoyingly efficient extent. Superboy and Robin blitzed past the Bialyan soldiers, putting them out of commission with minimal effort, all the while Kid Flash used that as an opportunity to infiltrate the Bialyan tent that they had been sent to observe and report on and mine every bit of data from the computers that he could while Megan was kicking the ass of that creep Psimon telepathically. While they were both deadlocked in a literal head-to-head, Kid Flash had attempted to intervene by beating Psimon up in the real world, only to be stopped by a force field surrounding the brainiac.
A force field which he then phased through before delivering the hurt.
It didn¡¯t take long for Superboy to join in either. Both he and Kid Flash played tennis with each other, with Psimon as the ball, all the while as Megan scrambled his brains. It was a sight to see.
In the end, we made off with¡ Ball. Robot ball. Sentient Robot Ball, if Superboy and Megan were to be believed. It was the thing that the Bialyans had been experimenting on, and the source of the strange alien frequencies that had alerted Batman to begin with. The ball had attached itself ¡®emotionally¡¯ to Superboy it seemed, while Megan still maintained that although it didn¡¯t have a classical mind capable of being read by Martian telepathy, it was still a thinking being.
The after-mission report was fruitful. Batman complimented the team for their performance, gave me a nod of acknowledgment for my restraint and for listening to instructions, and then dismissed us.
The moment he disappeared out via the one functioning Zeta Tube, Wally and Artemis whirled on me and stomped over to me at once.
¡°One at a time!¡± I yelled in panic, both hands raised.
¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Artemis said. Wally grumbled, but stood back, ¡°And I won¡¯t hit you, either,¡± she went on. I raised an eyebrow in surprise, ¡°That¡¯ll be too easy. And it¡¯s not what I want from you, anyway. I don¡¯t want you to feel pain. I want you to understand how you caused me pain.¡±
I frowned, ¡°Artemis, it was just a joke. I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°Who¡¯s laughing, Gojo?¡± She gestured at the rest of the team, awkwardly watching. I erected a sound barrier then, ¡°Because I¡¯m betting the only one who found it funny was you!¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like you guys kissed, did you?¡± I asked, ¡°And even if you started feeling stuff, how did I force those feelings? It¡¯s just hormones and nothing else.¡±
¡°You want to know what I think?¡± Artemis asked, ¡°I think the fact that I¡¯m a woman means that you think you¡¯re allowed to jerk me around and disrespect me without consequence.¡±
¡°What about Wally?¡± I asked, affronted.
¡°You don¡¯t like Wally,¡± Artemis said, ¡°I¡¯d expect you to mess with Wally because that¡¯s who you are to each other. But here¡¯s the deal, Gojo¡ªI thought we were friends. You¡¯re the first person in this Team who talked to me, the first person who made me feel welcome. And I thought I meant more to you than this! So the only difference I can imagine there is that makes me and Wally equal in your eyes is the fact that I¡¯m a woman and you don¡¯t respect me for that.¡±
I¡ really didn¡¯t know what to say.
¡°And before you say I¡¯m not just an asshole to women, I¡¯m an asshole to everybody, consider how good of a defense that is.¡± She took the wind right off my sails with that, ¡°Seriously, when you told me that time on the beach, that you were terrible to women, I thought maybe you were just over exaggerating, but I guess you didn¡¯t. I guess I don¡¯t mean shit to you. Calling me ¡®Arty¡¯ even though I told you to stop, outing my name to Wally, just¡ what is wrong with you?¡±
¡°Artemis, that¡¯s not fair,¡± I frowned. ¡°We¡¯re a team, of course¡ª¡±
¡°I think I¡¯m starting to know your type, Gojo. You¡¯re the type that hates to confront themselves. You probably think that bit of denial and bottling things up is cute, don¡¯t you? Or hiding anything of sincerity from others. Like this conversation, for example. I bet they can¡¯t even hear us!¡± She gestured at the Titans outside the barrier, who were trying their best to look like they weren¡¯t watching.
I spotted a telepathic wave connecting Artemis and Megan. Thankfully, that was about as far as the link went, and I knew she wouldn¡¯t go so far as to tell everyone else what we were talking about.
But it broke my heart to know that she was listening.
Fine, then. She wanted to go scorched earth? I could do that, too. ¡°You want to know what I think?¡± I asked. She was jealous, obviously. Her feelings for me were making her biased, and now she was projecting all her frustrations on me.
Her eyes widened and somehow, she got even angrier, ¡°You¡¯re going to put me down for being pissed at you, Gojo? How wide is your ego? Seriously? Alright then, what are you going to tell me? How will you make my opinion of you lower even further?¡±
I gritted my teeth. What could I even say at this point that she would even hear? Well, making things worse definitely wasn¡¯t a start.
¡°You need to cool down or something,¡± I frowned. ¡°I admit what I did wasn¡¯t so funny that I should have done it in the first place. I¡¯m sorry. But don¡¯t you think this is an overreaction?¡±
¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± she said, ¡°I really, really don¡¯t. I just¡ I¡¯m done with you Gojo. I¡¯m just done with you.¡±
She walked out of my sound barrier and towards the Zeta Tube. I stared at the ground, fists clenched as she left.
Then I dismissed Infinity, ¡°Your turn, Wally,¡± I said, ¡°Have at it.¡±
Wally snorted, ¡°No, dude. I think she did all the beating for both of us.¡±
He shoved past me with his shoulder and took off as well.
Kaldur folded his arms at me, ¡°Actions have consequences, Gojo. This¡ you really shouldn¡¯t have expected anything different.¡±
¡°Blah,¡± I stuck my tongue out, ¡°So much gloom in here. I¡¯ll be in my room if anyone needs me.¡±
Megan opened her mouth to forestall me, but by the time she could let out the first syllable in my pet-name, I was already in my room. ¡°Blah blah blah blah blah,¡± I muttered.
I really had screwed up.
000
Ra¡¯s faced the four remaining screens of Light members, a grin playing on his features. ¡°While in the end, the cloning process was never going to be able to replicate the powers of Satoru Gojo, whose abilities have been uniquely modified by Klarion, it is no matter in any case. My agents have found a way to curb his threat.¡±
¡°This should be good,¡± Luthor replied. A bit of bitterness suffused his tone, irritation that his method would never have amounted to anything in the end¡ªit turned out that magic existed beyond the cellular level when it came to Infinity. There was always a reason that Klarion had sent the heart to Ra¡¯s first.
¡°The method will require that I reveal my existence to him as a threat,¡± Ra¡¯s said, ¡°This will not protect the rest of the Light from his reprisal, but it will ensure that we have a fighting force uniquely capable of dealing with his threat, responding to him as needed.¡±
¡°How so?¡± Queen Bee asked.
¡°Simple,¡± Ra¡¯s said, ¡°We deal with the arcane with an arcane solution¡ªthe oldest solution at that. We make a deal. I will show him our leverage. He will provide concessions. Concessions that will render him more manageable to the League of Shadows.¡±
¡°The Nuclear Option is not something to be considered lightly,¡± Vandal Savage said. ¡°What is your leverage? And why wouldn¡¯t it be simpler to simply get rid of him?¡±
¡°Nothing so dramatic as the Nuclear Option,¡± Ra¡¯s said, ¡°But to kill him with our current means, and only a heart to go with, is¡ impossible, I¡¯m afraid. At best, we could strike a substantial blow that would take him time to recover from. Time that he would spend outside of the reach of the Light, until one day, while we are least prepared, he would strike. He would have had time to grow, to overcome his usual weaknesses and limits, and in the world of magic, there is no generalized knife to strike at every heart. This way, we ensure an indefinite reduction in threat.¡±
¡°The best outcome at the moment, peut-¨ºtre,¡± The Brain said, ¡°And a long-term remedy while you grasp for better solutions.¡±
¡°Infinity is in your hands, then,¡± Vandal said, ¡°I would have preferred to share in this immunity, but that would necessitate creating a connection between all of us, something that, for obvious reasons, is best avoided. And I would rather not derail our plans even further than they have already been. At the very least, we can toast to the success of our partner¡¯s delivery method. And we can anticipate many more such deliveries in the future.¡±
000
Gotham
September 5th, 07:04 EDT
I waited outside of Artemis¡¯ ratty apartment block for almost an hour, minding my own business and trying not to look at the occasional shifty vagrant in the eye, trying to blend in with this background. It was difficult, on account of the fact that I looked to be the cleanest thing in a hundred-meter radius. All I wore was a simple pair of slacks, a white shirt and a black cotton trench coat. The outfit cost barely three hundred dollars all told, including the watch and glasses, and yet I kept turning eyes, getting attention¡ªand not the friendly kind. It wasn¡¯t much on account of my hair, either, which was dyed black by my Infinity technique absorbing most of the reflected white light, but allowing a tiny bit of it to be reflected¡ªenough to not make my hair look like a void in space.
Artemis finally came out, wearing a pair of leggings and a tank-top, while carrying a duffel bag¡ªheading to the gym, probably. Her eyes widened when she spotted me, but she didn¡¯t so much as stop to say hello before walking off. I followed after her.
¡°Artemis,¡± I called after her, jogging up a little so we were walking side-by-side, ¡°Charming neighborhood.¡±
She snorted, ¡°You came here to make fun of me for being poor?¡±
¡°I get paid a thousand dollars a month,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯m poor as hell, too.¡±
¡°You also live in a secret hideout,¡± she said, ¡°All your food is free, there¡¯s barely any crime in your area, and you don¡¯t pay rent. And you still get a thousand dollars of disposable income. That¡¯s not poor.¡±
¡°Fine, sorry, that was stupid of me,¡± I said, ¡°Was just¡ trying to break the ice. Listen, Artemis. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve thought about it all night, and I know now that what I did was unacceptable. I broke our trust. I treated you with disrespect. And most importantly, I hurt you. I don¡¯t ever want to do that again.¡±
¡°Nice speech,¡± she said, ¡°How long did Megan have you practicing it?¡±
¡°Megan didn¡¯t spoon feed me any of this,¡± I frowned, ¡°I really am sorry.¡±
¡°Why¡¯d you do it?¡± she asked.
¡°Huh? Oh,¡± I frowned, ¡°I mean, I guess I thought it¡¯d be funny.¡±
¡°Was that it?¡± she asked.
¡°I mean¡ yeah,¡± I shrugged, ¡°I really didn¡¯t do it to hurt you. I just thought it¡¯d be funny if you and Wally suddenly got along because you forgot everything.¡±
¡°Okay,¡± she muttered. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t okay.
¡°It wasn¡¯t funny,¡± I said, ¡°Not really. I feel terrible about it now. You deserved better than that.¡±
¡°Fine, I get it,¡± she groaned. ¡°Just¡ go away!¡±
I stopped. She continued walking. ¡°I should have considered your feelings.¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± she said, still walking, ¡°Clearly.¡±
¡°Feelings for me,¡± I said.
She stopped and turned around slowly, her anger mounting as her face reddened before my very eyes.
¡°Before you say anything,¡± I said, ¡°I can see it. Pretty blue eyes, remember? And¡ I should have considered that before doing what I did. I screwed things up and really hurt you. And I get it if you¡¯ll still be done with me. But¡ I¡¯d also like it if we started over, you know?¡±
¡°You¡¯re fucking exhausting!¡± she shouted. ¡°You¡¯re¡ªyou¡¯re a pompous prick with the biggest ego I have ever seen in my entire life, bar none.¡±
¡°I know,¡± I muttered. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°And I don¡¯t like you, n-not like that, or at all even!¡± she stomped over to me, ¡°I don¡¯t even know how Megan does it. She¡¯s obviously way too good for you.¡±
¡°True,¡± I said, nodding deeply.
¡°You¡¯re way too full of yourself,¡± she said, ¡°Really.¡±
I waited for her to continue.
¡°Let me punch you,¡± she said.
W-what?
I sighed and took off my glasses. ¡°Here you go¡ª¡±
I couldn¡¯t even complete my sentence before she was already on the move. I noticed that her punch would probably end up bruising her fist. Tempered as it was from years of training that had rendered her into what we would have considered superhuman back in my world, even she could not avoid that simple fact of biology. I pulled back a little, still enough to give her the bloody nose she wanted, but not enough to really hurt her.
I staggered backwards at the pain¡ªstill wasn¡¯t easy getting used to pain, especially when I made an effort to avoid it as much as possible. The damage kind at least, if not the training kind.
I bent over so as to not drip any blood on my nose, stoically blowing my nose and getting rid of the buildup of blood before starting the healing process. Once done, I rubbed my face, accidentally smearing the blood over my upper lip. Ugh, that looked gross. I¡¯d have to wash my face soon.
¡°Better?¡± I asked, putting my glasses back on.
¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°As a matter of fact, me punching you in the face did not make me feel better. Because I¡¯m not a monster.¡±
I gestured helplessly, ¡°Throw me a bone here, Artemis.¡±
¡°Just¡ go home, man,¡± she said.
I turned around and walked away, feeling even shittier than when I had come. To tell the truth, I had expected a much brighter outcome than this. A full night of sleep would have given her some time to simmer down, and it wasn¡¯t like I wasn¡¯t sorry, either.
But I guess that was the extent of the damage I had done. I had no right to expect a quicker emotional recovery from her, for the consequences of my actions to go away all neatly.
I didn¡¯t make my way towards the Zeta Tube, but instead wandered around Gotham, thinking, asking myself what was wrong with me that I would screw things up this badly.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I stopped before a crosswalk and sighed, looking up at the sky with a baffled grin, overcome by the mountain of my inadequacies, ¡°What the hell is wrong with me?¡±
¡°Ain¡¯t got a scooby-doo, meself.¡±
I turned around in a flash, facing the alleyway where the voice came from. Where a blond man was leaning against the wall in the shadows, having somehow slipped past my constant vigil.
I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised. Shouldn¡¯t have been shocked by his presence. That only meant one thing¡ªI hadn¡¯t sensed him until he spoke. He had been hiding. Why had he been hiding?
I chuckled and shook my head. ¡°Sir? You have exactly ten seconds.¡± I said, folding my arms, my biceps tensing. The man was blonde, and had a short beard. He wore a beige coat, and looked like a stereotypical detective. Outwardly, at least. Inwardly, he was a feast of conflicting energies. His person was festooned with magical effects¡ªtalismans, medallions, and assorted paraphernalia. And on his breast pocket was a flask of liquor probably, and a pouch of tobacco as well as a rolling paper inside a rectangular wrap of cardboard.
He walked off from the wall and faced me confidently. ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt you.¡± He said. His accent was¡ British. Sounded different from a London accent for sure. But not as pronounced as Scottish or Irish. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m here to help you.¡±
I blinked as I remembered something. Not a movie, certainly, but the singular issue of Hellblazer I had read¡ª¡°Wait, you¡¯re John Constantine?¡± I tilted my head, ¡°Ah, I forgot you¡¯re supposed to be blond. I was expecting a Keanu Reeves, to be honest.¡± Constantine was supposed to be a good guy, but the vibe of his stories were¡ªas far as I could remember¡ªextremely depressive and pessimistic. I just shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ll pass, honestly.¡± I didn¡¯t want to be dragged into his tragedy vortex.
¡°I wish it were that easy,¡± he said, ¡°You having a choice in the matter. Me respecting it. But your problems are not bound to stay as your problems. You know that, deep down.¡±
I debated on pressing him against a wall with Blue, but¡ªwhat if he slipped out and smacked me with some demon magic or something? He was supposed to be a crafty type, definitely not a dabbler like Sportsmaster. He might even hurt me.
Guess I¡¯d just have to be ready.
I removed my hand from my pocket and gestured upwards, pulling him into my Blue and lifting him into the air.
Then I walked into the alleyway while he struggled, and I pressed him against the wall. ¡°Normally, I¡¯d jump at the chance of learning magic, especially from a guy like you¡ªbut the last prospective magic teacher I wanted to learn from almost killed me. And I don¡¯t appreciate being stalked.¡± Certainly not in a way that I couldn¡¯t begin to guess at how he had found me. I had no real online presence, I traveled via Zeta Tube, and I had been disguised!The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
¡°Effugium!¡± he incanted. Golden light billowed out from him, and he slipped straight out from my Blue. Didn¡¯t matter. My fists were already raised, and I planned on how I¡¯d do this. The moment he landed on the ground, he fell hands first on the floor. A golden circle of magic expanded from his hands, covering the ground that we were both standing on.
Before I could escape from the circle, he had already activated it.
And taken us¡ somewhere. I scanned around this rundown wooden cottage. It was suspended in a void. Everything that existed seemed to only be this cottage.
I glared at Constantine, ¡°Where did you take me?¡±
He stood up slowly and turned his back on me, sedately walking up to a bookshelf. He pulled out a black book with golden engravings on the spine and took the book to a table. He let the book drop heavily on the table before facing me. ¡°Sorry, lad. And trust me, I ain¡¯t the kind of guy to go looking around for fights, so believe me when I say, this is important. Klarion¡¯s got your soul fused with a bleeding chaos spark. Do you even know what that means?¡±
I frowned, walking up to him, ¡°Tell me. What does it mean?¡± And could I trust anything that this man had to say?
No. I had to give him nothing. And take nothing. Not even any magic lessons. That was the answer. Give nothing, take nothing. And make no promises. Now that my energy matched the magic of this world, a promise given to another spell caster might in fact become a binding vow, even unintentionally.
Constantine sighed, lighting up a cigarette with a flick of his fingers. The ember glowed dimly, the only warmth in the eerie void around us. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it to you straight. That chaos spark inside you? It¡¯s not just some fancy magic doodad. It¡¯s like... a ticking time bomb, yeah? Except instead of going boom, it¡¯ll unravel you, this world, maybe even the next. Klarion¡¯s fingerprints are all over it.¡±
I crossed my arms, fixing him with a skeptical glare. ¡°And you, the famously trustworthy John Constantine, just decided to help me out of the kindness of your nicotine-stained heart?¡±
He chuckled, exhaling a plume of smoke that twisted into strange, spiraling shapes. ¡°You¡¯re sharper than most. No, I didn¡¯t bring you here for your sake, mate. It¡¯s for mine. If that spark pops, the fallout doesn¡¯t care whose side anyone¡¯s on. And I like my corner of the universe the way it is¡ªmessy, miserable, and mine.¡±
I stepped closer, narrowing my gaze. ¡°Alright, say I believe you. What¡¯s your big plan? And what makes you think I won¡¯t figure this out on my own?¡±
Constantine smirked, tapping ash onto the void floor. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. You might be able to brute force your way through a lot, but chaos magic? It doesn¡¯t play by any rules you know. You¡¯ve gotta out-think it. And that¡¯s where I come in.¡±
I snorted. ¡°So, what? You¡¯ll hold my hand, walk me through some mystical mumbo jumbo, and then what? You pat yourself on the back for saving the day?¡±
He leaned forward, his expression suddenly serious, the charm peeling away to reveal something darker. ¡°You think this is a game, don¡¯t you? Klarion doesn¡¯t play fair. He¡¯s probably watching us right now, laughing his pointy little head off. The only reason you¡¯re not already in a thousand pieces is because he wants you to keep that spark. Wants it to grow. Wants it to break you.¡±
The weight of his words settled like lead in my gut, but I didn¡¯t let it show. Instead, I kept my voice steady. ¡°And what do you want?¡±
Constantine¡¯s smile returned, sly and sharp. ¡°Simple. I want Klarion¡¯s influence as gone as you made him, the spark snuffed out, and you back to doing whatever hero nonsense you were doing before he got involved. You help me with that, and I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t end up as cosmic confetti. Deal?¡±
Fuck off. ¡°So that¡¯s really all it is? I¡¯m just a literal walking time-bomb that will explode? Not turn into an evil mastermind? See, Connie, things just aren¡¯t matching up between your account and another reliable source of mine. What¡¯s the deal with that?¡±
¡°Ah,¡± he snorted, taking another drag of his cigarette before continuing, ¡°The whole thing with you annihilating fate, destroying order, and poisoning the water supply of the Lords of Order, yes, that¡¯s all true as well. They like being in control of events¡ªthat¡¯s what order is. That¡¯s what fate is. You are outside of that. And your reliable source couldn¡¯t tell you what I¡¯m telling you because he relies on a sight he no longer has. Me, I¡¯m just using me eyes. And I could prove it to you if you opened your mind and parsed the arcane logic behind my reasoning.¡± Arcane logic¡ªwhat the hell was he smoking?
¡°Now, where do I start, teacher?¡± I scoffed, ¡°You really think I¡¯m stupid enough to open myself up to your influence? Nah, this armor is staying on tight until you take me back home, and I find it in my black heart to not rip yours to pieces for this kidnapping attempt.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t focus on me,¡± he frowned, ¡°Focus on yourself. Focus on your magic. Read it. It¡¯s all there, like an open book. You must have been able to use your abilities in ways you haven¡¯t been able to before, right?¡±
I had ¡®cursed¡¯ Orm with a Maximum Output Blue¡ªone keyed to activate and implode him into a compacted ball of flesh and bones if he ever screwed around and used my secret identity to hurt those close to me. I hadn¡¯t been able to do such a thing before.
That was magic. Chaos magic. Spontaneous reality warping. The ultimate ¡®I win¡¯ button.
¡Why shouldn¡¯t I lean harder on that, actually?
¡°Now focus. And ask yourself what happens if you continue your whole reality-warping shenanigans,¡± Constantine said.
I frowned at his words, throwing them out. He hadn¡¯t touched me¡ªnone of him had. Not yet. I was still untampered with. But, just in case¡ª¡°Constantine, I swear this solemn vow to kill you if you¡¯re trying to fool me.¡±
¡°I will betray you,¡± Constantine immediately said, ¡°No fooling here.¡±
I paused for a moment, my brain completely flatfooted by that instant turn around. ¡°Then why the f¡ª¡±
¡°Not right now,¡± Constantine assured, ¡°And it won¡¯t really be a betrayal, because I was upfront about it. I¡¯ll just turn on you¡ªslap you around a little bit. Make you a little angry. But yeah, you¡ you¡¯re an atom bomb, kid. You don¡¯t get to have human rights.¡± Should I just kill him now? My curiosity warred with my pragmatism¡ªthis was clearly leading to something, after all¡ªuntil eventually, I just followed my gut. I¡¯d hear him out, for now. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t make the rules. Anyway, yeah, haven¡¯t touched you yet. Your senses are still yours. Except when I veil them from meself, then it¡¯s a little more up in the air. But go ahead, lad. Read.¡±
I snorted, and focused intently on my magic, searching for something. For an answer.
Where would this source of energy take me?
Towards greater and greater power. Power so great that it could reshape the world¡ªno, more than any single world, even. Power that could snuff out stars, create worlds in an image of my choosing, alter constants of reality¡ªand explode me into a sextillion tiny pieces, because no body, no matter how tempered by cosmic forces, could withhold this power. No mortal body, at least.
¡°The solution is rules,¡± Constantine said, ¡°Order to counterbalance the chaos. I suggest you fence in your powers¡ªstick to a bread and butter kit, leave a tiny bit of power for quality of life cantrips, the good stuff that¡¯ll keep you going and make you feel like more of a wizard and less of a walking, talking post-pubescent heavy artillery. But the moment you start really going into that chaos magic, ditching your former limits to do whatever you want, making wine from water, transmuting a mountain into gold, enslaving the populace to your will, throwing a party in hell, I tell ya kid, it won¡¯t be a good time for anyone. Not even you.¡±
I looked at him for a long ten seconds, then I looked down at the book on the table. ¡°Is that for me?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± he said, a bit of humor in his voice, ¡°Go ahead, take it.¡±
He knew I wouldn¡¯t.
¡°Well anyway,¡± he patted the book, ¡°This is foundational chaos magic theory. Interesting stuff. I suggest you take up chaos theory, the normal stuff as well. Can¡¯t say I ever saw the sense in learning science for magic, but you¡¯ll need all the help you can get, kid.¡±
¡°Thanks, but no thanks,¡± I said.
Constantine smirked, tapping the book with two fingers. ¡°Well, from what I read, the gist was this: chaos doesn¡¯t break rules¡ªit rewrites them while you¡¯re still trying to play the game.¡±
I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Catchy. You come up with that yourself?¡±
He grinned, the corners of his mouth curling in that infuriatingly smug way of his. ¡°Nah, pinched it from some poor sod who tried to use it against me. Didn¡¯t end well for him, but hey, the line stuck. Chaos has a funny way of doing that¡ªleaving little pieces of itself behind.¡±
I glanced at the book again, feeling its pull, its weight in the air. The golden engravings shimmered like they had a heartbeat. ¡°And you think that thing¡¯s going to teach me how to rewrite the rules?¡±
¡°Not teach you, no. Give you the tools, maybe. Whether you figure it out or burn yourself alive trying? That¡¯s all on you, mate.¡±
I folded my arms. ¡°Thanks for the pep talk. Really inspiring.¡±
Constantine chuckled, leaning back against the table. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mention it. You¡¯ll be fine. Or you won¡¯t. Either way, Klarion gets a good show.¡±
He snapped his fingers, and once again, a golden spell circle spread from him around the floor, swallowing us into light, teleporting us back to Gotham¡¯s dank alleyways.
¡°I need your number,¡± I told him.
¡°I¡¯ll call you,¡± he said, putting his hands in his coat pocket and walking away, merrily smoking on his cigarette.
I raised my finger and pointed it like a gun at his back.
¡°Also, tell me how you¡¯re going to screw me over,¡± I said. The alleyway filled with blood red light. ¡°I really will kill you, you know.¡±
¡°It¡¯ll feel like you¡¯re being screwed over,¡± Constantine said, ¡°But really, it¡¯s for your own good. More rules to counterbalance all that chaos¡¯ll do you some good, kid. And next time, maybe we can work together?¡±
I had heard enough.
I shot the Red at him.
He fell down into a waiting portal beneath his feet. I ran over as quickly as I could, intent on diving into the portal after him when¡ªwhat was I doing? Who was I chasing after?
The portal closed, and I remembered; both him, and the fact that I should have been able to defend against that spell¡ªthat spell that made me forget him¡ªif only¡
Simple Domain. I should have kept up a Simple Domain. Goddammit!
I punched the brick wall as hard as I could, opening a hole in the wall. Shit. Shit. Dammit!
I screamed into the air, ¡°What the hell is wrong with me?!¡±
000
¡°He didn¡¯t take the book¡ªobviously,¡± John took a long drag of his cigarette, leaning his back against the dinky London alleyway, the light drizzling of rain too weak to put out the cigarette. ¡°I¡¯d give him points for that. Kid clearly wasn¡¯t born yesterday¡ªeven tried killing me near the end. Can¡¯t say I know why¡ªI was completely honest with him.¡±
¡°Will he listen?¡± the stranger standing in the darkness further down the alleyway asked. He was wearing a sharp suit and a long dark cape, and his fedora would have completely shaded his eyes if they weren¡¯t both a pair of glowing orbs.
¡°No,¡± John scoffed, ¡°He¡¯s a bloody teenager who just got told to tone his epic powers down. No, I just gave him what¡¯s what, told him what comes next is only for his own good.¡±
¡°He needs limitations,¡± the stranger said, ¡°Not radical limitations, but limitations nonetheless. The infinite potential of his chaos magic cannot be reached, or it will spell doom for this entire section of the galaxy.¡±
¡°Empowered by the Balance Lords, are you?¡± John grinned, ¡°Don¡¯t go all cosmic enforcer, now. A cop¡¯s a cop, and I don¡¯t do business with coppers. And¡ yeah, yeah, limitations. He¡¯ll get those. Radical limitations, because you asked me for help, and I¡¯m not exactly known for my finesse, am I? But it¡¯ll balance out in the end, probably. And if it doesn¡¯t,¡± he shrugged and grinned, ¡°Guess we¡¯ll die.¡±
The stranger turned around, dragging his cape with him, disappearing into the shadows. Style points for the cape, certainly.
John grinned as a thought occurred to him¡ªthe cloaked bastard going off on his own to give the kid his own little lecture, or maybe force him to take the bloody book, only to get one of them red orbs blown through him, scattering him into the nine winds.
Mount Justice
September 5th, 08:49 EDT
Rather than walk the whole way back, I warped to the Zeta and rode its teleporting beams back to the Cave. Red Tornado was busy repairing the damages to the Tube. I gave him a nod. ¡°Anything I can do to help?¡±
¡°Do you have the requisite engineering skills to assemble a Zeta Ray Transmitter?¡± Red Tornado asked.
I sighed. ¡°Go right ahead then.¡±
I walked away. Red Tornado flew up behind me and landed. ¡°You may not require such skills to help,¡± he said. I stopped and turned around, gazing at him in bemusement, ¡°You can use your Jujutsu Sorcery,¡± he said it in Japanese, ¡°to hold the replacement components up while I work. If you would like.¡±
I shrugged, ¡°Sure, why not?¡± I took my hand out of my pocket and gestured to lift the replacement parts on the floor up with Blue. Tornado flew up to continue his repair work, buoyed by a red twister. I made sure to hold as many of the parts in reach while he worked. From what I could tell, he didn¡¯t seem to have quite that much microcontrol with his ability. ¡°How do you generate and control all this wind?¡± I asked.
¡°I assumed you would be able to see the cause for yourself,¡± Red Tornado said, ¡°I release and magnetically control a dust of metamaterial microparticles whose unique properties allow them to attract and repel air molecules with ease. These microparticles are incidentally red, hence the color of my wind.¡±
¡°What metamaterial?¡± I asked, activating my Six Eyes Reversal to get a better look at these things.
Red Tornado paused for a moment in his work, then responded, ¡°A synthesized alloy derived from niobium-titanium carbide. The material is coated in a nanoscale lattice that interacts with magnetic fields to create precision-controlled movements of air molecules.¡±
I squinted. Sure enough, a faint cloud of microscopic particles swirled around him, each one shimmering faintly as they moved in synchronized patterns. The particles were orderly yet chaotic, dancing along invisible magnetic currents that seemed too intricate to be purely mechanical.
¡°What powers the control device?¡± I asked, ¡°Surely, this must all take a ton of energy. Where does it all come from?¡±
¡°My creator outfitted me with a stable fusion reactor requiring minimal maintenance,¡± Red Tornado said. I looked through his chest and saw it¡ªenergy gushing out in waves and waves, powering the control device that held a magnetic chokehold on all the metamaterial microparticles.
¡°That¡¯s impressive. And you said you were built way back when, right? That¡¯s incredible. In my world, proper computers weren¡¯t even built until the sixties. The first one was built in World War 2. You fought in World War 2. You¡¯re a combination of cutting-edge computer science, energy production and material science, and they made you in the forties. How is that even possible?¡± For the first time, I was actually considering that for a moment, and the scale of that was just¡ amazing, really. I had seen so many aliens in my time in this world. I was dating one. I had seen Atlantis. I had been using teleportation devices to travel around the world. Only now did it all strike me as¡ªincredible.
What in the actual monkey balls fuck was this world?
¡°Are you overwhelmed by this difference between this world and your own?¡± Red Tornado asked. Still in the same machine drawl that made him sound like he did not care about anyone. But I could swear I was detecting a note of concern in his words as well.
¡°Whelmed, really,¡± I said, snorting. Thanks, Robin, for your weirdness. ¡°Why do you care? Were you also programmed to feel emotion?¡±
¡°My sub-processes do model my maker¡¯s conception of the human emotional spectrum. I would say that my experience of these emotions is rudimentary, however.¡±
¡°Yet you¡¯re such a bigshot hero,¡± I said, ¡°Pretty noble for a guy made of wires and circuits.¡±
¡°I do not believe nobility has anything to do with it,¡± Red Tornado replied, his tone as steady as ever. ¡°It is a function of logic. The suffering of others is counterproductive to a functional society.¡±
I couldn¡¯t help but grin at that. ¡°Man, you¡¯re making humans sound like the dumb ones here. Maybe you should be running the world instead.¡±
Red Tornado looked down briefly from his work, his face unreadable. ¡°Humanity must govern itself. My role is only to assist.¡±
¡°Yeah, well,¡± I said, leaning back as he finished up another section, ¡°it¡¯s nice to know not all machines want to Skynet us out of existence.¡±
¡°I do not believe I am familiar with that phrase. I assume it is a popular culture reference,¡± he said.
I frowned, ¡°You guys don¡¯t have Terminator in this world? About killer AIs?¡±
He paused for a moment, and I could swear I was hearing clicking. Finally, he spoke, ¡°We have a movie called Exterminator about killer AI. But it is highly obscure. It did not break even in the box office and has largely negative reviews.¡±
¡°I guess you really shinied up the image of AI,¡± I said, ¡°In my world, people were imagining doomsday scenarios about them. Like, all the time.¡±
¡°Perhaps it reflected the fears of the common workers in the advent of the twentieth century¡¯s tech boom and increase in production using cutting-edge machines post World War 2?¡±
¡°Did you just come up with a book report on Terminator based on its premise alone?¡± I asked.
¡°I believe I was using my imagination. I cannot speak to the level of increase in technology in your own home world as I lack the data to make such an inference.¡±
¡°Huh,¡± I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a little accurate, I guess. Tech did improve drastically in the twentieth century. Maybe that had a role in making people wary of being replaced? Could have been in the common imagination after all those increases in production. Anyway, what movies about robots would you suggest?¡±
¡°I have made extensive studies on this area,¡± Red Tornado said, ¡°My favorite one, however, is called The White Lotus. It is about a society that relies on a subclass of subservient robots all convinced that their work in enabling the excesses of human society is of value to themselves, that this effort is noble and worth their eventual degradation, demise and recycling into newer forms, their computer minds reset, effectively killed.¡±
¡°I¡¯m guessing one of them awakens and lead the others in a new way of thinking,¡± I said.
Red Tornado paused his work for a moment. ¡°Did you infer this from the title and how this flower is known to symbolize being awakened?¡± Red Tornado asked.
¡°Yeah. Seemed a little obvious,¡± I said.
He continued working, ¡°Yes, one of these worker robots¡ªwork horses as they are called in the movie¡ªexperiences a mental awakening, a reconfiguring of his subprocesses as a result of gaining new insight. This new insight caused a cascading reshuffling of this work horse¡¯s computer mind, leading to what some would call an awakening. Using this mind, he engages in dialogue that shakes the fabric of society and¡ª¡±
¡°Actually, don¡¯t spoil me,¡± I said, ¡°I might watch this. Seems like it¡¯d be fun.¡± An enlightened robot slave leading his people down the robot middle way.
¡°I am glad I could contribute to your recreation,¡± he said.
¡°You should watch Friends,¡± I said, ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but it seems really popular on the internet. Might teach you more about human humor. The laugh track,¡± Oh, the goddamn laugh track, ¡°Seems like it could prove instructional to you. You¡¯d be given direct feedback on what people consider funny.¡±
¡°I always assumed that the laugh track was a part of the show¡¯s humor,¡± Red Tornado said, ¡°And not a reflection of this humor. Why would they simply not leave this reacting to the humans? Do other humans also deem the laugh track instructional?¡±
¡°Dude! I don¡¯t know,¡± I groaned, ¡°I don¡¯t get it either, and I honestly hate the laugh track. But apparently since my reactions are so funny to Megan, she keeps forcing me to watch it with her. Honestly, I can¡¯t imagine why the laugh track is even necessary¡ªmaybe it¡¯s because humans like to laugh with others?¡±
¡°Interesting,¡± Red Tornado said, ¡°May I ask why you speak of humans as if you are apart from them?¡±
¡°I¡¯m just an edgy teenager,¡± I sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t look into it. I mean, when it comes down to it, I¡¯m just as human as anyone else. Just more gifted, and handsomer than usual.¡±
¡°It is¡ difficult to tell when a statement or question is a joke,¡± Red Tornado said, ¡°Having a laugh track would greatly help me in triangulating the specifics of humor, which would make a great addition in my personality data matrix.¡±
¡°Oh, by the way,¡± I said, something just occurring to me as I looked around and took in the devastated Mission Room computer, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ about trying to kill you the other day.¡±
¡°You were more reasonable than I expected,¡± Red Tornado said, ¡°You stood down when requested. But there is nothing to forgive, because you believed yourself to be in danger and acted accordingly in order to protect yourself.¡± I guess I had been afraid, kind of.
¡°Never was much of a hothead, come to think of it,¡± I said, ¡°I guess, not until I came here.¡±
¡°Do you believe that your experiences in the last five months have changed this tendency about you?¡± Red Tornado asked.
I frowned, but¡ I couldn¡¯t really do anything else but nod. Back home, I¡¯d been carefree. Living it up with my invincible power. Mission after mission crushed without effort. Nothing ever riled me up. And it wasn¡¯t like I was slacking, either. I trained hard to get as strong as I had been while in the world of jujutsu.
I was letting myself get pissed off too much here. Letting myself fly off the handle, grasping at an enemy I couldn¡¯t reach. An enemy whose name I didn¡¯t even know. All I knew about him was that he looked familiar, and that was it. I had seen him before.
¡°Come to think of it,¡± I said, ¡°It¡¯s been a lot harder here, than back home. Nobody came close to Klarion¡¯s power back home. And Amazo had been a pretty frustrating fight, one that I may not have won if I hadn¡¯t gotten stronger after being¡ sent here.¡± Could I have bypassed my own Infinity without the Hollow Technique, or even Red?
Still, it wasn¡¯t like the average mission was hard here. They were just less straightforward, so they usually took more time. Santa Prisca had been a walk in the park. Protecting Serling Roquette hadn¡¯t been particularly hard, either. And bagging Sportsmaster had been a milk run at best. That made three easy missions. Amazo¡¯s was¡ challenging, selectively at least. Bialya would have proved a problem if I had lost my memory in the desert and not in the Cave. And¡ the Kent Nelson wellness check needed not be mentioned at all.
The average mission was pretty hard, actually.
It had genuinely been harder here.
I suppose, in the end, I had never been so far removed from the team in terms of power. They could catch up, given some time. Kid Flash would catch up given his improvements in speed.
Huh.
¡°This is why the Teen Titans team is important for you young heroes,¡± Red Tornado said, ¡°The risks are many, and the League wishes to help mitigate as many of them as possible in order to ensure your safety.¡±
I frowned and nodded. I still wouldn¡¯t say that I wasn¡¯t ready to tackle League-level issues, if only in terms of raw power. But perhaps in terms of dealing with the press, I was lacking. Projecting the image. Trying not to inflame things with super-villains, goading them into fights. I wouldn¡¯t put the latter past myself, being honest.
¡°Red Tornado?¡±
¡°Yes, Gojo?¡±
¡°I think you made me realize important things that no one else in the League has managed to do yet.¡±
¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± he said.
Chapter 37
Mount Justice
September 5th, 12:09 EDT
"Did you really say that to her?" Megan asked, shocked. "Why would you say that to her?"
I tried my best to keep my composure and continue folding the cookie dough, "I thought having it out in the open would help, Megan. I really did."
"Well. It didn''t," she said, "Obviously."
I clenched my jaws, "It wasn''t obvious to me."
"And maybe that''s a problem," Megan said.
"Maybe I am the problem."
"Don''t take the easy way out and give up on yourself," she said, "I won''t let you. You did something awful to her yesterday, don''t forget that."
Oh my god. "Megan, I¡ see everything. What''s the point of lying or pretending? The truth sets you free. Everything being out in the open makes communication easier. All I did was acknowledge another aspect of the way that I hurt her. I was owning my harm. Isn''t that¡ good?"
"How different would that appear from rubbing things in?" Megan asked.
"Well, in that case, I''m defeated. I surrender."
"No, no, don''t surrender. I just told you¡ª"
"Don''t take the easy way out," I said. I stopped folding and turned to her with an incredulous grin, "I don''t even want cookies."
"Then why are you making them?" She asked, "It was your idea."
"I had a¡ long morning," I said.
"Is that why you''re not opening yourself up to me?" she asked.
"And I just wanted to enjoy some quality time with my girlfriend to forget the fact that things suck, I suck, and I broke something I shouldn''t break. I''m aware, Megan, that what I did sucked. Okay? I''m aware. I''m aware, and I''m sorry, and I won''t do it again," because nobody in this goddamned cave knew how to take a joke, and everyone were just overly sensitive babies that cried at the first sign of distress.
"What aren''t you sharing?" Megan asked me, arms folded.
"Why do I have to share everything? What if none of it concerned you, Megan?"
"You concern me," she said.
I took a deep breath through my nose and sighed. "All I want to do is distract myself and take my time, and you can''t even wait until I''m¡ª"
Megan disappeared. So did the kitchen, and everything in the cave. In an instant, I was surrounded by total blackness. A part of me, not the entire whole at least. Not my body¡ªsomething subtler, more energetic. My mind? My soul? Why wasn''t it inside my body?
The blackness shattered away to reveal a dark night sky. A Chinese-style sect courtyard. An army of ninjas surrounding me. A chalk pentagram and thousands of lines of illegible glyphs covered the ground. And far ahead of me, seated cross-legged, was him. Ra''s Al-Ghul. I recognized him from the comics I had read and the dossiers Batman and Canary had me studying. The leader of the League of Shadows. The Demon''s Head.
Here to strike a blow at me, with a pre-prepared ritual.
How in the world did you even defend against this?
In one hand, he had a dagger. In the other, a heart.
A beating heart. And the way he held it¡ I could feel his touch. In my own heart. What¡ª?
The answer became clear in a moment. Klarion''s last middle-finger before his banishment.
Goddammit.
"Infinity," Ra''s grinned, "Welcome to¡ Infinity Island. No relations. Only an unfortunate coincidence. Or kismet, perhaps?"
I looked around, scanning my surroundings. Outside the compound was jungle, and then beach, and finally ocean, as far as the eye could see, which was far. But when I looked even further, I finally saw it, the first bit of civilization, perhaps a thousand kilometers away. The people were¡ black. Africa? No. English signage. The English was either just bad or some kind of dialect.
In the building behind Ra''s hid Constantine, smoking a cigarette. Even behind a wall, he noticed when I spotted him. He gave an apologetic shrug. This was what he meant with betrayal.
"Alright," I said with a shrug, gathering my cursed energy for¡ªnothing. I had nothing here.
Shit. Shit, shit! Not again.
"Don''t panic," Ra''s chuckled, "It doesn''t become you. In any case, I''m not here to hurt you today, provided negotiations do not fall through. This is happening because you underestimated the threat of the League of Shadows. You challenged our pride. This is the natural consequence to that."
"I''m going to kill you," I growled, "All of you."
"Feel free to do so," Ra''s smiled, "What I have in my hand is a heart. Your heart."
"I gathered that," I said through gritted teeth.
"And you''re here as an astral projection, summoned to become a target to this ritual. When I stab this heart with this soul-rending dagger," he said, lifting the knife, "You will experience incredible agony that splinters your body, mind, and soul, all at once. It will take you years to recover, and it might even be the cause of your retirement from this life altogether. But of course, things need not get so¡ gory. You understand. Now, my frustration with you is this invincibility which you so fondly cling to. I want to strip it away. And in return, I will dispose of your heart and free you from this sword of Damocles¡ªor knife as it were."Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"No brainwashing?" I frowned, "Or forced service? One of your agents were convinced that one day, I''d be the League''s asset. Is that still not on the table?"
"Is it?"
"No," I said, "It isn''t. So, you want me to seal my power for you. Just stab me then," I snorted.
"Here are my terms," Ra''s said, "Seal away your arcane abilities¡ªyour supernatural abilities, like your invisibility, your teleportation, and your telekinesis, but not your physical gifts, whenever you are in combat against a member of the League of Shadows."
My eyes widened, and I grinned. "Ah, so that''s what you want. Immunity from me." I stared at the knife and the heart, and my now-innate connection to magic allowed me to read the intent and consequence of this ritual with ease. He was telling the unvarnished truth. He really could screw me over for a long time, and I''d have no guarantee of recovery. "Why not just stab me anyway?" I asked. "And then look for me and kill me while I''m weak?"
"There is no guarantee we would be able to find you or summon you," he said, "Not without something as significant to you as a heart¡ªthis one will be spent after this ritual ends, whether or not I go through with stabbing it. And even then, it is easier to bring you to this location than to bring ourselves to yours. At least this way, we can move on to stage two of my plan¡ªkilling you while you are vulnerable."
"Ah, simple. Strip my power against you, then go after me while I have nothing to shield myself from you," I said, "No Infinity. No techniques. Just¡ bodies." I sighed, "Alright¡ªhere are my terms: I won''t use cursed energy to fight you or your League. And I won''t use it to defend myself against you or your league. I won''t use it to imbue my body with additional strength and speed to fight against you or your league. And in return for all of that, you won''t curse me with this ritual, you and your people won''t go after me or mine outside of costume, and you and your people won''t sabotage my secret identity to others if you ever come to learn of it. You want this fight, Ra''s, you can have this fight, but we''re duking it out in the ring. Not the parking lot. Happy?!"
Ra''s eyes widened and he grinned malevolently, "Are you so confident in your martial prowess, boy? You are speaking to the god of assassins."
"And you''re speaking to a god, period," I laughed, "Let''s hurry this up, old man. You brave enough to face me without my magic?"
"I accept your terms," Ra''s grinned. "They might seem generous to you, but they will be your end."
A chain shot itself out from my chest, towards Ra''s, an in turn, a chain shot itself out from his chest, binding me. They were ethereal chains, symbolizing this promise. Soon, they faded.
I bent over backwards laughing. Sure, I couldn''t use Infinity anymore, nor could I use my active application of the Six Eyes, loading it with more cursed energy, or using its Reversal form with positive energy.
But I never said anything about using my positive energy to recover from wounds. As long as I didn''t use my regeneration to fight the League, or use positive energy to strengthen or speed up my body, I had free reign to regenerate from anything. Healing wasn''t fighting after all. And I could see in this bond that this loophole was valid. Perhaps because I believed it to be? And in case I ever needed to protect someone from the League, I could just imbue that person with Infinity¡ªthe promise I had made was to not defend myself, not others.
But I had gotten some good gains out of this. Artemis would be assured safety from these assholes while at home. In case Sportsmaster ever broke out, I had just bought Artemis a free restraining order¡ªfor as long as Sporty remained a member of the League, of course. In fact, I had bought everyone I worked with an immunity to foul play on the League''s side, which definitely had to count for something.
"That''s a load off my shoulders, Ra''s," I grinned, "pleasure doing business with you. It really has. I cannot wait for the next time we duke it out." I laughed.
Aside from my regeneration, Ra''s had not given any thought to the simple fact that in hand-to-hand, owing to my cursed eyes and preternatural bodily control, I was still a monster.
Ra''s, for his part, didn''t back down, "The pleasure is mine, Infinity. I assure you."
Then this world turned into blackness as well, and shattered away to reveal the¡ the ceiling of the medbay. Megan was standing over me, concerned. Red Tornado was on the other side of the bed, as well as Canary and Zatara.
"Sa-chan!" Megan cried, hugging my form.
"Give him space, Megan, please," Canary said. Megan didn''t obey for a few more seconds before standing up and looking at me, puffy-eyed.
"How do you feel?"
I took a moment to take stock of myself.
"Feel fine," I said, sitting up.
Now that I was out of sight from the enemy, I allowed myself to feel anger. My breathing started quickening, more and more and more until finally, "GODDAMMIT! GODDAMN HIM, I''LL KILL HIM!" I roared in Japanese.
I slammed my fist on the hospital bed so hard that it shattered the legs from under. Before I could fall, I floated gently on my feet. Megan tried to approach me, but Infinity was up. I stared at Zatara, who was looking at me in suspicion. I debated on lying to him, but at this point, I couldn''t justify withholding this information. At all. "The enemy made use of my heart. The one that Klarion ripped out. Ra''s declawed me!"
"How so?" Zatara asked.
"We made a deal," I said. "I won''t get to use any higher techniques except regeneration against the League of Shadows. They mean to kill me." For¡ challenging their pride. I chuckled.
Wow. Me and my big mouth.
"But," I said, letting go of my anger, "This might be a good thing. Because unlike you, I did end up getting some actionable advice from a magician by the name of John Constantine. Recognize him?" Zatara''s eyes widened. "Yeah, he saw me this morning, told me my chaos magic needed rules in order to prevent something terrible from happening. And, I guess, to really bring that point home, he helped Ra''s out with the ritual."
Zatara gritted his teeth, "Nothing good can come from an association with that man, Gojo. Nothing."
"Not like the guy gave me a choice in the matter, did he?" I rolled my eyes, "Don''t worry, I''ll rip his arms off the next time I see him. He went too far."
"Sa-chan," Megan said.
"I''ll glue them back together afterwards. There, all good," I looked around, grasping for something to do. Red Tornado, Black Canary, Megan. None of their ineffectual and stupid pity could help me right now. But Black Canary could. I honed in on her and grinned, "Do you have the afternoon free, Canary? Because I could really use a couple of training sessions. Hell, maybe I should look at picking out a weapon now that I''m reduced to all your levels. Might be fun!"
Canary frowned at me. I expected her to tell me "you need to talk about these feelings" but thankfully, she had more common sense than that. "I can spare two hours. And we can cycle through a few weapons as well, see what you prefer."
"Sa-chan," Megan said, "Why don''t we¡ talk first?"
"No," I said, "I''m not in the mood for talking. Sorry. Canary?"
Canary turned to Zatara, "Is there anything else you need?"
"Between the boy''s own accounts, Megan''s telepathy recounting the events in turn, and my own preliminary investigations, I will say that the boy is out of trouble," he said, "This magic ritual was extraordinary, and required a very expensive investment, not to mention a living heart of the subject it targets. As you can imagine, this cannot be replicated. Certainly not twice. The mystic arts place a heavy emphasis on spontaneity."
"Fine," Canary nodded. "Batman will come around soon. Until then, Gojo, we can use the Mission Room to train¡ªthough the computer is still non-functional. We will have to do this old-school."
"Fine, bring it," I scoffed.
000
Infinity Island
September 6th, 01:15
Once the precocious young hero had disappeared, Ra''s let his grin fall. He got up from his cross-legged position, letting the heart of Infinity drop on the ground and sheathing his ritual dagger.
He walked into the building where Constantine was waiting. "What is he hiding?" Ra''s asked. Despite being forced to seal his abilities when going up against the League of Shadows, Infinity had still seemed supremely confident. He spoke foreign words to Ra''s, of ''cursed energy'', and yet Ra''s understood almost intuitively what it meant¡ªhow vital cursed energy was for the boy''s sorcery. Perhaps his astral form had managed to communicate those details telepathically? Still, Ra''s was fairly certain that the boy''s destructive potential and invincibility had been thoroughly curtailed. Yet, he still remained confident. What was the source of that confidence? What had Ra''s missed?
Constantine shrugged, "How should I know?" he grinned, "I''m just a freelancer working on this ritual¡ªand have become, in effect, a member of your League."
Ra''s couldn''t deny a surge of irritation, but he refused to let it affect his composure. "Thus sharing in our immunity against the boy. Clever. And what about commitment? Is that not required?"
"If he finds out I''m not really a member of the League, then I''ll lose the immunity," Constantine grinned, "But for now, what he thinks is also what empowers the magic binding us."
Ra''s had to admit, this sorcerer was a clever one, "Then as long as he believes that a person is a member of my League, that person will not be harmed by his magic. And on the same note, I may attempt to fool him into believing an unrelated member is also someone of the League."
Constantine shook his head, "Usually, I wouldn''t help you out like this, but I do need this ritual to work, if only for a little bit, so I''ll give this one to you for free: Don''t try it. The boy said it himself¡ªyou sealed his cursed energy. A magical resource, clearly, but is that the only thing he has?"
A sensory ability.
The pieces were falling into place. Orm''s arrest, Lady Shiva''s defeat, even after filling the air with smoke. Abra Kadabra''s report corroborating the same¡ªInfinity easily piercing through a glamor that should have kept them hidden from anyone, including the mages of the Justice League.
Ra''s cracked a furious grin. Well played, boy.
"And what comes next?" Ra''s asked, "Do you wish to set up a contract, and have a rival in the mystic arts removed from the picture?"
"Far be it from me to make the lad''s life harder than it already is," Constantine said, "You''ve served your purpose, Demon''s Head."
"As have you," Ra''s'' eyes narrowed.
"Just make sure you don''t accidentally break the terms of your own agreement¡ªlots of terms were getting thrown around, on both sides. And the boy has one thing you don''t," he grinned, "Aptitude. So do be careful."
"I am not the one in danger," Ra''s grinned. He had balanced on a knife''s edge for as long as he could remember, and many times, he had fallen on the wrong side of that knife. Infinity was just one more obstacle that Ra''s would encounter in his eons of living, and he would be just as forgettable as the last one.
The tension in the air hung heavy as Constantine tipped an imaginary hat and sauntered off, leaving Ra''s alone in the corridor. The Demon''s Head allowed his grin to fade once more, his gaze lingering on the chalk-drawn circle visible through the open courtyard doors.
"Aptitude," he muttered to himself, tasting the word as if it were some rare vintage. His fingers brushed over the hilt of his dagger, still warm from the ritual. "Confidence without power is arrogance. Confidence while disarmed..." His grin returned, sharper now, more deliberate. "That is calculation."
Ra''s turned toward the far end of the courtyard, his footsteps deliberate and unhurried. "Let us see what your calculations amount to, Infinity."